While covering Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010, Chelsea Sutton was able to snap some photos. Click either picture below to check out the album.
fun fun fun fest: the photos
Monotonix
fun fun fun fest: orange and black
Special to Mixtapes|Heartbreaks, Chelsea Sutton reports on the fest.
Taking the stage in sweatpants, cutoff flannel shirts, and sunglasses on Saturday afternoon, Wavves had a slow start to their 3:30 spot. While the band worked on getting a replacement pedal and tweaking the tuning of a Telecaster Thinline, a restless crowd eagerly waited for the surf-inspired noise punk band to deliver. When they did, it was a sound different than one would expect from the highly lo-fi release that put them on hipster radar. Their live show was a youthful punk approach to the beachy indie pop dominating music lately.
Best Coast took the same stage the following evening. Frontwoman Bethany Cosentino, throwing sunglasses into the crowd as the sun set on Austin, took the stage as a confident woman in charge and filled the air with strong vocals that could give Emily Haines a run for her money. But instead of delivering the biting songs one might expect from a west-coast, mostly female band, Best Coast brought to the table stripped down songs about longing and boys, reminding us that we’re not so removed from those rudimentary emotions and core experiences. In a state that celebrates rich, early pop roots that run through Lubbock, these themes are dear to our hearts. Before wishing the front woman of Cults, who played dreamy throwback pop directly before Best Coast, a happy birthday, Cosentino told the crowd that their bass player was eager to see the bands on the metal-heavy Black Stage later that night and continued, “Poor guy has to play in a girlie band.” Also celebrating a birthday at Fun Fun Fun Fest was Chazwick Bundick of southeastern act Toro Y Moi, whose chillwave sounds were an excellent complement to the previous night’s headliner MGMT.
Highlights of the Black Stage included Mastodon, Suicidal Tendencies, Bad Religion, GWAR, and Floor. Japanese band and local favorites Peelander-Z were a huge draw, entertaining with a stage show that extended into the crowd and included props, costumes, and audience participation. Rock fans were forced to choose between gruff Municipal Waste, whose anthems “The Thrashin’ of Christ,” “Bangover,” and “Beer Pressure” always warrant pause for respect, and Israel’s Monotonix, who have set the performance bar high by continuing to perform after their frontman broke his leg earlier this year. Both bands played at the same time on neighboring stages.
the m|h guide to forward music fest
September 19th and 20th marks Madison, Wisconsin’s Forward Music Fest. Boasting an impressive line-up, especially for a first-time outing, FMF offers a range of acts that cover a broad spectrum of genres and represents both regional and national acts.
Comprising seven venues and 72 bands, picking and choosing where to go and what to see can be a little overwhelming. Let your friends at M|H help you.
***FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 19TH***
NEKO CASE
Orpheum Theater, 9 PM
The crown jewel of the Forward Music Fest lineup, Ms. Case offers up throaty, brassy vocals both as a solo artist and as a the female front of the New Pornographers. Aptly handling both alt-country and power-pop/indie-rock, M|H is quite excited to see what this lovely lady can do live.
MONOTONIX
Majestic Theater, 11 PM
The Israeli trio may be better known for their live antics than their music, but considering just how far they take things that may be alright. Setting themselves & their equipment on fire and crowd-surfing with drum kit in tow are just a couple examples of routine behavior for these gents.
CRANE YOUR SWAN NECK
Cafe Montmarte, 8 PM
Madison’s own CYSN put an Eastern European spin on American indie rock, laying violin, accordion, keys, and clarinet over the traditional rock set-up. Though not every song follows this format, CYSN is at its best when they do. Read our review of Crane Your Swan Neck’s live show.
DECIBULLY
Cafe Montmarte, 1 AM
A romantic, dreamy quality pervades Decibully’s brand of indie goodness, manifesting itself in big, multi-instrumental tunes that read more like sonic pictures than stories set to music. The small venue will provide an intimate setting for the band to wrap you in its sonic warmth.
PWRFL POWER
Project Lodge, 9 PM
If you’re in the mood for an adorably quirky singer-songwriter, Kazutaka Nomura is your man. See what we had to say about his tunes.
***SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 20TH***
MASON JENNINGS
Majestic Theater, 8 PM
This guitar-strumming troubadour has a slightly stilted vocal style, but it only serves to make him stand out against the sea of folky boys and girls singing heartfelt tunes. Sweet and relaxed, Jennings is the perfect panacea fall’s return to routine.
PALE YOUNG GENTLEMEN
Stage Door, 11:30 PM
PYG’s anachronistic feel and string-augmented compositions have made them a refreshingly cool breeze on the indie scene. Don’t forget to wear your bustles and bowler hats. Figuratively of course…though we’ll totally give you high fives if you take that literally.
FLOSSTRADAMUS/OCD AUTOMATIC
Majestic Theater, 11:30 PM
We midwesterners love our dance parties, and this is the perfect show to cap off the weekend with. OCD Automatic has been making a name for himself in Madison with his appearances at the ever-popular iQ Discotech, while Flosstradamus have gained national notoriety with their mash-up skills.
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Tickets for Forward Music Festival are available now. General admission wristbands for the weekend are $40 for both days or $25 for one. Shows are first come, first-served and subject to capacity restrictions. Guaranteed admission for specific shows can be purchased in addition to the GA wristband for $10 each. A portion of the proceeds goes to benefit organizations that directly give back to Midwestern music.
Mixtapes|Heartbreaks 