Le Guess Who? Festival 2012 Preview

A lot of great new music doesn’t get across the Schengen border to the Continent, even foreigner-friendly Utrecht in the Netherlands.  That’s why it’s great to have the Le Guess Who? Festival.  Taking place at venues across the city, Le Guess Who? welcomes an incredibly diverse (in both geography & sound) line-up, with many artists making their first-ever appearances in the Netherlands.  The 2012 edition holds up that tradition, Thursday-Sunday, November 29th to December 2nd:

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29TH

Tivoli Oudegracht The Dirty Three, 10:45 PM – 11:45PM From the other side of the globe comes the instrumental post-rock of Melbourne’s The Dirty Three (QRO photos at a festival), who recently released Toward the Low Sun (QRO review).
MONO, 9:20 PM – 10:15 PM Before post-rock and noise-rock was all the rage in America & Europe, Japan had it down pat in bands like MONO (QRO live review), who come to Le Guess Who? on their European tour (QRO photos in Europe).
Do Make Say Think, 8:15 PM – 9:00 PM A night of international post-rock begins with one of the best, Toronto’s Do Make Say Think.  Sort of a post-rock version of Canadian alt-rock collectives like Broken Social Scene (QRO spotlight on), if the outfit’s got a leader, it would be mad musical scientist Charles Spearin (QRO interview) – also of Broken Social Scene.
Tivoli de Helling Lapalux, 2:10 AM – 3:00 AM One of the latest signing of Brainfeeder records, dubstep, hip-hop and IDM are mixed with high-pitched vocals for great effect.  Very promising.
Stubborn Heart, 1:10 AM – 1:50 AM London group formed by James Blake (QRO live review), Jamie xx and Jamie Woon (QRO photos at a festival), Stubborn Heart just released their first record, Need Someone/Two Time a Maybe, with their debut LP to be released this month.
Ultraísta, 12:00 AM – 12:45 AM Radiohead (QRO live review) producer and Thom Yorke collaborator in Atoms For Peace, Nigel Godrich, loves dense synth atmospheres and brooding bass lines.  Hope for extreme precision playing onstage.
Ekko Chris Cohen, 10:20 PM – 11:00 PM Deerhoof’s (see below) Chris Cohen has played with many bands in recent years and now’s introducing his first solo record, Overgrown Path, via the Captured Tracks label.
Sandro Perri, 9:00 PM – 9:45 PM Hosting an amalgam of genres ranging from electronic, experimental, and even folk, Sandro Perri is notably one of Canada’s most talented producers.  He has yet to release any new music since his 2011 album, Impossible Spaces, which ranked 38 on Pitchfork’s list of ‘Top 50 Albums of 2011’.
Little Wings, 8:00 PM – 8:45 PM Kyle Fields makes a rare visit to Europe, so it’s a good chance to listen to his dreamy, melancholic folk tunes.
ACU Black Bombaum, 1:30 AM – 2:15 AM Thulebasen, 12:00 AM – 12:45 AM Naytronix, 10:45 PM – 11:15 PM Tropa Macaca, 9:20 PM – 10:00 PM

