What Josh is loving and envy(ing) !
#1
Festival Envy We’ve definitely a bunch of cracking festivals here, no doubt. In fact, it has to be said, Australia’s long recovered from being an untrodden tour path for internationals. For instance, I was totally chuffed to see Bjork and Arcade Fire at this year’s Big Day Out and BRMC at Falls. Splendour, too, always manages to attract some top shelf acts (Devo, anybody? Ha!).Yet, upon receiving the tidal wave of newsletters from all the coming overseas, summer soirees, I can’t help but express some infant like jealousy at the calibre of the North’s festivals; despite Shakespeare’s warnings, what was it? “Beware my lord of the green eyed monster that doth mock the meat it feeds upon”. Erm, sorry about that...Of course it all makes sense, given most of the acts are born and bred in that locale, but it doesn’t make it any easier to digest. Now, let’s leave out Glastonbury this year, because it kinda bites, but to name just a few, we’ve got All Tomorrow’s Parties in NYC http://www.atpfestival.com/events/atp-ny/ My Bloody Valentine are the curators, and if that wasn’t blessing enough, they’ve only gone and picked Thurston Moore, Fuck Buttons, Mogwai and Shellac to play with them, among others. Looks set to be a pure noise love-fest! Latitude http://www.latitudefestival.co.uk/ in the UK not only has British Sea Power and Foals but, hell’s teeth, also gracing the bill is the legendary Blondie, celebrating their 30th anniversary of the seminal album Parallel Lines. And Coachella recently wound up, too, featuring his lordship, Prince, plus Swervedriver, Santogold and Black Lips setting fire to their guitars. Actually, truth be told, it’s getting too painful to go through the whole list. Without picking them apart further, I’ll just roll call some to give you a sense of my woe. Sonar, Benacassim, Roskilde, Isle of Wight, Primavera, Summersonic, even Reading and Leeds, bless their chav-full, cotton socks. Might be time to check out those frequent flyer points me thinks....
#2
Is World Music taking over the, ah, World?....Once the province of WOMAD attending, yoga fanatics and lonely Anthropologists, “World” music and its Enya-like tribal roots has made a huge leap into the realm of indie music. Reviving the spectres of past musicians like 1980s icons Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins and Paul Simon http://www.paulsimon.com/, current acts like Vampire Weekend, The Ruby Suns, http://www.myspace.com/ryanmcphunandtherubysuns MGMT, Yeasayer http://www.myspace.com/yeasayer and El Guincho have joined in the fun. Much like the Animal Collectives, MIAs and Beiruts who’ve also been mining a wealth of ethnic musical strains. Everything from Afro-Beat to Bhangra is up for grabs. And how good is it! This vanguard of artists are not only illustrating a modern age of accessibility – for never have nascent bands and musicians drawn from such a wide range of sonic inspirations - but in dredging the seas of sounds for some point of difference, they’ve successfully, and most of all, refreshingly, ranged from the traditional formula of straight-up, genre specificity. Bless the music blogs, file sharing and the incessant curiosity of youth that have opened the flood gates to a rich tapestry of world history, sounds, beats, flavours and rhythms!!
#3
Video Heaven At A TouchOh internet, shall I compare thee to a summers day? Jeez, enough Shakespeare. Sorry, I’m stuck in the 16th Century this week! But TV, you’re out!Current favourites - This Bjork clip made with Spike Jonze. Holy smokes, how tough is it!? http://media.ghostrobot.net/7020_wanderlust.htmlSnuff Box – Comedy gold from the UK, Mighty Boosh fans keep an eye out for Bob Fossil and Bainbridge -
& I also just discovered this old Raconteurs video for “Steady As She Goes” - Jack White enjoying the fruits of his labours it seems.
And last but not least – The Jonathan Ross show. This guy is totally hilarious, such a fresh and easy interviewing style, and what an amazing list of guests. Check out the Brit-King Morrissey to cut your teeth. Classic.
