Tag: vinylmag
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AthFest 2014: Judah & the Lion x Vinyl Mag
Nothing compares to the comfort that southern music brings, and Judah & the Lion supplies just that. The Tennessee-based band brings energy and folk spirit to their music and performances. It’s one of those bands where you have to clap in rhythm to every song and really can’t fight it. Tennessee comes to Athens for Athfest, and Judah & the Lion are sure to provide a memorable show…and maybe a barrel of cookies? Their newest music video for “Sweet Tennessee” embodies the bluegrass roots and gospel sound of the south, complete with shotguns and suspenders. Although Judah & the Lion are but mere cubs, there’s no doubt they will continue to create beautiful music that will remain timeless and comforting.
Vinyl Mag: Y’all are from Tennessee – how do you incorporate that culture and your roots into the music? When did you first know you wanted to make music?
Judah Akers: Well, we aren’t all from Tennessee. I am from Tennessee, and I think the culture, rootsy, Johnny Cash vibe definitely comes through, but you have to add a little Chicago sass and Colorado vibes to really get us as a band !
VM: Who (or what) is your inspiration in music?
JA: Backstreet Boys, Boys 2 Men, [The] Gap Band.
VM: How did the group come together? How do you hope to evolve in future albums?
JA: Came together randomly in college. I called the other guys on a wim, and we really hit it off. We hope to revolve and sculpt our craft as the years go. We hope to be the best at being us. Nothing else.
VM: Sweet Tennessee is your most recent album – what challenges have you had to face as a group in order to create the album? How has the response been?
JA: The response has been amazing. We are super grateful. Especially to Athens. We’ve felt so loved by this city since the start!! So thank you!
VM: Where was the video for “Sweet Tennessee” filmed? What process did you have to go through to create the video? How long did it take to make a bucket of chocolate chip cookies? Were there any left over?
JA: [Laughing} No cookies left over – luckily, we had moms and girls involved to help with the cookie-making. We filmed it in my hometown of Cookeville, Tennessee. Right down the road from my house. ‘Twas a special few days.
VM: What do you guys do when you aren’t playing music? Do you have any other creative outlets besides music?
JA: We have a special community of friends we love to be with. Lakes, cliff jumping, bon fires, The Office. We love writing and working on other things as well!
VM: Have you been to Athens before? How has your experience in Athens been so far? What are you looking forward to most during Athfest?
JA: WE LOVE ATHENS. ATHENS IS FAMILY. IT HAS CHANGED US! We have been three times now and will continue to come back, ’cause we love the culture, the people, and feel loved too!
VM: Athens is a hotbed of striving musicians. Since you have also just started, what advice can you give musicians who are trying to find a starting point? From personal experiences, what encouragement can you give artists, in general?
JA: Stay true to yourself. Don’t change for anything. Work hard, keep your head down, and have fun!!
VM: What is next for Judah & the Lion?
JA: New record drops in September, and be road warriors!!! We love it. And can’t wait to share it with people like you!
AthFest 2014: Ruby the RabbitFoot x Vinyl Mag
After two long years, Athens native Ruby Kendrick has released her second album, New as Dew, under the moniker Ruby the RabbitFoot. Her sophomore album exhibits an evolved sound, but remains soft and relaxed, since her first album in 2012, No Weight No Chain.
“New as Dew” and “Ways” are two personal favorites of the new album. “Ways” is accompanied by a vivid music video featuring flowers and solo shots; it is sweet and bright, like her awesome bangs. No doubt, Ruby’s southern heritage comes through in her guitar sound, but her simple voice appeals to modern listeners.
Ruby the RabbitFoot will soon be an essential Athens artist to add to your summer playlist. This year, she plays on hometown soil for Athfest. Although this is only her second album, there are sure to be more to come…at least we hope.
Vinyl Mag: You’re from Brunswick/Saint Simons Island [Georgia], right? How long have you been involved with the Athens music scene? How do you judge Athens as a platform for artists?
