Fun Fun Fun Fest 2013 Preview

The music festival season isn’t over until Austin says it is!  The ‘Live Music Capitol of the World’ basically starts the festival ball rolling every spring in South-by-Southwest (QRO recap), and ends it every fall with Fun Fun Fun Fest.  While SXSW has become a gargantuan, ungainly meganaut, FFF has kept its diverse tradition going, from big-name headliners to heralded reunions to the next, next band you need to hear – and stretches across musical genres as well, from the hard-hitting Black Stage to the electronic Blue Stage, artistes & comedians on the Yellow Stage to everyone & anyone at the Orange Stage (with even more in late Nite after-shows).

So head down to where it’s warm for three days of Fun Fun Fun, Friday to Sunday, November 8th to 10th:

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8th

Black Stage FLAG, 8:55 PM As The Sex Pistols were the definition of seventies punk rock, Black Flag was the definition of it in the eighties.  Their tours across the country might have been hated by the likes of the LAPD, but helped established punk scenes in cities from coast-to-coast.  While the singing slot rotated amongst the likes of Keith Morris (also of Circle Jerks – QRO live review – and more recently OFF! – QRO photos), Ron Reyes, and most notably Henry Rollins, the core was always Greg Ginn on guitar (he also founded/ran their seminal punk label, SST). In 2013, the world has been given two differing Black Flag reunions.  Ginn has broke the Black Flag name back with Ron Reyes, while Morris has reunited with Black Flag alumni Chuck Dukowski, Bill Stevenson, and Dez Cadena (as well as Stephen Egerton of Descendents – see below – and ALL on guitar) as ‘FLAG’ (QRO photos at a festival) – which has of course prompted a lawsuit (recently dismissed) from the notoriously difficult to work with Ginn.  But “Let’s get this straight – we are not Black Flag.  We are FLAG!”
Quicksand, 7:35 PM New York post-hardcore outfit Quicksand (QRO photos at a festival) looked poised for major label success in the nineties with albums Slip and Manic Compression, but didn’t break out, so instead broke up, with singer/guitarist Walter Schreifels going the solo route (QRO tour review).  But Quicksand got back together for a one-night-only performance earlier last year that has led to an appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – and have kept on going.
Thee Oh Sees, 6:25 PM Hailing from The O.C. (the name was original ‘Orange County Sound’, then ‘OCS’, then – well, you get the idea…), John Dwyer formed Thee Oh Sees (QRO photos at a festival) to put out his experimental, instrumental home recordings, but over seven records has morphed into a full band and a wild live show (QRO photos at a festival).  Thee Oh Sees come to Fun Fun Fun Fest (QRO photos at a festival) behind the new Floating Coffin.
No Age, 5:15 PM L.A.’s own young guitar & drums duo of Randy Randall and Dean Allen Spunt (QRO photos at a Los Angeles festival) have been blowing up very quickly since 2008’s Nouns (QRO review), including joining Dan Deacon (QRO live review) & Deerhunter (see below) on the 2009 ‘Round Robin’ tour (QRO live review) & a controversial appearance on Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (QRO Indie on Late Night TV).  While their nascent ‘shitgaze’ style was stillborn – 2010’s Everything In Between (QRO review) didn’t stand out – they come back to FFF after this fall’s release of An Object (QRO review).  The punk rock of such tracks as “Eraser” (QRO video), “Teen Creeps” (QRO video) and “Ripped Knees” (QRO video) plays fast, but look out for a young holiday crowd to go nuts (QRO live review), as the band returns to Fun Fun Fun Fest (QRO photos at FFF ‘09).
Also: The Impossibles, 4:05 PM Ceremony, 3:00 PM Title Fight, 2:00 PM – QRO photos Code Orange Kids, 1:10 PM Spraypaint, 12:20 PM
Blue Stage RJD2, 8:45 PM Producer/DJ/performer Ramble John ‘RJ’ Krohn, or RJD2 (QRO photos), comes back to Fun Fun Fun Fest (QRO photos at a festival in Austin).  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 2010’s The Colossus (QRO review) and this year’s More Is Than Isn’t.
