Dance, Thrash in a Pit and Have Fun Fun Fun at the Fest!
By April on Nov 5 Filed In Austin, Texas, Food & Beverage, Fun Fun Fun Fest, Live Music 2 Comments
This week is exciting! It’s time for Fun Fun Fun Fest! Do you know what that means kids? For me, it means that I will go another weekend without much sleep in the name of discovering new bands, seeing bands that I’ve started digging because of my Pandora and LastFM stations, and seeing some awesome, old-school stuff that will help make me feel like 15 year old April again. You know what I say to people who ask if I ever sleep? “You can sleep when you DIE!”
Yup. that’s right.
But seriously, how many festivals out there offer you a chance to have a dance party at one stage, laugh at another and then get thrown into a sweaty pit of moshing bodies at a different one? Not many and that’s one of the reasons I dig this festival so much. Before working for Sweet Leaf Tea, I was pretty anti- hipster dufus music, but I have learned to embrace it and realized that as I stated last year, it all comes full circle and that needs to be cultivated, respected and revered. No matter what you’re into.
Wondering who I have on my list to see this year?
FRIDAY 7:45 PM: Dude, it’s Weird Al! Yes, really! I’ve never seen him before, but I’ve been a fan since elementary school and I can’t wait to catch his set. I expect to be laughing through the whole thing. I mean, can YOU listen to “Another one bites the dust” and NOT sing, “Another one rides the bus” instead? Yeah, I didn’t think so. Don’t miss him, it’s insanely awesome that he’s playing a special opening night for FFF Fest!
SATURDAY
Hopefully you get some sleep after that amazing set, OR you hit up some awesome after-parties and you wake up hungry and craving some tasty trailer food. On your way to Waterloo Park for the fest, stop at Auditorium Shores from 11am-8pm for the Gypsy Picnic Trailer Food Festival! I can’t go to a festival all day without some very important nourishment and my buddies at Gourdoughs Big Fat Donuts and lots of other fine, foodie folks will be there sampling their treats and eats at a cool and affordable $3 or LESS! Nom-Nom your way across Auditorium Shores, say hi to people like the fabulous Jodi Bart and then get over to Waterloo Park so you don’t miss the first band you’re hoping to catch.
Hope to catch: The Antlers (2:45 Orange) I don’t know what is up with all of the new-fangled animal-inspired bands, but their music is pretty nifty and dream poppy, which I tend to dig. Let’s go see them!, Slick Rick (3:50 Turquoise) This dude is old-skool personified and probably shouldn’t be missed, so bust out your gold grill and be ready! The Vandals (7:00 Grey) You can’t beat this old punk band from the OC. Do yourself a favor and bounce into the evening with these guys! Dirty Projectors (7:50 Orange) These guys play some really fun music that gets pretty funky and weird. Dig ‘em! Bad Religion (8:45 Grey) While I’m probably dancing myself into a sweaty tizzy over at the Turquoise stage, my buddy will be reliving the glory days with these guys. Tell me the truth. Is there anything better than grey-haired punk rockers? I think not. Ok maybe, if they are also wearing glasses….but I digress…
Bad Religion proving my point
Not gonna miss: The Wavves (3:30 Organge) I like the music that gets played on both the LCD Soundsystem and The Rapture stations which is how I came to discover The Wavves and Delorean. See both of these bands during the Fest and get your dance on with me late Saturday night for the Delorean DJ set over at the Beauty Bar. Delorean (6:40 Turquoise), G.W.A.R. (7:50 Grey) This set is at the same time as the Dirty Projectors and trust me when I say that musically they are as different as pickles and stew but man, have YOU seen a G.W.A.R. show before? It’s a.must.see. <Easily offended? Maybe skip these guys..> RJD2 (8:45 Turquoise) I had to miss this guy when he came through town the last time and I will NOT miss this set, though it’s a conflict since it’s at the same time as punk rock icons Bad Religion and current hipster kings, MGMT. Looking for me? I’ll be the one getting my groove on during during the RJD2 set. Yup. That’s how you’ll know it’s me!
SUNDAY
Hope to catch: Mother Falcon (12:15 Orange) If I can get myself out of bed in a timely fashion, then you will be able to catch me seeing these guys. They were so much fun at Zoe Cordes Selbin’s (the coolest person I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet) birthday party that they might just be a MUST SEE and not a “try to see”. Deakin (2:10 Orange) This guy does some pretty kooky, experimental noisy stuff with Animal Collective so it could be worth a listen! YELLE (7:40 Turquoise) They seem pretty fun and are super-upbeat. Why not? The Hold Steady (7:45 Orange) Still not sure how I feel about these guys, so I might stop by and see if they sway me once I hear them live.
Not gonna miss: Best Coast (5:10 Orange) Yup, I agree with most of @SweetLeafDanny’s choices and since he introduced me to this band, every time I’ve heard them, I’ve dug it. So come find me listening to some boy-crazy 1960’s psychedelic-beach music. Deerhunter (6:50 Orange) Again with the animal names. These guys are dreamy but heavy on the distortion and I like that. Suicidal Tendencies (7:50 Grey) Man, I have some great memories of listening to these guys with all of my skater-punk friends back in the day. When I saw that they were playing the fest I KNEW that I had to see them. I will wear my nicest flannel shirt, buttoned only at the top and a Sweet Leaf bandanna low over my forehead and eyes, yo. Tie for last show: Mastodon (8:45 Grey) & The Decendents (8:45 Orange). I missed Mastodon when they came for the Dethklok Tour. I am no metal maven by any stretch of the imagination but since Dethklok is one of the best cartoons ever created, I think catching at least a part of their set will be mandatory. The Decendents deserve our attention and as bummed as I am to be missing Devo (AGAIN!), I can’t wait to see these guys for the first time. Again, (LEGENDARY) punk rock guys with some grey hair and glasses, equals awesometown to me!
Knowing our readers have great taste in music, we wanna know who YOU plan on seeing at this years FFF Fest. Holla-back on our comments, yo!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by April Riggs, Sweet Leaf Tea Co.. Sweet Leaf Tea Co. said: Need more ideas of who to see @FunFunFunFest this year? @SweetleafApril shares her HUGE list of must/hope to see: http://bit.ly/cG8n23 [...]
I hope to see you at the Gypsy Picnic, April!