Word and Photos by Chelsea Cochrane
For a large percentage of the 10,000 strong crowd at the barn like SECC, this day probably feels like one that would never come. The average age would put many around 11 or 12 when Blink 182 first entered their hiatus, making this the first and only opportunity they would have to see the iconic pop punk band. This brings a large sense of celebration with it, and the atmosphere in the room is electric. By the time the band kick into opener "Dumpweed" the crowd explodes and the party begins.
The first thing you’ll hear about First Aid Kit, the Swedish YouTube sensations turned legitimately promising indie-folk, uh, sensations, is that they are quite young, which is true—sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg are 17 and 19, respectively. But songs like "Hard Believer" are pretty far from teenage fodder; even beyond wise, simple lines like "Love is tough / Time is rough," the sisters sound like seasoned, strongfooted, been-through-it-all folkies.
From what I have heard, ‘backwards conservatives who hate brown ppl’ watch Fox News and ‘effing liberals who have white guilt’ watch CNN. Then there is some weirdo segment of people who watch ‘The Daily Show’/’The Colbert Report’ and think they are ‘smarter + more globablly aware’ than any1 else cuz they are able 2 ‘LOL @the_news’.
Anyways, I’m not sure what the deal with the Fox News website is. Maybe it is a blog, maybe it is a ‘news service.’ Probs just one of those things where they throw up stuff for SEO. It seems like some Fox News Bro wrote a ‘hipster bashing’ ‘article.’ Honestly not sure what it says/if it ‘says anything new.’
No ANBAD Donkey Antics this week. There just wasn’t time. Instead, here is a ‘greatest hits’ blast-from-the-past picture.
A poor show, yes – but here’s four genuinely fabulous bands to compensate, one of whom sounds a bit like The Killers. Of course, being the consummate professional, I will entirely gloss over such a glaringly glib comparison.
Ok folks, I am back from Brighton. Did pretty much fuck all except chillout on the beach, watching the waves get larger and larger and break onto the surface. It was really nice. Speaking of waves and chilling - yes, got this new one from Blackbird BlackBird. It’s lovely, kinda like HEALTH meets MGMT on a sedated lo-fi kick.
Urgh – I’m still recovering from my kinda-holiday, but now have to face up to the reality that normal service must resume.
As last month was interrupted somewhat by a week or so off, there were fewer bands to choose from in the round-up – and yet, the standard of brilliant bands was as high as ever. Go figure.
Seven nights a week, there are tens, maybe hundreds, of bands playing across New York City. Making noticeable waves can be difficult. A Million Years have done it on the back of sharp, spit-polished songs like "Holy Ghost Town" that scratch a variety comparable itches—the forlorn, idealistic street rocker; the excited, guitar-wielding everyman. That they play like seasoned champs certainly doesn’t hurt either. A debut LP called Mischief Maker, produced by Longwave’s Shannon Ferguson, is out now.
It seems the Vancouver keeps calling me. This time it’s All My Friends and they’ve done this quirky pop song with Oh No! Yoko. It’s synth pop cuteness about Megan Fox and Transformers with Power Rangers on the cover of the EP. Oh No! Yoko’s good at keeping it jaunty and upbeat. Still got the sing-a-long rowdy-ness intact.
Friday are not for deep thinking. Fridays are for milking the fact that you (probably, hopefully) don’t have to wake up before noon tomorrow, which means you can go out and lose a few brain cells to loud, flaunting, unrelenting club music like this new Crookers remix for Princess Superstar. And while that one’s on the house, Princess Superstar’s forthcoming album is decidedly not—she’s just launched a page at Pledge Music where you can aid the recording process in exchange for a litany of exclusive items and experiences, everything from "excellent health and nutrition advice" (could be handy after this evening) to a "private burlesque strip-tease." Don’t trip over yourselves clicking, now.
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