Lupe Fiasco, 7:25 PM Discovered by no less than Jay-Z, Chicago’s Lupe Fiasco (QRO photos at a festival) rose to fame on the back of 2006 debut Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor.  While he was able to follow that up the next year with Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool, conflicting and ever-changing third album announcements have come & gone since then.  But that third record, Lasers, finally came out in 2011, and was followed up (on time) last year with Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1.
Big Freedia, 6:20 PM Just as the post-Katrina rebuilding of New Orleans has been taking a while, so has the post-Katrina (re)discovery of New Orleans music – but one of the biggest & best to come out of the Big Easy is bounce music, mixing hip-hop with local dance and Mardi Gras call-and-response, and one of the biggest & best in bounce is Big Freedia (QRO photos at a festival), with the big asses (QRO photos) that recently set the world twerking record…
Small Black, 5:15 PM Brooklyn’s more impressive chillwave act Small Black (QRO photos in Brooklyn) come to Fun Fun Fun Fest (QRO photos at a festival in Austin) behind this year’s exquisite Limits of Desire (QRO review).
Little Boots, 4:10 PM While Victoria Christina Hesketh started out in indie-pop trio Dead Disco, she soon headed out on her as Little Boots (QRO photos), garnering major attention (QRO photos at a festival) as one of the ‘new breed’ of breaking electro-pop ladies, alongside Lady Gaga, La Roux & Ladyhawke (QRO live review with Ladyhawke).  Her debut Hands (QRO review) made the top five in her native Britain in 2009, and this year released her follow-up, Nocturnes.
Star Slinger, 3:05 PM Manchester’s Darren Williams (QRO live review) slings the beats as Star Slinger (QRO photos).
Also Poolside, 2:00 PM – QRO photos at a festival Ratking, 1:00 PM – QRO photos at a festival Phranchyze, 12:10 PM
Orange Stage Snoop Dogg, 8:45 PM Do you really need to be introduced to Snoop Dogg (QRO photos at a festival)?  Unless you’ve been living on that island from Lost with The Others for the past twenty-plus years, you’ve seen Snoop (QRO photos) from his part in Death Row Records’ West Coast rap ascendance (QRO photos on the West Coast) with “Gin and Juice” through his legal troubles and ‘less-than-amicable’ split from Death Row to today’s chart-topping success in hip-hop and mainstream.  His high profile and relatively laid-back but charming, persona these days have also made him ubiquitous on screen, whether cameoing as himself in everything from Showtime’s Weeds to T-Mobile Sidekick ads, or guest-spotting as a rapper from Showtime’s L Word to ABC daytime soap One Life to Live (not to mention having had his own reality show, Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood, and filled the quintessential pimp role as Huggy Bear in the big screen remake of Starsky & Hutch).  More recently, he’s adopted the new name ‘Snoop Lion’ for a more reggae personality, but has been mixing and matching both canine & feline Snoops on this year’s Reincarnated (the companion piece to the documentary on his transformation) and live.  He’s also an expert at wooing the lily-white indie-crowd (QRO photos at a festival), and doesn’t forget his classics like Doggy Style (QRO photos performing Doggy Style at a festival).
Cut Copy, 7:35 PM 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 in 2011 with Zonoscope (QRO review).  While some think it was a step down, no one can argue that their live show is anything less than electric (QRO live review).  They come to FFF behind Free Your Mind, out the week before the festival.
The Walkmen, 6:25 PM A ‘Brooklyn veteran’ by now (QRO photos at a festival in Brooklyn), The Walkmen (QRO live review) have grown from their more soused early days (QRO photos – which included a front-to-back cover of John Lennon & Harry Nilsson’s drunken weekend Pussy Cats – QRO review) to a sadder, but more accomplished band (QRO photos at a festival) by 2008’s You & Me (QRO review).  Their live show (QRO live review) has similarly evolved (QRO photos at a festival), if losing some of that early fun, but certainly gotten classier (QRO live review).  But, even at festivals (QRO photos at a festival) or outdoors (QRO photos outdoors), they range nicely (QRO photos at a festival) from barstool rockers like oldies “The Rat” (QRO video) and “Thinking of a Dream I Had” (QRO video) plus the newer “The Blue Route” (QRO video) to sadder pint glass-raisers like older “Another One Goes By” (QRO video) and “Louisiana” (QRO video) plus the newer “On the Water” (QRO video) from 2010’s classy Lisbon (QRO review), made on site in Portugal (QRO live review in Europe).  They’re playing Fun Fun Fun Fest (QRO photos at a festival), behind last year’s Heaven (QRO review) and single “We Can’t Be Beat” (QRO review).  So watch The Walkmen (QRO photos) teach the younger bands how it’s done (QRO photos at a festival).
