Upon hearing the Rites' lineup, some may be left bewildered, asking themselves, what's a Feist? What kind of band calls itself Spoon? Lucky for you, we've taken the gueswork out of t discovering his year's headliners for those who have yet to hear the music by these formidable artists. Enjoy.

Lil Jon
Who he is: Hailing from Atlanta, Lil Jon has made a career out of three guttural words: “Yeah,” “Okay” and “What?” Growing up in an upper-middle-class family, Lil Jon (born Jonathan Smith) escaped the “hard knock life” that many rappers infuse into both their persona and lyrics, but still managed to earn himself credibility in the rap and hip-hop game. Exploding onto the scene a few years ago with his hit with Usher “Yeah,” Lil Jon is probably most known for pioneering a new hip-hop sub genre, crunk. Yes, that’s right — crunk. Emanating from the south, the subgenre lets intricate lyrics go by the wayside in favor of strong bass beats and frenetic chanting. What’s more, Lil Jon has also popularized the “Crunk Cup” a jewel encrusted chalice from which he sips (much akin to a “Goblet of Rock”).
Why he rocks: You’d be hard pressed to find a college student who couldn’t identify the tell-tale opening beats of “Get Low”: the “duh dum dum DUM” that makes you immediately want to dance like a complete jackass, regardless of the place or time. And while he is not always the most comprehensible of folks (I thought “Snap Yo Fingers” was actually “Snackin’ Bagels” for weeks), he is a complete genius. Never seen without his shoulder-long dreads, gold grill or his signature shades (which he, like Corey Hart, wears at night), Lil Jon has made himself into somewhat of a caricature, thus tapping into a goldmine for both himself and for funnyman Dave Chapelle, who impersonates the rapper frequently. As far as Rites of Spring goes, Lil Jon promises to bring a frenzied, energetic and unbelievable performance, and I wouldn’t miss it, not for all the Crunk chalices in the world.


Feist
Who she is: If Lil Jon became popular singing “3,6,9, damn you fine,” then Feist made a name for herself singing “1,2,3,4” to the whirling of brightly colored iPods, while dancing in some spectacular onesies. Born Leslie Feist in Toronto, Canada, Feist has also recorded music as a member of the super-popular indie group Broken Social Scene. Sure, she may owe some of her success to the Apple commercial (prior to its airing, the song was getting downloaded about 2,000 times per week — after, it hit 73,000 downloads), but I’m pretty confident she would have gotten her new indie queen crown on her own time. She has been nominated for numerous Juno Awards, and thus far has won four of them for both her solo work and her recordings with Broken Social Scene. This year she was also nominated for four Grammy’s for her 2007 album “The Reminder,” but alas, went home empty handed.
Why she rocks: Sometime in the past few years, there has been a slow resurgence of popularity to indie and folk music, and musicians like Feist, who combine intellectual lyrics with an interesting and appealing sound, are reaping all the benefits. Furthermore, the Rites of Spring festival is traditionally dominated by men, both solo artists and in bands, and it is refreshing to see a female musician as talented and popular as Feist at the helm of this year’s stellar lineup (joined, of course, by the effervescent Colby Caillat and rock group The Nocturnal’s frontwoman Grace Potter). Her entire musical repertoire is superb, including her much older stuff, but if nothing else, listen to “The Reminder.” B-A-D-A-S-S.

Old Crow Medicine Show
Who they are: Although Old Crow Medicine Show may have formed around the Ithaca, NY, area, they certainly remain true to the spirit of true down-South country with banjo, mandolin and fiddle to spare (let alone those run-of-the-mill guitars). They hit it big while playing outside of a pharmacy in North Carolina (no joke) where Doc Watson, the folk mogul, took notice and immediately started building them a career. He moved the band to Nashville with a prepackaged career including playing the Grand Ole Opry, opening for Dolly Parton and touring with Merle Haggard. But really, if you haven’t heard of Old Crow Medicine Show by now, you must have been under a rock for a few years. They’ve been dominating the country/bluegrass/Americana scene for years now. Although their rise to fame may have been Cinderella-like in nature, they certainly back up their fame with toe-tapping tunes that will please your ears even if you bought your ticket for the nefarious Lil John.
Why they rock: Remember National Public Radio’s “A Prairie Home Companion?” Someone made a movie about it a couple years ago with Kevin Kline and Lindsay Lohan? Anybody? Bueller? Well, regardless, Old Crow Medicine Show is the modern go-to group for playing the classic country variety show. Let’s forget the innumerable times that they’ve played the Opry, OCMS take touring to the extreme (without Mountain Dew). Since they’ve been cutting records, the band has pretty much been on a constant touring schedule with breaks only for eating, sleeping and breathing. If you want to know why they’re so popular, pick up their albums “O.C.M.S.” or their newest, “Big Iron World.” With singles like “Wagon Wheel,” they show that even if they do play Hank Williams-reminiscent music, they show they know how to have fun while crooning, “So rock me mama like a wagon wheel / Rock me mama any way you feel.” Expect kind of an edgier Woody Guthrie as you wait with baited breath for Old Crow Medicine Show to take the stage this April.

Spoon
Who they are: An indie rock band from Austin, Texas, Spoon was formed in 1993 and released its first album in 1996. The quintet has released six albums to date and shows no signs of stopping. Their most recent album, “Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga,” hit stores this past summer and left fans speechless. For real though, the album even debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 list. Despite (or perhaps because of) its stupid name, the album reached for the sky on Billboard and was listed as one of the Best Albums of the Year by Rolling Stone. Contributing songs to shows like “The OC,” “Veronica Mars” and “Chuck” and even to the soundtracks of “Wedding Crashers” and “Stranger Than Fiction,” Spoon is perpetually on the cusp of runaway success. But hey diddle diddle, they won’t run away with the dish anytime soon.
Why they rock: Energetic yet seductive, Spoon promises to become the new favorite band of many Vanderbilt students this spring. This rock ’n’ roll cornerstone’s live performances are downright fun and even more crowd-pleasing than Bruce Pearl getting a technical. Catchy songs like “The Fitted Shirt,” ‘The Way We Get By” and “You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb” will be stuck in your head days for days after Rites. Their single “Don’t You Evah” has a delightfully snappy and funky bass line that may leave you no choice but to shake those hips from side to side. Their current anthem “The Underdog” utilizes all sorts of brass to add triumphant notes to their solid rollicking acoustic guitar riff that keeps the rhythm going as solidly as a conductor on a train. Honestly, if you’re not fighting the impulse to dance while they’re onstage, you really need to turn up your hearing aid.

Full Lineup

Colbie Caillat
Lil Jon
Feist
Spoon
Old Crow Medicine Show
The Avett Brothers
DJ Kool
Jeremy Lister
Randy Rogers Band
H- Beam
Hill Country Revue featuring members of North Mississippi Allstars
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals