So with that in mind, don’t expect to get too many suggestions for folk artists in my Fun Fun Fun Fest preview this year. Now this year is considered to be a bit of a down year for the Black Stage entuisiasts out there and sadly that’s the reason why the fest appears to be giving tickets away at this point. The Black Stage hipsters basically fill up Auditorium Shores but these same hipsters must realize that you can only book The Descendants, the Murder City Devils, and Glen Danzig so many times. So might I suggest they actually expand their horizons a bit this year and venture on over to the Blue and Orange stages to see what they have to offer. Here’s a look at some up and comers you should check out next weekend.
Friday
You should pop into the fest early on Friday to check out the not quite as nerdy versions of Weezer, otherwise known as Creepoid. I only call them Weezer because their lead looks like an older version of Rivers Cuomo, not because they sound anything like them. This is slow building fuzzy indie rock that somehow manages to deliver on every song. And thankfully for everyone in attendance, it will remind you of the days when it was actually cool to use heroin. Um…those days existed right? Orange Stage 1:20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ehCNFutJvA
But before you pop in on Creepoid, you should go check out Two-9. They’re six young brothers (that’s 70’s talk for Black people) from Atlanta who definitely bring that Southern crunkness to the stage with them. They’ve worked with heavy hitters like Wiz Khalifa and Ty Dolla $ign before, so you can see that they’re already getting respect in the game. Some of their stuff is pretty raw but it feels like they’re already pros when you listen to tracks Full House and World Go Crazy. They’ll be on the Blue Stage at 12:55
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3rG6UtaoLI
This next suggestion is something that you’ve probably never seen before or will ever see again at FFF, so you may as well pop in while you can. Bombo Estereo is dance music with a Latin feel. Just imagine if Pitbull didn’t suck, this is what his music would sound like. Also ignore the alarming fact that they have a song with Will Smith and go check them out anyway on the Blue Stage at 2:55.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQnOHx--AVk
After sifting through the detritus that is the Black Stage, I finally found someone worth popping in on Friday and that is Mutoid Man. This band is made up of members from Converge and Cave and they have a sound that reminds you of a harder version of Queens of the Stoned Age. They come on the Black Stage at 2:10.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKh-Nf2NeEY
And I saved the best for last in Rae Sremmurd. These two country boys out of Mississippi definitely know how to command a crowd. They’re music is both fun and funny to me and they will have you dropping it to songs about only liking bad bitches and dropping money in strip clubs. What more do you want in a hip hop show? They’re on the Blue Stage at 7:35.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITpET0puPcQ
Saturday
You should start off your Saturday afternoon by trying to regain your youth like every other old person out there who just left Luby’s. And how do you accomplish that? By pounding a Red Bull and going to see Joanna Gruesome and their 90’s pop punk sound. They are a 5 piece from Wales with both a male and a female lead and their music reminds you of the time when you scored your first 12 pack and had your first beer as a teenager. While they’re not quite a One Direction or Haim guilty pleasure, they're still something that you’ll like but will be ashamed to admit later. Check out Lemonade Girl and Secret Surprise. They come on the Orange stage at 1:20.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMHbn8fQLlk
Next up is Shamir, a singer-songwriter from Vegas who makes electronic disco music you actually want to dance to. His set starts at 2:10, which is way too early, but I suggest getting lit and dancing like a madman anyway. It’s FFF for f*^% sake! Blue Stage 2:10.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK0daD853Do
If dancing isn’t your thing, go check out Head Wound City. They are a screaming hard core punk band with members from the Blood Brothers and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Listening to their music is like taking a punch to the face while pounding a lukewarm tallboy of Budweiser; maybe not your first choice but it will definitely wake you up and get you moving. Their sound is full of heavy hitting guitars and drums that are banged so hard, it feels like they need to be replaced after each session. Black Stage 2:20.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfkIprjyqbU
After that, go pop in on Fuzz. Fuzz is old school "the world is doomed" late 60’s, early 70’s rock. And while I hate to use this adjective, they do have quite a bit of fuzz in their sound. Honestly they’re a bit hard to be playing the Orange Stage but it’ll be nice to see the future yuppies dance before they become our bosses in the next 5 years. Orange Stage 4:30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twylUtWKdt4
However if you’re looking to get grimy go see Joey Bada$$ instead. It feels like he’s the illegitimate son of one of the Wu Tang Clan members. His music is all about the rhymes and nothing else. This is stripped down hip hop at its finest. Blue Stage 4:10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stoLqWXsIOY
Sunday
I’m not sure who hasn’t heard of Broncho at this point but these weirdos from Oklahoma make fun indie rock music that will have girls throwing their tops on stage while dancing to it. Ok, well maybe most of that is a dream of mine but they always put on a good show. Check out It’s On and Class Historian as they are full of fuzzy guitars and beats from the kit that will remind you of New Order’s Age of Consent. Orange Stage 3:10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL3dkdKn53o
I’m excited for Title Fight simply for the fact that their music reminds me of high school. It’s alternative music that takes you back to the days of early grunge where it was cool to dress sloppy and smoke weed all day. And if you were lucky enough, you got to end up with Brittany Murphy once she realized that Stacy Dash and Alicia Silverstone were bitches. Black Stage 2:20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT2mf0RAkv0
The last band to check out is Odesza, two hipsters out of Seattle who make electronic pop music. Some of it is simply chill out music to bob your head to but a lot of it will have you jumping around like you're on the Maury Povich show as they have figured out the perfect balance between electronic and pop. It’s not the kind of music that will have you whipping your hair like Willow Smith does but it is universal enough to hit up that market and still allow you to keep your self respect, if you find yourself digging it that is. And to help separate them from some of their counterparts, I like the fact that they bring in guest vocalists on quite a few of their tracks; so hopefully this will keep them from falling into the bargain bin section of electronic artists in the next two to three years. Blue Stage 8:45
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdzI-191xhU
No comments:
Post a Comment