Kurt Vile & The Violators, 5:20 PM Even amongst all the lo-fi guitar-punks out there, Kurt Vile (QRO photos at a festival) has made a name for himself.  The former member of The War On Drugs (QRO live review), Kurt Vile has since formed his own ensemble with his Violators, and contributed to/opened for alt-punk guitar god J Mascis (of Dinosaur Jr. – QRO live review) on his solo record, Several Shades of Why (QRO review), and subsequent tour (plus Dinosaur Jr.’s You’re Living All Over Me show in NYC).  However, he’s since evolved into a frontman of his own (QRO live review), including at festivals (QRO photos at a festival).
Johnny Marr, 4:15 PM Recently, venerable U.K. music mag NME broke the long dominance that the baby-boomers have had over the top echelon of music by naming The Queen Is Dead the greatest album of all time – Revolver was a mere second.  The eighties auteurs to take that top spot was legendary Smiths, and while Morrissey will likely always get the lion’s share of attention (he’d throw a fit if he didn’t…), on guitar & pen was Johnny Marr (QRO photos). Since then Marr has forged an impressive post-Smiths career, from session work with everyone from a Beatle to The The.  More recently, he joined bands clearly influenced by The Smiths such as Modest Mouse (QRO review of album with Marr) to The Cribs (QRO live review with Marr), but this year he’s finally set out fully on his own (QRO photos at a festival) with The Messenger, and live show (QRO live review) that encompasses his whole long career.
Mac DeMarco, 3:15 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, and already has his debut full-length, Mac DeMarco 2.
Beach Fossils, 2:15 PM Relax for the relaxed indie-rock of New York’s Beach Fossils (QRO photos outdoors), even if their garage-rock (QRO photos) on this year’s Clash the Truth (QRO review) wasn’t that impressive.
Active Child, 1:25 PM Former choirboy Pat Grossi (QRO photos at a festival) brings his harp and pipes (QRO photos) to Fun Fun Fun Fest behind You Are All I See, his debut full-length/follow-up to debut EP Curtis Lane (QRO review). Also: The Tontons, 12:35 PM
Yellow Stage Bill Callahan, 7:30 PM Long before today’s infatuation with lo-fi, there was Smog, the home recording & performing name taken up by Bill Callahan.  While Callahan’s emerged from the Smog and now operates under his own name, he’s still a lo-fi icon.
((Sounder)), 6:25 PM Visual artist & video director Mike Aho will brings the sights along with the sounds to the Yellow Stage as ((Sounder)).
Patton Oswalt, 5:20 PM Modern, laugh-track free comedy has been enjoying a serious renaissance, from Judd Apatow movies to Flight of the Conchords (QRO live review) to Pixar animation to NBC’s actually funny Thursday night of ‘Must-See-TV’, and one of the most significant kick-starters of that was ‘The Comedians of Comedy’ Tour, originated by Patton Oswalt, who brought alternative comedy & stand-up out of comedy clubs and into rock clubs. Once just the sidekick on King of Queens, Oswalt has become a top-tier stand-up comic, as well as wowing with his dramatic chops as the lead in 2009’s Big Fan.  Comics don’t always work well at a music festival, but between ‘Comedians of Comedy’ & his previous appearances at northwestern fests like Bumbershoot and Sasquatch!, Oswalt knows what he’s doing.
Also: Kyle Kinane, 4:50 PM Matt Bearden, 4:20 PM Kyle Dunnigan, 4:00 PM Judge G-SU, 3:15 PM Live Action Battle Rap, 2:30 PM Rob Gagnon’s One-Hour Comedy Festival, 1:45 PM Nathan Brown, 1:00 PM Maggie May, 12:45 PM Cody Hustak, 12:30 PM Natalie Cox, 12:15 PM David James, 12:00 PM ATX Comedy Hour with Lisa Friedrich, 11:30 AM

