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OMG! EDM is taking over Coachella (and the World)!!
This was the whine of the New York Times Music Critic in his recent Coachella 2012 articles. Poor baby, maybe he was pissed because The Black Keys got bumped to an earlier spot, and Swedish House Mafia closed Friday night. My opinion? To quote the Great Philosopher Tim Lincecum, “Fuck Yeah!” You couldn’t pay me enough (plus you’d have to lash me to a pole) to make me listen to 100 mostly mediocre indie rock bands.
I’m not sure what his complaint was, since only one of the five stages was dedicated to EDM. Ah, wait – I do know. LA Riots started blasting at noon on Friday, for goodness sake, and there was a mad stampede to the EDM stage. They kept coming and coming, until half of the early Coachella population was jumping around. So yes, run-of- the-mill indie rock has big problems keeping an audience.
As the weekend progressed, DJs did multiply like bunnies, especially Sunday night. I tweeted that four out of the five stages had different variants of EDM going on, but I was wrong – some guys I never heard of, Modeselektor, were on the fifth stage. Plus a sixth, unofficial stage with low-rent DJs and water cannons which many times was more fun than most of the other five. To be fair, there were some interesting bands, especially the ones with a World Beat flavor and brass, accordion, Middle Eastern sound, etc. As well as some mediocre EDM – sorry, Mt. Eden, and the French dude with the screechy high notes over the bass. Maybe his ears are blown out and he doesn’t realize how bad it sounds. FYI, there is a dedicated Coachella YouTube channel, so roam around and see what you can find.
Play Age Card here: I’ve heard and seen Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Stones, ZZ Top, Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music (one of my personal faves), plus lots of great Bay Area groups you’ve never heard of, who were miles ahead of the current crop of bands. For instance The Tubes, the greatest visual rock band of all time. Pre MTV, every song was fully costumed, fully choreographed, absolute craziness – check ‘em out on the History Channel (that’s YouTube, gang).
In Ye Olde Days, festivals/concerts/happenings/be-ins were supposed to be spontaneous – the 60’s, remember? which usually was a synonym for disorganized and haphazard (unless Bill Graham was screaming at you). Security was the Hells Angels guarding the front rows, food and drinks were BYOB, just getting there was an adventure, concerts were supposed to be free or minimal cost. I went to Altamont for instance, listened to a lot of folk-rock, the precursor to CSN&Y and the Eagles, as well as The Stones and others, and lived to tell the tale. Lived up the street from the Jefferson Airplane and got to hear Grateful Dead rehearse (really, truly bad). Plus worked at the Avalon, the competitor to The Fillmore. Peace, love and weed, baby.
Going to Coachella is mighty different. There are huge sums of money involved now, $45-$50 million just in admissions. There’s security. More security. More security. Which is a good thing. While the audience is mostly SoCal, there were a lot of Aussies and folks from all over. The costs involved in attending self-select an audience that can afford the hundreds of bucks for the admit, plus travel, plus camping or hotels, plus shuttles, plus food, plus lots and lots of water at $2 a pop. All that creates a predominantly college-age audience who (or their parents) have money. And behave well. I think my Lincecum t-shirt was such a hit because the 20-somethings weren’t about to wear something so rude themselves. There was a bit of faux Burning Man flavor too, with huge, temporary sculptures and cautious costumes on some folks.
I hear most of my dance music on satellite radio (they recently added a second dance channel), so getting out to see a whole bunch of acts was great. I really liked Justice, an electronic rock band – if Hendrix were alive today, that’s what he’d be doing. There are some dudes who really are into visual arts, with a soundtrack, such as DJ Shadow and Flylng Lotus (who is part of a jazz royalty family, the Coltranes). There are innovative, cross-genre sounds such as Justice and Flying Lotus. Killer stage shows, such as Avicii DJing from the top of a giant skull. The really successful formula seems to be: sample or remix a lot of top 25 EDM hits with singers, play a line then cut the sound and let the audience sing the next line, then blast that pure bass. I liked Porter Robinson as well, purveyor of my all-time favorite dance song line, “You dropped me on Facebook, now you’re going to die.” And, of course, there are people I’d love to see here next year, such as Josh Wink and Metrojolt’s #1, Above & Beyond.