Ruby Kendrick: I am from Brunswick/ Saint Simons. It’s a one of a kind place. I’ve been involved in the Athens music scene since 2011. I think Athens is a great place to make music. Cheap cost of living and a supportive community.
VM: In general, how has music been an important part of your life? When did you first know you wanted to make music?
RK: I’ve always loved to sing. Before I knew how to play guitar or piano, I would sing everywhere and anywhere. When I was in third grade, my dad got me a keyboard from radio shack. After that, it was all over.
VM: Do have any other creative outlets other than music?
RK: These days, I’m really into music video production. You can check them out at Cardio Barbie TV. Two more will be added later this summer.
VM: Who (or what) is your inspiration? Most of your sound is very soothing and light – what state of mind do you adopt, and what process do you go through to create a piece of music?
RK: It’s funny to think that my music is described as soothing and light. I might have to give credit to my band for that. They keep things sunny for me in general. Lyrically, I think the songs can get pretty dark… but that is a detail that folks can choose to acknowledge or ignore. I’m really inspired by pop music for the most part. Mostly female artists.
When I write a song, I’m not thinking about any of that. I’m kind of just vomiting something up. I don’t get to choose when, where or what. It just has to happen, and then I feel really good for a few days.
VM: It’s been two years since your first record, No Weight No Chain – what’s been happening in that time?
RK: O lawwwddd… Just getting knocked around by life mostly. The New As Dew era was a very happy one in the RabbitFoot world. I spent those two years (after NWNC) just focusing on the New songs and traveling a bit.
VM: How has your music evolved since 2012? What goals did you have for New as Dew?
RK: I think my voice has gotten stronger. I’m a very quiet singer…and it used to be even worse. I’m more confident in my live performance. I used to be terrified to play piano on stage – my fingers would shake violently.
My goal with New As Dew is to just stick with it as long as I can. I have a tendency to be ‘over it’ before anyone else hears it. I want to parade it around before moving on to the next album. Even though it feels like a part of my life that’s over, I want to share it.
VM: Of course, you have quite a following in Athens, which will surely be supporting you at Athfest. How is the local crowd compared to “out-of-towners?”
RK: Playing in Athens is like playing in front of your family. It’s much more nerve-racking, but much more rich. I want to make them proud.
VM: Have you been to Athfest before?
RK: This will be my third Athfest.
VM: What are you most looking forward to [at Athfest] this year?
RK: I want to see Kishi Bashi.
VM: Do you have plans for the rest of summer and the future, in general? Can we expect another album soon?
RK: This summer, I am touring as much as I can. I’ll be flying to California right after Athfest, then I’ll be looping down to Texas and up to Chicago this Fall.
You can definitely expect another RabbitFoot album. I’m very excited about the new songs and hope to develop them more this winter. I’d love to say that you can expect it in 2015, but time is slippery.
Jun 21 Athfest Hull St. Stage Athens, GA
Jul 05 CAMP OUTPOST Piru, CA
Jul 25 Green Room Athens, GA Tickets
Jul 29 The Beatnik New Orleans, LA
Jul 30 Mudd & Water Baton Rouge, LA
Jul 31 Mango’s Houston, TX
Aug 01 502 Bar San Antonio, TX
Aug 02 Holy Mountain Austin, TX
Aug 03 Wild Detectives Dallas, TX
Aug 21 King Dusko Charleston, SC
Aug 22 Sky City Augusta, GA
Aug 23 Green Room Athens, GA
Sep 03 Southgate House Revival Newport, KY
Sep 07 Daytrotter Rock Island, IL
Sep 10 Sugarlands Distilling Co. Gatlinburg, TN
Sep 26 Gram Parsons Festival Waycross, GA
Electric Forest 2014 Survival Guide
I remember my first time. A little nervous, a bit of uncertainty and a natural high off of the excitement and anticipation. My mind was consumed with what I was about to experience and with questions about whether or not I was really prepared. Ready or not, we had arrived.
