Consequence of Sound » HARD Haunted Mansion http://consequenceofsound.net Think Fast, Listen Slowly Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:30:48 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Interview: Gary Richards (Founder of HARD Music Festivals) http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/10/interview-gary-richards-founder-of-hard-music-festivals/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/10/interview-gary-richards-founder-of-hard-music-festivals/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2011/10/hard-summer-music-festival-2011-.jpg Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:00:31 +0000 Winston Robbins http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=160083 HARD Music Festivals have been on the map since New Year’s Eve of 2007, when they held the bash to end all bashes in downtown L.A. Since that night, the organization has grown into a full-fledged superpower in the world of electronic/dance music. With annual festivals in multiple cities, sponsored tours that span the country, on-going New Year’s Eve bashes, and a cruise scheduled to set sail in early 2012, they’ve taken over the genre. If you haven’t heard of HARD, you either really loathe dance music, or you’ve been living under a rock.

HARD has been home to the best and the brightest of both established musicians and up-and-comers. From Flying Lotus to Fatboy Slim and virtually everyone in between, every HARD event promises to be a who’s who of electronic music. Recently, Consequence of Sound was lucky enough to sit down with the brain behind the entire organization, Gary Richards (who also DJs under the moniker DESTRUCTO), for a few words just weeks before the 2011 installment of the annual HARD Haunted Mansion in L.A on October 28th.

It’s always riveting to hear anyone in the dance music industry’s take on the current state of the scene, but Richards gave us some particularly engaging insights regarding the future of not just HARD, but electronic/dance music as a whole.

For those of our readers less in tune with the electronic music world, can you describe HARD in your own words?

Uh, I would say it’s an amazing collection of international DJs where music comes first. Uh… [laughs] I don’t fuckin’ know. That’s a tough question. Can we come back to that one?

Absolutely. You’ve been pretty consistent in days past about making mostly electronic, primarily dance, music with a few live bands and a few rappers every now and again. Is this the aesthetic you plan to hold to for coming years?

Yeah, I mean, the backbone of HARD is always electronic, but we’ll pepper in whatever music is cool, whatever fits. I like all kinds of music. Like, I’m listening to some Mastodon right now. Whatever’s cool, we’ll chuck it in there, but just a little bit. Just a sprinkle, or, a like, squirt of lime in there.

You’ve certainly got L.A. on lock, and you’re reaching out to other cities all the time. Do you plan on being a huge presence like you are in L.A. in other cities?

That’s definitely the plan, and we’ve done two tours, so we’ve hit a lot of cities. We hit Austin, Toronto, Philly, D.C… So, yeah, the plan is definitely to grow into some of the bigger events in those markets. Just trying to do it in a nice, organic way, instead of trying to, like, force it in there, you know?

Photo by Jesse Bloch

Any international plans?

International [is] definitely on the plan. It’s just a little bit more difficult. We’ve been in talks with a lot of people from Europe to get over there, and our [Holy Ship!] boat goes in international waters, and we’re doing a private island in the Caribbean, so we’re kinda getting there. But, I feel like HARD is a little bit of a different brand or style, and I think there’s definitely a place for it all over.

There’s always a lot of overlap in the rosters. For instance, Fatboy Slim, Skrillex, Rusko, and a few others are all playing Haunted Mansion as well as Holy Ship! in January. A lot of festivals shy away from repeat performers. Why doesn’t this mindset affect your events so much?

I just think that a lot of our events are a little more intimate, like, not as big as some of the mega festivals. We’ll use Fatboy [Slim] as an example. He’s playing The Haunted Mansion and then the boat, which is, you know, on the other side of the country. So, we try and space it out a little bit, but I feel like some of the guys are just staples. Like Soulwax and 2manydjs? I’d have those guys play every fuckin’ day if I could. I feel like there’s a pool of super, super, super talented guys at the very, very top, and any chance I have to bring ‘em, I will. Obviously, after a while, we try to give it a rest. I come from the record business, so I like not burning them out, but I think some of them definitely warrant multiple plays. So, you know, I don’t want to just not bring them because I’ve had ‘em before. A lot of these guys, I could listen to ‘em forever. That’s the feeling behind it, and I don’t think anyone’s complaining.

Since the events carry an air of similarity conceptually as well as in lineup, how do you make sure each event is unique?

Well, we try to change up the stages all the time, the way that the stages look in their design, and we do a lot of different venues. Most of these events take place at different venues, different stages, different setups, but, mostly, it’s the people. I mean, we’ve got different people that come all the time to all of the different events, so I don’t think that we’re gonna have the same people at Haunted Mansion that are gonna be on the boat. There will be a few, but for the most part, it’s gonna be a new experience. Plus, I mean, on the boat, you’re gonna see Fatboy Slim on the sand on a private island, and at Haunted Mansion you’re gonna see him in the night in front of 10,000 people. So, yeah, it varies from event to event.

Specifically, since we’ll be covering the event this month, how will HARD Haunted Mansion 2011 be different from its predecessors?

