Mystery act builds Analog-A-Go-Go buzz

Who is the mystery band?

Ever since Dogfish Head announced earlier this week that a "mystery" sixth act will perform at Saturday's Analog-A-Go-Go music and beer festival, everyone wants to know one thing: Who is it?

While standing in the shadow of Bellevue State Park's bandshell earlier this week, Neal Stewart, Dogfish's vice president of marketing, wanted to spill the beans, but just couldn't.

But we did squeeze a few hints out of him.

It's a "critically-acclaimed band from the region that is touring nationally right now," he teased, adding that contractual obligations due to another upcoming area performance by the act barred an immediate announcement.

The need for a sixth band came after New York-based indie rockers Ra Ra Riot dropped out after hitching their wagon to Young the Giant's North American tour, which includes a Saturday show at New York's Radio City Music Hall.

Even so, the remaining five bands on the line-up have a little something for everyone: rock (headliners Built to Spill, up-and-coming Philadelphia trio Beach Slang), hip-hop (Brooklyn rapper Talib Kweli), jazz (New Orleans' Preservation Hall Jazz Band) and pop (Delaware's own Fiance).

Nearly 100 acres of the 328-acre park were fenced off Tuesday as preparations began for the festival, which runs 1 p.m.-10 p.m. Saturday.

It's the first time a large portion of the park has been closed to the public for an event like this, park officials said. (While the portion of the park holding the festival will be closed to the public and there will be no parking allowed at the park, the rest of the grounds will be open for activities.)

Analog-A-Go-Go will be be the largest event hosted by Bellevue State Park in its 39-year history. It is also the biggest event put on by Dogfish in its 21 years.

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Fans without tickets on Saturday can purchase passes for $75 at Frawley Stadium in Wilmington, where shuttles will bring festivalgoers to the Analog entrance in Bellevue. If a fan without a ticket is taking Uber or getting dropped off at the festival site, tickets will also be available at the gate.

Since there is extremely limited parking on-site for organizers and others, there is no parking at the park. When fans purchased tickets, they were designated to park in one of three places: Tri-State Mall in Claymont, Frawley Stadium in Wilmington and an office park nearby in Bellevue. Eight buses will be running constantly from each site.

A parking lot at the entrance to the festival near the stage will be used for shuttle, Uber or private car drop-offs. Any drop-offs can begin at noon when the park opens. Gates to the festival open an hour later with Newark-based pop/rock act Fiance kicking off the music at 2:15 p.m.

"Think of it as an airport. You can drop-off, but we're going to keep it moving," Strewart says.

Two alcohol-themed mini-festivals within Analog-A-Go-Go -- both of which need their own tickets -- will also be Saturday. The Best Firkin Friends Beer Festival filled with cask-conditioned beers from several breweries runs from 2 to 6 p.m. in the park's 3,000-person Figure-8 Barn. The Distillery Garden runs from 6 to 9 p.m. nearby with Dogfish Head spirits and cocktails up for grabs.

When Analog was first announced in April, Dogfish was hoping for a crowd of up to 10,000. That number was downgraded to a possible 5,000 fans last month.

Alan Weeth, Analog-A-Go-Go director and Dogfish marketing manager, now says about 3,500 are expected. About 2,900 tickets have already sold and strong walk-up sales, aided by a beautiful forecast, are expected.

"I don't think we're disappointed at all. To me, it's a learning experience," Weeth says.

Stewart adds, "I think we were a little too aggressive with those early numbers, but just like Firefly, the way that it grows is by people coming here, having a great time and then telling their friends."

In previous years, Analog was held at Dogfish's Milton brewery with concerts at night at their Rehoboth Beach brewpub. Built to Spill played to about 150 fans there during last year's Analog with an overflow crowd of 100 more locked out, with some watching from the sidewalk through a window. This time around, the festival is being super-sized and Dogfish is leaning on some reinforcements.

