Yes that's right, a band we've been banging on about since the day they formed has won a competition, and not just any, they've won a slot at Austin City Limits festival in Austin later on this year!
Congratulations guys!
Congratulations guys!
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Showing posts with label Austin City Limits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Austin City Limits. Show all posts
Wednesday, 19 March 2014
Sunday, 13 October 2013
Festival Review...ACL 2013 Days 2 and 3
This past weekend I attended Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin, Texas. It's one of my personal favourites because it generally has a decent lineup and reflects the fun and funky personality of Austin. If you ever get a chance to go, I would highly recommend it, you'll have a great time. Since I saw so many bands (including everyone from my Top 10 List) I figured I'd give you the run down on what all I got up to. The festival will be happening again this upcoming weekend with a nearly identical lineup. So here we go, Day 2!
I've tried to listen to Haim before but just couldn't get into them. I saw them live and loved them. The sisters are a force to be reckoned with and put on a great show. I'm really looking forward to getting their album and listening to them more. Silversun Pickups were okay, I went with friends and I just wasn't impressed. They're just an average indie band and many of their songs sound the same to me. They're good performers but the music just wasn't for me.
Grimes was great and her set was packed. Her ethereal vocals sounded great and I had a good time at her set despite not being especially familiar with a lot of her songs. Passion Pit are a decent pop-influenced indie set and they put on a suitably decent set. I don't particularly like or dislike them as a band, and felt the same way about their set.
Kendrick Lamar was a highlight of my day. While great on record, there is an intensity to him that comes across strongly when he performs live. At one point he addressed the audience by saying something along the lines of "This isn't a rap show, this isn't a performance, it's an experience." He also tried really hard to get the audience involved which is always nice to see, and he sounded great as well.
Going into the festival, I was initially really excited to see The Cure. I enjoyed their set but I just didn't find myself enjoying it as much as I thought I would. I actually enjoyed Depeche Mode much more and I'm not sure if that's because Friday wore me out or what. It was a good set and they played tons of hits but I just wasn't especially impressed.
By the time Sunday rolled around, I was pretty exhausted. I didn't have much interested in staying for Phoenix, Atoms for Peace or Lionel Richie, but here's what I did get up to on Day 3.
The Mowgli's are an alternative rock band from California that I hadn't heard of before the festival. They put on a fun and spirited set that was quite enjoyable. I love going to festivals with friends because we end up taking each other to see bands we wouldn't usually see and it's always fun. Dawes are another a band I wouldn't usually find myself listening to, but I quite enjoyed their set. They're a folk act which usually isn't my style, but the country-folksy style went over great on a Sunday afternoon when you're in the mood for something chill after being at the festival all weekend.
Franz Ferdinand's latest album Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action is just really great and I was so happy to get a chance to see them live again. They put on a fantastic show and the crowd got really into it, which was impressive for being the 4pm timeslot on Sunday which can frequently be tough. They played a mix of songs from their career, accented with their usual high kicks and great energy on stage.
ACL is a great festival, and this year was no exception. Maybe I'll see you there next year?
Holly Spidle
I've tried to listen to Haim before but just couldn't get into them. I saw them live and loved them. The sisters are a force to be reckoned with and put on a great show. I'm really looking forward to getting their album and listening to them more. Silversun Pickups were okay, I went with friends and I just wasn't impressed. They're just an average indie band and many of their songs sound the same to me. They're good performers but the music just wasn't for me.
Grimes was great and her set was packed. Her ethereal vocals sounded great and I had a good time at her set despite not being especially familiar with a lot of her songs. Passion Pit are a decent pop-influenced indie set and they put on a suitably decent set. I don't particularly like or dislike them as a band, and felt the same way about their set.
Kendrick Lamar was a highlight of my day. While great on record, there is an intensity to him that comes across strongly when he performs live. At one point he addressed the audience by saying something along the lines of "This isn't a rap show, this isn't a performance, it's an experience." He also tried really hard to get the audience involved which is always nice to see, and he sounded great as well.
Going into the festival, I was initially really excited to see The Cure. I enjoyed their set but I just didn't find myself enjoying it as much as I thought I would. I actually enjoyed Depeche Mode much more and I'm not sure if that's because Friday wore me out or what. It was a good set and they played tons of hits but I just wasn't especially impressed.
