Autumn weather may be in full swing, but this weekend, 70,000 music fans flocked to the musical (and actual) capitol of Texas for one last burst of summer: the 2011 Austin City Limits Festival. Over a hundred artists played on one of the festival’s eight stages, and VH1 photographer Julie Ruiz was on site, following the sounds and snapping pictures of Stevie Wonder, Kanye West, and seventeen others—including three of the can’t-miss sets we recommended. Before this weekend, we thought we were all festival-ed out, but looking at this gallery gives us all-too-fresh pangs of jealousy.
Labor Day may have come and gone, but the equinox isn’t until September 23, so this weekend Austin City Limits will just squeak by with the last festival of the summer. Normally before big festival weekends we try to narrow down the best option when multiple must-see bands play at the same time on different stages, but the ACL 2011 schedule is pretty well-spaced, besides which we have a pretty good idea of what to expect from the big names based on their performances at other festivals this summer (like Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza). In short: be sure not to miss Arcade Fire, closing out Sunday night, and be sure to see at least one of the two headliners on Friday (Coldplay and Kanye West) and Saturday (Stevie Wonder and My Morning Jacket). All five sets promise to be thrilling. But let’s talk about some other acts that can’t be missed.
1. Foster The People (Friday, 5:30-6:30PM)
We’ve already said plenty about these You Oughta Know alums whose “Pumped Up Kicks” was a dark-horse Song of the Summer, but if we had to distill our reasoning for naming them “must-see” to one mention, it would be their enthralling Lollapalooza performance. This is what this band does to a festival crowd. Be a part of it. [click to continue…]
Sadly, we weren’t able to make it out to Chicago for this year’s Pitchfork Music Festival, but we were closely following along at home—a task made somewhat easier this year with (now-dead) livestreams of some bands’ sets—and we wanted to share the fruits of that labor with you. So here’s what you (and we) missed:
1. SAXOPHONES
By our count, there were three saxophonists onstage at the festival for this Summer of Sax: one as part of Destroyer‘s smooth-rock band, and two playing with Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards. Those looking for a smooth sax solo could find it at Destroyer’s set, but the harmonic and punctuating use of saxophones was a highlight of Thursday’s Tune-Yards performance at Pier 54 in New York City, and judging from this clip of “Do You Want To Live?” Friday’s Pitchfork set was no different. [click to continue…]
Gerard Smith (above, middle) passed away from lung cancer related complications today at age 34.
We are sad to report that Gerard Smith of Brooklyn band TV on the Radio has passed away this morning after battling lung cancer. He was 34.
Bassist Smith joined TV on the Radio in 2005 as they toured in support of the previous year’s Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes, but quickly became an integral part of the band in the studio as well, contributing not only bass but also guitar, piano, vocals, electric sitar, samples, synthesizer, and organ to the three albums that have since followed, including Nine Types of Light, released last week.
Smith was diagnosed with lung cancer just last month, and stayed in New York to seek treatment while the rest of the band began touring in support of the new album. Tonight’s TV on the Radio show in Detroit, as well as four more upcoming shows, have been canceled so that Smith’s bandmates can return to the city and pay their respects.
Fresh from a few live dates in South America (including a co-headlining slot at Lollapalooza Chile, natch) Jane’s Addiction released Inside the Lies, a behind-the-scenes short film with footage of the recording sessions for “End to the Lies,” the new song (they’re very careful not to call it a single) from the forthcoming album The Great Escape Artist. [click to continue…]
Before the plane lifted off for a flight back to NYC from Austin’s South By Southwest Music Festival, the airline attendant joked via loudspeaker: “You all look so hip and cool.” Some passengers laughed, but probably no one disagreed. How could a flight with members of TV on the Radio be anything else? In fact,the packed plane felt like a microcosm of the festival itself, where thousands of bands, industry executives, celebrities and music fans worked and played for five days at parties in clubs, bars and makeshift venues like parking garages.
If you’re not in the music business, you may have never heard of Benny Blanco. But there’s no way you haven’t heard his music. As a writer and producer, he’s helped create some of the biggest pop hits in recent years, including Katy Perry‘s “Teenage Dream” and “I Kissed A Girl,” Britney Spear‘s “Circus” and Ke$ha‘s “Tik Tok.” Benny is also in Bangers & Cash, a duo with Spank Rock that produced a raunchy EP based on 2 Live Crew samples. Benny isn’t performing at SXSW (he’s just attending), but we’re interested to find out who’s on his short list.
Theophilus London is not your average MC from Brooklyn. An adept rapper who has a penchant for skinny pants and nerd-rock glasses, fans (and detractors) might not categorize his music as hip-hop at all. This makes sense considering his non-mixtape debut, Lovers Holiday, features guest appearances by indie-rock luminaries like Dave Sitek (TV on the Radio) Sara Quin (Tegan& Sara) and Glasser. Theophilus raps on all of his songs, but this EP feels less inspired by hip-hop than Prince‘s eclectic mix of R&B, pop, rock and New Wave.
After the jump, find out which SXSW acts this mixed bag MC is excited to see.
Fitz And The Tantrums are a seven-piece pop machine that sound like acombination of Motown and Kick-era INXS, minus guitar. Fronted by the charismaticMichael Fitzpatrick, who rightly shares a big chunk of the spotlight with singerNoelle Scaggs, you may have recently caught the band making the rounds oflate-night talk shows (Jimmy Kimmel, Conan) to support its new album, Pickin’ Upthe Pieces. We haven’t seen the band live (TheFoo Fighters hijacked their SXSW stage last night), but we hear they put on anamazing show. Here’s the video for “MoneyGrabber,” Fitz’ new single:
After the jump, Fitz himself gives his SXSW picks.
