FFF Fest Review

FUN FUN FUN fest 2014

Several of our interns had the good luck to make it to Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, TX earlier this month. Check out some of the things they had to say about the shows! 

Fat White Family

When I think of Fat White Family, sophisticated is not the word that comes to my mind. In fact, whatever you consider the opposite of sophisticated would probably work best. For me, it’s punk. The word ‘punk’ first originated as a derogatory slang for prostitute, degenerate, or really anybody that you considered to be a filthy, low-life human being. Once bands like The Stooges or The Sex Pistols started coming out with their gritty, ear-numbing style of rock, they took on the term punk rock. Over time, many bands have started misappropriating punk rock, and those who were punk took on a lifestyle and music that disillusioned punk rock and has left us wondering where are the punks? What happened to Rock'n'Roll? Now, I can take comfort in knowing that Fat White Family exists. They live and breathe as the physical embodiment of punk rock; however, most of this can only be seen in their live show. They had every awkward quality that seems necessary of a rock band from the UK, and their performance at Fun Fun Fun Fest was incredible. From the jerky, arrhythmic pelvic thrusts, to the shirtless corduroy pant combo with missing belt loops, tucked-in T-shirt, long, greasy sideburns

and platform shoes, every member of the band took part in the irreverent worship of punk-rock past. Or maybe themselves? Either way, they looked the part, and they’re neck-vein-popping, spine-writhing, sunken-dead-eye style of performance only made it more enjoyable to watch. Their performance made it clear that they live the punk rock lifestyle, and are most likely the most authentic Rock’n’Roll band out there today. Is that a good thing or not? I have no fucking idea. Do they give a shit? Probably not. And because of that, I will remain in steadfast prayer to the newborn son of punk.

- Joseph Erik

alt-J

Though the will call line was half a mile long the first day of Fun Fun Fun Fest 2014, everyone was definitely there when alt-J took the stage Friday night. alt-J’s set began with the blinking of a red light to the opening notes of “Hunger of the Pine,” as the audience eagerly awaited the arrival of our English friends. As soon as they took the stage, the crowd immediately erupted then quickly silenced, as front man Joe Newman began to work his magic on the mic. The band then continued to play both favorites and deep cuts from their latest album This Is All Yours with many throwbacks from An Awesome Wave mixed in. For me, alt-J has always been more of a mellow band perfect when accompanied by rainy drives or last minute term papers. However, after seeing this show, I can now say they are quite the opposite. alt-J commanded the stage like no other band I saw at Fun Fun Fun. They didn’t get on stage and talk to the audience. They didn’t headbang, jump around, or exaggerate notes. They got on stage and performed, and it sounded perfect. It was like I was listening to their albums in full surround sound, each drum beat shaking Auditorium Shores, and each note resonating in the mass of people.  Tack on the amazing light display, and the stunned, speechless, deer-in-the headlights look from concert-goers at the closing note of “Breezeblocks” was completely understandable.

- Benji Gomez

Courtney Barnett

From the singer-songwriter/rock mixed genre, to the clever lyrics and deadpan singing, I have been a fan of Courtney Barnett’s music for a while; however, I was not prepared at all prepared for her performances at Fun Fun Fun Fest. Although there was plenty of acoustic guitar and piano in her record, they were not to be found with her on stage at all. Instead, she exchanged these for a well loved fender telecaster with a single distortion pedal plugged into her overdriven fender combo amp. I am still in shock from the heavy and grungy set that Courtney would perform both for her show at the Belmont and on stage at the festival. In fact, only next to Fat White Family, she performed one of the strongest sets at the festival for the weekend. Rather than starting soft with a piano, like the album, A Sea of Split Peas, they started hard with overdriven bass, pounding drums and surprisingly noisy guitar riffs from their guitarist. Several times, Courtney would cover the mic with her mouth and growl at the ends of phrases, while the show

ended with her turning the gain on her pedal all the way up and placing it in the crowd to play with and destroy their ear drums. In fact, the resemblance between Courtney at her performances and a young Kurt Cobain are uncanny. The long dangling hair, the plaid flannel shirt, worn-in jeans and converse hi-tops made me wonder if Courtney did all of this in tribute; however, it is clear that Courtney is her own person. She is a powerful frontwoman, able to expose other acts for the mainstream fluff pieces that they are. She is able to establish a strong identity through her music and now has shown us that she can work that identity however she pleases. Courtney Barnett’s performance has made me reimagine her album and work everytime I listen to it, and now leaves me anxious to hear more from one of the few powerful and grungy frontwomen that we have in the music scene today.

