Festivals Archive
SXSW Music 2007: Thursday RecapSXSW Music 2007: Thursday Recap
Dark Meat @ Flamingo Cantinas
After a late night at the Purevolume party, Mark and I dragged ourselves out of bed just before noon to make it down to Flamingo Cantina's for Team Clermont's party with much anticipated free shoes. As we were waiting in line, a rag-tag marching band stomped by before we could get a good photo (hey I said it was a late night). When we got inside, they had already ran out of shoes but we ended up catching the entire performance of that rag-tag marching band we found out to be the Athens super-group Dark Meat. Half rock, half party (in the good way, not the Andrew WK way) this group of 15(!) members knew how to get and keep the attention of a room full of schwag-hunters with dueling drummers, violin, sax, trumpet, guitars and dancer/back-up singers. So good, we went to see them again on Saturday night. It wasn't as good as the first time (probably because it was so unexpectedly awesome) but still excellent.
Photo by Alexadan
Kaki King @ Convention Center
I have seen her before, so this was expectedly awesome. Unexpectedly after only 20 minutes of playing, a string broke and she improvised an amazing bit before leaving the stage (most musicians would've just walked off I think).
Photo by Sarah Monroe
Les Savy Fav @ CMJ Party
The last time I saw LSF was at the MoMA in NYC and was one of the craziest shows I've ever seen. I can't help but feel that it is God's ultimate desire for Tim Harrington to be a leader of a rock band. It would be a crime against humanity if he got stuck with any other profession. Back to SXSW, this show was the best yet. Antics included spitting water back and forth in fans mouths, giving birth to a pillow, and hanging, backwards, over the 2nd floor of the venue while singing upside down as I held one of his legs for dear life of killing one of my idols. There's not much more to say.
SXSW Video: Plus/MinusSXSW Video: Plus/Minus
Cory and Alicia caught Plus/Minus at the Merge Records Day Party last week and had this to say about the show: "great bands and maybe 30 people there. free beer...nice day."
Here's Plus/Minus performing their awesome song Fadeout:
View on Vimeo
SXSW Interactive: Music Recommendation PanelSXSW Interactive: Music Recommendation Panel
The Ultimate Music Recommendation Smackdown promised to be reminiscent of a ringside event.
Find out which service creates playlists worthy of a veteran DJ, and which service recommends tracks like an iPod set on shuffle as they battle it out in the ultimate playlist smackdown. Based on audience feedback, trophies will be awarded.
The four competitors took their corners.
But no punches were thrown. No trophies awarded. No playlists were even created. Moderator Colin Brumelle asked each panelist to introduce another represented service rather than their own. No one was ever completely satisfied with the resulting description; they always added a few forgotten features. There was an apparent disconnect between their self-perceptions and what others see them as.
And that was about as interesting as it got. The closest thing to an argument was a discussion of algorithmic analysis vs. human recommendations. It ended up being little more than an exercise in public relations for the companies involved. Invaluable for them, no doubt. But I'm not sure how much the audience walked away with. The ultimate letdown indeed.
Bonus Fun Facts:
1. The Decemberists' bass player, Nate Query, was a music analyst at Pandora.
2. Last.fm has facilitated marriages.
3. If you like any band, you may also like The Beatles and Radiohead. Surprise!
Photo by Anthony Kerr
SXSW Music 2007: Wednesday RecapSXSW Music 2007: Wednesday Recap
In chronological order:
Apes & Androids @ Austinist Party
This theatrical Queen-esque band melted glitz and glam all over dance-rock. The incessent doop doops and wah wahs get a bit repetitive after awhile, but they did a good job at getting the crowd moving. Photo by Patrick Dentler
Architecture In Helsinki @ Austinist Party
I wonder if they down 6 energy drinks before they perform or if they really are just that much happier and energetic than the rest of us. I love how everyone shares and switches instruments. Absoutely infectious indie-pop. Photo by Austinist.com
Hot Club De Paris @ Fader
ROCK.
SXSW Music 2007: Goodie BagSXSW Music 2007: Goodie Bag
Winner of best goodie in the bag goes to Navarre for their Hangover Survival Kit which includes mouthwash, asprin, and an instant coffee packaged into a cool container. I don't know how long they have been doing it but I know they did the same thing last year too. Most disappointingly nobody provided a slick, tiny foldable map with their logo on it. I got one last year from Sony Music and have been using it all this week. Check out the large version.
This year's SXSW Music Festival Goodie Bag:
1. Austin Chronicle SXSW Film Edition (Newspaper)
2. 2007 Australian Music Guide (Newspaper)
3. Exclaim! (Newspaper)
4. Public Enemy - New Whirl Odor (CD)
5. Canon Records 2007 (CD)
6. Ani Difranco Carnegie Hall 4/6/02 (CD)
7. 10 Spot Sampler (CD)
8. Clash Magazine SXSW UK Invasion (CD)
9. Underground Kingz Snippet Sampler (CD)
10. japan Nite Sound Sampler 2007 (CD)
11. Voodoo Doll (Literally)
12. Ryko Sampler (CD)
13. Paste (Magazine)
14. Performing Songwriter (Magazine)
15. Music Connection (Magazine)
16. The Georgia Music Production SourceBook (Catalog)
17. Singer & Musician (Magazine)
18. The Duke (Magazine)
19. Filter's Good Music Guide (Mini-Magazine)
20. Lifebeat / Trojan (Flyer)
21. Trojan-enz Lubricated (Condom)
22. Get Nailed / Nail Distribution (Condom)
23. New Music From Wales (Guide)
24. I Love Ascap (Sticker)
25. Mojo (Button)
SXSW Interactive: Brian Fling Discusses Mobile WebSXSW Interactive: Brian Fling Discusses Mobile Web
Brian Fling of Blue Flavor * gave a presentation Sunday afternoon detailing both the why and the how of developing for the mobile Web. Hopefully soon everyone realizes the importance of reaching audiences across any medium. Making information accessible via Internet-ready mobile devices has become increasingly important.
