Girl Talk! Edward Sharpe! Grace Potter! More!

Bruce Springsteen, Tupac Shakur, Herbie Hancock, U2 and George Harrison are just some of the music acts you’ll hear at this summer’s 80/35 Music Festival — though they’ll all be coming from a laptop.

Girl Talk, the mash-up artist who mixes samples from popular rock, pop and hip hop songs, will headline the first night of the July 2-3 festival in Western Gateway Park, nonprofit organizers Greater Des Moines Music Coalition announced.

“Girl Talk has the unique ability to conduct an entire crowd,” 80/35 project manager Amedeo Rossi said. “He gets people waving their hands in the air and jumping around as he directs it. He’s a good closer with high energy.”

Girl Talk (real name: Gregg Gillis, from Pittsburgh) has become known for his energetic live shows, during which he mixes his samples live and brings groups of fan on stage to dance. He was one of first acts announced for the inaugural 80/35 Music Festival in 2008, but dropped out due to a scheduling conflict. Gillis played a sold-out show at People’s Court in January, 2009.

Ten other bands were also announced:

• Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros (July 2): Former Ima Robot frontman Alex Ebert portrays Edward Sharpe, a messianic leader sent to save mankind. The band’s accordionist, Nora Kirkpatrick, grew up in Grimes. Several songs have been featured in Ford and NFL commercials.

• Galactic (July 2): A New Orleans funk group that fuses elements of jazz, hip hop and rock in its performances.

• Grace Potter and the Nocturnals (July 3): A roots-rock band from Vermont. Potter added vocals to the song “You and Tequila” on Kenny Chesney’s last album. The band’s “Something I Want” was featured in the closing credits of “Tangled.” Potter is also playing Saturday in the Park July 2 in Sioux City.

• Jessica Lea Mayfield (July 2): On Ohio singer-songwriter whose first two albums have been produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. Mayfield grew up playing in her family’s bluegrass band and is known for writing dark songs.

• Bitch (July 3): Electric violin and ukulele-playing folk singer from New York who has toured with Ani DiFranco.

• Titus Andronicus (July 2): A New Jersey band with punk and shoegaze elements, known for raucous live performances. Its well-reviewed 2010 album, “The Monitor,” is a concept album, loosely tied to the Civil War.

• The Giving Tree Band (July 3): An Illinois folk/alt-country band founded by brothers Eric and Todd Fink.

• Bear Hands (July 3): Classmates of MGMT, this New York group recently released its debut "Burning Bush Supper Club" following its well received 2007 EP, "Golden.

• Poison Control Center (July 2): An Ames band that has spent the last year on the road in support of its double album “Sad Sour Future.”

• Thankful Dirt (July 2): The local husband/wife folk duo of Darren and Molly Matthews.

• Parlours (July 3): Female-fronted folk pop from Des Moines featuring members of General Sherman and The Envy Corps.

The DMMC plans to announce another round of bands in the next few weeks, including a July 3 headliner. In all, nearly 50 bands will perform over two days on three stages: the ticketed main stage and two free stages, including one dedicated solely to local bands. Ticket prices will rise to $60 for a two-day pass, or $35 per day, on May 17.

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80/35 Music Festival
When: July 2-3
Where: Western Gateway Park
Cost: $45 for a two-day pass (or $25 per day), $125 for VIP pass
Info: Go to 80-35.com or midwestix.com.

Who wants tickets?
Follow our Metromix Twitter feed (@metromixdm) Wednesday to find out how you can win a pair of 80/35 tickets.

Talk about 80/35
Here’s your chance to discuss the bands and ask questions about the music festival. Join Joe Lawler and 80/35 project manager Amedeo Rossi for a live chat at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at DesMoinesRegister.com.