Which seven bands are playing FresYes Fest? Check out this year’s lineup of music

Some of the details about this year’s FresYes Fest are still under wraps.

What we do know is that the annual beer, food and music festival is happening 1-11 p.m. March 21 on the stretch of Fulton Street near the Brewery District in downtown Fresno.

And we know which bands will be performing as part of the festivities. On Tuesday, organizers announced seven bands will hit the stage. Once again, the lineup stands as a valuable introduction to the Fresno music scene.

“As usual with FresYes Fest, we’re looking for bands and artists who have left their mark on the local music scene and become one of the pillars of our area,” says Mike Osegueda, one of the festivals organizers.

“It’s always hard to pick the bands for this each year because there are so many immensely talented musicians in the Fresno area, but we aim to put together a lineup that hits various genres and spreads across multiple decades of local music.”

Who’s playing FresYes Fest 2020

40 Watt Hype seems like an obvious choice. The Latin fusion hip-hop band knows how to keep a crowd hopping and has a history of playing Fresno’s big events. It was at Grizzly Fest last year and the Taco Truck Throwdown in 2018.

Violinist Patrick Contreras has reinvented himself over the years; from doing hip-hop and dub-step covers to feedback-laden Hendrix-style rock and his own brand of “Chicano violin music,”’ which he played under the moniker El Violin. Contreras is a go-to for venues looking to pack the house.

There’s a reason he played Fulton 55’s opening night back in 2011.

Rudy Parris has some serious country-music roots. He cut his teeth playing with Buck Owens at the Crystal Palace in Bakersfield and last year did a stint singing and playing guitar with the Buckaroos. He was also on #teamshelton (yes, that Blake Shelton) on the 2012 season of NBC’s “The Voice.”

Some will remember Kevin Kayashi from his days fronting the reggae rock band Clouded Vision. As a solo artist, he keeps with the laid-back acoustic vibes.

Guitarist Bill Clifton is one half of the Clifton brothers, who formed the MoFo Party Band in the late 1980s and kept a loyal following playing West Coast blues for at least 25 years. Clifton’s brother John played the FresYes Fest with his blues band in 2017. Here, Bill Clifton plays with the Chicken and Whiskey Band.

The Morning Drive are the new kids on the block, so to speak. The funk, soul and blues band has been playing only since 2014, but has established a following (both locally, and in places like San Francisco) for energetic if somewhat jam-laden sets.

As the unofficial FresYes Fest house band, The Box has played the festival for the last four years. Once again, they will close out the night with your dose of nostalgic ’90s hip-hop, R&B, dance and pop.

This story was originally published February 4, 2020 at 4:35 PM.