Dr John performing during the NOLA, Texas Food & Music Festival at Cedar Park Center on April 3, 2016. Suzanne Cordeiro for American-Statesman, 2016.

New Orleans music legend Dr. John has been tapped to headline this years Utopia Fest, a small-scale music and camping festival that kicks off its ninth year on September 24, 2017. Afrobeat all-stars Antibalas and funk band Lettuce also share top billing on a lineup that also includes excellent Austin artists Matthew Logan Vasquez, Capyac, Mobley, the Deer and Suzanna Choffel.

From its onset, Utopia Fest, located at the idyllic Four Sisters Ranch , seven miles outside Utopia, Texas and a little less than three hours from Austin, has differentiated itself from other outdoor music festivals by keeping the event deliberately small, with a capped attendance of 2000. This years event will be the final go round at the ranch before the festival relocates for next years tenth anniversary.

On Wednesday, festival reps said the reason for the move was to ease the strain on the land and the family and open up some new opportunities for the festival in year 10.

In 2018, we will begin the next phase in a place that will preserve the UTOPiAn spirit and vibe, and will foster long term sustainability, fest founder Travis Sutherland said in a statement. The core values and elements of the fest: quality, affordability, interaction with nature, and intimacy, will never change.

Three-day passes to the fest are on sale now for $159.

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Dr. John to headline Utopia Fest in final year at Four Sisters Ranch ... - austin360 (blog)