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About the Mobile Web...but Were Afraid to Ask emphasized finding a need, filling it and getting rid of anything extra. Navigation should be effortless (ordered lists with access keys); nothing hidden behind too many clicks. Most of the considerations hold true regardless of the platform in mind. But mobile devices present some unique obstacles, like varying screen sizes and more than 50 browsers. The constraints force simple, clear designs. And the experience can be truly contextual thanks to built-in GPS and location-based services.
It was easily the best session I saw that day. If you missed it, read over Brian's notes (PDF). For more, join his Mobile Design community and read his free developers guide (PDF).
Full disclosure: Podbop writer Keith Robinson co-founded Blue Flavor with Brian and some other friends.
Photo by Jeff Croft
SXSW Interactive 2007: Photos (Part 2)SXSW Interactive 2007: Photos (Part 2)
The Web Typography Sucks panel. See slides and notes from the presentation.
I simply can't put my feelings for this photo into words.
Interview: Gerald GaryInterview: Gerald Gary
Gerald Gary is the kind-hearted restroom attendant that was working when Scott, Erin, Brett and I went to Cuba Libre for a bite to eat in between SXSW parties. After relieving myself, I got a chance to pick his brain a little.
Download the full audio interview (2:53 minutes, 1.3mb) or read below:
What's your most popular item?
My most popular item is cologne.
What's your favorite?
To tell you the truth, I make my money off of the chewing gum. I may go to HEB and get a 10 pack of gum with a coupon for $1 and somebody may put $1 in the tip jar and I make my money back. Then I'll have 9 packs left to play with; to give away or make me some more profit.
What's the craziest thing you've ever seen in the restroom?
I haven't seen a fight since I've been here, but at the other club I work at I had to stop a fight. Two guys were ready to fight so I had to tell them don't go that way, don't pay them no mind.
That's cool that you get to play peacemaker
Yeah I try to be a peacemaker. I try to do everything with love, know what I mean?
Yeah, it definitely shows. What's a band you really like?
Montell. They play some of that old time music. They go way back, "Heard It Through The Grapevine", James Brown, Temptations, Bobby Blueman. See I'm not into all that young stuff, it makes my head hurt.
Are they a local (to Austin) band?
Yeah they are local.
[Somebody using the bathroom] The correct answer is damn good music.
SXSW Music Recommended ShowsSXSW Music Recommended Shows
Just because theres an overwhelming amount of shows doesn't mean you have to be overwhelmed. Here are some of our editor's must-see picks for SXSWeek (or for a quick glance see the schedule of just our top picks).
Brett's Top Picks: Bloc Party, Les Savy Fav, The Rapture, Architecture in Helsinki, Girl Talk
See: Brett's Full Schedule
Keith's Top Picks: Jamie T, Cloud Cult, The Holloways, Menomena, Mute Math.
See: Keith's Full Schedule
Cory's Top Picks: Spank Rock (Thursday 15th Vista/NASA Party), Les Savy Fav, Sparklehorse, Money Mark, Plus/Minus
Taylor's Top Picks: Badly Drawn Boy, Do Make Say Think, The Mountain Goats, Matt & Kim, Beach House
See: Taylor's Full Schedule
See: Mark's Full Schedule
Did we miss something good? Recommend a show in the comments.
The Web Awards Music Category Is A JokeThe Web Awards Music Category Is A Joke
Here were the five finalists:
The Black Seeds: It's spam. No seriously, there is no music to be found. It looks like they lost their domain to squatters because I assumed they had just linked to the wrong url at first, but a google search doesn't provide any useful information.
Dixie Chicks: Death From Above: At first I was like WTF, it looks like a poorly designed blog that hasn't been updated in 10 months. Then I realize it's just a scene in this interactive flash portal where you can travel in and out of buildings in a city. Cool to play with, not much return value, and doesn't really have anything to do with music.
Just For The F Of It: Created for Fuse TV, this is yet another disposable flash site that overwhelms with animations while being relatively light on content. One cool thing is Mark Hoppus' podcast sub-site, but then again that isn't what's being nominated.
Free Indie: An MP3 blog that has been posting since April 2006 run by one guy. His taste is fantastic but I have to wonder why his tag line is "free albums - guiltless" and that he posts 5 MP3s for every band (as well as a zip for each set). Is it guiltless because he's asking each band for permission? He also only has 33 RSS subscribers (according to his Feedburner badge), which I'm absolutely not ripping on him for, but ponder whether something so unknown can be considered the best music site of 2006.
