Heineken Open’er 2011 Preview

The Twilight Singers, 7:00 PM, Tent Stage

Originally formed as a side-project for The Afghan Whigs’ Greg Dulli, The Twilight Singers (QRO photos) has evolved into their own since Afghan’s break-up, with five studio records, worldwide tours, and even performing on Letterman earlier this year (QRO Indie on Late Night TV).

The National, 8:00 PM, Main Stage

Cincinnati-by-way-of-Brooklyn’s The National (QRO photos outdoors) hit it big in 2007 with Boxer (QRO review) and tracks like "Fake Empire", "Mistaken For Strangers", and "Apartment Story" (QRO video at a festival) – and again in 2008 with The Virginia EP (QRO review), but that just presaged this year’s High Violet (QRO review), which debuted at #3 on the Billboard charts (QRO expanded edition review).  An impressive and much-in-demand act (QRO live review), they’re fitting in nicely as a festival headliner (QRO photos headlining a festival).  Blown up to the point that New York Times Magazine ran a feature on them & Obama used (a family-friendly) bit of "Mr. November" (QRO video at a festival) as a campaign song, The National (QRO photos at a festival) have taken the summer by storm (QRO photos headlining a festival), including Europe (QRO photos in Europe), the festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival), and the European festival circuit (QRO photos at a European festival).

Two Door Cinema Club, 9:00 PM, Tent Stage

Hailing from Northern Ireland, but debuting on French label Kitsuné, Two Door Cinema Club (QRO photos) have made a splash in America with songs like "Kids" (QRO video) and "I Can Talk" (QRO video), as well with breakthrough debut Tourist History out now in a deluxe edition (QRO review) for all you late-comers to da Club (QRO photos at a festival).

Coldplay, 10:00 PM, Main Stage

Everyone’s gone through their period of hating the massively successful Coldplay (how can you not find fault with singer/Mr. Gwyneth Paltrow naming their child ‘Apple’?…), but also loving Coldplay – breakthrough Parachutes and "Yellow" were some of the strongest of 2000.  But even if you lost interest in the group as the last decade wore on (they’re in, they’re out, they’re both at the same time…), seeing them getting bigger but not better, 2008’s Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (QRO review) was a strong and enjoyable record, haters be damned!  They just put out their first piece of music since Viva la Vida, single "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall", so look for new material at Open’er.

Paolo Nutini, 11:00 PM, Tent Stage

Not Italian but Scottish, the interesting and eclectic Paolo Nutini hit it big with his 2006 debut These Streets, and followed it up strongly with 2009’s Sunny Side Up – and hopefully there will be some brand-new material at Open’er.

Simian Mobile Disco, 12:00 AM, Main Stage 

The Disco gets very Mobile when ‘The James’ – Ford & Shaw – bring the light & sound show that is Simian Mobile Disco (QRO live review) to Heineken Open’er (QRO photos), and are playing well into the night, where their lights can really shine (QRO photos).

Caribou, 1:00 AM, Tent Stage

Daniel Victor Snaith (QRO photos) combined electronica and psychedelica expertly with 2007’s Andorra (QRO review) as Caribou (QRO live review).  Last year’s Swim (QRO review) looks to nineties electronic beats, not as fine, but still holds up – as does his live show (QRO live review), especially at a festival (QRO photos at a festival).

British Sea Power, 9:00 PM, Tent Stage

Day Two of Heineken Open’er starts off on a high note thanks to British Sea Power (QRO spotlight on).  This (yes) British act (QRO live review in the U.K.) are also one of the most eastern European friendly acts out there, welcoming in new members of the EU like Poland in 2005’s "Waving Flags" (QRO video).  Having played past the Iron Curtain on numerous occasions, this time it’s in support of their latest, Valhalla Dancehall (QRO review).  Epic in all the right ways, they’re a great fit for a festival anywhere (QRO photos at a festival), but especially cross the river Vistula.

Pulp, 10:00 PM, Main Stage

Admit it: you & me & everyone we know loved Britpop.  It was so catchy and enjoyable, yet wasn’t ‘just’ catchy & enjoyable.  One of the major figures in that movement was Pulp (QRO photos at a festival).  After struggling for success in the eighties, the band was part of the wave that put bands like Blur into the stratosphere with 1994’s His ‘n’ Hers.  U.K. hits Different Class and This Is Hardcore followed, but after 2001’s We Love Life, the group went on an extended hiatus that could be confused with a break-up, as singer Jarvis Cocker pursued a solo career.  However, 2011 has seen the return of Pulp – accept no filler!

