Photo by Christopher Alvarez
FYF Fest promised a lot going into Saturday’s all-day music festival. The previous year’s incarnation had suffered so many logistical problems that there were many issues to be dealt with to have a successful festival. Would it be possible to get water? Food? Would heat and dust spoil the day? Was FYF Fest destined to leave both critics and fans shaking their head once again?
With the help of music promotion force Goldenvoice, FYF Fest was not only a resounding success, with more than 20,000 attendees, but in the end, there was talk of expanding further next year by adding another day, a far cry from the previous year’s post-event chatter about whether anyone would actually endure this festival for another year. From the opening moments of the day (finding free parking, walking into the event without delay), it was apparent that we were going to be able to focus on the music at this year’s FYF Fest, which is all anyone ever wanted.
Fool’s Gold
Photo by Philip Cosores
Touche Amore
Photos by Christopher Alvarez
Mister Heavenly
Playing as a three-piece (yes, Michael Cera’s days in the band appear to be over), Mister Heavenly knocked-out a straightforward and spirited early-afternoon set, that still saw Nick Thorburn striking rock-star poses and Honus Honus seeming 60% crazy. Add to the mix some delightful doo-wop-informed tunes and you had the recipe for a legitimate festival day band. Not bad for a side-project.
Photos by Philip Cosores
Purity Ring
Though a lot in the audience probably had no idea who Purity Ring was, the memo definitely got out that this was one of the groups to see, as the crowd flooded the Splinter’s Den tent, spilling outside the covered area to simply hear and not see the duo. With some weird pipe instrument and a large bass drum, Purity Ring delivered an impressive introduction to themselves, with everyone’s favorite new song, “Belispeak,” becoming what I’m sure many will consider a highlight of the festival.
Photo by Philip Cosores
The Head And The Heart
Near the end of The Head And The Heart’s day set on Leonardo’s stage, I came to a decision. I will always see The Head And The Heart if they are playing near me. What feels like the twentieth time I have seen them this year did not grow old or stale one bit. The opening trio of “Cats And Dogs,” “Coeur D’Alene,” and “Ghosts” still find the band interacting with both the audience and each other, hopping around the stage like it were made of rubber. When the group smiles, you can tell that they mean it, but it all is just prologue for the closing two of “Down In The Valley” and “Rivers And Roads,” the latter of which features all three principles taking lead vocals and Charity Rose Thielen delivering the show-stopping moments of the set. It plays out the same every time, with the audience losing their shit by the end of the song, and it makes you feel good to experience it. Yeah, I will always see The Head And The Heart.
Photos by Philip Cosores
Pink Mountaintops
In trying to see as many bands that I had never seen before, I found myself watching Pink Mountaintops, unfortunately with very few others. Fronted by Stephen McBean of Black Mountain, this two-piece representation of the project focused less on blues-rock (though that element was still there) and instead gave McBean’s solid songwriting more pop and electronic elements. Not a far leap from Black Mountain, but enough to make you respect each project as unique entities, both of which have really high ceilings for when the music is particularly good.
Photo by Philip Cosores
OFF!
Photo by Christopher Alvarez
Japandroids
The hope with Japandroids’ set at FYF was that they would debut some new material. And, they did. But, it quickly became apparent that with a band like Japandroids, live is not the best way to experienced new songs, as some of the technical aspects are lost and the band chooses to emphasize the rocking. Thus, it was the familiar tracks (“Younger Us,” “The Boys Are Leaving Town,” “Wet Hair”) that got the crowd to shout along, with dust flying up from the pit that made it look like hte audience was literally on fire. This wouldn’t have been a stretch, considering the figurative fire that was burning on stage.
Photos by Philip Cosores
Cults
One of the two bands to appear for the second year in a row (the other being OFF!), Cults went from opening the festival on a small stage to getting prime real estate on the large, Leonardo’s Stage. And, in seeing both sets, it is clear that the band is coming into their own and worthy of the attention they are getting. Madeline Follin’s vocals soared on Saturday afternoon, beginning with “Abduction” to get the crowd going, and featuring set standout “You Know What I Mean,” which saw a crowd react when Follin stretched her capabilities for the song’s big finish. But, nothing brought the audience together more than “Oh My God,” in which Cults somehow channel the Jackson 5 and make it work in a number that everyone can sway and dance to. A knockout set from a solid up-and-coming band.
