Treasure Island 2010 Preview

<div> <a href="features/features/treasure_island_2010_preview/"><img src="http://www.qromag.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/treasure10preview.jpg" alt="Treasure Island 2010 Preview" /></a> <br /> </div> <p> QRO started its <a href="features/features/2010_festival_guide/" target="_blank">Festival Guide</a> <span style="font-weight: normal"> way back in 2007 (</span><a href="features/features/2007_festival_guide/"...
Treasure Island 2010 Preview
Treasure Island 2010 Preview

QRO started its Festival Guide way back in 2007 (QRO 2007 Festival Guide), the same year that the Treasure Island Music Festival started in San Francisco.  Now in its fourth year, the two-day festival, October 16th & 17th, has kept its two hallmarks:

First, there’s the location, Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay, an artificial island built in the middle of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge for the 1939 World’s Fair.  Originally planned to become an airport terminal, it instead served as a navy base during WWII.  The late eighties saw it become a film lot, including portraying Nazi Germany’s Berlin Airport in Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, as well as hosting the initial ‘bullet-time’ camera set-up for The Matrix (it was also the site of Nash Bridges & a number of Robin Williams movies, but don’t hold that against it…).  Though it still does some film work (including NBC’s recently-cancelled Trauma), in 2005 the island began redevelopment as an eco-friendly, self-sustaining city, including wind & organic farms, and a plan to go ‘car independent’ – so take the ample public transportation to the music festival.

The other aspect that really makes Treasure Island Music Festival stand out is how the two days are set up: Saturday’s for dance & electronica, while Sunday’s for indie-rock, allowing fans to only pay for what they want, or get a healthy dose of both.  The festival is divided between two stages like a New York commuter, ‘Bridge’ & ‘Tunnel’, but bands don’t overlap.  Instead, while one act is playing, the other it setting up, letting the crowd see everyone performing – with no waiting!

And here’s who’s hitting up Treasure Island 2010, a diverse line-up from locals to acts from south Florida to South Africa, Glasgow to Gothenburg, Toronto to Tel Aviv & more:

   

SATURDAY, 10/16

LCD Soundsystem, 9:35 PM – 10:50 PM, Bridge Stage 

There was a time when ‘dance-rock’ was synonymous with LCD Soundsystem (QRO live review).  Singer/frontman Daniel Murphy was the first to play Daft Punk to the rock kids (immortalized in both “Losing My Edge” and “Daft Punk Is Playing At My House” – QRO video), but after 2007’s Sound of Silver (QRO review), he took time off from LCD and touring (QRO live review in 2007), to focus on his label DFA, which has become as influential – if not more so.  But LCD is back (QRO live review of return show) with This Is Happening (QRO review) and songs such as “Drunk Girls” and “I Can Change” (QRO video).  Murphy has said this will be it for LCD, but he keeps adding dates (QRO photos at a festival)…

LCD Soundsystem

 

Miike Snow, 8:45 PM – 9:30 PM, Tunnel Stage 

Stockholm’s Miike Snow (a band, not a person – QRO photos at a festival) have been getting serious notice recently with their combination of indie-pop & electro-dance, especially live (QRO live review).

Miike Snow

 

deadmau5, 7:55 PM – 8:45 PM, Bridge Stage

Coming off appearing at the medal ceremonies for his country’s Winter Olympics, Niagara Falls’ deadmau5 is still most recognizable for his trademark headgear & light show (QRO photos at a festival).  While his remix of Morgan Page’s “The Longest Road”, featuring Lissie (QRO album review), lost out in the Grammy for ‘Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical’ to David Guetta (QRO album review), the progressive house artist (don’t dare call him a ‘DJ’…) has blown up, most recently with singles “Animal Rights” and “Some Chords”.

deadmau5
 

Little Dragon, 7:05 PM – 7:50 PM, Tunnel Stage

From chilly-but-beautiful Gothenburg, Sweden comes the chilly-but-beautiful electronic outfit Little Dragon, who’ve also collaborated with everyone from Gorillaz to José González.

Little Dragon
 

Kruder & Dorfmeister (live), 6:15 PM – 7:05 PM, Bridge Stage

Viennese duo Peter Kruder & Richard Dorfmeister brings their down tempo-dub remixes to the live stage at Treasure Island.