By the time Sunday rolled around, I was pretty exhausted. I didn't have much interested in staying for Phoenix, Atoms for Peace or Lionel Richie, but here's what I did get up to on Day 3.
The Mowgli's are an alternative rock band from California that I hadn't heard of before the festival. They put on a fun and spirited set that was quite enjoyable. I love going to festivals with friends because we end up taking each other to see bands we wouldn't usually see and it's always fun. Dawes are another a band I wouldn't usually find myself listening to, but I quite enjoyed their set. They're a folk act which usually isn't my style, but the country-folksy style went over great on a Sunday afternoon when you're in the mood for something chill after being at the festival all weekend.
Franz Ferdinand's latest album Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action is just really great and I was so happy to get a chance to see them live again. They put on a fantastic show and the crowd got really into it, which was impressive for being the 4pm timeslot on Sunday which can frequently be tough. They played a mix of songs from their career, accented with their usual high kicks and great energy on stage.
ACL is a great festival, and this year was no exception. Maybe I'll see you there next year?
Holly Spidle
Austin City Limits is Canceled Today
Festival organizers announced this morning that Austin City Limits is canceled for today, Sunday October 13 due to flash flood warnings. There has been a lot of rain in the Austin area last night and today, and so the festival is being canceled for the safety of everyone involved.
C3 Presents, the promotions company behind the festival, has announced that all ticket holders will receive a refund of one-third the ticket price which will be mailed to the billing address used to purchase the tickets.
While it's unfortunate that the festival couldn't be held today, I think the refund is more than fair. Performers scheduled for today included Franz Ferdinand, Phoenix, Atoms for Peace and Lionel Richie. Click here for the official press release.
Holly Spidle
C3 Presents, the promotions company behind the festival, has announced that all ticket holders will receive a refund of one-third the ticket price which will be mailed to the billing address used to purchase the tickets.
While it's unfortunate that the festival couldn't be held today, I think the refund is more than fair. Performers scheduled for today included Franz Ferdinand, Phoenix, Atoms for Peace and Lionel Richie. Click here for the official press release.
Holly Spidle
Saturday, 12 October 2013
Festival Review...Austin City Limits 2013 Day 1
This past weekend I attended Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin, Texas. It's one of my personal favourites because it generally has a decent lineup and reflects the fun and funky personality of Austin. If you ever get a chance to go, I would highly recommend it, you'll have a great time. Since I saw so many bands (including everyone from my Top 10 List) I figured I'd give you the run down on what all I got up to. The festival will be happening again this upcoming weekend with a nearly identical lineup. So here we go, Day 1!
Well, watching The Orwells' set was a memorable one for sure. I can now say that's the first time I've ever seen someone throw up/dry heave on stage and I'm pretty sure I could live without a repeat. I was really looking forward to their set, even though it was the very first one of the day, but after watching frontman Mario Cuomo stumble around and actively trying not to throw up I ended up leaving after about three songs. They're a band of 17 year olds from the suburbs of Chicago with a great punk sound, and if they can get it together they have the potential to go somewhere.
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From there I headed on to FIDLAR. I was a little concerned going into it since their set time was noon, but I was pleasantly surprised. They're a skater punk band out of LA and I'm just totally in love with them at the moment. A highlight of the set was when the power blew out during the end of "Max Can't Surf," a song about the drummer Max Kuehn. The only thing you could hear was the drums, thus giving Max an impromptu solo on his own song. Their set was full of energy and I highly recommend you go see them live because it's an amazing experience.
I was pleasantly surprised by just how good Jimmy Eat World is. You're all probably familiar with a few of their songs, especially "The Middle," but I was really impressed with the fact that they're actually really great performers. I spent a pleasant hour at their set, initially dragged there by friends.
Arctic Monkeys have been one of my favourite bands for years, and they just killed their live set. I've seen them seven times since 2006 and I have to say that they haven't always been the best live act. The last few times I've seen them have been consistently amazing, and I'm excited to say they have grown into being a consistently good live act. Alex Turner even attempted some awkwardly adorable dance moves and pulled out a comb to fix his hair a few times and the crowd loved it. They sounded fantastic, even if a large portion of the crowd wasn't too familiar with the songs from AM. Arctic Monkeys in the States is a curious thing, except for 15 minutes in 2006 when they were so popular, they just haven't really moved beyond a moderately successful indie band here. I've seen them play ACL three times and they still haven't moved beyond a hour-long set in the middle of the day.
