FYF Fest 2017 Preview

FYF Fest has grown into one of the West Coast’s premiere festivals, especially for one located right in the city of Los Angeles, not some distant, camping-only rural locale. Exposition Park welcomes artists & fans, Friday-to-Sunday, July 21st-23rd:

FRIDAY, JULY 21st

Club Stage Oh Sees, 12:15 AM Hailing from The O.C. (the name was original ‘Orange County Sound’, then ‘OCS’, then Thee Oh Sees, then – well, you get the idea…), John Dwyer formed the band now known as 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). Oh Sees come back to FYF Fest (QRO photos at a festival) for a fourth time, behind yet another new name and yet another new album, Orc.

S U R V I V E, 10:00 PM Austin synthwave outfit S U R V I V E (QRO photos at a festival) recently found big success with their soundtrack for Netflix’s Stranger Things (and are coming back for Season Two in the fall), so catch them in the Upside-Down of FYF Fest.

Hundred Waters, 8:05 PM Indie-rock outfit Hundred Waters (QRO photos at a festival) first came to notice thanks to great opening slots (QRO photos opening) on tours for the likes alt-J (QRO live review, with Hundred Waters) and others, before graduating to headlining. They come to FYF Fest behind a string of singles this year.

Also: Royal Headache, 7:00 PM – QRO live review

Lawn Stage Flying Lotus, 12:20 AM While Flying Lotus (QRO photos outdoors) might be best known for making the music in Adult Swim’s bumpers (that text right before a show on the cable channel), he’s also an accomplished producer, as well as making & playing music in his own right (QRO live review) – not to mention his alter ego, Sealab 2021-inspired Captain Murphy. He plays FYF Fest for the third time in four years.

Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, 10:10 PM Pretty quickly, Brandon Park Anderson became Anderson .Paak (QRO photos at a festival), and with his band The Free Nationals (QRO photos at a festival), has been getting major notice with his soul-funk styles (including Paak playing drums and dancing in the pit – though not at the same time…).

Angel Olsen, 7:50 PM Angel Olsen (QRO photos at a festival) began her career singing back up for Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy & The Cairo Gang (QRO live review), but has since found her own beautiful voice, and returns to FYF Fest.

Beach Fossils, 6:30 PM Relax for the relaxed indie-rock of New York’s Beach Fossils (QRO photos outdoors). Even if their garage-rock (QRO photos) on 2013’s Clash the Truth (QRO review) and this year’s Somersault (QRO review) wasn’t that impressive, their live show (QRO live review) is more electric.

Main Stage Missy Elliott, 11:15 PM Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott broke the rap glass ceiling in the late nineties with such groundbreaking hits as debut album Supa Dupa Fly & follow-up The Real World, and singles like “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)”, “Sock It 2 Me”, “She’s a Bitch”, “All n My Grill”, and “Hot Boyz”. She’s won four Grammys, and is the best-selling female rap artist ever.

Björk, 8:50 PM The most famous native of Iceland since Erik the Red, there is simply no one else like Björk. The singer/songwriter is known worldwide for her eclectic, experimental, and avant-garde output, most recently with 2015’s Vulnicura and 2011’s Biophilia (QRO review), but she’s also worked in art, acting, and much more (including her virtual reality experience, last year’s Björk Digital – QRO photos at a festival). You know her, you love her, it’s Björk.

Outer Space Stage Helena Hauff, 11:45 PM DJ Fra, 10:45 PM Paranoid London, 9:45 PM Dave P, 8:45 PM Kelly Lee Owens, 7:45 PM Russell Alexander, 5:00 PM

Trees Stage Majid Jordan, 12:25 AM Majid Al Maskati and Jordan Ullman form Toronto’s synthwave R&B duo Majid Jordan.

Slowdive, 10:20 PM Shoegaze was always at its biggest in Britain in acts like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive (QRO photos at a festival), whose members spun off into various other projects in the nineties (including Mojave 3 – QRO photos), but started a reunion on 2014 (QRO photos at FYF ’14). It’s kept going on both sides of the Atlantic (QRO live review in the U.K.), including this year’s self-titled full-length (QRO review).