With the Haunted Mansion, we don’t have to change it from year to year. I mean, the lineup’s completely different, but I think that for us, with that event, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. The Haunted Mansion event’s been our best event to date, and I think we have a formula that works. Definitely the stages will be different, like the configuration of what you’ll see on the stage itself, but the layout is 95 percent the same. It’s taken years to get to that place to figure out that this is what works best there. It’s safe, the city likes it, the fans like it, so I’m not changing it, you know? What changes is the acts. The acts are completely different from last year.

HARD is an impressive institution, when you look at the whole scope of everything. It’s sort of all over the place. From a summer tour to a half-dozen festivals to HARD Presents, it’s a year-round gig. How do you stay on top of it all?

It’s tough, dude. I have a good team that I work with that helps me keep it all together. And I DJ, so it helps me keep my ears open to always listening to what’s new. I think that’s the secret formula to what we do. I mean, it’s pretty obvious. You could go book Skrillex, or you could book Rusko and sell tickets, but we’re booking Kingdom, Jackmaster, The Magician, some of the smaller guys, L-Vis 1990 and SBTRKT. [We're] trying to get the guys on the way up, keeping it fresh. But I think being a DJ helps me a lot, because I don’t sit here and go, “Hey, who should I book?”, or call people up and be like, “Hey what’s hot?” I make my own sets and whatever’s in there, play. I play, and I book, you know?

I hear that you’re also the father of two. Is that correct?

Yep.

So, what’s that like balancing home life vs. performing as DESTRUCTO vs. being in charge of HARD?

It’s brutal. [laughs] Put it like this: I’ll sleep in another lifetime. No, it’s tough, but every morning no matter what, when I wake up, I’m pumped. Get up at like seven in the morning and hang with the kids for a bit, and then to the computer, and when I look at my computer to see what’s going on, like everything that comes in is always exciting. I was thinking this the other day: I don’t consider it work, really. I’m like the luckiest guy on earth. This is the dream job to have.

Anything else you’d like to add?

[laughs] What was the first question again?

Oh, of course. What would you say HARD is, in your own words?

We’re trying to be the electronic music festival that focuses on the music. I think it’s really important. I’ve been involved with the music for almost 20 years. I’m trying to be the guy that when you think of electronic music, the first thing you think of is good music instead of drugs. I think so many times over the years the electronic music scene has been ruined or dragged through the mud because of drugs. And you know kids come there, and they think it’s a place to come to party and do ecstasy or whatever, and my job as a responsible promoter is to make it a place where you can come and listen to great music, and if you’re going to try and be stupid and sell drugs, or, you know, pop all these pills or whatever… That’s not what our festival’s about, and that’s not what we’re producing.

You know, we’re producing a festival working with everybody to make sure it’s safe and that it can continue. I wanna be known as the guy that, like, gave electronic music credibility. Because it’s always been that dance music has always had this cheesy kind of element to it, and I’ve always tried to get people to focus that, hey, there are some really, really talented musicians and some great music that comes out of this world, but it gets overshadowed by all the other bullshit. And I think that’s what HARD set out to do, and I think we’re doing it. I think in the beginning we just got lumped in as just another rave like everyone else, but now people are seeing like in the cities and with the local authorities, we walk the walk. Like, you know, we’re not just saying “Oh, yeah we’re not a rave,” and then we have 15-year-olds passed out on the floor. Most of our events are 18+, or sometimes 21+, and if someone shows up and they’re too shady, we don’t let ‘em in. We search ‘em, and we really go the extra step to make it safe and make it so that we’re able to continue doing this for the next 10 years.