After a good 12 hours and two days on the road, we were finally creeping through the organized sea of cars entering the Double JJ Ranch in Rothbury, MI. The energy, the happiness and the pure bliss of everyone arriving at Electric Forest that day is nearly indescribable. Leading up to this weekend attending my first music festival – let alone my first Electric Forest – many friends found it hard to fully describe the Electric Forest experience. The most common depiction was always something along the lines of, “Just wait. You’ll see.”
During my initial walk-through of Sherwood Forest, it hit me. I remember turning to my best friend and with the biggest smile on my face just stating, “I get it. I finally understand.” In that moment, I understood why this festival is so special and why those who attend make the effort to return year after year.There’s something magical and freeing about being at Electric Forest that can only be fully appreciated after experiencing this festival first hand.
This year I’m returning to the forest and thought I’d share my own take on surviving Electric Forest for the first time.
AS A DISCLAIMER- This is in no way a complete or even necessary guide for all. I will be the first to admit I am a creature of comfort, and many of my suggestions will reflect that. I also encourage anyone to feel free to share their own suggestions.
GENERAL FESTIVAL TIPS
Expect Nothing and Be Surprised: Do not set expectations for yourself. Do not go in telling yourself this will be the best weekend of your life. Just let it happen, because it will naturally happen on its own. It’s good to keep a schedule in mind for what artists you want to see, but don’t follow it too strictly. You never know what you might experience or who you will meet by just going with the flow and not following a fully scheduled-out day.
Take Care of Each Other: Hopefully you are going with friends you can count on. Keep an eye on each other, know your own limits and know when to step in if you think someone is in need, whether it be friend or someone else at the festival. The med tent is your friend, and without sounding too mom-ish, it’s better to get help before it’s too late. Stay safe out there!
Water: Drink it. You do not realize how dehydrated you can become between all the walking you’ll be doing, all the sun you’ll be basking in and all the alcohol you probably will be consuming. My best advice: buy yourself a CamelBack or some other hydration pack. Having such a pack is easy to carry, and you’ll have water that’s easily accessible throughout the day. Electric Forest provides water refill stations throughout the campgrounds and within the festival venue.
Hammocks: Bring one or you’ll be disappointed you didn’t. ENO Hammocks are my preferred go-to, and if you forget, I’m sure reps will be on site and ever-willing to sell you one.
Cellphone Charging: Although there is a booth where you can charge your phone, for a fee, an external battery wouldn’t hurt to bring along.
Headlamp/Flashlight: Comes in handy for those walks at night back to your campsite or some adventures into the Porta Potties at night.
Gas & Jumper Cables: Make sure your tank is close to full before entering the festival and someone in your group has jumper cables. You do not want to be stranded when it comes time to leave the festival because of an empty tank or a dead battery.
CAMPING GUIDE
Camping With Your Friends: If you are meeting friends, and you all drove in separate cars, meet up before getting to the festival so you all drive in together. If you are not together when you enter, it will be extremely difficult (if not impossible) for you to camp next to each other.
Porta Potties: As a girl and first timer, I just did not think I would be able to survive an entire four days using such a facility. Trust me – you will survive. Electric Forest is one of those festivals that does a great job of scheduling regular cleanings for them, but the best time to go would be early morning right after they do the first cleaning of the day. Also, BRING YOUR OWN TOILET PAPER. I really cannot stress that enough.
Showers: Some people can go the four days without water and/or soap touching their bodies. I am not one of those people. In general camping, there will be shower trailers available, and many take advantage of going to the Gold Rush Water Park located at Double JJ ($20 per visit, includes shuttle to and from, a towel, and a shower). For a more personal experience and to avoid leaving your campsite, I suggest a camping shower. Also, wet wipes/ baby wipes can really come in handy.
Food: Electric Forest has great food options (delish taco truck, I’m lookin’ at you!). However, in the interest of keeping costs down, I’ve found that bringing a camping grill and splitting some food costs with friends is the way to go. Our food of choices are usually of the breakfast variety and easy to make such as quesadillas and brats. An awesome breakfast saved many of us some days.
