FYF.2015

FYF.2015

(Saturday.&.Sunday)

Okay...FKA.twigs made FYF for me.  What a performance! So happy I left right after Belle.  I was going to stick around for Morrissey because I was really up close, but wanted to see something fresh and new.  Plus, someone less of a asshole.  

Once I arrived to the stage that twigs was going to be, it was...PACKED!!!  D'Angelo was performing and he was really...GOOD!  He had that place moving.  AWESOME! 

This was my first time at FYF and I Fuckn loved it.  So chill compared to Coachella. Everyone was in good mood and very respectful.  I told myself, "self, am I in LA?".  For sure I'll be back.

  I arrived just in time on Saturday to see La Femme.  They where...okay.  I stayed for a couple of songs and headed to the beer garden.  Drank a couple of beers and headed to catch The.Drums.  

What, Johnny is...GAY?!?!  Who new.  I had no idea.  He came out saying he got married to his partner who was in the pit with the photographers. Awesome!!!  Once again, they where bueño. 

!!! was up next and they are always entertaining to watch.  The new tunes sounded good and it's great to see this band still making music.  Not so many NYC from early 2001 have survived when they first came out.  Only a few are still going strong right now.

  Bloc.Party was up next and of course, they killed it!!!  They got a new lady drummer (awesome) and guitarist.  Don't know if they are permanent, but will find out when they come back.  

Saturday had the better line up then Sunday (of course), but like I said...FKA.twigs was AMAZING!  Had to leave after Bloc Party to go back and attend my booth at Chinatown.  Wanted to see so many others, but there is always next year.  See you in 2016 FYF!!!

the.DRUMs.(L!V3) @EchoPlex

The.Drums.2011

@EchoPlex.(Los Angeles, CA)

Monday.October.17.2011

This concert is gonna be a long niter.  The Drums are scheduled to go on at midnight.  FCVK.  Really, midnight?!  $H!T, another late night.  I did not come home from Detroit Bar until 1am because the 405 was shut down by the 605 fwy.  So we all had to get off and take the streets. 
The first band was...(no comment) and IO Echo was a BORE.  I saw them before and they where okay, but this time around, they rubbed me the wrong way.  It looks like they are trying to hard to be a über cool band. The lead singer kept pushing her guitarists around (Punk rock) and I was surprised they did fall or lose a note.  They might of choreographed this.

The crowd was getting a bit rowdy.  There was this guy with a couple of friends with him (of course he was...DRUNK), pushing his way up to the very front of the stage.  He was trying to push the girls that where on the rail.  They really stood there ground.  They pushed him away a couple times.  I was very surprise that his friends did not calm him down.  They just laughed as if it was cute.    
Once The.Drums hit the stage (they played The Smiths "How Soon Is Now?"), it got crazy.  It was a good crazy, but there's that guy again, trying to push these girls off the rail.  Where is security at this point to kick this guy out.  You gotta give it up to the ladies, they kept him away.  I felt bad for them .  Sure enough, a guy that was next to the girls, grabbed him by his coller and pushed him away.  It worked, but where was this guy in the beginning?  
The.Drums threw an AMAZING show once again.  I got my ticket at the last minute and thank God I did.  I LOVE the new album, "Portamento".  It got a mixed review on NME (of course), but they are comparing them to The Smiths lately.  Which I can see and hear on the way Jonathan Pierce (Lead Singer) writes his words to his songs.  Very Patrick.  The more I listen to this album and the lyrics, I hear it.  You need to get Potramento.  

When the show was over, there was a guy saying, "They did not play, Let's Go Surfing!".  I guess he didn't get the memo.  They are trying to stay away from that song, but that song put them on the map.  Rock on! 

\m/  \m/  \m/  \m/  -  AWESUM!

Lollapalooza.(Saturday).2011

Lollapalooza.(Saturday).2011

Grant Park, Chicago, IL

August.6.2011

We arrived to Lolla around 2pm and we made a plan to have a meeting place. It was at are favorite food stand that sold Pulled Pork Sandwichies (YUMMY!) next to a ATM machine. Samy and the girls told me I should have the Pull Pork, they had it last nite. I told them I was eye balling it yesterday. We all got one and it was delicious that I wanted another one, but I decided to wait until later tonight. The food here again is so GOOD and reasonably priced. Sorry, but Coachella has some $H!TTY a$$ food and expensive.

We headed to the Bud Lite Stage to catch Friendly Fires. It rained late last nite and this morning, but it cleared in the afternoon. The fields where a bit wet and muddy. We got to the Bud Lite Stage and Friendly Fires where on. They had a busy crowd and I wanted to go in, but it was HOT under the sun. Yesturday I was under the sun alot that when I arrived back to the hotel, I took off my shirt and I had a wife beater tan. Nice.

