Officials for Africa’s first World Cup sought an anthem that would represent the improved changes of the impoverished continent. With economies in Rwanda and Ghana gaining momentum, the 2010 FIFA World Cup will represent Africa’s growing influence on the world.

“Wavin’ Flag: The Celebration Mix” is a remix of the third single off the Somali rapper’s recently released, critically acclaimed third album Troubadour. The song features lyrics that renounce war and oppression and express a sdesire to be an instrument for peace. Pumped up by pronounced percussion and sentimental harmonies, the mix intends to appeal to an audience as diverse as the teams that will contend for the Cup.

So, prepare for the sight of hundreds of men, draped in the colors of their own countries, crying, hugging and chanting the chorus — just as they did when U2 closed out the 2006 Word Cup finale with “One”. In anticipation, check out a preview of what’s to come below.

]]> Troubadour. The song features lyrics that renounce war and oppression and express a sdesire to be an instrument for peace. Pumped up by pronounced percussion and sentimental harmonies, the mix intends to appeal to an audience as diverse as the teams that will contend for the Cup. So, prepare for the sight of hundreds of men, draped in the colors of their own countries, crying, hugging and chanting the chorus -- just as they did when U2 closed out the 2006 Word Cup finale with "One". In anticipation, check out a preview of what's to come below. [youtube DYfa0__P_pI] ]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/12/knaan-single-is-the-offical-anthem-of-2010-fifa-world-cup/feed/ 13 http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/12/all-were-getting-is-a-blur-documentary/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/12/all-were-getting-is-a-blur-documentary/#comments Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:30:17 +0000 Carlos Detres http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=22565 In 2008, Blur, the original proprietors of the wave of British music from the 1990’s, agreed to put all rumors and nonsense aside to return for a temporary reunion. As it turns out, the London natives are featured in a documentary about their ambiguous return after seven years of separation, solo recordings, and wanton brooding. The film, entitled, No Distance Left to Run, documents the reunion through a series of interviews, concert footage, and everything else to make a Blur fan wet inside.

The film, directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace, whose resume includes music videos for Franz Ferdinand, gives audiences a tour that includes an inside perspective of the band’s rehearsals, and unreleased archived footage that leads up to their reunion show and subsequent concerts. No Distance Left to Run is due in theaters in the UK on January 19, 2010. Arts Alliance Media (AAM) is yet to announce the worldwide release of this anticipated film.

After a series of headlining performances throughout the summer, bassist Alex James announced that Blur had no plans to reunite permanently. Frontman Damon Albarn is still committed to his virtual band, Gorrillaz, which indicates a further possibility of a true reunion to be on an undetermined hold.

The appropriately titled documentary will have to do until the band realizes that its legion of fans will require more of that stuff that made some sense out of the ‘90s.

Okereke’s comments were made in the middle of a long and exhaustive tour, however it should still be noted. Signs have been shooting through the internet of the band’s foreseeable future. Gordon Moakes temporarily quit the band last year to go on paternity leave while Kele Okereke has been DJing a collection of classic house tunes from the ‘90s and after canceling performance dates in the U.S. and postponing the Japanese tour one can surmise a band that needs a break. Bloc Party intends on finishing the remainder of their tour dates that continues through November 19th but with many cancellations even that may be doubtful.

Good news comes with the upcoming release of the band’s latest single, “One More Chance” — a song that extends the electronica antics of Intimacy and completes the slight departure from its post-punk roots is due on August 19th from Wichita Records. Don’t worry. We have the accompanying video for the single.