Cut Copy, 11:00 PM, Tent Stage

The international electro-dance scene has seriously touched Down Under, and one of the biggest acts coming out of Australia these days is Melbourne’s Cut Copy (QRO live review).  Breaking through in 2007 with the acclaimed In Ghost Colours (QRO review), Cut Copy (QRO photos outdoors) followed that up this year with Zonoscope (QRO review).  While some think it’s a step down, no one can argue that their live show is anything les than electric (QRO live review).

Foals, 12:00 AM, Main Stage

Oxford, England’s Foals (QRO photos) still haven’t quite shaken off the backhanded compliment label of ‘internet buzz band’, even with last year’s well-received sophomore release Total Life Forever (QRO review), but you should really see & judge for yourself (QRO live review).

Crystal Fighters, 1:00 AM, Tent Stage

Not all the bands at Open’er are local or Anglophile, for from Navarre in Spain comes Crystal Fighters, who mixed electronic with Basque traditional on last year’s debut, Star of Love.

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, 7:00 PM, Tent Stage

From just to the northwest, Denmark’s Asteroids Galaxy Tour (QRO live review) play an upbeat mix that’s best described as, "Ska for people who don’t like ska anymore."  Fronted by the oh-so-cute Mette Lindberg (QRO photos at a festival), The Asteroids (QRO live review) got attention in 2009 with debut Fruit (QRO review) and songs like iPod ad number "Around the Bend", plus "Push the Envelope" (QRO video) and recent single "The Golden Age" (QRO video) – which the band plays in a Heineken ad that says, "Open your world"...

Primus, 8:00 PM, Main Stage

Mixing alternative and funk in a Frizzle Fry sauce is Les Claypool’s (QRO photos at a festival) Primus.  Fronted by one of the most acclaimed bassists out there today, Primus first came to widespread notice in the early nineties thanks to Sailing the Seas of Cheese and Pork Soda, with songs like "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver", "Tommy the Cat", "My Name Is Mud", and "Mr. Krinkle", delivering a weird funk-driven rock sound akin to an accessible Residents (QRO live review).  Primus went on hiatus at the start of this century/millennium (after composing the theme to South Park), before reforming, first as nostalgia, but now with the new Green Naugahyde coming out in September.

Kate Nash, 9:00 PM, Tent Stage 

Open’er recruits That Grrl, west London’s Kate Nash (QRO spotlight on).  The singer/songwriter (QRO interview) plays an indie-pop (QRO live review) that’s more than just charming, charting in both the U.S. and the U.K. with both of her records, debut Made of Bricks (QRO review) and follow-up My Best Friend Is You (QRO review), with singles such as "Foundations" and "Pumpkin Soup" (QRO video).  Poland may not be "Paris" (QRO video), but the artist is sure to shine (QRO photos).

Prince, 10:00 PM, Main Stage

How can one introduce Prince?  How can he need an introduction?  The Purple one (whose first name is, indeed, ‘Prince’) is one of the most iconic musicians of all time.  He’s drawn upon everything under the sun not only for his musical style, but also his personal style, staying relevant and successful since the late seventies.  He’s stretched from the dance-pop stylings of Michael Jackson to the mind- and gender-bending extravagance of David Bowie, and has been as popular and acclaimed as both.

Is there anyone else who could have gone nearly an entire decade named an unpronounceable symbol, resulting in "The Artist Formerly Known As Prince", or simply "The Artist"?

These New Puritans, 7:00 PM, Tent Stage

Southend-on-Sea art-rock act These New Puritans mix the trip-hop of Bristol on the other side of England with the New Wave of nearby London.

The Wombats, 8:00 PM, Main Stage

There are some acts that you can’t help but enjoy, and Liverpool’s The Wombats (QRO photos) are one.  The infectious electric sound of 2007 debut A Guide To Love, Lose & Desperation and songs such as "Moving To New York" (QRO video) and "Here Comes the Anxiety" (QRO video) was followed-up nicely this year with This Modern Glitch (QRO review), and songs like "Techno Fan" (QRO video) and "Tokyo (Vampires and Wolves)" (QRO video).  One listen and you’ll realize you never knew you were a Wombats fan.

