Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010 Preview

<div> <a href="features/features/fun_fun_fun_fest_2010_preview/"><img src="http://www.qromag.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/fff10preview.jpg" alt="Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010 Preview" /></a> <br /> </div> <p> Last year (<a href="features/features/2009_festival_guide/" target="_blank"><b>QRO 2009 Festival Guide</b></a>) was not a good year for...
Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010 Preview

Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010 features another diverse line-up, from the highest of electronica to the dirtiest of punk, from the newest of acts to the oldest of veterans (including reunions, an FFF staple), spread out over four thematic colored stages: the indie-rock of Orange Stage, the punk of Black Stage, the electronica of Blue Stage, and the comedy/video/more of Yellow Stage.

What’s more, Fun Fun Fun Fest has added a third day this year, kicking the party off early on Friday to go with the all-day Saturday & Sunday events:

 

 

FRIDAY, 11/5

Weird Al Yankovic, 7:45 PM

Admit it.  You’ve always liked Weird Al Yankovic, and you’ve certainly always wanted to see his live show.  The best-selling/best-known comedy/music act ever, Yankovic has been parodying popular songs & writing his own comedic ditties for over thirty years now.  Yes, he always drops off the radar (remember UHF?) only to return, with virtually every new album a ‘comeback’ – most recently his expanded The Essential ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic.

Maybe you never had the guts to go against the hipster crowd and buy a ticket to Weird Al, but here’s you’re chance – and he reportedly does the parodies he couldn’t get the rights to, like of Wings, Eminem & James Blunt, live…

Weird Al Yankovic

 

Chris Hardwick, 7:15 PM

Comedian Chris Hardwick first got notice for hosting MTV late nineties dating game show Singled Out, which launched the careers of his co-hosts Jenny McCarthy & Carmen Electra, but most recently he has been the host of Web Soup, G4’s internet-based spin-off of Joel McHale’s excellent Soup.  He’s also been doing the stand-up rounds – but can anyone really open for Weird Al?

Chris Hardwick

 

The Apples in Stereo, 6:30 PM

One of the brightest acts out of the ‘Elephant Six Collective’ has been Robert Schneider’s Apples in Stereo.  Combining the sunny sixties with bold futurisms, whether making up his own non-Pythagorean musical scale for 2007’s New Magnetic Wonder (QRO review) or opening up the skies on this year’s Travellers In Space and Time (QRO review), The Apples in Stereo are bringing back the bright vision of tomorrow (QRO live review).

The Apples in Stereo
 

Arc Attack: Live Tesla Coil Show, 6:30 PM (Black Stage)

Robert Schneider may have invented his own harmonic scale, but Arc Attack have invented a whole new instrument.  Two handmade Tesla Coils shoot out arcs of electricity tied to instruments to make early synth sounds, while Arc Attack not only beat their LED drums along with, but even walk through the man-made lightning in chain mail.

Arc Attack
 

Todd Barry, 6:00 PM

In the New York alternative music scene, there’s no more ubiquitous stand-up comic than Todd Barry.  The laid-back comedian has opened for Tapes n’ Tapes (QRO album review) & Superchunk (QRO live review), been seen at CMJ (QRO recap), SXSW (QRO recap) & McCarren Park Pool Parties (QRO venue review), and is friends with/stand-up mentor to The Rosebuds’ (QRO spotlight on) Kelly Crisp (QRO interview).  He also guest-starred in the season one finale of Flight of the Conchords (QRO live review).  So he’ll fit right in at FFF, as he returns for a second year…

 

Also:

Magnifico (Queen tribute), 5:15 PM

Todd Barry

     

 

 

SATURDAY, 11/6

Orange Stage

MGMT, 8:45 PM

All of a sudden, Wesleyan University gave birth to a bunch of indie acts, but none blew up like MGMT (QRO live review).  Songs like “Electric Eel” (QRO video) and “Time To Pretend” (QRO video) launched 2007’s Oracular Spectacular in the stratosphere. The follow-up was bound to bring them more back down to earth, and Congratulations (QRO review) is a classic over-ambitious sophomore release.  But the two-man psych-rock band of Ben Goldwasser & Andrew Van Wyngarden is more than prepared to blow minds outdoors at Fun Fun Fun Fest (QRO photos outdoors).

