Bloggy's FunFunFun PicksPicksPicks

Unlike some other festivals that occur in the city of Austin, of which there are many, FunFunFun Fest groups their stages by genre. Or at least they are loosely gathered with a common thread amongst the artists. That is one of the reasons I'm not going to do the typical make sure you check out _______ at FunFunFun Fest post. The other reason I don't want to do that sort of post is, I feel like I always appreciate FFF more a few months after it's passed when I hear a song by a band I really like and I realize I saw them at the fest already. In otherwords I recommend you leave yourself open to checking out new artists who you may not have heard of and making notes of who impressed you. For myself, I probably won't be spending a lot of time at the Black stage, not 'cause I'm a racist or anything it's more because I'm not a person who listens to a lot of punk and/or metal so while I can appreciate that the bands on that stage have talent I won't be venturing to that side of the park very often. If you want to hear Bloggy-bands at FFF Fest I'd hang out in the vicinity of the Orange stage, hopping over to the Blue stage every now and again. With that all being said there are a few artists who I, personally, MUST see for the first time. There are also a handful of artists who I have already seen, whom I look forward to seeing again.

Memphis band Magic Kids is one whom I have yet to see and look forward to catching for the first time. They play the orange stage at 12:50 on Sunday so I'll have to drag my ass out of bed in time to get on the bus and into Waterloo Park before they go on. Unfortunately that means I'll have to miss, at least part of, Indian Jewelery's set on the Blue stage at 1:00p on Sunday but alas that's festivals for 'ya. At least at FFF Fest I can easily move between the Blue and Orange stages.


Magic Kids - Superball video via YouTube


Another artist whom I'm excited to see for the first time is Dominique Young Unique who will be performing on the Blue Stage at 4:50pm on Saturday. I feel like all you need to know about Dominique is that she is young, sassy, and filthy. This video should pretty much sum things up for you.


Dominique Young Unique - Show My Ass video via YouTube

The last artist(s) I want to mention whom I have not, yet, seen perform live that I look forward to seeing is Israeli punk-band Monotonix. I was extremely surprised to see that they will actually be performing on the Yellow stage, which is generally where the local acts and/or comedic acts perform. I'm hoping they don't burn it down before the Master Pancake Theater guys do their thing. This video of their performance at the Mohawk from a few years back should give you an idea of what you might expect from one of their performances.


Monotonix - Live at the Mohawk video via YouTube

As far as artists I've seen in the past who will be appearing at the festival here's some videos I shot so you don't have to read anymore. See how I look out for you. Also, if you want to see my "customized" schedule for FunFunFun Fest feel free to check this out.


Delorean - Seasun video via YouTube


Best Coast - Sun Was High (So Was I) video via YouTube

Weird I thought I had a lot more videos of FFF artists whom I had seen in the past but apparently not. See y'all at Waterloo Park!

Weird Al Tomorrow!! After-Party Choices

Can you believe that FunFunFun Fest kicks off tomorrow night with Mr. Weird Al Yankovic himself?!?! I can't wait to hear what songs he puts into his polka medley, I'm really hoping he manages to work Whip My Hair in there somehow. I'm also excited to see the Apples in Stereo perform live, although I'm not gonna lie I kind of hope they DON'T play the Powerpuff Girls Theme and something tells me they most certainly will.

In an off-festival grounds note, this year seems to have more after-parties than years passed and I am for it. Personally, I am too old to do both the festival AND after-parties but for those of you with more stamina and commitment to parties I thought I would highlight some of the best of the best...after the jump of course.


Apples in Stereo - Dance Floor video via YouTube


Friday night has the least appealing after-parties, no offense party planners and promoters, I understand you don't want to shoot your party wads so early in the weekend. If I were you, I would head to the Mohawk for the Gorilla Vs. Bear party. The headliner is a secret but I trust GvsB to book someone bad-ass. We know for a fact that Memory Tapes will be there and that's good enough for me.


Memory Tapes - Bicycle video via YouTube

My other Friday night choice would be Dâm-Funk's DJ set at Beauty Bar. If you go to this show though, I'd bring a flask those bartenders, while beautiful are slow and full of attitude. That's right I said it!


Dâm-Funk - Mirrors video via YouTube

Saturday night is all about Jean Grae DJing at ND. That show will also feature Devin the Dude amongst others. The other viable option is back at Snooty Bar where Bloggy-favs Delorean will be spinning tunes. You could also just throw-down with some non-marquis names at Scoot Inn where my brethren in blogging Knuckle Rumbler will be co-hosting a party with the Glitoris.


the Herbaliser ft. Jean Grae - Nah'Mean, Nah'm Sayin video via YouTube

Sunday night has slim-pickings for official after-parties but the good news is they'll be half price. All of the parties I've mentioned so far are $5 if you have a FunFunFun Fest wristband or $10 if you're a have-not. On Sunday night it will be $5 for the have-nots and free for those of you with a FFF pass. In all honesty though, the only party that interests me that night is back at Beauty Bar where Yelle will be Djing. Do you like how I insult that venue's bar staff and then I keep telling you to go there? Whadayagonnado?


Yelle - La Musique video via YouTube

FunFunFun Fest Official Kick-Off Event(s)

Tomorrow night begins FunFunFun Festivities in an official way. The semi-annual Local Music is Sexy party will have a happy hour hosted by our friends over at Knuckle Rumbler with music starting at 7:30pm. As the name implies you can catch some of Austin's greatest musical talents on both the inside and outside stages of the Mohawk including Bloggy favs TV Torso and Markov. Did I mention that it's also free? For those of you who are not attending FFFFest for financial reasons there will also be opportunities to WIN free tickets to the festival at the party. For a complete list of the bands who you can catch at Local Music is Sexy click the Mohawk link and/or the LMiS link at the top of this paragraph.


