Lollapalooza 2012 takes places August 3-5th in Chicago’s Grant Park. According to Chicago Sun-Times, Black Sabbath will top this year’s bill, performing their only North American tour date of 2012. They’ll be joined by fellow headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jack White, The Black Keys, Justice, and Avicii.

Other heavyweights include At the Drive-In, Sigur Rós, Florence and the Machine, The Shins, The Afghan Whigs, The Weeknd, M83, Passion Pit, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, Frank Ocean, Childish Gambino, Miike Snow, The Gaslight Anthem, Alabama Shakes, J. Cole, and Metric.

Also playing are Delta Spirit, tUnE-yArDs, The Tallest Man on Earth, Die Antwoord, Dr. Dog, Dawes, SBTRKT, The Walkmen, Neon Indian, Gary Clark Jr., Sharon Van Etten, Polica, The War on Drugs, Doomtree, White Rabbits, Washed Out, Of Monsters and Men, Tame Impala, Bowerbirds, The Temper Trap, The Black Angels, Bear In Heaven, Chairlift, Oberhofer, First Aid Kit, and JEFF the Brotherhood.

The festival’s electronic stage, Perry’s, will also return, boasting a lineup that includes Bassnectar, Kaskade, Santigold, Calvin Harris, Nero, Knife Party, Little Dragon, Skream & Benga, Zeds Dead, Big Gigantic, Sub Focus, Porter Robinson, and Star Slinger.

Three-day and VIP passes are currently on sale via the festival’s website.

According to the company’s website, “DayGlo Color Corp. is the world’s largest manufacturer of daylight fluorescent pigments. We develop technologies that improve and enhance any color, from subtle specialty effects, to glow-in-the-dark pigments, to our classic range of fluorescents.” One might argue they not only improve and enhance any color, but also human beings – that is, if Ultra Music Festival is any indication.

Throughout the festival’s three-day excursion, which sets down on Bayfront Park in Miami each March, thousands upon thousands of festivalgoers brand themselves with the stuff. Anywhere else this style would be considered fashion suicide, but it’s posh within the festival’s confines. In fact, if you don’t have any sort of neon, sparklies, or what have you, it’s as if you’re not one of them. No kidding, they’ll probably think you’re a narc.

As kitschy as DayGlo appears to the layman, it adds an aesthetic that’s oddly futuristic in scope. It may seem uniform, but when everyone’s showcasing radiant blues, yellows, pinks, lime greens, et al., it’s hard to imagine you’re anywhere else but some other post-modern world. It’s like you’re in a live-action rendition of The Jetsons, only it’s really loud, everyone’s zoned out on alcohol or drugs, and even the robots are cute.

Of course, there’s more to this festival than just arbitrary fashion decor, but really, that’s the stuff you remember. The music’s great, with dozens of artists pushing their respective genres, but it’s the people and the friendly community within Ultra that separates it from anywhere else. Look, whenever I told friends or colleagues that I was attending Ultra, I was met with sympathetic eyes, as I was shipping off to war, or something really dangerous – clearly they didn’t know what they were talking about.

Photo by Cap Blackard

I’ve never encountered a more jovial crowd, one thrilled to be alive and away from society. Sure, there’s a likely chance the drugs were doing most of the talking for everyone, but at the end of the day, a happy soul is sure better than an angry one. Also, something dawned on me while I shuffled around the park in a glorious stupor: This is the future.

It’s easy to write Ultra off as an escape to “get fucked up and laid”, but when you’re dancing under thousands of intricate LCD lights, ricocheting an array of colors that somehow go with the extraterrestrial music that’s being pumped out on stage, and everyone’s just synched together mentally, there’s something rather spiritually intelligent about it all. It’s as if there’s this higher plain of existence here that’s being attained, and perhaps we’re the fools for missing out.

You don’t even need the drugs to get there; instead, you just have to lose yourself in the ether, and go in with a sense of humor. Otherwise, you’ll begin to really think hell is on Earth.

-Michael Roffman
President/Editor-in-Chief 

Friday, March 23rd

Neon Indian – Live Stage – 5:20 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

“I feel like we’re at a seminar right now,” Neon Indian frontman Alan Palomo observed. “And I should have a Q&A about the effects of having a loud monitor.” After some frustrations with sound check, the chilly Texas indie rockers, with a penchant for ’80s New Wave, submerged in the warbly synths of “Local Joke” just as the sun began its downward shift. It was hot, it was sweaty, but it was fitting. With so many DayGlo enthusiasts everywhere, the band’s glossy, liquified jams (or, just its name alone) felt almost too choice for the scene. For a nighttime act, this daytime set did well enough to entertain the hundreds stalking about and soundtrack the thousands having a frustrating time getting in. Plus, who doesn’t want to dance to “Polish Girl” again and again? -Michael Roffman

Chris Lake – UMF Korea – 5:50 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Located directly in front of the main entrance, the beats pulsing from the UMF Korea stage were impossible to avoid Friday evening. Just two hours after Ultra 2012 kicked off, tech-house DJ Chris Lake was already performing to a tightly packed audience. The UK-bred, LA transplant worked through early monitor issues to develop a double-edged set of beauty and beats. Driving four-to-the-floor tech movements were cut with lush, live female vocals – a body-swaying mixture to help ease revelers into the more foreboding sounds that the stage would offer Ultra Weekend. -Derek Staples

Loco Dice – Carl Cox & Friends – 6:30 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Initially walking into the Carl Cox tent was like wrapping oneself in a blanket of lights and sounds. And if not properly monitored, the melodic tech mixes delivered by Germany’s Loco Dice would ease attendees into an open-eyed trance. Delicate sounds ran through a solid bottom end, like morning dew trickling through porous sandstone. -Derek Staples

New Order – Live Stage – 6:40 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

Technically, without original bassist Peter Hook, this isn’t New Order. But those who gathered around the Live Stage at dusk didn’t care to notice. Dancing ensued from the start when frontman and guitarist Bernard Sumner, donning his own band tee, strummed straight into the stormy distortion of “Crystal”. Tight and kinetic, this UK collective remains a popular export for Americans, especially with still club favorites “Bizarre Love Triangle”, “True Faith”, and “Blue Monday”, all of which were performed with precision for Ultra’s dance-obsessed crowds. Throughout, a couple of the band’s gooey tracks fell flat (“The Perfect Kiss” and “Regret”), but the two-hit punch of “Ceremony” into “Bizarre Love Triangle” and the set’s eventual closer, “Temptation”, showcased an act that deserved a bigger stage and a proper set time. Still, Sumner remained in high spirits: “It’s great to be back. It’s been a long time since we’ve been here – I dunno why – probably because it’s too nice. We don’t do that sort of thing.” There’s that familiar spirit of Manchester eking out. -Michael Roffman

Richie Hawtin – Carl Cox & Friends – 8:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

He may not fill his set with bass drops, but very few DJs deliver with the same level of low end as Windsor’s Richie Hawtin. Atop of the continued floor-rattling bassline, Hawtin mixed in nearly non-existent tones, making you question if you were actually hearing the bleeps or if your brain was simply continuing his well-defined pattern. Hawtin showed no fear juggling the beat and tempo through the mixes. While most DJs rest on the repetitive kick or hi-hat, Hawtin manipulated polyrhythms for jarring transitions throughout the two-hour set. -Derek Staples

Miike Snow – Live Stage – 8:10 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

Maybe it’s that they’re on the coattails of a sophomore LP (Happy to You – due out Tuesday), but Sweden’s own Miike Snow commandeered the Live Stage. They had the tools, too. With a center console stripped from ’60s-era Star Trek, Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg (or, Bloodshy & Avant) constructed all the cherry-flavored hooks and lines that strangle the group’s latest material. Opening with the piano and harmony-led “The Wave”,  this became a set that just did not let up, and all of the new tracks were ready-made for festival crowds everywhere. In fact, with accompanying visuals, tracks like “Devil’s Work” and “Vase” felt rather claustrophobic in the amphitheater setting, and frontman Andrew Wyatt, with his grungy decor, appeared as if he were too contained. Basically, they exuded the confidence of a headliner, and depending on the festival, they may very well be ready. Oh, and has anyone grown tired of “Animal” yet? Doubtful. -Michael Roffman

Skrillex – Main Stage – 9:10 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Just a few years ago, it would have seemed impossible for a U.S. bass DJ to grace Ultra’s massive Main Stage post-sundown, but that was before Skrillex went and won three Grammy’s this year for his West Coast Jump Up. Now having toured the world, Skrillex showcases more substance and control than his earlier drop-heavy bass assaults. With stage production equal to that of his recent Mothership Tour, he had the audience “Breakin’ a Sweat” with his Doors collabo. Skrillex then showed some respect for dub, with a subtle bass remix (for Skrillex, anyhow) of Damian Marley’s “Welcome to Jamrock”. He then worked Avicii’s “Levels” through the bass grinder, adding his signature, mechanical bass growl to the track’s lighter aesthetic.

To the surprise of many, Skrillex went with some straightforward techno mid-set with “Make That Booty Clap”. At one point, he brought the song to such a standstill that you could hear the crowd’s collective inhale waiting for the drop, but no drop was to be had until Skillex blew the crowd back with the newer Wolfgang Gartner collaboration “The Devil’s Den”. The performance may not have included sufficient hyper-drive bass for the die-hard Skrillex fan, but the hour-long performance showcased an evolution in his ability to produce a complex set for an educated, international EDM community – and still get peeps on their feet to rage. -Derek Staples

Kraftwerk – Live Stage – 9:30 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

“Do you think they’re even really doing anything up there,” someone asked me early on during Kraftwerk’s impressive hour-long set. It’s an honest question because, really, the four stoic members that make up the German industrial collective don’t ever do much onstage – at least from what we can see. Instead, they let the archaic CGI animations behind them do most of the work. A minimalistic journey that would have Pixar in tears accompanied “Autobahn”, creepy, robotic dolls (something out of The Twilight Zone) burned into our nightmares during “The Robots”, and a Marxist-like montage sold the crowd on a “Computer World”. In a word, it was weird, but when each member – who, by the way, were dressed in minimalistic Tron-ready suits – exited the stage in procession, it all made sense. The homogenous nature of the four – that structured unity – is downright intimidating with its precise force, and it’s something you just have to witness live to make sense of. Color me jealous: Those sold-out museum shows will blow everyone’s fucking minds. -Michael Roffman

Dada Life – UMF Korea – 10:20 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Olle Corneer and Stefan Engblom of Dada Life are a mirror of the enjoyment shared by their audiences. A pair of sweaty bodies onstage, the Swedish duo produced high-energy, saw-jaw electro-house. Combined with the bright hues of the tent’s massive L.E.D. screens, the continual bass vibrations and hard-splashing synths were a suitable follow-up to all those still ready to rage following Skrillex’s Main Stage performance. And forget hydration, the duo would much rather pop some bottles of champagne during the peaks of the set than be seen with some thirst-quenching water. If revelers wanted to leave with their brain and all body parts intact Friday evening, this set was definitely the one to avoid. -Derek Staples

Nobody Beats the Drum – UMF Worldwide – 11:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

In the shadows of Tiësto’s monster Main Stage setup, the future of Dutch dance music, Nobody Beats the Drum, took to the tight confines of Ultra’s Worldwide Stage. Sjam Sjamsoedin and Jori Collignon mixed hip-hop, breaks, heavy bass, and electro to appease a younger audience that is continually besieged by diverse types of audio. Equipped with a classic analog synth and a table full of gear, the duo continually made eye contact to keep the tracks progressing and the people bouncing across the grass. The only negative was that the experience wasn’t shared with a larger number of people, but my guess is that this won’t be a problem for long. -Derek Staples

Saturday, March 24th

Yousef – Carl Cox Cocoon – 2:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

As the resident DJ at Space Ibiza during Carl Cox’s weekly showcase, Yousef holds one of the most sought-after gigs in the business. He kept early attendees gyrating with soft-drop techno and sexy Mushroom Jazz-esque melodies. To add an element of improvisation, he often mixed in new tracks with live drum pad patters. In line with classic house, Yousef pulled in beautiful male and female vocal samples to add contours to the set and give the audience a bit of a breather. -Derek Staples

Skream + Benga – UMF Brazil – 3:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Seminal UK Dubstep DJs Skream + Benga have accelerated the evolution of the genre since joining forces. Once known for their dark, grimy productions, Saturday’s performance was a clinic of Jump Up and bass-heavy electronica. The duo scrapped all melody for underground bangers, made even more raw by the hoarse vocal accompaniment of MC Sgt Pokes. For everyone who felt the U.S. had the market cornered on bass music, the performance opened many ears to the ultra-aggressive, half-time, UK Bass sound. -Derek Staples

Nadastrom – UMF Worldwide – 4:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

The leading ambassadors of Moombahton – Dirty Dutch slowed to the tempo of reggaeton – Nadastrom are a perfect fit for the sunny embrace of Miami’s Bayfront Park. Set against the backdrop of a pristine, blue sky and million-dollar yachts, Dave Nada and Matt Nordstrom kept the gorgeous international crowd dancing in a picturesque scene that seemed too surreal to actually be possible. West Coast Jump Up was a bit of a death knell to actual dancing in clubs, but Nada’s brand of bass music added mounds of sexiness back to the dance floor. -Derek Staples

Little Dragon – Live Stage – 5:00 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

There are a lot of faces to Little Dragon – not literally, but sonically. They shift from tribal trip-hop to “audibly okay” synthpop to soulful electronica, sometimes in the same song – actually, almost always within each song. That’s an intriguing element to the Swedish outfit and an attribute that could work to their advantage onstage – not at Ultra, however. Blame it on the picture-perfect sunny day, or just an all too early time slot, but the genre-hopping collective just felt sort of staple. Frontwoman Yukimi Nagano exhibited the only energy onstage, playing well to a devoted audience, but her surrounding band remained tranquil throughout. The percussion-heavy jams stocking each track offered moments of interest, but overall, it just didn’t do anything for me. -Michael Roffman

12th Planet and Skrillex – UMF Brasil – 5:00 p.m

With so many DJs in one place during a long weekend, surprises were bound to happen. And few surprises could be any more explosive than a tag-team set by bass juggernauts 12th Planet and Skrillex. Not announced until the day of show, the UMF Brasil tent was packed to capacity with ravenous bassheads ready for a non-stop serious of drops and Jump Up electro-energy. The set included recent collab “Right on Time” and the raucous remix of Nero’s “Guilt”. The duo also managed to separate their individual aesthetics, 12th’s focus on the darker UK Bass and Skrill’s love for West Coast electro-house. With bass literally vibrating the room and two ill-advised drops reverberating in my headspace (Skrillex fans sure love to share), photographic evidence just couldn’t do the set justice. So, please enjoy the vid below courtesy of Bassmaxx. -Derek Staples

Metronomy – Live Stage – 6:00 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

English indie pop export Metronomy crafts flavorful electropop. Sure, it’s a genre that busted at the seams half a decade ago, but the group offers a slight spin on it: The bass takes precedence over the synths. Bassist Gbenga Adelekan’s bevy of lines undulates behind Joseph Mount’s vocals, infusing this quasi-electro funk that’s been a longtime coming for the genre – at least successfully. Through catchy, bubbly tracks like “Heartbreaker”, “Some Written”, and “Everything Goes My Way”, the group offers a tangible, catholic collection of genre shake-ups. The latter track runs off vocals by drummer Anna Prior, whose purple getup sparkled in the evening’s setting sun. Later in the set, the Live Stage erupted with smoke and pyro, after which Mount exclaimed: “There’s nothing more shocking than pyrotechnics when you don’t know they’re gonna happen.” Yeah, their surprised expressions were about as priceless as that highly aggressive jam they segued into at the end. -Michael Roffman

Duck Sauce – Main Stage – 6:45 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

No duo seem to have more fun at the decks than A-trak and Armand Van Helden (aka Duck Sauce). Backed by a massive inflatable duck, the duo resurrected smile-instigating disco tracks, keeping the mood light in the late afternoon sun. After beginning the set with “aNYway”, the visuals went dark for crowd favorite “Big Bad W0lf”. Not only did the duo turn the mix all the way down to build a tension among the crowd, they actually managed to initiate a daytime howl from the entire Main Stage audience – one that held around until set end for the hysterical “Barbara Streisand”. None of these hijinks distracted the two artists, each masterful at mixing, track selection, and working in tandem to bring the most out of one another. -Derek Staples

Carl Cox – Carl Cox Cocoon – 7:30 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

No one owns the tables like Carl Cox. A behemoth of a man, Cox counts down the transition between tracks with exaggerated arm motions, then jumps into the decks for the mixes. Often playing four or five tracks at a time, the set was deeply layered with hard dance and techno, keeping both the mind and body busy. The sensory overload continued with a visual onslaught. Lasers, mass amounts of smoke, robots, and hypnotic screen images completed the experience that was Carl Cox. The repetition of most house sets makes two hours nearly unbearable for bassheads and electro-junkies, but pulling away from the dynamics 0f the Cocoon was almost impossible. -Derek Staples

M83 – Live Stage – 8:00 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

It was a short-lived dream of an epic set that never was. After attracting a mammoth crowd (the weekend’s largest for the Live Stage, at least at the time), minutes inched past eight o’clock, and yet Anthony Gonzalez and his team couldn’t be found. Instead, technicians raced about the stage, fiddling with wires and looking horrifically scatterbrained. Oddly enough, the crowd livened up – no thanks to the onstage DJ, who was relegated to essentially “babysitting” the sea of souls – and dancing ensued. Ten minutes passed, then 20, then 30, and eventually 45 minutes, most likely when M83 would have stepped offstage. However, this was when Gonzalez & Co. finally were OK’d to go on, but only to perform two cuts: “Midnight City” and “Couleurs”. The situation altogether was disappointing, but the band slapped out more energy than any act all weekend. At one point during “Couleurs”, Morgan Kibby fell to her knees as her hands just laid waste to the keys floating above her head, while newcomer Jordan Lawlor climbed up on anything he could get his feet onto, demanding the claps from the crowd. It wasn’t a great first visit to Miami for M83, but the devoted thousands who remained only proved that they’re wanted back very soon. -Michael Roffman

Justice – Main Stage – 9:40 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

The French duo’s fan base arrived in full force Saturday. From painted crosses to already-fading band shirts, one couldn’t look around without seeing some sort of allegiance to Justice. So, yeah, the Main Stage was overstuffed and continued to fluctuate as the two issued their aggro-dance-y disco to much fervor. Now, it’s easy to toss around religious connotations – you know, because of the whole cross thing – but shuffling around with thousands of fans during an extended performance of “Audio, Video, Disco” might be enough to make an atheist a true believer. The track’s greasy arena rock standards delivered all the sensationalized giddiness that one reads about in retrospectives only it felt earnest. And for a crowd that held up shirts reading “Bitches Love Bass” or, um, an inflatable penis, this was the closest thing to church they’ll ever experience; there wasn’t an ounce of negativity in the air. Justice led the procession with blunt, minimalistic force, and they exorcised any and all demons. Also, chew on this: Who else could throw in a drop as long as John Cage’s 4’33″ WHILE offering (what appeared to be) The Black Panther Salute? Not even joking. -Michael Roffman

Dillon Francis – UMF Worldwide – 10:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

If this is the ADHD generation, Dillon Francis should be its musical figurehead. Francis continually switched between bass aesthetics – from a brain-jarring remix of “Right on Time” to a Luvstep take on Rihanna’s “You Da One”, complete with the slowed-up half-time of Moombahton. When not at the knobs adding the Moombahton flair to tracks like “Me & You” by Nero or Steve Aoki’s “Keep on Dancing”, Francis kept busy interacting with the crowd, pointing to the loudest fans and making funny, sometimes overtly sarcastic, banter behind the decks. In a show of great humility, Francis welcomed stage headliner, and BBC Radio 1 tastemaker, Annie Mac onstage during the close of his set and thanked her for helping him along in his career. -Derek Staples

2manyDJs – Live Stage – 11:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

2manyDJs are truly a multi-media experience. Dressed in crisp, five-piece suits Saturday evening, David and Stephen Dewaele worked their mashup skills on tracks such as MGMT’s “Kids”, 2 Unlimited’s “Let the Beat Control Your Body”, “Master of Puppets” by Metallica, and Blur’s “Parklife”, all with absolutely hilarious takes on their album covers. The visuals were taken to the extreme for a mashup of Boyz Noise and Erol Alkan’s “Lemonade”, where the cover seemed to actually be playing tennis.

The set ended as an absolute bash. After taking the crowd to “Out of Space”, the duo performed their take on Nirvana’s “Lithium”, while the famous baby from the Nevermind cover was barraged with trash from a rather grungy pool party. And nothing closes out a set like five straight minutes of confetti floating across the live stage. -Derek Staples

Avicii – Main Stage – 11:00 p.m.

Photo by Music Obsessed.com

The Madonna rumors started circulating early on. Whispers around the park hinted that the Material Girl would be appearing onstage sometime Saturday night. She spent the day in South Beach promoting her new LP, MDNA, so why wouldn’t she stop at that little electronic festival across the bay? As with anything nowadays, it became the worst-kept secret, and pretty much everyone knew she’d be appearing with Avicii at the Main Stage.