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9th

Black Stage Descendents, 8:45 PM Amid the plethora of indie reunions in the twenty-first century, one of the most welcome was that of Los Angeles’ own Descendents (QRO photos at a festival).  One of the seminal punk bands of the eighties, singer/research biochemist Milo Aukerman left the group in 1987, with which the rest of the Descendents (QRO photos at a festival) recruited a new singer and became All, but Aukerman returned in 1995.  The group went on hiatus again in 2004, but 2010 saw them return, again (including at FFF) – so go see where today’s punk is Descended from (QRO photos).
Judge, 7:30 PM From one of the acts that began the straight edge movement, Youth of Today, YoT guitarist John Porcelly and drummer Mike Ferraro formed Judge (Ferraro’s nickname) in the late eighties.  Judge broke up back in 1991, but have reunited for two sold-out NYC shows – and Fun Fun Fun Fest, which seemingly always has a seminal punk act reuniting.
Body Count, 6:25 PM Ice-T not only comes to Fun Fun Fun Fest solo (see below), he’s also brought his Body Count.  The Los Angeles crossover thrash metal outfit made mega-headlines in the early nineties with “Cop Killer” – so much so that Ice-T thought it was eclipsing the rest of Body Count’s debut record, so decided to remove it from the album and release as free single (and that’s back when singles were physical records, not a link to download some ephemeral megabytes…). Of course, these days Ice-T plays a cop on Law & Order: SVU, while three of Body County’s original five members have passed away…
Subhumans, 5:20 PM The biggest punk rock star at Fun Fun Fun Fest still has to be original anarcho-punks Subhumans – they’re wider than a postcard, and playing a special thirtieth anniversary performance of Cradle To the Grave!
Pelican, 4:20 PM Chicago’s stratospheric post-rock scene has even birthed post-metal in the instrumental Pelican.
Melt Banana, 3:20 PM At Fun Fun Fun Fest 2009, while Shonen Knife (QRO spotlight on) brought Japanese garage-rock to Fun Fun Fun Fest, Melt Banana brought Japan’s noise-rock, and does so again this year.  Pretty much spells out the difference between Orange Stage & Black Stage.
Also: White Lung, 2:30 PM – QRO photos Retox, 1:40 PM Unlocking the Truth, 12:50 PM Venomous Maximus, 12:00 PM
Blue Stage Ice-T, 8:45 PM The rare success as rapper, actor, and reality star, Ice-T is playing Fun Fun Fun Fest (along with his hardcore outfit, Body Count – see above).  The only question you have to ask yourself is: are you a pimp, or are you a ho?…
Simian Mobile Disco, 7:30 PM The Disco gets very Mobile when ‘The James’ – Ford & Shaw – bring the light & sound show that is Simian Mobile Disco (QRO live review) to Fun Fun Fun Fest (QRO photos).  Even if it’s just a DJ set, their lights can really shine (QRO photos).
Tycho, 6:20 PM Ambient electronics come to Fun Fun Fun Fest in the form of Scott Hansen (QRO photos at a festival), a.k.a. Tycho (QRO photos).
Glass Candy, 5:15 PM Now coming up on fifteen years together, the Portland, Oregon electronica duo of singer Ida No & instrumentalist/producer Johnny Jewel have moved from their noise rock-meets-electropop origins to incorporating such diverse sounds as Italian disco & Marilyn Monroe as Glass Candy (QRO photos at a festival).
Chromatics, 4:15 PM Johnny Jewel of the electronic Glass Candy (see just above) also plays the Blue Stage in his solo side-project, the noisier & more chaotic Chromatics (QRO photos at a festival).
Also: Flatbush Zombies, 3:15 PM The Underachievers, 2:25 PM Big Black Delta, 1:35 PM – QRO photos at a festival Roger Sellers, 12:45 PM LNS Crew, 11:55 AM
Orange Stage M.I.A., 8:30 PM Hip-hop has a host of controversial personalities, and when those artists cross into other genres, they often bring the controversy with them.  Taking the controversial mic in last few years 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 to giving the finger to the camera while performing at the Super Bowl Halftime Show last year.  In 2011 she came out with /\/\/\Y/\, her follow-up to 2007 smash-hit Arular, and it proved as divisive as Maya herself (that’s how the title is pronounced).  She’s had some problems at festivals (QRO photos at a festival), but comes to headline Fun Fun Fun Fest (QRO photos outdoors at a festival) behind her new Matanga, out the week prior to the festival (of course, it only got that release date after label delays & M.I.A. threatening to leak it herself…).
Deerhunter, 7:00 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 – QRO live review), Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel (QRO review) that beat ‘em both. And, after a hiatus & Atlas Sound’s Logos (QRO review), 2011 saw Deerhunter (QRO photos outdoors) reach even higher thanks to Halcyon Digest (QRO review) – and this year they’ve followed it up with Monomania (QRO review), a more garage-rock record – and show (QRO photos at a festival), including at festivals (QRO photos at a festival).  Known for electric shows whether as the Sound (QRO live review) or with Deerhunter (QRO live review outdoors), Cox & Deerhunter (QRO photos outdoors) have been as prolific with the festivals (QRO photos at a festival).
