Locally sourced

But if you look at the schedule more closely, you’ll see some lesser-known names. Heartsick? Jonestown Crows? Flint Eastwood? Not exactly household names, but fans of the local music scene will recognize these bands as regulars at Mac’s Bar, the Loft and the Avenue Café. These artists are looking for a chance to reach new audiences, and where better than Lansing’s biggest outdoor music festival?

“Common Ground is one of the pinnacles of live music in Lansing,” said Nate Dorough, co-owner of Fusion Shows. “It makes a lot of sense for local artists to be involved.”

Fusion Shows’ fingerprints are all over this year’s lineup.

Common Ground Festival is organized by Meridian Entertainment Group, which share an Old Town office building with Fusion Shows. The two entities began collaborating on the festival in 2012.

The effect was immediately noticeable. Once known for its lineups of aging rockers and washed-up one-hit-wonders, Common Ground’s recent rosters target a decidedly younger crowd.

This year’s big score, pop darling Meghan Trainor, is still riding the success of her 2014 megahit, “All About That Bass.” The Band Perry is one of the hottest young acts in country music, and even veteran rapper Snoop Dogg, no young pup at 43, is balanced out by co-headliner Wale.

Further down the ticket, Fusion Shows’ influence is even more noticeable. For many years, Common Ground focused on national acts, with only the occasional nod to local artists. This year’s festival is peppered with local acts. The festival’s recent addition of a third stage, the open-air Sparrow State, has given Dorough and his crew more leeway to invite local artists into the mix.

“They always have a blast,” Dorough said. “They get to play on bills with bands they’ve been a fan of their whole lives.”

One of the local bands featured this year is Vandalay. The Lansing-based rockers close out the July 8 lineup, which is headlined by Jane’s Addiction and Alien Ant Farm.

“It’s kind of a dream come true,” said Jake Greenwood, drummer and keyboardist for Vandalay. “Jane’s Addiction is one of our big influences. It’s crazy.”

In addition to playing on the same evening as some of his musical heroes, Greenwood is excited to play for the festival crowd.

“This is a huge opportunity for us to spread our music to a wider audience and hopefully gain some new fans,” he said.

Vandalay, which has recently trimmed down from a quartet to a trio, released a new EP Tuesday. Its Common Ground set will serve as a sort of release party, including songs from the new release and featuring a custom-designed, synced-up light show.

“We could not think of a better scenario,” said Greenwood. Another local band, the Bear Creek Brothers, is hoping to spotlight a side of Lansing’s music scene that is, in its opinion, underappreciated.

“It’s a great opportunity to show everyone that there are people in Lansing who like country music,” said Dylan Wright, half of the country duo. “It’s starting to gain momentum.”

The Bear Creek Brothers perform Tuesday evening, following headliners the Band Perry and Parmalee.

“It’s pretty crazy. We’re big fans of the Band Perry,” said Kevin Vermillion, the other half of the duo. “Seeing our name on a billboard with them is crazy.”

The honor of closing out the entire festival falls upon the Lansing Unionized Vaudeville Spectacle. The quirky outfit has a fluid lineup, with the number of performers usually hovering in the mid-teens. Its live shows, as the name implies, often take on a form closer to a variety show than a traditional concert, including puppets, dancers and comedy. Bandleader Dylan Rogers promises that its Common Ground show will be no exception.

“We’re pulling out all the stops,” he said.

While the band has several outdoor festival shows booked this summer, Common Ground is a highlight of its schedule.

“It’s the ultimate local outdoor show,” said Rogers. “The band is excited to close out the night the Flaming Lips and Man Man are playing.”

Rogers notes that both his band and Man Man use mallet percussion, a relative rarity in modern live music. Man Man often uses xylophone or marimba on stage, and the Lansing Unionized Vaudeville Spectacle features Lindsay Gluf on vibraphone. Despite this shared interest, Rogers isn’t under the impression that he’ll be rubbing shoulders with the evening’s headliners.

“I’m not getting my hopes up that we’ll be partying with Man Man after the gig,” he said.

Common Ground Music Festival

Tuesday, July 7-Sunday, July 12 Adado Riverfront Park (877) 569-7767, commongroundfest.com