- Joseph Erik

Fred Armisen

What I thought was going to be a stand up comedy sketch turned out to be an easy going set by Fred Armisen, main protagonist in IFC’s Portlandia.  Being the comedian that he is, Armisen started the set by pretending to be Ian Rubbish and the Bizarros. Complete with a blonde wig, Cockney accent, and cheeky remarks, Armisen was reminiscent of Russell Brand. The first song was called “Hi Police Man,” a parody of Ian Rubbish’s “Maggie Thatcher” and the second song in the set was called “Livin’ In the Guttah,” both overflowing with a brand of sarcasm and attitude you can only find in the UK. After a few more Brit-pop tunes, Mr. Rubbish went backstage to change and out came Fred for real this time. Performing as himself, Fred and his band delivered a short thirty minute set of danceable tunes. He wasn’t wild and crazy, rather a rhythmic bounce and lean to each song. No crazy strobes or fog machines or other bells and whistles, just a man and his guitar accompanied by bass and drum. Fred also invited Tim Kerr from the Big Boys to perform a tune with him.  This is significant for two reasons: 1. The Big Boys are native to Austin, Texas, and 2. this is Fred’s long time favorite band.  After their performance together, Tim left and Fred punctuated his set with a song he loved listening to growing up from The Big Boys called Sound on Sound.  Overall, Fred’s set had the amount of comedy, fun, and energy one would expect from the SNL and Portlandia star.  I was so elated to see one of my all-time favorite actors in person, performing some pretty awesome tunes.  Until next time Fred!

- Bria Woods

Zorch

I spent most of my time walking through downtown Austin on my way to the festival wondering why the UK band from the 70’s was performing at Fun Fun Fun Fest, and why they were performing so early on the second day; however, as I walked up to the stage, and heard flying cymbals and rolling toms, I knew that this could not be the same analog-synthesizer-exclusive group that I thought it was. They weren’t. And I am glad they weren’t. Zorch is an analog synth and drum kit duo that gives an unending energy and an unbelievably full sound through the illusion of their music. Stage presence is hard enough to pull off when you have three guitarists running around on stage, so the thought of having one keyboard player and one drummer astounded me. It was through their music that the energy came to life on stage. The employment of live triggered sound rather than pre-recorded loops, and their mirrored set-up on stage allowed them to communicate effectively. The push and pull of their rhythms and the dynamic phrasing convinced the audience to sway to the music with them. They did not need a light show or dancers or an alcohol-induced rage to provide a great show; instead, the combination of their constant communication and their driving pseudo-electronic-pop-noise songs made them a powerful ensemble, even with only two players. And for that, I will be eternally grateful I saw Zorch and not the two old dudes from the UK.

- Joseph Erik

First Aid Kit

Staying true to their folk and bokeh-infused niche, First Aid Kit brought all of these elements with them on stage. Sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg made a charming duo, decked out in sequined jackets and performing every song with a combination of excitement and earnest focus. They managed to join sultry power in their vocals with genuine happiness at being on stage. Most songs came off their latest album, Stay Gold, but favorites, such "Emmylou" and "The Lion's Roar" bookended their set. They also included a cover of Jack White’s “Love Interruption.” The sisters managed to stay true to the original song while including more of their signature harmonies and emphasis on folksy guitar. Klara’s guitar added more elements to the White’s simple version, while their all-female version of the harmonies made for an interesting variation on the original. Whether Johanna and Klara were singing a cover or an original song, their distinctive voices were the main focus, which has always remained consistent in their albums. Though their talent is evident in recordings, the power and energy behind their voices was especially clear on stage. Often, their live renditions added emphasis and power behind certain words that were glossed over in the studio versions, adding more insight into song meanings. With their first albums focusing mostly on Klara’s guitar and the sister’s harmonies, their music has continued to add elements over the years. However, hearing their live performance with these special moments of emphasis brought the focus right back to their vocals. Their songs typically showcase both sisters’ voices but performing live also allowed them to display their individual personalities as well. Johanna hair-flipped her way through the set while Klara stood quietly at her mic, but the combination made for a fun and endearing show. Clearly, these Swedish sisters have evolved from a charming child duo to powerful performers who command attention while remaining true to their sweet, harmonic roots.