Festival Envy We’ve definitely a bunch of cracking festivals here, no doubt. In fact, it has to be said, Australia’s long recovered from being an untrodden tour path for internationals. For instance, I was totally chuffed to see Bjork and Arcade Fire at this year’s Big Day Out and BRMC at Falls. Splendour, too, always manages to attract some top shelf acts (Devo, anybody? Ha!).Yet, upon receiving the tidal wave of newsletters from all the coming overseas, summer soirees, I can’t help but express some infant like jealousy at the calibre of the North’s festivals; despite Shakespeare’s warnings, what was it? “Beware my lord of the green eyed monster that doth mock the meat it feeds upon”. Erm, sorry about that...Of course it all makes sense, given most of the acts are born and bred in that locale, but it doesn’t make it any easier to digest. Now, let’s leave out Glastonbury this year, because it kinda bites, but to name just a few, we’ve got All Tomorrow’s Parties in NYC http://www.atpfestival.com/events/atp-ny/ My Bloody Valentine are the curators, and if that wasn’t blessing enough, they’ve only gone and picked Thurston Moore, Fuck Buttons, Mogwai and Shellac to play with them, among others. Looks set to be a pure noise love-fest! Latitude http://www.latitudefestival.co.uk/ in the UK not only has British Sea Power and Foals but, hell’s teeth, also gracing the bill is the legendary Blondie, celebrating their 30th anniversary of the seminal album Parallel Lines. And Coachella recently wound up, too, featuring his lordship, Prince, plus Swervedriver, Santogold and Black Lips setting fire to their guitars. Actually, truth be told, it’s getting too painful to go through the whole list. Without picking them apart further, I’ll just roll call some to give you a sense of my woe. Sonar, Benacassim, Roskilde, Isle of Wight, Primavera, Summersonic, even Reading and Leeds, bless their chav-full, cotton socks. Might be time to check out those frequent flyer points me thinks....
#2
Is World Music taking over the, ah, World?....Once the province of WOMAD attending, yoga fanatics and lonely Anthropologists, “World” music and its Enya-like tribal roots has made a huge leap into the realm of indie music. Reviving the spectres of past musicians like 1980s icons Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins and Paul Simon http://www.paulsimon.com/, current acts like Vampire Weekend, The Ruby Suns, http://www.myspace.com/ryanmcphunandtherubysuns MGMT, Yeasayer http://www.myspace.com/yeasayer and El Guincho have joined in the fun. Much like the Animal Collectives, MIAs and Beiruts who’ve also been mining a wealth of ethnic musical strains. Everything from Afro-Beat to Bhangra is up for grabs. And how good is it! This vanguard of artists are not only illustrating a modern age of accessibility – for never have nascent bands and musicians drawn from such a wide range of sonic inspirations - but in dredging the seas of sounds for some point of difference, they’ve successfully, and most of all, refreshingly, ranged from the traditional formula of straight-up, genre specificity. Bless the music blogs, file sharing and the incessant curiosity of youth that have opened the flood gates to a rich tapestry of world history, sounds, beats, flavours and rhythms!!
#3
Video Heaven At A TouchOh internet, shall I compare thee to a summers day? Jeez, enough Shakespeare. Sorry, I’m stuck in the 16th Century this week! But TV, you’re out!Current favourites - This Bjork clip made with Spike Jonze. Holy smokes, how tough is it!? http://media.ghostrobot.net/7020_wanderlust.htmlSnuff Box – Comedy gold from the UK, Mighty Boosh fans keep an eye out for Bob Fossil and Bainbridge -
& I also just discovered this old Raconteurs video for “Steady As She Goes” - Jack White enjoying the fruits of his labours it seems.
And last but not least – The Jonathan Ross show. This guy is totally hilarious, such a fresh and easy interviewing style, and what an amazing list of guests. Check out the Brit-King Morrissey to cut your teeth. Classic.
posted by Levity at
10:31 AM
1 Comments:
Just to make you a little jealous, I am heading off to my third Summer Sonic this August. Last year was mind-blowing. I love my Aussie festivals but the Japanese sure know how to throw a huge (& I mean almost 1000 acre huge) festival!
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