MGMT

 

Dirty Projectors, 7:50 PM

What began as a solo project by songwriter David Longstreth has become so much more.  His Dirty Projectors (QRO photos at a festival) have not only grown in size (with three female co-vocalists – QRO photos at a festival), but also acclaim, thanks to last year’s Bitte Orca (QRO review).  Their arrhythmic stylings married to pitch-perfect harmonies take some getting used to (QRO live review), but many have (QRO photos at a festival), allowing for experiments like Rise Above, Longstreeth’s ‘reimagined’ back-to-front cover, from memory, of Black Flag’s seminal punk record Damaged, and performing their Getty Address top-to-bottom earlier this year (QRO photos at a festival) to numerous festival appearances (QRO photos at a festival), including headlining (QRO photos headlining a festival).

Dirty Projectors

 

Man Man, 6:55 PM

There might not be a wilder band – live (QRO live review) or on record (QRO album review) – than Philadelphia’s Man Man. The self-described ‘Viking-vaudeville’ collective (QRO photos at a festival) bring a powerful percussion and more, setting up right at the lip of the stage, dressed in tennis whites and war paint, with more instruments than you can throw a stick at (QRO photos at a festival).   And things only get crazier outside… (QRO photos outdoors) – especially at a festival (QRO photos at a festival).

Man Man
 

Cap’n Jazz, 6:00 PM

Who the hell are/were Cap’n Jazz, and why has their reunion this year been such a big thing to so many people?  The early nineties Chicago outfit didn’t sell a ton of records, but influenced the development of emo.  The re-release of anthology Analphabetapolothology this year coincided with the band’s reunion & tour, to the delight of cult fans that never forgot them.

Cap'n Jazz
 

Os Mutantes, 5:05 PM

While the Anglos were expanding their minds on psychedelica in the late sixties/early seventies, Brazil experienced a boom in tropicalia – and combining the two were Os Mutantes.  After a hiatus lasting over two decades, the new millennium saw Os Mutantes reunite, and his the road again in 2006.

Os Mutantes
 

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, 4:15 PM

Today’s chillwave scene is so new that even its founders are young.  The just-past-thirty Ariel Marcus Rosenberg, or ‘Ariel Pink’, helped start whatever you call the sound, just recording in his bedroom, but only recently has he recruited a band and ventured out & onto the stage, with this year’s Before Today (QRO review).

Ariel Pink

 

Wavves, 3:30 PM

Redemption?  After WAVVES singer/guitarist Nathan Williams (QRO photos at a festival) had a very public breakdown, on stage at Barcelona’s Primavera Festival (later blaming technical problems, and ‘alcohol addiction’ – isn’t that what disgraced Rep./To Catch a Predator favorite Mark Foley said?…), the San Diego act cancelled their whole European tour.  However, since then Williams got back on the road (QRO photos at a festival), recruited the backing band of the late Jay Reatard (QRO photos), put on the much-praised King of the Beach (QRO review), and just wrapped up a tour opening for Phoenix (QRO live review QRO photos opening for Phoenix).  And he seems to have cut down on imitating Pauly Shore…

Wavves

 

The Antlers, 2:45 PM

The newest of the next wave of Brooklyn acts is The Antlers (QRO photos), who first blew people away with epic concept album Hospice, then opened for the likes of Ra Ra Riot (QRO live review, opening for Ra Ra Riot), Editors (QRO album reviewQRO photos, opening for Editors) and, most recently, The National (QRO spotlight onQRO photos, opening for The National).  But now they’ve graduated to headlining their own big gigs (QRO live review, outdoors & headlining), and leaven in some new material with the Hospice (QRO photos at a festival).

The Antlers

 

Also:

The Appleseed Cast, 2:00 PM

JEFF: The Brotherhood, 1:25 PM

Woven Bones (QRO album review), 12:50 PM

Royal Forest, 12:15 PM

Woven Bones

 
 

Black Stage

Bad Religion, 8:45 PM

Fun Fun Fun Fest’s punk stage (named for the most appropriate color) often features the veterans, and there might not be a more veteran punk act than Bad Religion.  Born in the eighties punk scene of southern California, Bad Religion’s aggressive yet intellectual, and socially minded, punk has inspired/influenced so many bands that those bands are even influencing new acts today.  While they peaked commercially in the early nineties with Recipe For Hate and Stranger Than Fiction, guitarist Brett Gurewitz’s 1994 departure only lasted until 2001, and even if they’ve basically been making the same record for years now, it’s a good record, with singer Greg Graffin’s literate lyrics still on target.  Oh, and they founded Epitaph Records, home to big names like Alkaline Trio (QRO photos) and even Weezer (QRO live review).

Bad Religion

 

Gwar, 7:50 PM

Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010 acts like Weird Al Yankovic (see above) may be unique, but there is no band as unique as Gwar.  Somewhere between Motörhead (QRO photos), Tenacious D, George Romero, KISS, and Gallagher, Gwar combines thrash metal with sci-fi/horror spectacle, including massive costumes & massive amounts of stage gore, plus taking on about every taboo there is for one of the most amazing spectacles out there.  So established that members have even been featured on FOX News roundtables (in full regalia), nothing will stop the awesome power that is Gwar!