“I’ve been here in spirit for many years, but it’s good to finally be standing on the stage, looking at all you people who have come here from all around the world,” Madonna exclaimed, after observing the evolving blanket of flesh before her. ”In my world, the words ‘music’ and ‘dance’ are not separated. Electronic music has been a part of my life since the beginning of my career. I can honestly say that a DJ saved my life.” She gushed about Avicii some more, insisting she’s a “huge fan,” and then coquettishly asked, “How many people in this crowd have seen Molly?” It all felt forced and made even more transparent once Avicii opened his set with a remix of “Girl Gone Wild”, during which Madonna stood beside him wearing her MDNA shirt.

After the whole scheme, Avicii was left to his own vices. What’s odd, however, is how much of a promotional push Avicii received at Ultra, as well. Street teams handed out I Heart Avicii pins all day, while others wore shirts with the same logo. Also, regardless of the international acclaim, it felt odd that he followed Justice, who arguably closed the night proper. Still, the Swedish DJ (who probably had everyone swooning with his choice looks) had a pretty good night. Not only did he receive a resounding endorsement from Madonna, but he also had fireworks to end his set. Basically, you’ll hear more about him this year. -Michael Roffman

Sunday, March 25th

SBTRKT – Live Stage – 3:30 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Having yet to see SBTRKT perform his self-titled album live, I was especially stoked for this set. However, after technical difficulties cut into the set time and extra time was shaved to set up for Flying Lotus, the set came and went in what seemed like 25 short minutes. SBTRKT (nee: Aaron Jerome) was joined onstage by Sampha, which was billed as SBTRKT Live, and the two brought tracks “Living Like I do”, “Pharaohs”, and “Wildfire” to life with the use of a table full of tools and a complete drum kit. Each track was edited from the album cuts, with “Wildfire” receiving a dark, two-step remix. Perhaps most surprising, other than the brevity of the show, were the vocal talents of Jerome, who performed and looped most of his vocals live. -Derek Staples

Flying Lotus – Live Stage – 4:40 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Flying Lotus (born Steven Ellison) has always crafted a unique style of low-end-heavy, beat-driven, instrumental hip-hop. On Sunday, those beats received some lyrical flow courtesy of Brainfeeder’s Azizi Gibson. Flylo even showcased two of the tracks he produced for the up-and-coming emcee. The effort was noble, but Flylo’s production had enough depth and power on its own to outshine the freestyle attempts of Gibson. One unexpected bass drop alone had enough force to blow Gibson’s nonsensical verses backstage. Flylo continued to show some love for another young rapper, Odd Future’s Tyler, The Creator and his demented “Yonkers”. But Flylo didn’t just let the track play out, chopping the track up to add 8-bit elements and a boosted bottom end. To finish the set, Flylo went hard, cuing up Waka Flocka Flame’s ”Hard in da Paint”.

Minor note to Ellison: Fans understand the need to promote, but please leave Gibson in LA next time. Or just have him make a little less noise over the delicate, complex nature of your productions. -Derek Staples

Magnetic Man – Live Stage – 6:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Following Skream + Benga’s high-energy Saturday performance, fans of the UK brethren just weren’t sure what to expect of Magnetic Man’s Sunday evening performance. Joined by producer Artwork, the set was exemplary of the more melodic side of UK Bass. Once again joined by Sgt Pokes, the emcee’s gruff vocals added harsh contrast to the project’s more atmospheric tones, especially during “Getting Nowhere”, which featured the vocals of John Legend. The three-piece settled into a trance-like dub production style until Pokes asked the audience if they wanted to jump, which sent Magnetic Man into a frenzy of darting synths and ratcheting bass lines. Magnetic Man saved their most recognizable tracks, “I Need Air” and “Perfect Stranger”, until the crowd reached full capacity nearing the ending of the set. To cap off the epic performance, Katy B joined the guys onstage and sang “Perfect Stranger”, complete with booming fan interaction.

Bloody Beetroots DJ Set – Live Stage – 7:20 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

The founder of the Bloody Beetroots, Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo, once publicly pondered on his genre, settling on the term Contemporary Electronic Dance Music. But when it comes to his DJ sets alongside Tommie Tea, the sound is simply clashing electro-house at its finest. Be it dancing, jumping, or moshing, it’s almost impossible to be still when SBCR is donning the black Spider-man mask behind the controller. With the sun setting, the redesigned stage setup took full effect for bangers “Warp 1.9″, “Push the Tempo”, and the metal-infused “Church of Noise”. After nearly an hour of mayhem, BBR changed course to end the set, jumping down from behind their wall of lights to spin the Isley Brothers and “Shout” with the audience. -Derek Staples

Chase and Status – Live Stage – 8:45 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

After 27 hours of electronic music, Chase and Status were like the deathblow to any remaining grey matter. Saul Milton and Will Kennard produce some of the darkest, most intricate drum and bass, half time, and drumstep around. Combine that with the abilities of live drummer Andy Gangadeen, the guitar skills of Milton, plus the vocal assault of MC Rage, and you have arguably the most entertaining live bass music outfit currently around. What separates Chase and Status is their ability as musicians, not simply producers. “No More Idols” had an amazing build and melody, and just when the song was about to reach its peak, we were blasted back into our seats with the intensity of the bass. As Milton joked, “This is the Unites States of Bass, and we salute you Chase and Status.” -Derek Staples

Armin Van Buuren – Main Stage – 10:00 p.m.

Photo by Derek Staples

Between 2007 and 2010, the Netherlands’ Armin Van Buuren held the crown as the world’s number one DJ. Through his “A State of Trance” podcast, Van Buuren has introduced countless electronic fans to the freshest in trance music and also helped shape the style of the genre. If Sunday night’s set was any indicator, lush, vocal trance is a thing of yesteryear, replaced by hard-hitting techno phrasing, periodic sub-bass lines, and the occasional sing-along vocal loop. To add to the communal nature of his music, nearly all of the words for the tracks were displayed across the L.E.D. panels of Ultra’s Main Stage. No track received a bigger rise from the audience than The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside”, which was accompanied  by a bright, yellow techno smiley face on the massive screens.

The set was not only a celebration of trance, but a massive party for the international electronic music community. Flags from around the globe could be seen with a simple turn of the head, “hellos” and “I love yous” were shared in a myriad of languages, and thousands of people danced like fools together as if no borders, feuds, or wars existed. During that one hour, people could lose themselves within those repetitive beats, content with the pure happiness that had settled over the massive Bayfront Park crowd. -Derek Staples

Gallery

Photographers: Cap Blackard, Matt Rainey, and Derek Staples

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As previously reported, The Flaming Lips are compiling their various collaborations from the last year or so for a special Record Store Day release. Today, the band formally detailed the compilation.

Available April 21st, The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends contains 13 collaborative tracks, many of which are previously unreleased. In addition to previously-heard efforts with Neon Indian, Prefuse 73, and Lightning Bolt, the compilation packs new collaborations with Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Bon Iver, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Nick Cave, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, Yoko Ono, Erykah Badu, and Biz Markie. Check out the full tracklist below.

The limited-edition album will be pressed on two high-quality, multi-color 12″ vinyl discs, housed in separate custom art jackets and poly bagged together.  A press release states that no two discs will look exactly alike and cautions that this will be on the only pressing.

In addition to the compilation, The Lips have also teamed with Mastodon for a split 7″ single as part of the Side by Side 2012 Series available exclusively for Record Store Day. One side features The Lips’ Soft Bulletin track “Spoonful Weighs a Ton”, while the flip-side contains Mastodon’s cover of it.

The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends Tracklist:
Side 1:
01. 2012 (feat. Ke$ha and Biz Markie)
02. Ashes In The Air (feat. Bon Iver)
03. Helping The Retarded To Know God (feat. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros)

Side 2:
04. Supermoon Made Me Want To Pee (feat. Prefuse 73)
05. Children Of The Moon (feat. Tame Impala)
06. That Ain’t My Trip (feat. Jim James of My Morning Jacket)
07. You, Man? Human? (feat. Nick Cave)

Side 3:
08. I’m Working At NASA On Acid (feat. Lightning Bolt)
09. Do It! (feat. Yoko Ono)
10. Is David Bowie Dying? (feat. Neon Indian)

Side 4:
11. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (feat. Erykah Badu)
12. Thunder Drops (feat. New Fumes)
13. I Don’t Want You To Die (feat. Chris Martin of Coldplay)

If you have anything more than a passing interest in music, chances are you’ll either be spending the better part of March cramming in as many of the impossibly awesome/numerous performances and showcases SXSW has lined up for this year (Jack White! The Jesus and Mary Chain! 50 Cent!) or crying profusely over the fact that you’re anywhere but Austin, TX. Regardless of how you’ll be spending the coming weeks though, this week has been a splendid one as far as new music goes, with new tunes from Sufjan Stevens/Serengeti/Son Lux, Free Energy and Beach House. How’s that for a consolation prize?

Oh and if you do happen to be in town for SXSW, don’t miss either CoSigns or our showcase.

Beach House – “Myth”

I think we can all agree it’s been way too long since Teen Dream, yes? Well, everyone’s favorite pair of Baltimore-hailing dream poppers are finally back with “Myth”, the brilliant first single off of their forthcoming fourth full-length, Bloom. Built around a mechanical drum pattern, Victoria Legrand’s throaty delivery and a shimmering guitar line courtesy of multi-instrumentalist Alex Scally, it’s a glimmering beauty that’s easily among the most memorable tracks in Beach House’s catalog, and one that’s likely to win them a place in many a beachside playlist come summertime. Bloom is out May 15th on Sub Pop. -Möhammad Choudhery

Bear In Heaven – “Sinful Nature”

Bear In Heaven’s sophomore record, I Love You, It’s Cool (due April 3rd from Home Tapes/Dead Ocean) has been streaming for a while, but in their massively slowed-down, droney, experimental take. The heavily reverbed vocals, stuttering synth, and digital haze of this properly sped “Sinful Nature”, though, is quite funkier. Frontman Jon Philpot’s lyrics throughout toe the line between the dark and the seductive, demanding that “you don’t deny me your sinful nature.” -Adam Kivel

Bear in Heaven – “Sinful-Nature”

Black Dice – “Pinball Wizard”

With each new release, Black Dice move further away from grand noise scenes, and into some sort of weirdo dance club. As the newly released “Pinball Wizard” suggests, that trend will continue on their upcoming sixth album, Mr. Impossible (due out April 10th on Ribbon Music). Easily not confused with The Who’s arcade-based track, this one gets wonky with looped electronic drums, squawking synths, and other doses of awesome oddity. -Adam Kivel

[soundcloud width="500"]http://soundcloud.com/ribbonmusic/black-dice-pinball-wizard/s-IR7Iy[/soundcloud]

Dinosaur Feathers – “Beatcha”

There’s something acutely epic about the intro to “Beatcha”, a cut taken from Dinosaur Feathers’ April 10th album, Whistle Tips. Vocalist Greg Sullo sounds like he’s taken a few notes on Vampire Weekend, and the whole band comes together on some giddy synths and sing-along backing vocals. The sunny island feel should make this disc a real winner as the days grow longer. -Adam Kivel

Free Energy – “Electric Fever”

Philadelphia retro-rockers Free Energy are making some big waves, thanks to classic, no frills cuts like “Electric Fever”. The lead single from their upcoming sophomore LP, Love Sign, the track rocks out on cowbell and chugging guitar, sounding like the doting, energetic little brother to Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”. This kind of fun-loving, true to the core rock ‘n’ roll is why Free Energy are headlining our upcoming SXSW showcase. -Adam Kivel

[soundcloud width="500"]http://soundcloud.com/freeenergymusic/electric-fever[/soundcloud]

Lemonade – “Neptune”

Brooklyn dance production trio Lemonade preview their soon-to-be released debut LP Divers with ”Neptune”, a sexy, almost-R&B number that doubles as the album’s lead single. The beat-driven track does well to showcase the group’s crisp production and clattering percussion alongside Callan Clendenin’s sultry croon. Divers is set to be released via True Panther Sounds on May 29th. -Möhammad Choudhery

Lemonade – “Neptune”

Neon Indian – “Hex Girlfriend” (Twin Shadow Remix)

We haven’t heard much from Alan Palomo and the rest of Neon Indian since they dropped the ohsogood Era Extraña back in September. Thankfully, they’ve made up for that with some tireless touring, and now, with the release of Hex Girlfriend, a memorable, moody highlight off the album and now a limited Record Store Day exclusive 10″. On the B-side is a gorgeous flip of the track by Twin Shadow, who infuses the original with his own distinctive percussive touches. Hex Girlfriend 10″ is out April 21 on Static Tongues. -Möhammad Choudhery

Neon Indian – “Hex Girlfriend” (Twin Shadow Remix)

Rustie – “Surph” (feat. Nightwave)

Loaded with Rustie’s distinctively British take on dubstep, rave, garage, and everything in between, Glass Swords was one of the most criminally overlooked debuts of last year. Good thing then that Warp Records saw it fit to rerelease “Surph” as a single, backed by a stellar rework that features Slovenian pop songstress Nightwave on vocal duties, repurposing the slapbass-led original as a hyperactive dance jam that sounds straight out of the future. Don’t sleep on it this time around, Glass Swords is out now via Warp Records. -Möhammad Choudhery

s/s/s – “Museum Day”

Aside from scoring the odd movie and lending his voice to a track here and there, the all-around-musical deity named Sufjan Stevens has kept awful quiet for the past (almost) two years, giving little indication as to what direction he’s moved in since the divisive Age of Adz. “Museum Day”, the first we’re hearing of his just-announced Beak & Claw EP with the unlikely duo of Son Lux and Chicago rap outlier Serengeti, sees Stevens reprise the sort of gloriously overblown electronics and gratuitous use of Auto-Tune that made Adz so divisive to begin with. Not to be outshone though, Serengeti and Son Lux steal the show in their own right, Serengeti with his ambling, half-spoken rhymes and Lux with his ambitious, widescreen production. Beak & Claw is out March 20th on Anticon Records. -Möhammad Choudhery

[soundcloud width="500"]http://soundcloud.com/anticon/s-s-s-museum-day[/soundcloud]

Suckers – “Turn on the Sunshine”

There might not be another album and track pairing so effortlessly bright as “Turn on the Sunshine” off of Suckers’ upcoming sophomore LP, Candy Salad (April 24th, via Frenchkiss Records). Their brand of artsy, electronic indie pop shines on this first cut from the disc, reveling in hook-happy, slow-burning fun. Produced by Matt Boynton (whose work with MGMT and Black Dice shows a capable hand with psychedelic weirdness), the song sounds ready-made for an outdoor dance party.

New York electronic trio Lemonade will return with its sophomore LP, Diver, on May 29th via True Panter Sounds. Recorded over several years in myriad locales – at home, on tour through Brazil, in a basement of a Catholic school – the follow up to the group’s 2009 self-titled debut collects the “sounds of the past synthesized with contemporary dance music boueyed by the most immediate matters of the heart,” according to a press release.

As a first listen, take a spin through the deliciously sleek “Neptune” below. True Panther Sounds will issue it as a single in April, featuring remixes from Mike Simonetti, Jacques Renault, and Sinjin Hawke.

Lemonade – “Neptune”

In support the new LP, the trio will hit the road with Neon Indian starting next month. Consult the band’s full itinerary below.

Lemonade 2012 Tour Dates:
03/08 – Philadelphia, PA @ Snacks
03/14 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl
04/20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Echo #
04/24 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
04/26 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge *
04/27 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos *
04/28 – Vancouver, BC @ Venue @ *
04/30 – Edmonton, BC @ The Starlite Room
05/01 – Calgary, BC @ The Republik – *
05/03 – Winnipeg, MB @ Pyramid Cabaret *
05/04 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue *
05/05 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre *
05/06 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick *
05/08 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre *
05/10 – Montreal, QC @ Cabaret Mile End *
05/11 – Boston, MA @ Paradise *

# – w/ Bachelorette
* = w/ Neon Indian

What do The Darkness, M. Ward, and Neon Indian have in common? They all released animated music videos this week. Following “Nothin’s Gonna Stop Us” and “The First Time I Ran Away”‘s lead, the chillwave maestro has revealed an Adult Swim-produced clip for Era Extraña‘s “Fallout”. It features a voluptuous, pink-haired woman pumping gas. Watch it below (via SPIN).

Update: And here is Neon Indian’s updated tour schedule, featuring dates with CoSign’ed Brooklyn outfit Friends.

Neon Indian 2011-2012 Tour Dates:
02/21 – Tokyo, JP @ UNIT
02/24 – Melbourne, AU @ Prince Ballroom
02/25 – Adelaide, AU @ Rocket Bar
02/26 – Perth, AU @ Perth International Arts Festival
02/29 – Gold Coast, AU @ Neverland Bar
03/01 – Brisbane, AU @ Woodland
03/02 – Sydney, AU @ The Standard
03/03 – Wisemans Ferry, AU @ Playground Weekender
03/07 – New York, NY @ MoMA
03/08 – Richmond, VA @ The National #
03/09 – Knoxville, TN @ Square Room #
03/10 – Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge #
03/11 – Little Rock, AR @ Revolution #
03/13 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater #
03/14-16 – Austin, TX @ South by Southwest
03/17 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues #
03/19 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade #
03/20 – Athens, GA @ 40 Watt Club #
03/21 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle #
03/23 – Miami, FL @ Ultra Music Festival
04/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer *
04/04 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop *
04/05 – Bloomington, IN @ Rhinos *
04/06 – Chicago, IL @ Metro *
04/07 – Kansas City, MO @ Beaumont Club (Middle of the Map Fest) *
04/09 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater *
04/10 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge *
04/12 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom *
04/13 – Indio, CA @ Coachella Music Festival
04/20 – Indio, CA @ Coachella Music Festival
04/24 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore ^
04/26 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge ^
04/27 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos ^
04/28 – Vancouver, BC @ Venue ^
04/30 – Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room ^
05/01 – Calgary, AB @ The Republik ^
05/03 – Winnipeg, MB @ Pyramid Cabaret ^
05/04 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue ^
05/05 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre ^
05/06 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick ^
05/08 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre ^
05/10 – Montreal, QC @ Cabaret ^
05/11 – Boston, MA @ Paradise ^
05/12 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5 ^
05/30-06/03 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
06/07-10 – Lisbon, PT @ Optimus Primavera Sound

# = w/ Purity Ring
* = w/ Friends
^ = w/ Lemonade  

In these parts, South by Southwest is primarily known as a five-day, alcohol-fueled music festival, where thousands of artists take to music venues, pizza shops, and even – uh – restrooms for a shot at music blog stardom. In fact, it was the best music festival of ‘em all last year. But South by Southwest is also a showcase for new films and documentaries, many of which focus on music-related topics. Today, the 2012 film schedule was revealed and Girl Talk, Big Star, Paul Simon, and Bad Brains are all featured subjects. These films and more, with their accompanying descriptions, via SXSW.com:

– Girl Walk // All Day: A feature-length dance music film that combines freestyle dance with the daily chaos of New York City, set to Girl Talk’s recent mashup album, All.

– Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me: A feature-length documentary about the massive critical acclaim, dismal commercial failure, and enduring legacy of pop music’s greatest cult phenomenon, Big Star. (Work in Progress)

– Under African Skies: Paul Simon returns to South Africa to explore the incredible journey of his historic Graceland album, including the political backlash he received for allegedly breaking the UN cultural boycott of South Africa designed to end the Apartheid regime.

– Bad Brains: Band in DC: How four young men from DC changed music forever. (World Premiere)

– The Comedy: Indifferent even to the prospects of inheriting his father’s estate, Swanson (Tim Heidecker), a desensitized, aging Brooklyn hipster, strays into a series of reckless situations that may offer the promise of redemption or the threat of retribution. Also starring Eric Wareheim and LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy

– Uprising: Hip Hop & The LA Riots: 20 years after riots ripped through Los Angeles, Uprising documents how hip hop forecasted – and some say ignited – the worst civil unrest of the 20th century. (World Premiere)

– An Evening With Sacred Bones Records: Brooklyn-based record label Sacred Bones presents an evening of original and curated programming of music videos, short films, works in progress, and a rare screening of their first film production, Twelve Dark Noons. (World Premiere)

– Charles Bradley: Soul of America:  The incredible late-in-life rise of 62-year-old aspiring soul singer Charles Bradley. (World Premiere)

– Rock ‘N’ Roll Exposed: The Photography of Bob Gruen: Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, Yoko Ono, Alice Cooper, Billie Joe Armstrong and others discuss the incredible life and work of the world’s foremost rock ‘n’ roll photographer, Bob Gruen. (North American Premiere)

– Grandma Lo-fi: The Basement Tapes of Sigrídur Níelsdóttir: At the tender age of 70 she started making music – and then she couldn’t stop! A tribute to the Danish/Icelandic artist and late bloomer Sigrídur Níelsdóttir.

– Sunset Strip: The 100-year history of the loudest street on the planet, The Sunset Strip. (World Premiere)

As for the music portion, a number of new acts have been added (or re-added) to the schedule in recent days, including The Shins, Best Coast, Kasabian, Miike Snow, Neon Indian, OFF!, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Big Star’s Third, Sharon Van Etten, Deerhoof, Japandroids, Matthew Dear, Nneka, Rachel Yamagata, Shearwater, Murs, Tennis, Diamond Rugs, Cancer Bats, Caveman, Fake Problems, Fanfarlo, Gary Clark Jr., Doldrums, Machinedrum, Princeton, Cities Aviv, Eternal Summers, and James Husband. Check out a more complete list at Festival Outlook.

