Le Guess Who? 2013 Preview

Since 2007, venues in the Dutch city of Utrecht have been taken over every November by Le Guess Who?, and this Thursday to Sunday, November 28th to December 1st, while America is celebrating the arrival of the Pilgrims, the nation they sailed from holds its own new music festival:

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28th

Tivoli Oudegracht The Fall, 22:40 – 23:50 No festival is complete without an iconic, venerable alt-act, bringing some class and history to the event. For Le Guess Who?, it’s The Fall (QRO photos at a festival). Begun in Manchester all the way back in 1976, The Fall evolved from a pioneering punk band to a pioneering post-punk band, with numerous cast changes around founder/frontman Mark E. Smith. One of those bands that spawned numerous other great bands, The Fall have been name-checked by the likes of Pavement (QRO live review), with the great “Conduit For Sale!” (QRO video), and The Wedding Present (QRO live review), in “Take Me!” from Bizarro (QRO album live review). They’re also an incredibly prolific act, so who knows what to expect from the set list at LGW?.

King Khan & The Shrines, 21:20 – 22:10 When old-timers complain that rock has lost the crazy performance antics of yore, tell them to check out King Khan & The Shrines (QRO photos). While the band’s sound borrows from fifties garage rock, this Montreal-meets-Berlin act has one of the wildest stage shows out there (QRO live review). Led by King Khan himself (of duo King Khan & BBQ Show – QRO photos), wearing a Speedo & garbage bag poncho/cape, the group is known for its go-go dancer, battling on stage, diving into the crowd, leading fans in sing-along renditions of “I Wish I Was a Girl” and “Stone Soup” (QRO video), and starting a projectile war with the audience by hurling bananas at them. Khan & co. come to Le Guess Who? (QRO photos) behind their new Idle No More.

Also: Dirty Beaches, 20:15 – 21:00 – QRO photos at a European festival

Tivoli de Helling Roly Porter, 02:00 – 02:40 Oneohtrix Point Never, 00:45 – 01:40 Patten, 23:45 – 00:30 Sounds spin into the wee hours at Tivoli de Helling, with Roly Porter, Oneohtrix Point Never (QRO photos at a European festival), and Patten.

Neko Case, 22:00 – 22:55 While she first got notice as the main lady of indie-rock collective The New Pornographers (QRO live review – which also features Dan Bejar, a.k.a. Destroyer; see below), Neko Case (QRO photos outdoors) has also crafted her own solo career (even had her voice on an episode of Adult Swim’s Aqua Teen Hunger Force…). Her last new release was way back in 2009 with Middle Cyclone (QRO review), but she comes back to Austin City Limits (QRO photos at a festival) behind The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You (QRO review). Also: Filho de Màe, 21:00 – 21:20

Ekko La Flama Blanca, 02:30 – 04:00 Séan Rua, 00:55 – 02:30 Meridian Brothers, 00:00 – 00:55 Glasser, 22:30 – 23:20 – QRO photos at a festival DIANA, 21:15 – 22:05 Superhumanoids, 20:20 – 22:55 – QRO photos

Janskerk Mark Lanegan, 21:00 – 22:15 While he first got notice fronting should-have-been-huge, “Nearly Lost You There” grunge act Screaming Trees, then found work in Queens of the Stone Age (QRO album review), Mark Lanegan (QRO live review) comes to Le Guess Who? behind his new solo cover album, Imitations, teaming up on tour with Duke Garwood (QRO live review with Garwood). Also: Duke Garwood, 20:10 – 20:45

ACU Al Lover, 03:00 – 04:00 Night Beats, 01:50 – 01:30 – QRO photos at a festival Cheap Time, 00:50 – 01:30 The Pharmacy, 23:45 – 00:30 – QRO photos

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29th

Tivoli Oudegracht The Black Angels, 23:30 – 00:30 Austin’s great music scene has many dimensions, but the band that opened up the psychedelic side of the Live Music Capitol of the World is The Black Angels (QRO spotlight on). The Austin band (QRO photos), fronted by Alex Mass (QRO interview), bring the psych-rock of this year’s Indigo Meadow (QRO review) and 2010’s Phosphene Dream (QRO review) to the evening (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), returning to Europe (QRO photos in Europe).

Disappears, 22:15 – 23:15 Chicago’s Disappears mixes shoegaze, krautrock, and more – and in 2011 picked up on drums Mr. Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth (QRO live review)!

Also: Connan Mockasin, 21:00 – 21:50 Wampire, 20:00 – 20:45

Tivoli Spiegelbar The Wytches, 22:55 – 23:30 Daughn Gibson, 21:30 – 22:10 – QRO photos at a festival Brokeback, 20:15 – 21:00

Tivoli de Helling Jonathan Toubin, 02:50 – 04:00 In 2011 indie DJ extraordinaire Jonathan Toubin was put in the hospital by a hit-and-run, but his musical friends (like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs – QRO album review) got together for a series of benefits (QRO photos) to pay for his medical expenses, and now Toubin – and his Soul Clap & Dance Off – is back!