Garbage: It’s quite appalling the amount of trash left behind by festival attendees at a camping festival. Don’t be one of those camps to leave tents, trash, etc. just because you know someone else will come along and clean up the mess you left. Electric Forest has been striving to become greener by supplying garbage bags and recycling options. Take advantage of the festival’s green efforts. Also, it wouldn’t hurt to leave the fireworks and Chinese/Prayer lanterns at home. Those beautiful lanterns that light up the night’s sky do not disappear and usually end up on properties outside of the festival grounds.
Electric Forest 2014: The Revivalists x Vinyl Mag
As we get prepared to make the pilgrimage to Rothbury, MI, for, in our opinion, one of the best music festivals in the country, we called up George Gekas (bassist) of The Revivalists to hear what he had to say about their upcoming performance at this year’s Electric Forest and what he believes makes this, and so many other festivals and venues, so special and universally cherished by music fans and performers alike.
Vinyl Mag: What do you consider to be some of The Revivalists’ key elements to a live performance?
GEORGE GEKAS: I’d probably have to say energy. A lot of people say we give off a high level of energy, and it’s just because we love to do what we do. We’re the kind of band that, the more people we are in front of, the more energy we are going to give off. We love to have crowd participation at 100 percent if possible, and the best way to do that is to show that we’re up there having a good time and giving it our all.
VM: If you could describe The Revivalist’s music in one word, what would you use?
GG: One word is tough…soulful-rock. I know that sounds kind of generic, but we’re a rock band.
VM: Who/what would you say have been the band’s biggest influences?
GG: We all come from incredibly different musical backgrounds. Obviously, you have your standards – like some of the guys come from rock worlds, and guys that come from classical worlds, and jazz worlds, guys that grew up playing in church and stuff like that, but obviously bands like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and all kinds of classic rock. There are some people out there now doing stuff we like, but I guess it’s easy to say The Beatles and Led Zeppelin overall, as the two biggest influences. But we have so many guys that listen to so many different things. It’s actually really hard for all seven of us to genuinely enjoy.
VM: What are you looking forward to the most about your upcoming performance at Electric Forest?
GG: I have been hearing about this place for years now. I remember when that first Rothbury lineup dropped, and after that happened people were just saying how amazing the festival grounds are. We are very fortunate that our booking agent has a stake in this, Electric Forest and Madison House, and a lot of people there told us that it’s worth it alone just to walk through the forest with all those crazy art instillations and the lighting rigs that are set up. It just seems like an amazing time. Not to mention, there are so many great bands, and there are so many of our friends that are playing, which is cool. It will be nice to have four days just to chill with people in a really cool setting with a lot of great music.
VM: Can we expect to see any collaborations or sit-ins?
GG: I would not be pressed to say there would be a high possibility of something like that happening.
VM: Are there any bands/artists you are particularly excited to see at EF this year?
GM: I’m excited to see Lauryn Hill. I’ve never seen her live before, which should be really cool. I’m familiar with Zeds Dead, but not a lot of Zeds’ solo stuff, and I’ve been listening to some of his acoustic stuff, and it sounds really cool. There are so many artists from so many genres. Umphrey’s should be fun…but definitely excited to see Lauryn Hill live, and I hope she brings a band.
VM: What do you believe makes this festival so unique and special? Is there any in particular about EF that makes you excited to just get there?
GM: Not to sound too earthy and hippity-dippity…there is a reason why people have these massive gatherings in certain places, almost like a certain vibration that pulls people in, and there’s kind of like this sixth sense going on where people can feel an energy surrounding a place – a place like [Electric Forest}, or Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL, or Red Rocks and the Gorge. There are certain places that people gather, and there’s no real reason why it starts happening, but everyone knows these places are special. We love that we are going to be a part of something like that, and there’s a really sick line-up. It’s a great four day festival.
Like I said before, the best part about doing this stuff is just getting to hang with your friends. We’re lucky enough to be Madison House artists, so we’re going to get to see all of those people from Colorado there, and I could go down the lineup, but there’s going to be at least 10 bands there who are our friends, and we rarely get to see for more than a day, and we’re going to get to all chill. Besides the fact we’re playing – playing is the obvious give in. Getting to play is awesome, but it’s all the little perks you don’t see once we get off the stage.