Kruder & Dorfmeister (live)
 

Four Tet, 5:25 PM – 6:10 PM, Tunnel Stage

U.K. post-rock electronic musician Kieran Hebden, also who’s remixed everyone from Andrew Bird (QRO album review) to Radiohead (QRO album review), tours once more as Four Tet, on the back of There Is Love In You, his latest since 2008’s Ringer (QRO album review).

Four Tet

 

!!!, 4:35 PM – 5:25 PM, Bridge Stage

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, but are back (QRO live review), and though the new Strange Weather, Isn’t It (QRO review) doesn’t stand out in today’s saturated dance-punk scene, the band still knows how to liven it up live (QRO live review).

!!!

 

Phantogram, 3:45 PM – 4:30 PM, Tunnel Stage

Barsuk brings Saratoga Springs’ dancetronica act Phantogram (QRO photos at a festival), who have been getting notice less for their debut full-length Eyelid Movies (QRO review) than their enchanting live show – but will it work outdoors in the afternoon (QRO photos outdoors at a festival)?

Phantogram

 

Die Antwoord, 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM, Bridge Stage

In this day & age, it can be hard to for an act to truly surprise, but Die Antwoord (QRO photos) have done it.  Not only South African but Afrikaans (the descendents of the Dutch settlers who instituted & later repealed Apartheid), vocalist Ninja & Yo-Landi Vi$$er took the internet by storm with a baffling mix of rave & hip-hop, English & Afrikaans in “Enter the Ninja” and 5 EP (QRO review), and have been baffling minds & blowing them away while stealing the show (& shedding clothes) wherever they go (QRO photos outdoors at a festival).

Die Antwoord

 

Holy Fuck, 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM, Bridge Stage 

There might not be a more ‘live’ electronic band out there today than Holy Fuck (QRO live review – whose name did bring a Canadian MP to question the nation’s support of such music acts as F*ck…), whose stated mission is make electronic music without all the studio trickery so prevalent in the genre – and which so often hampers it live (especially outside of the dance club).  Instead, the band managed to record 2007’s LP (QRO review) on the fly (with opener “Super Inuit” in front of an audience), following it up this year with Latin (QRO review), and have since worked the festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival), where there sound hasn’t wilted outdoors (QRO photos outdoors at a festival).

Holy Fuck

 

Wallpaper, 12:45 PM – 1:25 PM, Tunnel Stage 

Kicking things off at the Tunnel Stage the Bay’s own Wallpaper, who’ve been covering the local scene and are taking their dance party on the road with a tour that starts on Treasure Island before diving deep into Middle America.

Wallpaper

 

Also:

Jamaica, 2:15 PM – 2:55 PM, Tunnel Stage

Maus Haus, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM, Bridge Stage

Maus Haus

     

SUNDAY, 10/17

Belle & Sebastian, 9:05 PM – 10:20 PM, Bridge Stage

While everyone raves about all the nineties acts reuniting, such as Superchunk (see below) & Teenage Fanclub, pause for a moment to praise great bands from the last century/millennium who didn’t break up, such as Belle & Sebastian.  The Glaswegian outfit’s ‘wistful pop’ has captured hearts for years & years now, with their latest, the just-out Belle & Sebastian Write About Love, pretty much saying it all.

Belle & Sebastian

 

Rogue Wave, 8:15 PM – 9:00 PM, Tunnel Stage

Out of the dot-com bust came newly unemployed Zach Schwartz’s (a.k.a. ‘Zach Rogue’) Rogue Wave (QRO photos outdoors at a festival).  The band has endured serious lows, like the death of former bassist Evan Farrell shortly after leaving the band, to drummer Pat Spurgeon’s struggles with kidney disease, but also highs, from the breakthrough success of single “Publish My Love” to 2007’s Asleep At Heaven’s Gate (QRO review).  This year’s Permalight didn’t exactly set the world on fire, but alongside the new material will be older songs from the band (QRO photos at a festival) like “California” (QRO video) and “Ghost” (QRO video).