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH

Tivoli Oudegracht Fuck Buttons, 11:30 PM – 12:30 AM The eclectic, expansive electronica of U.K.’s Fuck Buttons (QRO live review) comes to Le Guess Who? (QRO photos outdoors).  Hopefully the duo of Andrew Hung & Benjamin Power (QRO live review) have some new material, as they haven’t released an album since 2009’s Tarot Sport, their follow-up to prior year’s debut Street Horrrsing (QRO review).
Deerhoof, 10:15 PM – 11:10 PM A band (QRO photos at a festival) that’s always hard to peg down, the prolific Deerhoof (QRO photos), led by the unmistakable Satomi Matsuzaki, come to Le Guess Who? on their European tour (QRO photos in Europe).
Clinic, 9:00 PM – 9:40 PM Somehow both modern & old-timey, Liverpool’s Clinic (QRO spotlight on) use vintage instruments (including a Philips Phillcordia) for post-punk sounds with singer Ade Blackburn’s (QRO interview) clenched teeth vocals.  They’re also well known for their on-stage attire (QRO live review), including matching uniforms for every tour (such as hospital scrubs or Hawaiian shirts) and always wearing surgical masks (QRO live review).  They come to Le Guess Who? behind this month’s release of Free Reign (QRO review) their seventh album – one every even year of the twenty-first century.
Lumerians, 7:45 PM – 8:30 PM Oakland, California psychedelic/space rock combo combines murky organs and synths and hallucinatory visuals to great dancing effect on the audience.  First time in Europe!!
Tivolt de Helling Dracula Lewis, 3:00 AM – 3:45 AM The Soft Moon’s (see below) current support act in their Europe tour, Lewis made his first ever demo in a limited edition yellow cassette!!  Aggressive lo-fi electronics create a unique mix called “Space-psych horror”.  Not for Vampire haters.
The Soft Moon, 1:45 AM – 2:30 AM The Soft Moon have a post-post-punk sound that’s been called ‘Post-Apocalyptic’, and just released their new Zeros.
Suuns, 12:15 AM – 1:00 AM Montreal’s Suuns (QRO photos) are a post-industrial group (QRO photos at a festival) that is not the easiest to listen to (when they’re not serving as backing band to city-mate Elizabeth Powell – QRO interview – as Land of Talk – QRO photos of Powell & Suuns).
Sinkane, 10:45 PM – 12:45 AM Sudanese born Ahmed Gallab, a.k.a. Sinkane (QRO photos), has had a very busy fall ‘012, playing seemingly every CMJ showcase in October (QRO photos at CMJ festival) – even the CMJ line-up announcement party before that (QRO live review) – and just put out his debut full-length, Mars.  Oh, and he just wrapped up a tour (QRO photos) opening for good friends Yeasayer (QRO photos from the tour).
Matthew Dear, 9:30 PM – 10:15 PM Matthew Dear has already made his name as a DJ, but has recently taken the step up to full-fledged band with his Big Hands (QRO photos at a festival), out this year with Beams.
Bersarin Quartet, 8:15 PM – 9:00 PM This is in fact Thomas Bücker’s solo project; don’t be fooled by the name.  After a critically claimed record in 2008, his mixed of ambient and neo-classical elements will give tranquility and astral peace.
Ekko Dam Mantle, 3:00 AM – 4:00 AM Glaswegian Tom Marshallsay has played everything in different bands, from post-rock to experimental folk, which reflects now in his solo music.  Glitch pop and dubstep are some of the many elements he mixes in his first album, released last month.
Koreless, 1:45 AM – 2:30 AM Another Glaswegian, this time a producer, patience, emptiness and silence are his fortes.  So expect experimental, atmospheric and melancholic electronics full of deep basses.
Mo Kolours, 12:25 AM – 1:15 AM He was part of a compilation featuring Flying Lotus (QRO live review), Hudson Mohawke and Samiyam among others.  With roots that can be found in Mauritania and England, the groove, vibe and rhythms of Mo Kolours will carry the listener to new landscapes.
WHY?, 11:00 PM – 12:00 AM Jonathan ‘Yoni’ Wolf and his band, WHY? (QRO live review), combine indie, hip-hop, rock, pop, folk & more (QRO photos), most recently with 2008’s (somewhat underwhelming) Eskimo Snow (QRO review) and this year’s Mumps, Etc., and now they (QRO live review) come to ‘Le Guess WHY?’…
Lower Dens, 9:45 PM – 10:45 PM Slowly but surely little ol’ Baltimore is getting a rep in indie-circles – and up-and-coming alt-rockers Lower Dens (QRO photos at a festival) is one of the reasons why.  They come to Le Guess Who? on their first European tour.
Night Beds, 8:30 PM – 9:15 PM Colorado Springs-by-way-of-Nashville Night Beds (QRO photos) bring out the best in alt-country from both the West & the South.
Kargadoor Broeder Dieleman, 11:15 PM – 12:00 AM Marisa Anderson, 10:00 PM – 10:45 PM Joel RL Phelps, 8:30 PM – 9:45 PM
ACU Peepholes, 12:00 AM – 12:45 AM Each Other, 10:45 PM – 11:30 PM Valleys, 9:15 PM – 10:00 PM
Rasa The Pyramids, 9:00 PM – 10:30 PM An American free-jazz orchestra, founded in 1972, split in 1977 and reunited in 2007, they exposed all the Sun-Ra power in events like the Copenhagen Jazz Festival or the Worldwide Festival in French city of Séte.  Virtuous and sensational.
Vredenburg Leeuwenberg Julianna Barwick, 10:30 PM – 11:30 PM – QRO photos at a festival Hundred Waters, 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM – QRO photos at a festival