Badges are available via sxsw.com

Primavera Sound returns to Barcelona, Spain from May 30th to June 3rd. Acts like The Cure, Björk, Jeff Mangum, Wilco, Justice, Death Cab For Cutie, Franz Ferdinand, Spiritualized, The Afghan Whigs, The xx, Mazzy Star, Yo La Tengo, Beach House, ASAP Rocky, araabMUZIK, and Neon Indian have already been announced.

Today, the festival revealed the rest of its 2012 bill and new highlights include Refused, Rufus Wainwright, Beirut, Chavez, The Pop Group, Atlas Sound, Laura Marling, Sharon Van Etten, The Rapture, Wavves, Danny Brown, Black Lips, Lee Ranaldo, Hype Williams, Kings of Convenience, Archers of Loaf, Dirty Three, The Wedding Present (performing Seamonsters) Girls, Real Estate, The War on Drugs, Saint Etienne, Richard Hawley, Iceage, Japandroids, Thee Oh Sees, Death Grips, Trash Talk, Bleached, Friends, Dirty Beaches, Lower Dens, The Field, Field Music, and Obits. In addition, Big Star’s Jody Stephens, R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, and others will come together for a special performance of Big Star’s Third. Check out our Festival Outlook to see the complete lineup.

Festival tickets are now on sale for 180 € (+ booking fee), however, the price will increase to 190 € beginning February 4th. Visit the festival’s website for complete ticketing information.

As previously reported, the organizers of Primavera Sound are also launching a sister festival in Porto, Portugal called Optimus Primavera Sound. Acts include Björk, Jeff Mangum, Death Cab For Cutie, Spiritualized, Explosions in the Sky, The Afghan Whigs, The xx, The Walkmen, and more. Check out our Festival Outlook for additional info.

Other notables include St. Vincent, Arctic Monkeys, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Weeknd, Frank Ocean, Justice, Mazzy Star, M83, Explosions in the Sky, Childish Gambino, Flying Lotus, Destroyer, Cat Power, Madness, SBTRKT, Beirut, Amon Tobin, DJ Shadow, fIREHOSE, Miike Snow, The Rapture, M. Ward, Jimmy Cliff with Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong, The Horrors, Buzzcocks, James, EMA, Girls, tUnE-yArDs, and more.

The lineup also packs Wild Flag, ASAP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, Neon Indian, Santigold, Modeselektor, The Big Pink, Wu Lyf, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, The Head and the Heart, Laura Marling, Company Flow, AraabMUZIK, Kaskade, Le Butcherettes, Real Estate, Wild Beasts, La Roux, Thundercat, Azealia Banks, Kasabian, Goyte, Manchester Orchestra, Black Lips, Atari Teenage Riot, and more. Check out the full lineup below or at our Festival Outlook.

Update: Tickets go on sale Friday, January 13th at 10:00 AM PT. According to Pop & Hiss, three-day passes are $285, three-day with shuttle are $335, and VIP are $665.

Friday, December 30th

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Saturday, December 31st

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It’s been a long year. Scratch that, it’s been a veeerrrry long year. From social revolutions to the end of our occupation of Iraq, from the death of celebrities and dictators to a man who sneezes bullets and the mystery of planking, the world experienced a slew of emotions and all sorts of cultural and political upheaval in 2011. And that’s not even counting the plethora of music news that had the blogosphere abuzz this year.

So, as the question begs, what comes next? Well, 2012. If you were to believe certain factions, it’ll be the end of days. A more likely scenario, though, is that it will be another busy year, with people to meet, triumphs to celebrate, disasters to mourn, and a whole other set of memories to file away as we march perpetually onward toward the Great Unknown. A dreary prospect for sure, one that almost makes the impending Apocalypse sound warm and fuzzy. However, there is temporary respite in the form of New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s Eve is that magic night where one year is all but over. It’s the chance to stop worrying for a moment. It’s an opportunity to celebrate surviving the last 364. It’s the start of a whole new scheme or design for the upcoming 365. Rather than chugging cheap champagne and letting off fireworks, NYE should be commemorated with the one thing that makes any year bearable: music.

As we have for every other major celebratory occasion, CoS has your back with our handy-dandy New Year’s Eve 2011 Concert Guide. From the beaches of Miami to life in the City of Angels, and everywhere between, our guide has everything you’ll need to know to see your favorite bands live. Whether you’re planning to rock out with Patti Smith at New York’s Bowery Ballroom, get freaky with The Flaming Lips and Yoko Ono in Oklahoma City, or hit up BOTH of Kaskade’s NYE shows (in two different state mind you), our guide is the only New Year’s Eve accessory you need (save for maybe a noisemaker). Plus, if you’re not one to brave the weather and the sea of drunks, we’ll tell you what you should be watching on the old boob tube. The point is, if it’s happening on NYE, it’s in this guide. Your only concern will be how to get home and/or where to pass out at the end of the night.

If we’ve missed any gathering or shindig, please let us know in the comments below. Call this a cliché bit of writing, but we’d like to leave you with some parting words from the immortal Benjamin Franklin to guide you into what lies ahead: “Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.”

See ya in 2012.

-Chris Coplan
News Editor

New York City

– AarabMUZIK, Balam Acab: 285 Kent

– Assembly of Dust: Mercury Lounge

– Avicii: Pier 34

– The Bad Plus: The Village Vanguard

– Charles Bradley, The Budos Band: Music Hall of Williamsburg

– Chuck Berry: B.B. King Blues Club

– Dark Star Orchestra: Wellmont Theatre (Montclair, NJ)

– Deadmau5: Pier 36

– Deer Tick, J. Roddy Watson and the Business, Dead Confederate: Brooklyn Bowl

– Fitz and the Tantrums: The Gramercy Theatre

– Gogol Bordello: Terminal 5

– Gov’t Mule: Beacon Theatre

– Infected Mushroom: Best Buy Theater

– The Knocks: Gansevoort Park Avenue

– Laidback Luke: Pacha

– Lee Fields & The Expressions: The Bell House

– Los Lobos: City Winery

– Matt and Kim, Super Mash Bros., Body Language: Hammerstein Ballroom

– Neru: Webster Hall

– The New Deal: B.B. King Blues Club

– New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men: Roseland Ballroom

– Nick Catchdubs: Loreley

– Nosaj Thing: Glasslands

– O’Death: Spike Hill

– Patti Smith: Bowery Ballroom

– Phish: Madison Square Garden

– Steve Lawler: District 36

– Ted Leo and the Pharmacists: Maxwells (Hoboken, NJ)

Chicago

– Alkaline Trio: Metro

– Big Gigantic: Riviera Theatre

– Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears: Double Door

– Cage the Elephant, Sleeper Agent: Aragon Ballroom

– Cave: The Hideout

– Disco Biscuits, Future Rock: Auditorium Theatre

– The Hood Internet: Lincoln Hall

– Keys N Krates: Chicago Urban Art Society

– Local H: Bottom Lounge

– Murder By Death: Subterranean

– Old 97s: Intercontinental Hotel Grand Ballroom

– Rusko, Sinden, Switch: Congress Theater

– The Spits: Cobra Lounge

Los Angeles

– The Aggrolites: Alex’s Bar

– Benny Benassi, Paul Van Dyk, Kaskade, Dada Life: Anaheim Convention Center (White Wonderland)

– DJ Quik: Key Club

– Duck Sauce, Diplo, Chromeo, Felix da Housecat, The Bloody Beetroots, LA Riots: Oak Canyon Park (Together As One)

– The Henry Clay People, Races: The Satellite

– Give Up the Ghost: Ukrainian Culture Center

– Jenny and Johnny, Cults: The Standard Hollywood

– John Digweed: The Avalon

– Junkie XL: Detroit Bar

– L.A. Guns: Whisky A Go Go

– Lupe Fiasco: Hollywood & Highland Center

– Musiq Soulchild: House of Blues

– Wanda Jackson, Best Coast, Dan Sartain: Club Nokia

San Francisco

– The Fresh & Onlys, Thee Oh Sees: Brick and Mortar Music Hall

– Furthur: Bill Graham Civic Auditorium

– Kreayshawn: The Regency Ballroom

– The Limousines: Rickshaw Stop

– Maceo Parker: Yoshi’s

– Santigold, Amon Tobin Islam Live, Beats Antique, Claude Von Stroke,: Concourse Exhibition Center (Sea of Dreams)

– Primus: Great American Music Hall

– The Slip: Cafe du Nord

– Sonny & The Sunsets: Amnesia

– Talib Kweli: Sloane Squared

– Tedeschi Trucks Band, The New Mastersounds: The Warfield

– Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue: The Fillmore

– X: Slim’s

– Yeasayer (DJ Set): W Hotel

– DJ Z-Trip: Fort Mason Center

London

– The 2 Bears: XOYO

– Adam Beyer: Fabric

– Ferry Corsten: Brixton Academy

– Gabby Young and Other Animals: Royal Festival Hall

– Gary Numan: All Star Lanes

– Gross Magic: The Victoria

– Joker, Brekage, Roska, Plastician, Sigma: Electric Brixon

– Kasabian, Chase & Status, Zane Lowe: The O2

– Toddla T: The Nest

– The Wedding Present: Dingwalls

Elsewhere

Aspen

– Jane’s Addiction: Belly Up

Athens (Georgia)

– MartyParty, Dubconscious: New Earth Music Hall

– of Montreal: Go Bar

– Reptar: Georgia Theatre

Atlanta

– Against Me!, Fake Problems, Franz Nicolay: The Masquerade

– Cake: Fox Theatre

– JJ Grey & Mofro: Variety Playhouse

– Kylesa: The Earl

– Naughty By Nature, Ed Kowalczyk: Hyatt Regency

– Perpetual Groove: Center Stage

– STS9: The Tabernacle

– Zac Brown Band: Philips Arena

Atlantic City

– Brand New: House of Blues

Austin

– Big Freedia: The Mohawk

– The Black Angels, Wooden Shjips, Ume: Emo’s East

– Bob Schneider, Quiet Company: Paramount Theatre

– Designer Drugs: Austin Music Hall

– Gary Clark Jr.: Antone’s

– Groupo Fantasma: Beauty Bar

– Hayes Carll: La Zona Rosa

– Penguin Prison: American Legion Hall

– Russian Circles: Red 7

– White Denim, Royal Bangs: The Empire Space

– Willie Nelson: Moody Theater

Australia

– Arctic Monkeys, Crystal Castles, Dan Deacon, The Naked and Famous: The Falls Festival (Lorne)

– Fleet Foxes, Beirut, CSS, CANT, Unknown Mortal Orchestra: The Falls Festival (Marion Bay)

Baltimore

– Carbon Leaf: Hyatt Regency

– SOJA: Baltimore Soundstage

Boston

– David Wax Museum: Lizard Lounge (Cambridge, MA)

– Lucero: Paradise

– New York Dolls: New England Conservatory

Charlotte (North Carolina)

– Widespread Panic: Time Warner Cable Arena

Dallas

– Girl Talk, Ghostland Observatory, MSTRKRFT, Neon Indian, Pendulum (DJ Set): Lights All Night

– The Polyphonic Spree, Centro-matic: House of Blues

– Quinton and Miss Pussycat: Zubar

Denver

– Flux Pavilion, Doctor P: Colorado Convention Center

– Gauntlet Hair, Pictureplane: The Larmier Lounge

– Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad: Cervantes’ Other Side

– Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Orgone: Cervatnes Ballroom

– Ladytron (DJ Set): City Hall

– Pretty Lights: 1stBANK Center (Broomfield, CO)

– Railroad Earth: Ogden Theatre

– Truckasauras: The Summit

– Ween: The Fillmore

Detroit

– The Detroit Cobras: Magic Stick

– Greensky Bluegrass, The Macpodz: Majestic Theatre

– Maze featuring Frankie Beverly: Masonic Temple

Greenville (South Carolina)

– The Avett Brothers: Bi-Lo Center

Houston

– Blue October: House of Blues

– Christopher Lawrence: Stereo Live

– Young Jeezy: Reliant Arena

Lake Tahoe

– Bassnectar, Pretty Lights, Thievery Corporation, The Glitch Mob, Childish Cambino, A-Trak, Theophilus London, YACHT: Snowglobe Music Festival

Las Vegas

– Chris Brown: Pure Nightclub

– Guns N’ Roses, Sebastian Bach: The Joint

– John Legend: Pearl Concert Theater

– Kaskade: Marquee

– NOFX, Lagwagon: House of Blues

– Paul Oakenfold: Rain

– Steve Angello: XS Nightclub

– Stevie Wonder: Cosmopolitan

Louisville (Kentucky)

– The Pass: Butchertown Pub Studios

Miami

– The Heavy Pets: Tobacco Road

– Spam All-Stars: The Catalina Hotel

Minneapolis

– Dawes: Varsity Theater

– EOTO: Skyway Theater

Milwaukee

– Skrillex, Dillon Francis: The Rave

Nashville

– Bassnectar: Bridgestone Arena

– Moon Taxi, Apache Relay: Exit/In

New Orleans

– Big Sam’s Funky Nation: The Joy Theater

– Black Lips: One Eyed Jacks

– Dr. John: House of Blues

– Funky Meters: Tipitina’s French Quarter

– Galactic, Anders Osborne: Tipitina’s Uptown

— Rebirth Brass Band: Howlin’ Wolf

Northampton (Massachusetts)

– Josh Ritter: Calvin Theater

– Rubblebucket: Pearl Street Nightclub

Oklahoma City

– The Flaming Lips, Yoko Ono: Brickstown Events Center

Orlando

– Trivium, Sevendust, Black Tide: House of Blues

– Slightly Stoopid, The Expendables: Hard Rock Live

Ottawa

– Electric Six: Mavericks

Philadelphia

– Clutch: Trocadero

– Eternal Summers, Bleeding Rainbow: Level Room

– Good Old War, River City Extension: Theatre of Living Arts

– Lotus: Festival Pier

– Man Man (DJ Set), Dr. Dog (DJ Set), Sun Airway (DJ Set): Johnny Brenda’s

– Smoking Popes: North Star Bar

Phoenix

– Meat Puppets: Clubhouse Music Venue

Portland (Maine)

– moe.: State Theatre

Portland (Oregon)

– Leftover Salmon: Roseland Theater

– Nurses, Radiation City: Mississippi Studios

– Pierced Arrows: Ash Street Saloon

– Red Fang: Star Theater

– Reverend Horton Heat, Supersuckers: The Crystal Ballroom

– Talkdemonic: Misson Theater

San Diego

– Fedde Le Grand, Porter Robinson, Hardwell, Bart B More: Valley View Casino Center (OMFG! NYE)

– Kinky: 4th & B

Seattle

– Mustard Pimp: King Cat Theatre

– Starfucker, Champagne Champagne: The Crocodile

St. Louis (Missouri):

– Cowboy Mouth: Old Rock House

– Devon Allman’s Honeytribe: Blueberry Hill

– Excision: Koken Art Factory

– Umphrey’s McGee: The Pageant

Toronto

– Elliot Brood: Lee’s Palace

– Kyuss! Lives: Cherry Cola’s Rock N’ Rolla Cabaret & Lounge

– The Sadies: Horseshoe Tavern

– Steve Aoki, Thomas Gold: Kool Haus

Vancouver

– Tiësto: Pacific Coliseum

Washington, DC

– Animal Collective (DJ Set), Le Tigre (DJ Set), ANR (DJ Set): 1800 L Street NW (BYT NYE)

– Drive-By Truckers, Booker T, Alabama Shakes: 9:30 Club

– Gucci Mane: Love Night Club

– Morgan Page: Fur Nightclub

– Painted Face: Rock and Roll Hotel

On TV

– Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve (ABC): Lady Gaga, Florence and the Machine, Blink-182, Nicki Minaj

– New Year’s Eve with Carson Daily (NBC): Drake, The Roots, Cee-Lo Green

– NYE in NYC (MTV): J. Cole

– Coldplay New Year’s Eve: An Austin City Limits Special (PBS)

Other notable acts include Skrilex, Duck Sauce, 2manydjs, Groove Armada (DJ Set), Flux Pavilion, Carl Cox, Armin Van Buuren, Kaskade, Bassnectar, Chase and Status, The Bloody Beetroots, A-Trak, Laidback Luke, Little Dragon, Neon Indian, SBTRKT, Flying Lotus, Miike Snow, and Pretty Lights.

Also on the bill are Fedde Le Grand, Knife Party, Steve Aoki, Magnetic Man, Zeds Dead, Porter Robinson, Sven Vath, Sander Van Doorn, Borgore, Doctor P, Metronomy, Jack Beats, 12th Planet, Skream! + Benga, Steve Lawler, Joris Voorn, Katy B, and more. Check out the entire first phase, broken down by day, in poster form below. And stay tuned to our Festival Outlook for additional lineup news and updates.

Three-day and VIP passes, priced at $299.95 and $599.95, respectively, are now on sale. Visit the festival’s website for complete ticketing info.

I promised the staff I would not go all Masterpiece Theater with this intro, so I’ll be brief. Our Annual Report has reached its halfway point with our Top 50 Songs of the Year. The many flags of our staff are hoisted high — and we couldn’t be happier with what we’re saluting. From Cults’ very first song to Tom Waits’ thousandth song, we put up the tracks that left us with more thoughts, feelings, and impressions than any other. We think we done good.

But just to make sure the world still spins on its axis, let us know what you think we missed from our list and what you liked in the comments. We thrive on that stuff.

Additionally, we’ve got the de rigueur Top 50 Songs of the Year Spotify playlist for you, a quick link to purchase the song on Amazon, and an easy ctrl-c +ctrl-v list for you at the very end immediately following our #1 song of the year.

As always, our profuse thanks for reading, enjoy these tunes, and we’ll see you again next week for the second half of our 2011 Annual Report.

-Jeremy D. Larson
Content Director

50. Ellie Goulding – “Lights”

At age 24, Ellie Goulding’s folktronica turned heads across the world, especially with “Lights”. Remixed from here to high heaven by killer producers, sampled by Lupe Fiasco for his latest mixtape, and dropped by DJs looking to get well-dressed girls on the dance floors from the Bay Area to Eastern Europe, its appeal lies in its honest vocals, minimalistic beats, and stark, raving energy. It’s Goulding’s first charting single in the U.S. and Canada, and judging from the widespread allure (and the thousands who camped near her stage at festivals nationwide), it likely won’t be her last. -Paul de Revere

49. Cults – “Go Outside”

Going from relative obscurity to indie stardom isn’t anything new, but the way Madelline Follin and Brian Oblivion of Cults did it with such New York coolness and style still seemed incredibly refreshing. By the time the mainstream caught wind of Follin’s adorably unique, helium-filled balloon voice, “Go Outside” was already a bona fide song of the summer contender. Its lyrics are like a mantra for anyone in a going-nowhere relationship, delivered in an irresistibly sweet, poppy tone. And how can you not dig that crazy glockenspiel solo? -Gilles LeBlanc

48. Big K.R.I.T. – “Country Shit” (Remix)

The original version of “Country Shit” showed up on last year’s K.R.I.T. Wuz Here, but this remix, featuring all-new bars from Ludacris and Bun B, goes harder in every way. Over a chopped and looped vocal sample and thunderous bass, K.R.I.T. delivers an unusually aggressive verse for “the folk in Texas that’s forever wreckin’ with the Styrofoam cup and the purple fluid.” This is a rave-up, no doubt, and it just might be the greatest Dixie rap get-together this side of “Int’l Players Anthem”. -Mike Madden

47. Mikal Cronin – “Apathy”

So much good came out of the fertile ground of the San Francisco psych/garage scene this year, and Mikal Cronin’s debut LP may be best in show simply because he’s got the hooks. “Apathy” digs in with stopgap verses and a vintage 60’s underground sound. Cronin is wrestling with that all-too-real twentysomething identity crisis; he’s a man who’s sure he doesn’t want apathy or empathy. Or everything. Or anything. His generation struggles with defining themselves, and finding a fine line between slacker and sincere is difficult. This loud and splashy confession pretty much nails that frustration. -Jeremy D. Larson

46. Cold Cave – “The Great Pan Is Dead”

The primal themes and screams of Wesley Eisold on “The Great Pan Is Dead” could have been penned by the Vikings or the Huns or some dodgy Germanic tribe. It’s ostentatious like an arena song with more than enough of Eisold’s hardcore/noise/new wave bent to make it sound like it could have been out on Wax Trax! Records. “Yeah/I will come running/gunning through the years/hunting heart/crushing fears,” except Eisold makes it seem like he’s going to do this while completely on fire. All the while, at its core, it’s just a romantic ode to someone who warrants truly epic imagery — imagery that would fall flat without the high-stakes propulsion of the music below it. If love songs are played in Valhalla, this may be the only thing allowed. -Jeremy D. Larson

