|
|
|stadiumsandshrines.com|
-
 A sold out Avalon Hollywood was filled with about 1500 surf fashion people for the 2nd Annual Design for Humanity Wednesday night. It was as swanky as surf industry stuff gets (I’m assuming with the red carpet and all). A former Billabong person, Kati, was nice enough to bring me along. We’re borderline MGMT groupies at this point.
The drinks were flowing, some sweet art was displaying, DJ Steve Aoki was spinning, and it was all supporting the Surfrider Foundation. And the runway show was nice.
Walking up to the stage was way too easy. I had planned on hanging back but this opening was hard to pass up. When the band started sound checking from behind the curtain, people finally took the cue and everything got a little more
normal. “Weekend Wars”, lead into the familiar set that was seen at Coachella. The one that makes you earn it. See on casual listen, Oracular Spectacular is incredibly front-loaded with pop songs and then goes into a more rolling, psychedelic production. When performed the order is basically reversed, going through the second half of the album, first. In other words, they save “Electric Feel”, “Time To Pretend”, and “Kids” to the very end. Might I suggest picking one of those three to open, just to get the crowd into it? But their system still works as the crowd is rewarded for waiting every time. And I’ll add that the opening songs are not duds, they’re just not as fun. “Pieces of What”, “4th Dimensional Transition”, and “The Handshake” have all gotten better live. If their next album sounds more like these instead of chasing another anthem, I might actually dig it more.
I hardly looked up from my dancing at Coachella, so this time around I was the guy standing completely still with a camera. My videos reflect this: "Electric Feel" and also "Time To Pretend"
For the “Kids” finale, dreamboat Andrew VanWynGarden changed from his Kurt Cobain dress to a George Clinton poncho. A bit out of his past shy character, he grabbed drinks from the crowd among other objects (glasses, bras). 
Security didn’t stop people from getting up there. Two dudes actually stage dived, one failing miserably, and the other faring better (way to go Action Jackson!).
I could say much more about MGMT. Their rise to fame shows that, yes, bands are gaining popularity through different avenues these days, but, major labels still make this all happen much faster. In less than a year, they can go from “new band watch in 2008” to a massively embraced hit record, to a “guilty pleasure.” Forgive me for romanticizing when I talk about these guys, but there is something to them that’s so likable (and inevitably unlikable). And I refuse to succumb to a backlash. They have a couple of exceptional songs that make you feel good. It helps that they have the right style, the right visuals, and the right looks to boot. They sing songs about pretending to be rock stars, which are quickly becoming self-fulfilling prophecies.
Rarely do the pics come out this decent, so here's more: 
Oh right. The models... 
|
-
This entry might have been longer if we had made it in time for The National. I have a bone to pick with The Hollywood Bowl 6:30 start times, but this isn’t that kind of blog (or maybe it will be by the time I’m done). So there comes a point in the traffic where you accept it, you will not be seeing the opener tonight. Fitting then that the lyrics, “Alright, already, we’ll all ‘Float On’” greeted us at the gates. Modest Mouse was half way through. Jessie and I did what any LA type does at these shows: got a bottle of wine and sushi from the concession stand. A nice mild night set in and with all necessary steps taken, we could finally sit back and take in the real star of the evening: the venue.
 Really though, It’s R.E.M.; a band that practically started alternative music. They’ve handled success and fame with grace; it doesn’t surprise me that Radiohead credits them for so much. Here’s an act that remains “cool” over 25 years since breaking out. Spin’s Charles Aaron once said, “"They've shown how far an underground, punk-inspired rock band could go within the industry without whoring out its artistic integrity in any obvious way. They'd figured out how to buy in, not sellout-in other words, they've achieved the American Bohemian Dream."
Who can’t appreciate that?
I wasn’t even going to fake being more acquainted with their 14-album catalog than your average member of the MTV generation. But I rarely felt like an outsider on Thursday, mostly because I think everyone kind of felt like an outsider. 9 of the 25 songs played were from the new album, and the rest spanned not so much the “hits” but more the stages of the band. There were a few sing-along moments. And a few times where I looked around in awe of how meaningful certain songs were to people. But other parts were spent literally talking. Like conversing in the middle of songs. I hate the guy that does that. And I was he.
It sounded like R.E.M. in a box. It just wasn’t loud enough. I’ve heard some pretty harsh feedback on the set list and I don’t need to join in. But give the people what they want; this is an expensive night after all.