]]> loathe dance music, or you've been living under a rock. HARD has been home to the best and the brightest of both established musicians and up-and-comers. From Flying Lotus to Fatboy Slim and virtually everyone in between, every HARD event promises to be a who's who of electronic music. Recently, Consequence of Sound was lucky enough to sit down with the brain behind the entire organization, Gary Richards (who also DJs under the moniker DESTRUCTO), for a few words just weeks before the 2011 installment of the annual HARD Haunted Mansion in L.A on October 28th. It's always riveting to hear anyone in the dance music industry's take on the current state of the scene, but Richards gave us some particularly engaging insights regarding the future of not just HARD, but electronic/dance music as a whole. For those of our readers less in tune with the electronic music world, can you describe HARD in your own words? Uh, I would say it’s an amazing collection of international DJs where music comes first. Uh... [laughs] I don’t fuckin’ know. That’s a tough question. Can we come back to that one? Absolutely. You’ve been pretty consistent in days past about making mostly electronic, primarily dance, music with a few live bands and a few rappers every now and again. Is this the aesthetic you plan to hold to for coming years? Yeah, I mean, the backbone of HARD is always electronic, but we’ll pepper in whatever music is cool, whatever fits. I like all kinds of music. Like, I’m listening to some Mastodon right now. Whatever’s cool, we’ll chuck it in there, but just a little bit. Just a sprinkle, or, a like, squirt of lime in there. You’ve certainly got L.A. on lock, and you’re reaching out to other cities all the time. Do you plan on being a huge presence like you are in L.A. in other cities? That’s definitely the plan, and we’ve done two tours, so we’ve hit a lot of cities. We hit Austin, Toronto, Philly, D.C... So, yeah, the plan is definitely to grow into some of the bigger events in those markets. Just trying to do it in a nice, organic way, instead of trying to, like, force it in there, you know? Photo by Jesse Bloch Any international plans? International [is] definitely on the plan. It’s just a little bit more difficult. We’ve been in talks with a lot of people from Europe to get over there, and our [Holy Ship!] boat goes in international waters, and we’re doing a private island in the Caribbean, so we’re kinda getting there. But, I feel like HARD is a little bit of a different brand or style, and I think there’s definitely a place for it all over. There’s always a lot of overlap in the rosters. For instance, Fatboy Slim, Skrillex, Rusko, and a few others are all playing Haunted Mansion as well as Holy Ship! in January. A lot of festivals shy away from repeat performers. Why doesn’t this mindset affect your events so much? I just think that a lot of our events are a little more intimate, like, not as big as some of the mega festivals. We’ll use Fatboy [Slim] as an example. He’s playing The Haunted Mansion and then the boat, which is, you know, on the other side of the country. So, we try and space it out a little bit, but I feel like some of the guys are just staples. Like Soulwax and 2manydjs? I’d have those guys play every fuckin’ day if I could. I feel like there’s a pool of super, super, super talented guys at the very, very top, and any chance I have to bring ‘em, I will. Obviously, after a while, we try to give it a rest. I come from the record business, so I like not burning them out, but I think some of them definitely warrant multiple plays. So, you know, I don’t want to just not bring them because I’ve had ‘em before. A lot of these guys, I could listen to ‘em forever. That’s the feeling behind it, and I don’t think anyone’s complaining. [youtube Yfb34ELfjHg 500 325] Since the events carry an air of similarity conceptually as well as in lineup, how do you make sure each event is unique? Well, we try to change up the stages all the time, the way that the stages look in their design, and we do a lot of different venues. Most of these events take place at different venues, different stages, different setups, but, mostly, it’s the people. I mean, we’ve got different people that come all the time to all of the different events, so I don’t think that we’re gonna have the same people at Haunted Mansion that are gonna be on the boat. There will be a few, but for the most part, it’s gonna be a new experience. Plus, I mean, on the boat, you’re gonna see Fatboy Slim on the sand on a private island, and at Haunted Mansion you’re gonna see him in the night in front of 10,000 people. So, yeah, it varies from event to event. Specifically, since we’ll be covering the event this month, how will HARD Haunted Mansion 2011 be different from its predecessors? With the Haunted Mansion, we don’t have to change it from year to year. I mean, the lineup’s completely different, but I think that for us, with that event, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. The Haunted Mansion event’s been our best event to date, and I think we have a formula that works. Definitely the stages will be different, like the configuration of what you’ll see on the stage itself, but the layout is 95 percent the same. It’s taken years to get to that place to figure out that this is what works best there. It’s safe, the city likes it, the fans like it, so I’m not changing it, you know? What changes is the acts. The acts are completely different from last year. HARD is an impressive institution, when you look at the whole scope of everything. It’s sort of all over the place. From a summer tour to a half-dozen festivals to HARD Presents, it’s a year-round gig. How do you stay on top of it all? It’s tough, dude. I have a good team that I work with that helps me keep it all together. And I DJ, so it helps me keep my ears open to always listening to what’s new. I think that’s the secret formula to what we do. I mean, it’s pretty obvious. You could go book Skrillex, or you could book Rusko and sell tickets, but we’re booking Kingdom, Jackmaster, The Magician, some of the smaller guys, L-Vis 1990 and SBTRKT. [We're] trying to get the guys on the way up, keeping it fresh. But I think being a DJ helps me a lot, because I don’t sit here and go, “Hey, who should I book?”, or call people up and be like, “Hey what’s hot?” I make my own sets and whatever’s in there, play. I play, and I book, you know? I hear that you’re also the father of two. Is that correct? Yep. So, what’s that like balancing home life vs. performing as DESTRUCTO vs. being in charge of HARD? It’s brutal. [laughs] Put it like this: I’ll sleep in another lifetime. No, it’s tough, but every morning no matter what, when I wake up, I’m pumped. Get up at like seven in the morning and hang with the kids for a bit, and then to the computer, and when I look at my computer to see what’s going on, like everything that comes in is always exciting. I was thinking this the other day: I don’t consider it work, really. I’m like the luckiest guy on earth. This is the dream job to have. Anything else you’d like to add? [laughs] What was the first question again? Oh, of course. What would you say HARD is, in your own words? We’re trying to be the electronic music festival that focuses on the music. I think it’s really important. I’ve been involved with the music for almost 20 years. I’m trying to be the guy that when you think of electronic music, the first thing you think of is good music instead of drugs. I think so many times over the years the electronic music scene has been ruined or dragged through the mud because of drugs. And you know kids come there, and they think it’s a place to come to party and do ecstasy or whatever, and my job as a responsible promoter is to make it a place where you can come and listen to great music, and if you’re going to try and be stupid and sell drugs, or, you know, pop all these pills or whatever... That’s not what our festival’s about, and that’s not what we’re producing. You know, we’re producing a festival working with everybody to make sure it’s safe and that it can continue. I wanna be known as the guy that, like, gave electronic music credibility. Because it’s always been that dance music has always had this cheesy kind of element to it, and I’ve always tried to get people to focus that, hey, there are some really, really talented musicians and some great music that comes out of this world, but it gets overshadowed by all the other bullshit. And I think that’s what HARD set out to do, and I think we’re doing it. I think in the beginning we just got lumped in as just another rave like everyone else, but now people are seeing like in the cities and with the local authorities, we walk the walk. Like, you know, we’re not just saying “Oh, yeah we’re not a rave,” and then we have 15-year-olds passed out on the floor. Most of our events are 18+, or sometimes 21+, and if someone shows up and they’re too shady, we don’t let ‘em in. We search ‘em, and we really go the extra step to make it safe and make it so that we’re able to continue doing this for the next 10 years.]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/10/interview-gary-richards-founder-of-hard-music-festivals/feed/ 1 Festivals in Brief: Halifax Pop Explosion, HARD Haunted Mansion, SoundLand http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/08/festivals-in-brief-halifax-pop-explosion-hard-haunted-mansion-soundland/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/08/festivals-in-brief-halifax-pop-explosion-hard-haunted-mansion-soundland/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/12/festivaloutlook-259x2601.png Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:00:49 +0000 Summer Dunsmore http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=142481 As most of you know, Consequence of Sound‘s Festival Outlook is an online database featuring the latest news, rumors, and ticket information for the world’s many music festivals. Sometimes, though, it’s hard to keep up with everything. So, this is where our “Festivals in Brief” feature comes in.