Hannibal Buress, 9:20 PM Yes, most people in America first heard of Hannibal Buress (QRO photos at a festival) when he pointed out Bill Cosby’s history of rape allegations that led to that venerable stand-up’s recent infamous fall from grace. But Buress (QRO photos at a comedy festival) is much more, an accomplished stand-up who’s shared the bill with musicians before (QRO photos), and one of the main guys on Broad City.

Kamaiyah, 8:35 PM Oakland rapper Kamaiyah (QRO photos) got notice last year for performing alongside Drake on YG’s single “Why You Always Hatin?”, and plays her second FYF Fest in a row.

BADBADNOTGOOD, 7:20 PM The Toronto trio BADBADNOTGOOD (QRO photos at a Toronto festival) are known for incorporating hip-hop into their music, and have collaborated with the Odd Future (QRO live review) likes of Tyler, the Creator (QRO album review) and Saturday headliner Frank Ocean (see below), and most recently the one-and-only Ghostface Killah (QRO photos together at a festival). They return to play FYF Fest for their second time in three years.

Kirk Knight, 6:30 PM Pro Era hip-hop collective member, Kirk Knight (QRO photos at a festival), brings some rhymes to FYF Fest. He plays the festival after his 2015 debut release, Late Knight Special.

Woods Stage John Talabot, 9:30 PM Have you ever checked out an artist from the Spanish Electronic genre? No? Then Barcelona’s own John Talabot would be a good place to start. This year he finally followed up 2012 debut Fin with The Night Land, and returns to FYF Fest to do a DJ set (as well as a later team-up with Alex Boman, Talaboman – see below). Also: Horse Meat Disco, 5:00 PM

SATURDAY, JULY 22nd

Club Stage Princess Nokia, 12:30 AM Get ready for the in-your-face hip-hop of Princess Nokia, including crowdsurfing and shirt removing (QRO live review, with both).

Sleep, 10:15 PM During the nineties, San Jose death metal outfit Sleep was the definition of stoner rock. Label issues forced their break-up by the end of the decade/century/millennium, but in 2009 Sleep came back, and have kept on going (QRO photos at a festival), coming back to FYF Fest for the first time since 2010.

Arca + Jesse Kanda, 8:45 PM Venezuela’s Alejandro Ghersi, a.k.a. Arca, has produced for the likes of 2015 FYF Fest headliner Kanye West and this year’s Björk (see below). He comes to Los Angeles for an audio-visual performance with visual artist Jesse Kanda.

Perfume Genius, 7:20 PM Seattle’s chamber-pop artist Mike Hadreas (QRO photos) comes to FYF Fest as Perfume Genius (QRO photos at a festival).

Cap’n Jazz, 6:00 PM Who the hell are/were Cap’n Jazz, and why as their reunion in 2010 such a big thing to so many people? The early nineties Chicago outfit didn’t sell a ton of records, but influenced the development of emo. The re-release of anthology Analphabetapolothology (QRO review) in 2010 coincided with the band’s reunion & tour, to the delight of cult fans that never forgot them. 2017 sees another reunion, with their FYF Fest appearance their first since 2010!

Big Thief, 4:45 PM It takes a lot for a band to name their album Masterpiece – their debut, in fact. But Brooklyn indie-folksters Big Thief (QRO photos outdoors in Brooklyn) pulled it off.

Jonathan Richman, 3:30 PM From his days fronting influential proto-punk pop bad The Modern Lovers, Jonathan Richman (QRO photos) has long been a favorite of that girl you like. He plays FYF Fest for his second time (QRO photos at a festival).

Lawn Stage Erykah Badu, 9:50 PM No festival is complete without an acclaimed diva or two, and FYF Fest got a good one in Erykah Badu (QRO photos at a festival on Governors Island). The Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter from Texan (QRO photos in Texas) blazed the neo-soul trail, earning comparisons to the likes of Billie Holiday & Nina Simone. More recently she (QRO photos at a festival in NYC) stirred up controversy with her video for “Window Seat” by stripping down completely – and illegally, in Dealey Plaza (inspired by the video for “Lessons Learned” by Matt & Kim – QRO photos of Matt & Kim with Badu at a festival), and in 2015 putting out well-received mixtape But You Caint Use My Phone.

