SPENT TIME IN OUTSIDE LANDS PART THREE:After an intense first two days of Outside Lands 2011, we decided to get pumped up for the final afternoon with Major Lazer.
Video Above: The DJ duo Diplo and Switch (Major Lazer), along with hype man, and booty shaking- makes the Golden Gate crowd go wild.
Major Lazer's set deserved a night slot in order to make any sort of accompanying light show possible, yet as seen in the footage we took of the Twin Peaks stage audience- people still danced just as hard in the sunshine. Check out their hip tumblr blog HERE.
Bay Area Rock Legend,John Fogerty- known for his work in Creedence Clearwater Revival, and an impressive solo career- rolled through all his hits last Sunday afternoon.
Video Above: FYM captured a buzzy crowd dancing while Fogerty blazed through his 1969 classic Proud Mary. Vague details have been mentioned, but we've heard Fogerty will be releasing a new record in 2011.
The Swedish Electronic band Little Dragon performed a moving set on Day Three of Outside Lands 2011. Filled with mellow tunes good for the soul, Lead- Yukimi Nagano, painted beautiful vocal-visions as lush digital soundscapes paired dramatically with her delicate presence.
The Decemberistsdelivered an inspiring set last Sunday, minus their accordion and keyboard player- Jenny Conlee (who is currently battling breast cancer). Frontman Colin Meloy, asked the crowd to send out good energy into the universe for Conlee. You can support her cause by purchasing a special Team Jenny shirt HERE.
Just as dusk began blanketing Golden Gate Park, Outside Lands 2011 closed with a tremendous bonus- a compelling performance by Arcade Fire! The current reigning champs of rock n' roll music have continued to stay grounded and sincere live (even after the incredible success of The Suburbs, and the 2011 Grammy Award for Album of the Year).
Seeing Arcade Fire LIVE is an emotional/moving experience. Their music brought out the beauty and honesty of everyone standing in that field Sunday evening.We felt complete joy singing along to various selections off all three-masterpiece records the band boasts in their catalog.
Glasses Required: The video above is a short clip from Arcade Fire's encore performance of Wake Up (live in 3D) -which forYoungModerns feels captured the spirit of the night. During their set Win Butler also gave a wholehearted plug for everyone to support providing health-care options for the people of Hatti via the Partners in Health organization.
The band itself live- is constantly on the move, playing with every ounce of passion each member can physically express- expanding and contracting, flailing in the night breeze. It was our favorite performance of the weekend, and a life experience this art director will always treasure. A special thanks goes to Big Hassle Media for knowing how to put on a festival the right way with- amazing local food vendors, chill security, and formidable music. Cheers, FYM.
PART ONE: San Francisco's premiere art/music/culture festival, Outside Lands, materializes every year in the remarkable setting of Golden Gate Park. This years event kicks-off this Friday August 12th, 2011. And that very morning, FYM's Art Director will be boarding a flight from Seattle to San Francisco ultimately meeting up with our publicist, to provide live press coverage for all three days. We are so excited to be back again this year! So over next couple days FYM will be dedicating our articles to the many highlights of this 2011 festival (that would make anyone want to fly, drive, BART, or walk to see).
DAY ONE: ERYKAH BADU Neo-soul goddess Erykah Bada has been a part of our must see live wish-list for many years. This Friday at 7:50 PM on the Sutro Stage, this Art Director's wait is over. From the onset, releasing Baduizm in 2007, to her latest 2010 offering- New Amerykah, Pt. 2: Return of the Ankh, Badu has never failed delivering her own unique brand of boundless kinetic-soul. Check the video above, Back in the Day (Puff), for a sampling of vibes to come this Friday.
DAY ONE: BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE Big Audio Dynamite came into fruition in 1984 after Mick Jones was ousted from The Clash the prior year. Most well-known for their dynamic sampling techniques, genre-bending pop tunes, and their quintessential 80's rhythms- the band has found new life in 2011, reforming with their original line-up playing this Friday at 7:00 PM on the Twin Peaks stage. Revisit Big Audio Dynamite's Top 40 hit Rush, performed live above.
FYM FRIDAY BONUS HIGHLIGHTS: And the list goes on... Friday's line-up also boasts the likes of, so fresh and so clean Hip-Hop Champ- Big Boi (6:20 PM Sutro), British Dance-Pop Diva Ellie Goulding (5:00 PM Sutro), TWO sets by Phish (6:30 PM Lands End), and a hard to miss opportunity to see Toro Y Moi live (3:50 PM Twin Peaks). For more Friday- artists and times, click HERE.
DAY TWO: THE ROOTS The Legendary Roots Crew roll into Outside Lands 2011 performing Saturday evening at 6:50 PM on the Twin Peaks Stage. This socially conscious, multi-instrumental renegade crew put on a ferocious live show. Let's hope Erykah Badu will stick around another day, and possibly make a guest appearance during their set. Above, watch Badu and The Roots do it up right, with You Got Me.
