A Guide to Summer 2010′s Festivals
April 26, 2010
Summer is just around the corner and you know what that means. Yes, that’s right, festival season is here again. For some, it may warrant a sigh as every hipster comes out of hibernation to frolic in the sun to some MGMT. But for every day-glo-wayfarer-sporting bro, there’s a true music fan out there excited by the prospects of summer’s seemingly endless list of top-name events. There are so many festivals out there that there is something to please every musical taste. Today, I’ll start out with the basics by showcasing two major festivals and one that’s more local and affordable.
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Crowd at Glastonbury 2008. Photo: late night movie on flickr
Glastonbury Where: Worthy Farm, Pilton, Somerset, England (about 3 hours SW of London) When: June 23-28 Price: £185 (about $285, but tickets have long since sold out)
Glastonbury is the mother of all festivals. It epitomizes everything a music lover wants in a festival; a diverse lineup (the back-to-back placement of Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson on this year’s bill is a testament to this), and up to ten stages of world-class music. What else could you ask for? While boasting big-name artists on the main stages, “Glasto” always puts forth an effort to showcase up-and-coming artists in smaller-profile spots. However, the rainy British summer rarely makes an exception for the festival, with Glastonbury being notorious for its 70,000+ acres worth of muddy fields. This year’s tickets sold out in a record 12 hours, so if you don’t have your tickets already, next year might be your best bet. But no matter what, you won’t be disappointed; Glastonbury continuously puts out amazing lineups year after year and offers every festivalgoer a unique and fantastic experience.
Website: Glastonbury Festivals
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Bonnaroo 2007. Photo: panic on flickr.
Bonnaroo Where: Manchester, TN When: June 10-13 Price: about $250 for a 4-day pass
After only 8 years on the scene, Bonnaroo has become one of America’s most renowned music festivals, up there with the likes of Coachella and Lollapalooza. But for some, the Tennessee-based shindig is in a world entirely of its own, with Rolling Stone hailing it as “the ultimate over-the-top summer festival.” Bonnaroo is an example of quality control at its finest, with its championing of eco-friendliness and its knack for creating innovative lineups. Although mostly comprised of indie rock acts both fresh and ancient, festival bigwigs also extend their reach by offering cinema and comedy tents. There are still some tickets available, so if you’re willing to shell out for the flight and camping, get on it quick!
Website: Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
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The Gorge. Photo: zoombabooma on flickr.
And now for something a bit more reasonable, we have Sasquatch! This is one of the music festivals closest to us (it’s a mere 18-hour drive from San Luis), and has proved popular among college students due to its affordable fare and up-to-date lineup. The three-day festival takes place every year at the beautiful Gorge Amphitheater, located just 115 miles outside of Seattle. Consistently named one of the most scenic music venues in the world, The Gorge gives its audiences a fantastic view of the Columbia River while listening to their favorite band play on the transparent stage. Sasquatch!’s lineup caters more towards the indie crowd than any other, however this year’s list also includes DJ sets from the likes of Simian Mobile Disco and A-Trak, plus a set from hip-hop posterboy Kid Cudi.
Website: Sasquatch! Music Festival 2010
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These three are just a taster of this summer’s wide array of festivals. To be continued…
RCRD LBL: An Overview
April 21, 2010
With so many different music blogs and sites on the Internet these days, sometimes it’s hard to find good stuff without knowing what you’re looking for. However, one site that’s great for discovering new artists is RCRD LBL. The site was put together in 2007 by Downtown Music and Peter Rojas, who collaborated with independent labels to create a new kind of music website. It features over 10,000 free, legal music downloads from a wide range of new and established artists like Santigold, MSTRKRFT, and Florence & The Machine. New tracks are uploaded daily, so with every trip to the site you’re guaranteed to leave with something fresh. I discovered the site about a year and a half ago, and it’s still a frontrunner on my daily go-to list. Today, I’m going to show you some of the gold you can find on RCRD LBL, with little to no digging involved.
(Note: I was going to embed the RCRD LBL widgets directly into the post, but they won’t work with WordPress, so SoundCloud will have to do.)
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Marina & The Diamonds I Am Not A Robot (Doorly Remix) 679/Atlantic
Marina & The Diamonds (stage name of Marina Diamandis) have quietly been making waves overseas for the past couple years, but have finally arrived on Yankee territory to show America what we’ve been missing. The original “I Am Not A Robot” was released last summer as a taster from her album The Family Jewels, and instantly won her fans with its poignant “screw you, conformity” theme. Readying the track for a re-release, fellow Brit Doorly was brought in to man the knobs & switches for a bit of a rejig. But instead of overhauling the original with the typical synths-n-sirens, Doorly gingerly dissects it; taking the tender piano chords and coupling them with plunging bass drops to create a refreshingly different take on the track.
If you like this, check out the Boy 8-Bit remix of Florence & The Machine’s “Drumming Song”, also available on RCRD LBL.
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Ocelot Beating Hearts (Blende Extended Mix) Wall of Sound
Ocelot are more than just an amazing name. They have earned their reputation as premier remixers over the past couple of years, producing excellent remakes for Röyksopp and The Killers, among others. However, in 2010, the Leeds-via-Texas duo decided it was time to release some of their own material, and here we are delivered “Beating Hearts”. Londoner Blende is on the remix, dropping some unnecessary vocals and frenzy from the original in favor of a dirtily deep electro-funk riff, complete with choppy scratches and blippy synth work.
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Bloc Party One More Chance (Alex Metric Remix) Wichita Recordings
And now for a bit of a throwback: this remix surfaced last summer and it was so good that I had absolutely no desire to even hear the original, let alone listen to any other track ever again. Being a massive fan of both Bloc Party and Alex Metric, to me this remix is literally what dreams are made of. Revisiting it today, I realized it hasn’t aged at all; that pounding keyboard refrain is just as anthemic as it was a year ago. It’s an absolute classic, and is collectively one of both BP’s and Alex Metric’s finest moments to date.
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The selection and broad spectrum of music offered at RCRD LBL is rare to find completely wrapped in one website. It’s a great resource if you find yourself craving new music and want to find it quickly and easily. Hopefully the tracks I showcased for you here have garnered some interest within you for the site, and I hope you check it out to see everything else it has to offer.
Website: RCRD LBL
Show Me What You Got
April 19, 2010
Coachella stage panorama. Photo: joshc on flickr.
While the beginning of 2010 was rather uneventful music-wise, it seems that things are starting to take a turn in the right direction. Coachella was this past weekend; it boasted one of its most star-studded lineups and received its largest audience to date. Independent stores all over the world celebrated another successful Record Store Day on Saturday. Summer is coming which means it’s almost festival season, and major new albums are on their way to store shelves (or more conveniently, your computer’s iTunes store). With all these developments, there’s a lot to keep up with, so I’ve prepared a quiz for you all to test your knowledge on Coachella and the latest music news. If you think you know your stuff, go for it! And better yet, if you don’t, take it anyway and hopefully you’ll learn something new about what’s going on in the world of popular music today.
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This weekend, Jay-Z became the first rapper to headline Coachella. Although it wasn’t the most innovative of his performances (it bore distinct similarities to his headline show at Glastonbury ’08), he delivered a satisfying stream of hits and obscurities during his 90-minute set, while integrating rock standards such as “Wonderwall” to appeal to his largely-alternative audience. Also, bringing wife Beyoncé out for a song didn’t hurt. In light of his successful performance, here’s one of his classics given a fresh spin. Dave Wrangler, producer extraordinaire, strikes mashup gold once again by throwing a muffled vocal from Jay over the funky guitar stylings of Javelin, to give “Roc Boys” a very retro, yet very 2010 makeover. Even though it’s conventional in almost all ways, the remix is enough to give the song a breezier vibe, which would sound spectacular blasting out of some raspy boombox speakers on the beach.
Jay-Z vs. Javelin, Roc Boys (Dave Wrangler Remix)
Indie stores worldwide unite for Record Store Day
April 14, 2010
Photo: graciepoo on flickr
When I was younger, most kids were hanging around at the park on their free time, or maybe immersing themselves in some Grand Theft Auto. But when I wasn’t hanging out with my friends or playing sports, I was begging my parents to take me to my haven, the local Tower Records, so I could flip through the endless rows of glistening jewel cases in hopes to find something that struck my attention. This, sadly, is an experience alien to most kids these days; an experience that defined the greater part of my childhood, but will most likely never be realized by the youth of the future.
Record Store Day is here to change that. Record Store Day is this Saturday, April 17, and is an annual celebration where independent record stores all over the world unite to honor music, musicians and record store counterculture. It also serves as a reminder to the general public that record stores indeed still exist, and are still standing while combating the growing threats of low sales and music downloading.
London's Rough Trade is one of the most prominent international supporters of Record Store Day. Photo: donnierobot on flickr
It has become something of a 4th of July for the music world, with top artists making appearances at local stores, and record labels pressing limited edition CDs and vinyl to be sold just for the day. (A full list of this year’s releases can be viewed here.) Although only in its third year, Record Store Day has expanded from the 700+ independent stores across the United States to international stores, with shops in major music markets like the UK, Japan, and Sweden contributing to the cause.
Here in San Luis Obispo, Boo Boo Records will be celebrating the day by offering live performances every hour on the hour from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. These shows are completely free of charge. Artists appearing include The Northstar Session, Jade Jackson, Ghostporn, and Threes & Nines. A full list of artists performing can be found on Boo Boo Records’ official Facebook page. SLO’s perennial music store will also be offering free silk screening and exclusive giveaways throughout the day.
If you haven’t stepped foot in a record store in a while, Record Store Day is the perfect day to change that. If you’re looking for something new to listen to, I encourage you to see what Boo Boo’s has to offer. You’ll be surprised at the gems you can find with just a quick browse and a little motivation.
Boo Boo Records is located at 978 Monterey St., downtown SLO. Record Store Day hours: Saturday, April 17, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.For more information on everything Record Store Day, check out the official event website.
Four tracks for your Monday morning
April 12, 2010
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Jamaica I Think I Like U 2 Control Freak Records
Jamaica, France’s latest feel-good indie-pop export has just landed. Think ‘United’-era Phoenix with less emphasis on calmness and a little more on electric guitar. The duo, comprised of Antoine Hilaire and Flo Lyonnet, collaborated with Xavier de Rosnay (one-half of Justice) and Peter Franco (of Daft Punk engineering fame) on this summery blast of a first single. The So-Me directed video is just another addition to his fantastic resume of work (“DVNO”, “D.A.N.C.E.”, “Good Life”), and I have a feeling it will be one of the coolest things you’ll see all year. Check it out.
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Flight Facilities Crave You / Crave You (Cassian Remix) BangGang 12s
I just discovered this track a couple days ago and cannot believe what I’ve been missing out on for the past 3 months! All discussion aside, this track is on point. The Sydney duo has combined a minimal, yet banging instrumental, an absolutely sublime vocal from Giselle, and just the right amount of 80s to create the ultimate chill out track. And if the original isn’t quite enough for you, Australian producer Cassian takes the track from the after party to the main room of the club, adding a plunking piano riff and a substantial dose of disco.
The entire package, including additional remixes from the C90s and James Curd, is available to buy on Beatport right now.
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– Mason Exceeder (Felguk Remix) Tasted Music
Mason’s ‘Exceeder’ was without a doubt THE tune of 2006, regularly bringing every wallflower and their mother down from the rafters and onto the dance floor. Well, Brazilian wunderkinds Felguk have dug it out from the vaults and turned it into an absolutely insane electro assault. Think of it as an auditory A-bomb, if you will. This is hands down the best electro house track I’ve heard this year to date, and I expect it to clobber everything in its path when it comes to decide the anthem of Ibiza 2010.
