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David Byrne, Sylvan Esso added as Xponential Fest headliners

The Friday night double bill will open the Camden festival, which also includes the War on Drugs and Sturgill Simpson.

DByrne 004
DByrne 004Read moreCourtesy of the artist

David Byrne and electro-pop duo Sylvan Esso will headline opening night of this summer's Xponential Music Festival on the Camden waterfront.

The double bill featuring the Talking Heads founder and the North Carolina tandem of Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn will happen July 27 at the BB&T Pavilion. Philadelphia rock outfit the War on Drugs and country-rock tough guy Sturgill Simpson have been announced as Saturday night headliners, along with the storied New Orleans Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Byrne has a big 2018 ahead of him. His first solo album in 14 years, American Utopia,  comes out March 9 on Nonesuch. The first single, "Everybody's Coming to My House," co-written with Brian Eno, is below. The white-haired showman last hit the road with Annie Clark of St. Vincent in 2012 and 2013. In a news release issued last month, he promised  "this is the most ambitious show I've done since the shows that we filmed for Stop Making Sense, so fingers crossed." He's also playing Coachella in April, along with the War on Drugs.

Sylvan Esso, known for their hits "Coffee," "Hey Mami," and "Radio," are on the road supporting their 2017 album What Now. Tickets for the double bill go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday via Ticketmaster.

In addition to the two nights at the capacious BB&T, Xponential takes place over three days at Camden's adjacent Wiggins Park.  Details of that lineup have not yet been announced.