DAY TWO: ARCTIC MONKEYS These Brit rockers have traveled a long way from the polished-perfect sonic sensibilities of 2006's massively successful Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. In 2009, the band's sound progressed into a much more diverse exploration of where these guys can actually go musically (with the help of producer Josh Holmes) on Humbug. Their 2011 record Suck it and See, continues down the same road as Humbug, with an even darker/heavier feel. Watch their video for Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've moved Your Chair above. Catch the Arctic Monkeys live at 4:45 PM on the Lands End stage.
FYM SATURDAY BONUS HIGHLIGHTS: Other highlights that will shine-on this Saturday included- a blazing dance party orchestrated by Girl Talk (8:40 PM Twin Peaks), a gritty set from psych-warriors The Black Keys (6:15 PM Lands End), and a special performance by (Seattle Hip-Hop Superheroes) - Mackelmore & Ryan Lewis (12:25 PM Lands End). Check the rest of Saturday's incredible schedule HERE.
DAY THREE: ARCADE FIRE If there was ever a song that deserves to be heard in a festival setting- Wake Up, by Arcade Fire will assuredly command Golden Gate Park's valleys while thousands of people become unified by way of passionate 'whoaaaing' together. Arcade Fire are the current reigning champions of rock n' roll (after winning Album of the Year at the 2011 Grammys). They are indeed the MUST SEE Sunday night closing act, performing at 8:10 PM on the Lands End stage.
DAY THREE: MAVIS STAPLES Windy City vocal-icon Mavis Staples, performs on the Lands End stage at 1:45 PM on day three of Outside Lands. This gospel/rhythm & blues luminary will most definitely be taking the Golden Gate Park audience to Church that Sunday. Check our classic jam above, of Staples taking lead, singing her heart out on Reach Out, Touch a Hand, Make a Friend.
FYM SUNDAY BONUS HIGHLIGHTS: The final day performances will be hard to miss, with Portland's The Decemberists making an appearance (6:15 PM Land End), local SF psych-hound Ty Segall (3:55 PM Panhandle), and Canadian itchy & scratchy house giant- Deadmau5 (8:00 PM Twin Peaks) providing a unique alternative for those who want to pass on seeing Arcade Fire (performing around the same time).
WORDS. GRAPHIC. J THOMAS CODLING: Check back tomorrow as forYoungModerns will shed light on a few of our favorite food vendors that will be catering to our hunger, as well as the eclectic cultural aspects that make Outside Lands more than your average music festival. Cheers, FYM.
Oh, the music festival time schedule conflict. It's bane of every festival goer's existence. This weekend is Coachella, and we here at For Young Moderns want to help everyone going decide between artists who are playing at the same time as one another. Sometimes the choices are easy (Kanye vs. She Wants Revenge), other times, the choice can be very difficult (OFWGKTA vs. Cee Lo).
Hopefully, our advice can help you have the best Coachella experience possible. Be safe out there!
Friday April 15
!!! (2:20-3:10 Outdoor Theatre) vs. Moving Units (2:30-3:10 Coachella Stage)
Winner: !!!
!!! is the early winner here. They somehow seem to play every festival ever and you can ALWAYS count on them to put on an excellent show. The only drawback here is that their set will be happening when the sun is overhead, which won't aid all the dancers.
Moving Units are still around?!
!!! - Must Be the Moon:
Ozomatli (3:35-4:25 Coachella Stage) vs. Titus Andronicus (3:30-4:15 Outdoor Theatre) vs. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (3:15-4:05 Gobi Stage) vs. Cold Cave (3:00-3:45 Mojave Stage)
Winner: Cold Cave
Local favorites Ozomatli seem to play shows in the Southland every other week or so. So, missing them wouldn't be a huge tragedy. I lost faith in Omar Rodriguez and everything Mars Volta after they put out their umpteenth poor album in a row. The real battle here is between hard rockers Titus Andronicus, who are a ball of energy live, and goth rock hedonists Cold Cave, who I'm giving the edge to since they have the fresher album out.
Cold Cave - The Great Pan is Dead
Cee Lo Green (4:50-5:50 Coachella Stage) vs. Warpaint (4:40-5:25 Outdoor Theatre) vs. The Morning Benders (4:30-5:20 Gobi Stage) vs. The Drums (4:10-4:55 Mojave Stage) vs. Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (4:30-5:25 Sahara Stage)
Winner: Cee Lo Green
Here's your first huge dilemma. San Francisco's The Morning Benders have some good songs but nothing to go nuts over quite yet. The exact same thing can be said about The Drums. Warpaint is an excellent band with a fantastic record out, but are a bit of a drag to see live, especially in hot desert heat (see: FYF Fest 2010). OFWGKTA will be the most hyped group all Coachella weekend, and if you can get over the mostly true notion that hip hop kind of sucks live and all their homophobic and misogynic slurs, then Odd Future might be the way to go. Otherwise, I'd go with Cee Lo, who, judging by his Grammys performance, is destined to put on a highlight of he weekend.