King Krule, 7:30 PM Arch Marshall – a.k.a. Zoo Kid, a.k.a. King Krule (QRO photos at a festival) – has been riding a lot of U.K. buzz (or at least was a few years ago…).

Thundercat, 5:30 PM Known for his psychedelic excursions, Thundercat (QRO photos at a festival) recently worked with the likes of Flying Lotus (QRO live review) on his newest album, Until the Quiet Comes. He has been compared to the likes of Jaco Pastorius for his precise and experimental basslines, and returns to FYF Fest. Also: Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, 3:30 PM

Main Stage Frank Ocean, 11:00 PM Christopher Francis Ocean began his musical career as a ghostwriter for such massive artists as Brandy and even Justin Bieber, but then he joined hip-hop collective Odd Future (QRO live review) – and the rest is history. Quite literally history making, as after Frank Ocean hit #2 on the charts with 2012’s channelORANGE, he broke the hip-hop LGBT barrier by public announcing his same-sex attractions, breaking a taboo even greater than Jason Collins’ in the NBA. And last year came Blonde, a more experimental album that still managed to hit #1 on the charts & dominate in year-end rankings – and there was the visual album Endless to boot. His FYF ’17 performance will be a special one, as he was supposed to play in 2015 (replaced last-minute by Kanye West), and had been cancelling festival appearances earlier this year, before pulling it together for some legendary ones more recently.

A Tribe Called Quest, 8:30 PM One of the pioneers of alternative hip-hop in the nineties, A Tribe Called Quest’s importance can’t be overstated. This of course meant that the group didn’t make it to the next millennium, but in 2006 reunited, and last year put out the highly acclaimed We Got It From Here… Thank You For Your Service, their first reunion record – and their last, as during it the making, founding member Phife Dawg passed away. But this has only added to the album’s power, as have numerous guest-stars – expect some to show up at the FYF Fest performance in Los Angeles.

MGMT, 6:30 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, with third, self-titled record full-on weird. There was a big break after MGMT, but this year (QRO photos at a ’17 festival) they’re coming back with Little Dark Age. 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 come back to play FYF Fest (QRO photos at FYF ‘13).

Outer Space Stage DJ Harvey, Horse Meat Disco & Young Marco, 2:00 PM Cambridge, England’s DJ Harvey has brought America’s disco/garage/house sound back to FYF Fest for the fourth time in six years, teaming up with the likes of Young Marco and fellow FYF repeater Horse Meat Disco (Harvey & Horse Meat also play solo at the festival – see above & below).

Trees Stage Nicolas Jaar, 12:00 AM American-Chilean Nicolas Jaar brings his ruminative & emotional “blue wave” back to FYF Fest for a third time.

The Faint, 10:25 PM The last thing you’d expect out of Omaha, Nebraska, techno/dance act The Faint left long-time local label Saddlecreek for their own blank.wav to release 2008’s Fasciination (QRO review). Like other electronic acts playing the festival, The Faint does more than just DJ-ing with electronic beats, being inventive in their accessibility (QRO live review). They return to FYF for a second time (QRO photos FYF ‘12).

The Drums, 9:05 PM The indie-pop of Brooklyn’s The Drums (QRO live review) mixes new wave, girl-group, Sweden, electro, and, above all, reverb, for something unique (QRO photos at a festival). The group (QRO photos at a festival) come back to FYF Fest behind this year’s Abysmal Thoughts, and bring their killer live show (QRO live review) as well.

Built To Spill, 7:35 PM Yes, the ‘biggest indie-rock band outta Boise, Idaho’, Built To Spill (QRO photos at a festival), is still around, still on Warner Bros., and still putting out new music (QRO live review), releasing Untethered Moon in 2015 They’ve gained a second life on the festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival) – and have been moving up the festival food chain (QRO photos headlining a festival). They return to FYF Fest (QRO photos at FYF ’14).

Noname, 6:20 PM Off of an appearance on “Lost” in Chance the Rapper’s 2013 mixtape Acid Rap, Noname has made her own name.