Bloc Party 2009 Tour Dates:
08/06 – Portimao, PT @ Rock One Festival
08/21 – St. Polten, AT @ Frequency Festival
08/29 – Leeds, UK @ Leeds Festival
08/30 – Reading, UK @ Reading Festival
10/02 – Blackpool, UK @ Empress Ballroom
10/03 – Edinburgh, UK @ Picture House
10/04 – Inverness, UK @ Iron Works
10/06 – Aberdeen, UK @ Music Hall
10/07 – Dunfermline, UK @ Alhambra
10/08 – Hull, UK @ City Hall
10/10 – Sheffield, UK @ Academy
10/11 – Leeds, UK @ Academy
10/12 – Lincoln, UK @ Engine Shed
10/14 – Stoke, UK @ Victoria Hall
10/15 – Birmingham, UK @ Academy
10/16 – Newport, UK @ Centre
10/18 – Llandudno, UK @ Arena
10/19 – Liverpool, UK @ University
10/20 – Bristol, UK @ Academy
10/22 – Truro, UK @ Hall for Cornwall
10/23 – Plymouth, UK @ Pavilion
10/24 – Brighton, UK # Centre
10/26 – Southend, UK @ Cliffs Pavilion
10/27 – Cambridge, UK @ Corn Exchange
10/28 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City
10/30 – Reading, UK @ Rivermead
10/31 – Bournemouth, UK @ Bic
11/19 – Osaka, JP @ Club Quattro

Mud, rain, flipped golf carts, pretty hippies, Tooly with his tow truck, and the Disco Biscuits. Those who attended pulled together through some of this season’s worst weather (Coventry, anyone?) and made the best out of the situation. The torrential pour on Friday night did not halt the revelers from watching the Disco Biscuits rock an illuminating set; lasers shot into trees, folks mired in mud –- some with umbrellas and others not –- but all exposed to the music of one of Camp Bisco’s best lineups in its eight year history. This year’s award for best performer goes to the attendees who smiled at some really shitty conditions.

Friday, July 17th

The Disco Biscuits:
Main Stage

Unfortunately, due to the worst rain in recent memory, traffic, and an endless search for a tow truck, only the last few songs of the Disco Biscuits can be reported but these last moments were thrilling. Watching a band play electric instruments through the sideways rain reminds people of rock and roll’s bravado. The crowd gathered tightly around each other during the set, arm and arm and mud and mud. It seemed as if the rain wasn’t a factor and it’s probably due to this year’s rain-laden festival circuit, it just became old news –- an annoyance to get over.

Saturday, July 18th

Telepath:
Main Stage

Telepath dug into its diverse palate of influences to give the audience a fusion fest of music to dance to. Being one of the earliest acts of the day, the band had the responsibility of working the crowd into a small frenzy. Groovy bass accompanied fusion jazz, licking trance-y shores lurched feet from the mud as people dug deeply into the reggae, dub world of Telepath while the band braved the heat in suit and tie.

Synewave:
Tent Stage

But on the other side of the field another band wasn’t so lucky with the crowd. Beneath the tent was a messy sludge that kept people on a narrow patch of plywood and gravel. Synewave played to an enthusiastic bevy of maybe 20 to 30 people but smiling faces they gave to these few. The airy intonations of their music crystallized an image of swimming in murky water while maintaining a fit of elegance on every note. The band was the first of the day to test out the limits of the tent and pulled together a tight set.

The Indobox:
Hill Stage

The Indobox performed blaringly well, etching one of the best performances of Saturday, blowing sonic waves of grain into everyone’s faces. This was Indobox’s third appearance at Camp Bisco (they performed at V and VI) and they played as if they wanted to gun for a fourth next year. It was early but they couldn’t wait for the sun to set to bestow to the crowd an amplified grin. The band surprisingly closed its set with a cover of Daft Punk’s “One More Time” while boxes with a pair of faces were thrust into the sky by surrounding fans.

STS9:
Main Stage

The five-some that is STS9 continued where Break Science left off, pulling a vibrant set. By this time, everyone was tearing apart the mud, flinging it onto themselves while feet picked up in the air from the raucous dance performed by the horde of fans that clamored together in front of the stage. People drifted from the side streets onto the field and cheered on the band through its well executed performance.

Kill The Noise:
Tent Stage

It’s understood that artists are assigned slots based on draw and popularity, however if one were to appropriate sets based on energy then this guy should have been given a better time. After AC Slater’s set, the crowd began to disperse but Kill The Noise’s tech-y, electro-house sound seemed to thrive on adversity. This tent went from having a barely generous gathering of people to filling out the front of the stage and outer rim of the tent -– a difficult feat considering that the mud was at least ankle deep.