Finally, Phil has done a really thoughtful and perceptive piece for Metrojolt on the technological highlight of Coachella, the Tupac hologram. Read it– far more insightful than anything I’ve seen in the mainstream press.
1. All those bikinis
2. Timmy t-shirt was way more popular than buffed-out dudes, tattoos, etc.
1. Chubby guys with coconut shell bras. Really. Bad. Look.
2. Women with full-length dresses in 100+ degree heat. Ladies, if your body image is that poor, stay home and work out.
1. A chair – is that too much to ask? After 8-10 hours either milling around or sitting on the hard ground, a chair would be wonderful.
2. Two out of the five stages for EDM next year, all three days.
I personally did not make it to Coachella 2012 (and from all of us stuck at home to those who just returned or to those who will pack and head out to the sunny desert of Indio next weekend, we hate you). This is not a review of the festival, that comes after next week, but instead a hats off to the producers of the show and an article of shock and amazement and what was most likely the most surprising surprise guest of all time.
We had all heard the rumors of a Tupac hologram at Coachella 2012 weeks before the show began. I simply don’t think that anyone was quite prepared for the reality of the performance. For those of you that don’t use the internet except to check AOL with dial-up or for those of you who are still in shock and haven’t processed the situation, this is what happened: an incredibly realistic hologram of Tupac Shakur performed ’2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted’ and ‘Gangsta Party’ with Snoop Dogg on stage at Coachella 2012. Yes, all the other guests were cool and the entire set was incredible, but this, above anything else, has pushed the boundaries of music technology in a way unprecedented by any show ever. All jokes aside, this is some goddamn Star Wars shit. This is the future of music technology, but where is it leading us?
Truth is, nobody can really tell. Will big artists start phoning it in and using this technology to avoid the stress of performing live on tour? I certainly hope not, especially because I believe this technology is heading to much more interesting and progressive applications. Tupac’s performance was incredible for a few reasons. First, this man was one of the most influential rappers of the ’90s and perhaps of all time. He practically invented the west coast hip-hop sound. His death was unexpected, tragic, and senseless, and even if you weren’t alive, Tupac’s death has affected you in some way if you’ve ever listened to hip-hop. At Coachella 2012, if only for two songs, we were able to catch a glimpse into the legacy and influence that both Tupac and Snoop had and continue to have on rap, as well as pay tribute in the most proper of ways. The sentimental value of this performance may be lost on some, but those who attended Coachella this year and those who truly appreciate hip-hop saw the hologram for what it actually was – not some sort of gimmick to attract more attendees, but a true, honest, and well executed tribute to the man that has changed the face of west coast music. Obviously, it would be a crime to overuse this technology. But the possibilities of hyper realistic hologram technology offer a ton of exciting opportunities to the producers of large shows like Coachella, even moving outside the realm of hip-hop. A Kurt Cobain hologram would have a similar effect on a rock audience, and a Daft Punk appearance would be an incredible way to honor the two most influential Frenchmen on electronic music (once they’ve stopped for good, of course).
The possibilities of this technology are endless. Look forward to our continuing coverage of Coachella 2012 once weekend 2 has finished!
Some say they saw a tear on Snoop’s face as the hologram faded away into the warm Indio night. R.I.P. Tupac. You really are gone but not forgotten.
In what might be the most high energy, bass heavy turn of events, Dim Mak record label founder Steve Aoki and none other than Datsik have teamed up to go on an American tour. The Dead Meat tour, in support his upcoming album, Wonderland, will be Steve Aoki’s largest tour ever.
Steve Aoki has spent over the last decade developing his record label, Dim Mak. I had the opportunity to discuss his upcoming album release, Wonderland, which drops just eight days from now on the 17th, in our interview. I’m looking forward to hearing the album live. Steve Aoki absolutely destroyed at his sold out San Francisco show at the Warfield. As an added bonus, a number of the other of my favorite Dim Mak artists will be opening on the tour. The names include Alvin Risk, Mustard Pimp, Autoerotique, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike and Terravita, who will perform throughout the trek on alternating dates. To see who is playing when and where, click here.
Datsik was an interesting and amazing choice to partner with Steve Aoki for a tour. I can only imagine how the audience will react and enjoy the combined energy of Aoki and bass of Datsik. I’ve seen Datsik a number of times, and his destructive sound never fails to obliterate eardrums. Tracks like Firepower kill regardless of who plays them, check the energy when Rusko drops the track on Starscape (with the man himself standing close behind).