James Blake, 9:00 PM, Tent Stage 

If you didn’t live in London, you might never have heard of dubstep, so you probably would have been surprised when people started talking about ‘post-dubstep’, in the form of highly-hyped Brit James Blake (QRO live review).  But the former singer of (actual) dubstep outfit Mount Kimble (QRO photos at a festival) has been making massive waves with his self-titled debut (QRO album review), so see for yourself what all the fuss is about.

The Strokes, 10:00 PM, Main Stage

The Strokes are back!  The Strokes are back!  Back in 2001, Is This It and "Hard To Explain" basically launched the alternative music revival, starting in Lower East Side before going to Brooklyn, Canada, Sweden, and everywhere else (not to mention drummer Fabrizio Moretti dating Drew Barrymore).  However, follow-ups Room On Fire and First Impressions of Earth were way too similar to what the band had broken through with, while countless indie acts had taken advantage of the opening & the internet to make The Strokes feel like old hat, and fans say, "Is This It?".  Various members did their own thing, such as solo records from guitarist Albert Hammond, Jr. and singer Julian Casablancas, but didn’t light the world on fire (QRO review of Casablancas solo record), and Barrymore & Moretti broke up, leaving the band something of a forgotten caricature (or, as The Onion so excellently put it in a side headline, "Guy from The Strokes accused of looking like guy from The Strokes").

But maybe that’s what the band needed – no follow-up or solo record could live up to Is This It, and now there’s been enough time that them getting back together for the new Angles (QRO review) could practically count as the first ‘twenty-first century reunion’ (on the lines of the popular eighties & nineties alt-reunions – we need a name for the last decade…)

Hurts, 11:00 PM, Tent Stage

From Manchester comes electro-pop duo Hurts, who just was named ‘Best New Band’ by NME on the back of last year’s debut, Happiness.

M.I.A., 12:00 AM, Main Stage 

Hip-hop has a host of controversial personalities, and when those artists cross into other genres, they often bring the controversy with them.  Kanye West is the clearest example, whether taking the mic from Taylor Swift at the mainstream VMA last year to his criticized headlining performance at last year’s indie-jam festival Bonnaroo.  K. West has been on much better behavior since then – taking the controversial mic this year has been M.I.A. (full name: Mathangi ‘Maya’ Arulpragasam – QRO photos), from her ultra-pregnant appearance on The Grammys to maybe endorsing the terrorist Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka to a feud with The New York Times after a less-than-flattering feature piece/interview.  She did come out with ///Y/, her follow-up to 2007 smash-hit Arular, and it has proved as divisive as Maya herself (that’s how the title is pronounced).  Her HARD LA show last year was cancelled, and her HARD NYC one (QRO recap) plagued with technical difficulties, but she did live up to her promise to give New York a free show, only days before (QRO concert listing), at the small Brooklyn Bowl (QRO venue review).  So who knows what M.I.A.- ///Y/-Maya (QRO photos outdoors at a festival) appears at Heineken Open’er.

Chromeo, 1:00 AM, Tent Stage 

There are combos and then there are combos: Montreal’s Chromeo (QRO live review) are the electro-funk duo of Dave 1 (David Macklovitch) and P-Thugg (Patrick Gemayel) has been best friends since childhood, billing themselves as, "The only successful Arab/Jewish collaboration since the beginning of time" (but what is their stance on Québécois independence?…).  And their electronica works outdoors (QRO photos outdoors), day or night, even at a festival (QRO photos at a festival).

deadmau5, 2:00 AM, Main Stage

Coming off appearing at the medal ceremonies for his country’s Winter Olympics last year, Niagara Falls’ deadmau5 (QRO live review) is still most recognizable for his trademark headgear & light show (QRO photos at a festival).  While his remix of Morgan Page’s "The Longest Road", featuring Lissie (QRO spotlight on), lost out in the Grammy for ‘Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical’ to David Guetta (QRO album review), the progressive house artist (don’t dare call him a ‘DJ’…) has blown up, most recently with singles "Animal Rights" and "Some Chords".