Clearmountain Festival

Eight up-and-coming bands with Montclair roots will come together to play the inauguralClearmountain Festival, a benefit for The New Jersey Arts Education Partnership on Friday, August 26 at the Montclair Women’s Club.

The show will feature the following acts:

• Pinegrove, who channel “the rootsy shamble of early Wilco and general guilelessness of pre-prog Built To Spill” (Pitchfork).

• Stolen Jars, an eclectic indie rock band who were named one of NPR’s favorite discoveries at last year’s CMJ Music Marathon.

• Topaz Jones, a 23 year-old rapper known for his “charismatic storytelling” (XXL Magazine), and “pure lyricism” (Okayplayer).

• Half Waif, an experimental trio praised for their “endlessly inventive sonic machinery” (The Deli Magazine).

• Werebears, a young indie-electronic band with a brash, DIY punk ethos.

• Cranes Are Flying, fronted by two brothers who share songwriting duties and ply dynamic, vocal-driven alt-rock.

• Shakai Mondai, named one of Stereogum’s “Bands to Watch” for their innovative take on electro-pop.

• Gifts, an emo/punk tour de force who are anchors of the Montclair music scene.