This week brings a whole slew of lineup news, including Best Fest, Halifax Pop Explosion, HARD Haunted Mansion, Lowlands, SoundLand, and Voodoo Experience. Below, you can find all the pertinent information.

And while we have your attention, please be sure to bookmark Festival Outlook and follow us on Twitter. That way, you’ll get more timely updates! And if you see something missing from one of the thousand pages listed on Festival Outlook, please drop us a line, and we’ll fix it asap. Of course, tips are also welcome!

BESTFEST

When/Where: September 24-25, 2011, in Houston, Texas, (Midtown Superblock)

Who’s Playing: Cake, Deer Tick, Bun B, and Buxton, with more acts still to be announced

Tickets: Early-bird tickets are priced at $25 (GA) and $95 (VIP) and can be purchased on the festival’s website.

HALIFAX POP EXPLOSION

When/Where: October 18-22, 2011, in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Who’s Playing: Fucked Up, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Titus Andronicus, Suuns, The Thermals, Timber Timbre, Chad Vangaalen, Bonjay, Braids, Demon’s Claws, Gobble Gobble, JEFF the Brotherhood, The Jean Maclean, Miracle Fortress, and Ohbijou

Tickets: Multiple ticketing options are are available; price depends on date of purchase. The early bird sale is from August 8th-12th. Advanced sale tickets are available from August 13th-October 12th, and tickets are also available at the door. Tickets can be purchased on the festival’s website.

HARD Haunted Mansion

When/Where: October 28-29, 2011, in Los Angeles, California, (Shrine Expo Hall)

Who’s Playing: Fatboy Slim, Fake Blood, Rusko, Skrillex, Destructo, SBTRKT, Soulwax, Tiga, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Beatacue, Clockwork, Goose, Jackmaster, and Kingdom

Tickets: Single day tickets are $60 (GA) and $125 (VIP), and 2-Day Passes are $115. Tickets can be purchased here.

Lowlands

When/Where: August 19-21, 2011, in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands

Who’s Playing: Interpol, Lykke Li, Fleet Foxes, Friendly Fires, Flogging Molly, Joan as Policewoman, Noah and the Whale, Mayer Hawthorne & the County, The Offspring, Odd Future, Fake Blood, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Crystal Castles, Chromeo, and Cage the Elephant

Tickets: SOLD OUT. Find out more on the festival’s website.

Soundland

When/Where: September 21-24, 2011, in Nashville, Tennessee, (Various Venues)

What’s New: Cults, Foster the People, Yelawolf, Those Darlins, The Low Anthem, Big K.R.I.T., and Ben Sollee

Who Else is Playing: Ghostland Observatory, JEFF the Brotherhood, M.Ward, Reptar, Bonobo, Carl Broemel, Keegan Dewitt, Madi Diaz, Mikky Ekko, Mynameisjohnmichael, Pujol, Paper Route, Robert Ellis, Tristen, and Uncle Skeleton

Tickets: Tickets are $55-$65 and are available on the festival’s website.

VOODOO EXPERIENCE

When/Where: October 28-30, 2011, in New Orleans, Louisiana

What’s New: Dirty South, Bloody Beetroots, Alberta Cross, and Fort Knox Five

Who Else is Playing: Soundgarden, Blink-182, The Raconteurs, Snoop Dogg, Fatboy Slim, Social Distortion, My Chemical Romance, TV on the Radio, Girl Talk, Odd Future, Major Lazer, X, A-Trak, Cheap Trick, Portugal. The Man, The Bloody Beetroots, X, and Kreayshawn

Tickets: $150 3-Day and $450 VIP passes are available via the festival’s website.