Friendly Fires once again threw a GREAT show. It seemed they did not mind the heat because they where sweating from all that shaking and moving. They are always a fun band to watch because of the energy they bring to the shows. The new stuff from PALA (album title) sounded great. It's another MUST GET album.

After Friendly Fires set, we headed to Google+ Stage to check out DOM. I don't really know much about them and I wanted to check them out. I only have one track from them, "Living In America" and it's a good little funky dancy song. They come out and they played there first song. I was not into it at ALL. I was hoping to like them, but it was not happening.

After half a song from DOM, we went to checkout Chain Gang of 1974 (my favorite NEW band of 2011). They really bring back the 80's sound with a contemporary twist to there music. Even the lead singer (Kamtin Mohager) dances like one of the members from Tears For Fears 80's video "Mad World" (LOVE the way they dance on that video). They really bring back my childhood day's; I think that could be the reason why I like them so much. Besides me liking them, ALOT, the new album (Waywaid Fire) is...AWESUM! They did not disappoint and today, they did not D!SAPPO!NT.

Kamtin Mohager (Lead Singer) did his signature thing and that would be; bring down the mic stand and sing in the crowd. He only did it for one song and went back on stage. This is my third time seeing them and they brought !T. It's cool that they got to play this HUGE festival and he was gracious about it too. It was also great to see that people where into them. WATCH OUT for this band!

We went back to Google+ Stage to catch The Drums. They where already on and my gang decided to go there different ways. I moved up closer to the stage but it was a little tough because there was alot of mud puddles. I found an okay spot and The Drums where not The Drums. It could of been the heat and it looks like they are losing that fun energy they use to have. It could of been the heat or the jackets they wore. It's HOT and HUMID and half of the members are wearing jackets. They are crazy, but sure enough, they took them off after the last three songs. Jonathan Pierce (Lead Singer) announced that there new album will be coming out in September and they played a new song called "Money". It's catchy.

After The Drums set, I went to met up with my gang at are meeting spot and we had pulled pork, again! Yummy. I am not gonna $H!T for a week. We all headed back to the Google+ Stage to see Lykke Li. It was a packed crowd. This time seeing her, she brought it, but I think she is wearing the same outfit she wore at Coachella two years ago. It looked like a heavy duty Glad trash bag. It must be for the rain, who knows. Towards the end of her set, they played a K!LLER Knife song (Silent Shout) that they just jammed into and it was the...$H!T. That was my highlight from her show for me. ROCK ON!

After her set, half of my crew wanted to see Eminem and we parted ways. I went to get some ice cream that I kept looking at and it was the...$H!T. It was so good that I wanted another, but I'll save until tomorrow. Day 2, over and out.

\m/ \m/ \m/ \m/ - AW3SUM!

Coachella.(Friday).2011.Videos

Here are some of my videos from Friday's Coachella Artists.

The.Drums - "Best Friend"

Cold.Cave - "Youth and Lust"

YACHT - "Psychic City"

Brandon.Flowers - "Bette Davis Eyes"

Crystal.Castles - "Not In Love"

Caifanes - "Los Dioses Ocultos"

Coachella.(Friday).2011

Coachella.(Friday).2011

Indio, Palm.Springs, CA

April.15.2011

Right when I got to Barstow, you started to see some cars already saying "Coachella or bust", "Coachella bound" and "Carpoolchella". This is only Thursday afternoon on the 10frwy, imagine Friday morning. When I got back from NYCity, I received this really cool package from Goldenvoice. They went all out this year. I thought they where gonna just send a special pass, but instead, they sent this package with collector cards, this year's calendar with passed Coachella line-ups and a Coachella sticker. Nice. The funny thing, they had the wristband inside this envelop size box with styrofoam. Are we not living in the GREEN? This package was not green, but it was nice.

Today is friday and it's 83 degree's.

I just made it for Hurts. I left the hotel around 11:20am just in case and it worked out well. The lines to get in went quick, this new wristband WORKS!!! Once inside, I glanced at the shirt stand for awhile because I wanted to make my way to the Mojave Tent. I noticed they added more space and the layout is the same. cool. Is it me or did they make the Gobi and the Mojave Tents a little bigger because they look a bit bigger.

I caught the last 15 minutes of Hurts and they where good. They had a opera singer with them on stage and when he would not sing, he would just stand there very stiff. Hurts reminded me of ABC (80's band) because they where sharply dressed. It was HOT and they are wearing suits, but they sound nothing like then (which is cool). What I mean about that is they don't have that cool pop new wave sound that ABC had. Hurts sounded at bit corny pop to me, but they where interesting to watch.

