Like on day one (Saturday), Noelia and I walked in and I realized the tickets I got in the mail did not include my wristbands (I got some email saying I had to go pick them up at Origami Records in Echo Park but like, seriously guys? Just mail me all of my shit, thanks). Randomly, one of the festival managers, a gentle looking man in a hat and bandanna by the name of Sean, had wandered over to "regulate." Initially, he brushed me off, telling me I had to go wait at the box office with all the other riff-raff. I made a terrible face as I began to walk away (I was VIP! Now I had to stand behind 500 days of manic pixie dream girls to get my goddamn wristband?!), but I think Sean noticed my near-meltdown and called us inside, telling us to go to the "merch" counter and tell "James that Sean sent us" and James would hook me up with my concert bracelets. Of course, once we trekked the half-mile over to James we were greeted with "yeah, I got Sean's email. No one gave me a single wristband, though. I mean, its FYF, girls." WELL SAID. So it was back to the box office for us. However, I bypassed the line by deciding that this was a "customer service" issue more than a "box office" problem (there was no line at customer service). The very kind gentleman there gave me both wristbands, admitting that if this was later in the day, I'd be screwed, but he was feeling generous and we were super punctual. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! We were in.
Okay, now to the important stuff: the music. I guess the real reason I love FYF is that they get the smaller bands I've been loving at tiny venues all year and also some of the odder bands that I wouldn't pay to see on their own, but that I really enjoy checking out as part of a festival. We started out with King Tuff (okay lie: we started out in the VIP beer garden swooning at salty, salt-and-pepper haired comedian Marc Maron). I've blogged about Tuff before, but they're a very fun, old-school pop/garage outfit. The lead singer kind of looks like Andrew WK and his two band mates both look like Matthew McConaughey in Dazed and Confused. Anyway, what a fun way to start:
The next great band we saw was Cloud Nothings. EFFING. INCREDIBLE. This band also has a garage-pop base, but they end up rocking much harder than King Tuff, especially live. What incredible, precise musicians. There was literally a twenty minute breakdown where no one sang a note and I was completely mesmerized. And the main singer looks like THIS:
Cute, young, glasses fellow who can WAIL WAIL WAIL on that guitar. Please check these guys out live if you get the chance. Then came John Maus, who was bizarre. Like his music is very mellow and he played to a pre-recorded track, but was SCREAMING and pulling out his hair and rubbing his jeans like he was having a bad acid trip. Oh also, he was in jeans and a long-sleeved button down and had NO SWEAT STAINS. Like, what?
Oh, I know. I am a professional photographer. Anyway, then we caught the end of the Men's performance and like, they are good, but were much more compelling when I saw them at the Smell downtown (maybe they were too hot...like sweaty). Also the Men came before Cloud Nothings but see? They weren't memorable so I don't remember where they fit into our experience. Then we took a bit of a break in the beer garden, listening to Warpaint (always lovely and sharp) and then headed to Tanlines who really surprised me! They were so fun and melodically dance-y!
Cool green background, right? Then we danced in the beer garden to Sleigh Bells who are just loud and jarringly silly/fun:
Boom! Then this girl needed to call it a NIGHT.
Sunday we went down a bit later and I drove. When we parked, Noey and I decided to spend 45 minutes in my car listening to Toni Braxton, Monica, and Brian McKnight for some inexplicable reason -- oh wait, I know, BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL AWESOME AND THE 90'S WERE THE BEST. Anyway, we started our Sunday with he lingering strains of Wild Nothings, which sounded kinda MEH. Then came Father John Misty. Now, I really like his stuff, but it sounds pretty folksy and mellow and the lead singer is the drummer from Fleet Foxes, so I thought he would look like all of this sounds. No:
This picture does not do justice to what he was doing onstage. He kinds of looks hot and Fassbender-ish with his glasses on, but he was writhing around doing a faux-Jagger thing and acting a FOOL to the point where I could barely look at him. Whatever; he is new at this whole front man thing, I can give him a break. I still really like this song/video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtOToiIDNRA
Yeah, hi Aubrey Plaza! Anyway, then it was time for this hardcore band, Lightning Bolt, that I love, but would only check out at FYF:
Yeah, um that is the drummer/lead singer. He sings through a ball-microphone strapped into his mouth by a MASK. Scary! The band is strangely tuneful, though. I stood on the periphery of the mosh pit with my buddy Rob, but of course Noey got right up in there and managed to emerge unscathed; my hero! Anyway, then we took a giant break in the beer garden where we shared a terrible $9 cheeseburger that consisted of an overdone slab of meat with a Kraft single placed gently on top (they still kind of need to work out the food situation at this thing, but it was much better than years past). We casually listened to Dinosaur Jr., who still sound great in that comforting, old-timey way (the 90's, man). Then Desaparecidos came on Conor Oberst reminded me I am in love with his voice, although this is a much more animated act than he usually does. Liked it a lot:
Then Yeasayer came on and they're overrated, I think. Anyway, I was kind of fading, so it was my time to go. There were many wonderful bands that I missed, but I did what I could. It was a GREAT ONE, you guys. Hope to see you there next year!
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