]]> Consequence of Sound‘s Festival Outlook is an online database featuring the latest news, rumors, and ticket information for the world’s many music festivals. Sometimes, though, it’s hard to keep up with everything. So, this is where our “Festivals in Brief” feature comes in. This week brings a whole slew of lineup news, including Best Fest, Halifax Pop Explosion, HARD Haunted Mansion, Lowlands, SoundLand, and Voodoo Experience. Below, you can find all the pertinent information. And while we have your attention, please be sure to bookmark Festival Outlook and follow us on Twitter. That way, you’ll get more timely updates! And if you see something missing from one of the thousand pages listed on Festival Outlook, please drop us a line, and we’ll fix it asap. Of course, tips are also welcome! BESTFEST When/Where: September 24-25, 2011, in Houston, Texas, (Midtown Superblock) Who's Playing: Cake, Deer Tick, Bun B, and Buxton, with more acts still to be announced Tickets: Early-bird tickets are priced at $25 (GA) and $95 (VIP) and can be purchased on the festival's website. HALIFAX POP EXPLOSION When/Where: October 18-22, 2011, in Halifax, Nova Scotia Who's Playing: Fucked Up, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Titus Andronicus, Suuns, The Thermals, Timber Timbre, Chad Vangaalen, Bonjay, Braids, Demon's Claws, Gobble Gobble, JEFF the Brotherhood, The Jean Maclean, Miracle Fortress, and Ohbijou Tickets: Multiple ticketing options are are available; price depends on date of purchase. The early bird sale is from August 8th-12th. Advanced sale tickets are available from August 13th-October 12th, and tickets are also available at the door. Tickets can be purchased on the festival's website. HARD Haunted Mansion When/Where: October 28-29, 2011, in Los Angeles, California, (Shrine Expo Hall) Who's Playing: Fatboy Slim, Fake Blood, Rusko, Skrillex, Destructo, SBTRKT, Soulwax, Tiga, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Beatacue, Clockwork, Goose, Jackmaster, and Kingdom Tickets: Single day tickets are $60 (GA) and $125 (VIP), and 2-Day Passes are $115. Tickets can be purchased here. Lowlands When/Where: August 19-21, 2011, in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands Who's Playing: Interpol, Lykke Li, Fleet Foxes, Friendly Fires, Flogging Molly, Joan as Policewoman, Noah and the Whale, Mayer Hawthorne & the County, The Offspring, Odd Future, Fake Blood, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Crystal Castles, Chromeo, and Cage the Elephant Tickets: SOLD OUT. Find out more on the festival's website. Soundland When/Where: September 21-24, 2011, in Nashville, Tennessee, (Various Venues) What's New: Cults, Foster the People, Yelawolf, Those Darlins, The Low Anthem, Big K.R.I.T., and Ben Sollee Who Else is Playing: Ghostland Observatory, JEFF the Brotherhood, M.Ward, Reptar, Bonobo, Carl Broemel, Keegan Dewitt, Madi Diaz, Mikky Ekko, Mynameisjohnmichael, Pujol, Paper Route, Robert Ellis, Tristen, and Uncle Skeleton Tickets: Tickets are $55-$65 and are available on the festival's website. VOODOO EXPERIENCE When/Where: October 28-30, 2011, in New Orleans, Louisiana What's New: Dirty South, Bloody Beetroots, Alberta Cross, and Fort Knox Five Who Else is Playing: Soundgarden, Blink-182, The Raconteurs, Snoop Dogg, Fatboy Slim, Social Distortion, My Chemical Romance, TV on the Radio, Girl Talk, Odd Future, Major Lazer, X, A-Trak, Cheap Trick, Portugal. The Man, The Bloody Beetroots, X, and Kreayshawn Tickets: $150 3-Day and $450 VIP passes are available via the festival's website.]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/08/festivals-in-brief-halifax-pop-explosion-hard-haunted-mansion-soundland/feed/ 0 Festivals in Brief: August 25 – September 1 http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/09/festivals-in-brief-august-25-september-1/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/09/festivals-in-brief-august-25-september-1/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/07/festivaloutlook.png Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:05:33 +0000 Michael Hickey http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=66009 Maybe it’s due to the end of summer, but there were as many stories about tension and bad blood this week as there were about sunshine and good times. And yes, I’m sure it also had a lot to do with Axl Rose getting into the mi x(evidence here and here). But lets focus on happier thoughts; a new Chicago festival will be born this week, and so far CMJ Music Marathon has put together a pretty nifty lineup. Reason to celebrate indeed!

Below, you’ll find a compilation of this week’s festival headlines and lineup updates in our resurrected Festivals in Brief section.  And if all this Axl Rose bashing has soured your day, first- my apologies, and second — here’s a laugh to cheer you up.

Editors note: This marks the last posting from our intern Mike. Round of applause for a job well done!

