Augrock Interview and performance with T'bone, 4-30-10

Gonjasufi interview 2-19-10

Gonjasufi interview on 2-19-10. Really awesome and great opportunity to talk to him. "A Sufi and a Killer" drops on March 9th via Warp Records.

Gonjasufi interview 2-19-10

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Pitchfork Music Festival- Day 2

DAY 2

Coming out of a first day of Colossal sets, the bulky crowd at the second day of the Pitchfork Music Festival look forward to a full day's worth of great performances. Although it looks like most people come to the festival to see great performances, many people just come to be seen. Saturday's attendance is a large gathering of ironic t-shirts, large sunglasses, facial hair, plaid shirts, indie rock, and 40 year olds. Even though there are bands that people come to see, it looks like the festival that was originally an esoteric group of people watching esoteric bands, into a multi-faceted corporate/independently sponsored event for all ages and peoples to enjoy. Through all this, the music keeps people going.

Fucked Up

The day after The Jesus Lizard plays leaves the crowd with a hankering for more driving punk rock and locking bass lines. To fill the void, there is Fucked Up. The Canadian five piece deliver a nonstop audible assault from the get-go, and deliver an incredible visual as well. Lead Singer Damian Abraham is never stifled by the audience, an area where he stays shirtless for most of the set. Spouting comments such as "We sound better than that new Animal Collective record...which sounds like Phish," and encourages the fans to do "Whatever the fuck they want." Attitude inherent in their music. It is also a bit exciting to see a singular bassist perform more powerfully than 3 guitarists. This is Saturday's wake up call.

Bowerbirds

The Nu-Folk genre has made it's way into most Summer rock festivals in some way over the past decade, and this festival is no exception. North Carolina's Bowerbirds play a very lovely set of guitar and accordion inspired songs, complimented by glassy harmonies that one would be better of listening to in their room. Although the music is highly enjoyable, it is somewhat awkward to listen to this kind of folk in a large festival environment. Hopefully they can get the same size crowd in a coffee shop.

Ponytail

For a newer band, Ponytail play their music like a band who has been together and played festivals for many years.  With the mid day hump approaching, Ponytail was their to lift spirits for the rest of the day. These are 4 people who know how to work the stage. With 2 guitarists who play crazy fast, a drummer with the power of Keith Moon, and a lead singer who can drive a crowd wild by just shouting out high pitched noises, a great performance is inevitable. Playing a few new songs, the band shows promise of progressing as a force in the indie rock world. I had the chance to talk with lead singer Molly Siegel about Ponytail and their experiences of late:

Augrock: How is Chicago and the Midwest treating you guys? 

Molly Siegel: We are having a good time here at the fest. It's weird how people react to you when you say "The Midwest" because people get this idea of these small little states that no one thinks are cool. I mean, we've played in small places and had great shows, like in Utah. 

AR: Is there a big difference when you play on the coasts?

MS:  We play in places like New York and Baltimore, so we definitely are an East Coast band and have most of our fans there. But I guess it just depends on who you are playing for.

AR: Do you like performing for big crowds at festivals? Are there more opportunities? Is there a disconnect?

MS: I actually like performing in front of big festival crowds. I got a starting idea for that when we played Primavera in Spain, which wasn't even that long ago. I'd honestly say the biggest problem with fests is the barrier. It gets really wild and it's hard to control the fans sometimes when they want to get really close to you and be crazy. It does have some disconnect, but they have fun anyway which is good. 

AR: A friend of mine called you guys a band that sounds like 4 people on an ecstasy trip playing solos nonstop with a serious case of lyrical writer's block. How do respond to criticisms like that?

MS: Wow, that's what he said?

AR: Yeah, I was weirded out a lot.

MS: Well the way I treat bad criticisms like that is not so hurtfully. Whatever the review, you shouldn't take it personally. I have friends who get bad reviews all the time, but it never really becomes a big deal. I mean, I've said some hurtful things about bands, but I don't personally hate them. You just have to think that it's not all that bad. You have to just go on.

AR: Since you guys were formed in college by a teacher, do you like to incorporate that whole crazy school attitude in your music?

MS:Well we started in school, but the appeal to fans that are a lot younger than us is still there. There are some high schoolers who like us and that's great, but we're not as big of a deal to them as someone from Baltimore like Dan Deacon who gets a huge amount of younger fans. But I think it's still cool when people a lot younger are into us.

AR: Do you know if little kids like your music?