With all these excellent artists, where could you go wrong? Make sure to catch one of the many stops of the Dead Meat tour.
Carter Tanton is not new to music. Having played in such bands as Tulsa and Lower Dens, Tanton has made a small name for himself in the indie-rock scene over the past few years. Now performing under his own name, Tanton channels the folksy aesthetic of singer-songwriters past by taking his guitar and his voice front-and-center. In anticipation of the release of his new album Freeclouds, due out November 15th, I recently caught up with Tanton about his biggest influences, his tour with The War On Drugs, and the fateful frat-boy experience that may have started his music career.
Carter Tanton: Great. They’re a sweet live band. They play for almost 2 hours each night, [playing] songs from all three records. Purling Hiss is also on this tour and they constantly kill each night as well.
Do you have a favorite place that you’ve visited so far?
Austin. Food, guitars, weather, good audience. Just overall amazing show at Emo’s the other night.
How has the transition been for you opening solo as opposed to playing with a band like Tulsa?
Not so different really… It’s still a three-piece band onstage. However, I’m much more comfortable having the sound softer and ambient versus what Tulsa did.
When you walk offstage after a set, what do you want the crowd to be thinking?
I hope it makes them want to hear the record because that’s (in my mind) the definitive version of the song.
It sounds like you have a rich collection of cover songs under your belt at this point. How many of these songs make their way into your live sets?
We do two this tour. One is on my record, “Saturday” by Sparklehorse. The other cover is “Living Without You” by Randy Newman. I took my cue though from [Harry] Nillson’s version. That one may end up on my next record.
In other interviews (2) you’ve mentioned the time you have spent playing on subway stations in New York. How has this influenced you? Do you feel like you have a “tougher skin” because you’ve played in such a raw environment?
Nah, playing shows, wherever you are, is tough. Plus, I only played in the subways for a few months. Not long enough to truly get under my skin.
Your latest record Freeclouds is the first you’ve released under your own name rather than with Tulsa or Lower Dens. What inspired that change? Do you feel that there are elements that are more personal here now that you’re not working under a moniker?
Who would you include among your biggest influences?
J Dilla, Neil Young, RZA, The Durutti Column, John Lennon, Anne Briggs, Cat Power, Baths, Broadcast.
Your voice has been praised as “powerful,” “forlorn,” and “spectacular,” among other things. At what age did you start singing, and what have you done to hone such a distinctive sound?
I lived up the street from a frat house in Baltimore growing up. I was walking home from school one day absentmindedly humming Stevie Wonder’s “I Just Called To Say I Love You” and this guy from the frat walked past me grinning, kind laughing to himself. I guess that was my first public performance.
You have already collaborated with artists such as Marissa Nadler and George Lewis Jr. of Twin Shadow. Do you have any other collaborations in the works? Who would you like to work with next?
Baths. Teebs. Girls and guys from that world.
You were also recently featured as one of NPR’s The World Café Next 20, which placed you alongside artists like The Stepkids, Zola Jesus, and The Devil Makes Three as an artist to watch in the coming years. Have you found you’ve been gaining more recognition since the piece was released? Do more people at shows now know the words to your songs?
Not sure if folks know the lyrics. I hardly can remember them myself. Zola Jesus is so incredible. I’m honored to be mentioned in the same breath as her.
Your current tour cycle wraps up in just a few weeks. With the release of Freeclouds on November 15th, do you have any plans for the rest of the year or for next spring? Maybe a headlining tour?
CT: I do a solo tour of Europe for a month directly after this U.S. tour. More U.S. dates are planned for the beginning of next year.
For those unfamiliar with L.A., The Echoplex is an easy spot to miss. Tucked under a bridge in the heart of the Echo Park neighborhood, the venue is half-bar and half-concert stage, making it a particularly appropriate setting for barroom rockers The Hold Steady last Saturday night.
Before opener Jesse Malin took the stage, two disco balls spun serenely above the crowd, reflecting light from the merch table up front to the nightclub’s various pillars in the back as kitschy 70’s music played from the stage’s two massive speaker stacks. As fans sipped casually from their canned beers or mixed drinks, it became apparent that I was one of the only underage attendees that night, which made sense – with their classic-rock leanings and lyrics about love, loss, religion, and redemption, The Hold Steady typically caters to an older crowd.
