My Summer Sonic 2010 review is coming as soon as I finish getting distracted by things.
In the meantime, here's a neat new trailer for 127 Hours, a fall movie I'm a bit squeamish about.
In it's favor: Oscar-bedecked director Danny Boyle and the always-interesting James Franco.
Not in it's favor: Danny Boyle's visually sadistic side, and the true story of how Aron Ralston got himself out of that rock and a crevasse pickle the trailer ends with.
It may end hopeful, but I'm betting it won't get there pretty...
OK, so I'm not going to go through every Summer Sonic band, because frankly, I don't intend on seeing them all.
So here's a few bites of other bands that we may stumble upon...
3OH!3
I'm posting the Colorado boys' old hit, only because I really can't stand the new one with slurry pop girl, and I've already posted the teaser track from the new album that's been absolute ear worm this year. So yeah, maybe we'll hang back for a few tracks to represent the 303.
Pavement
OK, so I know I'm supposed to like Pavement and be all hip to their cult status and the impact they've had on music, etc, etc, etc...
The problem is I never really got into them. I mean I've heard of them, heard of Stephen Malkmus, but you'll notice if you peruse this blog that my taste in music doesn't really reflect what was big in the mid to late '90s here in the States. That goes for most of the grunge bands, and what followed.
My ears belonged to Europe and Asia at the time, and it was significantly much more upbeat on either side of either pond. Which suited me just fine.
So maybe this will be an opportunity to discover a band I should have listened to the first time around. Or maybe I'll be catching...
A-Ha
...instead. I mean if this is Pavement's reunion tour, then isn't there some value to the 80's Nordic popsters' farewell tour?
The real question is what do A-Ha fill a farewell tour with? Everyone knows Take On Me, and there was the follow-up video on MTV when the drawn guy runs around the real world. And I think they did the theme to one of the lesser Bond flicks.
Apparently they have more songs. And this is it -- Not that I was ever too concerned about missing them the first time around. Thirty Seconds to Mars
That Jared Leto can really emote. So maybe it'll be neat to see the theatricality that is Thirty Seconds to Mars.
I don't know if I can take so much pseudo-angst. But I bet they know how to work the stage, and the music can be catchy. Jay-Z
So he may be the big headliner, and plenty of people have told me he's been the highlight of many a festival lately. But hey, it's not really my cup of tea. Not to mention he's playing at the same time Calvin Harris is doing his DJ set and electronic masters Orbital are getting all techno on other stages.
And I bet he doesn't have Alicia Keys along to sing about New York.
Nas, Richard Ashcroft, The Offspring, The Smashing Pumpkins (and others)
The best part of a festival is that there's a little bit of something for everyone else, no?
Looking back, I'm thoroughly surprised I haven't written much about Passion Pit, especially considering I saw them rock out The Ogden here in Denver earlier this year.
Super catchy recorded, these guys are even better live. Even half exhausted sitting in the rafters they got my feet tapping, and had the crowd on the floor pumping.
So it's with some giddiness that I'm glad to get a second chance to see them this year at Summer Sonic, hopefully a little more energetic myself.
Delphic is probably one of the bands I'm most excited to catch at Summer Sonic.
Their debut album Acolyte has been a constant companion in the car this summer. If you haven't given these electronic wizards a spin, CATCH UP HERE. Their videos
Alas, they've already beat me to Japan, it seems...
The beauty of a music festival is that you start planning your way around the timetable and find yourself looking up bands you've never heard.
So it's thanks to the post-Hurts slot at Summer Sonic that I gave Boston-based electro band Yes Giantess a whirl.
Guess what?
They're a lot of fun, and should put on a high energy show! No surprise, seeing as they're pals with the Passion Pit guys, who also know how to get a crowd going (and play later on the same stage). The Ruins
For the next week, consider this corner of the internet a Summer Sonic 2010 playlist.
First up, the early band we'll be aiming to catch over at Maishima.
I've already introduced you to Hurts early leaks, and some are comparing them (for good reason) to 80's icons Pet Shop Boys. A band with a clear image and solid tunes, I'll be surprised if this suited-up duo don't give it a real go.
Here's the spruced up, sexier, video for Wonderful Life, now the official lead single for their upcoming debut album, Happiness.
Pop pixie Robyn is out pimping the second of her three Body Talk EP's she has lined up this year. Part 2 comes out in a few weeks, so she's upped the tempo on Hang With Me and lined it up as her new single.
While not necessarily the epitome of freshness (a slower version is on part 1), this is a catchy little tune to keep her drumbeat going this year.
But if you tuned into NPR at all in the past few decades, you were likely treated to one of the keenest voices in journalism today providing a unique perspective on the news.
His decades of experience and depth of knowledge were a breath of fresh in air in this era of 24-hour quick-judgement news.
Schorr passed away today at the age of 93.
He will be missed on the radio, but we are fortunate that his voice will live on:
Hurts finally have their debut album Happiness hitting those proverbial shelves in September, so they're ramping up the leaks to try and get you to actually buy it (as if there's any question I will).
Here's the latest tune they're testing out with the masses. It's live and it's Illuminated.
I'm definitely now more excited to see them live in a few weeks at Summer Sonic!
There's also some sort of new full-fledged video about to drop. Keep an eye out for it here.
When you think of Gorillaz, it's usually an animated extravaganza that comes to mind. And that's usually by design.
So it's a nice surprise to find a stripped down take on the animated band that pulls down that cartoon wall completely for once.
It's good to see Damon Albarn front and center again. It makes you wonder just why he really needs 2D, Murdoc, Noodle and company anyways? On Melancholy Hill
Sometime after the utter brilliance that is Bang Bang Bang, and before his indelible pairing with Boy George, Mark Ronson released a little trifle of a song about a bicycle this summer.