Just as long as Gwenyth Paltrow doesn't show up. (She probably will).
Cee Lo Green - Fuck You (Live at the Grammys)
Ms. Lauren Hill (6:05-6:55 Coachella Stage) vs. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti (5:45 - 6:35 Gobi Stage) vs. YACHT (6:25-7:10 Mojave Stage) vs. A-Trak (5:30-6:30 Sahara Stage)
Winner: YACHT
This is kind of a controversial selection. All sign would usually point to Ms. Lauren Hill as the way to go here, but we've heard some horror stories about her recent performances (showing up VERY late, being grouchy on stage). A-Trak might be a good alternative if Hill starts late, if you're into that sort of thing. Ariel Pink put out a solid album in 2010 but that feels like a million years ago now. But if you want a guaranteed great show, stick with Portland's YACHT, who will get you dancing even if you don't know any of their material.
YACHT - Psychic City (Voodoo City)
Interpol (7:25-8:15 Coachella Stage) vs. Cold War Kids (7:00-7:50 Outdoor Theatre) vs. Sleigh Bells (7:30-8:10 Mojave Stage)
Winner: Sleigh Bells
I'm still trying to figure out how/why Interpol are still playing shows. They need to disband, let their first two albums sink in to everyone's minds as the classics they truly are, and they have a massive reunion tour in about fifteen years. Unless they play a ton of old material, they will be very boring to see live. Cold War Kids have never blown me away and they are playing surprisingly late in the day. Due to technical problems that can sometimes plague their sets Sleigh Bells can be an iffy choice. But, given the competition, they're the safest bet.
Sleigh Bells - Rill Rill
The Black Keys (8:40-9:30 Coachella Stage) vs. Brandon Flowers (8:15-9:05 Outdoor Theatre) vs. Cut Copy (8:35-9:25 Mojave Stage)
Winner: Cut Copy
The Black Keys and Brandon Flowers will have their stages absolutely packed with fans, who will leave Coachella claiming their sets were one of the best of the weekend but not having a really great explanation as to why. Both of those artists' massive popularity should leave Cut Copy's area a little empty, which is a shame since their new album is filled with more life than The Black Keys and Flowers' entire discographies combined.
Cut Copy - Need You Now
Kings of Leon (9:55-11:15 Coachella Stage) vs. Crystal Castles (9:30-10:20 Outdoor Theatre) vs. The Aquabats (9:45-10:30 Mojave Stage)
Winner: Crystal Castles
I would say that Kings of Leon's audience should be absolutely packed, but i have the feeling that people are starting to get sick of them, so I don't know... You can't go wrong with The Aquabats (talk about a burst of nostalgia), but Crystal Castles is the kind of music that made you come to Coachella in he first place.
Crystal Castles - Alice Practice
The Chemical Brothers (11:40 Coachella Stage) vs. Flogging Molly (Midnight Outdoor Theatre) vs. Gayngs (12:05 Mojave Stage)
Winner: Gayngs
The Chemical Brothers put on a great show at the Hollywood Bowl last year and will be a visual feast. Flogging Molly are still better than Mumford & Sons, but if you're like me, you've seen them at every festival you've already been to (Warped Tour in 2003, Lollapalooza in 2008, among others). Gayngs will be the secret sleeper set of the night. Armed with Har Mar Superstar, Gayngs will be a ridiculous dance party, guaranteed.
Gayngs - Cry
Saturday April 16
Mariachi El Bronx (Noon-12:45 Mojave Stage)
Winner: Mariachi El Bronx
If you're up early enough, and have a craving for some surprisingly authentic Mariachi music, then you can't go wrong with Mariachi El Bronx.
Mariachi El Bronx - Cell Mates
Rye Rye (1:00-1:30 Sahara Stage)
Winner: Rye Rye
The M.I.A. protege will be a teat for those who feel like attending a dance party at 1:00pm.
Rye Rye - Sunshine (feat. M.I.A.)
Thao with the Get Down Stay Down (1:55-2:35 Outdoor Theatre) vs. Cults (1:55-2:40 Gobi Stage)
Winner: Thao with the Get Down Stay Down
You win with either Thao or Cults. But Thao already has three strong albums under her belt and is always fun live. Cults have only about four songs officially released as of Coachalla. They'll be fun, but Thao will be better.