Television, 5:50 PM From nineteen seventies rock scene that produced everyone from The Ramones to The Talking Heads, Television defined its auteur edge in guitarists Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd and debut Marquee Moon.  They broke up in 1978, with sporadic reunions since then, until Lloyd’s health issues forced him to retire after a 2007 show at Central Park SummerStage (QRO venue review).  However, Verlaine, drummer Billy Ficca, bassist Fred Smith, and new guitarist Jimmy Rip have kept on going, with a new album rumored.
Geographer, 4:45 PM “Soulful music from outer space” comes to Fun Fun Fun Fest in the form of San Francisco’s Geographer.
Chelsea Light Moving, 3:40 PM Late in 2011, the indie world was stunned when Thurston Moore & Kim Gordon, the married couple at the heart of the venerable alt-punk icons Sonic Youth (QRO live review), announced that they were filing for divorce.  “What will this mean for Sonic Youth?” everyone asked (including, seemingly, SY guitarist Lee Renaldo). Well, Sonic Youth has been on hiatus since then, but its members have been active in their own projects, such as Moore’s (QRO solo live review) new Chelsea Light Moving (QRO photos at a festival).
Also: Merchandise, 2:40 PM – QRO photos at a festival Bleached, 1:40 PM – QRO photos at a festival Ola Podrida, 12:50 PM – QRO live review Frank Smith, 12:00 PM
Yellow Stage Sparks, 7:30 PM Long before hipsters these days dropped their guitars for keyboards, brothers Ron and Russell Mael shifted Sparks from rock to electronics way back in the seventies, in collaboration with Giorgio Moroder (who’s most recently worked with Daft Punk on this year’s hit record – QRO review).  Since then, Sparks have created their own musical universe – or universes, inspiring everyone from Kurt Cobain to ABBA, Björk to Paul McCartney.  And while recent years have seen them finally getting some the commercial credit that they’re due, they continue to “steer clear of pop conventions.”
Quasi, 6:25 PM Exes Sam Coomes (QRO interview) & Janet Weiss have got back together a few years ago, musically at least, for the latest go-round of their band Quasi (QRO live review), including 2010’a American Gong (QRO review) – and recruited Joanna Bolme of, like Weiss, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks (QRO live review).  Since then Weiss left The Jicks for Portland supergroup Wild Flag (QRO live review), but Coomes gets his gang (QRO spotlight on) back together to play Fun Fun Fun Fest (QRO photos at a festival) and a new record, Mole City.
Tenacious D, 5:20 PM It’s Tenacious D time (QRO photos) – muthafuckin’ D!  Jack Black and Kyle Gass – JB & KG – began their epic journey when they got a handful of shorts got on HBO (making up only three half-hour episodes), and then Black’s movie career took off and ‘The D’ took off.  Making & playing heavy metal music with only their voices (including “Inward Singing”) and acoustic guitars (including “One Note Song”), they became the greatest – and funniest – band in rock ‘n’ roll thanks to songs like “Tribute” and “Wonderboy”. It all culminated in their life story coming to the silver screen in Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny in 2006 – and the passion project bombed in the theaters.  The D were not ashamed, even their second tour DVD, The Complete Masterworks Part 2, where they talked about the film’s lack of success (“This is film Tenacious D doesn’t want you to see” – Black), but it seemed like the group had had their run (and their drummer Dave something returned to his side-project, The Foo Fighters – QRO album review). But no one can keep The D down, and Kage & Jabels returned last year with Rise of the Fenix (QRO review)!  So they hit “The Road” (QRO live review outdoors), did their “Cock Push-Ups”, got their “Low Hanging Fruit” and “Roadie” – get ready for them to “Rock Your Socks” off with “Exploding Brains” (QRO live review)! Hollywood Jack and Rage Cage may have declared that “Rock Is Dead” – and even embraced “The Jazz” (QRO photos of The D playing a jazz club) – but there isn’t a better act that combines the rock & comedy of Fun Fun Fun Fest as Tenacious D (QRO photos at a festival).
Craig Robinson, 4:35 PM With all these alternative comics you only know if you follow stand-up, there’s at least one actor from a respectable regular gig at Fun Fun Fun, Craig Robinson, who played Darryl Philbin on The Office – and could also be seen on screen in Hot Tub Time Machine (okay, don’t hold that against him…).
Doug Benson, 4:05 PM While he first got notice on programs like Best Week Ever, comedian Doug Benson has since made his own name, primarily in hilarious regular podcasts like Doug Loves Movies and The Benson Interruption, as well as just recently being the first ever return guest to Chris Hardwick’s new, post-Colbert show, @midnight.
Also: Jenny Slate, 3:35 PM Miami Improv Machine, 2:45 PM One Night Stand, 1:50 PM The Real @christrew Show, 1:00 PM Lane Krarup, 12:40 PM Ryan Cownie, 12:30 PM Katie Pengra, 12:20 PM Amber Bixby, 12:10 PM Norman Wilkerson, 12:00 PM

