In our latest guest post, blogger Nicolas White of Rukkus.com shares his list of the top 10 best music festival lineups for 2014. Find out which big names and indie acts you can expect to see at each event. Check out the Rukkus Android app for additional Rukkus content.

1. Sasquatch!

May 23-25 / July 4-6

Quincy, WA

Lineup Highlights: The National, Kraftwerk, Cut Copy, Neutral Milk Hotel, Outkast

Indie Acts You Must See: Phosphorescent, Parquet Courts, Foxygen, Majical Cloudz, Jon Hopkins

Sasquatch set the bar pretty high this year, as the fest transitions from a gem of the Pacific Northwest, to a household name. This year, Sasquatch has followed the lead of California’s Coachella with its two weekend model. However, Sasquatch offers an interesting take with two very different lineups, providing a unique experience for each respective weekend, while reaching an even wider base of fans. That said, the scenic location and the picturesque backdrop is probably enough to justify the admission price.

2. Governor’s Ball

June 6-8

New York, NY

Lineup Highlights: Jack White, Vampire Weekend, The Strokes, Disclosure

Indie Acts You Must See: Grimes, Chance The Rapper, SKATERS, Ratking

Arguably the most viable NYC festival to date, Governor’s Ball has continued its monster growth with its deepest lineup yet. Though the festival was marred by torrential rains and ankle-deep mud last year, fans will surely gather en masse to catch this event.

3. Osheaga

August 1-3

Montreal, Quebec

Lineup Highlights: Arctic Monkeys, Lorde, Modest Mouse, The Replacements

Indie Acts You Must See: SBTRKT, Mac De Marco, White Denim, Jagwar Ma

The trip across the border has never seemed so alluring. Osheaga takes place in the beautiful multicultural hub of Montreal, adding a bit of Canadian efficiency to the US Woodstock-ian festival model. This year’s lineup could be Osheaga’s strongest yet.

4. Bonnaroo

June 12-15

Manchester, TN

Lineup Highlights: Kanye West, The Flaming Lips, James Blake, Phoenix

Indie Acts You Must See: Warpaint, Darkside, The Preatures, Real Estate

OK, you’ve definitely heard of this one. It’s an American rite-of-passage, after all. But if you haven’t yet made the pilgrimage down to Tennessee, you’d be hard-pressed to find a lineup as diverse as 2014’s. It just might be about time to head to “The Farm.”

5. Newport Folk Festival

July 25-27

Newport, RI

Lineup Highlights: Band of Horses, Mavis Staples, J Roddy Walston & The Business

Indie Acts You Must See: Houndmouth, Shakey Graves, Dawes

Newport Folk was a touchstone of the beatnik, counter-culture movement of the 1960s; it’s one of the most storied festivals in the US, and it’s still being held in the folky, grassroots-y, tradition that acts like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Peter, Paul, and Mary once established.

6. Electric Forest

June 26-29

Rothbury, MI

Lineup Highlights: String Cheese Incident, Ms Lauren Hill, Flying Lotus

Indie Acts You Must See: Anders Osborne, RAC, St. Lucia

Before you even look at who’s playing, imagine a music festival in the middle of a forest. The trees are lined with shimmering lights, art installations, and hammocks for sleeping. Add in a electronica-heavy lineup, and you’re in for one hell of a trip. This dreamy location makes this a truly unique festival experience.

7. Coachella

April 11-14 / April 18-20

Indio, California

Lineup Highlights: The Knife, Haim, Arcade Fire, Beck

Indie Acts You Must See: Future Islands, Dum Dum Girls, Wye Oak

Let’s face it, the Coachella lineup is a bit of a let-down this year, considering the superstar status of this festival. Yet, all things considered, the promoters at Goldenvoice still managed to book two consecutive weekends of mouth-watering live entertainment.

8. Pitchfork

July 18-20

Chicago, IL

Lineup Highlights: Giorgio Moroder, St. Vincent, Danny Brown

Indie Acts You Must See: Cloud Nothings, Earl Sweatshirt, Sharon Van Etten, Death Grips

This Chicago publication may be known for their cooler-than-thou stance on music, but you can’t argue with their success. Pitchfork always curates a lineup that takes risks, and while this year they’ve taken on some more proven artists, the undercard is still filled with hidden gems.

