Seattle's Tacocat took over the loft at Echo Park's Origami Vinyl for a short but sweet set, racking up seven songs weighted heavily to their new LP NVM (out on Hardly Art). The quartet, (Emily Nokes, Bree McKenna, Lelah Maupin, and Eric Randall), came to grips with fear of heights, and mysterious transmissions from a local Latin radio station that streamed into Eric's amp, lending a little Eastside flavor to the set. High points of the new album were present and accounted for, including a sprightly "Bridge To Hawaii", and the killer trio of "Psychedelic Quinceanera", "Hey Girl", and "Crimson Wave", that, beneath the catchiness, left no doubt about their particular world view. Having established their beachhead in a guitar buzz, they rounded things off with "Cat Fancy" and "Volcano" from their EP Take Me To Your Dealer. As venue prep for the coming madness of SXSW, it was hopefully not too traumatic an experience for the band. It was surely a memorable occasion for the audience.
For the final day of this year's FYF Fest, Sunday turned out to be the nice graceful comedown to the insanity of Saturday. Just a few acts, sets in their entirety, less slogging around...cringing at what I missed, but a quality day. The day started with a tete a tete with the L.A. Owl Magazine peeps at Phillipe, a local institution that proved the perfect place for pre.gaming.
After a stroll through Chinatown, it was time to hit the bricks, and getting things going fell to one of my favorite new bands, the Allah Las, who set the tone for the day with a fun set, giving a preview of their new LP. Wild Nothing held down the Hill St stage, doling out great chunks of their new LP, Nocturne. The band did a great job of bringing Jack Tatum's visions to life on stage. Following up Wild Nothing was Father John Misty, proving his escapades at Outsidelands were no fluke. On home turf, Josh Tillman owned the stage, and the more I see them, the more I appreciate the band, essaying the songs with both smart authority and reckless abandon, as the situation dictated. They perfectly captured that early '70's sweet spot when Gram Parsons was hanging out with the Stones. Then it was off to the Spring St stage for garage rock heaven, the one and only King Khan and the Shrines. As in your face and relentless as ever, the mighty King kept it dialed up to 'party', taking a break in mood to cover/salute fallen compadre Jay Reatard.
As the sun set, the main stage field filled up, earplugs were fumbled for, and it was Dinosaur, Jr time!
J. Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph blasted through the Dino catalogue. Even scaled down to festival time limits, it was a wonder to behold. Key sequence was them breaking out "Deep Wound", (from J. & Lou's old hardcore band of the same name), segueing into their unholy destruction of the Cure's "Just Like Heaven", and finishing off with "Freak Scene". Staggering. Their newest LP, I Bet On Sky, is out and well worth your time.
Making my way to the edge of the crowd as their set progressed, it was time to make my way, given the long drive home, and the 4am wake-up call that awaited. Pausing to share a smoke with a new friend, we began to edge away when the next song started, and we were drilled into place. Making eye contact and laughing, it was that simple...You just can't walk on Dinosaur, Jr.
Allah Las
Allah Las
Allah Las
Wild Nothing
Wild Nothing
Wild Nothing
Wild Nothing
calm before the storm (Father John Misty)
Father John Misty
Father John Misty
Father John Misty
Father John Misty
rockin' footwear (Father John Misty)
Father John Misty
Father John Misty
Father John Misty
Father John Misty
Misty feels the weight of the world/Benji catches air
Father John Misty
Father John Misty
King Khan and the Shrines
King Khan and the Shrines
King Khan and the Shrines
King Khan and the Shrines
J. Mascis (Dinosaur, Jr)
Lou Barlow (Dinosaur, Jr)
Murph (Dinosaur, Jr)
J. Mascis (Dinosaur, Jr)
Lou Barlow (Dinosaur, Jr)
(Thanks to Sean & the team, Origami, and everyone who helped to make this an amazing weekend!)
What started out as a simple show that tickets were purchased for months and months ago, steadily transformed into Superchunk Day! It began with a simple email from Merge Records announcing a fall tour. The onsale day came, tickets were purchased. Time passed and excitement grew when it was announced that Teenage Fanclub was opening their Northwest dates. Spirits fell when it turned out to be only those dates. Spirits rose again when the mighty Vaselines were announced as the LA openers, as well as northwest up & comers Telekinesis.
