Sound On Sound 2016 Preview

Austin is home to more great live music than you can shake a stick at, and one of the best festivals has been Fun Fun Fun Fest. In 2016 the festival reorganized, and thankfully renamed, itself, into Sound On Sound, Friday-Sunday, November 4th-to-6th, at Sherwood Forest Faire:

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4th

Dragon’s Lair Phantogram, 10:45 PM – 11:00 PM Saratoga Springs’ dancetronica act Phantogram (QRO photos at a festival) got notice less for their debut full-length Eyelid Movies (QRO review) than their enchanting live show (QRO photos at a festival) – which works outdoors (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), when in the evening (QRO photos at a festival). 2014’s Voices (QRO review) upped their game (QRO photos at a festival), after which they teamed up with Big Boi (see below) as ‘Big Grams’ (QRO photos at an Austin festival). But now the Phanto is back (QRO photos), with this year’s strong Three (QRO review).

Run the Jewels, 9:15 PM – 10:15 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 last year’s Run the Jewels 2, with word of 3 already in the works.

Death Grips, 7:55 PM – 8:45 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 in 2013 at Lollapalooza (including an after-party, which caused a riot), Osheaga (QRO recap), and FYF Fest – but since breaking up and reuniting, they’ve actually been playing shows (QRO photos at a 2016 festival)…

Guided By Voices, 6:40 PM – 7:30 PM Among the influential alternative music acts of the nineties was Dayton, Ohio’s Guided By Voices (QRO photos at a festival). Centered on the ultra-prolific Robert Pollard (QRO album review), GBV drew on nearly every rock sound, as well as being one of the pioneers of today’s lo-fi and neo-garage sounds. In 2010 Pollard revived the retired GBV moniker and reunited with the original, 1993-1996 ‘classic’ line-up for label Matador Records’ 21st anniversary bash in Las Vegas – and kept it going, not just on the road (QRO photos at a festival), but of course with many, many releases – 2012 saw Let’s Go Eat the Factory (QRO review), Class Clown Spots a UFO (QRO review), and The Bears for Lunch (QRO review); the next year ‘only’ English Little League (QRO review), and Motivational Jumpsuit and Cool Planet in 2014, with which he once again broke up the band – only to revive it once again, now with a largely new line-up, before this year’s Please By Honest.

Cursive, 5:20 PM – 6:15 PM The expansive sound of Omaha’s Cursive (QRO live review) comes to Sound On Sound (QRO photos at a festival) with their last release being 2012’s sub-par concept record I Am Gemini (QRO review). However their live show (QRO live review) features earlier material (QRO live review) like the strong prior Mama, I’m Swollen (QRO review), even at festivals (QRO photos at a festival), plus hopefully some new material.

Also: Shannon & The Clams, 4:20 PM – 5:00 PM – QRO photos at an Austin festival Diet Cig, 3:20 PM – 4:00 PM – QRO photos at an Austin festival Calliope Musicals, 2:20 PM – 3:00 PM Boyfrndz, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM

Forest Stage Descendents, 11:40 PM – 12:40 AM 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 – so go see where today’s punk is Descended from (QRO photos), as they play Sound On Sound (QRO photos at a festival).

FIDLAR, 10:25 PM – 11:15 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 (QRO photos at a festival).

HINDS, 9:20 PM – 10:05 PM From all the way over in Madrid, Spain, female foursome HINDS (QRO photos at a festival) have been charming folks on both sides of the Atlantic with their cheery, if not very original, garage-rock.

Empress Of, 8:15 PM – 9:00 PM Lorely Rodriguez, a.k.a. Empress Of (QRO photos), first got notice with her one-minute YouTube color videos, “Colorminutes”, but has since become a critical darling.

The Range, 7:10 PM – 7:55 PM James Hinton, a.k.a. producer/DJ known as The Range (QRO photos) comes to bring his Sound On Sound.

Also: Clipping., 6:05 PM – 6:50 PM Into It. Over It., 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM – QRO photos at an Austin festival SWMRS, 4:05 PM – 4:45 PM Magna Carda, 3:20 PM – 3:45 PM Protextor, 2:20 PM – 2:50 PM Drug Church, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM

The Keep Thundercat, 11:40 PM – 12:30 AM 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.

Thee Oh Sees, 10:25 PM – 11:15 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 Sound On Sound (QRO photos at a festival) behind last year’s Mutilator Defeated At Last.

Touché Amoré, 9:15 PM – 10:05 PM Post-hardcore outfit Touché Amoré (QRO photos at a festival) come to Sound On Sound after the release of this year’s Stage Four.