9. Shaky Knees

May 9-11

Atlanta, GA

Lineup Highlights: Spoon, Alabama Shakes, Portugal. The Man, Iron & Wine

Indie Acts You Must See: Man Man, Band of Skulls, The Weeks

Shaky Knees enters its 2nd year seeking rock and roll festival domination. This ATL-based weekend fest packs a punch, with a wide selection of blues-driven, Southern rock. If that’s your scene, there’s no better lineup than Shaky Knees.

10. Firefly

June 19-22

Dover, DE

Lineup Highlights: Broken Bells, Childish Gambino, Jake Bugg

Indie Acts You Must See: Washed Out, Vic Mensa, Haerts

Firefly is the newest contender for the festival crown. After achieving remarkable success in its first few years, the 2014 lineup is (comparatively) a bit of a dud. But, it’s still strong enough to round-out the top 10 best lineups of the year.

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.

We’ve entered the new year, so it’s high time we started to look at the cool, creepy, and downright strange games hoping to find success in 2014. So, we gathered together around the Indie Mine table, and came up with a list of our most anticipated releases this year.

Spy Party

Ever wanted to shoot someone at a fancy soiree? Well Spy Party offers the ability to do just that with two players assuming two very different roles. The first is an assassin with a single bullet on a mission to murder an unsuspecting party-goer. The second role is occupied by the spy who must complete a series of challenges whilst mingling amongst a sea of NPC’s and remaining anonymous to the ever-watching scope of their would-be killer. The game’s focus on keen observation, perception, and crafty use of psychology helps create this ‘battle of wits’ atmosphere, making each round as tense as the last

Spy Party is currently in open beta, and available to buy now for $15

Magecite

2D side-scrolling RPG platforming is the name of the game in Magicite from student developer Sean Young. You assume the role of a beleaguered human, removed from your home and forced underground by an evil scourge. Whilst taking refuge in the tunnels below the surface, you discover an ancient system of caves filled with magical creatures and ancient gods. You and a group of friends can gather together and plunder the depths, fighting baddies and looting treasure on the way. Expect procedurally generated caves, boss battles, character progression and perma-death in this neat looking action RPG.

Assault Android Cactus

Arcade games were awesome back in the day, and the developers of Assault Android Cactus know this. So much so that they’re making their own bullet hell title… with 100% more robots. Assume command of a number of unique characters, each equipped with different weapons and tactics to take on the hordes. Paired with an addictive rank system and leaderboards, AAC is great fun even in its current state and will be one to watch for when it’s finished.

Assault Android Cactus is currently available on Steam Early Access for $14.99

Chroma Squad

Chroma Squad is a unique spin on the tactical ‘XCOM’ turn-based combat game genre. In essence, you assume control of a TV studio, and you must manage its production of a Sentai TV series (think Power Rangers). Buy new equipment for the shows production, ‘fight’ over-the-top menaces of the galaxy, and even square off against other ‘shows’ in multiplayer ‘episodes’.

No Man’s Sky

No Man’s Sky was revealed to the world during last year’s controversial VGX awards and whilst most of the show will fade into a distant memory, this game definitely left a lasting impression. With promises of an ever expanding universe, No Man’s Sky is set to be a big deal. Details are sketchy at best right now, but we do know that this is a space/planet exploration game in which everything is procedurally generated. Everyone will start their adventure on the outskirts of the universe, with the goal of making it to the centre for reasons unknown.

Volume

Volume is pegged as a retelling of the Robin Hood legend set in the near future, so expect more robots and neon glow to go along with your ‘steal from the rich’ narrative. As hero Locksley, you’ll be sneaking through each level avoiding crossbow wielding robot patrols and stealing everything on your path to the exit. Those familiar with the Metal Gear Solid series will feel noticeable similarities with the gameplay in Volume, as the game draws influences from Kojima’s earlier releases. Bundle all this with some great voice talent (Danny Wallace, Charlie McDonnell) and it’s easy to see why you should be watching this one.