Mitski, 5:10 PM Gotta love anyone who names an album after a Milhouse Simpsons quote, like Mitski’s 2014 Bury Me at Makeout Creek. She comes to FYF Fest behind last year’s Puberty 2. Also: Homeshake, 4:00 PM

Woods Stage The Black Madonna, 11:45 PM Daniel Avery, 10:00 PM – QRO photos at a festival Avalon Emerson, 8:30 PM Motor City Drum Ensemble, 5:45 PM Fatima Yamaha, 4:45 PM

SUNDAY, JULY 23rd

Club Stage Talaboman, 10:45 PM John Talabot (see above) does a second set at FYF Fest ’17 when he teams up with Axel Boman as Talaboman.

TR/ST, 9:40 PM Maya Postepski, drummer in Toronto’s Austra (QRO live review), teams up with Winnipeg’s Robert Alfons as synth-pop outfit TR/ST (formerly known as TRUST – QRO live review).

Blonde Redhead, 8:15 PM New York’s no wave scene brought together Japan’s Kazu Makino (QRO interview) with Milan/Montreal twins Amedeo & Simone Pace as Blonde Redhead (QRO spotlight on). While the trio (QRO live review) began in distortion, they evolved to beauty with 2007’s 23 (QRO review) 2010’s Penny Sparkle (QRO review), and 2014’s Barragán (QRO review). While they wilt sometimes under the hot sun (QRO photos outdoors during the day), the evening is their magic hour (QRO live review at night). Last year they released collection of early recordings, Masculine Feminine, so look for some rare early material at FYF.

Also: Moses Sumney, 7:00 PM – QRO photos at a festival Joey Purp, 5:25 PM – QRO photos Andy Shauf, 4:25 PM Julia Jacklin, 3:15 PM

Lawn Stage Run the Jewels, 9:35 PM El-P blew up the Brooklyn rap scene with 2013’s Cancer 4 Cure (QRO review of release party), and brought about his team-up with Killer Mike (QRO photos at a festival) for 2012’s ‘Into the Wild’ tour. Mike & P have deepened that connection (QRO photos at a festival), working together as Run the Jewels (QRO photos at a festival) for two critically acclaimed records, most recently 2015’s Run the Jewels 2 and this year’s critically- and commercially-acclaimed Run the Jewels 3. It’s been really enjoyable watching this duo just love life as they get bigger & bigger (QRO photos from this year), as they return to FYF (QRO photos at FYF ‘15) for their third time in four years.

Iggy Pop, 7:20 PM Iggy Pop is one of the most iconic frontmen in rock ‘n’ roll history. For if there is such a thing as ‘post-punk’, then there’s also ‘proto-punk’, and no act more paved the way for the raw rock explosion than Iggy & The Stooges (QRO photos at a festival). They’d burned the candle at both ends before there was any “Anarchy In the U.K.”, but reunited in 2003 (QRO photos at a festival) before finally closing out (thanks to fewer & fewer living Stooges) last year. Of course, Mr. Pop has paved his own solo career; you know “Lust For Life” & “Real Wild Child (Wild One)”, but there’s so much more, like last year’s critically acclaimed team up with Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal), Post Pop Depression (QRO review). Word is that Iggy is getting tired of touring (QRO photos), so catch him while you can at FYF Fest!

Ty Segall, 5:30 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 2012’s Slaughterhouse (QRO review), plus 2013’s Sleeper, 2014’s Manipulator, last year’s Emotional Mugger with his new band, The Muggers, and this year’s self-titled album (QRO review), not to mention solo albums & team-ups. And now he (QRO live review) comes back to FYF Fest (QRO photos at a festival) for the fifth time in seven years!

Chicano Batman, 4:20 PM Los Angeles’ own Chicano Batman (QRO photos at a festival) first got notice in 2014/5 with Cycles of Existential Rhyme, but this year go full-on Gil Scott-Heron with Freedom Is Free.

Cherry Glazerr, 3:15 PM Riot Grrrl punk has been experiencing an upswing in recent years (thankfully without Courtney Love), thanks to original acts like Los Angeles’ own Cherry Glazer (QRO photos), who come to FYF Fest behind this year’s Apocalipstick (QRO review).

