Saturday, August 23, 2008

Future FunFunFun (Fest)



It seems a bit early to be talking about FunFunFun Fest, given that it's still a month before Austin City Limits Festival. But, what're you gonna do? This is Austin, I think there is going to be a Festival Festival next year where we celebrate Festivals in Austin, there will be local beer vendors as well as music and arts and crafts.

Back to FunFunFun Fest, this will be the third year for the "underdog" festival, and t tickets are already on sale. It takes place at Waterloo Park the first weekend in November. Last year they had three stage areas, two of which had split stages. I love the split stage, it means that you can sit in one spot and listen to bands play back to back without waiting for equipment changing.

If we're being honest I was more excited about last year's line-up but as a music snob it's my job to say that. Also, FunFunFun Fest has more sleepers, bands that you may not care about today, in August, but in November you're gonna be psyched!

Find the lineup and some media after the jump...

For my purposes, I'm just going to be lazy and mention some of my personal highlights for FFF-Fest. You can find more complete and official coverage over at Austinist.com

I'm listing these highlights in no particular order:


Check out this official FunFunFun Fest recap by the folks from Super Alright!

FFF Recap video - by Transmission Entertainment via Vimeo

Somehow this shotty-quality video manages to capture the chaotic fun that was Girl Talk at last year's FunFunFun Fest. On a side not Girl Talk is actually coming back to Austin between FFF Fest and ACL Fest:

Girl Talk @ FFF Fest '07 video via YouTube

Here's an imeem playlist so you can hear some samples of this year's artists:

Friday, August 22, 2008

Mas White Denim


White Denim - Shake, Shake, Shake video via YouTube

Remember that time I promised you this White Denim video then I didn't deliver? Well I found it so it's back there...before the jump.

Nasty Nas in My Area


Straight out the MF dungeons of rap, Nas will be at Emo's Sunday night . As if that weren't enough on its own, Talib Kweli is also going to be there along with DJ Green Lantern, it's a whole NYC thing. As far as I know you can still get tickets, which will set you back roughly $30 but come on I'm quoting a ten year old rap album and in 10 years people will still be quoting Nas. Not to mention Talib Kweli. Sure he's gone a bit more pop in the last few years but he is still a lyrical genius with a unique sound that adds a needed texture to the hip-hop soundscape.

I'm also excited to catch up-and-comer Jay Electronica, who is from New Orleans but based anywhere in the U.S including somewhere, here in the great state of Texas every now and again. Jay Electronica was getting a bit of blog hype around this time last year. But I had never heard of him until researching the Nas show for this article. After hearing some song samples I'm pretty excited. Jay is the first artist signed to Erykah Badu's label, and he produced the opening track on the latest Nas record, "Untitled".

Jay Electronica - D.O.C. Song

Video and more after the jump...

I guess a talking head on a 24hr (s)news network was talking shhh about Nas, so he made an appearance on the Colbert Report to address the issue:

Nas performing - Sly Fox on the Colbert Report video via YouTube.

Talib Kweli appeared on some show called Mic Sessions:

Talib Kweli has his own YouTube channel

This video should give you an idea of the kind of left-field beats you can expect from Jay Electronica:

Jay Electronica - Dimethyltryptamine video via YouTube

This isn't really related but it's an interesting clip of Cam'Ron and Damon Dash VS. a Right-Wing American (s)news network.

Cam'Ron and Damon Dash on Fox News video via YouTube