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1ST

Tivoli Oudegracht Benji B, 2:00 AM – 4:00 AM BBC Radio DJ with an ability to play everything, knowing what’s worth and what’s not.
Palmbomen (live), 1:00 AM – 1:40 AM Amsterdam’s Kai Hugo adds Italo-disco to glo-fi and creates a catchy sound with a stylish retro feel.  Onstage he uses LED visuals to achieve a greater effect in the audience.
Mala In Cuba, 11:45 PM – 12:30 AM Godfather of dubstep with an impressive resume.  Unmissable.
Foxygen, 10:30 PM – 11:15 PM While they formed back in 2005, Westlake Village duo Foxygen (QRO photos at a festival) only put out their first full-length this year, Take the Kids Off Broadway – but already have a second, We Are the Twenty-First Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic, lined up for 2013.
Team Ghost, 9:15 PM – 10:00 PM Post-punk, shoegaze and electronics from M83 (QRO live review) former founder member Nicolas Fromageau, currently working on the band’s debut album after singles like “Dead Film Star”.  Very promising. Also: Camera, 8:10 PM – 8:40 PM
Tivoli de Helling Objekt, 3:50 AM – 4:45 AM Started with techno-influenced dubstep but twisted his style to offer pumping and rolling modern techno.  Expect the unexpected.
Machine Drum, 2:15 AM – 3:45 AM Travis Stewart solo project, one of the two halves of Sepalcure and Dream Continuum, is a punchy mix of different electronics styles.  A musician with many faces.
Swindle, 1:25 AM – 2:05 AM A member of Mala’s (see above) backing band, this grime/dubstep producer from big London is one of the big names on the scene, with an ability to make each session very different from the previous and the next.
Adrian Sherwood, 12:15 AM – 1:15 AM The creator of the On-U Sound label, Sherwood has been active for 30+ years and has worked with the likes of Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Depeche Mode and The Cure.  A classic.
BEAK>, 11:00 PM – 12:00 AM Portishead’s (QRO photos at a festival) Geoff Barrow formed side project BEAK> in 2009 (QRO photos at same festival), which also has featured female vocals from Anika.
Old Apparatus, 10:00 PM – 10:45 PM Mysterious London collective who give away very little data about themselves, their dubstep is less bass-driven and adds hints of pop and experimental synth music.  One band to watch.
Tim Hecker, 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM International ambient artist Tim Hecker comes to Le Guess Who?.
Ekko Grup Ses Beats, 1:30 AM – 2:30 AM Turkish electronic duo Grup Sea Beats combine instrumental hip-hop and Turkish traditional music into a unique blend.  One of their first trips abroad, so an interesting act to watch.
Debruit, 11:45 PM – 12:45 AM Hip-hop, tropical bass, bass lines and house vibes make personal feel tunes by an artist who has collaborated with Zero 7, Hot Chip (QRO live review) and Lee Perry, among many others.
Mac DeMarco, 10:15 PM – 11:00 PM Some artists toil in obscurity for years, even decades, but Mac DeMarco (QRO photos at a festival) is only just old enough to drink (in his native, Puritan U.S.), and already has his debut full-length, Mac DeMarco 2.
Zammuto, 9:00 PM – 9:45 PM Earlier this year, New York sound experiment duo The Books split up, with one-half Nick Zammuto starting up his own self-titled band (QRO live review) with a self-titled album.  On record, Zammuto (QRO photos from a festival) incorporate found sounds & recordings – and bring it a big step further live, with great found footage as well.
Ravens & Chimes, 7:45 PM – 8:30 PM Out of the more/most typical of indie providing grounds, Brooklyn, comes the sunnier Ravens & Chimes (QRO photos at a festival), whose dual, dueling duets make for sweet sounds, such as on last year’s Holiday Life (QRO review) and single “Past Lives” (QRO mp3 review).
Kargadoor Man From the South, 10:45 PM – 11:30 PM From South Holland (Eindhoven, actually), debut Koblenzsat for three years in a shelf of releasing Dutch label Quadrafoon Records.  A pity for such a splendorous record, intimate and melancholic pop. Also: Birdt, 9:30 PM – 10:15 PM
ACU Prince Rama, 12:45 AM – 1:30 AM Sunflare, 11:30PM – 12:15 AM Chain & The Gang, 10:15 PM – 10:45 PM – QRO photos
DB’s Amen Ra, 12:00 AM – 1:00 AM Oathbreaker, 10:45 PM – 11:30 PM
Galerie Jaap Sleper Matana Roberts, 10:45 PM – 11:45 PM NYC Jazz saxophonist and producer, collaborator of TV On the Radio (QRO live review) and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, with an impressive discography of his own.
Lucrecia Dalt, 9:30 PM – 10:15 PM Soft-singer creates an atmospheric mix of lumbering drums and drawling guitar to an atmospheric mix.
Erin Lang & The Foundlings, 8:30 PM – 9:15 PM Cure’s Roger O’Donnell long-time collaborator Lang was encouraged by the former to pursue a solo career.  Delicate pop and dreamy tunes are the perfect way to start a night of gigs.  Onstage she plays with the Foundlings.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2ND