Rogue Wave

 

The National, 7:15 PM – 8:15 PM, Bridge Stage 

Cincinnati-by-way-of-Brooklyn’s The National (QRO photos outdoors) hit it big in 2007 with Boxer (QRO review) and tracks like “Fake Empire”, “Mistaken For Strangers”, and “Apartment Story” (QRO video) – and again in 2008 with The Virginia EP (QRO review), but that just presaged this year’s High Violet (QRO review), which debuted at #3 on the Billboard charts.  An impressive and much-in-demand act (QRO live review), they’re fitting in nicely as a festival headliner (QRO photos headlining a festival).  Blown up to the point that New York Times Magazine ran a feature on them & Obama used (the family-friendly) bit of “Mr. November” (QRO video) as a campaign song, The National (QRO photos at a festival) have taken the summer by storm (QRO photos headlining a festival), including the festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival).

The National
 

Surfer Blood, 6:25 PM – 7:10 PM, Tunnel Stage

Shooting up very quickly in indie-circles has been West Palm Beach’s Surfer Blood (QRO live review), who were gaining tons of fans (QRO photos of a packed house) long before acclaimed debut Astro Coast (QRO review) finally hit the shelves (or whatever you say in today’s digital age…).  Surfer Blood (QRO photos at a festival) just recently signed to Warner Brothers, so at least one major label is hoping that they the first wave of a new ‘South Florida Invasion’ (QRO photos at home).  However, QRO called them way back when (QRO photos at a festival), before they played a million-and-one festivals (QRO photos outdoors at a festival)…

Surfer Blood
 

Broken Social Scene, 5:35 PM – 6:25 PM, Bridge Stage

Since being part of the indie-rock ‘Canadian Invasion’ of 2003/2004, Toronto’s own Broken Social Scene (QRO photos) have also become one of the most sought-after festival bands in the alternative music arena, whether indoors at industry showcases (QRO photos at a festival) or outdoors at more traditional fests (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), to the point where they’re headlining (QRO photos headlining a festival), in addition to performing extensive, epic-yet-not-indulgent gigs (QRO live review).  Fronted by singer/guitarists Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning (QRO interview), this giant collective includes The Apostle of Hustle, Andrew Whiteman (QRO interview), Do Make Say Think’s Charles Spearin (QRO interview), and a rotating female vocalist spot that’s included Metric’s Emily Haines (QRO live review), Leslie Feist (QRO live review), Land of Talk’s Elizabeth Powell (QRO interview), currently filled by Lisa Lobsinger.  While the previous releases were ‘BSS Presents:’ albums focused on Drew (Spirit If…QRO review) and Canning (Something For All of Us…QRO review), this year’s Forgiveness Rock Record (QRO review) is a return to the Broken Social Scene (QRO photos outdoors at a festival), and their live show (QRO live review) has included everything from Spearin’s fascinating Happiness Project (QRO review) to the old ‘hits’ like “K.C. Accidental” (QRO video), “Fire Eyed Boy” (QRO video), and “Ibi Dreams of Pavement” (QRO video) – as well as numerous guest stars (QRO photos outdoors at a festival).  Simply put, one of the best live bands out there in today’s alternative music scene (QRO photos outdoors at a festival).

Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene
 

Monotonix, 4:50 PM – 5:30 PM, Tunnel Stage

After the ‘cool’ of Saturday, go nuts on Sunday with quite possibly the wildest band out there, Tel Aviv (that’s in Israel, kids!) natives Monotonix (QRO photos outdoors at a festival).  The three-man act’s live show (QRO live review) is done amidst the crowd, with ‘singer’ Ami Shalev’ stealing and trashing his own band’s equipment.  It all culminates in the ‘drummer’ surf, where the crowd lifts the drummer & kit up above their heads.  Just hopefully Shalev won’t break his leg again, like he did the last time they played with Surfer Blood (see aboveQRO photos right before it happened).

Monotonix

 

She & Him, 4:00 PM – 4:50 PM, Bridge Stage 

When stars of the screen try their hand at music, the results are usually as bad as when stars of the stereo try their hand at acting, but proving there’s an exception to every rule has been Zooey Deschanel (500 Days of Summer, Elf), the ‘She’ in She & Him (QRO photos) – of course, it doesn’t hurt that the ‘Him’ is a star of the stereo, alt-folkster M. Ward (QRO solo album review).  2008’s Volume 1 (QRO review) and single “I Was Made For You” (QRO video) let the indie world know this was no Keanu Reeves-in-Dogstar, and this year’s (of course-titled) Volume 2 (QRO review) let it be known that it was no fluke.  Yes, Deschanel & Ward (QRO photos at a festival) channel the likes of Patsy Cline & Sam Cooke (QRO video of Cooke cover), through an ultra-cute muse (QRO photos), and yes, this leads to a tight, tight pack of fans (QRO photos at a festival), but She & Him deliver (QRO live review).