Holy Ghost:
Tent Stage

Holy Ghost‘s performance good but not great. It was almost as if the Brooklyn outfit was dishing out a warm up set for someone else… just with a bit more energy. Although, the music was fine — at best — it was a let down for the Disco Biscuits’ closing performance at the main stage. This was a situation that was best suited for someone else (ahem, Kill the Noise).

Continuing the theme of the ambiguous album title, For Lack of a Better Name will be released on September 22nd. Along with the title track, “Ghosts ‘n’ Stuff” (which has already been played 2.5 million times on MySpace), the singles demonstrate Zimmerman’s ever-loving devotion to electronica as he begins to mash other styles of dance music with his signature sound.

Deadmau5 will hit the club circuit on August 2nd in Wasaga Beach, Ontario before officially beginning his pan-continental tour on September 23rd in Ottawa. The tour will crisscross For Lack of a Better Name between the U.S. and Canada, wrapping up on November 24th in Boston.

Deadmau5 2009 Tour Dates:
08/02 – Wasaga Beach, ON @ The Dome
08/05 – Niagara Falls, ON @ Dragonfly
08/07 – Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live!
08/08 – Miami Beach, FL @ Mansion
08/09 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
09/02 – Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Aspen
09/03 – Charlotte, NC @ The Forum
09/04 – San Juan, PR @ Arena at Pier 10
09/05 – New York, NY @ Electric Zoo
09/06 – El Paso, TX @ Club 101
09/07 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
09/23 – Ottawa, ON @ Ritual Nightclub
09/24 – Quebec City, QC @ Chez Dagobert
09/25 – Montreal, QC @ Metropolis
09/26 – Toronto, Ontario @ The Guvernment
09/29 – Winnipeg, Manitoba @ Republic
09/30 – Calgary, AB @ Flames Central
10/01 – Edmonton, AB @ Edmonton Event Centre
10/03 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo
10/28 – San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
10/31 – Inglewood, CA @ The Forum
11/01 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
11/02 – Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee
11/04 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
11/06 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
11/07 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Bar-B-Q
11/08 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues
11/10 – Little Rock, AR @ The Village
11/11 – New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
11/12 – Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues
11/13 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
11/15 – Tampa, FL @ The Ritz
11/17 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
11/18 – Asheville, GA @ The Orange Peel
11/19 – Nashville, TN @ Limelight
11/21 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit
11/22 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of the Living Arts
11/23 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
11/24 – Boston, MA @ The Roxy

Perhaps I’m taking the quote out of context, but it’s apparent that there may be an underlying story of a band that may or may not be on the brinks of a cataclysmic breakup. Regardless of potentially unfounded omens, Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman nearly split songwriting duties equally with King penning six and Hanneman writing seven. Anyone familiar with this band’s music will know the difference between the two men’s styles, as explained by King, “A lot of Jeff’s stuff has a very punky vibe this time; the stuff I write sounds thrashy but with a hint of punk, and when Jeff writes the stuff is more punk with a hint of thrash. It works well together.”

The band has been consistent throughout the years, producing metal anthems time and again. World Painted Blood is only Slayer’s tenth album, which may indicate a meticulous creative process that inevitably produces solid work. The latest effort is also the first time that the band entered a studio without original material already hashed out. The album will consist of thirteen tracks, of which the following has been confirmed: “Psychopathy Red”, “Beauty Through Order”, “Unit 731″, “Playing With Dolls”, “Public Display of Dismemberment”, “Americon”, “World Painted Blood”.

The album was recorded in two months from January to March with Greg Fidelman (Metallica, Slipknot, The (International) Noise Conspiracy) –- a producer recommended by the legendary Rick Rubin –- a steadfast collaborator of musicians who seek his hand in highlighting their musical and creative prowess. Recommendations like that are not only notable but also enticing to any fan of Slayer. A release date has not been set, however, the band suggests a “late summer” drop. In the meantime, you can find these headbanging maniacs touring across North America, and Europe before returning to the States in January of 2010.