Michael Stipe was sharp, even if he kept saying how worried he was about this being their 3rd show of the tour and all. Hopefully they will make tweaks to the remainder of it. And I enjoyed every time he rambled in between songs. I simply like Michael Stipe.
The Bowl proves that people can actually enjoy live rock music while remaining seated. At least “Losing My Religion” got everyone standing. And “Man on the Moon” was nice way to close. I’ll say it again though; the draw here is an amphitheater in the hills.
One real complaint: whoever was working the big screen camera controls was useless. I personally would have liked to hear “Nightswimming” and “Strange Currencies”, but 110 minutes can only hold so much legend.
|
-
Ah yes, I remember the days well; when the mere mention of RATATAT landed you "in the know." When the jam, "17 years", introduced my dynamic Myspace persona every time you hit my page in Summer 06'. When that first roar of "Wildcat" shot instant serotonin into house parties from coast to coast. So we haven't heard much from RATATAT in a few years (unless you count remixes). There was a time when I looked to them for the best "productivity, cleaning, studying" music around, and now I can add "carnage and explosions" to that list. Expect a new album from the duo by July 8th.
RATATAT | "Mirando"
Those retro Arnold films are music video gold!
Note: new productivity soundtrack belongs to Quiet Village.
|
-
With 42 times and counting, the Sun Giant EP from Fleet Foxes is the
most played album on my Itunes (post new laptop). The five songs run
for about 18 minutes. It might be the prettiest 18 minutes of the year;
nonetheless, it’s still a (sun) giant tease. Naturally, the first full length LP from the harmonious Seattle
five-piece has my ears. The self-titled album lives in the download
circuit until an official June release date (like everything else these
days). I always like hearing something as soon as possible, but it’s
also nice to get a few runs in before reading a single review (look no
further than the last post to see how influential those can be).
It’s a cliché way of describing it, but it has to be said: Fleet Foxes create a world within their music. One that I would sure like to hang in (Neil Young wanders around in it, I don’t know about yours, but he’s an old wizard dude in mine). It’s easy to take cues from the accompanying album art, but there’s enough vastness in this beautiful and complex breakthrough to find your own pasture.
Sun Giant primarily came from the edge of a mountain, whereas this one seems to travel both over hills and through valleys. After adjusting, I can say the added lows on this record work. It’s sunny in all the right places. Take for instance, The vocal jump on track three, “Ragged Wood”, wouldn’t be nearly as effective if it weren’t for the vocal drop at the end of the preceding, “White Winter Hymnal.” This is seen again between tracks four and five. All making the peak that much more rewarding when the ground finally drops halfway through track six, “He Doesn’t Know Why”, and an isolated Robin Pecknold declares:
“There’s nothing. I can do. There’s nothing. I can do. There’s nothing. I can say. There’s nothing I say. I can say.”
And landscapes stretch onward, finding another view atop track ten, “Blue Ridge Mountains.”
We eventually roll back down the hill (with Neil) on modest closer “Oliver James.” The stripped-down focus on that now-classic reverb cements this one a fine way to complete the package.
Along with Sun Giant, this LP might end up on some end-of-year lists. It’s certainly making a run at mine.
Download | Fleet Foxes | White Winter Hymal
Download | Fleet Foxes | Ragged Wood
Multiple Downloads | Fleet Foxes live Daytrotter Session
|
-
I’m sure they read it last March. I’m sure all of Texas read it. Two months ago, Austin’s Band of the Year in 2007, Ghostland Observatory, received the critical equivalent to assassination from the more-powerful-than-ever, Pitchfork Media. Robotique Majestique earned a 1.5 out of 10. That’s just offensive. Even recent releases from sure-to-be-reviewer-mocked dinosaurs, Madonna and Moby, both got over 5.0s. And 5.0s are rare. 5.0s hurt.
Even worse were the words, “Daft Punk for frat boys” and, well, just read the rest here.
So was the record that bad? No, not really. It might be the weakest of their three releases, but there’s just no reason to lay the hate on these guys. It feels somewhere around a 5.8 to me; worthy of a few listens, still nothing profound, a bit disappointing when compared to past potential.