Also: Turnstile, 8:20 PM – 8:55 PM Denzel Curry, 7:00 PM – 7:50 PM – QRO photos Beach Slang, 6:05 PM – 6:50 PM – QRO album review Good Riddance, 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM Planes Mistaken For Stars, 3:55 PM – 4:40 PM War On Women, 3:00 PM – 3:35 PM Piñata Protest, 2:10 PM – 2:40 PM This Is Spinal Tap, 1:30 PM – 1:50 PM

Globe Stage SOS 2 Knight Show, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Todd Barry, 5:25 PM – 6:10 PM In the New York alternative music scene, there’s no more ubiquitous stand-up comic than Todd Barry (QRO photos at a festival). The laid-back comedian has opened for Tapes n’ Tapes (QRO album review), Superchunk (QRO live review) and They Might Be Giants (QRO photos from that show), been seen at CMJ (QRO recap), SXSW (QRO recap) & the old McCarren Park Pool Parties (QRO venue review). So he’ll fit right in at Sound On Sound.

Also: Johnny Pemberton, 5:00 PM – 5:25 PM One Night Stand Dating Game, 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM Yung Jake, 4:05 PM – 4:30 PM The Needle Drop Podcast, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM SOS Live Podcast, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Laugh Dammit, 1:20 PM – 2:00 PM

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5th

Dragon’s Lair Purity Ring, 10:55 PM – 12:00 AM From north of that ‘other’ border, Montreal’s Purity Ring (QRO photos) bring some of the new indie-electronic (QRO live review).

Beach House, 9:15 PM – 10:25 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’. In 2012 they came out with Bloom (QRO review), and they’ve since been working the festivals, coming to Sound On Sound (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). And last year the band (QRO photos) released not one, but two new full-lengths, Depression Cherry (QRO review) and Thank Your Lucky Stars (QRO review).

Big Boi, 7:40 PM – 8:30 PM Still probably best known for being one-half of massively successful duo OutKast (QRO photos at an Austin festival), Big Boi (QRO photos at a festival) first showed off his solo skills (QRO photos at a festival) in the Speakerboxx half of OutKast’s 2003’s double-LP, Speakerboxx/The Love Below (the latter half being partner Andre 3000’s own solo debut). But the hip-hop artist (QRO photos) went out with his own (QRO photos at a festival), fully solo Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty in 2011 and Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors the following year. Most recently, he teamed up with Phantogram (see above) as ‘Big Grams’ (QRO photos at an Austin festival).

Deerhunter, 6:25 PM – 7:15 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 in 2013 they 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). They play Sound On Sound after last year’s Fading Frontier (QRO review).

The Dead Milkmen, 5:15 PM – 6:05 PM The definition of humorous punk, The Dead Milkmen are another welcome return in the twenty-first century, having come back in 2008 (QRO photos at their only show that year, an Austin festival). They’ve kept it up since then, including 2011’s The King In Yellow – expect Punk Rock Girls (and boys) out in force (QRO photos at a festival).

Wild Nothing, 4:10 PM – 4:55 PM Sun-soaked, fuzzy, dream pop that should go well with a sun-soaked festival. Wild Nothing (QRO live review) is Jack Tatum’s wonderful solo project (QRO live review), and with Nocturne (QRO review) and this year’s Life of Pause (QRO review), the follow-up to his wonderful first album Gemini (QRO review), there’s sure to be plenty of new music afoot (QRO photos at a festival).

Also: The Relationship, 3:20 PM – 3:50 PM Hardproof, 2:20 PM – 2:50 PM Moving Panoramas, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM

Forest Stage Boys Noize, 11:40 PM – 12:40 AM Germany, the home of electro-house, has another son in Alexander Ridha, a.k.a. Boys Noize (QRO photos).

Aesop Rock, 10:25 PM – 11:15 PM Ian Matthias Bavitz, or Aesop Rock (QRO photos outdoors), has been at the forefront of the underground & alternative hip-hop scenes for years now (QRO photos).

FLAG, 9:20 PM – 10:05 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 above – 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!”

Jagwar Ma, 8:15 PM – 9:00 PM The psych-dance of Jagwar Ma (QRO live review) comes to Sound On Sound (QRO photos at a festival) after the recent release of sophomore full-length, Every Now and Then.

Car Seat Headrest, 7:10 PM – 7:55 PM After a series of solo, self-released Bandcamp records (named literally 1, 2, 3, 4 and more), Will Toledo’s Car Seat Headrest (QRO photos at a festival) graduated to a full band & Matador signing for last year’s Teens of Style and this year’s Teens of Denial.