I walked around for a bit and I decided to go on the ferris wheel. Thank god I got on it because the view was Amazing. I was inside with these kids who where from San Fernando Valley and I asked who they where here to see and they said "everyone". cool.

I went back to the shirt stand and I was hoping for a Caifanes shirt, but no luck. They did not have any cool shirt that I wanted from some bands. After my 360 stroll around the shirt stand, I went to checkout !!! (Chk Chk Chk). They where at the Outside Stage and I only stayed ther for a couple of songs because it was HOT under the sun. I left to the Mojave Tent to catch Cold Cave.

It's 89 degrees now and one of the members of Cold Cave is wearing a leather jacket. WOW! I know you gotta look cool, but you can do that on your photo shoot. Wesley Eisold (lead singer) wore this black crocheted sweater that he might have borrowed from his grandmother, but they sounded great. The new stuff sounded good and the crowd was into it. What a gothic like band to play in the middle of the day instead at night. Not so Goth.

I stuck around after Cold Cave for the Drums. The Drums lead singer (Jonathan Pierce) was not as energetic like he use to, but I loved his 1990 shirt. I noticed they moved the other guitarist (Jacob Graham) to the keyboards. Why did they do that? He makes the band stand out because of his crazy dance and the use of the tambourines. WOW, they played "I Wanna Go Surfing", I thought they stopped playing that song. I read they got sick of it and they did not play it at the European tours. I wonder why they decided to play it today?

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti was a trip. I have a song "Round and Round" from them that's pretty cool, but I have not done the research on them. They look older and they sounded old. Kind of like a band that formed in the 80's and never grew out of it. It was a mix of early DEVO and the Cars. I was digging it. I stayed for a couple of songs to catch YACHT.

YACHT is a band I keep missing and what a surprise, I finally get to see them. They where good. They are this artsy kind of band, jamming to some cool disco beats. Nice. After YACHT, I went to get a bit of Kele.

Kele was doing his thing and played a Bloc Party song, but he would not say the name of his band. Are they not recording a new album or he is just doing this for press? After a couple songs I went to catch Brandon Flowers.

Brandon Flowers was okay and he did not play "Swallow It". What the FCVK! I was about to leave to catch Cut Copy and then he did his magic. Brandon brought out the guitarist from his band the Killers and people went, CRAZY!!! The only played two songs, "Mr. Brightside" and "Read My Mind". AWESUM.

It went to the Mojave Tent to catch Cut Copy and that place was PACK!!! It was a struggle to get in. I only got to see 20 minutes of the show and it was...AWESUM!!!!! I hope they come back and play Los Angeles sometime soon.

I went to checkout Monarchy because I read they put on a good show. NOT!!! Did Hurts come back on stage and put Miike Snow masks? That's what it felt like and the music was just okay. I stayed for 3 songs hoping for it to get better but it was not. I headed to the Outside Stage.

Crystal Castles where wrapping it up and they where ROCKing it OUT! Alice still has the cast (ROCK STAR!) and she is Punk rockin it OUT. She is the female Johnny Rotten. Johnny, give her the crown.

Cafaines was next. They opened up with "Amanece" (HELL YEA!). Saul (lead singer) sounded great. BUT...(yea there is a but), he couldn't reach those beautiful high notes on some songs. It was the original line up and they looked good. They did not play "Vento" (WTF), but they sure played my two favorite songs, "Los Dioses Ocultos" and "La Celula Que Explota" . Now I know how older people feel when they see a old band. It brought me back to my youth. It felt like they never left because there was chemisty within the band. I was trying to look for some bad blood, but no. Caifanes was the perfect band to end my night.

NEW! Podcast Mix

Sniffin' Glue

M!X.49.(the.Playlist)

.01 "Barracuda"_____drug cabin

.02. "Solo Impala (Take the Money and Run)"_____The Fashion

.03. "Big In Japan"_____Alphaville

.04. "Don't Stop The Music (Long Version)"_____Yarbrough & Peoples

.05. "Do It Again"_____Holy Ghost!

.06. "Get Over It"_____Solid Gold

.07. "Frozen Moments (Nite Jewel Remix)"_____Silk Flowers

.08. "Between Love & Hate"_____The Strokes

.09. "Best Friend"_____The Drums

.10. "E.S.T."_____White Lies

.11. "Surfing On a Rocket (Joakim Mix)"_____AIR

.12. "West End Girls"_____Pet Shop Boys

.13. "Sun God"_____Cut Copy

.14. "Jerk"_____Muscles

.15. "Music"_____Madonna

.16. "Someone Great"_____LCD Soundsystem

*****click on the pic above to download M!X.49 for FREE!*****

the.DRUMs (LiVE!) @the.Glass.House (Pomona, CA)

The Drums

The Glass House (Pomona, CA)

September.28.2010

FCVK! I missed Surfer Blood. DAM! When I was heading towards the venue, I saw people coming out and I thought it was over. It was not, Surfer Blood just got off stage. I got my ticket at will call and I see they have shirts, Awesum! They ran out of the blue (The Drums) shirt so I got the black. Got my shirt and headed to the main floor. Not so many people. You might say there is 50 people in here not including the one's outside.