Woxy: The internet radio station that almost went out of business last year untill Lala swooped in, saved the station, and made new fans for life. Woxy's got it all: fantastic taste, active forum community, exclusive session recordings, and a blog.
So who won?
SXSW Interactive 2007: PhotosSXSW Interactive 2007: Photos
Chris Schmitt's session titled "How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love IE7"
Interactive projection screens at the Frog Design Opening party let butterflies land on your hand.
Ze Frank's party was packed to capacity with a big line going down the street. Here he goes over the absurdities of airline safety information.
SXSW Interactive: Saturday PanelsSXSW Interactive: Saturday Panels
Getting to Consistency: Don't Make Your Users Think stressed that consistency should not become legacy. While people (or what the detached refer to as "users") value comfort and familiarity, what works best evolves over time. Embrace change as long as the benefits are obvious. It reminded me of Taylor's conversation with Chirag about the pros and cons of two possible user interfaces. They went with the one that was less common but more usable.
Grids Are Good and How to Design with Them reassured me that the principles learned in my print design courses still apply to the Web. Khoi and Mark went through the steps of creating a grid-based layout through a combination of math and eyeballing it. See the results for yourself.
Beautiful Algorithms: Design from Nature and Mathematics showed how algorithms generate beauty in both nature and technology. Like the reaction-diffusion patterns found on tropical fish, or the L-systems and self-similarity of plants. I'm glad Alec focused on real-world and simulated examples of this stuff and not on the crazy formulas behind it all. It was reminiscent of the movie Pi, where a paranoid mathematician searches for a key number that will unlock the universal patterns found in nature. Just listen to the sample at the end of Jedi Mind Tricks' "Speech Cobras."
High Class and Low Class Web Design juxtaposed "good" and "bad" designs, focusing on the success of culprits like MySpace, Craigslist and eBay. Paul Rand famously said:
The public is more familiar with bad design than good design. It is, in effect, conditioned to prefer bad design, because that is what it lives with. The new becomes threatening, the old reassuring.
But I think it's important to remember -- and this was brought up during the Q+A session -- that good and bad are not equivalent to beautiful and ugly. Usability and the audience's immediate goals should be prioritized, otherwise they won't come back no matter how pretty the design is.
Photo by Andy Couch
SXSW Interactive 2007: Goodie BagSXSW Interactive 2007: Goodie Bag
This year's goodie bag was pretty usual. 75% boring flyers you will throw away right away and a few brilliant marketing pieces (like mikons' stickers and chow's guide to food). Click here for bigger version.
Here are the full contents:
1) Georgia.org (Flyer)
2) Austin Chronicle SXSW Edition (Newspaper)
3) Technology Review (Magazine)
4) Wizard (Magazine)
5) How (Magazine)
6) SXSW Official Interactive Guide
7) SXSW Interactive Canvas Bag
8) The Heather Gold Show (Invite)
9) Paypal Showdown (Flyer)
10) Screenburn Official Guide
11) Linux Journal (Magazine)
SXSW Cool Tools: TwitterSXSW Cool Tools: Twitter
Twitter is a webservice that lets you check-in with what you are doing by text message, IM or over the web. Think of it as an away message answering machine. While people have been using their away message on IM clients as status updates for as long as I can remember, if you missed a friends away message it was gone forever. Twitter gives you a tumblelog of your friends incessent status updates that can be forwarded to your cell phone or read on the web.
It's the perfect tool for conferences like SXSW. Keep track of where your friends are or even ask questions (like where's the next open bar?).
Similar to Mozes and Dodgeball, I think Twitter is blowing up because of it's ridiculously simple and clean interface and a great API that allows for things like desktop widgets.
They even set up a Twitter-screen at the conference where you can see the latest status updates of people who have added Twitter: SXSW as a friend.
Top photo by Adactio
SXSW Photos: Divas, Goodies and PanelsSXSW Photos: Divas, Goodies and Panels
Photo by Min Jung Kim
Photo by Richard Moross
Photo by Scott Beale / Laughing Squid
Do's and Don'ts of SXSW VolunteersDo's and Don'ts of SXSW Volunteers
I got ahold of a top-secret document with rules for volunteers at SXSW. While they are pretty standard, yet entertaining, I was surprised at how much of a wall they try to create between the commonfolk volunteers and the landowners staff.
Do's:
- Do have a sense of humor
- Do loiter outside the main Registration area
- Do dress Austin Casual
- Do leave the staff alone. They haven't had their shots.
Don'ts:
- Don't disturb Staff Members. Ever. This is for your own protection.
- Don't smell like the French. Many are allergic to parfum, patchouli and the unwashed.
- Don't dress like Britney Spears (in any incarnation) or the men she loves. All cleavage (upper and lower) must be covered or we will cover it for you. With a tent.
You have to volunteer for 40 hours before you earn any free passes, so the smart people are getting their hours out of the way for Interactive (so they can rock out during Music).
Photo by Sektormedia
For more info:
Why Goodie Bag Stuffing is Required: Sea of Bags
Myspace: myspace.com/sxswregcrew
Austin Music Monkey: 10 Things I Learned From Volunteering @ SXSW
Top 10 SXSW ResourcesTop 10 SXSW Resources
10. SXSWiki: This one slides in on potential alone. The site is pretty new and pretty bare, but if it catches on this could be your one stop shop for all things SXSW. Go contribute!