45. Das Racist – “Michael Jackson”

“I’m fucking great at rapping!” With those five words, Himanshu “Heems” Suri embraces the new identity that he, Victor “Kool A.D.” Vazquez, and Ashok “Dap” Kondabolu have forged as Das Racist. Where elsewhere they’ll make you wonder whether this whole rap thing is just a lark, here D.R. take the simple to the nth degree. Whether it’s that ultimately basic brag, the “Michael Jackson/a million dollars/you hear me?/holler” chorus, or A.D.’s lithe “You go girl, it’s your world”, this song embraces the brilliance of simplicity. The beat kills, and references to Richie Valens, “Parenthood”, and McGuyver all smashed together somehow just makes sense. -Adam Kivel

44. The Horrors – “Still Life”

To be one of the 50 best songs of the year, at least one element of your introduction has to grab attention. With “Still Life”, The Horrors gave us three options. There’s the wobbly tape loop that gradually fades in, the body-vibrating drumbeat, and the bell curve synth melody. All that before we even get to the vocals! Faris Badwan sounds cautious, almost fragile, in the speak-sing verses. Once the chorus kicks in and the melody lights up, though, he richly belts out line after line, guaranteeing a sing-along from even the most casual fan. -Joe Marvilli

43. Bill Callahan – “Riding for the Feeling”

Bill Callahan is one of America’s most low-profile existentialists. “Riding for the Feeling” is a great example of why. Callahan’s smooth baritone lightly jogs along his own acoustic strumming, impressionistic organ, reverb-soaked electric guitars, and salt-and-pepper drums to craft a statement of beautiful futility. Mr. Callahan is capital letters THE TRUTH, and he spits a lot of it: “With intensity, a drop evaporates by law/In conclusion, leaving is easy when you’ve got some place to be.” How ’bout that for some cold, hard facts? But as the song progresses, it becomes clearer and clearer that the place Callahan has to be doesn’t really exist–that he’s just riding somewhere else, merely riding for the feeling. And so are we. -Drew Litowitz

42. Dum Dum Girls – “Coming Down”

A single of anguish, “Coming Down” is the side of Dum Dum Girls no one has ever seen. During the six-minute ballad, the ladies leave the mystery of their personas to find bliss in the wake of something awful, the death of front woman Dee Dee Penny’s mother. The same fuzz can still be found, but this time there’s more emotion and urgency. Penny wanted fans to feel something, and it’s hard not to at 3:31 with Penny’s declarations of departure. Lo-fi becomes a thing of careful beauty on “Coming Down”. -Lauren Rearick

41. Lykke Li – “I Follow Rivers”

Though it’s called Wounded Rhymes, Lykke Li’s second LP could have easily been titled Wounded Rhythms. For proof, take a listen to “I Follow Rivers”. The melody drunkenly sways alongside her vocals, ranging from subdued verses to triumphant choruses. Clanging, hollow beats don’t just stick to the tempo, but occasionally flair and boost the background up. The woozy synth line remains laid-back but isn’t sloppy. Instead, it loosely drives the song forward without becoming the focal point. That’s saved for Lykke Li’s playful performance. On an album with as many heavy songs as this one has, that’s certainly a breath of fresh air. -Joe Marvilli

40. Wilco – “One Sunday Morning”

Jeff Tweedy warns us that this majestic 12-minute closer to The Whole Love is long in the very first line, but it’s a caution that proves to be moot. Despite the length and refusing to change its basic rhythm or structure, the song never tires, keeping the listener’s attention by sneaking in layer upon layer of instrumentation at strategic moments, then pulling it away. The whispering patter of Mikael Jorgensen’s piano may not drive the melody but blossoms and wilts at the mention of key words like “bells” and “the Bible.” Lyrically, it’s in the same vein as Sky Blue Sky closer “On and On”, a meditation on the relationship between Jeff Tweedy and a past acquaintance that only they understand. But its autumnal feel and confessional tone mean something different to everyone, the perfect tune for looking back on the year in non-linear terms. -Dan Caffrey

39. Liturgy – “Generation”

Brooklyn’s Liturgy have spent the last couple of years working up quite the shitstorm in metal circles for their admittedly ostentatious attempts at re-conceptualizing the genre from the ground up in what they call “transcendental black metal”. Critical response to their latest LP Aesthethica, was pretty much split down the middle largely for that reason. But all talk about the band’s perceived pretension is shot to bits by the initial blast of noise that kick off the album’s best track, the starkly minimal instrumental “Generation”. Seven minutes of blazing guitars and cracking snares, this slab of molten no-wave fury is more akin to early-day Swans than anything remotely “transcendental”, or even “black metal” for that matter. Even so, they’ve catalyzed progress and conversation in a genre that has, for decades now, stagnated in Norse Mythology and church burning scandals. Who says you need corpse paint to rock? -Möhammad Choudhery

38. Washed Out – “Amor Fati”

Washed Out’s Ernest Greene continues to distance himself from chillwave, creating one of the year’s most danceable tracks in “Amor Fati”. Fans have come to expect an inclusion of synths, but it’s the addition of an infectious chorus from Greene that makes for an unexpected moment of pop. The prominent vocals provide a break of warmth from the chillwave lull of its counterparts. Its latin title “amor fati” translates to love of fate. If this is where Greene’s destined, we’re lovestruck, too.   -Lauren Rearick

37. Adele – “Rolling in the Deep”

Each year, there comes a song that is seemingly everywhere, from non-stop radio play to appearances in TV ads and basic cable shows. In 2011, that song was Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep”. Musically, it appealed to a plethora of audiences, as if it were assembled from an equal number of dark, bluesy soul tunes and light, airy disco tracks. The vocals are among Adele’s finest, with an undercurrent of immense wisdom driving forward the larger-than-life, emotionally devastated cries of pain and confusion. But it’s the song’s overall sentiment, of having immense romantic regrets and laying every last one of them on your ex, that made this cut such a massively universal experience. Rare is the track that can mend wounds and help sell the iPhone 4S, but “Rolling in the Deep” does all that and more. -Chris Coplan

36. AraabMUZIK – “Streetz Tonight”

Don’t let the trance label deter you. AraabMUZIK’s Electronic Dream is an atmospheric trip from beginning to end. Best experienced as a whole, there are moments that jump out from the rest, perhaps none more than “Streetz Tonight”. Here, AraabMUZIK dials back his trademark drum machine ingenuity in favor of woozy synth grooves and airy, simplistic female vocals for a different, more laid-back type of head rush. -Austin Trunick

35. Tom Waits – “Hell Broke Luce”

Listeners had to be surprised the first time they heard this jarring, psychotic, nightmarish romp through a combat zone. “Hell Broke Luce” takes the form of a deranged boot camp march (“I had a good home, but I left, right, left”), with the time between Waits’ grating barking filled with banging and clanging, in-and-out guitars, sampled machine gun fire, and even a tuba during one brief lull. Lyrics include drill sergeant/grunt vulgarities, embittered questioning of authority, and lines that suggest the soldier protagonist sees himself as forever severed from the person he was before the war. (“What did you do before the war? /I was a chef, I was a chef/And what was your name? It was Jeff, Jeff”). I have no basis to judge whether or not Waits has captured the hellish realities of war on “Hell Broke Luce”, but I can say that if you’re listening to this track while out walking, it’ll keep you in step. Left, right, left. –Matt Melis

34. Kurt Vile – “Jesus Fever”

Ars longa, vita brevis, as the old adage goes: “Art is long, life is short.” On Kurt Vile’s “Jesus Fever”, the heartland rocker deals with this inevitable fate, all over a jangly progression that feels curated by Lindsay Buckingham circa 1975. One biting line: “When I am a ghost, I’ll see no reason to run/When I’m already gone/If it wasn’t taped, you could escape this song/But I’m already gone.” The lesson? Art is forever. In the digital age – especially a booming one like this year’s – that line takes on a whole new meaning. Art is forever… and everywhere. Now, how meta would it be if kids are listening to this in 100 years? Guess we’ll never know. -Michael Roffman

33. The Black Keys – “Lonely Boy”

“These guys just don’t stop. The late-in-the-year arrival of “Lonely Boy” signaled a much anticipated dose of the Akron blues mongers, even though fans were still simmering from 2010’s Brothers. El Camino’s complete rip-roaring genius aside, the stealthy emergence of the lead single’s video of a solitary man dancing his ass off became an instant sensation as “Lonely Boy” could be heard leaking out from city bus riders’ headphones for a good week after its internet landing. And for good reason. The song is an infectious smack in the face of gritty blues riffs and powerful, rockabilly-influenced fury. Dan Auerbach’s muddy guitar rips into the single as Patrick Carney’s attack drums and a smattering of quirky backing keys propel the song into a spaced-out rock stratosphere where Mark Bolan and blues greats serve as ruling deities. As our own Harley Brown attests, the Keys are at the height of their game, and “Lonely Boy” is Exhibit-A of their zenith status. -Liz Lane

32. Battles – “Ice Cream”

When Gloss Drop single “Ice Cream” dropped, it was the test for many of whether Battles would be the same after losing frontman Tyondai Braxton. The verdict? Not exactly the same, but that is no disappointment. The track wades familiar territory for Battles while placing itself among the trio’s more accessible work. Guest vocalist Matias Aguayo shines with a keen impersonation of Braxton’s trademark vocal manipulation over an irresistible, glitchy two-chord jam. Recommended with a scoop of cake batter on a waffle cone, but maybe not in the bathtub. -J. Harry Painter

31. Kate Bush – “Wild Man”

50 Words for Snow is a rare album themed to winter holiday months while not being pigeonholed as a Christmas album. “Wild Man” is a testament to that. It’s a seven-minute journey through the snowy crags of Tibet, name-dropping countless faraway places and romanticizing the fabled Yeti as only Kate Bush could. That said, it’s a very different Bush song in a lot of ways, with guest vocalist Andy Fairweather Low providing the chorus and Bush swapping out her usual vocal stylings with a husky Mark Knopfler-esque dialogue for most of the track. The sweetness of Bush’s words and the song’s misty, musical veil make it easy to mistake “Wild Man” as a love song, but that’s not quite it. It’s a tribute to the mysteries still hidden in the natural world and the figments we chase, rounding the corners of distant hills, just out of reach. -Cap Blackard

30. Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire – “The Last Huzzah” (Remix)

This Mr Muthafuckin’ eXquire remix, paying homage to Craig Mack’s “Flava in Ya Ear remix”, dilutes the year’s cattle call of mixtapes, guest spots, and debut LPs down to the strongest collective showing from any five rappers on a single track. Everyone’s got their fuel, whether its Despot’s “vodka soda,” Danny Brown’s “straight shots of Cuervo,” or El-P’s “straight shots of Sterno.” The track’s an ode to getting lit up, a celebration of skill and saying, “Fuck it all.” If these five guys stumble into 2012 with this much moxy, the same as Biggie, Craig Mack, LL Cool J, and Busta Rhymes did back in 1994, they’ll be the ones coming up big and making great comebacks. -Jeremy D. Larson

“The Last Huzzah” (Remix) (feat. Despot, Das Racist, Danny Brown & El-P)

29. The Strokes – “Under Cover of Darkness”

It is the oft-used “return to form,” right? The yearning Julian Casablancas vocals and the doo-wop exchange between the guitarists and drummer Fab Moretti. Top it off with another great solo courtesy of Nick Valensi, and you have the makings of classic Strokes. We may not be talking about Angles years from now, but I’ll let you know the moment this song finally stops dancing around my head. -Justin Gerber

28. Beirut – “East Harlem”

The way Beirut toys with sense of place is so darn impish and charming. With the title and lyrics of “East Harlem”, you can’t tell whether Zach Condon is crooning about Amsterdam or New Amsterdam (NYC). Yet, at the same time, the details hardly matter. In this song about distance, you don’t know where you are for sure; you’re too lost in the sonic neighborhood or city block Condon has constructed. “Uptown, downtown” can seem like a “thousand miles between us” when you’re intent on studying the gorgeous detail of “East Harlem”, this city-song of blinding lights and gorgeous brass melodies. Go on, dwell in it. Stay awhile. -Paul de Revere

27. The War on Drugs – “Come to the City”

The anthemic centerpiece on one of the year’s most road-ready albums, “Come to the City” is to be played either with the windows down while  drifting along highways or in a stadium/field of a thousand pumping fists. It’s that kind of Arcade Fire-meets-Tom Petty power spun over reverberating organs and snapping drums that makes you want to lean your head out the car window and let the emotion wash over you with the wind. With Kurt Vile off on a solo career, frontman Adam Granduciel’s contemplative lyrics get to shine on their own. “I’ve been drinking up the sweet tea/It was made just for me,” he sings in a Dylan-esque warble. It was made for you, too, so drink up. -Benjamin Kaye

26. Frank Ocean – “Novacane”

If the majority of Odd Future is the id, then R&B crooner Frank Ocean is the ego. His depravity is just as endless, but he exemplifies his more reserved, complicated side on Nostalgia, Ultra standout “Novacane”. The beat is a monstrous amalgamation of hip-hop bass, random, glitchy noises, and, most important of all, a solid groove that sounds stuck between genres and intentions. Establishing a drug-fueled storyline involving porn stars and a trip gone bad, Ocean paints a picture of a stunted youth in search of the next big high to cure what ails him. The diagnosis for Ocean’s soul is grim, but the pursuit of absolution never sounded so intoxicating. -Chris Coplan

25. Girls – “Vomit”

“Vomit” is an anthem of solitude. Like Elliott Smith and Nirvana before him, Christopher Owens struggles with his own opiate addiction. This song is a declaration of an inescapable torment, an unanswered longing, a tender futility. The beginning guitar riff echoes with loneliness like a flickering lightbulb in a dark room. Owens repeats the line “looking for love” as he and Chet White descend into instrumental insanity: A guitar solo wracked with distortion erupts, an organ hums beneath, and melismas sound out through the song’s climax. “Vomit” is its own manifesto, expressing the belief that madness is freedom, that pain is inspiration. -Summer Dunsmore

24. Beastie Boys – “Make Some Noise”

Hip-hop is always boasting how it’s a young person’s game, but “Make Some Noise” proved that the Beastie Boys are dogs who still have some bite left in them. The fortified funk they sic on us at the start of Hot Sauce Committee Part Two is aggressive, witty, and sweeping. It’s classic Beastie Boys… and then some. In light of their recent setbacks – from “MCA” Adam Yauch’s struggle with cancer to the album’s various delays – the Brooklyn legends ferociously returned to the spotlight. This single is a testament to that. While there’s a lot of wax-scratching nostalgia going on, there’s just too much energy at hand to ignore. So, when Yauch says, “The best is yet to come, and yes, believe this,” we most certainly do. -Gilles LeBlanc

23. Real Estate – “It’s Real”

A good-natured single, “It’s Real” by Real Estate defines California surfer rock. It’s a song about puppy love, as singer Martin Courtney croons, “I carved our names into a tree/I walked on decomposing leaves/I skated on a frozen sea/It’s real as far as I can see.” It does what indie music does best: weaves poetic, charming lyrics with a hooky chorus. However, it’s unique to many other love songs, which usually express the pains of heartbreak or the dark side of obsession; this love song is a revelry, an exposition of energy and enthusiasm that comes with the fascination for a loved one. It’s real. -Summer Dunsmore

22. Childish Gambino – “Bonfire”

Donald Glover plays the clueless Troy Barnes on Community. So, why take his nom de rhyme, Childish Gambino, even the slightest bit seriously? Because of “Bonfire”, dummy. The lyrics encapsulate Gambino’s wit (“This Asian dude, I stole his girl, and now he got that Kogi beef”) and even offer up the nastier side of the MC’s rainbow-colored personality (“The shit I’m doin’ this year? Insanity/Made the beat then murdered it, Casey Anthony”). It’s also got one of the LP’s most beloved and recognizable beats, equal parts bouncy club anthem and gritty garage rock jam. But really, it’s Gambino’s impassioned and visceral delivery style, like he’s barking at the listener, that makes this track a true burner. -Chris Coplan

21. Fleet Foxes – “Helplessness Blues”

Fleet Foxes’ titular track off Helplessness Blues is a lovely distillation of their sound, with the spectral doves of musicians like Roy Harper and Van Morrison flitting around for company. It’s such an epic poem that five minutes can hardly contain its beauty or its magnificent scope, which ranges from jangling folk to heavyweight, ethereal rock. By now, everyone knows the group’s sublime harmonies are their namesake, but when entwined with urgent guitar work and despairing language, it only adds deep emphasis to that fact. Feeling helpless has rarely felt so nourishing, building up to what can only be called a dappled sunlit kind of music, “my light in the dawn.” -Siobhan Kane

20. Radiohead – “Lotus Flower”

Anybody who heard Thom Yorke’s live versions of “Lotus Flower” back in ’09 and ’10 never could have imagined what it would morph into when it eventually made its way onto this year’s The King of Limbs, a surprise in and of itself. That finger-picked guitar ballad is now long forgotten thanks to the skittering rhythms, distant hand claps, and other ridiculous noises that now constitute “Lotus Flower”. The song is as dub-dance-y as Radiohead has ever sounded, with a backdrop culled from fractured loops of god knows what. But what makes “Lotus Flower” so noteworthy is how Yorke embodies it: with a healthy dose of croon-swagger. Confidence hasn’t always been Yorke’s vocal forte, but he straddles the line so perfectly between that and melancholy that it opens up a lot of doors for what Radiohead is capable of. That’s a shitload of open doors, by the way. -Drew Litowitz

19. Cut Copy – “Need You Now”

It’s a tough feat to render six minutes of addicting hooks. But that’s what Cut Copy managed to do with “Need You Now”. That explains why it opens the Australian outfit’s latest LP, Zonoscope: Hit ‘em with a punch, snag ‘em with a hook. Vocalist Dan Whitford employs a slick baritone throughout, which certainly pushes this number ahead, but it’s when he lets loose four minutes in that the heat turns up. While not as immediate as tracks like “Take Me Over” or “Where I’m Going”, it’s all about the payoff sometimes, and you won’t find a better one than here. It’s so heavy they need a downer at the end to bring things back to element. Talk about a trip. -J. Harry Painter

18. Neon Indian – “Polish Girl”

Ever wondered if the Super Mario coin-grab effect could be sampled successfully in a song? Welcome to the world of Neon Indian. Alan Palomo’s wistful cadence tells of lost love on Era Extraña standout “Polish Girl”, while spaced-out 8-bit synths evoke the longing, inescapable feelings of shoegaze. Yet, the result is a blissful four and a half minutes itching for a spin on the dance floor. With “Polish Girl”, Neon Indian has traded their signature chillwave stylings in favor of a dreamy spin on dance pop and set the new standard for retro chic. -Frank Mojica

17. Drake – “Take Care”

“Take Care” is one of six or seven tracks that could easily be deemed the best of the batch from Drake’s enigmatic, epic sophomore album of the same name. Set firmly atop impeccable (and unconventional) production by Jamie xx, the track soars with an unstoppable, sensual hook by hip-hop diva Rihanna: “If you let me, here’s what I’ll do/I’ll take care of you.” I defy any heterosexual man to refuse that offer. But what makes this track stand out more than anything is the potency with which Drake raps. As he battles insecurity, brutal honesty, and harsh reality, we see the side of Drake that was promised from the beginning – the talented side. -Winston Robbins

16. Jamie xx – “Far Nearer”

Between his masterful Gil Scott-Heron collab/remix LP We’re New Here, the slew of top-notch remixes he put out (including a HUGE rework of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep”), and a couple of choice spots on Radiohead’s TKOL RMX compilation, Jamie xx’s huge 2011 quelled any and all doubts that he could succeed out of the shadow of the xx. And all that goes without mentioning “Far Nearer”, his debut solo release and crowning achievement to date. Built around a sun-drenched Caribbean steel drum line and a mangled Janet Jackson vocal, it’s a dance anthem for the ages and one hell of a way to launch one’s solo career. How’s that for setting the bar high? -Möhammad Choudhery

15. The Mountain Goats – “High Hawk Season”

Revolution hung thick in the air this year, and John Darnielle’s prescient salvo seems to be the people’s anthem that never was (meanwhile, 3EB turned this in). Darnielle’s boilerplate solo voice/acoustic guitar is backed by a four-part male a capella chorus that, despite The Mountain Goats’ obscene prolificacy, paves whole new avenues for a guy who’s been doing this for a long, long time. Darnielle’s vocals vary in dynamics and enunciation, causing the words to teem with frustration and resolve, something arena-worthy with just doo-wop harmonies and earnest songwriting. Sadly, Post-Barbershop-Quartet is not a genre I can throw on Pandora…yet. -Jeremy D. Larson

14. The Weeknd – “Wicked Games”

House of Balloons is fraught with tracks that are going to make you wish you lived a different, sexier life, but not one of them is more powerful than “Wicked Games”. As The Weeknd croons in his phenomenal upper register, “Bring your love baby, I can bring my shame/Bring the drugs baby, I can bring my pain,” you might honestly find yourself wishing you were addicted to codeine and emotionless sexual encounters. The track’s appeal to everyone’s dark side is endless. And while most listeners won’t ever pick up a Styrofoam cup full of prescription cough medicine and Jolly Ranchers to get faded, the song provides insight into a twisted life of beauty with a deep layer of abhorrent immorality looming just below the surface. -Winston Robbins

13. The Throne – “Niggas in Paris”

It’s still baffling that one of the hardest-hitting tracks on Watch the Throne contains a Will Ferrell sample from the figure skating parody Blades of Glory. “No one knows what it means, but it’s provocative,” Ferrell explains. “It gets the people going!” The long-anticipated collaborative record between rap’s reigning monarchs is a celebration in excess, but it comes packed with knowing winks like this one. Jay-Z and Kanye West roll in with a slow burn on top of piercing synth loop, gaining momentum as the song unravels, propelling one another into top form on this explosive club-pleaser. It’s Jay-Z’s methodical, fast-firing approach that sets the stage for West’s urgent, free-flowing (if a bit bonkers) rhymes; on an album grounded in the spirit of a healthy competition between the two powerhouse emcees, it’s on “Niggas in Paris” that they come together as a single, unstoppable hip-hop dream team. -Austin Trunick

12. Destroyer – “Kaputt”

In the world of the album’s title track, drugs and women are indiscernible — two intangible forces that are meant to be chased across clubs, kingdoms, and radio airwaves around the globe. Destroyer frontman Dan Bejar never catches either one, but decides to write a song about it and dedicate it to America, a fact that he blatantly states in the final verses. Amidst wind effects, slowed-down disco bass, synthesized bleeps, and foggy trumpet, the band topples the fourth wall, then builds it back up again to continue their quest across time, space, and celebration for a high they may never get, but in turn bestow upon their audience. -Dan Caffrey

11. Wild Flag – “Romance”

“Romance” is the most unabashedly pop song on Wild Flag’s self-titled debut. More Bow Wow Wow than Bikini Kill, it shows a different, deliriously infectious side of this burgeoning supergroup. With a ringing, crunchy guitar punch over pounding surf drums, it’s the killer hook in the chorus that will keep you coming back again and again. (If you’re not tapping your toes by the time it gets to the hand clap-driven “shake, shimmy, shake” breakdown at the song’s climax, you’re probably not a warm-blooded human.) Straight-up rock and roll this irresistibly catchy is a rare treat in this day and age; “Romance” should be finding its way onto feel-good mixtapes for a long, long time. -Austin Trunick

10. Foo Fighters – “Rope”

The glorious possibilities of a three-guitar attack in Foo Fighters is truly felt with this tune from Wasting Light. With Pat Smear having officially returned to the lineup, the band created some of their most aggressive music to date. The echoing intro gives in to a track that bops between pop and alt-rock, before launching into Chris Shiflett’s thrash-metal solo near the song’s conclusion. Of course, it’s Dave Grohl’s constant that ties it all together. That being the tireless Taylor Hawkins, who proves once more why he’s one of the finest drummers in the game today, yesterday, and tomorrow. As the first single, “Rope” announced the return of the Foo, and in hindsight, it’s the cattle call that would go on to cement the band as the biggest rock act on the planet. They’ve had a good year. -Justin Gerber

9. James Blake – “The Wilhelm Scream”

The first thing anybody who listens to James Blake’s true breakout track notices is how undeniably incessant it is. It’s a classic study in repetition.

