The annual Bohemian Nights concert series at New West Fest in Fort Collins is getting a loud, energetic and modern addition this August: Electronic artist Michal Menert, who will be playing his hometown. The Michal Menert trio will take the Linden Stage from 8:50 to 9:50 on Saturday, while a national headliner will play blocks away at the Mountain stage. Bohemian Nights, a free Northern Colorado festival favorite, hasn't typically featured electronic artists, instead featuring, Americana, folk, rock and R&B acts.  

"We try to pick the best of the Colorado music scene, and so with an outdoor festival its hard to find the right electronic to play. Most of it is during the daytime and for that scene you need to have lights and all of that. But we've been wanting to bring him for a while, and it just worked out," says Greta Cornett, part of the festival talent committee and a blotter for Bohemian Nights blogger. 

Menert is from Kielce, Poland and moved to Northern Colorado in the late '80s. He then met Derek Vincent Smith of Pretty Lights and started creating music. "One reason we picked Michal is because he’s a Fort Collins boy. He went to Rocky [Mountain High School] and back in the day he was part of Pretty Lights Music and now he’s doing his own thing in Denver," says Cornett. "We like to support Fort Collins and people in the community and that's why we came to that decision." 

While homegrown producers are a source of pride for most Colorado electronic fans, playing Bohemian Nights will certainly put Menert on a wider stage. Thousands come out for a day of celebration as the summer ends and the school year begins. So for those who are not fans of electronic, substantial talent will be a second option nearby—and on purpose. "If you look at the placement, we try to cross program. All talent may not be exactly the fit so we try to counter program with different genres that way people have choices," says Cornett. 

The Friday and Sunday night Mountain Stage headliners are Flobots and Rodrigo y Gabriella, while Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats and Elephant Rival will be on the Library Park Stage. While Menert will arguably be the loudest performer of the weekend, Cornett is confident that Menert and his professional team will work well within the community festival. "They know how to play a room or a stage, he knows he's not playing Red Rocks, and we know that this is something they're going to be able to do." 

• Music Festivals