Thao with the Get Down Stay Down - When We Swam
Gogol Bordello (3:25-4:25 Coachella Stage) vs. The Tallest Man On Earth (3:00-3:45 Gobi Stage)
Winner: The Tallest Man On Earth
Here comes a string of performances that I'm pretty 'meh' about. Gogol Bordello is excellent live, but can be avoided if you're sort of tired of them like I am. The Tallest Man On Earth is the way to go if you're into the whole one-man-and-his-guitar thing.
The Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt
Delta Spirit (4:05-4:55 Outdoor Theatre)
Winner: Delta Spirit
I don't really know much about Delta Spirit or an of the other acts playing around tis time. I see Delta Spirit's name a lot more than the others, so I'd go with them or get some water or something.
Delta Spirit - Bushwick Blues
Erykah Badu (4:50-5:40 Coachella Stage)
Winner: Erykah Badu
Check out Erykah and her music prowess if you want some chill grooves in the middle of the day.
Erykah Badu - Window Seat
Broken Social Scene (6:05-6:55 Coachella Stage) vs. The New Pornographers (6:35-7:25 Outdoor Theatre) vs. Jenny & Johnny (5:45-6:35 Mojave Stage)
Winner: Broken Social Scene
I've never been too nuts about BSS or The New Pornos. I think fellow FYM writer Jesse is really into BSS, so I'd go with them. I saw Jenny & Johnny open for Pavement in Denver last year and they were pretty disappointing, unfortunately.
Broken Social Scene - Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl
Bright Eyes (7:20-8:10 Coachella Stage)
Winner: Bright Eyes
Wow, Coachella's Saturday is really boring most of the day. Bright Eyes is one of the few options here. Maybe enjoy a nap or go check out one of the electronic stages instead?
Bright Eyes - At the Bottom of Everything
Mumford & Sons (8:30-9:20 Coachella Stage) vs. Wire (8:40-9:30 Gobi Stage) vs. One Day As a Lion (8:15-9:00 Mojave Stage)
Winner: Wire
The legendary punks are still sounding freak after several decades together. It's always good to spend some time at Coachella checking out a band that is rooted in such deep historical significance.
Wire - Heartbeat
Animal Collective (9:45-10:55 Coachella Stage) vs. The Swell Season (9:25-10:15 Mojave Stage)
Winner: Animal Collective
Now, this is more like it! Or is it? Animal Collective has put out several of the greatest albums of the past decade, but their live show has never matched the quality of their recorded work. They should be very interesting to see live if you never have before, as they're the best option for this time slot. The Swell Season could be decent especially if you have seen the film Once.
Animal Collective - Peacebone
Arcade Fire (11:20 Coachella Stage) vs. Scissor Sisters (11:55 Mojave Stage)
Winner: Arcade Fire
The (arguably) biggest and (not so arguably) most important band of our time. If you have never seen them live or haven't seen them in a long time, then this is a no-brainer. If you have seen them multiple times in the pas few months (me), then is still a big NO-BRAINER.
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Sunday April 17
Menomena (1:20-2:00 Outdoor Stage) vs. Twin Shadow (1:10-1:55 Mojave Stage)
Winner: Twin Shadow
I've never gotten into Menomena, and Twin Shadow put out a rad record last year, so your Sunday should start out with the eclectic Twin Shadow.
Twin Shadow - Slow
Jack's Mannequin (2:30-3:20 Coachella Stage) vs. Delorean (2:00-2:45 Gobi Stage)
Winner: Delorean
Why Jack's Mannequin is even playing is a shocker to me, but I'm sure he will have a sizable crowd of girls to play to. All those girls will be missing out on the amazing Spaniards Delorean, who hopefully won't suffer the same technical issues that plagued their FYF Fest set last year.
Delorean - Seasun (Live at the Echoplex)
OFF! (3:05-3:30 Gobi Stage)
Winner: OFF!
Modern classic punks OFF! don't have much competition here, so you should stick around for their quick, efficient 25 minute set after Delorean, but back off a little once the mosh pits kick up a lot of dust. They may very well play 25 songs in 25 minutes.
OFF! - Darkness / Panic Attack / Upside Down (Live)
Wiz Khalifa (3:45-4:35 Coachella Stage) vs. CSS (3:30-4:20 Mojave Stage)
Winner: Wiz Khalifa
CSS always seemed like kind of generic electropop, and Wiz is something special. You'd be foolish to pass Wiz up.
Wiz Khalifa - Taylor Gang (feat. Chevy Woods)
Nas & Damian Marley (5:00-5:50 Coachella Stage) vs. Jimmy Eat World (4:50-5:40 Outdoor Theatre) vs. HEALTH (4:45-5:35 Mojave Stage)
Winner: HEALTH
Nas & Damien Marley should be great if you're into that sort of thing. Jimmy Eat World would be nice to see if they exclusively played material from Bleed American and before (they won't). The EASY choice here is HEALTH, who always put on a mindbendingly great show.