Slayer 2009 Tour Dates:
07/10 – Wheatland, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre
07/11 – Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
07/12 – San Bernardino, CA @ Glen Helen Blockbuster Pavilion
07/14 – Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
07/17 – Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Wireless Pavilion
07/18 – Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion
07/19 – Denver, CO @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
07/21 – Kansas City, MO @ Sandstone Amphitheater
07/22 – St. Louis, MO @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
07/24 – Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre
07/25 – Noblesville, IN @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
07/26 – Tinley Park, IL @ First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
07/29 – Scranton, PA @ Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain
07/31 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center Stadium
08/02 – Clarkstown, MI @ DTE Energy Music Theater
08/04 – Mansfield, MA @ Comcast Center
08/06 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Virginia Beach Amphitheatre
08/07 – Camden, NJ @ Susquehanna Bank Center
08/08 – Hartford, CT @ New England Dodge Music Center
08/09 – Washington, DC @ Nissan Pavilion
08/11 – Tampa, FL @ Ford Amphitheater
08/12 – West Palm Beach, FL @ Cruzan Amphitheatre
08/14 – Selma, TX @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
08/15 – Dallas-FT Worth, TX @ Superpages.com Center
08/28 – Kreuth, DE @ Wacken Rocks South
08/29 – Aurich, DE @ Wacken Rocks Seaside

Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that you will have access to the latest Pearl Jam or Modest Mouse; however you’ll be able to download any music released two years ago and beyond. Naturally, this comes with consequences for subscribers, although not too unreasonable. The price will remain the same but the amount of downloads will decrease from 30 for the eMusic basic plan to 24 –- and this continues throughout every tier.

Some will balk at Sony’s unprecedented venture due to the appeal of eMusic’s alliance with the indie crowd, but as more bands are picked up by the majors, it will become essential to keep up to date with their releases. One can surmise that the two year restriction will eventually be dropped when Sony realizes that it will only curb file sharing and not eradicate it altogether.

And, like that, the year of rumors, and writing, becomes frivolous.

In case you need reminding, the band propelled the ‘60s with an avant garde knack for weaving poetry into some of the best riffs heard even today. Among company such as Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page, and our own modern guitar hero, Derrick Trucks, the Kinks was able to bypass even future generations with songs like, “You Really Got Me,” and “Waterloo Sunset” to engrave the revered place of legendary status.

Regardless of forlorn history between brothers/bandmaters Ray and Dave – which any fan of the Kinks both loathes and reveres – the band stuck together throughout some its darkest hours, including breakups and the Davies brothers notorious sibling quarrels. But with Dave Davies’ stroke in 2004, the band has put off a most anticipated reunion, setting aside the promise of a new album.  According to Ray, Dave is still recovering, however, is still unable to join the rest of the band – one of the main reasons a reunion currently falls into the “no” category.

On the bright side, we have renowned video director, Julien Temple’s feature film based on the band to look forward to (via Rolling Stone), but just like the Kinks’ pledge to reunite, we are left with the mystery of a definite release date for the biopic. Perhaps celluloid is the best way to mythologize the band whose career has spanned more than four decades and has influenced a countless number of musicians. So, all is not lost.

Thursday, June 11: Day One

What felt like a world away from Manhattan began with a little swarm of clouds hanging in the sky, intermittently drizzling some rain on the sidewalks of Williamsburg. Nevertheless, across two towns, revelers descended upon the north side of Brooklyn to attend the manifold shows that stretched from Williamsburg to Greenpoint. On these sidewalks, stray musicians grabbed guitars and played for an audience who wandered around from venue to venue for what was to be the revelation of the first L Magazine’s Northside Festival.

Marie Sioux:
Studio B

Studio B is a large building, most likely converted from a warehouse in the industrial section of Greenpoint on Banker Street. Once inside the large club, a serene sound whispered from the halls that came from Marie Sioux, who was sitting on a stool on the center of the stage. This dark-haired folk singer sang softly and strummed an acoustic guitar, while her guitarist stood offstage amongst the audience.