AJR x Vinyl Mag
New York based trio of the Met brothers, AJR, takes DIY to a new level. Adam, 23; Ryan, 19; and Jack, 16, produce, edit and mix all of their own music, including producing their music video for their single, “I’m Ready” (which now has over two million views on YouTube – see the video below).
AJR’s single is climbing the charts. They have already toured with the likes of Demi Lovato and Hoodie Allen. They just signed a joint venture with Warner Music Group and are gearing up for a summer tour and their album’s release later this summer.
I got the chance to talk to Jack about how they were able to go from busking in Central Park and Washington Square to getting their big break after successful singer-songwriter Sia reached out to them for a meeting over breakfast in Soho one morning.
Vinyl Mag: I’m the oldest of three girls, and I could barely share a room with them, let alone collaborate with them. What was it like growing up with your brothers and creating a unique and cohesive sound?
Jack: You know, a lot of people ask us that expecting us to fight and for it to be a difficult situation, but it really wasn’t. Growing up in the same room and in the same house, it gives us a chance to be completely honest with one another. We’ve been so close our whole lives, so when we are writing and producing together, I can be completely honest with Adam and Ryan and say, ‘no, I’m not feeling this tune,’ or ‘I’m not feeling this track.’ We really work together, so this has only brought us closer and able to be honest with each other.
VM: I know your songs are very eclectic; they have a lot of influences and sounds. Are the three of your creative forces similar, or do you each add your own twist to the songs?
Jack: We definitely all have the same vision, but we do have different aspects of the song that comes from each of the three of us. It’s a full collaboration, and Ryan actually writes and produces pretty much most of the music, but we each add our own different styles. We each have our own favorite genres of music; I’m more into singer/song-writer, hip-hop, and Ryan likes today’s pop music. So we take influence from each of those genres and put it into the music.
VM: Your video for your single “I’m Ready” now has two million views on YouTube, and I know you guys produce, edit, record and pretty much do everything. What is it like to be garnering this much success from your own efforts?
Jack: We’re all so thankful for it. Like I said, we started out street performing with absolutely nothing – just the band. We record, write everything from our own living room. For so long, it was just the fans supporting us. We did not have this record label. So, until a month ago when we signed this joint venture with Warner where we have creative control still, it’s just unbelievable that it’s 100 percent our work. We are just nothing but thankful, and just so surprised and shocked and happy every single day that this has happened to us.
VM: You’ve been compared to Imagine Dragons and fun. – you’re also being called “The Next Big Thing” and getting attention from Billboard and VH1, among others. Are you ready? Excited, nervous?
Jack: I am absolutely ready for this, but in the meantime, I have no idea what’s coming. We have no idea what could happen next. Right now, we’re watching the song climb the iTunes charts, and we never even imagined that could happen. So it’s just been a new surprise everyday, and it’s been nothing but enjoyable. So I’m so ready for this to happen.
VM: What do you feel like most influences your music now?
Jack: We try to include a bunch of different genres, ranging from music from the 50’s and 60’s to today’s pop music so anything from The Beach Boys and Simon and Garfunkel to today’s music such as fun., Imagine Dragons and even Kanye West. We try to include a bunch of different sounds.
VM: You hear stories about how bands get their big break, but what was it like when you heard back from Sia just from tweeting out your video. Did you think that that would be successful, or was it just a shot in the dark?
Jack: Well, for about seven years before that, we had been trying to make it with no success whatsoever. So, when Sia tweeted us, it was a huge surprise but at the same time we were [wondering if it was real]. So we actually didn’t know what to think of this, but a couple days later, we met up with her downtown, and she actually got things going for us. It was a real thing. It blew us away. Things started happening; she introduced us to people in the industry — it was just a shock to all of us, and it still is.
VM: On your previous tours, you got to open for Demi Lovato, Hoodie Allen and The Wanted, so I’m sure you got exposed to the stardom that you’ll most likely be receiving soon. Did you enjoy touring and being out on the road? I guess being out with your brothers makes it a little easier.