HEALTH - We Are Water
Death From Above 1979 (6:10-7:00 Coachella Stage) vs. Best Coast (6:05 - 6:55 Outdoor Theatre)
Winner: Best Coast
This is another controversial choice here at FYM. The popularity of DFA1979 has confounded me from day one. People with great taste in music worship this band for some reason. I just don't get it, as all their songs sound consist of the same fuzzed-out bass / crashing drums / grouchy vocals over and over again. There is no variety and there is very little fun. It's a big headachy mess. Two thirds of the writing staff here at FYM completely disagree with this paragraph, though.
On the other hand, Best Coast might play some new material, which should be good for those who have seen her a million times. If you've never seen them live before, even better. They're always fun.
Best Coast - Crazy For You
Duran Duran (7:25-8:25 Coachella Stage) vs. The National (7:25-8:15 Outdoor Theatre)
Winner: The National
Duran Duran will always be a gimmicky 80's pop band to me. It will be like watching a live reenactment of a random hour of VH1 performed on a Coachella stage. The National, on the other hand, are a real band with some real songs and should not be missed!
The National - Bloodbuzz Ohio
The Strokes (8:55-10:00 Coachella Stage) vs. Chromeo (8:35-9:20)
Winner: The Strokes
I love you, Chromeo, but your last album was sort of average and I've seen you live a bunch of times already. Even though The Strokes never technically broke up, this definitely feels like a reunion. And an exciting one at that. Their new album is better than advertised, and you can bet on hearing a bunch of old classics. This should be a feel-good set.
The Strokes - Last Nite
PJ Harvey (9:45-10:35 Outdoor Theatre)
Winner: PJ Harvey
Most people from the Strokes crowd will probably stay in place to wait for Kanye, but they will be missing out on something special in PJ Harvey. Harvey recently put out an absolute stunner of an album, Let England Shake, which may very well be the magnum opus of her entire lengthy career. She doesn't tour in the States a lot, so you'd be foolish to miss out on her if you're familiar with her music.
PJ Harvey - The Words That Maketh Murder
Kanye West (10:30 Coachella Stage) vs. She Wants Revenge (11:05 Gobi Stage)
Winner: Kanye West
You can spot all the losers at Coachella thinking watching She Wants Revenge is a wiser use of their time than watching Kanye West perform live. His Glow in the Dark Tour from a few years ago was stunning, and with his amazing new album now in her repertoire, you can expect something even greater.
Kanye West - All of the Lights (feat. Rihanna and Kid Cudi)
For Young Moderns senior writer and Los Angeles correspondent Will Sellers braved the streets of Echo Park in Los Angeles overnight this past weekend in order to catch Arcade Fire play a 'secret' show. Here's his story:
There was not much unique about the evening of Thursday February 10. I had known all day that Arcade Fire was in Los Angles prepping for their performances at the Grammys on Sunday and that they were planning a "secret" concert somewhere in LA for Friday night. I also already knew that tickets for this concert would go on sale at three separate locations around LA at noon on Friday. Throughout the day on Thursday, I had been theorizing with friends as to where exactly the tickets would go on sale; my guesses being Amoeba Records in Hollywood, Origami Vinyl in Echo Park, and possibly Rhino Records in Claremont (The Glass House in Pomona near Rhino Records was a leading possible venue for the concert).
I had happened to be having a few drinks with a friend at a bar (Gold Room) in Echo Park about two blocks away from Origami Vinyl on Thursday night. We parted ways just before 9:00pm and, with the idea that Origami might be a location that could sell Arcade Fire tickets kicking around in my head, I decided to walk over to Origami just to browse records. When I walked up to the store on Sunset, they had just closed shop and locked the door. Literally the instant the doors were locked, I received a text from my friend Cesar stating that Arcade Fire had just dropped huge, blatant hints that Origami would be selling tickets to their secret show at noon the next day (along with Fingerprints Records in Long Beach and The El Rey Theater in Los Angeles).
Since I was the only person standing in front of Origami Vinyl at the moment Arcade Fire let it be known where tickets would be going on sale, I realized I would be the very first person in line if I chose to stay. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time and knew this was such a huge and rare opportunity and that I should probably stick around for at least a little while to gauge what the situation was going to be. Sure enough, within minutes, Echo Park locals started flocking to Origami's storefront. People who lived within a few blocks of Origami were there very quickly, some managed to bring a chair, others were prompt to gather a few blankets.
By 10:15pm or so, approximately twenty to thirty people were already lined up behind me.
(Click on any image to enlarge it)
(The line in front of Origami Vinyl at 10:15pm Thursday)
Some people came alone, others came in groups. Before long, everyone was making new friends, conversing about everything from bands they've seen live, bands they're in, school, Egypt, jobs, anything. There was constant talk regarding theories about the show. Are we all even at the right place? Did Arcade Fire mean Origami Vinyl or Dangerbird Records over in Silverlake? Where would the concert be? The Glass House? The Sex? Or the Ukrainian Cultural Center where Dirty Projectors played a show a while back? (Yes, someone guessed correctly). Whiskey was being passed around and people offered to bring some food and blankets for others. Everyone was in good spirits and bonded quite well.