With Blake’s cyborg croon evaporating into palm-muted guitar masked as a digital processor, interspersed with the sound a black hole makes when you throw the whole genre of dubstep into it, the song slowly explodes into a haze of static, processed synth-organ, and the deepest bass around. It’s like a noised-out tribute to every sub-genre of reggae-inspired dance music, that both mourns its present dilution in the mainstream and celebrates the places it still has yet to go.

What’s most interesting about “The Wilhelm Scream”, though, is what this repetition means to Blake and why he’s created this song in the first place. At its core, the song is Blake re-envisioning something he must have heard incessantly over the past few years: his own father, soft rocker James Litherland’s “Where to Turn”, from his 2006 album, 4th Estate. Under this context, the song becomes a manifestation of Blake’s nostalgia and love for his pops — his memories and emotions aurally orchestrated into an infectious haze of confused sounds that come together perfectly. Cool, right? -Drew Litowitz

8. SBTRKT – “Wildfire”

As SBTRKT, Aaron Jerome has been one of the year’s most buzzed-about breakout artists. On “Wildfire”, the masked producer recruits 2011’s must-have collaborator, Yukimi Nagano (of electro-soulsters Little Dragon), for the year’s essential dance floor jam. Between a bassline that can only be described as downright filthy and the irresistible allure of Nagano’s velvety vocals, “Wilfire” is pure sonic sensuality. Drawing inspiration from South London post-dubstep to house to R&B, “Wildfire” takes everything that ever made someone dance in the past 20 years and spins it into something futuristic. As it deftly defies any single label, SBTRKT’s scorching style on “Wildfire” is a reflection of how the future will one day remember 2011. -Frank Mojica

7. EMA – “California”

Equal parts Psychocandy, Sinead O’Connor, Patti Smith, and Lou Reed, Erika M. Anderson’s (aka EMA) “California” turns heads with its aggressive-yet-vapid delivery and lyrics that spin tales of reckless abandonment. “What’s it like to be small-time and gay?” she crudely asks mid-song. “What does failure taste like? To me it tastes like dirt,” she asks and answers herself towards the end. It’s a slow shuffle that never really leads to an anthemic release as its rusty sprawl suggests, but that’s sort of the point. On paper, it’s just as seclusive and cyclical.

Sort of like madness. Anderson’s a native of South Dakota, so one has to wonder what her perspective is here. Here’s a supposition: It’s the struggle that California – the land of dreams and mystery, as suggested even by the likes of Steinbeck – isn’t what it appears to be. It’s a wasteland. It’s a falsity. But, she’s not alone there. When she says, “Fuck California,” so do we. Because if there’s anything we’ve learned from reality television, MTV, or reading short bios on any musician who’s ever surfaced on the Sunset Strip, California breeds a special sort of crazy. Anderson may never find her small-town roots again (“Schizophrenic rules the brain”), but she’s created one powerful ode to it. One of the best of its kind. -Michael Roffman

6. St. Vincent – “Cruel”

If you’re going to write a rock song around a single riff, it better be a ridiculously good one, something that you’re happy to get stuck in your head. There have been a few that fit the bill in indie rock over the last few years; Modest Mouse’s “Float On” and MGMT’s “Kids” come to mind. Add St. Vincent’s “Cruel” to that exclusive list. Annie Clark writes a completely oddball, vaguely old-timey verse melody, complete with saccharine background strings. But when she sings “oo-eh-oo-eh-oo-llll” on the titular lyric, that distinctive synthesizer riff comes into focus and simply owns you. It’s silly, it’s uplifting, it’s catchy, and it can completely carry the song. Throw in a majorly danceable backing track, a languid distorted guitar solo, and Clark’s wispy but powerful voice, and it’s indie rock gold. -Jake Cohen

5. tUnE-yArDs – “Bizness”

Merrill Garbus’ wonderful first single from her second record, w h o k i l l, reflects her decision to focus some aspects of the live experience into studio recordings, and certainly, the wild energy of “Bizness” is hardly constrained by the medium of a record. Perhaps this is what makes her great: The medium of music is the vehicle through which she has chosen to convey her creativity, but it cannot bind her. “Bizness” begins with the kind of vocal gymnastics that brings to mind David Longstreth dancing in a frying pan — lovely, gloopy, roaming sounds that also act as a warm vocal harpsichord of sorts.

Then there is the percussive aspect. The way Garbus layers sounds and percussion is a joy to hear, the military beats, along with a kind of skeletal, clickety-clack kind of sound that reconnects to her fascination with African rhythms. Her world is one that is anchored by a childlike sense of wonderment, and when the arresting, strident horns step in, you cannot help but smile. This is also because you sense her giddy reverie in taking apart traditional song structures and building them up again in her own image. When she sings “I’ll bleed if you ask me,” you really believe it, because her thoughtful sincerity is clear, amidst the revels. The visual accompaniment to the song (the video directed by Mimi Cave) is a perfect rendering of tUnE-yArDs’ ethos – to reach out to the child in all of us, keeping us young, keeping us strong, keeping us dreaming. -Siobhan Kane

4. Beyoncé – “Countdown”

At this point in her exceptional career, Beyoncé has transcended the traditional confines of pop diva status. Her latest album, 4, is full of the finest cuts of her career, be it for their infectious, poppy nature or for their demonstration of real, relatable emotional displays. And one could easily say “Countdown” is the best song on that album and leave it at that. To do so, however, is to discredit a track that is not only great, but a step above on a record whose primary notion is of stepping further into sonic grace.

From the initial wail of Bey’s voice to the marching band vibe, the track is the heart and soul, the lifeblood of a record that is a dynamo of R&B gold, both new and old. Queen B has built an empire of love songs and tributes to her boo(s), but none, be it on this album or the three before, come off as easily and thoroughly as they do here. We dare anyone to resist falling under the spell of the chorus where, like a Gucci-wearing version of The Count, Beyoncé counts down the ways in which she loves her man. It’s everything we love about Beyoncé: the sing-along-ability, the bombastic nature, and the beat that digs its nails into your hips to make them shimmy all night. Count it any way you want, this number’s a shining gem in Beyoncé’s bangin’ catalog. -Chris Coplan

3. M83 – “Midnight City”

A Parisian M83 fan said to me this year that Anthony Gonzalez is “the best French music producer, more famous in [the] U.S. than France.” So what’s made “Midnight City” and its double album source, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, catch fire like it has in the States this year? Well, “Midnight City” is a great single, for one. And it’s in a Victoria’s Secret commercial, which doesn’t hurt its exposure stateside, either. Surely, at this point, M83 has never been more popular than they are right now. And this year, a lot of that gets chalked up to “Midnight City”.

But look deeper. “Midnight City”, like all of M83′s music, touches on feelings valued deep within the American heart: light, innocence, and youth. M83 just shrouds them behind synth sheen and vocal processing on Gonzalez’s voice. When you imagine its abstract, misty mood piece in the classic Americana setting of Lover’s Lane or Makeout Point, it clicks. The narrator and a girl look out over how “the night city grows” a “mutating skyline.” “The city is my church,” Gonzalez sings. “It wraps me in the sparkling twilight.” It’s so gorgeous and wondrous, how can you not weep from its beauty? And how many songs this year have done that? O beautiful, for spacious skies, indeed. -Paul de Revere

2. Tyler, The Creator – “Yonkers”

Cast aside all preconceived notions or any conclusions that you may have drawn about Odd Future for just a second. Try and get back to the moment when you first heard “Yonkers”. Whether you were a longtime fan or you were victim to the viral video that got tossed around for a few weeks, it moved you. It moved some to anger, and it moved others to excitement; regardless of direction, though, it moved you. There are few times in life when a song will force you to stop everything you’re doing because you’re too busy picking your jaw up off the floor. Even fewer are the times when those selfsame songs are written and produced by a 19-year-old. Much criticism has been cast in the direction of this song and at Tyler in general; many found his lyrics involving misogyny, brutal violence, and even rape to be supremely offensive. And ultimately, that’s a decision best made on an individual basis. But you cannot deny that, for better or worse, “Yonkers” is one of the most powerful hip-hop singles in recent memory. Still sends chills down my spine. -Winston Robbins

1. Bon Iver – “Holocene”

For as often as Justin Vernon’s cabin hibernation is parodied, doesn’t it sound just a little enticing? Leaving it all, sequestering yourself away from a world that won’t stop spinning? In some ways, Vernon never left that seclusion. The songs on Bon Iver may sprawl and breathe more, but they’re still born form Vernon’s desire for privacy and escape. They’re rural, surreal, and separate, and “Holocene” captures the essence of Vernon’s world, just as he tries to capture the essence of our current epoch.

The song pivots around the lyric “All at once I knew/I was not magnificent” and the garden of romantic words and loosely related imagery around it. Acoustic crescendos push the plot along, and the band’s woodwind and found sound arrangement provide the scenery. Whole ages of emotions advance and recede throughout its course, yet it manages to stave off melodrama.

Vernon recalls three hazy memories in three verses and gives them context with that pivotal lyric — an ego check. These are the lasting moments that Vernon hangs on to through it all. Can we find meaning outside of ourselves and inside missed connections or little moments we have with friends and family? This truly is what outlasts things. Now, none of this ideology is revolutionary, but Bon Iver renews its vows in the context of 2011 — a year of exponential speed and growth, of revolution and dissatisfaction, of disillusionment and displacement across whole swaths of culture and class. “Holocene” is that moment of reflection on the escape vessel as you float away from the wreckage and towards Bon Iver’s world. If escapism is increasingly how we deal with our problems, that ubiquitous cabin in the woods sounds better and better with each coming year. -Jeremy D. Larson

50. Ellie Goulding – “Lights”
49. Cults – “Go Outside”
48. Big K.R.I.T. – “Country Shit” (Remix)
47. Mikal Cronin – “Apathy”
46. Cold Cave – “The Great Pan is Dead”
45. Das Racist – “Michael Jackson”
44. The Horrors – “Still Life”
43. Bill Callahan – “Riding For the Feeling”
42. Dum Dum Girls – “Coming Down”
41. Lykke Li – “I Follow Rivers”
40. Wilco – “One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend)”
39. Liturgy – “Generation”
38. Washed Out – “Amor Fati”
37. Adele – “Rolling in the Deep”
36. AraabMUZIK – “Streetz Tonight”
35. Tom Waits – “Hell Broke Luce”
34. The Black Keys – “Lonely Boy”
33. Kurt Vile – “Jesus Fever”
32. Battles – “Ice Cream”
31. Kate Bush – “Wild Man”
30. Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire – “The Last Huzzah” (Remix)
29. The Strokes – “Under Cover of Darkness”
28. Beirut – “East Harlem”
27. The War on Drugs – “Come to the City”
26. Frank Ocean – “Novacane”
25. Girls – “Vomit”
24. Beastie Boys – “Make Some Noise”
23. Real Estate – “It’s Real”
22. Childish Gambino – “Bonfire”
21. Fleet Foxes – “Helplessness Blues”
20. Radiohead – “Lotus Flower”
19. Cut Copy – “Need You Now”
18. Neon Indian – “Polish Girl”
17. Drake – “Take Care”
16. Jamie xx – “Far Nearer”
15. The Mountain Goats – “High Hawk Season”
14. The Weeknd – “Wicked Games”
13. The Throne – “Niggas in Paris”
12. Destroyer – “Kaputt”
11. Wild Flag – “Romance”
10. Foo Fighters – “Rope”
09. James Blake – “The Wilhelm Scream”
08. SBTRKT – “Wildfire”
07. EMA – “California”
06. St. Vincent – “Cruel”
05. tUnE-yArDs – “Bizness”
04. Beyoncé – “Countdown”
03. M83 – “Midnight City”
02. Tyler, the Creator – “Yonkers”
01. Bon Iver – “Holocene”

Photo by Cap Blackard

Still touring behind their sophomore LP, Era Extraña, chillwave aficionados Neon Indian have scheduled an extensive North American spring tour. Spanning over two months, the trek begins and ends in New York City, with stops in 31 other cities along the way. Discounted ticket packages for each show will be available through the musician’s website and include an exclusive tour t-shirt, lower service fees, and a tour laminate that will get you a 10% discount at the merch booth at any show on this tour.

Below, you can find Neon Indian’s entire upcoming itinerary, which also includes an appearance at the New Year’s Eve bash Lights All Night, an opening slot at The Flaming Lips’ New Year’s Freakout, an early 2012 trip to Australia, and appearances at the Primavera Sound and Optimus Primavera Sound festivals in Europe. After that is the band’s video for “Polish Girl”.

Neon Indian 2011-2012 Tour Dates:
12/31 – Dallas, TX @ Lights All Night
01/01 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Bricktown Events Center *^
02/21 – Tokyo, JP @ UNIT
02/24 – Melbourne, AU @ Prince Ballroom
02/25 – Adelaide, AU @ Rocket Bar
02/26 – Perth, AU @ Perth International Arts Festival
02/29 – Gold Coast, AU @ Neverland Bar
03/01 – Brisbane, AU @ Woodland
03/02 – Sydney, AU @ The Standard
03/03 – Wisemans Ferry, AU @ Playground Weekender
03/07 – New York, NY @ MoMA
03/08 – Richmond, VA @ The National #
03/09 – Knoxville, TN @ Square Room #
03/10 – Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge #
03/11 – Little Rock, AR @ Revolution #
03/13 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater #
03/17 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues #
03/19 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade #
03/20 – Athens, GA @ 40 Watt Club #
03/21 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle #
03/22 – Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
04/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
04/04 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
04/05 – Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop
04/06 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
04/09 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird
04/10 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
04/12 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom
04/24 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
04/26 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
04/27 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos
04/28 – Vancouver, BC @ Venue
04/30 – Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room
05/01 – Calgary, AB @ The Republik
05/03 – Winnipeg, MB @ Pyramid Cabaret
05/04 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
05/05 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
05/06 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
05/08 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
05/10 – Montreal, QC @ Cabaret
05/11 – Boston, MA @ Paradise
05/12 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
05/30-06/03 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
06/07-10 – Lisbon, PT @ Optimus Primavera Sound

* = w/ The Flaming Lips
^ = w/ Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band
# = w/ Purity Ring

“Polish Girl”:

The EP’s central hook is the collaborations it contains, but disappointingly, they’re collaborations only in a technical sense. (together) features appearances by Bear in Heaven, Neon Indian, and Nicole Atkins, but rather than come up with something new together, they’ve been invited to jam along in the studio on some cuts from Burst Apart. The best of the lot, “Rolled Together (with Neon Indian)” has already been making the rounds for the past six months (and this spring’s The Flaming Lips/Neon Indian EP, in which the two came up with some original jams, is how these things should be done). Nicole Atkins’ voice, as pretty as ever, adds little to “Hounds”, while Bear in Heaven’s 18-minute riff on “Parentheses” is just tedious. These versions aren’t entirely worse than the originals; the overwhelming feeling here is that they’re just inessential.

Additional tracks are remixes and outtakes of previously-released songs, curiosities that I’m not sure anyone was all that curious about. One new recording, a cover of The xx’s “VCR”, is nice to have. B-side “Tongue Tied” is here if you didn’t already get it in the iTunes version of the last record, so there’s also that.

(together) would have made more sense as a second disc in a deluxe version of Burst Apart, where uber-fans who needed variations on the songs would’ve thought nothing of taking the extra plunge. Unfortunately, as a separate release, it just doesn’t have the legs to stand on its own.

Essential Songs: “VCR (The xx cover)”

Lots of performance-based music videos catch the band rocking out to a full crowd, with glimpses of an adoring public eating up every second of it. But Neon Indian‘s music video for “Hex Girlfriend” (which is a part of the For No One performance series) offers a microscopic view of the Texas collective. With close-ups of the band from a gig at Chicago’s Lincoln Theater, we get the dynamic twisting of knobs and the highly intimate view of fog emanating from a machine. If you’ve ever wondered the tiniest, most insignificant details of how the band does what they do live, check it out below (via NPR’s All Songs Considered).

Neon Indian’s latest album, Era Extraña, is out now.

The renowned Primavera Sound music festival will return to Barcelona, Spain from May 3oth to June 3rd, 2012. Today, the festival revealed a portion of next year’s lineup and leading the way are two of alternative music’s most iconic names: Björk and Neutral Milk Hotel’s Jeff Mangum.

Other early confirmations include Guided By Voices, the newly reunited Codeine, Yo La Tengo, Neon Indian, and Other Lives. The rest of Primavera Sound’s 2012 lineup will be revealed in the weeks and months ahead, and you can stay up to date on all the latest lineup news and rumors at our Festival Outlook.

Festival passes are priced at 160 € (plus booking fees) and are now available through the festival’s website.

In addition to Primavera Sound, festival organizers are presenting two other multi-day events. The sixth annual Primavera Club will take place in Madrid and Barcelona later this month, while the inaugural Optimus Primavera Sound – which will feature many of the same acts as its Barcelona counterpart — will come to Porto, Portugal in June, 2012.

But food bonds us. It’s the one thing that anyone can agree upon (anorexics, religious fanatics excluded): We gotta eat. And with a weekend party like Moogfest, which essentially strangles the town for three long nights, the overall community of food is an integral facet of the experience. Thousands of festivalgoers wander from bar to club, pub to grill, food truck to kiosk, all with hungry hearts and a myriad of stories.

Similar to SXSW, Moogfest is a community experience. You’re not trapped in one area; you’re wandering around at free will. However, unlike the Austin clusterfuck of entertainment, Moogfest hardly gets chaotic. The walks between the Asheville Civic Center and the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium slightly mirror scenes in Titanic, but you never feel like a flood’s coming. It’s so lax. For a festival awash in electronica, the crowd is sensibly tame. “Do you know where my friend Lucy is?” sounds far less jarring than  ”Yo, you got any blow?”

People are good here. That’s never the case. Anywhere. Through cultural elements like food and music, Moogfest continues to champion the finer things of Asheville, while cultivating this sense that creation can still be possible through strictly the mind. Even if you’re running your fingers over dozens of plastic nobs that make woo woo noises.

-Michael Roffman
President/Editor-in-Chief

Thursday, October 27th

Prior to the weekend’s festivities, Tobacco played host to hundreds of festivalgoers at the newly minted Asheville Music Hall – which remained at capacity throughout the festival. As part of Consequence of Sound‘s 2nd Annual Moogfest Pre-Party, those in attendance made it no secret that they were primed for a weekend heavy in electronic music. Starved were the fans of the delightful east coast town.