A 1.5 was a statement. Pitchfork may have been trying to say, “Don’t waste your time with this band”, but it sounded more like, “If we don’t discover it and tell you how good it is ourselves, than it has to suck.” See Ghostland pumped out two records under the nose of the machine before they could get shot down. They’ve toured every big festival twice over (dazzling us at Vegoose last year).
Bottom line: It's two fun Texans doing something somewhat unique that get the kids dancing (The Rapture comes to mind, but really, there’s room for them in the sea of electro-dance rock), one of them wears a cape, and their sound is self-described as “a robot making love to a tree!!”
We didn’t hesitate last night to roll deep to our favorite local venue, Detroit Bar. There are enough Youtube videos (and Vegoose testimonials) floating around to know we were in for a sweat fest. Singer, Aaron Behrens, with pigtails and shades, and drums/synthesizer guy, Thomas Ross Turner, with wizard cape, wasted no time getting into it. In fact, they didn’t stop to address the crowd or even say hello until the show was nearly over. It was a relentless string of beats and yelps. Behrens moved like James Brown, if he were white and drunk. And the most annoying girl of all-time in the front row was loving it.
“Sad, Sad City” was easily the most acknowledged of the set. They favored older songs, only touching a few from the aforementioned disaster album. The most impressive cut was “Midnight Voyage.” Sounding something like a digital “Riders on The Storm”, it settled heart rates with throwback riffs and extended space outs. If Ghostland is a one-trick dog, than this was the exception.
Behrens finally did speak to us. Just before darting into the center of the crowd, he announced that the next song would be their last of the evening, and also,
“F*ck the haters.”
|
-
It took a few miles on the bikes that morning to snap back into festival mode. I’d be lucky to see another day like Saturday in my lifetime. You couldn’t help but feel like a kid on December 26th. Think of this entry as if it were Back to The Future III; entertaining, yet still desperately in need of more florescent colors. But hey, nobody saw that final western chase scene coming, where the train explodes off a cliff right? Or in this case a giant pig released into orbit.
Gone was the mad rush mentality to see every act. Instead Sunday brought about a sense of togetherness, a chance to actually hang with the people around us. We entered the polo fields in a larger pack this time. Floating between tents at the recommendations of others, with no real agenda until the headliners. Again, most links lead to actual videos of those happenings. 
4:00 We were willing to give The Field another chance after his boring solo opening show for !!! last year. Word was he had since added a full touring band to liven it up, but this time the guy was denied entry into the US and had to cancel. We figured that out after some waiting and moved on to the tent we could hear from a mile away, Deadmau5 (pronounced Deadmouse). There is a fine line between stuff I can dance to and straight-up techno house. This DJ was comfortably sitting on that line. Either way, it was necessary to get the blood flowing again. We didn’t stay long though.
4:55 Stars was on the main stage. I’ve seen them live a few times, enough to declare that they are consistently passionate about life in general. I was happy that of the few songs we heard, “You’re Ex Lover is Dead” was one of them.
5:10 If you have a name like Does It Offend You, Yeah?, I want so badly for you to be good. And they were pretty fun, lots of grimy synthesizer and British posturing. The ridiculous, “Let’s Make Out”, got the crowd into it. “We Are Rockstars” has been steady on the radio as of late. And the place went bananas for it. I’ll grant style points for cowbell use and also that outfit.
5:50 Mike was way into seeing Gogol Bordello. And I had no idea what Gogol Bordello was. This was a healthy exercise for me. The crazy Gypsy Punk scene going on was immediately approved. Even Pink was into it. There’s a time and a place for this band, live and outdoors. Our dance circle in the outskirts grew with every song, eventually collapsing into a pile of panting… people. The guy sounds like Triumph the insult dog. If for no other reason, this video is posted for the absolute babe at the beginning.
6:15 Coincidently of the same Broken Social Scene-Canadian constellation that Stars are from, Metric was causing a stir at the outdoor theatre. A certain little someone loves Metric. I, well, don’t know any of Metric’s songs, but singer, Emily Haines, was lovely. Her band’s equipment was crapping out and she handled that well. I did have to make the executive decision to leave early and camp out in position at that main stage. Initially this broke Kati’s heart, but she came around.