Malin and his band The St. Marks Social stepped onstage ten minutes late, but they were quickly forgiven as they dove into a rollicking 50-minute set of straightforward rock ‘n’ roll songs. The bassist leaned forward, legs spread apart as he hammered out notes that shook the whole floor, while the second guitarist (who dressed suspiciously like Troy van Leeuwen of Queens of the Stone Age) cranked out four-chord stompers all night. Unfortunately the bass-heavy sound made it difficult to hear the guitar solos or the keyboard from my side of the stage, but it hardly mattered – this was a band that needed no frills.
Malin is close friends with Ryan Adams, and the influence shows. With his singer-songwriter persona, country-esque vocals, and simple chord structures, he was a fitting pick for the opening slot. The group’s sound was also reminiscent of Thin Lizzy and punk heroes The Replacements, the latter of which bands they covered halfway through the set to a huge positive response. The second half of the performance featured another series of punchy tunes that included a clap-along which managed to get at least one couple dancing. The band finished up strong with an all-out jam as Malin wailed on his guitar and the keyboardist joined the front of the stage to bang away on a tambourine.
Between sets, the crowd had filled up the floor pretty well. Mirror images of a pole-dancer moved in rhythm with one another on the projector screen behind the stage, only bringing the atmosphere of The Echoplex closer to the lowbrow dive bars that The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn sings about so frequently. Aging rockers stood beside post-grads as the crowd awaited the headliner’s arrival, and after a few delayed minutes under a veil of dimmed lights, Finn and company emerged from backstage to hearty applause.
The set started with the one-two punch of deep-cut “Multitude of Casualties” and single “Rock Problems,” and Tad Kubler’s crunchy chords set the tone for the rest of the night: this was undoubtedly a guitar-driven rock show. When I saw The Hold Steady last August, newcomer guitarist Steve Selvidge took over keyboard duty on certain fan favorites, but now the keyboard was nowhere to be seen. At times it was exciting to see the band fully embrace this heavier move, like during powerhouse “Hot Soft Light,” or when Selvidge traded dueling solos with Kubler near the end of the show, but unfortunately the departure of keyboardist Franz Nicolay did not go unnoticed. Live staples “Sequestered In Memphis” and “Chips Ahoy!” both sounded somewhat lacking without their respective piano lines, and the beautiful refrain of “Stuck Between Stations” was cut short without the ivories to fill it in. The keyboards had formerly added an instrumental balance to the band, allowing for more complex melodies to complement Kubler’s impressive noodling, but now the Hold Steady just filled the void by (over)compensating with even more guitar.
Barring the lineup change, however, it was business as usual in the Hold Steady camp. The ever-verbose Finn constantly ran over his own lines, electing to draw some phrases out and speed through others, suggesting a conversationalist quality about him. Oftentimes he couldn’t contain his own excitement, crossing or spreading his arms jerkily or gazing in amazement as Kubler tore through another skyscraping solo. Despite his bookish appearance, Finn was extremely playful, flirting and strutting through “Massive Nights” and offering up the microphone to the crowd for the whoa-oh-ohs of “Stay Positive.” The rest of the band was solid as ever, working through a lengthy 90-plus minute set with only so much as a few minutes of rest. Malin joined them for “You Can Make Him Like You,” a song that he had previously covered on his 2008 album On Your Sleeve, and The Hold Steady showed off their love for 80s punk by name-dropping everyone from Joe Strummer and Mike Watt to Bob Mould and Hüsker Dü with their take on the Minutemen song “History Lesson – Part II.”
For both the converts and the nonbelievers, the Hold Steady’s live show is practically a religious experience in its own right. Their songs have always shared Finn’s musings on the miraculous with enough grandiose guitar work and uplifting choruses to back them up, but these elements work together to even greater effect when performed live. Finn played like a skittish preacher, his signature speak-singing rolling off his tongue like a revelation as he sauntered around the stage (to which a fan responded by shouting “Craig Finn is god!”). The show could have ended well enough as bubbles rained down from the ceiling during “Slapped Actress,” but The Hold Steady did one better closing with the aptly-titled “How A Resurrection Really Feels.”