Jack: Yeah, I was homesick at times, but I’ll give you something; Hoodie Allen’s tour was unbelievable. We went onstage expecting to be booed off the stage, but we got on stage and we started playing, and they absolutely loved us. Hoodie Allen’s audience is 60 percent boys and 40 percent girls, and we just realized what a wide diverse audience we have. So it really opened our eyes and made us realize our age range and style is just incredibly diverse. So, touring has been a great experience for us.
VM: You’re also going on tour again this summer, with some already sold out dates.
Jack: We’re going on tour with Lindsey Stirling. We’re doing a bunch of dates starting with Montreal and going down the East Coast into Louisiana and Tennessee and then Texas. So I’m really excited; she’s incredibly talented. I’ve seen a bunch of her videos, and her style is so unique, so I’m very excited to see her show and to perform.
Jun 16 Metropolis w/ Lindsey Stirling Montreal, Canada
Jun 17 House Of Blues w/ Lindsey Stirling Boston, MA
Jun 18 Terminal 5 w/ Lindsey Stirling New York, NY
Jun 20 Starland Ballroom w/ Lindsey Stirling Sayreville, NJ
Jun 21 the Space w/ Lindsey Stirling Westbury, NY
Jun 24 Echo Stage w/ Lindsey Stirling Washington, DC
Jun 26 The NorVa w/ Lindsey Stirling Norfolk, VA
Jun 27 Fillmore w/ Lindsey Stirling Charlotte, NC
Jun 28 Ryman Auditorium w/ Lindsey Stirling Nashville, TN
Jun 30 Track 29 w/ Lindsey Stirling Chattanooga, TN
Jul 01 Masquerade Music Park w/ Lindsey Stirling Atlanta, GA
Jul 02 Jannus Landing w/ Lindsey Stirling Tampa, FL
Jul 03 Hard Rock Live w/ Lindsey Stirling Orlando, FL
Jul 05 Sunset Cove Ampitheatre w/ Lindsey Stirling Boca Raton, FL
Jul 07 Iron City w/ Lindsey Stirling Birmingham, AL
Jul 08 House of Blues (18+) w/ Lindsey Stirling New Orleans, LA
Jul 10 Bayou Music Center w/ Lindsey Stirling Houston, TX
Jul 11 Stubbs w/ Lindsey Stirling Austin, TX
Jul 12 Southside Ballroom w/ Lindsey Stirling Dallas, TX
Watch: Parquet Courts: “Black and White”
Look, it’s Parquet Courts‘ video for “Black and White.” And it’s in black. And white. Groundbreaking.
Watch: Charli XCX: “Boom Clap” from The Fault in Our Stars film and soundtrack
Watch pop darling Charli XCX‘s new music video for “Boom Clap” (her best song in our opinion) from The Fault in Our Stars film and soundtrack. Tear.
Purchase the song here.
Party in the Park 2014
Party in the Park took over Centennial Olympic Park this Saturday, May 17th to a huge crowd of flower headband adorned teens, hipster parents with well-dressed hipster children and drunken college students alike. The weather had cleared up perfectly, amidst horrid rumors of yet another rained out outdoor Atlanta event.
Aside from an already impressive lineup featuring the likes of Girl Talk, MGMT, The Joy Formidable, Minus the Bear and Stokeswood, Party in the Park featured a food village including vendors from Chick-fil-A and Papa Johns and an exclusive tent by the Party in the Park sponsors, the one of a kind Desperados tequila flavored beer.
The Desperados Tent, conveniently located in an ideal concert viewing space, was open strictly to those over 21 years old and featured a graffiti artist and various acts throughout the night – including sword swallowers, acrobatic dancers, and hula-hoopers in full body makeup.
Desperados, the new beer by Heineken, is blended with tequila barrel-aged lager. This mixture tones down the bitterness typically associated with beer and adds a smooth, sweet flavor because of its spirits influence. Desperados is perfect for a night out with its unique style, taste and dynamic packaging.