Photo by Philip Cosores
The Strange Boys
Photo by Philip Cosores
The Weakerthans
The Weakerthans have been a band since 1997. I have now been listening to them for three days. Do I feel regret for these decades of ignorance? You bet, as the Canadian band’s breezy, summer-day power pop was the ideal soundtrack to the atmosphere. The Weakerthans were a rare opportunity to listen to all new music and be equally impressed both by the craftsmanship and the technical prowess of the band. Plus, there was this total babe hula hooping girl in the audience who was just about the best thing I have ever seen.
Photo by Philip Cosores
No Age
If we learned anything from No Age’s set at FYF Fest, it is that guitarist Randy Randall can change a guitar string like no other. Sure, it made the transition from “Every Artist Needs A Tragedy” to “Teen Creeps” a little awkward, but when the Nouns standout kicked in a faster tempo than usual, kids were flying over the barricade just as you would expect them to do at a No Age show. Putting No Age on after Japandroids on the same stage sure stressed out security, but kids like running into each other and throwing each other around. At least at FYF more than any other festival, they know their audience and they generally let the audience do what they need to to have a good time.
Photos by Philip Cosores
Kid Dynamite
Photo by Christopher Alvarez
Four Tet
Photo by Philip Cosores
Broken Social Scene
Because Feist had played a secret show in Los Angeles on the previous day, there were rumors, or maybe just wishes, that she would join her BSS brothers on stage at FYF. That didn’t happen, but Broken Social Scene doesn’t need a special guest to provide an impact at a fest. All they need to do is break the script, which they had no problem in doing by opening with three songs from their classic record (You Forgot It In People): “Cause = Time,” “Late Nineties Bedroom Rock For The Missionaries,” and “Shampoo Suicide.” Also included in the set was their solid cover of Modest Mouse’s “The World At Large” and their epic closer, “It’s All Gonna Break.” The band announced that it was going to be their last show in Los Angeles “for a very long time,” confirming suspicions that the past year and a half of solid touring is nearing its close. Now, all we can do is wait for what will likely be another conistantly good new record.
Photos by Philip Cosores
Girls
There was a time where you couldn’t go to a show without seeing Girls as the opening band. Now, the band emerges with a new album, Father, Son, Holy Ghost, and a whole new live setup. Flowers on all of the mic stands? Soul backup singers? Frontman Christopher Owens doing tricks with his guitar? Who are these guys?
Well, by opening with “Lust For Life” and “Laura,” it was easy to remember what we like about Girls. And their new material works fine live, with “Alex” in particular burning hotter than it does on their new record. But still, there is a part of me that just can’t believe Girls are filling the large shoes that they have put out. They did for one night at least, but let’s see if they can keep it up.
Photo by Philip Cosores
Guided By Voices
Photo by Philip Cosores
Glass Candy
Photo by Christopher Alvarez
Simian Mobile Disco
Photo by Christopher Alvarez
Descendents
Photo by Christopher Alvarez
Dan Deacon
Even at festivals Dan Deacon cannot be confined to a stage. Setting up in the crowd, Deacon held a surprisingly huge audience in the palm of his hand, leading them down from a countdown of 25 to start, and then not even really starting. When he finally did begin, introducing the opening song as “a song about a cat,” (“The Crystal Cat,” duh) the audience errupted into a bouncing, crowd-surfing mess. At this point at FYF, people were in their I-don’t-give-a-fuck, let’s-just-have-fun modes. It might have been the best part.
Photo by Philip Cosores
Explosions In The Sky
Photo by Philip Cosores
Death From Above 1979
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Death From Above 1979 need to be experienced in the dark. A fitting end for the show, the band got off to a rough start with on-stage sound issues. But, once they got some momentum behind them, they were able to pump up the crowd and deliver a headline-worthy conclusion to the festival, which even featured what sounded like a new song to start the set. Has playing nearly every major music festival bought the band closer together? Or, was this one of the last chances to see DFA 1979 before they retreat back to their solo careers? Time will tell…
Photos by Philip Cosores
Crowd
Photos by Christopher Alvarez
Photos by Philip Cosores