6:45 We crept closer until landing about 20 feet from the main stage. This would be our glorious home for the next four hours. Who better to kick off the circus than, Sean Penn. Yes, the actor. Clearly a bit off, he bravely addressed the thousands about some non-music stuff. Video here. His fragmented rant covered war, elections, poverty, environmental activism, and revolution. I couldn’t quite gather what his “Dirty Hands Caravan” was specifically going to do, but it was something about our generation having an impact, and meeting at "the clocktower" taking 300 kids to New Orleans on a bus. He may have been hard to follow, but it was still a thing cool to do. He's kind of an America hero. And he even said something he hadn’t said in 28 years.
7:00 My Morning Jacket is another band I’ve waited years to see. They’re music is big, perfect for a big venue. Perfect for a sunset. And perfect as a weekend closer. Sporting some sweet moon boots, Jim James got straight into with “One Big Holiday.”
Mixing old favorites with some new LP, Evil Urges, MMJ simply put on an inspired show. I saw a few folks convert to fans right there. “Highly Suspicious” was a poster boy introduction to that “new directions” sound. The song feels strange on the album, but really worked well live. “Wordless Chorus” was easily the highlight, as James got to his knees and howled. James might have the best pipes in the biz (well besides Yorke).
8:30 We dreamt of water, we really did. But we weren’t about to leave our prime spots right before Roger Waters. Thirst subsided as awe overtook. A zone best described through internal monologue:
“Pink Floyd!”
“Is this real?”
“Holy Sh*t (at the first chord of every song)”
“Waters kind of looks like Richard Gere. No. He looks exactly like Richard Gere.”
“Oh I should take a picture with my phone and send it to every person who ever watched The Wall in my childhood basement. No Dave, you should stop thinking and start losing yourself in this moment. But how will I ever document this unprecedented greatness? You can’t, Dave. You’ll just have to write a dumb blog or something. Fine.”
“Woah flames. Weird how that pig is being released into the sky. Did they mean to do that? (Turns out they didn’t). Pretty dramatic. Wonder if they go through one giant expensive pig per show.”
You go to so many of these “indie shows” that you sometimes forget about that theatrical full package, where music becomes larger than life. To my right, a pack of 12 yr-olds were passing a joint to an old, baby booming dude. I’d check over at him a few more times; he was near tears, hanging on every lyric. Generation gap closed. 
64 year-old Waters was beyond polished. His backing band filled Gilmore’s parts seamlessly. The first hour was a Pink Floyd greatest hit-fest, pulling from The Wall, Animals, and Wish You Were Here. And of course that Obama pig took a lap around the park during set one closer, “Sheep.”
That's a video I took of the pig, one of the many on Youtube. “Thank You. There's my pig. We’re going to take a short break and come back and do Dark Side of The Moon.” – Waters
He didn’t lie. The whole album was played.
11:00 Somehow we made it to the center of the Sahara tent for the ultimate, end-all dance party, brought to you by Justice. This was not for the novice festival-er. This was for the die-hards, with no conscious regard for their bodies or their Monday morning jobs. The tent was at capacity. With a giant glowing cross on stage, the song “Genesis” serving as an intro, and two symmetric French men fixed in various self-worshipping power poses, you might assume these guys thought that they were gods. And by the way the crowd responded to every peak and valley in their electronic world, the thought really wasn’t too far off. Their remix of "We Are Your Friends" was the agreed upon finale.
Justice @ Coachella - Phantom (insane dancing)
They played for well over an hour. Apparently, it’s a $10,000 fine for every minute over curfew in the city of Indio. Justice (or the Goldenvoice company) alone owes Indio somewhere around $300,000. Prince was in the same boat the night before.
Random final cheers could be heard as we rode through the last of the crowd. I don’t think one word was exchanged this time on the bikes. It could have been deep reflection, or just deep fatigue, or harsh realization.
Thanks for reading. Now I promise to not write the word Coachella or say “Co-A-chella” until this time next year.
|
-
Hovering over the set times late Friday night, I declared that such a stacked lineup had never been seen before, on paper. Our only concern was finding time to see it all, in reality. It’s still hard to believe this caliber of talent was cued up for the day without a single break. Seriously, this was something I live for. Ask The Hoff. It was legit.
Mike is in the process of building a Bill & Ted-like time machine. Its sole purpose will be to bring us back to the Saturday, April 26th, 2008, over and over again. We’re rooting for you, Mike (sorry Bobby for re-using that material, you'll always be my Billy).