The crowd was enjoying themselves laying in the grass, in the Desperados tent or just arriving during Stokeswood high energy, easy-listening set that suited the mood instilled by the beautiful weather and environment of Atlanta’s day long festival in the park.
Desperados in hand, I joined the crowd seated on the grass and waited for Minus the Bear to take the stage. The crowd welcomed the Seattle, Washington natives with loud cheers. Starting their set off with “Summer Angel” off their 2010 album, Omni, Minus the Bear brought loud energy and a twangy guitar sound to re-energize the crowd. Mid-guitar change, Jake Snider welcomes the crowd and tells us how excited he is to be back in Atlanta—with a few references to the legality of pot in Washington with answering whoops and cheers thrown in—and proceeds to play a crowd favorite off of their 2005 album, Menos El Oso, “The Fix.”
Dave Knudson brought an amazing energy whenever he took center stage with an equally incredible response from the crowd, especially during his guitar solo in “The Fix.”
Minus the Bear ended their set with “Pachuca Sunrise,” which Jake Snider delivered beautifully.
Hailing from North Wales, The Joy Formidable was next to take the stage. With Ritzy Bryan as lead vocals and guitar and Rhydian Dafydd as bass and backup vocals, the two create a powerful force of energy and put on a fervent performance. Matthew James Thomas intense drum-banging added to the loud punch the band brought on. Overall, the Joy Formidable put on a powerful punch, playing crowd favorites like “Maw Maw Song” and “Whirring” and got me even more pumped to see one of my favorites, MGMT.
MGMT’s performance was everything I expected it to be – trippy visuals, a seemingly half-lucid Andrew Vanwyngarden and a performance that was exuded then filtered through a kaleidoscope of whimsical talent. Whether you were standing in the middle of the crowd in right by the stage or lying on the hill faraway watching MGMT’s performance as the sun set, both experiences would have been equally blissful.
By the time “Kids” came on, I had gotten to the lying down part of the show. When the first few notes were played though and recognition swept the crowd, everyone around me ran towards the crowd because of how infectious the energy was.
One of my favorite parts of MGMT’s performance only lasted a few seconds, but its simplicity and beauty was mind blowing. While some of the band members were changing out their instruments, Vanwyngarden began strumming the chords on an acoustic guitar to Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Dream” and sang a few lines of the timeless song.
Last to take the stage was Gregg Michael Gillis, better known as Girl Talk –and I say that loosely, because Girl Talk as well as about 50 festival-goers all took the stage together. Girl Talk was hidden behind two inflatable sneakers and a huge table, but his energy was explosive as the stage was filled with guys and girls dancing. The entire crowd was dancing and jumping along to the entire set – his first in three years.
Aside from the rambunctious, and sometimes inappropriate, ramblings of the hype man, British Nick, Party in the Park was one of the first outdoor Atlanta event in a while to deliver on all fronts – good drinks, an excited crowd, beautiful weather and amazing music all day.
SXSW 2014: The Stargazer Lilies x Vinyl Video
On our last night of South by Southwest, we got a cleansing escape from the overwhelming crowd and bustle to head to the Graveface Records/Noisy Ghost PR showcase in the middle of nowhere in a secluded garden dreamland called Tillery Park.
It was there that we came across dreamy duo The Stargazer Lilies who just got off of a tour with Tobacco (and The Casket Girls before that). Naturally, we had to grab a quick interview in the “green room”/vintage Airstream on site. Check out our chat below (and excuse my appearance – vanity goes out the window on the last day of SX. I’m just lucky I was still able to stand)!
Shaky Knees 2014: Local Natives x Vinyl Mag
Local Natives graced us at Shaky Knees with their glorious presence on the final day of the fest, the last to play the Peachtree Stage before the day’s headliner, The Alabama Shakes. Luckily for us (and for you readers, actually), the band also graced us with an interview to discuss their too-short Shaky Knees experience, their favorite live song (and why they want to top it), as well as what’s coming for the band.
VM: I read that you said “Sun Hands” is the your favorite song to end every show. Why do you think that is? Do you think you will always end with that song?
