WHY? @ Fun Fun Fun Fest 2009

The final band I was able to take photos of before having to protect my camera from the pouring rain, it was also one of those discoveries that everybody seems to make at festivals. Yes, I know WHY? has been around for a long time, been critically acclaimed, and Eskimo Snow is suppose to be one of their best album to date, but for whatever reason I have never listened to Wolf's music. That all came to a crashing halt when I saw him on stage. What was I more impressed by: how the band managed to pull of a great blend of indie rock, folk, and hip-hop style vocals, how great the songs were, or how rad Wolf's dance moves were? I couldn't name the songs if I wanted to, but every song was quarky without being geeky, and the entire show Wolf had an air of cool surronding him, even when he did dance moves that if anyone one else tried to do, would easily make them a laughing stock. He (and the rest of the band) was that good.

Atlas Sound @ Fun Fun Fun Fest 2009

I don't know what's worse: That I had heard practically no Atlas Sound music and I was getting a front row view, that I only got to see half of the show, or that I think I liked it more than Deerhunter? Even after all this time I still don't know the answers to those questions, but I do know that after having my brain delightfully shredded to pieces by Mika Miko, it was kindly put back together in the trippiest way by Bradford Cox and his backing band. For all the (most undeserved) shit Cox takes for practically everything he does, this live was pretty great. Not only was he able to pull from Trish Keenan from Broadcast to do vocals on "Quick Canal", but the great 5 piece backing band he assembled for the tour gave the music an energy that usually isn't their on the record. Plus, Cox's guitar playing was just sublime and he even managed to not ruin it by pulling out one of those hand less harmonica braces. It was just a great set, and the rain just amplified the music in a oddly pleasant atmospheric way.

Mika Miko @ Fun Fun Fun Fest 2009

(I know it's been more than a month since Fun Fun Fun Fest ended. I am trying to rap up my coverage this week.)

As much as it really, really sucks that Mika Miko are breaking up, at least they are leaving the musical world at the top of their game. Not only was their set and playing tight as fuck, it was just plain fun. And that's saying something for me, who usually can't get into the live shows of bands that I haven't really listened to. It was raining, but that had no effect on either the crowd or band. It was all snotty, bratty, youth girl punk that made me release I've spent to much time listening to Animal Collective and not enjoying stuff like. Both Victor Fandgore and Jet Blanca call-and-response singing was spot on, especially Fandgore's, who even wore a Misfits T-Shirt in (hopefully) honor of Danzig's upcoming performance. The band mildly taunted the crowed to get more excited for because "this might be the last time you see us, or maybe the first time". This of course led to more moshing and stage diving, along with crowd surfing with a skateboard and by No Age drummer Dean Allen Spunt. Yes, it truly sucks the band is breaking up, but for that brief moment you got to her "Sex Jazz" and Blanca's saxophone one last, it suddenly was that bad. Then the show ended and you remembered how much it sucks.


































The Crowd