Gwar

 

The Vandals, 7:00 PM

Coming out of the same agit-punk eighties L.A. scene as Bad Religion (see above), The Vandals go for the sarcasm & humor such as Hitler Bad, Vandals Good and “Anarchy Burger! Hold the Government!”, which should really be the new Tea Party anthem (Vandals have toured both Iraq and Afghanistan for the troops…).

The Vandals

 

Also:

The Dwarves, 6:25 PM

The Gories, 5:35 PM

Municipal Waste, 4:45 PM

The Casualties, 4:00 PM

Strike Anywhere, 3:15 PM

Valient Thorr (QRO photos), 2:30 PM 

The Briggs, 1:55 PM

Power Trip, 1:20 PM

Hatred Surge, 12:45 PM

Black Congress, 12:15 PM

Valient Thorr

 
 

Blue Stage

RJD2, 8:45 PM

Headlining Saturday at the Blue Stage is producer/DJ/performer Ramble John ‘RJ’ Krohn, or RJD2 (QRO photos).  While he got his start in instrumentals & production, 2007’s The Third Hand (QRO review) saw him stretch out into a full-fledged act of his own, including singing, and has kept it going with this year’s The Colossus (QRO review).

RJD2

 

Dåm-Funk, 7:35 PM

Pasadena funk singer/DJ Dam-Funk is coming off throwing down five full-lengths worth of new material last year, edited and compiled into double-disc Toeachizown.

Dåm-Funk

 

Delorean, 6:40 PM

Iceland may have long been the oddest place for a pop star to come out of, but challenging that is the Spanish Basque country (better known for its incomprehensible language, bullfighting & ETA guerillas) in Delorean.  While they toiled in obscurity for a while, an appearance at SXSW 2007 (QRO recap) saw the synth-pop outfit finally get some attention, with worldwide release Subiza.

 

Also:

Big Freedia, 5:50 PM

Dominique Young Unique, 4:50 PM

Slick Rick, 3:50 PM

Devin the Dude, 2:55 PM

Invincible, 2:15 PM

Butcher Bear and Charlie, 1:35 PM

The League of Extraordinary Gz, 1:05 PM

DJ Nick Nack, 12:00 PM

Delorean

 
 

Yellow Stage

While the Orange, Black & Blue Stages deliver music, Yellow Stage mixes up videos, comedy & more:

Tentacle Medicine Videos, 8:00 PM

Master Pancake ‘Video Jukebox’, 7:20 PM

Matt Bearden, 6:45 PM

Moshe Kasher, 6:15 PM

New Movement Comedy Group, 5:30 PM

Monotonix, 4:30 PM (harvest09)

Before comedy & videos take over the Yellow Stage, go nuts with quite possibly the wildest band out there, Tel Aviv (that’s in Israel, kids!) natives Monotonix (QRO photos outdoors at a festival).  The three-man act’s live show (QRO live review) is done on the photo barrier (QRO photos outdoors at a festival) and amidst the crowd, with ‘singer’ Ami Shalev’ stealing and trashing his own band’s equipment.  It all culminates in the ‘drummer’ surf, where the crowd lifts the drummer & kit up above their heads.  Just hopefully Shalev won’t break his leg again, like he did earlier this year (QRO photos right before it happened).

Anarchy Championship Wrestling, 3:15 PM

Joe Sib, 2:05 PM

Live stunt show by Jacob Calle of ‘What the Hell’, 1:30 PM

Andy Ritchie, 1:00 PM

Monotonix

     

   

SUNDAY, 11/6

Orange Stage

Descendents, 8:45 PM

Fun Fun Fun Fest is also home to iconic punk acts reuniting, such as The Dead Milkmen in 2008 (QRO photos) and now the Descendents, playing their only U.S. show at FFF in this, their latest reunion.  Filling in for the last-minute cancellation by the even older Devo (QRO photos at a festival), the snarky & significant act Goes to Austin.

Descendents

 

The Hold Steady, 7:45 PM

Brooklyn’s The Hold Steady (QRO photos at a festival) have reached serious heights with their classic rock and singer/guitarist Craig Finn’s talk-sing storytelling, most recently with Heaven Is Whenever – even got an appearance on The Colbert Report!  They’re also incredibly overrated, but certainly have fun outdoors (QRO live review outdoors).