Also: Pouya, 6:05 PM – 6:50 PM Alex G, 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM – QRO photos at a festival Bleached, 4:00 PM – 4:40 PM – QRO photos at a festival Orthy, 3:20 PM – 3:45 PM Tiny Moving Parts, 2:20 PM – 2:40 PM Anya, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM

The Keep Dillinger Escape Plan, 11:40 PM – 12:40 AM New Jersey’s Dillinger Escape Plan (QRO photos at a festival) have endured numerous line-up changes over the years, but have gotten more & more critical acclaim. Unfortunately, they’ve announced that after they finish touring this year’s Disassociation, they’ve be going on a “indefinite hiatus” – so catch them while you can at Sound On Sound (QRO photos at a festival).

Youth of Today, 10:25 PM – 11:15 PM One of the seminal hardcore acts of the late eighties, Youth of Today have reunited on & off, before making it permanent in this decade.

Girls Against Boys, 9:20 PM – 10:05 PM One of the acts to come out of Washington, D.C.’s seminal eighties punk scene, Girls Against Boys (QRO photos at a festival) hew more to the post-hardcore.

METZ, 8:15 PM – 9:00 PM Both loud and skilled, Toronto’s METZ (QRO live review) come ready to rock and impress at Sound On Sound (QRO photos at a festival).

Diarrhea Planet, 7:10 PM – 7:45 PM Bringing the rock ‘n’ roll to Sound On Sound is the awfully-named but great-sounding Diarrhea Planet (QRO mp3 review), off of this year’s Turn To Gold.

HEALTH, 6:05 PM – 6:50 PM Los Angeles’ own HEALTH (QRO photos) not only bring the noise-rock to Sound On Sound, but are also known for their mash-ups, most notably with electronic dance duo Crystal Castles (QRO live review), though outdoors (QRO photos outdoors), they’re more ‘noise’ than ‘rock’.

Small Black, 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM Brooklyn’s more impressive chillwave act Small Black (QRO photos in Brooklyn) come to Sound On Sound (QRO photos at a festival) behind last year’s exquisite Best Blues (QRO review).

Also: American Sharks, 4:00 PM – 4:40 PM Radioactivity, 3:10 PM – 3:40 PM – QRO photos Us Weekly, 2:20 PM – 2:50 PM Culture Abuse, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM

Globe Stage SOS 2 Knight Show, 6:40 PM – 7:40 PM Tim Heidecker, 6:00 PM – 6:40 PM Alt-comedian Tim Heidecker has done all sorts of things, from rock operas to Adult Swim shows (both cartoon Tom Goes To the Mayor and live-action Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!), often with comedic partner Eric Wareheim (QRO photos of Tim & Eric outdoors at an Austin festival). He’s also done music with his band, The Yellow River Boys, as well as solo, with this year’s In Glendale. So who knows what to expect when he takes the stage…

Also: Joe Mande, 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM Air Sex Champions, 4:45 PM – 5:30 PM Turned Out a Punk, 3:40 PM – 4:40 PM Statesman Shots Podcast, 2:40 PM – 3:40 PM Catherine & Ryan’s Wedding, 2:05 PM – 2:35 PM Fragile Rock, 1:20 PM – 2:00 PM

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6th

Dragon’s Lair Explosions In the Sky, 10:45 PM – 12:00 AM There might not be a more important or beloved post-rock band that Explosions In the Sky (QRO photos at a festival). The Austin band (QRO photos at an Austin festival) basically introduced the epic, vocal-less concept that is ‘post-rock’ (QRO photos outdoors) into both the indie-sphere (QRO photos at a festival) and the wider world (QRO photos at a European festival) – and providing the theme song to Friday Night Lights – (QRO soundtrack review). They even made the Top Twenty on the Billboard charts with 2011’s Take Care, Take Care, Take Care (QRO review), and come to Sound On Sound behind the follow-up, this year’s The Wilderness.

Courtney Barnett, 9:15 PM – 10:20 PM Melbourne’s Courtney Barnett (QRO photos at a festival) won fans like Rolling Stone and New York Times after her CMJ 2013 performance (QRO festival recap), with funny, rambling lyrics and a deadpan delivery (QRO photos). Since then she’s just gone and won fans outside of just critics with last year’s Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit – including having played last season’s finale of Saturday Night Live!

Young Thug, 7:55 PM – 8:45 PM Atlanta’s Young Thug gained major recognition in 2014 with hit singles “About the Money” and “Lifestyle”. This year has seen mixtapes I’m Up and Slime Season 3 in the run-up to the anticipated debut studio album, Hy!£UN35.