- Elena Souris

Yo La Tengo

Yo La Tengo is a band that always leaves me confused. I always revisit their music, hoping to find the value that many people see. Their performance at Fun Fun Fun Fest didn’t help. Performing as their usual 3-piece set up, they struggled on stage to maintain a full sound throughout the show. Whenever Ira Kaplan would drop from maintaining the harmonic phrase, there was a clear drop in the sound, even as he added noise. And when they performed three, 8+ minute tunes that consisted of 2 minutes of song material with the rest being a noise jam where the drums and bass would maintain a monotonous riff and rhythm, the thin sound made it difficult to remain attentive. I found this difficult to believe for a veteran band such as Yo La Tengo, especially when Kaplan had two guitars doing feedback on stage and he somehow found a way to make it quiet and unimportant. There were some moments where the sound was full, and there was a catchy riff placed in there, but the performance’s tendency to drift into ambling jam sections reaffirmed their lack of harmonic and melodic direction. The final straw for me was when was when Kaplan started swinging his guitar in an attempt to create feedback and ended up making zero sound. I love listening to the same riff 30,000 times as much as the next guy, but I am not gonna pretend that their use of quiet, almost inaudible noise jams lived up to their cult reputation. Keep swinging, Kaplan. Keep swinging.

- Joseph Erik

Modest Mouse

Day two of Fun Fun Fun Fest closed with Modest Mouse, and it was clear from the massive huddle of Mouse followers that I was not the only fan to arrive early and wait through hours of other shows just to get the best spot possible for Isaac Brock, Jeremiah Green, and Eric Judy. I was very excited to hear the band open with my favorite song, “The World at Large,” since they skipped over it when I saw them at Coachella 2013. They were wildly energetic, mirroring their dancing and lively fans. In the past, Isaac Brock has been known to go a bit psychological on his fans - for example, at a show last year he repeatedly discussed the tricks the mind can play on us all in between songs. With that habit of the lead singer in mind, it was surprising and unexpected to see the band abandon their deep life advice performance for one that was carefree and featured more music, less talk. Although this approach was better for fans that only wanted to hear music and dance, it took away from the fans who were interested in the personality of the band and the beliefs that define Modest Mouse’s band culture. They kept the mood lively by skipping slower, sentimental hits such as “Little Motel” in favor of upbeat songs that kept the crowd moving. Bonus magic moment: during “Dark Center of the Universe,” a huge meteor could be clearly seen flying across the nighttime Austin sky. Their set included tunes from across their discography, such as “Custom Concern,” “Fire it Up,” and the ever popular “Float On.” They also played several newer songs from the past few years, such as “Sugar Boats” and “Lampshades on Fire,” that are rumored to be on their upcoming first full album since 2007’s We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. Finally, the band encored with crowd favorite “The Good Times are Killing Me.” All in all, it was (as always) a terrific live show from Modest Mouse.

- Elyssa Garza

Failure

Failure was an alternative rock band from the 90’s that only performed for about seven years before disbanding. They developed a strong cult following that apparently has remained trued for a decade and a half. And I think all of their followers were there at their performance for Fun Fun Fun Fest. Many people sung along strongly for this long awaited reunion, and I even think someone next to me started crying at the end of their set. Even with all of this, I could not help but feel like their performance was as artificial as their reunion this year. Frontman Ken Andrews looked Rivers Cuomo trying to sing like Kurt Cobain while playing what looked like a mirror plated Gibson Les Paul. All members remained completely still, while the sound was so modified that the drum kit sounded like it was electric. And most distant of all was the lack of any amplification on stage. I am almost positive that the guitarist and bassist were playing directly into the sound system, and Ken Andrews was using an iPad for his digital guitar effects. After every song, Andrews would walk off stage to adjust the levels on his guitar and voice. This lead to several sound problems where Andrews’ guitar would just cut out and there would no longer be any guitar. The bass was so loud that the notes were indistinguishable. And ultimately, the sound of the performance was only a reflection of the distance that they had from the audience and maybe even their own music. The same effect probably could’ve been had if you went to your car stereo, played the song at full volume with the low end turned all the way and the high ends all the way down. Either way, it was clear that others around me were very happy to sing along to a band that has been gone for almost twenty years, even though all I could see was a fake performance of the band formerly known as Failure.

- Joseph Erik