The FYF Fest in Los Angeles 9-4-2010

I went to this festival last year to see Converge. It was really fun.

This year, there were even more bands on the bill I really wanted to see. Specifically: Local Natives, Ariel Pink, Ted Leo, the Mountain Goats, and SLEEP!

If the line up seems weird, I think it’s supposed to. The festival’s website says:

“In its 7th year, the festival has sought to be a mix tape of bands that would never play with one another but go so well together.”

And that’s what it’s like. The festival has three stages plus a comedy tent, where comedians were performing (headliner was Janeane Garofalo).

Local Natives are a local band I just discovered, literally about a week ago, when I caught their video on my cable carrier’s videos-on-demand channel. I checked out their album, Gorilla Manor, and fell instantly in love. I was stoked when I realized they were on the line up for this festival.

(None of the cell phone video I took came out at the show, so I’ll try to find other people’s footage on youtube if I can.)

My son and I got there about 3 and it took almost an hour to get into the park. The line was that long. The sun was blazing hot. We got some bottled water and found a spot in the shade of a tree, where the breeze was nice and the temperature was perfect. After sitting there for an hour cooling off, we ventured over to the food vendors and had yummy chicken and ham crepes. The food lines were looooong and Local Natives had started by the time we got our food. But we could hear them from the food area so it wasn’t a panic situation. The sun was also setting by then and it wasn’t as hot. We headed over to the stage they were playing at and watched from the back of the crowd. They sounded great and were seriously awesome.

They did a Talking Heads cover, “Warning Signs.” Watch it here. I fully expect Local Natives to become really popular, if they’re not already.

After that we went over to the Oak stage for the rest of the night. Ariel Pink was already in progress when we got there.

I’ve seen Ariel Pink a couple times, and it used to be it was always a crapshoot if his band was going to be able to play their instruments. But it looks like he’s gotten serious about getting a band together that can play. I find him really entertaining, both his personality and his performances. Here’s an interesting interview with him.

Ted Leo was up next. This was about my 5th or 6th time seeing him. Ted’s always good, but it wasn’t my favorite set by him. He did mostly newer stuff, which I enjoy but not as much as earlier stuff. He did do “Me and Mia” and one or two other songs from Shake the Sheets, plus “Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone?” And he closed the show with “Biomusicology,” which was a thrill. He kept having trouble with his mic stand sliding down, and since he plays guitar he couldn’t just grab it and fix it–he kept asking stage hands for help but no one was coming out to help him. It happened during his last song again and he seemed a little ticked off about it.

Doesn’t look like there are any videos on youtube yet from his set, but here’s a cell phone pic I snapped:

After Ted was the Mountain Goats, a band I’ve always wanted to see live and have never managed to. So I was stoked. John Darnelle was happy and smiling and moving around, it was really fun to see him. They did the song I was most hoping they would–”No Children,” and of course everyone was singing along on the lines, “I hope you die, I hope we both die!” He didn’t do the song I was second most hoping they would (“Lovecraft in Brooklyn”) but they did do “The Best Ever Death Metal Band In Denton”–and dedicated it to Matt Pike.

In fact, at one point John Darnelle said something like, “I don’t know if you guys realize who is playing on this stage next! Only one of the greatest bands in the history of our country and I am not ashamed to play in their shadow–Sleep! And when they come on I’ll probably stand right there (points to the front of the crowd) going, Yeah!” and he threw the horns.

I had no idea John Darnelle was a fan of Sleep. But to be honest, I didn’t think anyone but a handful of doom metal fans were fans of Sleep. Apparently I’m out of it, because all the indie fans there seemed to be really excited for them. I figured about 10 minutes into Sleep’s set at least half the crowd would leave for the other stage, but they didn’t. I ended up against the stage barrier during Sleep’s set, right by the entrance to backstage, and John Darnelle walked right past me, leaving the backstage area for where the crowd was. Didn’t see where he went but I assume he went towards the back of the crowd where the sound wasn’t so painful. (It was seriously loud.)

It was rather surreal to hear the singer for the Mountain Goats praising Matt Pike. Sleep is an old doom metal band from the 90s that broke up. The bassist and drummer formed a drone metal band called Om, and Matt Pike, guitarist for Sleep, formed a stoner metal band called High on Fire. I’ve seen High on Fire live more than probably any other band–something like 8 or 9 times. Mainly because they tour so often–and because they’re one of my fave live bands. I just never expected my world of indie music to intersect my world of doom metal–and that’s why I love this festival. Where else can you see a band like the Mountain Goats just before seeing a band like Sleep?