I am beyond excited for this movie. José González is my favorite musical artist, and now directors Mikel Cee Karlsson (who has worked on some of Gonzalez's amazing music videos) and Fredrik Egerstrand have taken nearly three years of filming, Gonzalez's personal diaries, and concert footage to create a documentary capturing his intricate creative process and a look into the mystique of the man himself. AH!!! Here is the trailer:
Yeah, I was about as turned off by that headline as you were. There is a new book coming out called "Sex, Drugs, and Bon Jovi." Sounds very lame and coincidentally like something that I will not be reading.
I saw this over at one of my favorite blogs BOOOOOOOM. Artist Kent Rogowski combines various jigsaw puzzles to create his own abstractions that take you in and out of the image and many places at once. At first glance, it might even seem like there is nothing wrong with the puzzle, but look closer and the artist's intricate placement and calculated juxtapositions become evident.
I found this on Stumbleupon (Have you heard of this Stumbleupon?! Google it, it is amazing). It is silly how intricate and precise these mini works of art are...boggles the mind.
I've really been enjoying all these new bands this year that are creating straight forward, feel good rock n roll. Bands like The Soft Pack, Best Coast, The Strange Boys, and Dom have been rocking my ipod.
Rain. Rain is how we began our third and final day in Grant Park for Lollapalooza 2010, and what a perfect setting it was for the beautifully haunting music of the Antlers. Their music softly builds to perfectly timed crescendos song after song. The Antlers' 2009 album entitled Hospice is perfectly crafted for rainy days. We stood awestruck under our umbrella and left wishing the downpour would never end.
Immediately after on the stage facing opposite, the Dodos were playing for the sun. The clouds cleared and the threesome blasted through crowd favorites "Red and Purple" and "Fools" en route to one of the best set endings I have seen in a long while.
After a very disappointing set by Freelance Whales which lacked energy and spark we wondered about a while until Yeasayer's set on the Budweiser stage. While their most recent and critically acclaimed album Odd Blood has taken a turn down a more digital, dance-driven route, the group's brand of desert bred world music from their debut All Hour Cymbals was by far the most moving for me.
A monstrous crowd collected for MGMT's late afternoon set. Say what you will about their new album (I like it a lot), MGMT's face melting journey through 60's surf-psychedelia was an epiphany of what this generation's definition of rock stardom has come to embody.
After an exquisite experience at my first Lollapalooza I could only imagine what was in store as the Arcade Fire prepped for a mind blowing, once in a lifetime experience. I don't know what more I can say about it that hasn't already been said by every other music media outlet. I think my friend Rich put it best saying before the show, "Are we gonna cry? I don't know if I want to cry, but I will if I have to." The biggest crowd I have ever been a part of chanted, oohed, and ahhed along with old favorites and new songs off of The Suburbs released just days before. However, the song Wake Up, which grew to massive popularity following its feature in the Where the Wild Things Are movie trailer, was one of the most moving musical experiences I have ever witnessed. "Don't ever let New York tell you you don't have the best fucking city," frontman Win Butler said, "because you guys are awesome."
Even after the show was over when the crowd flooded into the streets, the chorus could be heard from blocks and blocks away surely waking up many in their apartments.
We strolled through the Lollapalooza gates on Saturday only stopping momentarily to greet the protesters wielding "Women should not be allowed to vote" signs...reflect on that...and into a wooded enclave where the Morning Benders were already mystifying the crowd. Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor produced the Morning Benders' new album Big Echo (which features one of the year's best songs in "Excuses") and it is very evident that they have picked up a few new tricks.
"This next song's real good," deadpanned the Soft Pack singer Matt Lamkin. The Soft Pack is definitely one of my favorite break through acts of 2010. Their raw, straight forward rock sound has been described as if the Strokes were from California. Aside from songs "Answer to Yourself" and "Pull Out" the highlight of the set may have been taking a picture with a kid who had on a #2 Larry Johnson jersey that matched my #1 Muggsy Bogues Charlotte Hornets jersey. Nice!
Wild Beasts on the opposite side were an incredible surprise and featured a dramatic falsetto, calculated guitar work, and beautiful compositions under the mid day cloudy skies. I am currently hypnotized by their album Two Dancers. Had the clouds stuck around for the next set it would have been perfect, but the gentle moodiness of the XX contrasted with the surroundings resulting in a "just pretty good" performance.
Grizzly Bear's set was pitch perfect as they never cease to amaze. Songs like "Ready, Able," "Cheerleader," and "Little Brother" were standouts. I could have sworn that they played a new song or even a cover, but I could have been mistaken.
We met some new friends hanging out before Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes, and reached the perfect level of inebriation required for a hippie rumpus. The place was packed with devotees set for a celebration and the band did not disappoint. Dancing through jangly tune after jangly tune, the cult-esque collective showed why they are this year's festival must-see band.
Our euphoria lasted well into the night as Phoenix capped off a wonderful day under the city lights.
I promise! I have been very busy as of late: beginning (and finishing) a brief stint at a frozen custard shop, interviewing for (and commandeering) a position at Groupon(!), and doing some freelance writing for Design Bureau magazine. All very exciting stuff.
The Lollapalooza wrap up for days 2 and 3 are definitely coming. They were too good to go unmentioned!
Dragonflies dove in and out of the crowd as the three day aural sweat fest kicked off with the wake and bake session that was Wavves' set. The air smelled sweetly of the embodiment of Wavves' brand of lo-fi surf-pop: sunscreen and weed. Songs like the new "Post Acid" were executed with messy precision and left everyone wanting more...and a 40 on a sunny summer rooftop.
After a disappointing set by The Big Pink, which included a unique but ultimately unmoving rendition of "These Arms of Mine" by Otis Redding, we grabbed a Mountain Dew float (oh, yes) and headed over to the Budweiser stage to listen in on Dirty Projectors and get set for The Black Keys.
The Black Keys are always good. Scratch that, The Black Keys are always great! However, early in the set the volume on Auerbach's guitar was much too low and thus some of the gritty punch that they are known for went missing in action. All was forgiven after, against a red and black tire tread/communist rally-esque backdrop, the two were joined by a bass and organs to fill out the sound for their Danger Mouse produced/soulful new songs, and The Black Keys put on yet another memorable performance.
The question on everyone's tongue throughout the day and well into the night was "Strokes or Gaga?" We opted for The Strokes. We had to. It is a definite possibility that this would be the last time we would have the chance to see the now seemingly ancient artifacts of the early 21st century garage rock revolution. The Strokes walked onto the stage to "We Will Rock You" and blasted through a joyous romp of a set that opened with fan favorite "New York City Cops." They proved to the absolutely packed Butler field that the gents hadn't missed a beat during their near four year hiatus. "We haven't played the US in forevvvveeerrrrrrrrr," Casablancas announced to the crowd. Lylas, Strokes.