She & Him

 

The Sea and Cake, 3:15 PM – 3:55 PM, Tunnel Stage

There’s no band as truly ‘easy to listen to’ as The Sea and Cake (QRO live review)  – and that’s meant as a compliment, a serious compliment.  Going on fifteen years now, The Sea and Cake (QRO photos outdoors) have remained the steadiest of hands in the Chicago post-rock scene, most recently with 2008’s Car Alarm (QRO review) and 2007’s Everybody (QRO review).  Before their members split up again for their various other projects (including the new solo album from singer/guitarist Sam Prekop and drummer John McEntire’s work in Tortoise – QRO live review), they’re touring with Broken Social Scene (see above), whose latest, Forgiveness Rock Record, was produced by McEntire.

The Sea and Cake

 

Superchunk, 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM, Bridge Stage

At this point, Superchunk (QRO live review) are better known for what they did when not playing – founding the little indie label-made-big Merge Records, home to artists such as The Arcade Fire (QRO live review), Spoon (QRO live review) and She & Him (see above).  But the North Carolina natives started Merge for their work as influential nineties alt-punk act Superchunk (QRO photos at Merge showcase), and have come back as good as ever recently, both on the road (QRO live review) and with the new Majesty Shredding (QRO review) & “Learned To Surf” (QRO video), but also oldies-and-goodies like “Slack Motherfucker” (QRO video), evoking the time when indie-rock could be fun & skilled, not either/or.

Superchunk

 

Ra Ra Riot, 1:15 PM – 1:55 PM, Bridge Stage 

Oh, how they’ve grown!  In the less than three years since their self-titled EP (QRO review) and the death of singer/drummer John Pike, this Nor’easter collective (QRO photos) has not only rebounded but exploded (QRO photos at a festival), embracing life even more on 2008’s excellent The Rhumb Line (QRO review) than early single “Dying Is Fine” (QRO video) could have predicted.  Ra Ra Riot’s live show (QRO live review) sees everyone but the new drummer running around on stage like kids on candy (especially singer Wesley Miles – QRO interview), but they’re also relative road ‘veterans’, from near-immediately after Pike’s death (QRO live review) to outdoor festivals (QRO photos outdoors at a festival) to in-stores (QRO photos) to industry showcases (QRO photos at an industry showcase) to bigger & bigger rock clubs (QRO photos) to opera houses (QRO live review) to fashion launch parties (QRO live review) – and even the occasional basement show (QRO photos).  They’re also building in songbook, from early numbers like “Can You Tell?” (QRO video) to Rhumb single “Ghost Under Rocks” (QRO video) and the Pike-penned “St. Peter’s Day Festival” (QRO video) to the new “Too Dramatic”, from this year’s follow-up The Orchard (QRO review).  Note: do watch out for a tight pack of males (QRO photos at a festival) in front of everyone’s indie-rock crush, Alexandra Lawn (QRO interview)…

Ra Ra Riot
Ra Ra Riot

 

Phosphorescent, 12:00 PM – 12:40 PM, Bridge Stage

Alt-country/indie-folk has been booming recently, especially on the festival circuit, and while Treasure Island is lighter on it than most alternative music festivals (to say nothing of all the jam band fests out there), there’s still a slot for Athens, Georgia-by-way-of-Brooklyn, NY Phosphorescent (QRO photos outdoors).  Hitting San Fran before touring Europe with The National (see above), they’re less jam & more touch than their contemporaries, and love to play outdoors (QRO photos outdoors).

Phosphorescent

 

Also:

Papercuts, 1:55 PM – 2:25 PM, Tunnel Stage 

The Mumlers, 12:40 PM – 1:10 PM, Tunnel Stage

Papercuts

 

For festival website, go here: http://www.treasureislandfestival.com/2010/index.php

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