Starbound

There’s a good chance you’ve already played this game considering the pre-orders alone breached the $1 million mark. Now currently available in a beta state on Steam’s Early Access, Starbound is set to make waves in 2014. The game is akin to Terraria in that it’s cast in a side-scrolling 2D view and shares a heavy focus on exploration and resource gathering. You’ll also find yourself sailing across the stars in a huge procedurally generated universe. Jump from planet to planet as you search for new equipment, new species and a new home. The game includes both single and multiplayer modes, allowing a number of friends to explore the universe together in what has so far been an enjoyable experience.

Starbound is available on Steam Early Access for $14.99 and is currently in its beta phase.

Son of Nor

If you’ve ever wanted to set giant rocks on fire and throw them at lizard men in the desert, Son of Nor is the game for you. Featuring a unique telekinesis and element manipulation mechanic, you’ll be expected to utilize every aspect of your surroundings to fight off your reptilian overlords and solve a variety of physics based puzzles. Multiplayer will also feature in the game and will include a number of extra abilities to make it more interesting like the newly introduced spell fusions. These allow you to combine the elements into bigger and better spells.

Son of Nor is still being developed and planned for release in Q2 this year, but you can purchase a $5 ‘Sandbox demo’ if you can’t wait that long.

The Witness

The latest project from fan favourite ‘Indie Darling’ Jonathan Blow, The Witness is an homage to the older days of exploration and discovery. Drawing from the MYST series, the game aims to allow the player to advance at their own pace, progressing as they solve puzzles and venture deeper into the island. Little more is known about The Witness other than we’ll be seeing it launch on PC and PS4 simultaneously, with an IOS version planned afterwards.

The Forest

As if getting lost in a forest wasn’t bad enough, The Forest introduces a bunch of genetically mutated wood-folk into the mix to add that extra ‘Oh crap!’ factor. Explore the lush undergrowth during the day as you scavenge for food and supplies. Once night falls you can expect your jolly through the woods to take a much more sinister turn. With full Oculus Rift support, The Forest is sure to have us on the edge of our seats.

Transistor

Creators of the isometric narrative-action game Bastion are onto their second endeavour now with Transistor, a sci-fi action RPG focused on a mysterious weapon of great power. Framed in a similar style to Bastion, the game will showcase some of the most loved aspects of its predecessor as you seek out the mysteries behind the Transistor’s previous owners and unlock the secrets of its power.

Overgrowth

Rabbit ninjas fighting each other to the death? Yes please! Overgrowth is all about the fluidity of play, from its almost gesture based combat to its parkour platforming, there’s a ton of potential in this game. In its current state, the game is more of a sandbox than anything else, with a robust editor included to make your own fun happen. Eventually we’ll see an entire campaign spring out of Overgrowth, and judging by the content so far it’s going to be bloodier than a screening of Watership Down.

Overgrowth is currently available via Steam Early Access for $29.99

Paradise Lost: First Contact

Metroidvania fans take note as Paradise Lost is something you should already know about. If not, then allow me to implant some knowledge sacs into your body. You play as an unfortunate extraterrestrial, which crash landed onto earth straight into the arms of a shady government organization.  It’s up to you to sneak and slither your way to freedom, using a number of skills and tactics to evade the guards and scientists roaming the facility. Expect an expansive game world, with chambered rooms and loads of content to explore.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is set to be a finely polished story driven adventure title from The Astronauts, a small team of ex AAA developers. The narrative centres on Paul Prospero, an occult detective with the ability to peer into the final moments of a murder victim’s life. You must use supernatural detective skills to investigate a series of murders in the picturesque setting of Red Creek Valley. There will be no combat in the game, so expect this to boast a strong focus of what the developers describe as ‘weird fiction’.

The Long Dark

Forged in the fires of post AAA development, a small team of developers hope to create this “first-person post-disaster survival simulation”. In The Long Dark you’ll have to combat the elements and inhabitants of the wild as you struggle to survive in the icy tundra. To go along with the challenges of surviving in the wild, you’ll have to make morally questionable choices as you encounter others in the fight for survival.

© 2014, The Indie Mine. All rights reserved.