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10th

Black Stage King Khan & The Shrines, 8:55 PM 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 – especially outside (QRO live review outdoors).  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 Fun Fun Fun (QRO photos from the weekend before) behind their new Idle No More.
The Locust, 8:00 PM Mixing grindcore speed and new wave weirdness is San Diego’s The Locust.
Gojira, 6:55 PM In the ‘new metal rising’ of recent years, Aquitaine’s Gojira are the old men of the bunch, having been in operation for almost twenty years, but are now only finally getting their due.
August Burns Red, 5:45 PM There’s a space on the Black Stage even for Our Lord and Savior, as long as he’s hard, fast, and loud, like Christian metalcore act August Burns Red (QRO photos).
Cro-Mags, 4:40 PM QRO Mag has always had a special place in our hearts for cult crossover thrash act Cro-Mags…
Cloud Nothings, 3:40 PM Young Dylan Baldi (QRO photos) throws back to music older than he as Cloud Nothings (QRO live review) with last year’s Attack On Memory (QRO review), and brings his bringing back of power-pop to Fun Fun Fun (QRO photos at a festival).
The Men, 2:40 PM Harder-hitting pop-rock outfit The Men (QRO photos at a festival) cross boundaries from pop to metal to experimental (QRO photos at a festival).
Also: Narrows, 1:45 PM True Widow, 12:50 PM 4ARM, 12:00 PM
Blue Stage Jurassic 5, 8:45 PM Alternative hip-hop is a big scene these days, as the two styles mash up in the underground, but back when ‘alternative’ meant something, there was Jurassic 5, a collective that brought serious “Quality Control”.  The various members eventually went their various ways, but this year all – including DJ Cut Chemist & rapper Chali 2na (QRO photos at a festival) – reunited for an international tour that’s also hitting Fun Fun Fun Fest (which isn’t just about punk rock reunions…).
Bonobo, 7:30 PM While most DJs-as-artists are pretty new in the indiesphere, Simon Green (QRO photos at a festival) has been spinning for over a decade as Bonobo (QRO live review).
Deltron 3030, 6:20 PM Deltron 3030 is a special alternative hip-hop supergroup of Dan the Automator, Del the Funkee Homosapien (QRO photos at a festival), and Kid Koala, operating under pseudonyms and alter egos.  They come to Fun Fun Fun Fest behind this year’s Event 2, and play with a full orchestra.
Also: Shlohmo, 4:15 PM – QRO photos at a festival XXYYXX, 3:20 PM Dessa, 2:15 PM Chet Faker, 1:10 PM Bagheera, 12:10 PM
Orange Stage Slayer, 8:30 PM Fun Fun Fun Fest takes metal to the next level with the iconic Slayer (QRO photos at a festival).  Now in their fourth decade, Slayer has been the definition of thrash since the concept began, from brutal axe work to brutal cover art – and pounding the walls of Yankee Stadium as one of the ‘The Big Four’ (QRO review) of metal, with Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax. More recently, the band has hit some hard times, first firing long-time drummer Dave Lombardo last February, then seeing charter guitarist Jeff Hanneman die in May.  But nothing can slay The Slayer (QRO photos at a festival), who come to FFF with a new album in the works (that is rumored to include material written by Hanneman before his death).
MGMT, 6:50 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 Feel” (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 (QRO photos outdoors) is more than prepared to blow minds outdoors when they return to Fun Fun Fun Fest (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), as they tour the release of their new self-titled record this fall.
The Dismemberment Plan, 5:40 PM The Dismemberment Plan (QRO photos at a festival) blasted through around the turn of the millennium with three post-hardcore records, only to break up. But you can’t keep a good Plan down, and the D.C. band reunited two years ago – FFF happens the month after release of their first post-reunion record, Uncanney Valley.
Washed Out, 4:30 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 (QRO interview) who moved his work out of the bedroom (where he recorded Life of Leisure EP – QRO review) and onto the live stage (QRO live review) as Washed Out (QRO spotlight on), as well as recruiting a full band (QRO photos at a festival) for 2011’s Within and Without (QRO review) and the new Paracosm (QRO review).
The Julie Ruin, 3:30 PM The original Riot Grrrl, Kathleen Hanna (who’s married to Beastie Boys’ Ad-Rock – who knew?), is back, as the Bikini Kill star fronts the new Julie Ruin (QRO photos), who’ve already released debut Run Fast.
The Polyphonic Spree, 2:20 PM There’s no band out there on the alternative music scene with more members than Dallas’ own alt-choir, The Polyphonic Spree.  Expect them to not just fill the stage (QRO photos), but the festival (QRO photos in Austin), with their unique sound.  While not great on 2007’s The Fragile Army (QRO review), The Spree are most definitely a band best experienced live – and outside.  They come to Fun Fun Fun Fest behind this year’s Yes, It’s True.
Also: Cayucas, 1:20 PM – QRO photos at a festival in Austin Lemuria, 12:30 PM
Yellow Stage Daniel Johnston, 7:35 PM Texas’ own singer/songwriter/artist Daniel Johnston (QRO video interview) first came to notice thanks to fans of his like Kurt Cobain & Thurston Moore, and his struggle with bipolar disorder & fame was chronicled in the 2006 documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston.  While still not on an even keel, he still produces & performs (QRO live review) work that can reach into the brilliant, such as “Life In Vain” (QRO video).
Wild Child, 6:25 PM Austin’s own Wild Child were labeled the best folk band of the town’s most recent South-by-Southwest (QRO recap).
Sarah Silverman, 5:25 PM Fun Fun Fun Fest has a host of top-flight stand-up comics, and one of the best known as FFF ’13 has to be Sarah Silverman.  From Saturday Night Live to Comedy Central’s Sarah Silverman Program to movies like Wreck-It Ralph, Silverman has been getting serious attention for a while now (though it may have already peaked & crested…).  Her stand-up (QRO review at a comedy festival) takes on social taboos from sexism to religion & more.
Also: Rob Delaney, 4:45 PM Bridget Everett, 4:15 PM Doug Mellard, 3:50 PM Air Sex Championship, 2:55 PM Altercation Punk Rock Comedy Tour, 2:15 PM – QRO photos at a festival Mac Blake, 2:00 PM Nick Mullen, 1:50 PM Joe Faina, 1:40 PM Chris Tellez, 1:30 PM Master Pancake, 1:00 PM Veggie Hot Dog Eating Contest, 12:30 PM TNM Comedy, 12:00 PM

