Everyone makes a big fuss over headliners, and rightfully so, but if you think about it, the lower and mid-tier of a lineup is really the most important thing. It’s what makes up most of your day, and by the end of the weekend, it’s what leaves you thinking either “Well, that was worth it” or “Crap, I’m out 200 something bucks.” Before you arrive and clog the streets and El lines of Chicago for Lollapalooza, you should probably glance below the headliners. No one denies that The Arcade Fire, The Strokes, and Phoenix add more bang to your buck, but it also goes without question that there’s a handful of acts — probably about three dozen of ‘em — that add more luster to your summer golden ticket.

Let’s play Guess That Indie Band! Question: What’s a band that involves a break up, a 12-step program for addiction, a hot-as-hell debut album, and a messianic figure to lead them?

Discover: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Here’s a band that deserves the attention and hype, namely due to their successful debut release, Up from Below, which is a gold mine waiting to be gutted by people like you. It carries a sound that bounces with such a sentimental swagger that you’re prone to smiling like a goofball hours later. It’s a strange concoction, too. Think about those hard hitting moments of any Johnny Cash/June Carter duet, add it to that feeling you get when you listen to early Arcade Fire tunes, especially the tracks that force you to sing along whether you’re alone or with friends, and then set it all to the enclosed intimacy of a warm camp fire. Yes.. that sound.

It’s a noise to appreciate, which is why Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros have really taken off this year. The LA dectet (yes, a dectet), led by Ima Robot’s Alex Ebert, set the ball rolling in motion with last year’s three-track debut Here Comes EP. Though they really started turning heads with the release of their LP, Up from Below, which cracked the Billboard Top 200, ranked up Australian charts, and brought them television appearances, everything from ABC News to late-night guest spots. They don’t let their recordings speak for themselves, either. This past year they’ve hit the road hard, which has landed them appearances at a variety of music festivals, including both Bonnaroo and Sasquatch.

But what’s up with that name, right? After a vicious breakup with his girlfriend, Ebert carved out a ficitonal character named Edward Sharpe, who he insists, “was sent down to Earth to kinda heal and save mankind…but he kept getting distracted by girls and falling in love.” Now, considering how messianic that sounds and coupled with the fact that he has nine people surrounding him, it’d be easy to suggest this band is, well, a cult. However, that’s not the case, and no, they won’t make you drink some odd tasting Kool- Aid. But come to think of it, you almost want this band to be a cult, especially when you see how excited and happy they are on stage and hear how jovial they sound on record. In fact, don’t be surprised if you exclaim, “Jesus, where is this Kool-Aid?”

Now, one would imagine that with a band so large, members would be lost and/or overlooked. While anyone can argue that the spotlight tends to fall on Ebert, in addition to his ever so enjoyable focus on Jade Castrinos, each member in the band throws their cards on the table, collectively making a perfect hand. This isn’t a band where the number of musicians is simply a novelty. Not at all. When you listen to songs like “Home”, “Up from Below”, “Come in Please”, or “40 Day Dream”, you’ll recognize that these songs cannot be done with only two members — especially not with such intimacy. It’s the collective pieces of the Edward Sharpe puzzle that make the songs so passionate, entertaining, and downright catchy.

Let’s focus on the intimacy for a moment. This is such a hard thing to have at an outdoor music festival. But rest assured, if there’s a band to bring this connection, it’s this one. That is, if you’re willing to let it happen. If you do, you’ll be whistling, you’ll be swaying, and you’ll feel your heart swelling at the vulnerability and connection between two artists (Ebert and Castrinos) intent on creating something more than just chords and lyrics. Those cheeks your mother once pitched will burn with a smile of extreme elation. Take that moment to smile.

Now, imagine that feeling amongst thousands of festivalgoers, amidst a balmy-yet-breezy summer day, and under the architectural glory that is downtown Chicago. Done? Okay, make it a reality.