Our desert dragon house woke up around noon. Some housemates went straight for the booze, others to breakfast, or to the pool, but most did a variation of all at once. We would learn later that one guy passed out at 4pm, never actually making it to the festival. He is a legend in his own right. Our team was out that door by 2pm. We were feeling rough, and raw, in the prime of our lives.
*Note: most song links lead to videos from the show, so relax, spend some time with them. And pro-photos can be found here.
3:00 Once inside the gates, it was a sloppy b-line to the Mojave tent for Man Man. Towards the end of their set, these animals had already earned full control over the crowd. Man Man is one of a kind. 
In standard white outfits and war paint, each member had such an aggressive inventiveness about their instrument slaying. Vocals and percussion came from all directions on stage. This video of “Mister Jung Stuffed” might display that better. I think we heard “Top Drawer” in there too. I’ve been getting into the new Rabbit Habits LP from time to time.
3:40 Already in position for our first “must see”, MGMT, we waited, hoping to recapture that rapture felt back at their January show. After an extended sound check (or deliberate build-up), those dreamboats broke into a steady stream from Oracular Spectacular. They kept the audience anxious though, keeping the holy triad of psychedelia, “Electric Feel”, “Time To Pretend”, and then “Kids” for the final centerpiece. This band is on top of the world right now. It’s neither the first, nor the last time they will be praised on this page.
4:35 Kati claims to have no recollection of the subsequent Boys Noize set at all, proving that people under 5 2' have BAC levels that operate differently than ours. Within 30 seconds of being in that tent, I remember thinking, “now this is something we can dance to”, as opposed to the Friday night’s Fatboy Slim sleeper. So as a disco ball-skull flashed over the stage screens, that’s just what we did. Boyz Noise is the German version of Justice, who is the next Daft Punk (More on Justice tomorrow). His dirty, buzzing electro got everyone doing this synchronized pulsing jump move.
5:20 The little Gobi tent brought us a treasure, St. Vincent. Everyone was mellow, even the security guy, who let us into the press photo area (explaining the ECU of the lovely lady below). Along with Marry Me standouts, she covered The Beatles’ “Dig A Pony.” I wanted to jump up and hug her at that point. 
6:10 The big bonanza came at the Sahara Tent with our most anticipated act of the day, Hot Chip. Ironically standing in the same area as their set last year, I couldn’t wait to have our crew experience it. The situation was one upped when our LA friends Jessie and Elena appeared out of nowhere. Hot Chip owned it. They balanced choice hits from The Warning with their new stuff. I wouldn’t have made a playlist any differently. Last year’s highlight “No Fit State” might have taken second this time to world pleaser “Ready for the Floor.” This was the peak of sweaty. This was out of control. Video below.
7:10 Where do you go after a show like that? If the answer is next door to Islands, than you must have been living in the same suspended reality we were on Saturday. Islands took the cake for most underrated band there. I had that realization the night before as we fell asleep with 2006’s masterpiece Return To The Sea blaring from the kitchen speakers. They furthered that notion live, bringing the new Arm’s Way material to life. The stage was full of violins and such. Everybody lost their sh*t when Rapper Busdriver showed up for his cameo during "Where There's a Will There's a Whalebone", and then disappeared.
Singer, Nick “Diamonds” Thornburn, is a genius songwriter. His music, in some form, whether it's The Unicorns or Islands or something else, will be around for a long time.
8:25 Seeing Animal Collective live has been an estranged oasis in the desert for a long time. I’ve missed them on both coasts (this totally rationalized skipping the mess at M.I.A). I didn’t take one video or picture or even say much of anything to anyone during the set. I was frozen; eyes shut for long periods with the stage colors seeping through, my mind surfing on the beats. I’d occasionally glance over at Kati, who was spaced out as well. I think we managed to have a conversation telepathically.
They opened with a slowed version of “Chocolate Girl.” Every song started off like a mistake, gradually repeating itself until gaps were filled and beauty was shown. Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) even graced us with a track off his personal, Person Pitch, “Comfy in Nautica.” This went into a new song called “House (Material Things).” Both video and the lyrics are worth posting:
Is it much to admit I need
A solid soul and the blood I bleed
With a little girl, and by my spouse
I only want a proper house
I don't care for fancy things
Or to take part in a precious race
And children cry for the one who has
A real big heart and a father's grace
I don't mean to seem like I care about material things like a social status
I just want four walls and adobe slabs for the girl Ow! 
