We’ve been looking forward to this weekend for months. Fun Fun Fun Fest outdid themselves this year with a no-filler lineup that featured stellar artists across genres. There were some strange bumps and snags along the way, all seeming to stem from the less spacious grounds into which FFF was forced this year, but the fest did everything they could do navigate rough waters with poise and determination. And we still love ’em. Hell, they do the hard work of bringing in truly great artists and trying their best to avoid a festival that feels like a corporate shill. They do a damn fine job and deserve all the props in the world. Some folks are upset following some weekend drama, but everybody needs a little forgiveness now and then.
Nothing could feel more perfect than starting our festival out with Dana Falconberry. We’ve given Falconberry as much ink as anyone else over the course of the last three years. We’re die hard fans, and so are most who see her perform, including the Austin Chronicle, who gave her set at FFF a glowing review. Falconberry’s band, as we’ve said before, deserves their own accolades, as the cast of Karla Manzur, Christopher Cox, Gina Dvorak, Matthew Shepherd, and Lindsey Verrill contribute incredible musical talent to the songs’ outstanding arrangements. Even at 1:00 in the afternoon, Falconberry has the ability to transport a crowd to some ethereal spiritual plane with transcendent vocals and sounds both haunting and powerful.
We saw Mineral a few weeks ago, prior to their triumphant performance on FFF’s orange stage. They sounded great in the intimate environment of Mohawk’s indoor room, but it was distinctly profound to see them take the festival stage and perform. The songs sounded huge, as frontman Chris Simpson belted out plaintive, emotional refrains and the rest of the band thrashed epically.
One of the best sets of the first day came from rap duo Run the Jewels, comprised of Killer Mike and El-P. As with Mineral, we caught the duo a few weeks before at their Red Bull Sound Select show, where they blew Red 7 out of the water. The two know how to work a crowd, and FFF received them with hands raised to the sky. Not only do the beats hit hard and the performers give it 100%, but these songs are filled with social and political commentary, making Run the Jewels one of the most important acts making hip hop.
I never listened to the Blood Brothers, but kudos go to FFF for snagging another classic band that has reunited just in time to play the fest. I had a slew of friends who thought they were the greatest thing ever. Somehow I made it through a phase of listening to quite a bit of post hardcore music without ever giving them much attention. Live, the band certainly has emotional intensity as they deliver blood-curdling vocals while contorting their bodies in violent maneuvers. I enjoyed catching some of their set, but I can’t say I was convinced to invest time in the back catalogue. The band just isn’t where I am with music right now. However, I’m curious what true fans though about the band’s reuniting and their performance this weekend.
Ginuwine was Ginuwine. Is there really much else to say about it? Delivering some classic grooves, including his most well-known track “Pony,” Ginuwine had the crowd getting down. However, for those of you who think of Ginuwine as a one-trick-pony (sorry, I had to), a little research about the rapper and singer proved that he’s far more complicated and accomplished than you might expect. He has three platinum selling albums (certainly not a one-hit-wonder’s credentials), and he’s been releasing material steadily for almost two decades. He issued his last solo studio album in 2011, and released a collaborative album with TGT just last year. This kind of output and consistency raising some important questions: Why do we only think of artists as relevant if they’re maintaining the same level of visibility? And why do we act as though an artist is a blast from the past when they never went away, we just stopped paying attention (this attitude devalues art and perseverance)? Luckily for you, FFF is the kind of festival that will ignore trends and get real.
French dance-pop purveyor Yelle brought an incredible stage show to the blue stage just before dusk. Donned in a giant fluffy yellow shirt and bright red tights, Yelle exhibited her killer dance moves while backed by two drummers in a symmetrical arrangement. The show was that perfect blend of danceable pop that gets a crowd moving but has enough personality to feel genuine. I’m not totally out on EDM, but I’m still uneasy about the genre’s live application. Yelle manages to bring both the party and the humanity, and for those reasons, she excels.
Minneapolis rapper Atmosphere played a set of some of his standout hits to the evening crowd at FFF. Few other rappers have managed to explore such unabashed personal love of their hometown and capture a city in the way Atmosphere has. What makes his version of these hip-hop homages distinct is how his lyricism rides along the edge of utterly sincere to the point of cheesy. There’s no tough guy bullshit or posturing; Atmosphere is just doing what he does and putting himself out there. Those who get it love him for it.
Indie-rock legends Dinosaur Jr. played a set on the orange stage that was unfortunately fraught with technical difficulties. I’m not sure if it was their own gear or a loose cable somewhere. I certainly don’t think it was the fault of ineptitude on anyone’s part. Accidents happen, and everyone deserves a break. It always bums me out when people completely rip a festival or a show for one set of bad sound or a delay. I know it sucks if your favorite band doesn’t sound up to par, but hey, you were still there. You got to see the mishap in all it’s glory. Mistakes are inevitable, and when we can’t fix them, we can learn from them. After all, Alt-J, who followed Dinosaur Jr. sounded pretty solid.
Even though the sound was back on track for Alt-J, I thought the set lacked a little punch. The new songs are interesting and sonically deep, but they don’t have quite the tenacity and teeth that the songs of the first record have. Even the moody, emotive darkness of the tracks feels a little lacking. They’re still a good band, but battling with the loss of an integral member, they strike me as a little in the weeds at this point. Time will tell where these British up-and-comers land. I’m looking forward to seeing what their next output of material sounds like.
We’ll have a full report on our Majical nite at Cheer Up Charlie’s and more FFF coverage come tomorrow. Peruse our shots from day one below. All photographs © Bryan C. Parker & Pop Press International. Click any image to open set in slideshow viewer.
Majical Nite