9. See You In The Pit: A music blog that only posts January to March every year, and only posts about bands playing SXSW. They tend to cover the more well known (atleast in the blog world) bands but if you've overlooked bands like Pink Nasty and Beach House in the past, this is a great place to catch up so you don't regret missing anything.
8. Austinist's SXSW Coverage: Posting daily updates of all Inter+Music+Film, this blog is a good overview of everything. They also have a rad Interactive Guide (Gmaps Mashup). All those non-stop parties stressing you out? Can't decide where to be seen? Their map highlights some Editor Picks to make your decision on where to get drunk just a bit easier. Extra points for plotting your itinerary based on stumbling distance.
7. Yaris SXSW: Every year Toyota sponsors a Yaris branded SXSW site that always has some pretty damn cool goodies on it. This year they have a Google Maps Mashup (where you can plot showcases on a map to save/share with friends), band previews (provided by big players like Music For Robots and Gorilla Vs Bear), and a Band Video Contest
6. SXSW's Official Music Hookups: What I love so much about this conference/festival is how much they really get it. Not only do they offer the excellent Flash Player with streaming, skippable audio of bands playing the festival, they even post a 3.1GB torrent file with 739 MP3s. You can also check out older torrents.
SXSW Pre-Coverage Begins!SXSW Pre-Coverage Begins!
Get Ready! SXSWeek is almost upon us. For some it's work, for some it's a vacation, and yet for others it's a religion. The Podbop crew will be making their annual trek down to Austin, Texas in just 5 days. We'll be covering SXSW: Interactive (March 9-13) and SXSW: Music (March 14-18).
Watch the blog for the next weeks for panel and show previews, interviews, show reviews, photos, a few videos and a really, really exciting contest.
Athens Popfest Music VideoAthens Popfest Music Video
Brett, Mark, Kaela, and I covered Athens Popfest last August and took a bit of footage for Cory to put together into, what I like to call, a documentary music video. I actually forgot to post it months ago, so here it is in all it's glory:
Mashup Camp 3: BostonMashup Camp 3: Boston
Daniel, Brett and I are in Boston for the week hanging out at Mashup Camp and checking out the city. Podbop is a mashup (Eventful + our database of public mp3s) and we even had our humble launch just under a year ago at the first Mashup Camp in San Francisco.
We're not parading any mashups, but music related apps are pretty well repped this time. Our posse this time around includes Chris & Nate (with Gigul8r), Anthony (with Hypemachine) and I'm still looking forward to tracking down the guys from Tour Filter in the hallways.
More geekdom to follow...
ps. It's COLD HERE
Photo by lilchen
An Interview With Fin Fang FoomAn Interview With Fin Fang Foom
After Fin Fang Foom's awesome Saturday night performance at Bar One during The Fest V, I got a chance to pick their brains a bit about Gainesville's music scene, their next release and inspiring shows they've been to.
First off, is this your first Fest?
Eddie: No, actually, we've done all of them since the first one.
What do you think the best part of The Fest is?
Eddie: Getting to see all the bands - all your friends. Being that we used to live an hour away, we have a lot friends here. That and just everybody getting together.
Mike T.: I think it's a really amazing thing, community-wise. All these bands are coming together, all these people are coming together, and it's still so, you know, noncorporate. It's very grassroots and indie. It's still punk rock and I think it's awesome that it carries that vibe through it. I think it's really important. It's amazing what Tony [Weinbender of No Idea Records] and everyone involved has done - keeping it kind of pure and noble. No commercial nonsense. Staying true to what we all believe in and what we've been working for for so many years.
Cynthia: I've never been to Gainesville. I've never been to The Fest. The people here have been so crazy and so nice. It's totally revitalizing to see it going on outside your town. I've met so many crazy people tonight who are just like, "Hey, what's your deal?" It's so friendly. The energy in this town is so great. It totally inspires you, like, "Yeah, man, this is what it's about." It was awesome. I was shocked - I thought it was gonna be a bunch of punk rockers sitting around and growling at each other and it was gonna suck.
I hear the cello player is a recent addition. How did you guys decide to add that?
Eddie: We've always wanted a cello player. For a long, long time. It just worked out because she was a good friend of ours, an awesome person, and she played cello.
Do you guys have an album coming out soon?
Mike T.: Yeah, it's like a Japan exclusive, but we've conviced the Love to release it and it's going to be distributed through Dischord. It's supposed to be out, but the CDs have been on a boat. Seriously, on a boat. Dischord is like, "Well, we can't get it on this release date because it still hasn't gotten here." We're just waiting for that to come. Then we have new stuff that we're going to record and hopefully have it out next year.
Interview continued after the jump...
An Interview With Russian CirclesAn Interview With Russian Circles
The absense of a vocalist puts the focus completely on the push and pull of the music, even when it isn't a conscious decision. Chicago's Russian Circles formed in late-2004, following the break-up of Dakota/Dakota, the math-rock band guitarist Mike Sullivan and bassist Colin DeKuiper played in.
Two years later Flameshovel Records released the instrumental trio's first full-length, Enter -- a linear, dynamic post-metal album capable of appealing to fans of Mogwai and Mastodon alike. With six tracks and a run-time just shy of 45 minutes, it never sounds forced or pretentious.
After the band's explosive set on the first night of The Fest V in Gainesville, I stood outside a local pub and spoke with Colin about live shows and touring.
First of all, why did you guys decide to be an instrumental band?
It wasn't really like we set out to be an instrumental band. When we started the band, there wasn't a lot laid out for us. We hadn't set the groundwork for what we wanted to achieve. But the three of us really wanted to play together, so we just sort of came together and started writing songs.
The first song we wrote was the first song on our record, "Carpe." After we wrote it we were just sorta like, "I don't know exactly where the vocals are gonna fit." And then after that, we wrote another song that ended up being the last song on the record, "New Macabre." We were saying the same thing, just sorta standing around saying "I dunno where the vocals are gonna go." At that point, we said, "We'll test it out, play some shows, and see what the reaction is." For the most part it seemed more positive, that people felt like we should be an instrumental band versus a band with vocals.
It's not out of the question, but right now it's really, really easy to be a three-piece and not have vocals, so we'll forge ahead as planned.
What do you think makes for a good live show?
We love small rooms just because it seems the smaller the room, the more control we have over how it sounds. Also a smaller room is easier to fill. For us, a good live show is just, you know, we play well, we sound good and there's crowd there that's really into it.
Interview continued after the jump...
CMJ Recap: ThursdayCMJ Recap: Thursday
Cold War Kids, another one of the blogger-love bands, played a free show at the Apple Store mid-afternoon. If you haven't seen a free show at the Apple Store, I recommend it. It's got great sound and comfortable seating, and for a grand price of zero dollars you can't complain. It was the Cold War Kids' first performance ever with a sitting down audience, but they still got the Mac-geeks grooving in their seats to a powerful soul-rock performance of songs off their 2006 album Robbers & Cowards.
Lead singer Nathan Willett (who totally has a Woody Harrelson look going) drank a bottle of Perrier at the piano until it was conveniently used as percussion in "Deathrow." They were also pretty amused about their photograph being projected right behind them (an Apple Store thing I guess). They played one brand new song, but it sounded a lot like the rest of their songs. I think their sound is awesomely unique (for this time period anyway) and catchy. My only fear is that now they've found a comfort zone they'll end up staying in for their next record. When they played "Hospital Beds," I actually got goose bumps. Highly recommended if you get a chance to see them. Check out an interview with Natahn Willett over at Culture Bully.
Next up in the CMJ free retail show line-up was Silversun Pickups at the Puma Store in Union Square. Literally making it just before they started playing (don't you love when that happens?), I enjoyed their self-admittedly hungover set of songs off of this year's Carnavas and last years Pikul EP (top 10 of 2005, easily). Their drummer has the most enthusiasm on stage, and their bassist has a gorgeous voice. I was also put at ease when I could finally stop wondering if lead singer Brian Aubert wrote "Lazy Eye" about himself (sure looks like it to me).
A few subway transfers (and a meal and a nap) later I showed up at The Knitting Factory, my favorite CMJ venue. They have three floors, so you always have something else to choose if you get bored. Their help is incredibly nice (let me in with two girls who didn't have tickets to last year's show) and it's even got air conditioning.
Sparky Quano was an unexpected thrill from Japan (and this was his first visit to NYC). As just one god-like guitar player with a whole slew of pedals, he creates everything including percussion and backup layers from a single guitar. Only other person I've seen fully do this is Kaki King. But while she is on the folk-instrumental side of things, Sparky was definitely raised by Pelican and Megadeth. His instrumental rock songs, with the occasional ghostly whispers, caught everyone in the room off guard. It was great seeing him play two dozen guitar pedals with his bare toes like a piano, churning out tribal beats and space-rock that was over before you knew it. Wearing sweatpants and no shoes or socks, you felt like you were getting a peek into his bedroom, where he'd be jamming out even if there wasn't an audience.
Odiorne were too loud, and while they played tightly, they didn't have much to offer as entertainers or musicians.
Saxon Shore put out one of my favorite instrumental rock albums last year and their live show didn't disappoint. Their instrumentation was almost as lush as I was at this point, scoring a free drink from the bartender for being nice. The band members were really concentrated on their instruments as their sound filled the Knitting Factory's Old Office basement.
Lewis & Clarke's Lou Rogal delivered lo-fi, bare-your-soul folk that was appreciated by the sparse attendees (most of which had floated upstairs to see An Albatross at this time). It's always interesting seeing albums I use for falling asleep to live. If their live performance puts me to sleep is that good or bad? I face this issue with bands like Six Parts Seven, Album Leaf and Lewis & Clarke. I've used his 2005 album Bare Bones & Branches to carry me off to slumber for many months, and while his performance was spot-on with the album, I found it to be a relaxing break to the rest of my day.
Headlining for the evening was Chicago's Dogme 95. Also a one-man band (see a trend tonight?), Nick Wright's set of Beck-esque folk-pop with a little assistance from a fog machine was enjoyable. Nick didn't let the confinement of a stage stop him as he wandered around the floor swinging his microphone and busting out Windy City dance moves. Halfway through the set he brought a second guitar on stage and things turned a bit more psych-rock. My only compliant is his reliance on pre-recorded background material. He should try to make friends with a drummer because beats coming from a CD player just aren't the same.
More photos after the jump
Upon Recovering From The FestUpon Recovering From The Fest
The bruises are fading and the cuts are healing. Two weeks ago The Fest V swallowed the streets of downtown Gainesville. For three days, disciples of all the indie subcultures gathered to praise and sing. About 70 percent of the attendees came from out of town to witness their share of the 200 bands performing. Stopping first at Wayward Council, we were branded with grey, pink or green wristbands and given a schedule and a map. We drew out our separate plans and scattered across the eight venues.
Warming Up Friday
The line to get into The Atlantic for Russian Circles wrapped around the side of the building. It wasn't until I got inside that I was told I could have side-stepped the crowd with my press privileges. But it was worth the wait. The band's epic, sprawling songs built and burst, speaking volumes without vocals. The instrumental trio replicated material from their album using loop pedals to sample themselves live.
After braving the rainy weather for an interview with Russian Circles, I made my way back to The Atlantic, downed two beers and took a spot near the stage. Ultra Dolphins unleashed their spastic, post-hardcore tunes with frantic precision. Their performance was quirky and disorienting in a good way. I'd been anticipating their debut full-length, which Robotic Empire released this week, and it exceeded my expectations.
Before Die Hoffnung's set, vocalist/guitarist Jim Marbuger noted that he's been seeing a lot of movement on the fret board that night and asked when everybody got so good at their instruments. With his brother Jon on drums, you may recognize the duo from I Hate Myself. Their new material is more intricate and less frail, channeling bands like Faraquet. Between songs, Jim's commentary continued. He listed off all the sub-species of punk flooding the town that weekend. His favorite: surf punks, because they smell good.
I crossed the street to catch The North Atlantic at Bar One. The turnout was disappointing and it was way too loud for the small, empty room. But the noisy post-punk band will pass through Gainesville two more times before the year's end -- Nov. 11 with These Arms Are Snakes and Dec. 10 with Planes Mistaken For Stars and Appleseed Cast.
Despite being drenched from the night's downpour, I trekked the few blocks to Abbey Road for the second half of Minus The Bear's set. They blasted through songs from 2005's Menos El Oso. I let the technical, polished indie-rock songs wash over me before I stumbled home and drifted off to sleep.
Wish I Watched
- Dear + Glorious Physician. RILY: The Pixies, Talking Heads
- Gospel. RIYL: City of Caterpillar, Mars Volta, Pg. 99
- Smoke or Fire. RIYL: Hot Water Music, Avail
- Bullet Train To Vegas. RIYL: Les Savy Fav, Q And Not U
Photo Credit: Minus The Bear by saturndesignDOTnet
CMJ Recap: Wednesday NightCMJ Recap: Wednesday Night
My evening began at Chinatown's (if it wasn't in Chinatown they should rename that part of town then) Fontana's. It had an exclusive/snobby feel to it because you walked into the bar area with no signs hinting that there is a stage anywhere. You continue walking through and hiding behind a pool table, there is a door that leads you to the basement. An uncrowded paradise with a life size beach sunset photo on the wall and cshiny cursive letters that read the venue's name (to reassure you that it's the right spot).
The Twilight Sad (one of the bands we did a giveaway for) got the attention of all 22 of us with a jarring drum intro. Their British accents were pleasing (aren't foreign accents always becoming?). Known for layering found sounds in found places this band pushed out lush and noisy layers of music. Sometimes they used their best friends, delay and reverb, a little too much. The lead singer, seemingly shy, always kept his eyes closed while he sung in a deep tone that was reminsicent of Interpol. By the third song the lead guitar amp started acting up and to keep us occupied, an old poet (who looked like a fisherman) came on stage and read a poem bearing the bands name. Overall a promising set from a young & shy band that I hope will continue to grow.
The Dayton, Ohio duo Swearing At Motorists took the stage next with their unique lo-fi rock songs about everyday situations and everyday people. A perfect example of how normal they saw themselves (even after being around for more than 10 years); they asked the audience if anyone was interested in driving them to Philly while they sleep. They offered to get the driver/fan into that show and buy them a train ticket back to NYC. Just a couple of dudes, on the road, trying to make it to the next town.
With Dave Doughman's distinct 70's-ish voice, he rolled through a fanastic and well recieved set including their biggest hit "Flying Pizza". Known for his energetic perfomances, Dave was on top of his game, jumping and rolling on stage while having a genuinely good time. He must have soaked up all the energy (or drugs) available because his drummer Joseph Siwinksi was half asleep the entire time. My only complaint to their finely tuned performances were the songs abrupt endings that seemed unnatural.
A few subway stops later, realzing I'd never get into The Knife show, I found myself at the comfortable Mercury Lounge. Walking in on the middle of Daylights For The Birds' set, I was immediately struck by the lead singer. With her eye makeup, head-loop, and a voice like Dido's, she was mesmerizing. Disappointingly the band as a whole was underwhelming. Maybe I was spoiled on elite level entertainers like CSS and Swearing At Motorists, but besides having a beautiful girl upfront they lacked stage presence.
Something else I've noticed while attending CMJ, which doesn't happen in Florida (atleast as often) is the five foot space between the stage and the audience. The concert going kids of New York City seem to fear getting too close to the stage, which was good for me because there was always space.
The 7 wishful member group Canada (from Michigan) followed. While trading instruments and smiles the entire time, this family-like collective created warm music with great choruses. Amusingly, the bass player seemed to have an internal conflict with the top of his head because he would throw off and replace his toque (Candian for hat!). They ended their set inviting people on stage to have a piece of the fun whirling on stage with claps and percussion toys.
Now this is coming from somebody who hates Antony & The Johnsons, but the Figurines's lead singer has one of those hate it or love it voices, and I hate it. The only guy around me really moving had ear plugs in; maybe they worked too well.
Girl Talk (aka Gregg Gillis) was the headlining spot and didn't disappoint. Armed with nothing but a laptop and dance moves from outer space this notta-DJ brought the house down. Within a few songs the stage was piled with people busting out their dance moves to Girl Talk's unique top40s-hiphop-indie mashup. Few more songs later and Gregg was stripped down to his skivvies (by the crowd) and the party continued. High-energy dance music that is better than what you'll ever find in a club.
More photos after the jump!
CMJ Recap: Wednesday DayCMJ Recap: Wednesday Day
"Don't beat your kids, they might turn out like me." And with that fine advice from an outspoken man on the subway, my second day of CMJ goodness began. For you out-of-towners, the 7-day unlimited-ride subway pass for $24 is a necessity.
CMJ is not only about the nightly showcases by signed and unsigned bands in venues across the city, but also the free day shows throughout, in places ranging from record shops to retail stores or art spaces. One such unique venue is the lovably cramped (or shall I say intimate) Other Music record shop. They slid over row after row of record aisles to make room for the packed-to-the-brim audience here to see a stripped-down acoustic performance by Tapes 'n Tapes singer Josh Grier and drummer Jeremy Hanson. Two members short of the entire group, their sound was surprisingly un-lacking and their songs came across less dancey and more emotional. The highlight of the performance was "Omaha", the track that I have been playing on repeat and just can't seem to get enough of these days.
Fellow music blogger BrooklynVegan continued with his tradition of putting on a free and impressive lineup for his multi-day party in the lower east side. Wednesday's day show took place at Pianos, a two story bar/restaurant/venue with just enough room for the crowd. Upstairs, I stumbled on The Undisputed Heavyweights, a band that AM New York described as "Frank Sinatra meets The Doors in a way only Stevie Wonder could dream of." A lounge band in the best sense with a charismatic lead and skilled musicians to back him up. Bluesy folk-rock that got me saying Amen (literally) as Casey preached the good word of rock 'n' roll during their song "Bitches Be Trippin". Go see this band (or at least grab some MP3s).
Downstairs at Pianos, The Little Ones also caught me by surprise. At first it seemed like typical rock group, but they slowly won me over with infectious melodies, clapping and chanting. It has a surf-rock feel so it was unsurprising when I found out they are from California, whose sun & surf obviously played a part. It's also worth noting how wonderfully air-conditioned the venue is. Nothing can ruin a performance for fans like being miserably uncomfortable and it would be nice if certain local venues (coughcommongroundscough) made the same investment.
Land Of Talk took the stage next. Elizabeth Powell's sultry voice is reminiscent of Azure Ray's Maria Taylor, but she's backed by louder guitars. She gives it her own unique spin by letting her voice slip in and out of falsetto. Elizabeth perservered as the finger she had cut while slicing onions the day before bled throughout her performance. Despite said injury, it was refreshing to see her smiling so often during the set. She was really enjoying herself, and the happiness was infectious. More bands should follow her lead and show that they're having a good time on stage, getting paid to make music, instead of the darker, serious route that many bands take.
Claiming to have the best burgers in the city (how can you not trust a chalk board hanging over a bar?), I ordered a burger from the bar. It was an excellent meaty delight that felt so wrong (but good) to eat at BrooklynVegan's soiree. The hand cut fries are also highly recommended.
After an intensely bad show in Gainesville a year ago, I was going to avoid Thunderbirds Are Now!, but showed up early for CSS and saw two songs. With a slightly better soundsystem than where I saw them in Florida, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that only half of their horrible performance was their fault.
Cansei de Ser Sexy (Portuguese for "I Got Tired of Being Sexy") is a band name with certain expectations. You wouldn't name your metal band that (or maybe you would, you rebel you). But if you crave sexy, poppy and dancey songs then you wouldn't be disappointed. Like a dancier The Go Team!, CSS front woman Lovefoxxx prances around stage with confidence. Strutting her sexy and silly dance moves, including "the armpit smell dance," Lovefoxxx kept the packed room fixated and wanting more.
More photos after the jump!
Visual StimulationVisual Stimulation
The concert photographs we're highlighting this week were all taken at this year's CMJ Music Marathon. For more, browse Flickr's cmj2006 tag listing.
We Are Wolves by f.trainer on Flickr.
The Grates by Nevoreiel on Flickr.
Cloud Cult by jen c on Flickr.
Hot Chip by thatgreenplant on Flickr.