Elena took this one An extended “Essploding/Fireworks” served as the climax. While we hanging up there, a tropical new song “Brother Sport” brought us celebration. Every time Avey Tare screamed an angel got its wings.
9:25 We wandered to the main stage neighborhood, Kati still had this glossy eye-ed, just-seen-a-pretty ghost-smile about her. I asked, “You okay?” To which we heard a “what, woah…ya” response.
Suddenly, Portishead’s “Machine gun” drums demanded everyone’s attention. It’s weird to walk into a place where everyone is way into something and you’re like, “hey what’s-ohhh...” We were right in the middle of a solid performance; one that people couldn’t stop talking about after. Tracks off Third were equally if not stronger in ringing bells with me.
10:45 Prince was up. It wasn’t until that guitar god took the stage that it really hit us. It’s freaking Prince! Here’s a breakdown told only through direct Prince quotes:
“Hello Co-a-chella. You’re at the coolest place on earth, right now!”
“When I agreed to play Co-a-chella, I told them I wouldn’t ‘play’ Co-a-chella, I’d party Co-a-chella.”
“Co-a-chella. Come on.”
“Clap Co-a-chella.”
“Ya.”
“I need you to clap”
“Who’s gonna quake? You gonna quake? Ya. Earthquake.”
No one will ever pronounce the word Coachella quite like that adorable little man. His cover of Radiohead’s “Creep” left us baffled. Only Prince could change every lyric, skip all verses, and still come out on top. Looks like he made Youtube take down all evidence of it. The outside world may never understand.
We rode home like a couple of kids who couldn’t wait to tell their neighbors about Disneyworld. Our already damaged bikes rattled in the night. Having eaten one cliff bar all day, the thought of Peanut Butter and Jelly followed by a shower was a powerful one. We sailed. You’d think E.T’s life were at stake.
We arrived at the house that was in full swing per usual, just in time for the gentle placing of a lawn chair in the pool. The chair, of course, had another passed out legend on it.
Sunday's flying pigs still to come.
|
-
It's a tremendous task to cover Coachella while it’s still relevant. Even if the laptop were brought, it likely would have remained zipped throughout the weekend's fun. It might not be on the hour coverage or contain high-resolution, close-up pictures (professional ones from Friday can be viewed here), but let’s assume storytelling (and amateur photos) are always relevant, right?
This wasn’t just any three day camping experience, this was Coachella, where more than 150,000 people unite over a music melting pot. And with 2008 looking like the “biggest” yet for some of those genres and for festivals as whole, we were in for it. Anyone who bypassed it because of "weak" headliners truly missed out on a near-perfect, balanced musical happening. Many thought this year would belong to the young acts, but the veterans reminded us why they were invited at every chance. I'm back with a new appreciation for not only the artists I generally talk about on this page, but also the ones I grew up on. Did I say camping? I meant to say vacationing. Thanks to hundreds of email threads and the generous project management skills of Jack and Lindy, the final game plan developed into this: 18 people in a five bedroom desert home, five miles away from the grounds, with a pool, stocked fridges, wooden sculptures of panthers and dragons, a painting of a semi-nude Burt Reynolds over the master bed, and a highly underestimated access to showers. And only one rule: no humping the panther.
 
We showed up to the house on Friday morning just as a local rental shop was delivering the 18 bikes. Everyone met everyone. We highlighted set times, cheered a few shots, split into teams, and cut our way through the traffic to day one.
Here are some partners in crime that will be referred to throughout, so we’ll just get them introduced:
Mike – roommate, comedian, some circles know him as Cosmo, clearly looks good with a beard
Kati – friend, designer, SS correspondent/show buddy, little, very little, makes her own denim shorts
Tony – Did not attend, may this blog be a reminder to him that his decision was a poor one
5:15 Dan Deacon’s 4:00 start time was unattainable mark for us to meet as was the Black Kids set while Rogue Wave’s 1:30 was never actually considered as a possibility (for some reason those 2pm to 4pm hours were a bit blurry). We made it in time for Australian electropop-ers Cut Copy though. "So haunted" and "Light & Music" were some jams. Spending some time last week with their latest release, In Ghost Colours, probably helped. The album is worth getting.
5:40 Even at their highest point of saturation, Vampire Weekend’s songs were delightful. They went through the crowd favorites (most of that album) and introduced a new one that was pretty good (sounding even more like Paul Simon).