AFTER-SHOWS

The Fun doesn’t have to stop just because the sun has set (and the park has closed) – head to venues around the Live Music Capitol of the World for late Nite after-shows, before, during, and after FFF:

Thursday, November 7th

Beerland
Pop 1280, 12:30 AM
Ice Balloons, 12:30 PM
Crooked Bangs, 10:30 PM

Holy Mountain (inside)
Title Fight, 1:00 AM
Code Orange Kids, 12:00 AM
Boyfrndz, 11:00 PM
Pushmen, 10:15 PM

Mohawk
Kurt Vile & The Violators, 9:45 PM
The Tontons, 8:45 PM
Roger Sellers, 8:00 PM

Mohawk (inside)
Leopold & His Fiction, 1:00 AM
The Migrant, 12:00 AM
Dana Falconberry, 11:00 PM

The Parish
RJD2, 12:30 AM
Boombaptist, 11:30 PM
Corduroi, 10:30 PM

Red 7 (inside)
The Blind Shake, 1:00 AM
OBN III’s, 12:00 AM
Dikes of Holland, 11:15 PM
Shrines, 10:30 PM

Friday, November 8th

Beerland
Small Black, 12:30 AM
Silk Rodeo, 11:30 PM
Xander Harris, 10:30 PM

The Belmont
Star Slinger, 11:00 PM
Larry Gus, 10:15 PM
Bronze Whale, 9:30 PM

The Belmont (inside)
Bob Mould (DJ set), 12:30 AM
Fred Armisen (DJ set), 12:00 AM