Then the whole Matador 21 party came together, and their inclusion there, (and subsequent top flight set), did nothing to dampen the ardor of the impending show. Back in California, come to find out that they've set up a string of instore appearances at indie record shops, including Origami Vinyl in Echo Park at noon, day of show. So now the whole thing has taken shape and morphed into 'Superchunk Day', originally planned as the last date of the 'Majesty Shredding' tour. Apparently, it's gone to plan and then some, as they've added another handful of dates throughout the country.
Origami: great footage of 'Everything At Once', courtesy of Prestoff2000 (YouTube)
Telekinesis belted out a set that was far more lively than their first LP would have you believe. They kept the melodies intact, but gave every song a nice loud buzz, and looked to be very happy at this particular opening gig.
Their newest EP, not coincidentally on Merge Records, was the heart of the set. I'm looking forward to their next step, as well as seeing a complete show on their own, if this is any indication...
It's been a fascinating ride for The Vaselines, who cut one album back in the '80's, broke up...found a cult following after it turned out Kurt Cobain was a huge fan, and Nirvana covered a few of their songs, which led to a reformation and a gig opening up a Nirvana UK tour. The sparks were fanned once again when Sub Pop put out an anthology of their work, and they got it together once again for an appearance at the label's birthday party in Seattle a few years back.
Now, apparently, the time has come again...In September, a new LP, 'Sex With An X', appeared, followed by a jaunt across the states. Los Angeles was the fortuitous hookup with Superchunk, which brings us up to this evening. The set largely focused on the new record, leavened with tart doses of the back catalogue, and despite the venue only being 2/3 filled, they gave it their all.
Time has been a friend to them, and having sympathetic players with them made for the kind of show the band never got to enjoy in the past, having broken up before, in some sense, they really got going.
Superchunk celebrated their return to Los Angeles proper for the first time in many years, hitting the stage with 'Learned To Surf', (above), from this year's 'Majesty Shredding', and leaving no stone unturned, unleashing a show as full bodied and frenetic as their star turn at the Matador fest at the beginning of October. The aforementioned 2/3 full house was still in effect for Superchunk, which seemed sad on the heels of this victory lap that saw them fully engaged and energized, and playing just as well as ever. Rarely have i seen the balcony of the Fonda closed, but it kept the crowd as tight and focused as the band, and was a testimony to a night of tough choices for the LA music fan, as Broken Social Scene was across town at the Wiltern Theater, and Scout Niblett was in town as well, along with a few other tasty choices.
Like their path thus far, Superchunk faced it with grace, and powered through a set that touched on all phases of their years, culminating with a Misfits cover that put their own distinctive stamp on the evening.
Predominate theme through the night seemed to be the staying power of the aging hipster audience that furiously pogoed away, and by the time the midnight hour passed, it became apparent that one would regret this, in the most glorious way, the next day.
What started out as a simple show that tickets were purchased for months and months ago, steadily transformed into Superchunk Day! It began with a simple email from Merge Records announcing a fall tour. The onsale day came, tickets were purchased. Time passed and excitement grew when it was announced that Teenage Fanclub was opening their Northwest dates. Spirits fell when it turned out to be only those dates. Spirits rose again when the mighty Vaselines were announced as the LA openers, as well as northwest up & comers Telekinesis.
Telekinesis belted out a set that was far more lively than their first LP would have you believe. They kept the melodies intact, but gave every song a nice loud buzz, and looked to be very happy at this particular opening gig.
It's been a fascinating ride for The Vaselines, who cut one album back in the '80's, broke up...found a cult following after it turned out Kurt Cobain was a huge fan, and Nirvana covered a few of their songs, which led to a reformation and a gig opening up a Nirvana UK tour.
The aforementioned 2/3 full house was still in effect for Superchunk, which seemed sad on the heels of this victory lap that saw them fully engaged and energized, and playing just as well as ever. Rarely have i seen the balcony of the Fonda closed, but it kept the crowd as tight and focused as the band, and was a testimony to a night of tough choices for the LA music fan, as Broken Social Scene was across town at the Wiltern Theater, and Scout Niblett was in town as well, along with a few other tasty choices.
Like their path thus far, Superchunk faced it with grace, and powered through a set that touched on all phases of their years, culminating with a Misfits cover that put their own distinctive stamp on the evening.