I caught a bit of Queens of the Stone Age and was enjoying it. It was great to see them rocking out but unfortunately their set overlapped with Depeche Mode who were absolutely fantastic. Dave Gahan's voice sounds exactly how it did back in the 80s, I was very impressed. What was especially interesting was how they updated the arrangement of some of their older songs to make them sound more modern, instead of sticking with the now-dated production. They're dedicated musicians through and through, and put on a great show.
Somehow, after all of that, I even managed to go to another gig! After each day of the festival there are several official ACL aftershows at different venues around Austin to give you an opportunity to either see people again or catch bands you may have missed. I really love FIDLAR so I jumped at the opportunity to see them and The Orwells play again. There'll be another post dedicated just to that experience.
All in all, this year's ACL was one of the best. I'd highly recommend this music festival in the future as it's a lot of fun.
Holly Spidle
Well, watching The Orwells' set was a memorable one for sure. I can now say that's the first time I've ever seen someone throw up/dry heave on stage and I'm pretty sure I could live without a repeat. I was really looking forward to their set, even though it was the very first one of the day, but after watching frontman Mario Cuomo stumble around and actively trying not to throw up I ended up leaving after about three songs. They're a band of 17 year olds from the suburbs of Chicago with a great punk sound, and if they can get it together they have the potential to go somewhere.
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From there I headed on to FIDLAR. I was a little concerned going into it since their set time was noon, but I was pleasantly surprised. They're a skater punk band out of LA and I'm just totally in love with them at the moment. A highlight of the set was when the power blew out during the end of "Max Can't Surf," a song about the drummer Max Kuehn. The only thing you could hear was the drums, thus giving Max an impromptu solo on his own song. Their set was full of energy and I highly recommend you go see them live because it's an amazing experience.
I was pleasantly surprised by just how good Jimmy Eat World is. You're all probably familiar with a few of their songs, especially "The Middle," but I was really impressed with the fact that they're actually really great performers. I spent a pleasant hour at their set, initially dragged there by friends.
Arctic Monkeys have been one of my favourite bands for years, and they just killed their live set. I've seen them seven times since 2006 and I have to say that they haven't always been the best live act. The last few times I've seen them have been consistently amazing, and I'm excited to say they have grown into being a consistently good live act. Alex Turner even attempted some awkwardly adorable dance moves and pulled out a comb to fix his hair a few times and the crowd loved it. They sounded fantastic, even if a large portion of the crowd wasn't too familiar with the songs from AM. Arctic Monkeys in the States is a curious thing, except for 15 minutes in 2006 when they were so popular, they just haven't really moved beyond a moderately successful indie band here. I've seen them play ACL three times and they still haven't moved beyond a hour-long set in the middle of the day.
I caught a bit of Queens of the Stone Age and was enjoying it. It was great to see them rocking out but unfortunately their set overlapped with Depeche Mode who were absolutely fantastic. Dave Gahan's voice sounds exactly how it did back in the 80s, I was very impressed. What was especially interesting was how they updated the arrangement of some of their older songs to make them sound more modern, instead of sticking with the now-dated production. They're dedicated musicians through and through, and put on a great show.
Somehow, after all of that, I even managed to go to another gig! After each day of the festival there are several official ACL aftershows at different venues around Austin to give you an opportunity to either see people again or catch bands you may have missed. I really love FIDLAR so I jumped at the opportunity to see them and The Orwells play again. There'll be another post dedicated just to that experience.
All in all, this year's ACL was one of the best. I'd highly recommend this music festival in the future as it's a lot of fun.
Holly Spidle
Wednesday, 2 October 2013
Top 10 Acts to See at Austin City Limits 2013
This year Austin City Limits has expanded to two weekends with nearly identical lineups. The first weekend is October 4-6 and is sold out. The second weekend is October 11-13 and at the time of posting tickets are still available. As this is one of my favourite festivals and I'm going first weekend, I put together a list in no particular order of 10 acts that I think you should see at ACL.