They have has enlisted help from Dover Motorsports, which helps organize and run Firefly Music Festival each year. With five years of handling large-scale festival crowds that sometimes reach 90,000, the Dover team has lent logistical support and will be on the ground Saturday helping as well.

"We're really good at making beer and really awesome at delivering killer experiences, but we don't have a ton of experience delivering on this scale," Weeth admits.

At the festival, fans will find 13 food trucks, including Delaware's The Brunch Box, I Don’t Give a Fork, Kapow, Mojo Loco, Nellie's Waffles and Ice Cream, Outlandish, The Plum Pit, Taco Reho, The Wandering Chef and Wildwich, There will also be 10 breweries, including a rare visit from Florida's Funky Buddah. And more than 25 artisan vendors and 13 vinyl vendors will be at the park as well.

California-based artist Marq Spusta, who has done work for The Grateful Dead, Phish and Dogfish Head over the years, will man the Dogfish Doodling Lounge where festivalgoers can hang out with Spusta and color their own custom prints.

For Analog fans who just can't wait until Saturday, the party will actually start a night early for Dogfish die-hards.

The festival team is hosting a Countdown to Analog-A-Go-Go pre-party Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Sheraton Suites (422 Delaware Ave., Wilmington), where the Dogfish sales team and distributors will be staying for festival weekend. Festival passes will be raffled off and Dogfish beer and spirits will be available for purchase.

Contact Ryan Cormier of The News Journal at rcormier@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier), Twitter (@ryancormier) and Instagram (@ryancormier).

IF YOU GO

What: Dogfish Head's Analog-A-Go-Go

Acts: Built to Spill, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Talib Kweli, Beach Slang, Fiancé

When: Saturday, 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Where: Bellevue State Park, 800 Carr Road, Bellevue

Cost: $75

Information: analogagogo.com

BAND SCHEDULE

2:15 p.m. – Fiancé
3:30 p.m. – Beach Slang
4:45 p.m. – To be announced
6:00 p.m. – Talib Kweli
7:15 p.m. – Preservation Hall Jazz Band
8:45 p.m. – Built to Spill

BREWERIES

Allagash Brewing Co. (Portland, Maine), Beavertown Brewery (London), Burley Oak Brewing Co. (Berlin, Maryland), Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton), Funky Buddah Brewery (Oakland Park, Florida), Iron Hill Brewery (Newark), Samuel Adams (Boston), Short's Brewing Co. (Bellaire, Michigan), Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (Chico, California) and Stoudts Brewing Co. (Adamstown, Pennsylvania).

VINYL VENDORS

Carolina Soul Records (Durham, North Carolina), Gidget’s Gadgets Retro Emporium (Rehoboth Beach), Harley Lyles (Greensboro, North Carolina), HPRS Records (Milltown, New Jersey), Jupiter Records (Arden), KACHUNK!! Records (Annapolis, Maryland), MilkCrate Café (Philadelphia), Rainbow Records (Newark), Rasslin Records, Solid Sender Records (Farmingdale, New York), Soul Relief Records (Greensboro, North Carolina), ToneVendor (St. Augustine, Florida), Victor Records (Camden, New Jersey)

FOOD TRUCKS

The Brunch Box (Hockessin), The Cow and the Curd (Philadelphia), HubBub Coffee (Philadelphia), I Don’t Give a Fork (Newark), Kapow (Wilmington), Local 215 (Philadelphia), Mojo Loco (Wilmington), Nellie's Waffles and Ice Cream (Wilmington), Outlandish (Newark), The Plum Pit (Claymont), Taco Reho (Rehoboth Beach), The Wandering Chef (Newark) and Wildwich (Newark).

IF YOU PRE-PARTY

What: Countdown to Analog-A-Go-Go pre-party

When: Friday, 5 p.m.-7 p.m.

Where: Sheraton Suites, 422 Delaware Ave., Wilmington 

Details: The hotel, which is home to Dogfish's sales team and distributors for festival weekend, will host a large-scale happy hour. Two pairs of tickets will be raffled off and there will be other giveaways. Dogfish beer and spirits will be available to purchase.