Tivoli Oudegracht 1 Ty Segall, 10:30 PM – 11:30 PM 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.
White Fence, 9:00 PM – 9:45 PM Ty Segall also recently teamed up with the more psychedelic-pop White Fence (QRO photos at a festival) for Hair.
Nick Waterhouse, 7:30 PM – 8:15 PM Raw, rhythmic and exciting rhythm ‘n’ blues from California.  Debut album Time’s All Gone mixes classic R&B with modern day influences.
Allah Las, 6:00 PM – 6:50 PM ‘60s psychedelic band from LA, influences by The Byrds and Captain Beefheart with a laid-back sound faintly reminiscent of Beach Fossils.
X-Ray Eyeballs, 4:45 PM – 5:30 PM Brooklyn has a lot of wild, messy, garage-rock.  A lot.  But one of the better ones, Golden Triangle (QRO photos), has offshoots that are two of the best – K-Holds (QRO photos at a festival) and X-Ray Eyeballs (QRO photos at a festival).  So check who the fuck are X-Ray Eyeballs.
Tivoli Oudegracht 2 Trauma Helicopter, 11:45 PM – 12:15 AM Dutch energetic garage band that combines lo-fi psychedelia and punk.
Night Beats, 9:45 PM – 10:30 PM Psych-soul garage combo (QRO photos at a festival) from Seattle comes to Europe (QRO photos in Europe) after touring the USA extensively supporting their self-titled debut record.
Paul Collins’ Beat, 8:20 PM – 9:00 PM With a 30+ year career, Paul Collins has used several monikers along the years.  But now his old band is back, so this is a unique chance not to miss his solid power pop.
FIDLAR, 6:55 PM – 7:25 PM Back in the long-lost eighties, punk outfits like Black Flag would prompt conflict with Commissioner Chief Daryl Gates’ pre-Rodney King LAPD – but everyone’s mellower these days, right?  Not if FIDLAR (QRO photos) have anything to say about it.
The Feeling of Love, 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM French one-man project developed into a three-piece band and offers an amazing mix of garage rock.
Acid Baby Jesus, 4:15 PM – 4:45 PM Kick-ass garage rock combo hailing from Athens, Greece, touring their first, self-titled record on Slovenly Records.
Fuzzbox Spiegelbar Jacco Gardner, 3:45 PM – 4:15 PM Neo-psych keyboardist from the Netherlands whose debut single “Where You Will Go” was released in garage label Trouble in Mind Records, the same as Ty Segall (see above). Also: Brat Farrar, 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Tivoli de Helling Destroyer, 9:25 PM – 10:20 PM In the western Canadian super-group The New Pornographers (QRO live review), 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 in last year’s Kaputt (QRO review).
Sharon Van Etten, 8:00 PM – 8:50 PM While there’s a ton of stripped songstresses out there, one of the nicer ones is Sharon Van Etten (QRO photos at a festival), who evoked the sad strains of Appalachia on her debut, Because I Was In Love (QRO review), while last year’s Epic (QRO review) made her the Brooklyn ‘it girl’ (QRO photos at a festival), and this year’s Tramp (QRO review) has gotten her get even more acclaim – and attention (QRO photos).  She’s also coming off of a star-studded show in NYC (QRO photos), where she had special guests like Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth (QRO live review) & Aaron Dessner of The National (QRO spotlight on).
The Luyas, 6:45 PM – 7:30 PM Montreal’s The Luyas (QRO photos) is relatively recent mash-up of members from some of the city’s best-known bands.  Featuring past and present players from Arcade Fire (QRO live review), Miracle Fortress (QRO photos), Belle Orchestre (QRO album review), and SS Cardiacs, the four-piece (QRO photos) explores a unique sound made up of steady percussion, hazy keyboards, a French horn, and a twelve-string zither.  Long story short, they’re a bit out there.  A perfect soundscape for the Tivoli de Helling.
Ekko DIIV, 5:20 PM – 6:15 PM Brooklyn shoegaze outfit DIIV (QRO live review) – previously known as Dive (QRO photos) – expand their reach across the Atlantic, after releasing debut Oshin (QRO review) this summer.
Dignan Porch, 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM Deluxe substitutes of Ringo Deathstarr (QRO spotlight on) in this Le Guess Who? fest.  Southwest Londoners who infuse fuzz into lo-fi punk and give similar U.S. bands a run for their money. Also: Cheatahs, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Rasa Grouper, 6:30 PM – 7:15 PM Liz Harris’ ambient solo project (QRO photos at a festival).  A prolific musician of avant-garde style and dreamy vocals. Also: Land Observations, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Jerusalem In My Heart, 3:45 PM – 4:30 PM
Wvredenburg Leeuwenberg The Revival Hour, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM Hayden, 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM – QRO interview Adrian Crowley, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM

For festival website, go here: http://www.leguesswho.nl/