I make no guarantees but I will try and tweet while I'm at the festival, if you're interested you can follow me here!
1. Arctic Monkeys
I love them to death and cannot wait to see them again. They've got a new album out that's quite good, they're at the top of their game right now, don't miss them. I know they're playing at the same time as Vampire Weekend but seriously that shouldn't even be a conflict for you. AM all the way.
2. FIDLAR
They're skater punks from California that will deliver a fast, frantic live show you really shouldn't miss. Also they're friends with Kate Nash and their friendship just makes me so happy.
3. Jake Bugg
A really great young singer/song writer and I'm so exited that he's touring America. He's incredibly talented and really worth a look.
4. Grimes
She's got a wonderful haunting vocal style with a cool electro vibe. I really love her quirky style and I'm excited to get a chance to see her.
5. Kendrick Lamar
There's always at least one or two rap acts at ACL, and they usually are smart picks that go over well. Kendrick Lamar is becoming a major force in the US rap scene, and he's got some great social commentary tracks as well.
6. Queens of the Stone Age
Josh Homme and co are back with a great stormer of an album. They're a truly great rock band and should translate well to a festival setting. Unfortunately their set conflicts with Depeche Mode but it's worth dropping by at least for a bit.
7. Depeche Mode
Why? Because it's Depeche Mode! They're legends and have inspired so much of the music we listen to today. Plus they're on at the same time as Muse, who I really dislike and play this festival all the time. You know what to do.
8. The Cure
A lot of the same reasons I used above also apply here. They're great, you know a lot of their songs, just do it. Plus they're at the same time as Kings of Leon, who let's be honest, really aren't that great. They've got a 2 hour set and I just can't wait to see what all they do with it.
9. Franz Ferdinand
Their new album is some of the best material I've heard from them in a long time, and their live shows are always fun. It seems like it's been a long time since we last heard from them, but I feel it was well worth the wait.
10. Haim
Personally, I haven't had much luck getting into their music, but I'm still going to recommend them. They seem like really awesome people and I'm going to try and drop by their set.
Holly Spidle
I make no guarantees but I will try and tweet while I'm at the festival, if you're interested you can follow me here!
1. Arctic Monkeys
I love them to death and cannot wait to see them again. They've got a new album out that's quite good, they're at the top of their game right now, don't miss them. I know they're playing at the same time as Vampire Weekend but seriously that shouldn't even be a conflict for you. AM all the way.
2. FIDLAR
They're skater punks from California that will deliver a fast, frantic live show you really shouldn't miss. Also they're friends with Kate Nash and their friendship just makes me so happy.
3. Jake Bugg
A really great young singer/song writer and I'm so exited that he's touring America. He's incredibly talented and really worth a look.
4. Grimes
She's got a wonderful haunting vocal style with a cool electro vibe. I really love her quirky style and I'm excited to get a chance to see her.
5. Kendrick Lamar
There's always at least one or two rap acts at ACL, and they usually are smart picks that go over well. Kendrick Lamar is becoming a major force in the US rap scene, and he's got some great social commentary tracks as well.
6. Queens of the Stone Age
Josh Homme and co are back with a great stormer of an album. They're a truly great rock band and should translate well to a festival setting. Unfortunately their set conflicts with Depeche Mode but it's worth dropping by at least for a bit.
7. Depeche Mode
Why? Because it's Depeche Mode! They're legends and have inspired so much of the music we listen to today. Plus they're on at the same time as Muse, who I really dislike and play this festival all the time. You know what to do.
8. The Cure
A lot of the same reasons I used above also apply here. They're great, you know a lot of their songs, just do it. Plus they're at the same time as Kings of Leon, who let's be honest, really aren't that great. They've got a 2 hour set and I just can't wait to see what all they do with it.
9. Franz Ferdinand
Their new album is some of the best material I've heard from them in a long time, and their live shows are always fun. It seems like it's been a long time since we last heard from them, but I feel it was well worth the wait.
10. Haim
Personally, I haven't had much luck getting into their music, but I'm still going to recommend them. They seem like really awesome people and I'm going to try and drop by their set.
Holly Spidle
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