Gallery by Cap Blackard

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Friday, October 28th

Matthew Dear – Animoog Playground – 5:15 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

Due to some hotel snafus, I arrived at Moogfest’s first show of the weekend when Matthew Dear and his band were already in full swing – leather pants and all. With a bassist, a drummer, and a trumpet player for support, Dear was repeatedly belting out, “I don’t care ‘bout you anymore” – from his song “Tide” – and it was the kind of line that sucks you in even if you’ve never heard the song before. “Slowdance” was next, bringing down the mood from the fast-paced techno of the song before, but then the heavy beats picked right back up with “You Put a Smell on Me”. Dear & his gang did everything they could to get the crowd moving on a cold and rainy afternoon, an impossible task for some, but in spite of it all, there was dancing abound. Closing out the set with “Little People (Black City)”, I walked away from the set thinking that even under less than ideal conditions, this was the perfect kickoff to a fantastic weekend. -Carson O’Shoney

Beak> – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium – 6:30 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

There’s a moment in college, sometime after you first drop your shit off in your dorm, when you meet “the cool music guys.” Usually there are like two or three of ‘em, holed up in the corner room of the hall, typically fucking around with some guitar, keyboard, four-track players, etc. One of ‘em passionately aches to be experimental; you lick it up. UK trio Beak> echoes this to a tee. During their early set at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, Geoff Barrow (yes, the Geoff Barrow), Billy Fuller, and Matt Williams acted less like professional musicians and more like casual music scholars. They sat, they strummed, they fiddled, and they kept to themselves. At one point in the set, Barrow tripped on the beat for the paranoid walker “Pill”, to which he tossed his drumsticks behind him and shrugged it off. So nonchalant, so chill. At that moment, one had to think, Damn, I wonder if they wanna get drinks after this. -Michael Roffman

Mayer Hawthorne & County – Animoog Playground – 6:30 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

How adorbs is Mayer Hawthorne? Hawthorne champions his underdog hometown of Detroit seemingly every chance he gets, paying tribute to its classic soul sound with his band The County, kicking out the Motown jams (a dash of Stax in there too) with ease and poise. He can even get a party going in a rainy, cold parking lot, which is what the Animoog Playground was reduced to early Friday evening. “Don’t laugh if any one of us falls onstage, man,” he said. “Shit is treacherous.” Mayer also made sure to specifically mention, again, that he was from Detroit and rainy parking lots were kind of the norm for him. Fair enough. But by the time he directed the audience to make raindrop hand motions on “I Wish It Would Rain”, it felt kind of magical. How can you not love this guy? -Paul de Revere

The Antlers - Asheville Civic Center Arena – 7:30 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

Somebody only familiar with Hospice may have thought The Antlers to be a bit out of place at Moogfest, but the expansive sound of sophomore follow-up Burst Apart and the even more elaborate live show certainly converted any skeptics. Somber “Atrophy” from Hospice snuck its way into the set list, but the rest of their time was spent creating completely mesmerizing renditions of Burst Apart‘s highlights – including a stunning version of “Rolled Together” and the one-two punch of closers “Coriscana” and “Putting the Dog to Sleep”. Peter Silberman’s soaring falsetto was pitch-perfect, complimented phenomenally by a tight performance from the rest of the band, a surprising vocal triumph by their touring keyboardist, and a dazzling light show, all adding up to an incredible way to pull down the night. -Caitlin Meyer

Atlas Sound – Orange Peel – 7:30 p.m.

Photo by Catherine Watkins

“Welcome to Moogfest! I mean… Mougefest,” Atlas Sound‘s Bradford Cox exclaimed while taking the stage at the Orange Peel. Apparently everyone gets confused with the name of the festival. However, there was no confusion about how humbled Cox was to be there. Claiming Bob Moog as a personal hero, the Deerhunter frontman spared no time crafting a series of loops that lead straight to an adhesive wall of sound. From there, he transitioned from one cut to the next, with most of the material stripped from Atlas Sound’s forthcoming LP, Parallax.

Amidst the set, Cox performed his more acoustic material, sometimes at risk of the crowd’s interest, who were only interested in the louder material, at least judging from all the chatter over slower songs like “Terra Incognito” and “Amplifiers”. Despite this, Cox mastered Parallax’s lush sound live – especially during highlights like “Te Amo” and “Parallax”. That same ethos held up even when he played tracks off Logos. “Walkabout” became an acoustic song complete with harmonica. All in all, a solid performance that proved Cox doesn’t need the rest of his Deerhunter bandmates to enthrall a live audience. -Carson O’Shoney

Tangerine Dream – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium – 8:00 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

It’s probably a good start (to the weekend, the year, your brand, what have you) when legendary electronic music pioneer Edgar Froese calls your weekend getaway “one of the best prog fests on the planet right now.” Sort of a big deal. But, then again, so was an appearance by Tangerine Dream. One of a few exclusives at Moogfest this year, the German electronic outfit were allotted a whopping two hours, which they bled dry with an endless stream of synth puzzles. Their stage setup shared many qualities with the flight deck of the USS Enterprise; Froese and Thorsten Quaeschning fiddled about at their stations, while guitarist Bernhard Beibl spun an intricate web of guitar nearby, supported by multi-instrumentalist Linda Spa and drummer Iris Camaa.

Given that the electronic prodigies have 116 studio and live albums to date, it’s a little more than difficult to pinpoint any specific tracks. However, a few did come to mind: the dueling synths of “Carmel Calif”, the running ambiance of “Serpent Magique”, and the blushing fretwork on “Hunter Shot by a Yellow Rabbit”. Precise is too loose a term to ascribe to the band, though it’s accurate. Not once in the two hours did they falter, quake, or shuffle. Slumped over their work, Froese and Quaeschning unplugged from reality and escaped into, hell, who knows where. Adjacent to them, Beibl successfully culled all the right sounds out of the guitar, always with a smile, while Spa switched between a mellotron, tenor sax, alto sax, and more. Not be left out, Camaa beat the hell out of the drums… and with neon drumsticks to boot. Very cool.

Photo by Cap Blackard

Yet also classy. In addition to his support for the festival, Froese also reminded the audience to never forget Bob Moog, a man who “wasn’t just a technician, but a philosopher and visionary.” Admittedly, not everyone made it ’til the end of their exhausting journey to hear that, but those who stuck around applauded soundly. Now, Tangerine Dream didn’t necessarily set a high watermark performance-wise, but what they did do was further underline the unique ideology behind Moogfest. That’s just priceless. -Michael Roffman

Chromeo – Animoog Playground – 9:30 p.m.

Photo by Caitlin Meyer

If there’s one thing that Chromeo is better at than creating baby-making, electro-funk bliss, it’s performing it live. Despite the stage being outside, with heavy rain and temperatures in the 40′s, Dave 1 and P-Thugg were on their A-game. From the onset of “Fancy Footwork” to the banging rendition of “When the Night Falls” and everybody’s favorite, “Needy Girl”, the set flew by in flashes of strobe lights and grooving bass lines. Fighting numb fingers and wet equipment, Dave 1′s vocal and guitar performances were spot-on, and he made sure to keep a positive attitude, with corny jokes (“If today were Halloween, I’d be Business Casual“) and outbursts such as “Dancing will keep you warm!” in the middle of “Momma’s Boy”. The crowd more than heeded his advice – leading to a myriad of demonstrations of fancy footwork and, more likely than not, some “Bonafied Lovin’”. -Caitlin Meyer

The Field – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium – 10:30 p.m.

Photo by Catherine Watkins

Anyone who didn’t sneak a nap in during The Field‘s set at the cozy Thomas Wolfe Auditorium is crazy. Those seats are so comfortable! And The Field is so lulling and repetitive, even with its human touches on drum kit and bass guitar with the Swedish, Kompakt-endorsed producer Axel Willner. Willner and company mined grooves for essentially as long as humanly possible, upwards of 10 or 12 minutes, before doling out a serious payoff groove for anyone who stuck with them. And for real, those killer grooves will wake you up. Sure, The Field is best as background music, but Willner and company’s massaging bass and light show (one of the best of the weekend, btw) should keep you interested. If not, stick with it. It’s worth it. -Paul de Revere

Moby – Asheville Civic Center Arena – 10:30 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

“She is really good,” a cute, Teletubby-dressed festivalgoer remarked, while singer Inyang Bassey belted out the main vocals on a reworked, stripped-down version of Moby‘s “In This World”. She’s right: Bassey is really good; in fact, she’s downright invigorating. Stomping about the stage with police-like authority, Bassey doesn’t just sing on Moby’s tracks, she owns them. Whether it’s the soulful surf on “In My Heart” or the corner blues crooning on “Flower”, Bassey has ingrained herself into the eclectic vegan’s work.

But, Moby’s no slouch, either. Having performed as a DJ for the past year and having convinced everyone on record that he was Destroyed, the descendant of Herman Melville let the costumed souls in Asheville know one thing: He’s a headliner, goddammit. From the start, he breathlessly knocked out hit after hit – excusing himself of any recent material, save for a remix of the always-depressing-yet-hey-it’s-also-hard-hitting “Shot in the Back of the Head” – cutting his fingers (he’s a pretty sweet guitarist, folks) on favorites like “Natural Blues”, “We Are All Made of Stars”, “Bodyrock”, and “Southside”. Thousands of spectators responded with delight when he dedicated “Porcelain” to the city, while others went all Matt Damon during “Extreme Ways”.

Photo by Cap Blackard

Towards the end, following a dance-friendly cut of “Raining Again” into club-ready anthem “Feeling So Real”, Moby took off his shirt, stood on an amplifier, and ran through an early performance piece of his he hadn’t done in the U.S. for over 12 years (“Thousand”). For a moment, it felt like he was going to dive right into the crowd. He could have. He drew one of the most dedicated and powerful audiences of the night. But, much like the performance itself, he surprised us and stepped down, offering an ample thanks. Always modest, he probably didn’t realize he just finished one of the most-talked-about sets of the weekend. -Michael Roffman

Zomby - Orange Peel – 11:00 p.m.

Photo by Caitlin Meyer

Taking the stage a few minutes late to a capable crowd at the Orange Peel, Zomby accomplished the impossible: making dancing to Soulja Boy fun.The crowd who started the night nearly hypothermic from the pouring rain outside quickly warmed up to the entrancing beats and visuals. It’s a shame the man behind the mask wasn’t as enjoyable as his music. The producer, in the course of his set, threw a miniature tantrum at the light crew for not blacking out the stage, blatantly walked away from his computer to smoke, and never uttered a word to the audience. But, hey, at least unlike the ATP show, he actually showed up this time. The music nearly redeemed the attitude, fortunately, as his genre-bending tunes created a solid, hour-long set that included some brief, dirty dubstep, highlights from Where Were U in ’92?, and a particularly well-received version of Dedication’s “Natalia’s Song”. -Caitlin Meyer

Flying Lotus – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium – 12:00 a.m.

Photo by Caitlin Meyer

After Moby, everybody had the same idea: Let’s run to Flying Lotus. Unfortunately, the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium had already hit capacity to the dismay of hundreds of costumed fans, but for those who did make it in, Steven Ellison, aka Flying Lotus, made a solid case for show of the weekend… and it was only Friday. Seamlessly intertwining everything from Tyler, The Creator’s “Yonkers” to Erykah Badu to a comprehensive sampling of his discography, Ellison’s 75-minute set went by with a blink of an eye. The music paired alongside an impeccable light show and frequent, friendly crowd interaction left even the harshest critic with no option but to love the show – and a show it was, definitively proving that a DJ set does not have to, and should not, be limited to a guy standing behind a computer. -Caitlin Meyer

TV on the Radio – Asheville Civic Center Arena – 12:30 a.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

It’s always hard to pin down exactly what makes a band like TV on the Radio a) a future timeless act, a crown jewel of the Williamsburg-era indie scene that spawned it and b) able to fit in at Pitchfork Festival, Virgin Mobile Free Fest, and at Moogfest without seeming at all out of place. You’re only left with the conclusion that TVotR is a band for all seasons and pretty much all crowds. The band is on a major label but made of serious artists with side projects (even a minor acting career, with regards to Tunde Adebimpe). It’s a fairly large band with more than a few members, but they sound like a lean unit together.

Photo by Cap Blackard

It’s why roaring set opener “Halfway Home” seems grand (it’s ostensibly about longing and distance) but sounds precise and fierce like a charging dragon. It’s why TV on the Radio can rock it with horns and guitar/bass arrangements on “Red Dress” and then get down, dirty, and friendly with EDM heads with squats and squirts of bassy noise on “New Cannonball Blues”. Adebimpe can croon, Kyp Malone can wail, and Dave Sitek can make noise, and it all just blends into a perfect song, but you’re still missing something: the band’s X factor. Let’s venture to say the band has a humanity and an adaptive dynamism, switching gears and pumping out tunes like no one’s business, churning out one of the best sets of the weekend. -Paul de Revere

Araabmuzik – Asheville Music Hall – 01:30 a.m.

Here’s a bit of irony that mostly gear nerds will chuckle at: Araabmuzik is known (rightfully so) as a giant on the Music Production Center sample and drum pads. “The MVP of the MPC,” if you will. But the MPC is made by AKAI and not Moog. Oh, that’s rich! Go on! It’s all love, though, because the talents of Araab (one Abraham Orellana) cannot be denied and were among the finest of the Moogfest weekend. To gawk at the diminutive, blinged-out Orellana play live (that watch, those earrings!), it’s dubious that a guy stuck behind an EQ board for Dipset for years could have a successful niche solo career pressing buttons really fast. That’s reductive, but it’s kind of Moogfest in a nutshell. It’s about craft and sheer talent at this festival.

So, maybe that’s why Orellana’s set late Friday/early Saturday only brushed up against his killer “Electronic Dream” material, his vamping on subtle sounds of dubstep wobble and dark witch house rumble, all played on the MPC manually. It looked like the machine was going to explode. Unfortunately, the crowd lined up almost around the block from Asheville Music Hall trying to get a look at Araab’s fast fingers had no such consolation, just rainy, wet streets that night. But they could at least take consolation that Araab provided them a perfect soundtrack for wet, dark city streets, like a Burial for American rap: distant, echoed, and just a little melancholy. But bangin’, dude. Just bangin’. -Paul de Revere

Saturday, October 29th

Brian Eno – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium – 2:00 p.m.

Even with all the dancing, partying, and debauchery, Moogfest remains a more intellectually minded festival. Case in point: For two hours, Brian Eno took us to school. The Thomas Wolfe Auditorium hosted Eno’s “Illustrated Talk”, a separately ticketed event within Moogfest, in which the renaissance artist delivered a lecture the equivalent of seven or so TED Talks smashed into one another. Or, as he put it, “a circuitous look” at things he’d been thinking about over the years as told by “Rambling Jack Eno” – everything from Copernicus, to cybernetics, to how choosing a haircut is the equivalent of choosing a point in a multidimensional space.

With an uncanny itinerary of points to touch on, Eno started at the most approachable point possible: music. He discussed the beginnings of his fascination with experimental music, starting with fellow Moogfest ’11 alum Terry Riley and Steve Reich. Though the subject matter often turned lofty, Eno kept things consistently light with self-aware anecdotes and hilarious asides, including his shamefully ugly debut image of 77 Million Paintings in Sidney and how adult online image galleries are a window into human creativity. Ultimately, Eno’s talk was a message on how art and music have changed culture and how human culture hinges on the dichotomy between control and surrender. Eno’s latest piece, 77 Million Paintings (now actually 100 million³ paintings), is an ever-changing audio-visual installation all about surrendering – both surrendering control as an artist and the viewer surrendering to the experience. To say that there’s a lot on the man’s mind would be an understatement.

Everyone left the auditorium heads buzzing with new ideas, new information, and hopefully some inspiration. One thing’s for sure. If every college seminar was this engrossing, we’d have never missed a class.

77 Million Paintings is open to the public at the YMI Cultural Center in Asheville, NC, November 2nd-30th. -Cap Blackard

Photo by Joseph F. Carney III // Courtesy of Moogfest

Hans-Joachim Roedelius - Diana Wortham Theatre – 5:00 p.m.

“Brian Eno is celebrating his 77 Million Paintings… but today, I’m celebrating my 77th birthday,” Hans-Joachim Roedelius stated prior to performing. The crowd, who were already giving him a big applause for walking onstage, cheered louder at the news. After all, it’s not every day that you get to see a legendary 77-year-old German experimentalist.

He didn’t blow out any candles; instead, he flicked on the sounds of a radio blaring Jimi Hendrix’s “Star Spangled Banner”, followed by a couple minutes of classical music. When the radio dimmed down, all that was left was Roedelius and his ambient music. Falling somewhere between Eno and Basinski, his music was so quiet and subtle that you could hear any and every noise being made in the audience – from camera shutters to simply movement in one’s seat.

Thankfully, the audience was cordial – especially for a festival – and no one spoke a word. The air in the Diana Wortham Theatre remained still and silent. With the opening composition lasting around 45 minutes, it finally ended with the radio once again blaring – this time with Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”. As soon as everything stopped, Roedelius shouted, “It was my birthday gift to you!” He received a standing ovation for which he seemed genuinely humbled and delighted. As he sat down to play his last song,“One more, a lullaby”, the crowd sang happy birthday to him. It was as cute a moment as you’ll ever see at a festival, and Roedelius looked overjoyed. And so, he played his final lullaby, a gorgeous piano piece, and got another standing O as he walked offstage. It was one of the most respectful and grateful crowds a festival could ever get, and the set was that much better for it. -Carson O’Shoney

Photo by Catherine Watkins.

Dan Deacon – Animoog Playground – 5:30 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

It’s hard to watch a Dan Deacon gig, but it’s easy to experience. Does that make sense? In other words, you’re not really paying much attention to the music. You’re not. Watching the electronic guru – or, at least trying to (he moves around a bunch) – recalls the hyper intensive Saturday mornings spent absorbing cartoons and commercials. You’re frantically moving about, you’re looking around wildly, and you’re flailing your hands in the air. (Okay, so maybe your Saturday mornings were different. Whatever.) For his second performance at Moogfest – he performed last year at the Asheville Civic Center Arena – Deacon brought his comedic antics outside to the Animoog Playground. It was pretty chilly outdoors, an irritating condition Deacon humorously blamed on the government. He offered plenty of cuts from his back catalogue, including those off 2009′s Bromst, all of which sound-tracked a variety of activities, including a chaotic dance-off which took place within a giant circle amongst the crowd (orchestrated by Deacon, no less). What we learned: Deacon knows no limits. Someone should hug him for that – again and again. -Michael Roffman

SBTRKT – Asheville Civic Center Arena – 6:30 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

SBTRKT didn’t deliver the day’s most devastating bass in the Asheville Civic Center (that would belong to Amon Tobin’s intense ISAM experience later on), but damn if it didn’t shake a few dozen folks’ guts in front. The British duo had the responsibility of kicking off Saturday at the Civic Center Arena after YACHT’s cancellation hours before. So SBTRKT responded with sleek beats and, well, awesome-looking tribal masks. It’s a cool but inconsequential look, hardly the craziest one on a stage that weekend, not mattering much to the danceable melancholy of “Hold On”, featuring vocalist Sampha, who’s paired with SBTRKT for his current tour. “You’re giving me the coldest stare,” he sang. “Like you don’t even know I’m there.” Things got more upbeat quickly, with the commercial-licensing-in-waiting instrumental “Ready Set Loop”, with an enchanting, constant winding of trebled-out synth, with a tone not out of place in a Basement Jaxx banger. Only SBTRKT uses it in an almost down-tempo format. Oh, you wanted a hit? Well, SBTRKT kind of really does hits: “Wildfire”. It bears out its lean groove in a live setting as well as it does on record. It’s a strong contender for one of the best songs of the year and one of the best drops/crowd reactions of the weekend. Like its bass, SBTRKT’s music was strong throughout but not imposing. It was just right to start off the evening. -Paul de Revere

Crystal Castles - Animoog Playground – 7:00 p.m.

Following the spectacle that is Dan Deacon is no easy task, but Toronto’s Crystal Castles were more than up to it. Storming the stage to an onslaught of strobes and red lights, vocalist Alice Glass proved to be the real show of the evening – with an ever-present handle of Jack Daniels inspiring ridiculous things like spitting whiskey on the crowd and frequent stage diving. Though the stage presence was unparalleled, the mixing fully washed out Glass’s vocals by the middle of the almost uncomfortably loud set. “Not in Love” and “Crimewave” were still discernible in the messy mix of synth and bass, to great crowd reception of continued violent dancing. At the end of the day, with the mix of lights, throbbing bass, and Glass’s ridiculous antics, it didn’t really end up mattering if the sound wasn’t perfect because both the band and the audience were on a completely different plane. -Caitlin Meyer

Adrian Belew Power Trio – Diana Wortham Theatre – 8:00 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

Here’s how forward-thinking Moogfest is: A progressive rock hero like Adrian Belew had among the most conventional performances at the festival, all things considered. Keep in mind that Belew used loop pedals, processed his guitar through a MacBook to make it sound like a percussively clipped baby grand piano, and soloed using his whammy bar more than ever thought possible (especially on the King Crimson selection he unsheathed, “Neurotica”). His rotating cast of trio members (cumulatively, it was more of a quin- or sextet) kept things fresh, providing some much-needed fresh arms (wrists, fingers) in the midst of what can only be described as stamina-testing, spastic rock. But, man, it was funky! Even if it was long-winded. Belew has still got it, and as backlit stage lights projected his drummers’ movements onto the Diana Wortham Theater wall, he casts a large shadow. -Paul de Revere

The Flaming Lips – Animoog Playground – 8:30 p.m.