Sioux’s songs had a tinge of aching in them, which was accented by her guitarist’s slow and rhythmic strumming. The sound of the guitar warbled throughout the room, issuing a calm vibe that sank the audience into her lyrics. But then came along the last song. After a lengthy applause, Sioux mentioned that she had just written a new song but it seemed as if her guitarist wasn’t notified. She began to sing off key a bit and the error leaked into rhythm guitarist’s playing. It must also be suggested that the sound issues she had experienced throughout the set finally took affect, and unfortunately the gaffe was jarring.

Brightblack Morning Light:
Studio B

The headliner of the night was Brightblack Morning Light, a band from New Mexico with a mystical, freak folk sound that bled heavily into the realm of psychedelia. Strangely, their brew of sonic mysticism fit into this hole of Brooklyn. The crowd, which had dispersed immediately after Marie Sioux, had returned to watch one of Matador’s finest offerings. The five-piece band wrought a hefty amount of hypnotic peace that was built from rich instrumentation with singer, Naybob Shineywater breathing words into the mic.
Just because they’re psychedelic, doesn’t mean that they can’t funk either. The loping beats from the drummer added to the intensity of Brightblack’s performance, revealing a depth to their music that most bands in this genre miss. A very passionate keyboardist, Rachel Hughes, worked her keyboard, swaying and pounding her feet onto the stage. When they finished, the whole room was ready to discuss transcendentalism. Good times.

Friday, June 12: Day Two

Well, it was back to Brooklyn…and back to Studio B for Ghostly International’s Ten Year Anniversary Bash. A little splatter of rain didn’t take away from the draw of this night’s evening of musical performances.

Deastro:
Studio B

Ranolph Chabot, the 22-year-old behind Deastro, was back on stage in New York for the second time in a week (the first was at Mercury Lounge on 6/10). Having just released his latest album, Moondagger, he was ready to throw down a fresh set of tunes and deliver what many had been waiting to hear as a live performance. And guess what? He threw down hard.

Deastro’s set was draped with a sheet festooned with little cartoon images of Batman but once it was removed, Chabot walked onto stage wearing a Daisy Duck hat. At first, he was focused on a laptop, singing into the mic as if his hands were unoccupied by his stabs at the keyboard or clicks on a mouse. Electronic-pop music swirled through the room and the band played a flawless set that consisted mostly of songs from the new album, like “Vermillion Plaza” and “Biophelia”. There was one exception, however – an ambitious effort of covering “I Would Die For You” by Prince. But he can be forgiven. It’s Prince, you know?

Michna:
Studio B

A common occurrence during Northside Festival was the appearance of genre-busting artists and Michna was evidence of this trend. So, what do you get when a saxophone and a trumpet is introduced to bass-driven electro beats? A rich and heavy sound exuding a slight touch of jazz and a lot of dance generating music. Michna walked that fine line, pumping the room with energy; however it still was a difficult task following up Deastro’s near perfect performance.

The mostly electronic set was backed by a hard-hitting drummer who often sped up the tempo, blasting drum and bass beats. The camaraderie of the band was apparent as they often smiled at one another and breaking out into short bursts of laughter. After a while, the music gained a hypnotic momentum, so much that by the end, its effect was awash. Unfortunately, the tweaky sounds and rumbling bass lines eventually left the audience kinda sleepy.

Lusine:
Studio B

Those who stuck around for Lusine’s set were treated to some fantastic techno. This was one of the few instances in which the live performance sounded better than the original recordings. Geared with nothing but a laptop, Lusine, tweaked his grooves and beats with knobs and clicks. The crowd gathered onto the dance floor, looking for action and were swept up in the techno vet’s minimal bass lines. It was the style of music that has burrowed under the streets of Brooklyn and it was all familiar ground for Lusine’s music.

Saturday, June 13: Day Three

So, not only was everyone celebrating music inside these venues but they were also out in the street, drunkenly passing each other high fives and smiles. Book sellers, designers, food vendors parked out in a closed section of Bedford Avenue and suddenly we had Shakedown Street right in the middle of Williamsburg’s bloodline.  And all of this would be fine and good except for the goddamn rain, again. Nevertheless, the people were out, even if they had to duck under awnings to enjoy their “coffee” and “smoothies.”

