popwreckoning

When independent artists continue to stay independent instead of succumbing to the living hell of corporate record labels, rarely are they as well known as Skrillex is. With his newest release Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites, his first on Big Beat Records in coordination with Mau5trap records (founded by legendary electronic artist Deadmau5 and in it’s infancy), it dominated the charts on Beatport- and not just for dubstep but for many other subgenres as well, taking number one spots across the board.

Not only is his original work absolute genius, he is a master remixer. So far, Lady Gaga, La Roux, and Black Eyed Peas, to namedrop a bit, have commissioned him for official remixes. Even with the fame, Sonny Moore still stress that it is really about innovation in music. “For me, it’s important to believe in and love the music you’re making. I gave away my first EP on my manager’s website, just so people could hear the music,” he enthuses. “It was downloaded by the thousands in just a couple of months, and it hasn’t let up since. That’s all the inspiration I need to keep making music. SKRILLEX can be anything I want it to be,” he continues hopefully. “There are so many different avenues for music now. Video games, movie scores – the possibilities are endless, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

I happened to catch a 2.5 hour set in Seattle a few months ago, just days after the new EP dropped. I have NEVER seen a venue in Seattle THAT packed with sweaty bodies in my decade plus of Seattle scene stalking. It was insane to say the least, but probably one of the best shows I have ever seen, and probably one of the top two electronic artsits I have ever had the privilege of seeing.

If you’re in town for the fest and even have a remote interest in dance music, this is another show that is a must see. Take a few minutes and just go dance your heart out. It’ll be the highlight of the fest for you.

Friday March 18 @ 12:00AM- Mohawk Patio (all ages)

The heat of the first day, replaced by the requisite layer of San Fran summer fog, brought the largest crowd of the three-day festival.

Street Sweeper Social Club
Coming off a successful supporting role with Jane’s Addiction and Nine Inch Nails on last year’s NIN|JA tour, SSSC was easily the best dressed band of the festival. With great machine-gun style and obvious DNA from Rage Against the Machine, Tom Morello and Boots Riley performed songs from their recently-released and self-titled album including “Fight! Smash! Win!” and “100 Little Curses.”

Mastodon
Performing with a formidable presence, fans at this live show know why this is one of the best heavy metal bands in the country. Mastodon’s progressive style is intricate and monstrously powerful, drawing from metal, metalcore and jazz influences. Their immense sound is even more potent when it is radiating from an outdoor stage.

Bat for Lashes
Though it was too early in the day and their stage was too small to contain them, UK’s Bat For Lashes dished up wistful songs for the crowd who shoe-horned themselves into the side stage area. Less cutesy and more dynamic than I expected, vocalist Natasha Kahn’s velvety voice was haunting, even in the light of the afternoon.

Black Eyed Peas
Supporting their latest release, The E.N.D., the Black Eyed Peas are determined to keep their fans happy. Creating a massive dance party in the middle of Golden Gate Park is certainly one way to do just that.

Deerhunter
Also coming off a supporting role with Nine Inch Nails on their Lights in the Sky tour, Deerhunter’s performance was a surprisingly subdued version of their usually moody punk-art-rock shows. Maybe it was the tiny stage or the complete lack of atmosphere but only a hint of Bradford Cox’s lo-fi brilliance was evident.

Dave Matthews
No stranger to massive shows in Golden Gate Park, Dave Matthews brought his quirky personality and prodigious catalog of music back to the live stage. After the recent band turmoil, including the death of founding member and saxophonist LeRoi Moore in 2008, fans were happy to be dancing with the GrooGrux King once again.

check back for Day 3!

Produced in association with one of Southern California’s premier rock venues, The Casbah, San Diego heats things up on August 28th & 29th with their 25th Annual Street Scene in the East Village (and adjacent to Petco Park).  In essence, it’s the ultimate two-day musical block party and the perfect way to kiss summer goodbye.  So drop those world-famous fish tacos, hop in your car or on your surf board and get in on the excitement.  Last year they managed to score Beck, TV On The Radio, and Cold War Kids, among others, but it looks like they may have outdone themselves for this year (complete lineup here.).  Boasting over 40 bands, the multi-stage street set up features some of the biggest names in indie rock, alternative rock, hip hop and pop today that I’ll probably get into mutliple arguments with myself over which bands to check out.  Here’s a little taste of what to expect, if you can handle all the action:

Friday, August 28th
Black Eyed Peas, Modest Mouse, Cake, Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band, Band of Horses, Girl Talk, Devendra Banhart, Chromeo, Calexico, Matt & Kim, Deerhunter, Holy Fuck, Anya Marina

Saturday, August 29th
M.I.A., Thievery Corporation, The Dead Weather, Silversun Pickups, Of Montreal, The Faint, Busta Rhymes, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, No Age, Ra Ra Riot, Los Campesinos!

The show is rain or shine (who are we kidding, when does it ever rain in beautifully sunny San Diego!?).  Doors open: 4pm – midnight, both nights.  For $65 bucks, you can see 20+ bands in one day and it’s totally worth it.  There are also two-day passes, or the option of  VIP treatment if you’re above all that recession talk.  For additional ticket information, go here.  So, come celebrate the end of summer at this killer rock block party.  See you there!

Street Scene: website | tickets