Pitchfork

Whartscape 2008: bigger, longer, and-- could it be?-- nuttier than ever before. Descending upon Baltimore July 17-20, this year's Wham City-presented festival spreads dozens upon dozens of crazy good bands over four Pez-filled days and Nilla wafer-fueled nights.

So who's making their way to Whartscape this year? Well, a bunch of those batty Baltimoreans and quite a few of their far-flung sonic siblings, of course. Whartscape 2008 will see sets from lovable scene lynchpin Dan Deacon, some chap named Gregg Gillis (curiously billed under his given name), Beach House, Black Dice, Matmos, Ponytail, Celebration, Parts and Labor, Cex, Grand Buffet, Jana Hunter, Arboretum, Daniel A.I.U. Higgs, Wzt Hearts, Thank You, the Mae Shi, Oxes, Videohippos, Negativland, the Death Set, Lexie Mountain Boys, Matteah Baim, Santa Dads, Bird Names, Killer Whales, Dufus, Double Dagger, DDMMYYY, Ecstatic Sunshine, and once again, DJ Dog Dick.

All that addled action goes down at a handful of Baltimore locales.