Jacuzzi Boys, 02:10 – 02:50 From Sub Pop Records sister-label Hardly Art comes the wild rock of Jacuzzi Boys (QRO photos at a festival).

J.C. Satán, 01:15 – 01:55 Three guys from Bordeaux, France + two girls from Turin, Italy = J.C. Satán.

Magnetix, 00:15 – 01:00 Like J.C. Satán, Magnetix is a Slovenly Records artist with French roots.

White Fence, 23:15 – 00:05 The more psychedelic-pop White Fence (QRO photos at a festival) teamed up last year with Ty Segall (see just below) for Hair, and now he brings them to his curated night at Le Guess Who?.

Ty Segall, 22:05 – 23:00 California’s Ty Segall (QRO photos at a festival) has evolved from his ‘kick in the pants’ early work to a more effortless boot to the fanny these days (QRO photos), where he’s been quite prolific, including Slaughterhouse (QRO review) with his band & Twins solo. He returns to Le Guess Who? for a second year in a row (QRO photos at LGW? ’12) to curate Friday at Tivoli de Helling – and perform his new Sleeper. Also: Mike Donovan, 21:05 – 21:45 Total Heels, 20:10 – 20:25

Ekko Vessel, 03:00 – 03:50 Wraetlic, 01:50 – 02:40 Visionist, 00:30 – 01:15 Alex Smoke presents electronic artists Vessel, Wraetlic, and Visionist at Ekko

Forest Swords, 23:10 – 00:00 Matthew Barnes, a.k.a. Forest Swords, brings his experimental trip-hop & dub from Liverpool to Utrecht.

BRAIDS, 22:00 – 22:45 For a band that turned a chance opening slot for Deerhunter (QRO live review) into a standing ovation and demands of an encore from the band, BRAIDS (QRO photos) is most definitely deserving of the ‘force to be reckoned with’ status that critics seem so eager to give them (QRO photos). What’s more, after a Polaris Prize shortlisting in Canada, and a record deal with Chad VanGaalen’s (QRO album review) Flemish Eye label, the band has only picked up steam (QRO photos).

The Dodos, 20:50 – 21:35 San Francisco’s The Dodos (QRO live review) aren’t your run-of-the-mill guitar-and-drums duo (QRO photos at a festival). Their indie-folk on such records as 2011’s No Color (QRO review) and this year’s Carrier (QRO review) has always been a more complex one – and a more compelling one.

ACU Fat White Family, 02:45 – 03:30 Lower, 01:40 – 02:25 No Joy, 00:30 – 01:10 Absolutely Free, 23:30 – 00:10

Janskerk Linda Perhacs, 21:30 – 22:30 Ed Askew, 20:15 – 21:00

Kargadoor Piano Interrupted, 22:30 – 23:40 Maarten Vos, 21:30 – 22:05

Leeuwenbergh Esmerine, 22:15 – 23:05 Califone, 21:00 – 21:45 – QRO live review

Rasa Hailu Mergia, 21:00 – 22:00

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30th

Tivoli Oudegracht METZ, 23:45 – 00:30 Both loud and skilled, METZ (QRO live review) come ready to rock and impress at Le Guess Who? (QRO photos at a festival).

Crystal Stilts, 22:30 – 23:15 Just over five years ago, Brooklyn saw the rebirth of fifties fuzz, and one of the leaders of the revival was Crystal Stilts (QRO live review). Drawing as much from the Velvet Underground as anything from the Eisenhower administration, Crystal Stilts (QRO live review) at first impressed with 2008 debut Alight of the Night (QRO review), but have gotten kind of repetitive with 2011’s In Love With Oblivion (QRO review) and this year’s Nature Noir.

Also: Scout Niblett, 21:10 – 22:00 Pins, 20:00 – 20:40

Tivoli de Helling New York Night Train’s Soul Clap & Dance-Off featuring Jonathan Toubin, 00:30 – 02:00 In 2011 indie DJ extraordinaire Jonathan Toubin was put in the hospital by a hit-and-run, but his musical friends (like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs – QRO album review) got together for a series of benefits (QRO photos) to pay for his medical expenses, and now Toubin – and his Soul Clap & Dance Off – is back!

The Thing, 23:00 – 23:45 Crossing Norway & Sweden with jazz and you get The Thing, who last year collaborated with Neneh Cherry on The Cherry Thing, Cherry’s first fronted album in 18 years.

Dump, 21:45 – 22:30 In addition to headlining Le Guess Who? as one-third of Yo La Tengo (see below), YTL bassist James McNew also brings his side-project Dump to Utrecht.

Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, 20:30 – 21:15 Thao Nguyen (QRO interview) broke through in 2008 with We Brave Bee Stings and All (QRO review) and its fun, charming folk-rock, and followed it up the following year with Know Better Learn Faster (QRO review). After teaming up with Mirah for Thao + Mirah (QRO review), she since returned to the Get Down Stay Down (QRO spotlight on) with this year’s We the Common (QRO review). Her live shows (QRO photos outdoors) are, if anything, more engaging (QRO live review), whether in a college student center (QRO photos) or a massive converted warehouse (QRO photos).

Tivoli de Helling Atactic, 03:00 – 04:00 Edan, 02:00 – 03:00 Young Fathers, 00:55 – 01:45 Oddisee, 23:40 – 00:30 Mickey Lightfoot, 22:30 – 23:10

Ekko Diep In De Groef, 02:00 – 04:00 James Pants, 01:15 – 02:00 Darkstar, 00:00 – 00:50 Adult Jazz, 22:45 – 23:30 Perera Elsewhere, 21:30 – 22:15 His Clancyness, 20:15 – 21:00

ACU Jibóia, 03:25 – 04:00 Pharmakon, 02:20 – 03:00 Vex Ruffin, 01:15 – 02:00 ZZZ’s, 00:00 – 00:45

Janskerk Ólafur Arnalds, 22:00 – 23:00 Lonnie Holley, 20:50 – 21:35 Douglas Dare, 19:55 – 20:30

Kargadoor Will Samson, 21:20 – 22:10 Michael Feuerstack, 20:15 – 21:00

Gallerie Jaap Sleper Emily Wells, 22:45 – 23:30 DM Stith, 21:30 – 22:15

Rasa Stellar OM Source, 02:00 – 03:00 Freek Fabricius, 01:20 – 02:00 Laurel Halo, 00:30 – 01:20 Wouter Van Veldhoven, 23:30 – 00:05 Greg Hains, 22:20 – 23:00 Mammane San Et Son Orgue, 21:00 – 21:50

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1st

Tivoli Oudegracht Yo La Tengo, 21:15 – 23:00 There are precious few alt-rock bands with as wide a discography to choose from for fans that Hoboken, New Jersey’s Yo La Tengo (QRO photos outdoors), like their umpteenth new releases, 2009’s Popular Songs (QRO review) and this year’s Fade (QRO review). The trio (QRO photos at a festival) of singer/guitarist Ira Kaplan, drummer (and wife) Georgia Hubley, and bassist James McNew (QRO photos outdoors) has been making critically acclaimed music for song long now that it’s hard to think of a time when they weren’t (QRO photos at a festival). Their live show (QRO live review) has always featured some audience requests, from a very knowledgeable crowd (QRO live review).

Damien Jurado, 19:50 – 20:45 Prolific Seattle singer/songwriter Damien Jurado (QRO photos at a festival) comes to Le Guess Who? behind January’s release of his latest, Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son. Also: Lonnie Holley, 18:50 – 19:30

Tivoli de Helling Jibóia, 01:10 – 01:45 DJ Fitz, 00:10 – 01:10 Wooden Shjips, 23:10 – 00:10 OM, 21:40 – 22:40 Föllakzoid, 20:30 – 21:15 The Holydrug Couple, 19:30 – 20:10 MV & EE, 18:30 – 19:10

Ekko Hanni El Khatib, 17:45 – 18:30 Cali skateboarder Hanni El Khatib (QRO photos at a festival) has found new life on the guitar, with his sophomore record produced by Dan Auerbach (QRO album review) of The Black Keys (QRO album review).

Also: Traams, 16:30 – 17:15 Theo Verney, 15:30 – 16:15

Rasa Mad Professor, 19:00 – 20:00 Eric Copeland, 18:00 – 18:40 Terakaft, 16:45 – 17:40

dB’s Michal Chapman, 17:30 – 18:20 Ashraf Sharif Khan, 16:20 – 17:10 Glenn Jones, 15:00 – 15:50

Leeuwenbergh Destroyer, 18:20 – 19:10 In the western Canadian super-group The New Pornographers (QRO live review – which also features Neko Case; see above), Dan Bejar (QRO photos at a festival) has been called ‘the George Harrison’, thanks to his stripped, skilled alt-folk work in his own outfit, Destroyer (QRO photos in Europe), most recently with in 2011 full-length Kaputt (QRO review). He returns to Le Guess Who? for a second year in a row (QRO photos at LGW? ‘12).

Moonface, 17:10 – 18:00 Spencer Krug became known as one-half of the great Wolf Parade (QRO live review), but also headed up his own, more disjointed outfit Sunset Rubdown (QRO live review). However, after Wolf Parade went on hiatus in 2011 (QRO live review of one of the last shows), Krug shed the Sunset for his new Moonface. Also: Matt Elliott, 16:00 – 16:45