News

– Philip Cosores found it hard to enjoy himself at this year’s Sunset Strip Music Festival.

– Festival organizers announced a partial lineup for this year’s CMJ Music Marathon that includes Surfer Blood, Ghostface Killah, Salem, and many more.

– This week we spoke with the founder of Chicago’s newest festival, North Coast Music Festival, about his hopes, dreams, and expectations for the freshman fest.

– After a dispute about set times, Guns N’ Roses gave the Reading and Leeds Festival a few choice words via Twitter. Note: the words chosen were mostly obscenities.

– Think you know who’s gunna play Coachella 2011? Share your guesses for next year’s lineup here.

Lineup Additions

– ATP New York: Stage times released

– CMJ Music Marathon: Initial lineup released including The Drums, Helmet, Four Tet, and many more

– Virgin Mobile FreeFest: Maximum Balloon, Sharam, Wolfgang Gartner

– Voodoo Experience: Blackberry Smoke (expected), Kaskade, Kelis, River City Extension, The Whigs, White Rabbits

– Next BIG Nashville: Dylan Leblanc, Washed Out

– Hardly Strictly Bluegrass: MC Hammer, Michael McDonald & Boz Scaggs, Poor Man’s Whiskey, and more

– Pyramid Rock Festival: Official lineup released including Built to Spill, Neon Indian, Temper Trap and many more

– GhoulsFest: Fischerspooner (DJ set), Macy Gray

– Nocturnal Festival: Pretty Lights

– Monster Massive: Official lineup released including Moby, The Glitch Mob, Carl Cox and many more

– HARD Haunted Mansion: Proxy

]]> Editors note: This marks the last posting from our intern Mike. Round of applause for a job well done! News -- Philip Cosores found it hard to enjoy himself at this year's Sunset Strip Music Festival. -- Festival organizers announced a partial lineup for this year's CMJ Music Marathon that includes Surfer Blood, Ghostface Killah, Salem, and many more. -- This week we spoke with the founder of Chicago's newest festival, North Coast Music Festival, about his hopes, dreams, and expectations for the freshman fest. -- After a dispute about set times, Guns N' Roses gave the Reading and Leeds Festival a few choice words via Twitter. Note: the words chosen were mostly obscenities. -- Think you know who's gunna play Coachella 2011? Share your guesses for next year's lineup here. Lineup Additions -- ATP New York: Stage times released -- CMJ Music Marathon: Initial lineup released including The Drums, Helmet, Four Tet, and many more -- Virgin Mobile FreeFest: Maximum Balloon, Sharam, Wolfgang Gartner -- Voodoo Experience: Blackberry Smoke (expected), Kaskade, Kelis, River City Extension, The Whigs, White Rabbits -- Next BIG Nashville: Dylan Leblanc, Washed Out -- Hardly Strictly Bluegrass: MC Hammer, Michael McDonald & Boz Scaggs, Poor Man's Whiskey, and more -- Pyramid Rock Festival: Official lineup released including Built to Spill, Neon Indian, Temper Trap and many more -- GhoulsFest: Fischerspooner (DJ set), Macy Gray -- Nocturnal Festival: Pretty Lights -- Monster Massive: Official lineup released including Moby, The Glitch Mob, Carl Cox and many more -- HARD Haunted Mansion: Proxy ]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/09/festivals-in-brief-august-25-september-1/feed/ 0 Festivals In Brief: August 4 – 11 http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/08/festivals-in-brief-august-4-11/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/08/festivals-in-brief-august-4-11/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/07/festivaloutlook.png Wed, 11 Aug 2010 21:25:32 +0000 Michael Hickey http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=61235 Holy schnikes, what a week! Lollapalooza rolled into town for its sixth edition in Chicago, and I think many of those who attended are only just recovering. Despite a few clouds and a bit of rain, the fest went off without a hitch bringing some pretty stellar performances to the fans at Grant Park.

But Lollapalooza wasn’t the only story in the festival world this week. Lineups dropped, dates were announced, and fans around the country attended folk fests, metal fests, and everything in between. To keep you up-to-date on festival stories, we’ve compiled all of the week’s news in our resurrected Festivals in Brief feature. Check out the scoop below.

News:

– Due to the immensity of Lollapalooza, our coverage of the fest was separated into three sections; Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3.

– Arcade Fire, Pavement, and Devo made this year’s Osheaga Music and Arts Festival one of the best editions yet.

– George Wein’s Newport Folk Festival is apparently the most pleasant place on Earth.

– David Buchanan spent the weekend watching every type of heavy metal imaginable at the 3rd edition of Mayhem Festival.

– MoogFest unveiled a pretty stacked inaugural lineup. Massive Attack, Panda Bear, Jonsi, and Hot Chip are just some of the few highlights.

– Get out your 2011 calendars, folks. Two of the country’s biggest festivals, Coachella and Lollapalooza, released their dates for next year. Coachella will take place in mid-April, while Lollapalooza fans will have to wait until early August to return to Grant Park.

– For the price of absolutely nothing, you can check out Elvis Costello, Patti Smith, Conor Oberst, and dozens of other acts on the recently released lineup for the 10th annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival.