Due to my light clothing and general unpreparedness, I knew I would have to make a trip home, so it was important that I got friendly with the fellow fans directly around me so I could ask them if I could run home for a bit to put on some heavier clothing and bring blankets and cash and a chair among other things. I got the go-ahead that they would save my spot, and I didn't tell them that I lived about twenty-five to thirty minutes away and that it would actually be a little while. I raced home across LA, got money, a folding chair, multiple layers of clothes and blankets, a pillow, Keith Richard's Life, phone charger, water bottles, and even a few guitars. I made it back to Origami at midnight and stayed up until about 3:00am chatting with people and explaining to many concertgoers exiting The Echo next door what we dozens upon dozens of people are camped out for. Journalists from local indie blogs and publications came by just to take pictures and interviews of us on the sidewalk, including famed Los Angeles music writer Kevin Bronson of Buzzbands.la (who gave me a shoutout on his Twitter account, which you can click HERE to read).
Even though I moved my car to the sidewalk next to the line of people trying to sleep, I chose to sleep on the Sunset Blvd sidewalk.
(One night of sleeping on the hard sidewalk reinforced the fact I never want to be homeless)
I, of course, struggled to actually get some sleep in the cold night, probably only getting ninety minutes or so of actual sleep before waking up around 6:00am. Most others were already awake by then, and I was able to watch the sunrise over Chavez Ravine, home of the Los Angeles Dodgers, just beyond Sunset Blvd:
(Sunrise over Sunset)
People were clearly started to get energized and exciting the longer the morning went on. We at the front of the line made trips to Lucy's Laundromat and Burger King for coffee and restroom purposes. Rumors about the location of that night's big concert were running wild. People were constantly texting friends who waited all night at the other sale locations to see if they had any new info. On his Twitter, Origami chief Neil Schield said he was surprised and excited that so many people camped out overnight in front of his store. He showed up with boxes of doughnuts for the loyal fans and assured us that the tickets would go on sale right at noon, as promised.
(The front of the line the morning after a cold night)
(The line at Origami not long before noon Friday)
Employees of Origami gathered inside the store roughly an hour before tickets went on sale, presumably doing some last minute organization and doughnut consumption. By 11:30am, word had been essentially confirmed that the concert would take place that night at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Los Angeles, on Melrose near the 101 Freeway and Vermont. At noon came the moment all us exhausted, temporarily homeless people had been waiting for. The store's doors opened, and I was one of the very first people to purchase a pair of tickets for this Arcade Fire concert. In an attempt to prevent scalping, there were no hard tickets, but rather names were placed on a list and a photo ID had to be brought to the venue later that night in order to confirm your rightful entry.
(The "ticket")
Once names were put down on the list, it was back to home for a much-needed meal, shower, and nap. Before I knew it, it was already time to head back out again and go to the Ukrainian Cultural Center on the east side of Los Angeles where, despite the rules stated on the ticket stating no lineups before 7:00pm, people were presumably camped outside of since just past noon. The UCC is an old concert venue hidden around some residential streets that hasn't hosted many concerts in decades. Despite this, the interior of the building looked like it was a regularly-used concert venue, decorated and lit up perfectly for concert use for any night of the week.
(Exterior of the Ukrainian Cultural Center)
Once inside the venue, I looked around and gave nods of recognition to some of the people I had waited in line with for about fifteen hours. The friend I took to the concert and I got inside the venue at around 8:30pm and still managed to get a pretty decent spot. People were still trickling in when the band took the stage at 9:00pm sharp amongst a frenzied and incredibly excited crowd of true diehard Arcade Fire fans.
(Arcade Fire hit the stage)
Arcade Fire completely floored the crowd with their thrilling two-part opener of The Suburbs track "Month of May" flowing right into Funeral classic "Rebellion (Lies)". Back when I saw them at The Shine in October, Win Butler seemed unsure what Los Angeles thought of his band and seemed to have a kind of beleaguered attitude toward LA. But Friday night, with the assurance that he was playing in front of true fans, Butler seemed extra relaxed, friendlier, and even a bit playful with the crowd. Their set equally favored their already-classic 2004 debut album Funeral and soon-to-be-named Grammy Album of the Year The Suburbs equally, and they did throw in a couple of songs from Neon Bible.
Highlights from the show, just like at any other Arcade Fire show, included the rousing, danceable Regine Chassagne-fronted numbers "Haiti" and "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" (which they ended on), along with the intense "Suburban War" from The Suburbs and Funeral's stirring opener "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)".
