FYF Fest 2013 Preview

Come to L.A. State Historic Park for FYF Fest! Consistently one of the best festivals around, this two-day event in downtown Los Angeles features a wide array of acts, from punk rock to chillwave, über-veterans to overnight sensations, Saturday & Sunday, August 24th & 25th.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 24th

Miranda Stage Death Grips, 11:05 PM – 11:55 PM Alt-hip-hop has grown into experimental hip-hop, the next big thing in outfits like Sacramento’s Death Grips (QRO photos at a festival) – who also have a wild stage show more akin to Odd Future (QRO live review). But the big question is whether they’ll even show, as they’re notorious for canceling shows (sometimes without notice), like just earlier this month at both Lollapalooza (including an after-party, which caused a riot) and Osheaga (QRO recap).

FLAG, 9:55 PM – 10:40 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 (who both helped create FYF Fest and was 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 & ALL on guitar) as ‘FLAG’ – which has of course prompted a lawsuit from the notoriously difficult to work with Ginn…

Thee Oh Sees, 8:45 PM – 9:30 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 FYF Fest (QRO photos at a festival) for a second time, behind the new Floating Coffin.

Also: The Locust, 7:45 PM – 8:20 PM Title Fight, 6:40 PM – 7:20 PM – QRO photos Joyce Manor, 5:45 PM – 6:15 PM – QRO photos The Underachievers, 4:25 PM – 5:00 PM Waxahatchee, 3:20 PM – 3:55 PM – QRO album review Lemuria, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM

Charlotte Stage STRFKR, 9:55 PM – 10:45 PM Once and sometimes still known as ‘Starfucker’ (QRO photos) – and also as PYRAMID – having ‘fuck’ in your name isn’t the career handicap it used to be, as the Portland-based electronic band STRFKR (QRO photos) have been making dance music that’s also great to listen to (QRO photos at a festival).

Dan Deacon, 8:45 PM – 9:30 PM One of the many acts bringing the wild, DIY element to FYF is Dan Deacon (QRO photos). The Baltimore native (QRO photos outdoors) is a man of many talents, including throwing his own DIY festivals & tours, like 2009’s ‘Round Robin’ tour (QRO live review) with No Age (see below) & Deerhunter (see below). But he’s still best known as an electronic musician, most recently with last year’s America (QRO review) and 2009’s Bromst (QRO review), which get wild live (QRO live review), whether with his fifteen-piece backing band (QRO live review) or Deacon standing & playing from in the crowd (QRO photos, outdoors at a festival), like at festivals (QRO photos at a festival) – including FYF ’11.

Devendra Banhart, 7:25 PM – 8:20 PM Alt-folk singer/songwriter Devendra Banhart (QRO photos) has just been getting bigger & bigger, from dating Natalie Portman in 2008 to signing to major label WB/Reprise the following year & putting out What Will Be Will Be (QRO review). Then he collaborated with the likes of Beck (QRO album review) on Life During Wartime soundtrack, and with Beck & James Murphy (of LCD Soundsystem – QRO live review) for the audio-visual “Song 1” project at D.C.’s Hirshom Museum. But he’s back to his own work (QRO photos at a festival) with this year’s independent release Mala (QRO review).

Toro y Moi, 6:10 PM – 7:00 PM One of the ‘big names’ in ‘chillwave’, Chazwick Bundick – a.k.a. Toro y Moi (QRO photos) – had one of the new genre’s touchstone records in 2011 in Causers of This (QRO review), but has since moved to a more rock-oriented sound, especially live (QRO photos). He comes to FYF Fest (QRO photos) behind this year’s new record, Anything In Return.

Ty Segall, 5:00 PM – 5:45 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, and returns to FYF Fest for a second time.

METZ, 3:55 PM – 4:30 PM Both loud and skilled, METZ (QRO live review) come ready to rock and impress at FYF Fest (QRO photos at a festival).

Crystal Antlers, 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM Hailing from nearby Long Beach, Crystal Antlers (QRO photos at a festival) bring a more experimental – but still loud – side to FYF Fest, which they play for the third time.

Samantha’s Tent Simian Mobile Disco B2B Bicep, 10:05 PM – 12:00 AM The Disco gets very Mobile when ‘The James’ – Ford & Shaw – bring the light & sound show that is Simian Mobile Disco (QRO live review) back to FYF Fest (QRO photos) for a third year in a row (this time going B2B with Bicep), closing out Samantha’s Tent, where their lights can really shine (QRO photos).

Nosaj Thing, 8:55 PM – 9:45 PM Los Angeles’ own Nosaj Thing (a.k.a. Jason Chung) has been getting serious attention with his mash-up of electronica and hip-hop.

Delorean, 7:45 PM – 8:35 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 in 2010 (and playing FYF Fest the following year).