– HullabaLou Music Festival suffered a $5 million loss in its first year. That said, organizers say the fest will continue next year.

– This October Cypress Hill will bring their annual pot-themed Smokeout Festival to San Bernadino, CA. Incubus, MGMT, and Deadmau5 are set to perform, but you’ll have to leave the dope at home: its prohibited.

Lineup Additions:

– MoogFest: Official lineup released including Panda Bear, Massive Attack, MGMT, and many more

– ATP New York: DJ Kool Herc, GZA, Hannibal Buress, Heather Lawless, Kurt Vile, Ricky Powell Slideshow, T Model Ford

– Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival: Official lineup released including Elvis Costello, Patti Smith, Conor Oberst, and many more

– Cypress Hill Smokeout: Official lineup released including Incubus, MGMT, Nas and Damian Marley, and many more

– Scion Garage Fest: Official lineup released including Best Coast, The Ponys, King Khan and the Shrines, and many more

– HARD Haunted Mansion: Official lineup released including Underworld, Boys Noize, Calvin Harris, and many more

– Voodoo Experience: The Crystal Method (DJ set)

– Soundwave Festival: Official lineup released including Iron Maiden, Queens of the Stone Age, Slayer and many more.

– Falls Fest: Official lineup released including Interpol, Public Enemy, The National, and many more

– Epicenter: Against Me!, Crash Kings, House of Pain

– Ozzfest UK: Black Spiders, Jett Black, Paradise Lost

]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/08/festivals-in-brief-august-4-11/feed/ 0 Justice, Basement Jaxx lead HARD Haunted Mansion ’09 http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/08/justice-basement-jaxx-lead-hard-haunted-mansion-09/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/08/justice-basement-jaxx-lead-hard-haunted-mansion-09/#comments Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:05:48 +0000 Alex Young http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=18410 Despite last week’s difficulties, the folks behind HARD are determined to keep the sounds of pulsating electricity flowing in downtown Los Angeles. This is no more evident by HARD’s next great event, the HARD Haunted Mansion.

Taking place on Halloween night (October 31st) at a yet-to-be-announced, brand new location (so long the Forum!), this year’s event will feature the likes of Justice, Basement Jaxx, both of which will be performing DJ sets, as well as Deadmau5, Crookers, Major Lazer, Buraka Som Sistema, Steve Aoki, and others.

Tickets are currently available via Fla.vor.us.

]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/08/justice-basement-jaxx-lead-hard-haunted-mansion-09/feed/ 2 Festivals in Brief: Fabulous Festival, Sunset Strip, Farm Aid, HARD Haunted Mansion and more! http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/07/festivals-in-brief-fabulous-festival-sunset-strip-farm-aid-hard-haunted-mansion-and-more/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/07/festivals-in-brief-fabulous-festival-sunset-strip-farm-aid-hard-haunted-mansion-and-more/#comments Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:30:42 +0000 Alex Young http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=17640 You would think now would be the “slow” season when it comes to lineup news and rumors, what with most of the year’s festivals already behind us (or soon will be). A ha! Au contraire! Due to the recent void left by the Beastie Boys and late summer stragglers still piecing together there ’09 bills, news and rumors are in fact a plenty. So, let’s get right into with another edition of Festivals in Brief…

Virgin Festival BC:
In just two days, Virgin Festival will hit Vancouver for the aptly titled Virgin Festival BC. However, that doesn’t mean organizers still aren’t tinkering with this year’s lineup. Now set to join the previously announced likes of Sonic Youth, The Roots, Future of the Left, Broken Social Scene and Ben Harper & Relentless7 are The Thermals, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, Elizabeth, and Matt Nathanson. Tickets are still available via Ticketmaster.com.

Fabulous Festival:
With Vegoose no more, the Fabulous Festival is now Las Vegas’ major music event. Set to take place from September 3-6, this year’s edition will once again cater to the electro junkie with a lineup featuring the likes of Paul Oakenfold, DJ AM, Felix da Housecat, DJ Reza, and Steve Aoki. Tickets of all shapes and sizes are available via Want Tickets.

Electric Zoo:
3,000 miles east that same weekend, Electric Zoo will look to bring a similar electric extravaganza to the Big Apple, one with a bill that never seems to stop growing. ATB, Axwell & Steve Angello, Guy Gerber, Victor Calderone and Heidi are the latest acts scheduled to join Armin van Buuren, Deadmau5, David Guetta, Richie Hawtin, Super Disco Version and more at Randal’s Island from September 5-6. Best to get your tickets now before they go up on July 30th.

Sunset Strip Music Festival:
Also announcing its ’09 bill this week was the Sunset Strip Music Festival. The festivities will begin on September 10th when the Los Angeles based event will honor Ozzy Osbourne with a tribute concert at the House of Blues. Friday will feature numerous shows throughout the cities venues, as will Saturday, which also boasts the main portion of the festival — a street fest on the legendary Sunset Strip. Scheduled to take part are Chris Cornell, Kottonmouth Kings, Pepper, The Donnas, Shiny Toy Guns, and more. Tickets go on sale beginning Friday, July 24th via Ticketmaster.com.