Thursday, 6:40 PM – 7:30 PM New Brunswick’s Thursday defined the post-hardcore sound of the twenty-first century before hiatus/break-up, but after frontman Geoff Rickly ended the financial backing for his label Collect Records from pharmaceutical price-gouger/most hated man in America Martin Shkreli, they thankfully reunited this year (QRO photos at a festival this year).

Wale, 5:30 PM – 6:15 PM Since his discovery by superstar producer Mark Ronson, things have gone very well for D.C. rapper Wale, with mixtapes, collaborations, and even regular ol’ studio albums.

Also: Recover, 4:25 PM – 5:10 PM Bully, 3:25 PM – 4:05 PM – QRO photos Leopold & His Fiction, 2:20 PM – 3:00 PM Emily Wolfe, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM

Forest Stage A-Trak, 11:40 PM – 12:40 AM Montreal’s Alain Macklovitch – a.k.a. A-Trak (QRO photos at a festival) – got notice when picked to be the personal DJ to none other than Kanye West (QRO album review), but has also produced for the likes of Lupe Fiasco (QRO photos at a festival) & Kid Sister (QRO photos at a festival), as well as his work with Armand Van Helden as Duck Sauce (QRO photos at a festival).

Big Freedia, 10:25 PM – 11:15 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 set the world twerking record, starred in their own FUSE series, and more…

STRFKR, 9:30 PM – 10:05 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). They come to Sound On Sound on the weekend of the release of their latest, Being No One, Going Nowhere.

Bob Mould, 8:15 PM – 9:00 PM Few even at Sound On Sound (QRO photos at a festival) have been doing it as long as Bob Mould (QRO live review). From the seminal Hüsker Dü (QRO spotlight on) in the eighties through the nineties’ successful Sugar (QRO deluxe edition review) to his solo work and today’s Bob Mould Band (QRO live review), Mould has been crafting great record after great record, most recently with 2008’s District Line (QRO review), the following year’s Life and Times (QRO review), 2012’s Silver Age (QRO review), 2014’s Beauty & Ruin (QRO review), and this year’s Patch the Sky (QRO review). In 2012 he toured playing Sugar’s amazing Copper Blue (QRO live review) for its twentieth anniversary, but comes to Sound On Sound (QRO photos at a festival) with his whole impressive discography in tow (QRO live review).

Also: Baio, 7:10 PM – 7:55 PM – QRO photos at an Austin Festival Kero Kero Bonito, 8:05 PM – 8:50 PM Open Mic Eagle, 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM The Frights, 4:00 PM – 4:40 PM Night Drive, 3:20 PM – 3:40 PM Boombaptist, 2:20 PM – 2:50 PM Psychic Twin, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM

The Keep Carcass, 11:40 PM – 12:40 AM There’s metal, and then there’s extreme metal. Liverpool’s Carcass took metal to extremes in the eighties and nineties before breaking up (after a difficult time on a major label). But this new century/millennium has been all about the reunions, including that of Carcass, who put out their first new album in over a decade, Surgical Steel, in 2013.

Baroness, 10:25 PM – 11:15 PM 2012 was the best year and the worst year for Savannah’s 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).

Protomartyr, 9:20 PM – 10:05 PM Detroit post-punk outfit (QRO photos) have earned tons of praise off of last year’s The Agent Intellect.

White Lung, 8:15 PM – 9:00 PM Vancouver’s White Lung (QRO photos at a festival) bring some yet more punk rock to Sound On Sound (QRO photos at a festival).

Also: The Monkey Wrench, 7:10 PM – 7:55 PM Cherubs, 6:05 PM – 6:50 PM Old Man Gloom, 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM Youth Code, 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM Illustrations, 3:10 PM – 3:40 PM Die Young, 2:20 PM – 2:50 PM Sailor Pon, 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM

Globe Stage SOS 2 Knight Show, 7:05 PM – 8:05 PM Pussy Riot Conversation, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM A very special event at Sound On Sound is the Pussy Riot Conversation. Maria Alyokhina and Alexandra Lukyanova will be on hand with their preview of new documentary Act and Punishment by Yevgeny Mitt. Members of the famous Russian agit-punk act have been everywhere from Russian gulag to sharing a stage with Madonna (QRO photos), and have even been releasing actual music.

Also: New York Hardcore Panel, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM SOS Live Podcast, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM Altercation Punk Comedy, 3:05 PM – 3:55 PM – QRO photos at an Austin festival Ever Mainard, 2:45 PM – 3:05 PM Greetings From Queer Mountain, 2:05 PM – 2:45 PM The New Movement, 1:20 PM – 2:00 PM