Scott Streble
Dessa
Minneapolis rapper, singer and writer Dessa will close out the 2024 Orton Park Festival, bringing her genres-bucking, expectations-defying performance to the 59th episode of one of Madison’s favorite summer gatherings.
The festival, a production of and fundraiser for the Marquette Neighborhood Association, takes place Aug. 23-25 and Isthmus is a sponsor of the festival for the third straight year.
Dessa has recorded with the Minnesota Orchestra, written for The New York Times, and produced a podcast for the BBC, not to mention performing twice in the old Isthmus newsroom on State Street, most recently in 2017. She will take the Orton stage at 6:15 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25.
Americana songwriter collective Fantastic Cat closes out the Saturday performances with what Rolling Stone calls a “wildly satisfying collection of folk-rock, country, Americana, and good old rock & roll.”
The festival kicks off on Friday, Aug. 23, with a family picnic at 5:30 p.m. giving way to the traditional performance by Cycropia Aerial Dance at 7:30 p.m.
In addition to Fantastic Cat, the lineup on Saturday, Aug. 24, includes Shakey, the Madison-based Neil Young tribute band, and Balthvs, a Colombia-based psychedelic funk trio. Local surf guitar adherents Broken Boards and Sorry Machine, a Madison power punk crew, round out Saturday’s offerings. A second Cycropia performance starts at 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 25, begins with the traditional Jazz Brunch starring Madison East High School musicians and brunch from Barrett’s Bagels. Jazz/funk combo Frisson gets the main stage going at noon, followed by folk-rocker Chance Emerson at 1:30 p.m., Chicago bluesman Nathan Graham at 3 p.m., and English alt-rockers Ruen Brothers at 4:30 p.m. before giving way to Dessa at 6:15 p.m.