TV Torso - Live at the Scoot Inn video via YouTube courtesy of Cindy Royal


If you've got a hankering for a touring act to start off your FunFunFun weekend then you should head over to the Mohawk's neighbors at Club de Ville who will be hosting a corporate party, which is also free featuring the Helio Sequence. All the official press release stuff I've received from Transmission Entertainment has listed this event as being free as well. However, the info I received from the party's corporate sponsor says it's free with RSVP. Something tells me it's free BUT if you RSVP then the booze will be comped as well. Only time will tell.


the Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead video via YouTube

In a note completely unrelated to FFFFest, hot off the heels of their Moog Fest performance you can catch local heroes the Octopus Project for free at Waterloo Records at 5pm tomorrow. They managed to perform with Devo this passed weekend, which I find suspicious considering Devo had to cancel their headlining performance at FFFFest but I presume the dude with glass shards in his hands wasn't performing this passed weekend.


Octopus Project + members of Devo - Girl U Want video via YouTube

Of Montreal at the East Side Drive-In

I'm calling the Of Montreal show at East Side Drive-In as the first unofficial pre-show of FunFunFunFest. Sure, it is not affiliated with the fest in any manner and isn't even on the same side of town but remember that time Of Montreal was one of the Fun Fest headliners? That was awesome. They did a bad-ass cover of a Prince song but I was too high to remember which one. Oh snap, did I just publish that on the internets? Oh well, if you can tear your hipster-ass away from Shangri-La long enough all you really have to do is cross the street to see Kevin Barnes and Co. do their psychedelic rock-theater thing tomorrow night. Janelle Monae is starting things off and as of the writing of this post you can still purchase tickets for a mere $15. After the show we're all going to get a beer at Cheer-Up Charlies but we're pre-gaming at Shangri La (Obvs).


Of Montreal - Coquet Coquette video via YouTube

For the record, I was totally going to post a video of Of Montreal doing Purple Rain but obviously his purpleness would have sued the shit out of YouTube, Of Montreal, me and possibly you if I had done that. Homeboy is ridiculously proprietary and I may get a cease and desist letter simply by mentioning that there is a cover song in existence. Love you Prince's lawyers. :-)

Anyway, Janelle Monae has some amazing hair and an even more amazing voice. Like, Of Montreal she is based in Georgia and is considered a protege, of sorts, of Big Boi. Coincidentally you can also catch Big Boi at the East Side Drive-In later this year (tickets). In any case, if you haven't heard of J. Monae you should head to tomorrow night's show just to say you saw her when.


Janelle Monae with the Emory University Symphony - BabopbeYa! video via YouTube

I want to include one more music sample for Janelle Monae since the above video is so brief and such a rare performance that doesn't fully-represent her sound.


Janelle Monae - Cold War video via YouTube

PS.
This is TOTALLY conjecture but it really wouldn't surprise me if Solange Knowles made an appearance either on-stage or off at this show tomorrow night.

Jenny and Johnny w/Grandchildren

With a name like Jenny and Johnny you know you're going to hear some twee-indie-pop at Emo's outside stage tomorrow night. For those of you who don't know already, yes I' m talking to you, Jenny is Jenny Lewis and Johnny is Jonathan Rice. They are a couple in real life and in indie-rock life too (which is more surreal). They figured hey, we're always together we might as well write and record some thematically dark yet happy-sounding indie-pop together. Personally, I am of the school that "You don't shit wear you eat". In otherwords don't work with people who you're schtooping but I suppose it's a good way to tour and be with your loved one(s) at the same time. If you think about it, none of this is any of my business, nor does it have to do with their music. I look forward to hearing their stage banter, I expect lots of stinging barbs but maybe they'll be all lovey-dovey. Only time will tell. As of the writing of this post tickets are still available and will set you back a cool $18 at the door or $16 in advance. To be honest I don't see this being a sell-out show, not because they don't deserve it but because it's a Tuesday night and I feel like there are still a lot of hipsters who don't know about this project YET.


Jenny and Johnny - Scissor Run video via YouTube


Opening for Jenny and Johnny tomorrow night will be experimental, electro-pop outfit Grandchildren. To me they sound like they listened to a lot of Brian Wilson on a lot of drugs (as if there's any other way). I'm not sure how many people reproduce the live sound but the LP sounds like a bedroom creation with Pro-Tools, lots of sonic layers and beautiful cough-syrup melodies. If you're a fan of Animal Collective make sure to arrive early enough to catch Grandchildren. Doors for this show open at 9pm, so this tired blogger is hoping it will be an early(ish) show. I'm not a big fan of staying out until 2am on weeknights, I need to get my Bloggy rest y'all.


Grandchildren - Saturn Returns (Runaway Remix) video via YouTube

Also, if it ends before 2, I can jump over to the new Barbarella for Tuezgayz, hosted by the Glitoris.com.


the Glitoris Presents - Tuezgayz video via YouTube

PS.
The address listed in the above video is wrong by 2 numbers, since Barbarella moved. Also, the photos were taken by one of Austin's best party photographers ULoveI. If you know what I look like you can see me in this video for a moment, if you don't then I'm whichever dude you find most attractive. #Dealer'sChoice