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MoonRunners vs. Daft Punk Feels Like Magic Currently unsigned, for more info: MySpaceOver-sampling is getting a bit tedious these days (e.g. Chiddy Bang), and when you’re fiddling around with something as legendary as Daft Punk’s ‘Around The World’, the results would rarely come out as listenable. But for some reason, this product is simply fantastic. The MoonRunners, an upcoming London electro-hop ‘collective’, mesh their verses around a sample reorganized just enough to seem innovative. But in all reality, they have created something so unashamedly saccharine yet ridiculously catchy that you’ll find yourself pressing repeat a good ten times. Or in my case, 14. The track is backed by an effortlessly outstanding video, and the fact that they only spent £55 on it (for parking tickets) just makes it that much better.
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The rain doesn’t seem so bad anymore, right?
Genre: Dubstep
April 7, 2010
Photo: George Morgan
Let’s say your friend plays you a song. It has an infectious 2-step drum beat. Throbbing synths. An insane, wobbling bassline. “This is awesome,” you tell yourself. But what IS it? This is your typical dubstep track, my friends, a sound foreign to most ears on this side of the pond, but celebrated by those all over the UK. First a product of London’s underground scene, dubstep has evolved into a monster, whose innovativeness has made it one of the most thoroughly interesting and captivating movements to keep up with in the music world.
Dubstep started as just what it sounds like, a fusion of Jamaican dub and twitchy British 2-step. It was created as an experimental alternative to the overplayed British garage and grime in the early 2000s. It was darker, more ethereal, and on the whole, better to move your body to. The first time I heard dubstep, all I could think was “What is this? This is just noise…” But over time, my aural taste buds opened up and I realized what a fantastic genre it really was. In no other genre can one song emit emotion through a propulsive bass, so deep it can literally blow your speakers out (true story). Dubstep is a blanket term; under its umbrella it contains tons of subtypes, and there is something for every person and every mood. For example, there’s stuff for when you’re feeling contemplative (Mount Kimbie, ‘Maybes’), funky (Joker & Ginz, ‘Purple City’) or just ridiculous (Man Like Me, ‘London Town [Doorly Remix]’). It is much more versatile than it leads on.
Dubstep started tearing up the underground clubs of London at the start of the decade, and from there it rose in fame and popularity exponentially with every year that passed. Skream’s ‘Midnight Request Line’ (2005) and Benga & Coki’s ‘Night’ (2007) were two monumental records that propelled the genre from the underground up to the BBC Radio playlist, one of the biggest predictors of commercial viability in the UK.
From that point on, dubstep was riding high and with Skream’s remix of La Roux’s ‘In For The Kill’ in 2009, the genre had officially crossed over into the mainstream. Pretty soon British dubstep producers were getting calls from the likes of Rihanna and Snoop Dogg, eager to work on incorporating the trademark wobble into their latest works. Dubstep is everywhere these days; over the past few months I have heard it soundtracking ads for Nike and Scion. Rusko’s track ‘Da Cali Anthem’ has been getting spins on LA’s Power 106. All signs are pointing towards a promising future for the ‘wobble bass’.
The beautiful thing about dubstep is that it is constantly evolving, at a pace matched by no other type of music. Artists such as Joker, Joy Orbison, and Scuba are changing the game with every track they put out, by blending the dub with hints of 80s funk, 90s garage, and simply amazing melodies. No matter what type of music you typically enjoy, I encourage you to test out some of the following tracks so you can see what all the hype is about, and maybe you’ll just find your favorite new song.
For a breakdown on some of the most influential dubstep tracks of the decade, check out this nice feature from the folks at Knowledge.
La Roux, In For The Kill (Skream’s Let’s Get Ravey Remix)
Personal favorite: The Streets, In The Middle (Nero Remix)