Elysium
Misfits, 12:30 AM
The Attack, 11:30 PM
Lost In Society, 10:30 PM

Holy Mountain
The Underachievers, 12:15 AM
Ratking, 11:15 PM
Chief & The Doomsday Device, 10:30 PM
Lethal, 10:00 PM

Holy Mountain (inside)
Antwon, 12:45 AM
Fat Tony, 11:45 PM
Kosha Dillz, 11:00 PM
P-Tek, 10:15 PM

Hotel Vegas
Christian Bland & The Revelators, 1:00 AM
Blues Control, 12:00 AM
Holy Wave, 11:20 PM

Mohawk
Subhumans, 11:15 PM
White Lung, 11:15 PM
Criaturas, 9:30 PM

Mohawk (inside)
Judge, 12:45 AM
Back to Back, 11:45 PM
Breakout, 11:00 PM

The New Movement
Kyle Kinane, 1:00 AM
Doug Mellard, 12:30 AM

North Door
Mac DeMarco, 12:30 AM
Quasi, 11:30 PM
Booher, 10:30 PM
Freddy Fudd Pucker, 10:00 PM

The Parish
Poolside, 12:30 AM
Bagheera, 11:30 PM
Orthy, 10:30 PM

Red 7
Pelican, 12:30 AM
True Widow, 11:30 PM
Coliseum, 10:45 PM
Phantom Lakes, 10:00 PM

Red 7 (inside)
Chelsea Light Moving, 1:00 AM
Lemuria, 12:00 AM
Merchandise, 11:00 PM
The Young, 10:15 PM

State Theater
Sarah Silverman, 11:00 PM
Doug Benson, 10:30 PM
Kyle Dunnigan, 10:00 PM

Saturday, November 9th

ACL Live at The Moody Theater
Simian Mobile Disco (DJ set), 12:30 AM
Twin Shadow, 11:45 PM
Making Time (DJ set), 11:00 PM

Beerland
The Last, 1:00 AM
Scott Reynolds, 12:00 AM
Audacity, 11:00 PM
Drakulas, 10:15 PM

The Belmont
Del the Funkee Homosapien, 11:00 PM
Flatbush Zombies, 10:00 PM
Bodega, 9:15 PM

The Belmont (inside)
JEL, 1:00 AM
Serengeti, 12:00 AM
DJ Abilities, 11:15 PM
Tony Trimm (DJ set), 10:30 PM

Empire Control Room
Chet Faker, 12:30 AM
Big Black Delta, 11:30 PM
Jupiter, 10:45 PM
Dark Rooms, 10:00 PM

Holy Mountain
Cro-Mags, 12:30 AM
Iron Age, 11:45 PM
Ceremony, 11:00 PM
The Impalers, 10:15 PM

Holy Mountain (inside)
Retox, 12:45 AM
Narrows, 11:45 PM
Regents, 10:45 PM
Coliseum, 10:00 PM

Hotel Vegas
Black Tusk, 12:45 AM
Inter Arma, 11:45 PM
Eagle Claw, 11:00 PM
Bruce Lamont, 10:15 PM

Mohawk
Tenacious D, 11:20 PM
Craig Robinson, 10:55 PM
Jenny Slate, 10:20 PM
Matt Bearden, 9:30 PM

The New Movement
‘Road Stories’ with JT Habersaat, 10:30 PM

North Door
The Men, 12:45 AM
Bleached, 11:45 PM
Hunters, 11:00 PM
Saint Rich, 10:15 PM

Red 7
Lee Fields & The Expressions, 12:30 AM
Brownout!, 11:15 PM
Latasha Lee & The Black Ties, 10:15 PM

Red 7 (inside)
Soul Clap Dance-off w/ DJ Jonathan Tobin, 10:00 PM

Sunday, November 10th

Empire Control Room
Chali 2na, 12:00 AM
DJ Orion, 11:00 PM

Holy Mountain (inside)
Defeater, 12:00 AM
Beartooth, 11:00 PM
Illustration, 10:15 PM

Hotel Vegas
The Impossibles, 12:00 AM
Vegatron, 11:00 PM

Mohawk (inside)
Cayucas, 12:30 AM
Good Field, 10:45 PM
Growl, 10:00 PM

The Parish
Bonobo (DJ set), 11:30 PM
DJ Most Jefinite, 10:30 PM

Red 7 (inside)
Nick Turner’s Hawkwind, 12:15 AM
Skycrawler, 11:20 PM
Wet Lungs, 10:45 PM
Spraypaint, 10:00 PM

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