MS: One of our friends had a kid named Beckett who really likes our music. He's like 6 or 7! So he sends  us videos and it's really cute and interesting to watch this little kid  dance. Pretty neat.

AR: Pretty neat indeed. Are there any artists today that you would like to collaborate with at some point?

MS: As far as artists who have had a big impact on me who I'd really like to collaborate with would be someone like JD Samson of Le Tigre. She's always been a big influence on me personally since high school. That's someone that we could actually be able to work with. Someone like her is the best kind of artist to me.

AR: Any big plans for Ponytail?

MS: We're working on some new songs. We played one today that people seemed to like. Did you like it?

AR: Yeah I really did. I think it's still got your wild feelings that are in your music, but you guys are definitely progressing in a great way.

MS: Alright!

DOOM

Throughout the day, the one name I heard in almost every context people's schedule of who they were seeing was DOOM. Is it the music, or the mystique of a rapper who has always been shrouded in mystery? Starting late, the crowd gets anxious to see the mysterious rapper, with one girl up front who passed out in the hot sun and had to be dragged off even before the performance begins. As a large hype man arrives on stage and speaks of world harmony, he encourages the crowd to call Doom out, which brings the man out to a roaring crowd. Playing old jams from the Madvillain and King Geedorah albums, the masked rapper stands from time to time and acknowledges his greatness and respect. He knows his crowd, and knows he is awesome. And that suit made of leaves is not too shabby.
Crowd



Matt and Kim

Before the days end, the crowd arrives to see two piece Matt and Kim give an upbeat reminder of what the music is all about: the music. The Brooklyn duo have become over night successes with their Top 40 hip hop inspired spaz-rock, a musical recipe which the audience eats up in this highly energetic performance. It is sanguine end to choleric day of music and festivities. 
Stay tuned for day 3!

Pitchfork Music Festival- Day 1

For our first coverage of awesome Music News and Reviews here on the Welcome to Augrock Blog, we take a look at one of the newest Chicago Summer Institutions known as The Pitchfork Music Festival. This year from July 17th-19th, Chicago saw a festival that had grown from a relatively small festival attended by young Hip Music lovers, to a large 3 day event that dominates the sound scape of Chicago's Union Park for a Multi-generational Audience. I was there to represent Radio DePaul on Press and Promotional duty, but in the mean time I got coverage and photos on several of the finest acts the Festival had to offer. Stay Tuned for posts on all 3 days, including an Interview with Molly Siegel of Ponytail.

DAY 1

As the Festival began on a very overcast Friday evening, the attendees hustled into Union Park to get the musical satisfaction that they have been waiting for ever since the tickets for the festival went on sale. Swarms of teenagers, hipsters, punk rockers, parents, toddlers, and music hungry  fans filter in to hear the results of the "Write the Night" vote, a process by which the fans vote on the songs that Friday's artists will play. This gives a sense of eagerness and curiosity that keeps the crowd energetic and ready for the show. The bands, the crowd, and the music are all prepared for a huge weekend. 

Yo La Tengo

After a great starting set from Tortoise, the fans were just getting their feet wet into the night's theme of songs that have been voted on. With this in mind, the three piece combo of Kaplan, Hubley, and McNew that is Yo La Tengo took the stage by storm with some of the funkiest music that this festival has seen in it's 4 year run. After a quick ambience that lures the crowd in and a quick equipment switch, the trio starts playing their crowd pleasers. Most notably "Autumn Sweater," which has become almost the group's landmark song. They soon deviate from the concept of the night for a short while, and play a new  song from the upcoming album that rings of a more Rock N Roll Yo La Tengo. To say that this band is still a powerhouse after years of continuously pleasing their audience is an understatement. 

The Jesus Lizard

Possibly the most hyped band of the night, The Jesus Lizard return to the stage as hometown heroes after not playing a show in Chicago for a period of 11 years. With Lead singer David Yow at the helm, this Chicago powerhouse delivers an all out assault of punk and noise that this city has not seen since the last time The Jesus Lizard played over a decade ago. After a few short words, Yow Plunges into the crowd while wrestling the crowd for control of his microphone; an action which Yow repeats several times during his performance. Playing favorites such as "Nub," "Then Comes Dudley," and Chicago punk anthem "Mouthbreather," the 4 piece never put a halt to the energy. With the promise of 2 shows in November, the band has solidified that they are a force to be reckoned with again. 

That's it for Day 1 coverage. Stay tuned for Days 2 and 3!