 They also broke their “no T-shirts, only preppy button downs and
sweaters on stage” rule. We can let it slide, as it was 100 degrees.
6:30 Just the fact that the identical faces of Tegan and Sara were displayed on the main stage big screens was enough to enjoy this. At one point they stopped a song 30 seconds into it to tune a guitar, but, luckily, their wit was on point. There were funny. They were cute. They were Tegan and Sara. Here is when they did "Back Into Your Head."
6:55 The National put on Friday’s best set. The Outdoor Theatre at sunset was a perfect tint for the band’s horn-backed heart pouring. Also fitting, they opened with "Start A War." Favored were tracks from best of 2007-list topper, Boxer. An instant classic, "Fake Empire" took us into the night; I fought back some chills and hugged Kati tight.
The National @ Coachella | Fake Empire
8:00 The Raconteurs weren’t a bad soundtrack for re-hydrating on the grass. We watched the big screens from afar, freaking out at every guitar solo from Jack White. One of those solos can be seen here in "My Blue Veins." The night was wide open at this point. With no real “must-see” acts until Saturday, we jumped from tent to tent.
9:00 I knew what to expect from Datarock. They pretty much guarantee high energy and stage antics. They did test our patience with three opening duds before getting into "Computer Camp Love", "I Used to Dance with My Daddy", and eventually a 10 version of "Fa Fa Fa." The crowd loved it. Its not the most crafted music, but always a good time. Who can’t get into a Dirty Dancing “Time of Our Lives” saxophone solo?
I know Mike can.
9:55 Our friend, Sean, had the presence of mind to mention that The Verve had ten minutes left in their set at the main stage. We raced through the center dance club area in hopes of hearing them close with “Bittersweet Symphony.” This would be the first of many good calls when it came to timing. Richard Ashcroft belted away, then pressing the microphone against his heart, and we continued running; this time skipping in circles around onlookers. When it’s all said in done, that song is one of the finest of the 90s, and likely one of the finest I’ll ever hear performed live. That moment will stay with us. Bliss. The Verve @ Coachella | Bittersweet Symphony "This one's for Hunter S. Thompson"
10:15 We met up with some of our house crew at Spank Rock, took in a few songs and made our way over to Fatboy Slim. The living legend was late to go on, but his Willy Wonka introduction heading right into a "Praise You" teaser made up for that: The rest of the show, however, proved how out of touch Fatboy Slim is with the youthful electronic audience. It doesn’t help that he looks like Tommy Hilfiger waving at us up there. But really, it felt like a mediocre rave with little pay-offs to the expected crescendos. We gave it a 40-minute shot and moved on, passing by the tent with Professor Murder. According to the accounts of some people at our house later that night, we should have gone in. Noted.
11:50 A muffled Jack Johnson could be heard across the way and after a few rationalizing comments about good times in high school, we decided it was a proper wind down. I’ll give that guy some credit, he’s headlining every festival this year and hasn't changed his sound for anybody.
The third good call (oh and the second was fannypacks) came as we passed the parking lot traffic situation on our bikes. Quiet and warm, the ride home was backlit by desert stars and passing cars. We arrived to a party already underway. Fade to black.
Day Two (The strongest musically) coming soon.
|
-
I had to take a break from the Coachella recapping/resting to bring you this heat.
It might not have album art yet*, but the long awaited sophomore album from Wolf Parade, At Mount Zoomer, has leaked. The infamous Wolf Parade folks! It's all that shall be listened to today. Mount Zoomer officially lives on June 17th.
* Update Artwork just in...  Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
Up until that find, it was a three man weave between...
 Islands - Arm's Way (due out May 20th)
Islands just dazzled us at Coachella. More to come on that.  My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges (due out June 10th)
MMJ just dazzled us at Coachella. More to come on that.
M83 - Saturdays = Youth
M83 offers his shoegazey, electronic take on the 80's. That is the 80's according to John Hughes' films. It's a feel good-er.
Enough procrastinating. I should have the first of something up tonight (about that whole greatest weekend of music ever thing). Oh and I finished putting together a video for the recent Habitat For Humanity trip. It can be viewed here.
|
-
-
Is it that Weezer makes me feel like a kid and I only like that sort of thing when it comes from Weezer? Subconscious loyalty? Do they have a special license for "stupid" lyrics?