Dave Paisley:
Union Pool

Ernest Jenning Record Company presented an event at Union Pool that was abundant with folk artists but unfortunately for this writer, due to a previously scheduled event, only Dave Paisley’s performance was attended – but what a performance. It’s not often that you get to see a large crowd of people in a tiny room, ecstatic about traditional American folk music but there they were, rocking their bodies along Paisley’s pained rhythm and heartbreak lyrics.

The man stood alone, framed by a string of yellow lights to illustrate pictures of his life in the words of a talented songwriter. Paisley weaved stories about isolation and despair into his handy guitar craftwork, singing about all those sad, terrible things you expect out of a folk song. Folk music has that timelessness to it and it was interesting to note that all of the music heard at Northside Festival had its beginnings rooted in this genre. Bob Dylan said, in response to accusations about copying much of Woody Guthrie’s style, that folk music is storytelling. You continue telling it. So, Dave Paisley told his version of the human experience.

Katie Eastburn:
Glasslands Gallery

Walking into Glasslands Gallery was like walking into an artists loft, complete with a homemade looking bar, large planks of different colored wood assembled in an abstract pattern on the wall, and a second floor balcony built into the wall – and at times the PA sounded like something from an artist loft too. It’s difficult to say how much of Katie Eastburn’s electronic performance was affected by this. The bass clipped above a level of comfort, often shooting out static instead of a clear sound. Her vocals were rendered indecipherable at times but the effect of an electro lounge singer was still realized. Sitting coolly at her keyboard, she chanted words and sang.

The presence of a live drummer may have enhanced her otherwise monotonous set; however she still produced some interesting sounds. The highlight of her playlist was a Kris Kristofferson cover that goes without a title since the lyrics could hardly be identified. Perhaps a better mix on the soundboard would have changed the whole sound as it seemed to be geared for an analog set rather than an electronic one.

Tune-Yards
Glasslands Gallery

If you’ve ever come across an astounding surprise then you’ll relate with the image of a lone woman on a stage with a tom drum, a snare on either of her side, while holding a ukulele. This is Merril Garbus, the woman behind the Tune-Yards, and the performance she gave was not only riveting but downright dancing madness. Yes. Tune-Yards was out of control in a very good way.

The audience gathered close to the stage, as Garbus delivered a yodeling intro, and then the beats began. Here’s what she does: She beats the drums, cycles them through the mic and into a pedal to loop the sound, then she sings, or hums, or chants, into the mic and loops that as well. When that’s ready to go, she gives a good, harsh strum on her ukulele and away she goes.

After the first song, Garbus enticed the crowd to dance by saying, “I heard that Brooklyn doesn’t like to dance anymore.” Of course, she was totally wrong and this was evident by a girl who danced around her boyfriend in child-like enthusiasm. Her performance was often greeted with, “Yeahs,” and “Ohs” all around. By the time she finished, she had many new fans and diehards buying her latest album, Bird Brains.

Dragons of Zynth:
Glasslands Gallery

Dragons of Zynth came out swinging something nasty at the beginning of this quintet’s set. The drummer had machine gun staccato, flavoring the beat with powerful energy. The keyboardist/vocalist, Aku Orraca-Teteh’s charisma was exhibited with colorful attire and an ability to engage the audience in a personal way – including grabbing a drunken guy’s shirt and singing into his face.

The band often switched instruments and roles. The guitarist/vocalist Akwetey Orraca-Teteh played keyboards while his brother, Aku jumped into the audience and ran back onto the stage like a madman. The biggest issue for the band was the exchange of instruments, which eventually became distracting, leaving one to wonder what the purpose was. All-in-all, the audience gave Dragons of Zynth a warm reception, applauding the band with zeal.

Sunday, June 14: Day 4

Those who managed to jump back on their hungover feet, returned to the streets of Brooklyn/Williamsburg to catch the last day of Northside Festival. They waited in parks, drank more “coffee” and “smoothies” and listened to meringue from leftover attendees of the Puerto Rican Day festivities. The momentum was clear – time for more so let’s move on to day four .