Of course, the biggest sing-a-long moment of the night came when the band played "Wake Up". It was definitely during the triumphant chorus of the song where I realized how glad I was to have braved the night and score tickets to what could become a legendary concert. I captured that moment on my cell phone:
Lyrics from the concert's closing song, "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)", include "I need the darkness, someone please cut the lights". So, appropriately, during an extended outro, Win Butler repeatedly yelled at the lighting technician from the stage to cut every single light in the venue as they played. After a long while, the technician finally obliged, and the band literally played in complete darkness (aside from flashes of cameras) for a few minutes to end the show. I also captured a little bit of that magic on video, as well:
(The satisfied, presumably tired masses exiting the venue)
And the whole point of Arcade Fire being in Los Angeles for this show was, of course, them being nominated for Album of the Year, the ceremony's biggest award. It was miraculous enough that the Grammys, who have notoriously and painfully awarded awful music almost exclusively for decades, even nominated The Suburbs for Album of the Year (against behemoths Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Eminem, and country music giants Lady Antebellum). So when Barbara Streisand sputtered out the words "The..... Suburbs..." as she read the name of the winning album, it truly felt like a historic, game-changing moment for the music industry as a whole. Hopefully, in hindsight in a few years, this victory for an album that has sold a half million copies will be seen as the start of recognizing truly great music and not as a weird bump in the Grammy's road of awarding undeserving acts.
If Arcade Fire winning this award sparks a new era of mainstream acceptance of good music, or just the skyrocketing of Arcade Fire's career, this tiny little "secret" concert could very well go down in history as the beginning of some kind of great new era. Bands like Arcade Fire come around only once per generation, and camping out overnight to see them at such an intimate venue is something that I would do all over again in a heartbeat.
Check out this humorous video of the clearly shocked and thrilled band as they thank various people moments after closing out the Grammys and stepping off stage:
The FYM Jam of the Day is inspired by a photo our Los Angeles Senior (Executive) Writer Will 'get off of my cloud' Sellers, recently posted. Sellers has an ongoing Life in Southern California photo series and this is his most recent photo:
(Click Photo to Expand)
The nicely framed shot above reminded this Art Director of Arcade Fire's artwork form their most recent album (The Suburbs).
Their latest single, also called The Suburbs, presupposes: the cinematic vision of a dystopic suburban consciousness. Where the kids aren't alright, and aimlessly try to keep their head above the brutal tide- in a watered-down police-state neighborhood. The short film (directed by Spike Jonze) exposes the ultimate destruction of innocence & freedom, in a culture destined to fail. Check out the video below:
Continuing the theme of running with our stream of consciousness this evening.. The video above reminds FYM of the cult classic Over The Edge. Check out young Matt Dillon (pre-Outsiders) in his first feature film, following a group of angst-fueled suburban teens, that can't take it anymore.
With a soundtrack featuring Van Halen, and camp-filled imagery of youth in revolt (guns, drugs, school burnings) it's a lost treasure that will compliment listening to this latest Arcade Fire record while viewing the movie with the sound off.
Last week in Los Angeles, Colin Stetson, who tours as Arcade Fire's one-man horn section and has done extensive work as a solo artist and studio musician, opened up at The Shrine Auditorium for his Quebecer musical family.
Stetson played his avant garde meets moody jazz saxophone for the still-trickling-in Los Angeles crowd, many of which probably didn't even know he was opening, for about half an hour. Playing music as abstract as Stetson's for any amount of time is a relatively tough sell for a crowd in Los Angeles, the city that runs on short attention spans, who are there waiting to hear a popular rock band. But Stetson's music was intriguing enough to easily win over the crowd. The crowd seeing how physically taxing each individual song seemed (Stetson was usually sweaty, panting, and sometimes looked on the verge of collapse after every song) might have earned him both well-deserved pity cheers and genuine awe-inspired applause.
Along the course of his set, Stetson dedicated songs to his father, his significant other back home, and revealed, after a crowd member had politely asked him, that his signature monstrous (in both sound and vision) bass saxophone was made in Elkhart, Indiana in 1908. The pieces of music coming from his bass saxophone captivated the crowd the most, as the immense instrument produced an almost otherworldly collection of sounds ranging from the deepest horn vibes to phantom percussion (only a minimal amount of which was made using a clicking method via his mouth). With eyes closed, it wasn't difficult to imagine an array of musicians on stage.
Check out a quick sample of Colin's set last week in Los Angeles:
Colin was kind enough to grant us a quick pre-performance interview backstage at The Shrine inside his dressing room that we both noted was comically dank for a place that hosted the Academy Awards for many decades:
For Young Moderns: On this stretch of the tour, you’re doing double duty by opening for Arcade Fire solo, and then playing with Arcade Fire during several songs during their set. Do you find these kinds of nights more taxing than others?