Main Stage Nine Inch Nails, 10:45 PM The most successful and well-known industrial band ever, Trent Reznor’s Nine Inch Nails (QRO photos) are legends in quality as well. The group was loud & angry in debut Pretty Hate Machine and “Head Like a Hole” before grunge was a ‘thing’, and has kept up that spirit ever since. Yes, they inspired countless imitators, but NIN themselves never fell into a Downward Spiral. The iconic nineties act managed to stay relevant in the new century/millennium with such creations as the inspired underground viral alternate reality game/marketing campaign Year Zero, but went into hiatus in 2009 while Reznor worked on other projects, such as the Oscar-winning score for The Social Network (and American version of Girl With a Dragon Tattoo), work on Dave Grohl’s Sound City documentary (QRO soundtrack review) and …Like Clockwork (QRO review) by Queens of the Stone Age (see above), plus new group How To Destroy Angels (QRO album review). But the unholy Nine Inch Nails has rise again, with 2013’s excellent Hesitation Marks (QRO review) and last year’s Not the Actual Events EP, reportedly the first in a trilogy. Be sure to catch NIN headlining FYF Fest, as it’s an experience you will never forget, guaranteed.

Solange, 8:25 PM While originally known as being little sister to Beyoncé (and her fight with her brother-in-law Jay-Z, captured on an elevator camera), Solange Knowles (QRO photos outdoors at a festival) has pipes (QRO photos headlining a festival) and stage presence all her own, as she’s more than proved, like with last year’s A Seat At the Table, and recent high-brow acclaim as well. She’s also a festival force, coming back to FYF for her third time (QRO photos at FYF ’15) in five years (QRO photos at FYF ‘13).

Little Dragon, 6:25 PM From chilly-but-beautiful Gothenburg, Sweden comes the chilly-but-beautiful electronic outfit Little Dragon (QRO photos), who’ve collaborated with everyone from Gorillaz to José González, but 2014 put out their own Nabuma Rubberband, their follow-up to 2011’s Ritual Union (QRO review), and have been gracing festivals (QRO photos at a festival) & more (QRO photos at a festival), like FYF Fest before (QRO photos at FYF ’14).

Outer Space Stage Honey Soundsystem, 2:00 PM

Trees Stage Kehlani, 10:30 PM Kehlani Parrish (QRO photos at a festival) first got notice as part of America’s Got Talent finalist teen pop group PopLyfe, but has since made her own name with two killer mixtapes, 2014’s Cloud 19 and 2015’s You Should Be Here.

6LACK, 9:10 PM Last year, Ricardo Valdez Valentine, a.k.a. Atlanta’s 6LACK, broke out in a big way with single “PRBLMS”, and was named one of Rolling Stone’s ten new artists to watch.

Mura Masa, 7:45 PM Out of Britain’s Channel Islands comes producer/multi-instrumentalist Alexander Crossan, a.k.a. Mura Masa (QRO photos at a festival).

Mac DeMarco, 6:20 PM Some artists toil in obscurity for years, even decades, but Mac DeMarco (QRO photos at a festival) hit success when he was barely old enough to drink (and loves to party, even on stage – QRO photos). His latest, This Old Dog, came out earlier this year, and it & a reputation for wild live shows (QRO photos at a festival) bring him back to FYF Fest (QRO photos at FYF ‘15) for the fifth time in a row (QRO photos at FYF ’14)!

Temples, 5:00 PM Despite only starting a few years ago, Temples (QRO live review) have received press attention in their native England after being called the best new band in Britain (QRO photos at a U.K. festival) by the likes of Noel Gallagher (QRO live review) and Johnny Marr (QRO live review). They come to FYF Fest (QRO photos at a festival) after that heat died down a bit, with 2014’s unimpressive psych Sun Structures (QRO review) and this year’s Volcano (QRO review).

Whitney, 3:45 PM Shortly after Max Kakacek & Julien Ehrlich’s young Smith Westerns (QRO photos at a festival) broke up, the pair formed their new outfit, Whitney (QRO photos at a festival). And they’ve certainly grown up, as debut Light Upon the Lake was one of the best records of last year (QRO Top Albums of 2016).

Woods Stage TIGA, 9:00 PM Omar-S, 7:00 PM DJ Harvey, 2:00 PM