The Hold Steady

 

Deerhunter, 6:50 PM

No one was more prolific in 2008 than Deerhunter’s singer/guitarist Bradford Cox (QRO live review), who not only put out the well-received Microcastle (QRO review), but also included a second disc of all-original bonus material, Weird Era Cont. (QRO review) – and oh, yeah, released a solo record (as Atlas Sound, who played FFF ‘09 – QRO recap), Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel (QRO review) that beat ‘em both.  And, after a hiatus, this year has seen Deerhunter (QRO photos outdoors) reach even higher thanks to Halcyon Digest (QRO review).  Known for electric shows whether as the Sound (QRO live review) or with Deerhunter (QRO live review), Cox & Deerhunter (QRO photos outdoors) have been as prolific with the festivals (QRO photos at a festival).

Deerhunter
 

Polvo, 6:00 PM

Although they don’t like the term, Chapel Hill’s Polvo helped give birth to ‘math-rock’, mixing complexities into their harder indie-rock.  In 2008, they reunited after a ten-year break, putting out In Prism last year, and have just kept going.

Polvo
 

Best Coast, 5:10 PM

Amidst all the veterans, Los Angeles’ Best Coast (QRO live review) is a practical newbie, but a goodie, combining surf, garage, indie, and pop for a sound that’s sure to be sweet coming from frontwoman Bethany Cosentino in the still-warm Austin afternoon (QRO photos outdoors).

Best Coast
 

Also:

Cults, 4:25 PM

Kaki King, 3:40 PM

Toro y Moi (QRO album review), 2:55 PM

Deakin, 2:10 PM

Margot & The Nuclear So-and-So’s (QRO live review), 1:25 PM

Magic Kids, 12:50 PM

Mother Falcon, 12:15 PM

Margot & The Nuclear So-and-So's

 
 
Black Stage

Mastodon, 8:45 PM

The New Wave of American Heavy Metal gave birth to Atlanta’s Mastodon, most recently last year with Crack the Skye, as they toured with the likes of Metallica (QRO photos).

Mastodon

 

Suicidal Tendencies, 7:50 PM

One of the first successful hardcore acts, the line-up around Mike Muir that forms Suicidal Tendencies has changed over the near thirty years, but what hasn’t is the fury.

Suicidal Tendencies

 

High On Fire, 7:00 PM

Matt Pike, guitarist for the influential ‘stoner doom metal’ band Sleep (which has recently reunited) went on to form Oakland’s High on Fire (QRO photos at a festival), and they toured earlier this year as part of the ‘Adult Swim Presents Tour’, along with putting out their latest, Snakes For the Divine.

High On Fire

 

Snapcase, 6:10 PM

Beginning in hardcore but evolving into more, Snapcase were a complex act by the time of their 2005 break-up.  While they played a benefit reunion in their hometown of Buffalo for Callum Robbins (QRO live review of another Callum Robbins benefit show), it was only in this year that the case was truly reopened (QRO photos at 2010 Buffalo reunion).

Snapcase

 

The Bronx, 5:20 PM

Recently, certain hardcore bands have been breaking into the indie-mainstream, such as Canada’s Fucked Up (QRO album review) and Los Angeles’ The Bronx (other than Chicago & Boston, are any bands named after their own hometowns?…).  Not that The Bronx (QRO photos in Waterloo Park) are your run-of-the-mill hardcore act – see their latin alter ego, Mariachi El Bronx (see below).

 

Also:

Floor, 4:30 PM

Ringworm, 3:40 PM

Kylesa, 2:50 PM

OFF!, 2:15 PM

Peelander-Z, 1:40 PM

Junius, 1:05 PM

Eagle Claw, 12:30 PM

The Bronx

 
 

Blue Stage

A-Trak, 8:45 PM

Montreal’s Alain Macklovitch got notice when picked to be the personal DJ to none other than Kanye West, that gay fish, but has also produced for the likes of Lupe Fiasco (QRO photos at a festival) & Kid Sister (QRO photos at a festival).

A-Trak

 

Yelle, 7:40 PM

A French pop hit that’s crossed into the States that isn’t from Versailles, electro-pop lady Yelle (backed by GrandMarnier & Tepr) comes to Red State America.

Yelle

 

Washed Out, 6:40 PM

Slowly percolating up has been the new ‘chillwave’ movement, whose sound is about as defined as that term, but one of those artists is Ernest Greene, whose recently moved his work out of the bedroom (where he recorded Life of Leisure EPQRO album review) and onto the live stage as Washed Out (QRO photos at a festival).