Also: Classixx, 6:40 PM – 7:20 PM – QRO photos Horse Meat Disco, 5:30 PM – 6:25 PM Roky Erickson, 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM – QRO live review Eleanor Friedberger, 3:35 PM – 4:10 PM – QRO photos at a festival

Comedy, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Doug Benson Brendon Small Brett Gelman Hampton Yount Jim Hamilton Jonah Ray

Carrie Stage Yeah Yeah Yeahs, 10:45 PM – 12:00 AM The Yeah Yeah Yeahs (QRO photos) emerged out of the same wave of New York alt-acts at the beginning of this century/millennium as The Strokes and others, but YYYs have managed to just keep going. They broke through with 2004’s Fever To Tell and hit single “Maps”, and while they’ve only released a record every three years (2007’s Show Your Bones, 2010’s It’s Blitz! – QRO review – and most recently this year’s Mosquito – QRO review), they’ve stayed hot, mixing in dance-punk and electronica. They’re also one of the most fashionable (QRO photos) acts around in singer/frontwoman Karen O.

TV On the Radio, 9:15 PM – 10:10 PM One of the bands that put Brooklyn not only on the indie-map, but also at the top of it, is the borough’s TV On the Radio (QRO live review outdoors in Brooklyn). 2004’s debut Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes introduced their complex-yet-accessible indie-tech-punk-rock, 2006’s Return to Cookie Mountain proved it was no fluke, and 2008’s Dear Science (QRO review) saw the band launched into the top tier of alternative music (QRO live review). The group took something of a break after that, as members such as Tunde Adebimpe, David Andrew Sitek, and Kyp Malone did various side/solo projects, but returned last year (QRO photos at a festival) with Nine Types of Light (QRO review). Nine Types was a return in quality as well as success for the band (QRO photos at a festival), though they unfortunately lost bassist Gerard Smith to cancer in 2011, but have kept on magnificently (QRO photos outdoors in Brooklyn last year).

Deerhunter, 7:55 PM – 8:45 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), like FYF ’07.

The Breeders, 6:30 PM – 7:25 PM In 2013, FYF Fest has jumped on the ‘artist performing their classic albums in full’ with The Breeders (QRO live review) performing their classic Last Splash in full (QRO live review performing Last Splash) for its twentieth anniversary (*QRO photos of them performing Last Splash* at another festival** – which is good because, while Last Splash is still amazing (QRO photos of them performing it at yet another festival), their later material, like 2008’s Mountain Battles – QRO review – isn’t…).

Charles Bradley, 5:10 PM – 6:00 PM The ‘Screaming Eagle of Soul’, Charles Bradley is one of the many great soul singers to emerge from Brooklyn’s DapTone Records, which also brought the world Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (QRO album review) and Budos Band (QRO album review), but Bradley more than stands on his own, from festivals (QRO photos at a festival) to recently topped the bill at the one-and-only Apollo Theater (QRO photos)!

Mikal Cronin, 4:00 PM – 4:35 PM Alt-garage utility player Mikal Cronin (QRO photos at a festival) has emerged as a force in his own right, most recently with this year’s solo sophomore effort, MCII.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 25th

Miranda Stage Les Savy Fav, 9:30 PM – 10:20 PM There may not be a band more suited for FYF Fest than the always-entertaining Les Savy Fav. It’s been a while since Brooklyn group released 2010’s Root For Ruin (QRO review), to say nothing of 2007’s Let’s Stay Friends (QRO review), but they’re best know for their crazy, wild live shows (QRO live review), with singer Tim Harrington running into the crowd, up against his band members (QRO photo), stripping to his portly frame, and more (QRO photos).

Melvins, 8:15 PM – 9:05 PM The Melvins’ (QRO live review) sludgy rock came to the fore during the grunge heyday of their native Pacific Northwest in the early nineties, but they’ve been rocking since the early eighties all the way through to today (QRO photos at a festival), with 2011’s live record Sugar Daddy (QRO review), last year’s EP The Bulls and The Bees (QRO review), and two full-lengths this year, cover album Everybody Loves Sausages & originals Tres Cabrones.

Baroness, 7:05 PM – 7:50 PM 2012 was the best year and the worst year for Savannah’ Baroness (QRO live review). The metal group put themselves at the forefront of today’s metal renaissance with the highly acclaimed Yellow & Green (QRO review) – only for tragedy to strike in the form of a terrible bus accident in England. No lives were lost, but drummer Allen Blickle and bassist Matt Maggioni had to quit the band due to their injuries. Thankfully, replacements have been found and Baroness are back on the road (QRO photos).

