CMJ: they don’t call it a music marathon for nothing, y’know. An insane number of bands will descend on NYC next week for the annual five-day non-stop assault of shows and showcases. With them comes an even larger number of music lovers, who spend most of their time trying to work out how to make a connection from the F train to the L train in order to make it to Williamsburg for that next awesome gig. Even if you live here, trying to keep track of who’s on where, and when best to catch the artists you’ve got circled on your schedule with “MUST SEE” in thick magic marker, can be kinda confusing.
So if negotiating the official schedule’s iPhone text conversation layout is giving you as much of a headache as it gave us, then rejoice! Here’s the Flavorpill guide to what you really should be seeing this time around, whether you want to follow the CMJ tradition of racing around town to see as many bands as possible, or just pick one great showcase where you can settle in for the night. We’ve also included helpful links to where we’ve talked about these bands in the past (we told you so) and commentary from our highly learned team of musical experts.
This Saturday saw the launch of a new summer festival for NYC, with the inaugural Governors Ball bringing a lineup that included Big Boi, Girl Talk, Empire of the Sun, Neon Indian, and Pretty Lights to the increasingly popular offshore destination of Governors Island. With perfect weather blessing the festival grounds, spirits were high for the event, which had revelers dancing, soaking in the sunshine, and moving from stage to stage for continuous sets of fest-friendly hip-hop, indie pop, and electronic music. As many area festival attempts often fall flat due to poor execution, the Governors Ball was a pleasant exception to the rule, leaving us looking forward to its return next year. Check out our collection of photos from the event, revealing the sights and spectacles of the Ball, both onstage and off.
Though it might not feel like it just yet, spring and his unruly cousin summer are about to hit us. That means the return of one of our favorite things — outdoor concerts! Quite a few of our artists this week would sound great from a picnic blanket (The Flaming Lips or Craft Spells, for example), and some of the others would incite the massive, sweaty dance parties that won’t start till June (Big Freedia, Big K.R.I.T.). Don’t forget to right click + “Save As” to download each song, or scroll to the bottom to score the entire mix.
For those of you who are still getting over the death of All Points West, here’s some news that might cheer you up: This morning we got a press release about the first-ever Governors Ball Music Festival, “a massive mid-summer dance party of epic proportions” which is set to take place at Governors Island on June 18th. So far the confirmed lineup includes Girl Talk, Big Boi, Neon Indian, Pretty Lights, People Under the Stairs, Miami Horror, Reptar, Outasight, MAC Miller, and Passion Pit (DJ set). Additional acts will be announced in the coming weeks.
As our friends at Consequence of Sound point out, “New York City and music festivals have never really mixed… The reasons for this reality are many, ranging from transportation options to location to 1,400 other venues all competing for a limited pool of acts.” Agreed, but we’re rooting for this one to work out. With the exception of MIA’s HARD NYC Fest (which was arguably totally fine, except for MIA’s performance), we’ve always had a really good experience at concerts on the island.
Early bird tickets (which are $75) go on sale this Thursday at 10 am at govball.com.
If you’re like us, whenever you see the latest “Before They Were Famous” articles full of Brad Pitt and Miley Cyrus yearbook photos, you wish there were some Animal Collective or Neon Indian flashbacks as well. Drawing from this borderline stalker curiosity, we’ve compiled our own indie-version of the gossip magazine mainstay. Click through and learn how cool Beirut was as a kid, how Best Coast has an entrepreneurial spirit, and even how cute Julian Casablancas was as a baby! The things you can find on forgotten MySpace accounts…
Before the X-Games, energy drinks, and the rise of “dude culture,” skateboarding was cool. Effortlessly cool. This collection of skateboarding footage from mid-’70s gives insight into a culture that we’ve always been totally envious of. The clip, a mix of home videos with footage from skate films of the era, is backed by a song that sounds like Neon Indian’s next single. Click through and find some inspiration for your next chillwave music video. Or just because you love cool, old footage of girls in tracksuits doing handstands on skateboards.
This week’s mixtape brings bands back from hiatus (Menomena, Miniature Tigers), from the depths of obscurity (Sunglasses, Coma Cinema), and from the back of our heads (Toro Y Moi, The Drums). Right Click + Save As individual tracks to remember the past and make way for the future of indie, or scroll to the bottom and download the whole thing.
It’s arguable that without Massive Attack, trip-hop as we came to know it would never have existed. Tricky got his start with the crew formerly known as the Wild Bunch, and the band’s hugely influential debut, Blue Lines, predated the first releases of both Tricky and Portishead. (All three acts notably hail from Bristol, England, the music’s clear birthplace.)
Nearly 20 years later, Massive Attack show no signs of slowing down, and if their two packed performances at NYC’s Terminal 5 are any indication, their fans are as supportive as ever. Martina Topley Bird, who has a dense resume of her own that dates all the way back to Tricky’s equally classic debut, Maxinquaye, both opened the shows with a solo set and performed with the band. (Topley Bird is featured on multiple songs on Massive Attack’s latest album, Heligoland.) She teased the release of her upcoming live album, recorded for Damon Albarn’s Honest Jon’s label, by playing entirely on her own for most of the set, assisted only by a loop pedal and minimal instrumentation.
This wind-whipped week’s mix includes downloadable tracks from fresh faces (Oh Mercy, DOM), friendly faces (Sleigh Bells, Best Coast), and familiar faces (Marina & The Diamonds, Tokyo Police Club). Be sure to save face and know these tunes by heart before they blow up this summer and all you’re left with is woulda coulda shouldas. Don’t forget to Right Click + Save As after the cut to properly savor the next ten.
Since next week is considered Spring Break by some and SXSW Week by others, this mix is fully stocked with airport jams, roadtrip jams, and for once you’ve reached your destination, chill jams. So to avoid silent awkward car rides or loud obnoxious passengers, don’t forget to right click + Save As — or save yourself some time and download the entire Flavorpill Mixtape here.