Washed Out

 

Also:

P.O.S., 5:40 PM

Pharoahe Monche (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), 4:50 PM

Jean Grae, 4:00 PM

Nortec Collective Presents: Bostich & Fussible, 3:00 PM

Black Nasty, 2:00 PM

Indian Jewelry, 1:00 PM

Crew 54, 12:25 PM

Pharoahe Monche

 
 

Yellow Stage

Yellow Stage serves up an even more diverse set of offerings on Sunday”

Blackmagic Rollercoast & Friends’ Video Rodeo, 8:00 PM

Alamo Drafthouse Air Sex Contest, 7:05 PM

Shane Mauss, 6:30 PM

Sean Patton, 6:00 PM

Veggie Hot Dog Eating Contest, 5:20 PM

Anarchy Championship Wrestling, 4:05 PM

Mariachi El Bronx, 2:55 PM 

Amidst the not dog-eating & not sex-having contests on the Yellow Stage, Los Angeles’ hardcore act The Bronx don their sombreros to become Mariachi El Bronx (QRO photos at a festival).

JT Habersaat & The Altercation Punk Comedy Tour (QRO photos at FFF ’08), 1:50 PM

Terp2it, 1:00 PM

Mariachi El Bronx

After-parties

There’s more to Fun Fun Fun Fest than just the festival – much more, as Austin holds four days of after-parties, starting with free events the day before to free-if-you’ve-gotta-festival-wristband on Sunday (though you have to pay a whole five bucks with wristband on Friday & Saturday):

 

Thursday (free)

Toyota Antics Pre-Party-Helio Sequence (QRO album review), Til We’re Blue or Destroy, The Great Nostalgic @ Club de Ville, 9:00 pm – Toyota Matrix Official FFF Kick-off.  Avoid lines and pick up tickets here – RSVP

-Bill Baird, Weird Weeds, Watch Out for Rockets, Markov, Botnay, Amasa Gana, Sleep Good, Mutual Benefit, Dana Falconberry, Rayon Beach, Sally Crewe @ Mohawk, 9:00 pm – Austinist presents ‘Local Music is Sexy’

-Inquisition, Pack of Wolves, HOD, Naw Dude @ Red 7, 9:00 pm

-Hot Tub, Glasnost, Trash Yourself, Kids and Chemicals, Young Girls, Hot Britches, Midnight Conspiracy, Johan, Crystal Vision, Booger Season @ Beauty Bar, 8:00 pm

 

Friday ($10/$5 with festival wristband)

 

-Memory Tapes, Fol Chen, Sleep Over, Soft Healer plus special guest @ Mohawk, 9:00 pm – Gorilla vs. Bear Presents

-Bon Jay @ Beauty Bar, 10:00 pm

-Faun Fables, Death is Not a Joyride, Little Teeth @ Beerland, 10:00 pm

-Sixteen Deluxe, Smoke and Feathers, Royal Butchers, The Moaners, David Dondero @ Club de Ville, 10:00 pm

 

-Big Sam’s Funky Nation @ Parish, 9:00 pm

-Dead to Me (QRO album review), Cobra Skulls (QRO photos), Toys That Kill, The Arrivals, Shanghai River, The Stampede @ Red 7, 9:00 pm

 

Saturday ($10/$5 with festival wristband)

 

-Joan of Arc, Coma in Algiers, Kuroma, JEFF: The Brotherhood, The Intelligence, Milk Thistle plus special guest @ Mohawk, 9:00 pm

-Outbreak, Hour of the Wolf, Red City Radio, Cruel Hand, Backtrack, Aficianado @ Broken Neck, 9:00 pm

-Mobile Death Camp, Infernaeon, Demontuary, Indisgust, Misery @ Headhunters , 9:00 pm

-Jacques Renault, Lemonade, Cowabunga Babes, Orthy, Thomas Austin, Burger City Rock ‘n’ Roll @ Beauty Bar, 10:00 pm

-Katey Red, B.E.B., The Glitoris @ Scoot Inn, 9:00 pm – Knuckle Rumbler’s ‘Bizzounce’  

-Scream, Lower Class Brats, The Impalers, Women In Prison @ Red 7, 9:00 pm

-The Flatliners, Off With Their Heads, Snips, Lights Go Out @ Beerland, 10:00 pm

 

Sunday, ($5/free with festival wristband)

-Marijuana Death Squad, Sonny & The Sunsets, Jookabox (QRO photos at FFF ’08) @ Mohawk, 10:00 pm

 

-Landmine Marathon, Mammoth Grinder, Ratking plus special guest @ Red 7, 9:00 pm – Brooklyn Vegan After Party

-The Applicators, The Motards, Com and Take It @ Beerland, 10:00 pm

 

For festival website, go here: http://funfunfunfest.com/

 

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