Also: Touché Amoré, 5:55 PM – 6:40 PM Chelsea Wolfe, 4:45 PM – 5:30 PM Mac DeMarco, 3:35 PM – 4:20 PM – QRO photos at a festival Jonathan Richman, 2:30 PM – 3:10 PM

Charlotte Stage Holy Ghost!, 11:00 PM – 12:00 AM Electro-pop duo Alex Frankel & Nick Millhiser (QRO photos) forms the up-and-coming Holy Ghost! (QRO live review), who have toured with LCD Soundsystem (QRO live review, on tour with Holy Ghost!) and Cut Copy (QRO live review with Holy Ghost!), and put out their self-titled debut (QRO review) in 2011. They come to FYF (QRO photos at a festival) on tour (QRO live review) behind latest single, “Dumb Disco Ideas”.

Solange, 9:50 PM – 10:35 PM While still best known as being little sister to Beyoncé, Solange Knowles (QRO photos outdoors at a festival) has pipes all her own (QRO photos headlining a festival).

Washed Out, 8:30 PM – 9:20 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 upcoming new Paracosm.

!!!, 7:10 PM – 8:00 PM Sacramento dance-punk act !!! (QRO photos) – pronounced “chk chk chk” – were seriously blowing people away a few years ago (QRO live review) with Myth Takes (QRO review), then seemingly disappeared, only to come back (QRO live review) in 2010 with the somewhat derivative Strange Weather, Isn’t It (QRO review). But this year has seen the now-New York outfit (QRO live review in New York) back in force with the great TH!!!ER (QRO review), and the band still knows how to liven it up live (QRO live review outdoors), even at festivals (QRO photos at a festival).

No Age, 6:05 PM – 6:45 PM L.A.’s own young guitar & drums duo of Randy Randall and Dean Allen Spunt (QRO photos at a festival) have been blowing up very quickly since 2008’s Nouns (QRO review), including joining Dan Deacon (see above) & Deerhunter (see above) 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 to FYF before this fall’s release of An Object. 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 plays FYF for their seventh time!

Also: Poolside, 5:00 PM – 5:40 PM The Orwells, 4:05 PM – 4:35 PM Fear of Men, 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM – QRO live review outdoors

Samantha’s Tent Omar Souleyman, 9:45 PM – 10:35 PM Celebrate the Arab Spring at FYF Fest with Omar Souleyman! The Arab/Kurdish musician (QRO photos at a festival) hails from northeastern Syria, a hotbed of today’s brave resistance to the (hopefully) next Mid-East dictator to fall. Thankfully Souleyman’s traditional Middle Eastern music – much of it recorded live at local weddings – has already traveled the world.

Also: Shlohmo, 8:35 PM – 9:25 PM Flume, 7:25 PM – 8:15 PM Glasser, 6:20 PM – 7:00 PM – QRO photos outdoors How To Dress Well, 5:20 PM – 6:00 PM – QRO interview Pional, 4:25 PM – 5:00 PM Antwon, 3:35 PM – 4:05 PM

Comedy, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Paul Scheer & Rob Huebel Karen Kilgariff Ron Funches Chris Fairbanks Matt Dwyer Cameron Esposito

Carrie Stage My Bloody Valentine, 10:45 PM – 12:00 AM If Blur invented & perfected Brit-pop in the nineties, Dublin’s My Bloody Valentine did the same for shoegaze. 1991’s seminal Loveless is still beloved around the world (even though it almost bankrupted their label at the time), but after it the band became inactive – only to reunite in 2007, hitting the festival circuit (including Primavera Barcelona 2009), headlining and even curating them. Earlier this year, the band stunned and delighted fans by announcing Loveless’ follow-up was finally on its way – and then released m b v online the next week (crashing their server…).

MGMT, 9:20 PM – 10:10 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 (QRO photos outdoors) is more than prepared to blow minds outdoors at FYF Fest (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), as they tour in lead-up to the release of their new self-titled record this fall.

Beach House, 8:00 PM – 8:50 PM The guitar-and-keys pair of Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally (QRO photos at a festival) may hail from Baltimore, but there’s a Francophile expanse to Beach House (QRO photos). 2008’s Devotion (QRO review) earned them many fans that felt that way (QRO live review), and 2010’s Teen Dream (QRO review) was shortlisted for ‘albums of the year’. Last year they came out with Bloom (QRO review), and they’ve since been working the festivals, coming to FYF (QRO photos at a festival). And the sweet sounds work in the bright sunlight (QRO photos outdoors) or the dark of the evening (QRO photos at a festival).

Yo La Tengo, 6:35 PM – 7:30 PM 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).

Kurt Vile, 5:20 PM – 6:05 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) and on tour leading up to FYF (QRO photos the week leading up).

Also: Guards, 4:15 PM – 4:50 PM – QRO photos at a festival