Evolution Festival returns to Forest Park on Sept. 28-29, featuring performances by The Killers, Beck

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The Evolution Music festival is back in Forest Park this year.

Last year the event at Forest Park drew 25,000 people. This year's event is set for Sept. 28 and 29, with Billy Idol and Beck as headliners on Saturday, and The Killers on Sunday.

"I play in bands so every wedding we play, we always play 'Don't Stop Believing' by Journey," said said longtime concert promoter Steve Schankman on Total Information A.M. "'Mr. Brightside' has replaced that. So all the bands that are playing 'Mr. Brightside'. The problem sometimes is you have to remember who they are. That's the Killers that did that song. I mean, the band's only been around for two decades. It started in Las Vegas by (lead vocalist) Brandon (Flowers) and (lead guitarist) Dave (Keuning). It's gonna be one of my favorite acts."

This year's edition of The Evolution Music festival will be bigger. 28 artists will perform this year, up from 18 last year and a more artists performing means a third stage has been added to the festival.

"It takes a year's work. My partner, Joe Litvag and my partner for 20 years, Jeff Jarrett, who curates all the entertainment and a staff of 25 people," said Schankman "So this is not a small festival when you talk about the size of the artist roster."

One of the more notable changes is that the bourbon tent that appeared last year is being switched with a beer tent.

"Saint Louis's craves beer, all kinds of beer. The wheat beer from, from Urban Chestnut and 4 Hands. all these great beer and brewers in St. Louis and certainly the king of beer-- Anheuser Busch," said Schankman.

Passes for the Music Festival can be purchased online on Evolution Festival website. The first act of the festival on both days will begin performing at 1:30 p.m. at the Beer Garden Stage.

Headliners Beck and The Killers will perform on the VisitMo.com Stage right around 9:25 p.m. Billy Idol, who also headlines Saturday, performs right before Beck on the VisitMo.com Stage beginning at right around 6:55 p.m.