Photo by Catherine Watkins

By now, you know what you’re getting with a Flaming Lips show. Even if you’ve never seen them, Wayne Coyne goes ahead and tells you before the show that he’s going to “get in the space bubble.” He shoots off a precautionary blast of streamers and confetti. They start pumping the balloons side stage. The video screens start flashing. When they finally take the stage, you’re fully aware of being bombarded with an overload of confetti, giant balloons, lights, lasers, dancers and smoke. And yet, it’s easy to get swept up in the spectacle as soon as you see Coyne walking over the crowd in his space bubble. Moogfest was the latest stop on their quest to play every festival ever known to man, and Coyne was acutely aware of his surroundings. “This is the coolest festival we’ve ever played,” he observed, and having seen them at multiple festivals, I can attest to the fact that he doesn’t just say that wherever he is. He seemed genuinely gleeful about playing Moogfest – he said that if this was someone’s first festival they might as well not bother with any others because nothing could top this.

Photo by Catherine Watkins

Where the Flaming Lips used make an entrance out of a spaceship, they now enter the stage through a door in the video screens. Of course, they set the video up so that they’re walking out of a glowing vagina – about par for the course when it comes to the Lips. The entirety of the first two or three songs was supplemented by videos of various naked women prancing about – a treat for the dozens of people watching from their windows in the hotel behind the stage I’m sure. On the cusp of releasing a 24-hour long song, the Lips played a mostly standard set, filled with mainstays like “She Don’t Use Jelly” & “The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song”. The giant hands that Coyne has been busting out for years now have lasers in them, which made for an extraordinary display when he shone them on the giant disco ball above the stage. Perhaps inspired by the spirit of Robert Moog (which Coyne said they were trying to conjure during their set), Steven Drozd broke out his iPad for a solo played on Moog’s new app. All in all, the Lips’ set at Moogfest wasn’t much different than any other, and that’s perfectly fine with them. They always say their shows are for people who have never seen them before – and for them, surely there wasn’t a more delightful and joyous set all weekend. -Carson O’Shoney

Toro y Moi – Orange Peel – 9:30 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

With an hour and some change to work with, Toro y Moi‘s Chazwick Bundick evolved the energy left behind by Twin Shadow an hour earlier and kept Saturday night alive. Maybe it’s just the songs off his latest LP, Underneath the Pine, or possibly his taut, fiesta-ready EP, Freaking Out, but Bundick feels more assured these days. Gone is the quiet electrician who stood alone tweaking the “chillwave” anthems that hipsters pined for everywhere in early 2010. Instead, there’s a courageous auteur of electronic pop, surrounded by an engaging live band. It’s made all the difference, too. Tracks like the disco fusion clambake “New Beat” or the playful and decadent “All Alone” served as inviting ringers that attracted more and more fans at the Orange Peel. It took awhile for the crowd to really start dancing – then again, it doesn’t help when there’s someone checking your wristband every five minutes – but a third of the way through, you’d be remiss to call it anything but a swingin’ party. Boys got drunk, girls got flirty, and one scandalous couple treated the wooden dance floor like their bedroom. It’s okay, though: Bundick’s from South Carolina. He’s quite familiar with his northern neighbors. Nothing but love, baby. -Michael Roffman

Amon Tobin – Asheville Civic Center Arena – 10:15 p.m.

As I walked into the Asheville Civic Center a few minutes before Amon Tobin was to go on, I was expecting to see his big setup already there and waiting. Yet the stage was empty, and the curtains in the back were deep into the stage. They eventually opened to reveal Tobin’s crazy ISAM setup, but it was so far back in the stage that it felt disconnected from the audience. Regardless, the setup was impressive, and there’s no way words can do justice to its visuals.

Obviously, word had leaked of this insane ISAM experience, and people arrived in droves. The spectacle packed more attendees than any other show of the weekend. The visuals were perfectly in tune to the music, sometimes adding a whole different layer to the beats; at times it seemed like the visuals came first and he made the music to match what was happening. Whether it was metal pistons firing or a spaceship seemingly being constructed, it made for a delicious visual treat. Astral memories aside, no festivalgoer will listen to the album the same ever again – and that’s the mark of a great performance. -Carson O’Shoney

Photo by Catherine Watkins

St. Vincent - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium – 10:45 p.m.

Photo by Caitlin Meyer

The last time I saw Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent, was an accident – when she opened at a small club show in 2007. The set consisted of her juggling about four instruments, coyly singing, and shyly disappearing after the set. Needless to say, as she skipped to the front of the huge stage with a full band, seeing the progression was magical. The set blasted through Strange Mercy with “Cheerleader”, “Cruel”, and “Chloe in the Afternoon” and made sure not to forget favorites from Actor like “Save Me From What I Want” and “Actor Out of Work”. Clark’s guitar work and vocals were pitch-perfect, and her personality was just as mesmerizing as her musical talent. She doled out funny pop culture lessons (requiring a viewing of Chloe in the Afternoon), detailed her new music video, and responded graciously to all of the “Annie! Marry me!” yells, making for a truly memorable show. -Caitlin Meyer

Suicide – Orange Peel – 11:30 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

A rare opportunity. Pretty much all the convincing one needed to catch New York City’s cult No Wave outfit Suicide. Performing their landmark 1977 self-titled debut, vocalist Alan Vega and Martin Rev had only seven tracks to deliver. Seven tracks! Granted, one of those said tracks oozes past the 10-minute mark (“Frankie Teardrop”), but still…

At first glance, Vega and Rev offer plenty of fodder for cynics and futurists or those who feel the past belongs in the past. For one, Vega is 72 years old, and he looks it. Despite the black hat and thick shades, he couldn’t hide what time’s done to him physically – or vocally, for that matter. While Rev assembled the warbled fuzz behind tracks like “Ghost Rider” and “Johnny” (and to perfection, no less), Vega barked and squealed in a manner not quite akin to that of the classic LP. Sure, the group’s work has always been an erratic landscape, but gone was the haunting finesse. Instead, it felt like musical Tourette’s.

Photo by Cap Blackard

There’s a fitting passage in Simon Reynold’s exceptional book Retromania: Pop Culture’s Addiction to Its Own Past where reunions are discussed at great length. He cites Blast First label head Paul Smith, writing, “For Smith, reunions are valid both in terms of doing justice to a band’s importance in the history of music, and as a reward for an artist who most likely laboured hard for minimal financial payback. He feels that reformations can be done well or done badly.” Well, given that Smith had a hand in bringing back Suicide to the spotlight, he’d probably argue the reunion was done well. He’d be right – sort of. There’s no denying that hearing “Frankie Teardrop” in all its paranoid glory will stick in many a festivalgoer’s head for years and years to come. However, there are a slew of images now associated with the music that were never there before. A slumped over Rev, for one. In addition to a restless, bitter-looking Vega, who at one point shouted, “For Christ’s sake, what the fuck is happening…?” Good question, though not quite sure on the answer yet. -Michael Roffman

STS9 - Asheville Civic Center Arena – 12:00 a.m.

Photo by Caitlin Meyer

After a demanding day spent in the cold outside, the idea of intense dancing for two hours was less than appealing. Fortunately for what was one of the biggest crowds of the weekend, quintet STS9 was a second burst of life. Focusing the majority of the time on newer material, namely the When the Dust Settles EP, extended versions of “Scheme” and “When the Dust Settles” were early highlights. As the light boxes shifted from wild patterns to swirling green smoke and lights (not to mention the scandalous silhouettes of the ribbon dancers in the upper deck), even if somebody didn’t want to dance, the multi-sensory experience was completely captivating. Though the middle of the show got a little repetitive for the casual fan, STS9′s time onstage felt prematurely truncated at two and cries for extended playing were left unanswered. -Caitlin Meyer

Battles – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium – 12:45 a.m.

Photo by Caitlin Meyer

Despite a lukewarm start and an entertaining lack of people skills, Battles grew into one of the weekend’s undeniably best sets. As the trio settled in, the songs so meticulously recorded came to life and a previously unseen depth. Pair the incessant flashes of orange and yellow light with the hour-plus long onslaught of the best hybrid of experimental and math rock imaginable, artfully filmed videos of the featured vocalists singing their parts incorporated accordingly and a set list full to the brim of crowd favorites (namely, “Ice Cream”, “Atlas”, “Futura”) and that maybe adds up to about half of the unbelievable energy in the room. The experience was unparalleled, their live show as tight, dance-inducing and hypnotic as some of the weekend’s best DJs. -Caitlin Meyer

Kode9  - Orange Peel – 1:00 a.m.

Photo by Catherine Watkins

These days, most people become aware of Kode9 through Burial. While he doesn’t ever appear in public, he’s arguably the most prominent figure on Hyperdub, the UK label run by Kode9 himself. So, after Suicide performed at the Orange Peel, it wasn’t surprising that plenty of people who stuck around were asking: “So, who’s this next guy?” It didn’t matter, though. Minutes into the performance, the entire crowd was dancing. With ease, Kode9 made Hyperdub’s presence known at Moogfest, wearing a shirt with the label’s distinctive “HD” logo on it and having surrounding visuals revolve around the same logo. Whether it was the spectacle or the music, he did what a good DJ does best: He disappeared. Everyone was too busy dancing their asses off, and if they needed something to look at, Kode9 provided some hilarious, mostly trippy visuals, where everything from That 70′s Show to Chuck Norris shared some screen time. Anywhere else, a show at one in the morning could be a drag, but at Moogfest, the energy stays high till the wee hours of the morning, and Kode9’s set was a perfect example of just how crazy the crowds can get in Asheville. -Carson O’Shoney

Sunday, October 30th

Active Child – Asheville Civic Center Arena – 5:30 p.m.

Photo by Caitlin Meyer

How many people were onstage with Active Child’s Pat Grossi? Grossi is, and seems to serenely pride himself on being, a one-man band. And maybe there were two others on stage with him. Can’t be sure. (There were.) It seemed like most everyone getting into the music in the Asheville Civic Center Arena had their eyes closed to the serene, womb-like calm that Grossi and company emitted sonically, pulling heavily from this year’s wonderful You Are All I See with “Playing House” (Grossi took on How to Dress Well’s record verse) and the finisher, “Johnny Belinda”, which started easy and then came down like an avalanche, leveling everything.. On Twitter, Grossi said before he went onstage that his Moogfest performance was in the biggest venue he’s ever played. He may have seen a lot in front of him, but all most saw was the back of their eyelids, lost in the music. In other words, he is all we see. -Paul de Revere

M83 – Asheville Civic Center Arena – 6:30 p.m.

Have you ever experienced a concert with your entire body, thrashing around to pulsing bass and synthesizers, as if conducting live music via some sloppy form of judo? That’s what being possessed by M83 live is like: You will cry, you will be sore, and your soul might lift out of your fucking body. If the opening arpeggiations and whispers of “Intro” (“We didn’t need a story, we didn’t need a real world…”) aren’t enough to get you worked up into a spiritual ecstasy (or at least get a few chills up and down your neck), try a quick onstage appearance by the gentle, furry creature on the cover of Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. This is the kind of theatrical adrenaline rush that M83 offers. You are not ready. Surrender yourself.

Photo by Cap Blackard

Anthony Gonzalez and company (which included the lovely vocalist Morgan Kibby, who takes lead on more songs live than M83’s studio work might suggest) followed with the first three tracks of Dreaming: “Intro” (where Kibby did an eerily accurate mimicry of Zola Jesus), the maybe-single-of-the-year “Midnight City”, and the Rush-circa-“Subdivisions” rocker “Wait”. A greatest hits set list followed: “Teen Angst”, “We Own the Sky”, and Dreaming’s stellar “Steve McQueen”. It was one helluva first half of the set. Seriously, can anybody fuck with M83 when it comes to pure sonic majesty live? Maybe Sigur Ros, but it’d be foolish to pretend that Gonzalez and Jonsi Birgsson aren’t passively in a pretty-as-fuck music contest right now. And since Sigur Ros isn’t touring right now, M83 is winning. No joke, though, if you don’t see this band when they come through your city, you’re a goddamn fool. -Paul de Revere

Childish Gambino – Animoog Playground – 7:15 p.m.

For better or for worse, depending on your taste, rap was barely represented at Moogfest 2011. Sure, shades of the genre’s aggressive bass sound were everywhere, even being played as pre-show PA music at times. But only two acts that could be comfortably grouped as “rap” performed at Moogfest weekend: Araabmuzik, who had a hypeman, and the festival’s only actual rapper, Childish Gambino, who didn’t have one. Hell, he didn’t need one. #Swag was Gambino’s wingman, and he was the closest thing Moogfest got to an honest-to-goodness rap show.

There’s an indigence that must come with that: being American top 40’s most sonically progressive genre but having minimal representation at one of the world’s most progressive music festivals. If anyone was beset with that indigence on Moogfest weekend, it was Childish Gambino, actor Donald Glover’s rapper alter ego. And Gambino couldn’t have handled that swag better. The nerdy-voiced rapper smacked ‘em down (“‘em” being haters, white people, girls who broke his heart, and the nameless “you”) and was, needless to say, funny. Righteously funny.

Photo by Catherine Watkins

But mostly, Glover was swaggerific, presenting new material from the forthcoming Camp (“Bonfire,” “Do Ya Like”) with confidence and heart. “Why does everyone have a problem with talking stupid shit?/Or is it real shit?/‘Cause sometimes that stupid shit is real shit,” Glover rapped on “All the Shine”. As meta-conscious, self-examining, and self-deprecating as Gambino can be, his swag is unflappable. Dude’s got all the shine, and he killed the Animoog Playground’s penultimate set of the weekend. -Paul de Revere

Neon Indian – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium – 8:00 p.m.

Photo by Cap Blackard

After Sunday’s set in the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, anybody who characterizes Neon Indian as “chillwave” is just plain wrong, as Alan Palomo and company’s live show is anything but. Watching Era Extrana come to life with the full band was phenomenal, made even better by Palomo’s extremely dynamic performance. Even on the more laid-back tunes, all eyes were on him. From the starting tune “Terminally Chill” through old favorite “Deadbeat Summer” and new staple “Polish Girl”, Neon Indian, although having the unfortunate task of following M83, played with an energy and fervor that took me completely by surprise. Throwing in a surprise encore of “Should Have Taken Acid With You” that sparked huge enthusiasm from the crowd was the perfect way to end what ended up being a raging dance party. -Caitlin Meyer

Special Disco Version - Asheville Civic Center Arena – 8:30 p.m.

Photo by Catherine Watkins

Last year, LCD Soundsystem was #1 on many a wish list for Moogfest. It didn’t end up coming to fruition, and now that LCD has played their last show ever, it never will. However, this year Moogfest did bring in two of its members – frontman James Murphy and drummer Pat Mahoney – for a set as their DJ sideshow Special Disco Version. The crowd wasn’t huge – then again, nothing was on Sunday – but the LCD faithful showed up to dance. Firing up the disco ball from the beginning, Mahoney & Murphy spun plenty of old, deep, and groovy disco cuts. Their set was an actual DJ set – no computer, just two turntables, not even a microphone. Murphy, being the anal performer that he is, left the stage for about five minutes to attend to some issues at the sound booth in the middle of the arena floor. Once everything got straightened out, Murphy and Mahoney looked like they were having fun onstage, even if it wasn’t much to look at. Mostly one would be on the decks while the other just stood and watched. But what they lacked in stage presence was made up for with visuals and eventually ribbon dancers hanging from the ceiling. The mood was light and fun, and the crowd danced the whole time. Sometimes that’s all you need after a long weekend of dynamite shows. -Carson O’Shoney

Passion Pit – Animoog Playground – 9:00 p.m.

It’s been two-and-a-half years since Passion Pit released its debut album, Manners. But, it’s still a) one of the best LPs for use at the gym, b) very addicting, and c) pretty relevant. In a year that’s seen new releases by just about every face worthy of a glance within the synthpop genre, it makes sense that Moogfest would book the Cambridge heart-charmers. And not just for some bullshit DJ appearance, either. No, the real deal.

This includes the always self-deprecating Michael Angelakos, who came out in full force Sunday night. Unlike too many frontman today, Angelakos isn’t afraid to be a human being onstage. At the outdoor Animoog Playground, he couldn’t thank the audience enough for braving the chilly weather or Moogfest for booking them. (Does he realize his band draws favorably well? Probably not.) About two songs in, he paid attention to the photographers below, asking them if they were going to make him look fat, to which he quickly added, “I gained a few pounds.” In an oddball moment, he even put on some cat ears, stating, “I like this headband shit. I’m gonna try and make this official Passion Pit merchandise.” Just a funny guy.

Sonically, Passion Pit continues to exceed its peers. They’re just solid songwriters – from the beginning until now. Older tracks like Chunk of Change favorite “Smile Upon Me” dazzles just as much as radio/commercial/Hype Machine/Skins/BBC Sounds scorcher “Sleepyhead” does. This music affects the fans. During a rousing rendition of “The Reeling”, almost every shoe visited the air, as hundreds of fans jumped up and down in unison for a solid four minutes. That’s powerful. It doesn’t look like they’ll lose that flair anytime soon, either. While plenty will eye their sophomore LP with trepidation, the group knocked out two new cuts to ease the tension: a syrupy “American Blood” and another yet-to-be-titled affair that sounds slightly like M83. Both worked. When they strolled back out for their encore, Angelakos remarked with a boyish grin, “I think we were having too much fun to leave.” So were we. That’s why you gotta get that LP out and hit the road again, bro. -Michael Roffman

Ghostland Observatory – Asheville Civic Center  - 10:30 p.m.

Photo by Caitlin Meyer

Ghostland Observatory‘s Aaron Behrens and Thomas Turner were on an entirely other level for their time at the Civic Center. Between what was arguably the most intense (and difficult to photograph) light show of the weekend, the nearly schizophrenic onstage presence, and the impeccable technical performance, they were hard to beat. The audience almost had trouble keeping up with the demanding set list, touting “Piano Man”, “Miracle”, and a slamming rendition of “Sad, Sad City”, all of which added together to Bonnaroo-worthy amounts of sweat, the sweetest cathartic release, and guaranteed attendance at their next show in town. -Caitlin Meyer

Gold Panda – The Orange Peel – 11:30 p.m.

Photo by Caitlin Meyer

The Orange Peel hit capacity right before Gold Panda took the stage, the room abuzz with excitement for the last set of Moogfest. Nonchalantly taking his place at the center of the stage, he launched straight into an hour of eclectic dance bliss. Working in runaway crowd favorite “You” as the second song of the set raised the energy even more, complimented by appropriately mesmerizing visuals. Although at times it was hard to get into a groove, as the beats and tempos changed so erratically, extended versions of “Quitter’s Raga” and “Vanilla Minus” easily redeemed any shortcomings. The evening ended with a heavily British sincere thanks and the sad, sad realization that it was time for the drive home back to the real world – even more upsetting, coming down from such an enjoyable set. -Caitlin Meyer

The Culture of Moogfest 2011

Gallery by Cap Blackard, Caitlin Meyer, and Catherine Watkins

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Photo by Colin Athens

In between marijuana flavored gummy brains, gummy fetuses, real skulls, and 6-hour and 24-hour songs, The Flaming Lips’ weird-as-fuck 2011 output has also included high profile collaborations with the likes of Neon Indian, Lightning Bolt, and Prefuse 73. All of these collaborative tracks have made their way online (just click those links), but physical copies of the releases were limited to select record stores across the country. Now, though, Billboard reports that The Lips are planning to compile these collaborations, along with ones not yet recorded, for a upcoming Record Store Day 2012 release.

According to Lips frontman Wayne Coyne, the compilation will also include in-the-works collaborations with Death Cab For Cutie, Nick Cave, Ghostland Observatory, Cloudland Canyon, and maybe Lykke Li and Ke$ha, as well. “I am bound to the agreements we have with the other artists because we’re doing all of this as limited editions,” Coyne told Billboard. “They’re trusting us not just to sound cool but handle the music with special care.” Coyne also added that later in the year, most likely in October, a second compilation of the collaborations will be released.

Record Store Day 2012 is set for April 21st. Below, you can watch the video for The Flaming Lips and Lightning Bolt’s collaborative track, “I Wanna Get High But I Don’t Want Brain Damage”.

What’s up folks? Have a good week? Tomorrow it’s officially fall, aka the best season ever. It’s a time when the leaves change, the sun is out only 45% of the time, and that crisp autumn air pairs up with good new music to keep your head up. Here’s our weekly dose of the best visual content out there; who knows, you just might find your fall anthem in the pile.And don’t forget to SUBMIT your videos too. Always looking for more!

Bloodrop

This is by far one of the more interesting short films to have hit the web in awhile. Here, our protagonist lives a relatively crummy life; his apartment is small, cluttered, and vibrates every time the train drives by. But, eventually, he gets sucked into a picture on his wall, and goes inside to explore. We always hope to experience another world, assuming that the “grass is always greener”, but according to Bloodrop, there’s no place like home.