Bamboo Shoots:
Public Assembly (back room)

Bamboo Shoots approached the stage with a handicap – the lead singer was off somewhere in Turkey, while his band managed without him. This quirky quintet played their asses off and at times, the whole missing lead singer thing was forgotten. Although similarities can be drawn to Radio 4, the band has its own pop-indie sound that put the audience in a good mood.

During one song, the synth player grabbed up a drum and banged on it furtively to pick up a tribal element for an already energetic tune. The force of Bamboo Shoots’ music was received with dance and smiles but this is nothing new to them. The word on the streets about this band is getting around, which is what got them signed to Epic Records in the first place.

Wakey Wakey:
Public Assembly (back room)

Before Wakey Wakey’s set, the keyboardist/vocalist had to deal with a flopping mic stand so after he was handed some duct tape and a can of beer, the band was ready to roll out their playlist, including “War Sweater”, which was featured on the show, One Tree Hill.

The band’s sound was bold and beautiful, and at times, inspiring. The two vocalists, Mike Grubbs (also on keyboards) and Tanya Buziak harmonized like two opposite Gemini twins, contrasting the masculine and feminine sound of their voices to entwine soulful harmonies. Now throw in the violinist, Patrick Doane and you’ve got some serious orchestration.

La Strada:
Public Assembly (front room)

Then came the surprises – one was La Strada and the other will be soon mentioned. La Strada was an army of musicians, who trotted onto stage with a brass section, a string section, and of course, the rhythm section. The singer toted an accordion and then they began to play. It was a mix of old world sound and good ol’ fashion Americana. The large crowd was captivated by the band’s music and all of the warm, fuzzy feelings were enhanced by the red and yellow hue of the stage lights that shone on La Strada.

Singer/accordionist, James Craft, was a charismatic host, happily singing to his audience as if he was telling a good story from the past. They cleared through their set in what felt like minutes, with a head full of tales swirling in their fans’ heads.

Wild Yaks:
Public Assembly (front room)

…Then, there are those WTF moments, like when you just finished hearing La Strada’s sets, then someone yells for you to turn around and there’s a circle surrounding a man with a guitar who could have passed for a younger Slash. Wild Yaks didn’t just play, they exploded. Seriously…they did. It was the most stumbling, crazy, loud rock n’ roll heard during the entire festival – and it was so good to change it up finally, just in time for the closing of Public Assembly.

Wild Yaks have this thing about them…the guitarist is there amongst a bevy with you and then he’s back on the stage. The singer wildly sings into the mic and they have such a, “I don’t give a fuck” sound that it’s intoxicating. There is perhaps no other band that has a name that more appropriately suits them than this one.

So, instead of Public Assembly slowly prodding the folks who attended out of the venue, they gave them something to think about for a few hours after and you have to appreciate that kind of gesture.

The message here is simple: dance or get your guts torn out and head removed by Yeah Yeah Yeahs’s dance police werewolf man – who, ironically, turns against the band at the end of the video.

All of this maddening imagery coincides with the launch of their itty bitty tour through North America, which is now on going.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs 2009 Tour Dates:
05/26 – Chicago, IL @ Riveria Theatre
05/27 – Detroit, MI @ Clutch Cargos
05/28 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
05/30 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
05/31 – Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Club
06/02- St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
06/03 – Kansas City, MO @ The Beaumont
06/06 – Mountain View, CA @ Live 105 BFD (Shoreline Amphitheatre)
06/12 – Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music Festival
06/24 – Zagreb, HR @ T-Mobile In Music Festival
06/26 – St. Gallen, CH @ St. Gallen Festival
06/27 – Evreux, FR @ Le Rock Dans Tous Ses Etats
06/30 – Vienna, AT @ Openair Arena
07/01 – Prague, CZ @ Roxy
07/03 – Belfort, FR @ Eurockeenes
07/04 – Wechter, BE @ Rock Werchter
07/05 – Roskilde, DK @ Roskilde Festival
07/07 – Hamburg, DE @ Docks
07/10 – Kinross, UK @ T in the Park
07/11 – Eadestown, IE @ Oxegen Festival
07/31 – Jersey City, NJ @ All Points West Music Festival
08/29 – Reading, UK @ Reading Festival
08/30 – Leeds, UK @ Leeds Festival