I just read on New Musical Express that Guitarist Adam Kessler left the band two nights before there first gig in America. Wow! He called his bandmates around 1am saying that he could not continue. "I want a simpler life", he said. So, what a cool band does? Is hire someone to take his place, but he is not replacing or gonna be part of the band. That was quick.

I do not know if The Drums picked the intermission music, but it's non-stop Kraftwerk. I like. I am looking into the crowd and they are young and pretty, also the girls. I see a couple of popadors. I know The Drums look something out from the 50's, but come on. I just spotted a letterman's jacket. Let the sock-hop begin.

The Drums came out one by one every 20 seconds. Only four of them appeared on stage so they did done away with the back up singers (sucks) and the lead guitarist (Jacob Graham) stopped playing the tambourin (double sucks), but he still had that crazy energy. I loved when he played the tambourin. He would be jumping and twirling around the stage like a crazy banshee. But he is still great to watch and that crazy little Vouge move he did when they closed it with "Down By The Water" was priceless. It was also great to see people dance here and shout out songs for them to play.

Now lets talk about Johnathan Pierce (lead singer). He is so Morrissey-ish. The way Morrissey use to be in The Smiths, swaying around the stage. He was entertaining. The other two where doing there thing and the temporary guitarist was doing great. How quick he learned the songs. I wonder if he is a friend of the band? But you know what, I prefer the last time I saw them at Spaceland last year or was it this year? Who knows. Did Jonathan just told us that we where "lovely"? He is so English now. Cheers!

NEW! The Drums - The Drums

The Drums album is finally out (self-titled "The Drums") and is PURE SUMMER FUN SURF MUSIC. What a perfect album for this summer. Listening to the album it reminds me of this band from the 80's called "The Mighty Lemon Drops", but alive. The Mighty Lemon Drops had this dark sound to the band and The Drums reminds me of them, but in the opposite way. Happy. And you would think from listening to The Drums album that they are from London because they have that English sound, but they are from NYCity (of course), well Brooklyn. So, if you have not heard of them yet, you should and you MUST download this album. If you have not seen them live, it's a MUST! They played Spaceland last year and they kicked A$$! PURE Rock n' Roll fun.

the.DRUMs (LiVE!) @SpaceLand

Let's C what Boy George is raving about....."the.DRUMs R a band 2 watch out 4" say's NME. So sure enough I went 2 there myspace page an added them and looked @there tour log. SpaceLand......on Monday......sure. Mondays R free so.......let's go and C what people R ravin about over seas. I knew 2 arrive early....thank god I did. Already a line but not as big when I saw EDiTORs here on a Monday. But once i got on line around 9.........10minutes later.......people where cumin in packs and the line was gettin bigger. AWESUM! Good sign so far. So Xcited 2 C this band, but sumtimes it can B dangers. Big hype, sumtimes......disappointments. It's 945p and they let us in and when i got close 2 the door......there was this guy tellin the doorman "I am on the.DRUMs guest list". I thought this was free. I guess. A list 4 a free concert....okay. so yea. The 1st band went on and it was.......not good. The drummer was the best thing 2 watch. He was all over the place with a huge smile......2 funny. I walked around 2 C what R they sellin. No shirts.....just the EP. Man. It started 2 get really crowded so I went back 2 the stage. 2minutes latr.....the.DRUMs hit the stage. No wonder (@1st) Boy George likes them.....pretty boys. They have females in the band.....? Oh......backup singers. Cool. Just 2 let U know......I have not heard any of there music yet.....but once they started w/the 1st song.....I WAS iN! AWESUM! Loved the crazy tambourin player (also plays the bass guitar). He was jumpin up in the air so high and hittin that thing all over the stage. I was waitin 4 him 2 hit the singer. NOW.......the singer was also great 2 watch. He had the dance of Morrissey mixed w/Ian Curtis. It was funny 2 watch but in a good way. LOVED iT! very surf pop music w/a modern twist......sumthin fresh w/backup singers......it was REALLY GOOD! I wood not mind 2 C them again. U wood think they where a European band but.....they R from Brooklyn.....of course. HELL YEA! I am in w/Boy George. Shirts......PEOPLE. next time i hope.

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