Cluster 1 Hangout – The Horrible Crowes

One of the best things about working with Cluster 1 is getting to meet some of the new artists out there. Right now, The Horrible Crowes are supporting their debut album Elsie, and our own Sami Jarroush had some time to “hang out” with the New Jersey rockers over in the Big Apple.

Delicate Cutters – “Warm Beer and Sympathy”

You wouldn’t think modern technology and Delicate Cutters go hand-in-hand. In fact, this video even looks like footage from either The Wonder Years, or a college film-roll. However, it was actually shot with an iPhone app. It’s 8mm and raw, but shot on a computer device that has more power than the NORAD system in War Games. I guess they really do have an app for everything.

EMA – “Marked”

In 2000, when American Beauty hit it HUGE at the Oscars, it symbolized that the Film Noir movement was far from over. EMA proves this further with their video for “Marked”. Full of deep shadows, distinct lighting, and plenty of black and white imagery, this video will capture your attention, no problem. As the song continues, more band members appear, and this is when everything gets interesting.

Fops – “Cheater Carolina”

Remember David Hasselhoff’s video for “Hooked on a Feeling”? My guess would be probably not. But Fops does, and they’ve borrowed from it some. Lead singer Chadwick Donald Bidwell jumps up in front of a green screen playfully and then it finally goes into effect. He’s in the sky, surrounded by clouds and, wait for it, giant keyboards. Oh, Hoff would be SO proud.

Hello Echo – “Birdbeat”

This video captures why bands should always play outside; the warm sunlight, the beautiful scenery, the fresh air making everybody smile, and, of course, the spontaneity. Here, we have Hello Echo, performing their melodically-correct, emotional tune “Birdbeat”.  They rock out, and get everybody into it. There’s a little surprise towards the end. Let’s just say it’s one reason playing music outdoors is awesome.

Hold Your Horses! – “70 Million”

Hold Your Horses! brings forth a concept that Arrested Development briefly touched upon in season one. They both brought paintings to life. In one scenario, it involved God running away from his position in Michelangelo’s world-famous piece. This scenario, however, doesn’t make us question religion. Multiple classic works are brought to life as Hold Your Horses! dresses up and sings their catchy song. One can only hope that someday all rich, classic, oil paintings can sing. We’re pretty sure “Whistler’s Mother” has a stellar voice.

My Brightest Diamond – “Behave”

In the video for “Behave”, singer Shara Worden has a lot of personalities going on in that cranium of hers. She’s a ’50s actress, a modern pop singer, and a masked robber. You decide which one is the most intriguing of the bunch.

Neon Indian – “Polish Girl”

In the 1996 film Vibrations, starring one Christina Applegate, a very attractive male lead, aka James Marshall (duh!), gets a pair of robotic arms, and they lead him to success in the world of electronic music. Was this Neon Indian’s inspiration for “Polish Girl”? It sure seems like it. There’s plenty of robotics here and one man dons a Daft Punk style suit, which entitles him to brilliant beats and pretty, shift lighting. Cool story, bro. But here’s the brainbuster: Who’s the real DJ? Man or…machine?

Wise Blood – “Nosferatu”

Nosferatu is always referred to as one of the classic horror movies of all time. It reminds us of a point in history when vampires did not go to high school, or hang on the boardwalk with us. Wise Blood, though, have opted to keep the name, but not the hideous, overused beasts. In fact, this video contains several things vampires probably wouldn’t like: strobe photography, raining candy, and runs through the forest. Okay, they probably would love that last one.

One question that’s constantly asked in today’s technological society is whether all these electronics are keeping us away from human interaction. Director Tim Nackashi paints a dark future in which we’re all attached to our respective wires and screens. As Neon Indian plays through “Polish Girl”, these weird androids plug in and seem to control pristine models of themselves. All done in the name of being with the one you love, even if it’s only virtual.

“Polish Girl” is from Neon Indian’s sophomore release, Era Extraña.

Directed by: Tim Nackashi
Executive Producer: Asher Brown
Produced by: Erica Sterne
Director of Photography: Kevin Phillips
Production Design: Simon & Nicki Haas
Edited by: Mandy Brown

Last night, the Alan Palomo-led Neon Indian took to Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, where they offered a bit of that “next level” chillwave with a performance of Era Extraña’s “Polish Girl”. And because nothing says 1:30AM television like tripped-out visuals, the performance also saw The Creators Project use elements from the band’s recent music video for the song to create television’s first-ever “light painting.” Nerd out below, via The Audio Perv.

Era Extraña is out now via Static Tongues/Mom + Pop Music.

While no one really likes their work to be generalized about, the tag has stuck and, with solid releases this year from chillwave stalwarts Toro Y Moi and Washed Out, doesn’t look to be disappearing anytime soon. (We miss you dance-punk!) One of its main propagators, how ever unwittingly, is/was Alan Palomo, founder and musical half to Neon Indian, whose gauzy 2009 debut Psychic Chasms is considered one of the sub-genre’s highest points yet. Since its release though, Palomo hasn’t looked back in the least. Last year, he collaborated with Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor for a brilliant one-off single called “Sleep Paralysist” via Mountain Dew’s Green Label Sound series and, earlier this year, put out a solid EP with psych-pop weirdos The Flaming Lips. Both works bore little resemblance to Neon Indian’s debut, especially in the former’s case, which ditched Psychic Chasms‘ woozy analogue washes for amiable synth beeps and a radio-ready chorus.

It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise then that Era Extraña is as good of a record as its stellar predecessor, even outshining it occasionally. Where Psychic Chasms was a shy and fragmented collection of songs – very much a product of our era of bedroom production, Extraña is a confident, all-inclusive album that people/bloggers will be pretty hard pressed to fence into a single, silly-titled sub-genre. (Not that they won’t try to anyway.) Opening to a bubbling-up of the same wistful, Super Nintendo synths that were all over Psychic Chasms, the record bursts headlong into “Polish Girl”, a stunner of a single that’s sure to go down as one of 2011′s best by year’s end. The track rides a slinky keyboard line from each striking verse to its killer chorus, where we find Palomo wondering dreamily, “Do you remember, do I ever cross your mind?” (Read: By song’s end, you’ll have trouble getting him off your mind.)

Elsewhere, Neon Indian can be found finally venturing outside of Palomo’s bedroom, whether in the dramatic, Duran Duran-inspired keys of “Fallout” and “Halogen (I Could Be A Shadow)” or the dramatic, clattering drums of Era Extraña‘s title track. Indeed, what’s most interesting about the album is how entrenched it is in the lo-fi haze Palomo wandered on his debut, while still free enough to filter said haze through a wide variety of styles and lyrical themes (as on the three-part “Heart: Attack/Decay/Release” trilogy and the lovelorn, cleverly titled “Hex Girlfriend”). Dave Fridmann, who has had a hand in many of the best psychedelic rock albums of the past few years (the latest from Tame Impala, MGMT and Flaming Lips), recorded and mixed the album. Fridmann’s involvement is a mark of Neon Indian’s graduation from bedroom-produced blog phenom to bona-fide indie pop sensation. Because of this shift, Era Extraña sports the admirable trait of being so much like many of the best psychedelic pop records in recent memory (Oracular Spectaular pops to mind rather often), while going a long way in forging Neon Indian’s own, very distinct musical identity.

Essential Tracks: “Polish Girl”, “Era Extraña” and “Arcade Blues”

We have been awaiting Neon Indian‘s sophomore release since falling into founder Alan Palomo’s Psychic Chasms, and today the waiting game ends with the release of Era Extraña via Palomo’s Static Tongues imprint. Even better, the album is still available as a full stream on NPR’s “First Listen”project.

To mark the release date, Palomo has joined forces with directer Tim Nackashi and The Creators Project to deliver the visually impressive new video for album track “Polish Girl”. Palomo makes several appearances in the clip, available below, which primarily focuses on the futuristic romance of lovers trapped on opposite sides of technology.

Era Extraña Tracklist:
01. Heart: Attack
02. Polish Girl
03. Blindside Kiss
04. Hex Girlfriend
05. Heart: Decay
06. Fall Out
07. Era Extraña
08. Halogen (I Could Be a Shadow)
09. Future Sick
10. Suns Irrupt
11. Heart: Release

Neon Indian 2011 Tour Dates:
09/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
09/16 – Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel
09/17 – Carrboro, NC @ Local 506
09/19 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
09/20 – Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree *
09/21 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks *
09/22 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgferald’s *
09/23 – Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
09/24 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
09/26 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
09/27 – San Diego, CA @ Belly Up Tavern *
09/30 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour *
10/01 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Shop *^
10/03 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge *
10/04 – Vancouver, BC @ Venue *
10/05 – Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Cafe *
10/07 – Boise, ID @ Reef *^
10/08 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge *^
10/10 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater *
10/12 – Kansas City, MO @ The Record Bar *^
10/13 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry *^
10/14 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall *^
10/15 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop *^
10/16 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick *^
10/18 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace *^
10/19 – Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa *^
10/20 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall ^
10/21 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall ^
11/05 – Austin, TX @ Fun Fun Fun Fest
12/01 – Miami, FL @ Bardot

* = w/ Com Truise
^ = w/ Purity Ring

The world of music blogging is a 24/7 job, even on a holiday weekend. Don’t believe us? Just check out what went down in the last 72 hours. Pearl Jam held the greatest birthday party ever, Madonna announced a new album, Wilco released more tour dates, and the Langerado Music Festival scrapped its 2011 plans. And that’s just scratching the surface; your complete post-Labor Day recap is posted below.

News

– Wilco announced a new batch of U.S. tour dates.

– Madonna plans to release a new album in Spring 2002.

– Check out the new single from Justice: “Audio, Video, Disco”.

– Watch Feist perform five new songs from her new album Metals.

– Langerado Music Festival’s planned comeback has been canceled.

– Iconic post-punk outfit New Order is reuniting sans bassist Peter Hook.

– Hear another new song from Noel Gallagher’s solo album: “AKA… What A Life!”.

– Stream new albums from St. Vincent, Neon Indian, Laura Marling, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and A.A. Bondy. Just click the respective link.

– Tokyo Police Club completed their ‘Ten Days, Ten Covers, Ten Years’ project. Hear them cover LCD Soundsystem, M83, Queens of the Stone Age, and more.

Features

– Michael Roffman and Jeremy D. Larson were in attendance for Pearl Jam’s 20th anniversary music festival. Read their recap here, and watch video highlights from day one and day two. Spoiler: Temple of the Dog reunited twice, Julian Casablancas joined Queens of the Stone Age for “Sick Sick Sick”, and Josh Homme returned the favor for “New York City Cops”.

– Continuing with the Peal Jam theme, Len Comaratta dusted off Pearl Jam’s debut LP, Ten.

– Our staff did the impossible and narrowed down a list of Lil Wayne’s 25 most WTF lyrics.

– Here are your top 10 videos of the week. And here are your top 10 mp3s of the week. You’re welcome.

– Austin Trunick reviewed Wild Flag’s CoS Top Star-earning self-titled debut, while Dan Caffrey critiqued The Rapture’s latest, In the Grace of Your Love.

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St. Vincent’s third LP Strange Mercy is now streaming in full on NPR, and it’s a nice way to spend your day off. If you like what you hear, pick up the album beginning September 13th via 4AD.

Also streaming on NPR is the sophomore album from chillwave outfit Neon Indian, Era Extraña. Click here to give it a spin ahead of its September 13th release via Static Tongues/Mom + Pop Music.

And if you’re into folk-rock singer-songwriters, then check out the A.A. Bondy’s new LP Believers. The album officially sees release September 13th via Fat Possum Records.

Given my current location, I’m not even sure I’ll survive to see next week. But if us Americans do manage to escape the wrath of Hurricane Irene and are around come New Year’s Eve 2011, here’s one one potential entertainment option. The first-ever Lights All Night music festival will round together such electro heavyweights as Tiësto, Girl Talk, MSTRKRFT, Benny Benassi, Ghostland Observatory, Diplo, and Pendulum (DJ Set) for a two-night party at the Dallas Convention Center.

Other confirmed notables include Wolfgang Gartner, Laidback Luke, Flux Pavilion, Neon Indian, RJD2, Felix Cartal, Zeds Dead, Excision, Dada Life, Porter Robinson, Archnemesis, Sandro Silva, and The M Machine. Additional acts will be announced in the coming weeks, and you can stay up to date by bookmarking our Festival Outlook page.

Early bird single day and two-day passes, priced at $79 and $150, respectively, will go on sale Tuesday, August 30th via the festival’s website.

The 31st annual CMJ Music Marathon takes over 75 New York City venues between October 18th and 22nd. Last year saw 1,300 live performances, so here’s about 3% of the talent filling this year’s bill: Wild Flag, Portugal. the Man, Handsome Furs, CSS, Neon Indian, Talib Kweli, EMA, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and Pharoahe Monch.

Also confirmed to play are Zola Jesus, Eleanor Friedberger, Dum Dum Girls, Memoryhouse, Datarock, Sea of Bees, Art Vs. Science, The Wombats, Metronomy, Givers, Class Actress, Viva Brother, Davila 666, US Royalty, Parlotones, Kvelertak, Kermit Ruffins, and Jean Grae. More lineup announcements will be made in the coming weeks and you can stay up to date on all the latest news by bookmarking our Festival Outlook.

In addition to performances, CMJ 2011 will also offer film premieres, 70 speaking panels, an Entertainment Business Law Seminar, mixers, Q&A, and more.

CMJ 2011 badges are now available for purchase on the festival’s website. Along with the ‘Full’ and ‘VIP’, this year also offers the ‘CMJ Showpass,’ which allows access to all CMJ Music Marathon showcases and Film Festival screenings.

Well, folks, it’s officially August. The summer is coming to a close, which is sad on all counts. One of the best ways I know to get over a bout of depression (like the one the ending of summer will certainly bring) is to dive headfirst into music, new or old. The comfort of old favorites can bring a sense of nostalgia that has the ability to cheer you up in no time. As far as diving into old music goes, seing as how Lollapalooza begins today, we might suggest you dust off some old My Morning Jacket, Coldplay, or Eminem. Whatever floats your boat. New music, however, can bring hope for the future. A sense that with the changing seasons one thing will remain constant: good music. All right, I’m off my sad sack soapbox. Here are, without a doubt, the top 10 mp3s of the week. – Winston Robbins

Best Coast – “How They Want Me To Be”

Best Coast unveiled one of the year’s best videos last week, but that doesn’t mean they still can’t make headlines this week. Bethany Cosentino dropped this track a few days back, the first taste from what will eventually become their sophomore LP. And though it’s only a demo, the track is as solid as can be. If this version of “How They Want Me To Be” is a demo, imagine what it’s gonna sound like when recorded properly. No, really. Imagine. Go. -Winston Robbins

Best Coast – “How They Want Me To Be”

Canon Blue – “A Native (Madison)”

Backed by Amiina, better known as Sigur Rós’ string section, Daniel James, aka Canon Blue, comes off the blocks with a chamber power-pop morsel. When you have something akin to “driving violins”, that’s a step in a good direction. -Jeremy D. Larson

Canon Blue – “A Native (Madison)”

Cymbals Eat Guitars – “Definite Darkness”

As Cymbals Eat Guitars ready their sophomore followup Lenses Alien, lead singer Joseph D’Agostino is still as scattered as ever. But that’s a good thing, and so is the scatterbrain guitars of this track which gives you something to dig into as well as float on. -Jeremy D. Larson

Cymbals Eat Guitars – “Definite Darkness”

Das Racist – “Michael Jackson”

I don’t even know who the joke is on anymore with Das Racist, and I think that’s the point. Even if they’re shrouded in layers of irony and goofs like the gaggle of comedians they are, all you have to do is craft a hook like this and it all washes away. This may be the late entry for the jam of the summer. -Jeremy D. Larson

Das Racist – “Michael Jackson”

Jens Lekman – “An Argument With Myself”

Swedish heartthrob Jens Lekman is all prepped and ready to drop his An Argument With Myself EP. To keep us enticed (oh, and what a job he’s doing), he hit us off with a little taste of the EP, the title track to be precise. It’s afro-pop, it’s spoken word, and it’s blissful. ‘Nuff said. -Winston Robbins

Jens Lekman – “An Argument With Myself”

jj – “We Can’t Stop (Feat. Ne-Yo)”

Swedish outfit jj’s never been shy about their love for hip hop in all its forms, so the fact that they just dropped a track with a legitimate hip hop artist (Ne-Yo to be exact), makes all kinds of sense. What doesn’t make so much sense, however, is how Adult Swim keeps on cranking out incredible tracks week after week. Seriously, those guys don’t miss a beat. jj’s track is the latest addition to the collection and it’s just as good as the others. -Winston Robbins

jj – “We Cant Stop” (feat. Ne-Yo)

Katie Dill – “Bluish” (Animal Collective cover)

This track serves several purposes. On the tertiary, it highlights Animal Collective’s heart-felt songwriting of late by stripping away all but two layers of the Merriweather Post Pavillion track “Bluish”. Secondarily it serves as an entry for those unversed in both AnCo and Katie Dill‘s work, but primarily it showcases Dill’s outstanding vocal performance as she snakes her way through this ballad. Dill fronts the Deleware band Mean Lady, which I also recommend. -Jeremy D. Larson

Letting Up Despite Great Faults – “Teenage Tide”

This little ditty may have gone unnoticed by the masses, which is unfortunate since it’s possibly the pick of the litter this week. L.A. trio Letting Up Despite Great Faults dropped their latest EP Paper Crush earlier this week, with this track as the centerpiece. “Teenage Tide” is just further proof – pop-centric shoegaze will never die and thank goodness. -Winston Robbins

Letting Up Despite Great Faults – “Teenage Tide”

Neon Indian – “Polish Girl”

Neon Indian made the Top 10 cut last week with their big-league banger “Fallout”, and it doesn’t appear that they have any intention of slowing down. No matter that their sophomore album Era Extraña isn’t slated to drop until September 13th, they decided to crank out another hit, this one possibly even better than the last, which is saying a lot. It certainly carries a deeper pop vibe, and is immensely catchy. This could very well be an autumn season ruled by Neon Indian. -Winston Robbins

Sleep ? Over – “Romantic Streams”

This slow electronic cut is courtesy of Austin, TX’s own Stefanie Franciotti (aka Sleep ? Over). The little known electronic auteur allegedly played an incredibly moving set at Gorilla v. Bear Fest a little over a week ago, and judging by this track, it’s probably true. Her smooth vocals are right at home sitting atop the driving beat and the relentless barrage of synthesizer that lulls you right into a steamy trance. -Winston Robbins

Sleep ? Over – “Romantic Streams”

When it comes to Neon Indian news, when it rains, it pours. Along with the tracklist for the chillwave act’s sophomore LP Era Extraña, available below via NJ Underground, NPR’s All Songs Considered blog is streaming a new track in “Polish Girl”. The blippy, synth-powered love song, our second taste from the record, is available on iTunes tomorrow (August 4th).

Oh but wait, there’s more. Pre-orders for the album are also available now (get your copy here). In edition to the standard CD and vinyl formats, a deluxe edition is being offered, complete with the full album on both CD and vinyl, a t-shirt, a poster, and a mini-analog synthesizer (via Pitchfork). Yes, a mini-synth designed by Neon Indian honcho Alan Palomo and Bleep Labs called the PAL198X is part of the $49.99 package; sample what the PAL198X can do below.

Neon Indian are on tour now, with the full schedule below. Era Extraña hits stores September 13th via Static Tongues/Mom + Pop Music.

Era Extraña Tracklist:
01. Heart: Attack
02. Polish Girl
03. Blindside Kiss
04. Hex Girlfriend
05. Heart: Decay
06. Fall Out
07. Era Extraña
08. Halogen (I Could Be a Shadow)
09. Future Sick
10. Suns Irrupt
11. Heart: Release

Neon Indian 2011 Tour Dates:
08/04 – Zurich, CH @ Club Exil
08/05 – Bezirk-Alsergrund, AT @ WUK
08/06 – Katowice, PL @ OFF Festival
08/07 – Zambujeira Do Mar, PT @ Sudoeste Festival
08/09 – London, UK @ Electrowerkz
09/03 – Chicago, IL @ North Coast Music Festival
09/15 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
09/16 – Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel
09/17 – Carrboro, NC @ Local 506
09/19 – Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
09/20 – Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree *
09/21 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks *
09/23 – Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
09/24 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
09/26 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
09/27 – San Diego, CA @ Belly Up Tavern *
09/30 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour *
10/01 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Shop *^
10/03 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge *
10/04 – Vancouver, BC @ Venue *
10/05 – Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Cafe *
10/07 – Boise, ID @ Reef *^
10/08 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge *^
10/10 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater *
10/12 – Kansas City, MO @ The Record Bar *^
10/13 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry *^
10/14 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall *^
10/15 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop *^
10/16 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick *^
10/18 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace *^
10/19 – Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa *^
10/20 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall ^
10/21 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall ^
11/05 – Austin, TX @ Fun Fun Fun Fest

* = w/ Com Truise
^ = w/ Purity Ring