That should do it. Here's the link
|
-
Even if they thought they were playing in “Norfolk Beach.” Someone from the small crowd at Detroit Bar screamed out, “It’s Newport Beach.” Singer, Dan Boeckner replied “oh like the cigarette; a delicious smoke.” He ripped a shot somewhere around that point.
Exchanges like these were commonplace by the end of the night, partly due to the Canadian couple’s delightful charm; but probably more so from the embarrassingly sparse turnout. And it’s not everyday such a marquee act comes through the neighborhood (although Friday’s Crystal Castles show may have drained most of our area’s energy for the weekend). But hey, a relaxed, front and center situation with one of your favorite musicians is never a thing to complain about (Dan is also a member of Wolf Parade). Also no complaints about being five feet from his wife and band mate, Alexei Perry. Having filled the Troubadour the night before, and San Diego the night before that, it seemed those Handsome Furs might have preferred this Sunday pace as well.
Dan’s next quip was more a story about them trying to find the beach earlier that day. They got lost in an industrial park, never finding the water. The tale ended with them fleeing from a gas station where a stranger’s car was on fire. All this sounded quite endearing coming from Montreal natives.
Refer to past entries for love regarding their debut, Plague Park. I want to talk about a different love here; the love these two are in. You could tell. It seeped from every movement on stage. I’m fairly used to being an envious spectator, but never for this particular reason. There stood two people, attached at the brain, creating grand music together, for a living. That music, by the way, rivaled any studio versions. My concerns over how they would perform the drum machine rock live was put to rest during "Dumb Animals". I still don’t understand how the sum of their parts can sound like a full piece band.
A few new songs surfaced in the set. Their fast tempo stood out. Looks like the rumored release later this year might show a lighter side of the fur. (While we’re at it, Wolf Parade’s long awaited follow-up hits in a few months, with one song already floating around.)
Truly humble, Dan and Alexia endlessly thanked us. They even appeared surprised to hear applause for them to return for an encore. They obviously came back. Tossing his half-done cigarette in cocktail by his feet, he said, “Okay, We KNOW two more songs.”
Here’s a video from the show; dark, but the audio never disappoints. The song is “Handsome Furs Hate This City.” Hang in till the end and you’ll be hit with a riff that pays off. Some guys that really know how to use a camera shot the band for these take away shows.
|
-
We'll come back to that later. Concert season is among us! It seems like every time a browser is refreshed another tour gets announced or lineup released. Choose wisely or you'll go broke. I personally cut groceries out of the budget (not recommended).
Here’s what’s on deck so far. If you're roaming the streets of Southern California, feel free to join us.
Handsome Furs @ Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa this Sunday April 13th
A little 3-day desert party, perhaps you've heard of it, it's called Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, CA April 25th - 27th. 
We have a house this year. Really, let's do this. Newsbreak: Prince was just added as a Saturday headliner. The legend. Sure. Why not. Next they’ll tell us Radiohead has a song on the Billboard Hot 100. And Stone Temple Pilots are going back on tour. And a new Beverly Hills 90210 show is coming out. 1994? And Billy Corgan is still an ass. I won’t even touch this week’s NKOTB reunion news.
Of the Coachella throwbacks, I am most into seeing The Breeders. Mountain Battles is a great record. They had a release party about it the other day. Also topping the list of anticipated acts, our space kitten friends, MGMT. Now they already have the video of the year. How could they top that? I guess by making the video of the year in 3D. I'm serious, get some glasses. And a pair of those pink shorts while you’re at it. Come to the festival. We can match.
Watch 3D Version here
Download it from official page here
The National, Modest Mouse, and R.E.M @ The Hollywood Bowl on May 29th The real challenge is getting out of work in time to catch "Fake Empire."
Radiohead with Liars @ The Hollywood Bowl playing both August 24th & 25th
I’d give my right arm for the 24th, and my left for the 25th. I really don’t see anything coming between an armless Radiohead experience and me. Amongst all this presale, ticketmaster mess, we'll find a way. Even if we need to go to Santa Barbara, or Chula Vista, or Santa Francisco, then we'll go to Washington DC to take back the white house..yeahhhh
Here's hoping somebody decides to throw around a few beautiful glow sticks again. Displayed here in clip from Bonnoroo 2006's "House of Cards."
We might go to the Crystal Castles show down the street tonight. I don't know if we'll have enough TIME.
| | | |