Colin Stetson: Playing with Arcade Fire isn’t difficult because it’s just a little bit here and here, but any time I play my solo stuff it’s taxing. Playing the bass saxophone during my solo set is incredibly exhausting but also invigorating.
FYM: The bass sax is the instrument that usually gets the most “oohs and ahs” during your live set. Have you been playing the bass sax the longest?
CS: I started with the alto sax when I was ten years old, gradually picking up the others. I’ve only had the bass sax for only about the last five years or so.
FYM: The bass saxophone sometimes almost has a similar feel to that of a very down-tuned heavy metal guitar. Any chance you grew up listening to metal or any other kind of music that people may be surprised you listen to?
CS: Actually, where I came from, or more where I come from, I do listen to metal. And yeah, I mean sure, I grew up on a lot of classic rock. Hendrix. Alot of Hendrix. Beatles, some Jethro Tull, Queen, and later on I was into Michael Jackson. But through the years, I've really just kind of explored everything that I can get my hands onto. I do listen to some black metal now and drone. Bands like Sun O))).
FYM: You recently released your first full-length album, New History Warfare Volume 1, and New History Warfare Volume 2 follows early next year. "Warfare" seems like a apt word to use to describe your more fervent avant garde pieces. What's the story behind behind the intense titles of the albums?
CS: Well, I was having a really extreme day and it seemed to me that it was a really exciting way to put into words the notion of actively pursuing a tangible effect on your present day. So, the idea of your life actually meaning something happens when you take these very clear steps toward making it something. "New history" is the idea that we are all carving out what will one day be our own histories, obviously. And "warfare" being the fact that even the mundane daily routine can sometimes be described as such.
FYM: What was your experience preforming at Obama campaign rallies in 2008? How were performing at those rallies different from performing at regular "rock" shows like tonight? Did you feel any kind of extra pressure or less pressure at those shows than regular shows?
CS: I don't think it was very different. I mean, it was a really exciting time for all of us and I was really happy to be a part of that. But it turns out that the audience you're playing for is basically the same that would be played for at any show I'm a part of. Whenever I'm opening up for a rock band, then they're usually not there to see me. It's always a bit of a weird surprise. Like... Hello! ta da!Didn't expect me, did you?! [laughs]
FYM: What about the difference playing a rock show versus playing more of a jazz show? Are there any rituals you go through before playing one or the other?
CS: Well, you know, the music that I'll play will be slightly different and usually when I'm playing for a jazz audience, the songs I play I will stretch out in regards to song length because that's what they're there for. I'll definitely play the music that's more abstract that's not really dealing with song structure. But for shows like tonight, I will just pick a few songs that are all just very tight and song structure-friendly.
FYM: I happen to be a really huge Tom Waits fan and read that you've worked with him in the past. What kind of stuff did you do with him?
CS: It was a while back, but I recorded a few records. I recorded a few of the horns and woodwinds for Alice, Blood Money, and on some songs that were on Orphans.
FYM: Did you do the horns that were on Blood Money's "Knife Chase"? Those are some of the best horns I've ever heard recorded.
CS: Yes, but that wasn't entirely me though. There was another musician [Bebe Risenfors] who did the main hook. Myself and Ara Anderson came in and laid down other horns over the main riff and all the recordings were cut up then put all together again later on.
("Knife Chase" by Tom Waits)
FYM: You played for the National Shrine of St. Francis Assisi in San Francisco. How did that work out?
CS: Yes, it was this gorgeous, gorgeous space that is still one of my favorite places to play. I ended up playing there for several Easter ceremonies. It came about because a friend of mine was curating these Sunday shows that they would have there and he asked me if I wanted to do one on my own. I said yes and didn't even realize it was Easter sunday until the day it happened.
FYM: What kind of audience was it?
CS: The audience ended up being people who would just come for the show and then also people who are just there to pray and also tourists who were just coming in and out because it's such a famous place in San Francisco. And then the monks making their rounds during the protocol of their day. It was initially really intimidating because I was thinking how weird it was to just be there. But then afterward the monks were definitely really into it which was cool.
FYM: Are there any artists you'd love to work with in the future or any you recently have?
CS: I just started work on the new Bon Iver record and I'm going to be working with them in the coming years. I love Justin [Vernon] and his music, so now being integrated into his music has been pretty awesome. Of course, there are so many people I would love to work with. I always say a few of the same people but Radiohead has always been a huge inspiration to me and I'd love to do something with them. Bjork is another major one too.
Colin Stetson's album, New History Warfare Volume 1, is out now and can be found by clicking HERE.
New History Warfare Volume 2 is due out early 2011.
A collection of Colin Stetson MP3s are available for free download on his website (found HERE). Please be sure to check them out if you don't mind having your mind healthily blown every now and then.
(All live performance photos and video by Will Sellers)