Farm Aid:
As we reported last week, Farm Aid will travel to St. Louis, Missouri on October 4th for its 2009 edition. We already knew Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews would be taking part in the musical aspect of the event. We now know that so too will Wilco, Jason Mraz, Phosphorescent, and Jamey Johnson. Not a bad start, eh? Tickets will go on sale beginning Saturday, July 25th via Livenation.com.

HARD Haunted Mansion:
HARD’s annual Halloween bash, HARD Haunted Mansion, has only officially announced two names so far: Deadmau5 and Destructo. But thanks to the leaky faucet that is the internet, we also know that Justice, Crookers, Buraka Som Sistema, and Steve Aoki will appear at The Forum in Los Angeles on October 31st. Get your tickets via Fla.vor.us.

So, who’s replacing the Beastie Boys?

Now to the question on everyone’s minds: Who will be replacing the Beastie Boys at the trillion festivals they were scheduled to play in the coming months? Ok, so the Brooklyn trio was set to headline just six – All Points West, Lollapalooza, Osheaga, Outside Lands, Street Scene, and Austin City Limits — but that’s still six festivals needing to find a headliner on rather short notice.

Well, as we know now, Jay-Z will be replacing the Beasties at All Points West, while the Yeah Yeah Yeahs will fill in at Lollapalooza and Osheaga. The other three have yet to unveil their plans, but message board rumors currently have Neil Young “slumming” it in San Francisco for Outside Lands and Karen O. and Co. potentially also filling the void for ACL and Street Scene.

]]> Virgin Festival BC: In just two days, Virgin Festival will hit Vancouver for the aptly titled Virgin Festival BC. However, that doesn't mean organizers still aren't tinkering with this year's lineup. Now set to join the previously announced likes of Sonic Youth, The Roots, Future of the Left, Broken Social Scene and Ben Harper & Relentless7 are The Thermals, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, Elizabeth, and Matt Nathanson. Tickets are still available via Ticketmaster.com. Fabulous Festival: With Vegoose no more, the Fabulous Festival is now Las Vegas' major music event. Set to take place from September 3-6, this year's edition will once again cater to the electro junkie with a lineup featuring the likes of Paul Oakenfold, DJ AM, Felix da Housecat, DJ Reza, and Steve Aoki. Tickets of all shapes and sizes are available via Want Tickets. Electric Zoo: 3,000 miles east that same weekend, Electric Zoo will look to bring a similar electric extravaganza to the Big Apple, one with a bill that never seems to stop growing. ATB, Axwell & Steve Angello, Guy Gerber, Victor Calderone and Heidi are the latest acts scheduled to join Armin van Buuren, Deadmau5, David Guetta, Richie Hawtin, Super Disco Version and more at Randal's Island from September 5-6. Best to get your tickets now before they go up on July 30th. Sunset Strip Music Festival: Also announcing its '09 bill this week was the Sunset Strip Music Festival. The festivities will begin on September 10th when the Los Angeles based event will honor Ozzy Osbourne with a tribute concert at the House of Blues. Friday will feature numerous shows throughout the cities venues, as will Saturday, which also boasts the main portion of the festival -- a street fest on the legendary Sunset Strip. Scheduled to take part are Chris Cornell, Kottonmouth Kings, Pepper, The Donnas, Shiny Toy Guns, and more. Tickets go on sale beginning Friday, July 24th via Ticketmaster.com. Farm Aid: As we reported last week, Farm Aid will travel to St. Louis, Missouri on October 4th for its 2009 edition. We already knew Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews would be taking part in the musical aspect of the event. We now know that so too will Wilco, Jason Mraz, Phosphorescent, and Jamey Johnson. Not a bad start, eh? Tickets will go on sale beginning Saturday, July 25th via Livenation.com. HARD Haunted Mansion: HARD's annual Halloween bash, HARD Haunted Mansion, has only officially announced two names so far: Deadmau5 and Destructo. But thanks to the leaky faucet that is the internet, we also know that Justice, Crookers, Buraka Som Sistema, and Steve Aoki will appear at The Forum in Los Angeles on October 31st. Get your tickets via Fla.vor.us. So, who's replacing the Beastie Boys? Now to the question on everyone's minds: Who will be replacing the Beastie Boys at the trillion festivals they were scheduled to play in the coming months? Ok, so the Brooklyn trio was set to headline just six - All Points West, Lollapalooza, Osheaga, Outside Lands, Street Scene, and Austin City Limits -- but that's still six festivals needing to find a headliner on rather short notice. Well, as we know now, Jay-Z will be replacing the Beasties at All Points West, while the Yeah Yeah Yeahs will fill in at Lollapalooza and Osheaga. The other three have yet to unveil their plans, but message board rumors currently have Neil Young "slumming" it in San Francisco for Outside Lands and Karen O. and Co. potentially also filling the void for ACL and Street Scene.]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/07/festivals-in-brief-fabulous-festival-sunset-strip-farm-aid-hard-haunted-mansion-and-more/feed/ 3