Purevolume Loft by justwatchthesky on Flickr.
Podbop Interviews AnnualsPodbop Interviews Annuals
Taylor sat down with all six members of Annuals after their Gainesville, FL performance last week. They talked about blogs, discovering new music, CMJ and more. Listen to highlights from the interview in an audio slideshow with photos from the concert. Then download the entire interview to hear what else they had to say.
Download the full interview (5.5 MB, 8 min 13 sec)
Upcoming Performances
- Nov 3: New York, NY @ Other Music (Acoustic), 12 p.m.
- Nov 3: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom, 9 p.m.
- Nov 4 : Brooklyn, NY @ The Annex (Brooklyn VeganDay Party), 1:30 p.m.
- Nov 6: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom, 8 p.m.
- Nov 10: Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle +
- Nov 15: Cambridge, MA @ TT the Bears +
- Nov 18: Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brendas +
- Dec 2: Tuscon, AZ @ Rialto Theatre -
- Dec 3: Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad -
- Dec 4: Flagstaff, AZ @ Orpheum Theatre -
- Dec 5: Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse -
- Dec 7: Santa Barbara, CA @ SoHo -
+ w/Evangelicals
- w/Calexico
WTD Music Survival GuideWTD Music Survival Guide
What's The Download is a "comprehensive, research-based public education campaign designed by The Recording Academy (GRAMMYs) that recognizes the lack of dialogue between the music industry and the music fan." With a board of 12 in-the-know kids ranging from 20-26 years old, they aim to create coversations and offer insight among music creators and consumers through websites, K-12 lesson plans, PSAs and more.
After two years of research, The Board revealed their research and recommendations in a 70+ page report titled "WTD Music Survival Guide" (Full Report (PDF)). Thankfully for you (and me) the press conference summed it up into seven main points. These tips are aimed at the recording industry in an effort to help them cope with the changing landscape of music today.
#1 Educate To Eradicate Piracy:
Acknolwedging that record companies and RIAA lawsuits may be effective scare tactics, there is surely a better way to appeal to music consumers. Educating them on the amount of work and people involved in putting out an album is the first step. Who does pirating music hurt? What are the costs involved in publishing music?
My Take:
This is a great idea, though I laugh when I think how many other industries have to justify their prices? It be interesting if Starbucks had to justify their $4 lattes? If you could walk into a coffee shop and steal a grande no-whip, would the coffee shop industry be forced to do something similar? Personally, I would love to be educated a bit more about the costs associated with a CD to justify prices and what makes some CDs $10 and some $18. While marketing is a necessary expense, when consumers find out that 20% of their money went towards plastering NYC with posters and ads in magazines, will they really change their mind?
#2 Make Music Retail Therapy:
Besides being more convenient, people may be turning to piracy because it is easier to discover and sample new music. Creating a retail environment with knowledgable staff and the ability to sample whole records (like on listening stations) would help create more motivation to get out to a store.
My Take:
Again, I feel like this tip is a bit misaligned. Small record shops already thrive on the above advice, and are often gateways of discovering great new music whether it's just what's playing in the store or from advice from employees. I don't see larger retailers like Best Buy and Walmart having the economic motivation to hire a music-specialized staff, since music is a small slice of the pie whose sales are generated primarily by consumers there for other reasons. You can see the definition of music retailing expanding already as Starbucks' CD sales continue delivering explosive growth.
#3 Declare A Music/Tech Truce:
The industry isn't making it easy for consumers to use purchased digital music among their computers, digital devices etc. MP3s' interoperability is a key benefit of piracy, and the legal services need to be able to compete.
My Take:
While there are a few avenues to choose from that already go this route (Magnatune is the first to come to mind), there is definitely a lack of options. DRM is like lending somebody your roadster to go to the grocery store but tracking it with GPS because you don't really trust that they won't take it for a joy ride. I think there will be a turning point where larger digital music retailers like iTunes will concede and sell plain vanilla mp3's, but I don't think it will happen until it is a forced market decision created by lots of smaller online stores with these options gaining more momentum.
Read the rest of the tips after the jump!
Borat's Movie FilmBorat's Movie Film
The CMJ Film Festival had a showing of "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" at the Walter Reader Theatre last night. It started about half an hour late; rough estimate since my phone, as well as everyone else's, were put in a "coat check" to thwart pirates who planned on taking grainy quality screen shots or 30 second movie clips, a real threat to future ticket sales, I'm sure.
It was all worth it as suddenly Borat made his way from the back of the room, kissing every man (and man) in the outside aisle. Usually you don't get to see the movie's character before a film, and Borat's guest appearance made the whole experience a bit more real. Aftr a quick introduction and thanks for coming in his lovable broken english speech pattern, he made it off the stage and the lights dimmed.
I've watched a few episodes of Ali G in my life (same actor, same kind of style) and had watched the preview for the film, but didn't have any real expectations. The film takes you on Borat's cross country journey from New York to California as he learns American customs to take back to his homeland and chases down the love of his life. A bear in an ice cream truck, mechanical bull riding with a prostitute, a baywatch babe and an intensely hilarious naked wrestling match later the movie had flown by. I'm not usually a dumb comedy fan. I wasn't that impressed with Zoolande