Fun Fun Fun Fest

So this is the new Austin. A place where festivals sell out before they even announce the line up, or in this case within hours after the lineup is announced. No more walking up the day of the event to go to an affordable show. I've always liked FFF because it was the grimy underground artists that don't get alot of pub mixed in with some old school acts that were still a big enough draw to get the old people off the couch. But now it's quickly becoming what ACL used to be, new upstart indie acts with big headliners that drive up the cost of the fest.

Which for the most part I'm ok with but not when it's on the dust bowl that is Auditorium Shores. You're paying $175 to inhale dust, dirt, and smelly hipsters for 3 days which basically means you're missing a week of work after it's over. When did Austin stop caring about Auditorium Shores? It used to be filled with cute girls and their dogs but now its just a few randoms and some homeless Indian guy from Arizona who wants to play catch with you and claims that he was a high school phenom who could throw the football 80 yards on a dime when he was the team's quarterback. I'm sorry dude but there's no way the state of Arizona let a brown or brownish human anywhere near a football field unless they checked their immigration documentation first....ooooh!! (I kid Arizona, I kid but not really) More on this at the bottom of the post.

So as the lineup goes, it's actually a pretty solid lineup and I've previewed quite a few of the up and comers on this site already. The main problem I have with the direction FFF is heading is, if you pay attention to music at all throughout the year, you've already seen the new artists at least twice by now at SXSW and at their follow up show here in Austin a few months after. So now you want for me to get excited and pay to see them a 3rd or 4th time? Oh well enough of the  old guy early morning ranting, on to the acts you should be pumped about...

Run DMC...duh. You cant argue with My Adidas and King of Rock, plus all the hipsters will be ready to show off their fake nostalgia for a hip hop group who they've never really seen before and who's albums they certainly don't own. Two hip hop acts that I loved even more than DMC growing up will be there in the form of Rakim and De La Soul. If you've never seen De La, buy a single day pass just for them. Yes they are getting old in age but you'd never know from their performance. I just wish they could have a special show in the old Emo's where they rocked it so hard they actually blew out the power in the venue. Didn't stop them though, they actually just got more energetic and kept the show going and got the crowd more into it until the power returned. If you're not too familiar with them, check out any song from their best album Stakes Is High or at the very least their perennial hit Me, Myself, and I. Rakim's name stands by itself, but again if you have not heard too much of him check out any song he's ever done with Eric B. No single person has ever had more of an influence over individual rappers than Rakim. Just listen to any REAL artist when they break down their hip hop heroes. I will do a special preview for Trust and Twin Shadow later, but they are two more artists you should look into.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA8DsUN6g_k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYw0NnHDRzc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7t8eoA_1jQ


I've never been a huge Refused fan because my mom wouldve put me in therapy had she heard this coming from my room (I'm from Victoria) but I certainly do respect them; especially considering the fact that they came out with The Shape of Punk to Come and it basically did shape what punk is today. I mean, how can you follow up an album like that? These guys quite simply rock and you cant call yourself a punk fan if you're not down with them. I've seen Fucked Up and Wavves a million times but both are worth a look.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC58HzENhoQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW0-jrDeSgQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDKh61eMMuE


Then there are the solo artists who are normally a part of really good bands. Such as Paul Banks, Omar Rodriguez Lopez, and Brendan Benson. But unless I hear Stella Was A Diver or Wax Simulacra coming from these stages, chances are I will pass.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1aoW6nPUrc

Here are some more artists that are playing that I have gushed over in the past...


Japandroids...um worth the price alone
http://onlyfreshness.blogspot.com/2012/03/more-music-from-hipsterville.html

Sharon Van Etten and Danny Brown...yes I actually previewed them together
http://onlyfreshness.blogspot.com/2012/04/whats-in-name.html

Ume
http://onlyfreshness.blogspot.com/2012/04/beer-guts-are-welcomed-here.html

Santigold
http://onlyfreshness.blogspot.com/2012/05/death-of-r-b.html

A$ap Rocky
http://onlyfreshness.blogspot.com/2012/05/help-me-help-you.html

Also I am going to free show tonight to see The Flesh Lights at Red 7. They are part of FFF and just recently opened for The Hives. There is absolutely nothing special about this local punk band but it is a free show and I want to hear them live before officially judging them. Right now I will rate them as pretty WEAK.

Overall I give FFF Fest a rating of really FRESH!

Arizona continued...so I have a buddy that we call Facist Brian. This stems from us watching an episode of Cops one day and it seemed like for every crime committed, he wanted to death penalty for the criminals. "They led a high speed car chase after running a red light. He couldve killed someone...DEATH" or "This guy is having a samurai sword stand off with cops? DEATH" Sadly, he was not kidding. But doesnt it seem like the people running Arizona are this way? They make people convicted of DWI's stay in tents in the desert??? What are they doing out there, anti Taliban training? Why not just go all out and post videos like the Taliban does but with drunk dudes wearing skull cups shooting at targets of Caesar Chavez?

For the record, everytime I've been to that state everyone has been really nice to me and treated me with respect. So I am not sure where all of this other weirdness comes from.