Taylor Rice: “Sun Hands” is the song that we are able to completely let go and allow things to get completely unhinged. It’s a personal goal of mine to unseat it as our show closer as we’re writing our next album.
VM: Did you get anything good on Record Store Day this year?
Kelcey Ayer: We were in Charlotte, NC on Record Store Day, and we heard Lunch Box Records was a sweet little spot to check out. When we got there however, there was a line of about a hundred people going out the door and down the street. Apparently Bruce Springsteen tweeted that he might go (he had the rival show in town), so it was rammed, on top of all the normal RSD madness. We tried and failed, but we tried just the same! F*cking Bruce Springsteen, man.
VM: Who were you most excited to see at Shaky Knees in Atlanta this year? Did you stay the whole weekend?
TR: Alabama Shakes. I saw them play once at a German festival we played together last summer and was blown away by how great Brittany’s voice is live.
KA: I wish we had been there the whole weekend. Spoon played on Friday, and we’re all the biggest Spoon fans. We just got off a six-week tour, so we went on a little vacation afterwards that went right up until the Sunday we played.
VM: What do you like about playing at festivals, as opposed to playing regular shows? Which do you prefer?
TR: At a festival, you’re dealing with this huge mass of kids before you who did not necessarily buy a ticket to see you play. There’s a willingness there, but they won’t just give it up for you; you have to win them over. I like feeling that edge in and amongst a big crowd.
KA: Festivals give you a chance to play in front of bunch of new people, so that’s fun to bring your A-game and try to prove yourself. I prefer regular shows though, because you get to have your own lights, all your own equipment (if you’re flying into a festival, you have to rent amps/drums you’ve never used before), you can play whatever you want instead of cater to a crowd who has never heard you; you basically get to put on, what you think in your head is, the perfect show. Our fans are there and on our side, and it just doesn’t get better than when you feel in absolute unity with the audience, and everyone is going ape-sh*t.
VM: You have a little over a week between Shaky Knees and your next show in Santa Barbara – what are your plans during that time?
KA: We’re trying to get our practice space in Los Angeles up and running again so we can start writing for the third record. I’m not sure how far we’ll get this week, but it helps that the next show is in Santa Barbara, so that’s super close to us.
TR: We’re making music, getting ourselves ready to bring another album out of the mist.
VM: How has response been to Hummingbird in comparision to response to Gorilla Manor – how are the albums different? Some bands consider their new material to be a continuation of the same sound, while others are constantly trying to evolve/experiment/change their sound – which mindset do you relate more to, and what is your writing process like?
TR: Hummingbird is a more intimate album. It was a very cathartic record to make for us, and deals with facing some existential crises we were going through; realizing that the music we make is now our full time job, long term relationships falling apart, and death. We relate more to feeling that our style and music is always evolving and changing. We have a constant need to push each other and ourselves to do something we’ve never done before. That’s all done within the small universe of who we are, so I’m sure there are lots of similarities between records.
KA: We definitely relate more to evolution. I think that’s pretty obvious when comparing the two albums; they were written in very different times in our lives, and we just look up to artists that don’t have a consistent sound. The Beatles, Bowie, Radiohead, Damon Albarn; guys like that, who find their genius by fucking with the formula. I love that. Comparing the responses between a debut record and a sophomore one seems like apples and oranges to me. On your first record, there is an excitement, because you’re a new band who no one has ever heard before, and they can’t compare it to anything you’ve done, because it’s the only thing you’ve done. But on the second album, everyone already has expectations and has the first record to compare it to. I think people weren’t expecting Hummingbird, so it threw some people off, since it’s a bit darker in content and sonically less ‘plug-in-and-play’ and more ‘plug-in-and-add-something-then-f*ck-with-it.’
VM: What is next for Local Natives?
KA: We’re doing a few smaller festivals over the summer, but the main focus is going to be trying to work on the third record. I’m over the moon about where we are in our career, in our heads, mentally, and just about overall life. I think that’s going to show on the record. It feels time to be happy again.
TR: It’s time to conjure another record out of ourselves, and we’re getting set up for that. We’ve already teased out a bunch of pieces.