W♥M (Archive)

Allo Darlin' and The Wave Pictures at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (05/14/12)

Tour Dates 05/15 Schubas Tavern, Chicago, IL 05/16 Beachland Tavern, Cleveland, OH 05/17 Stanhope House, Stanhope, NJ 05/18 Cafe Nine, New Haven, CT 05/19 Basement Party, New Brunswick, NJ 05/20 May NYC Popfest, New York City, NY 06/01 Cuntra Club, Graz 06/02 R?Club, Steyr 06/03 Rhiz, Vienna 06/04 Weekender Club, Innsbruck 07/06 Indietracks Festival Read More Allo Darlin' Allo Darlin' is said to compare that to Kirsty MacColl, The Go-Betweens, Lucksmiths and Camera Obscura, so you know I am already in love with the band.

Allo Darlin' and The Wave Pictures are well into their third or fourth week on the road throughout America. Personally, I would get sick of spending that much time with strangers, but the two bands seems really bonded. They stopped by Minneapolis' 7th Street Entry last night.

Still Pacific

Opening up was a local band called Still Pacific. They had a forty minute set, with at least ten songs. They had that boy-girl singing action that I liked. The last two songs on their set were "Blown Out" (which I thought was their strongest song) and "Speeding to my Death".

The Wave Pictures

Neither The Wave Pictures nor Allo Darlin' had prewritten setlists. I'm sure at this point on their long tour that they're just used to playing the same song. However Wave Pictures did a song ("Strange Fruit Or David") as a request from a fan, so they can certainly mix it up to their liking.

The other thing I should mention is that the first time I saw them; they had an extra band member. He was on stage with Wave Pictures for their duration of their set. All he played was the cowbell. So I thought, maybe he was their tour manager or roadie. Turns out, the bearded man was actually Allo Darlin's drummer.

Listening to The Wave Pictures' lyrics, it felt like the songs are all very personal, especially the intro song, "I Thought of You Again" by David Tattersall. Drummer Jonny Helm does a two songs, including "Sleepy Eye".

While a slower song, I thought "Leave the Scene Behind" was so heartfelt when sung live, "you'll never be the man that I want." Who hadn't had rejection like that?

Allo Darlin' started their hour set with "If Loneliness Was Art" and had their fans dancing throughout their show. The more and more I hear Elizabeth Morris singing on stage, the more I think they remind me so much of Camera Obscura. The way she sings, the way the song sounds…

Morris also had the world's smallest ukulele, which made her look like a giant. She eventually broke out a rhythm guitar (?), but it didn't stay very long.

They actually did a lot of songs from their first album, with only a few from the new one like "Capricornia" and "Europe". It's understandable, since the album doesn't get a physical release until later this May. Anyway, I think the best part of their show is when they slipped in Weezer's "El Scorcho" and "Buddy Holly" for their song "Kiss Your Lips".

As for the encores, there were three songs. Starting with a solo ukulele "Tallulah", a cover of The French's "Wu Tang Clan", and "My Heart Is A Drummer".

The Wave Pictures and Allo Darlin's final stop in America will be at NY Popfest 2012. Allo Darlin's album Europe will be out soon, and The Wave Pictures' Long Black Cars is out now.

Allo Darlin' at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (05/14/12)

vu () ♥ allodarlin.com ♥ thewavepictures.com ♥ facebook.com/stillpacific

Music Festivals 2012 (Part 4)

Here is part four of Music Festivals 2012. As you know there are many, many, many organized music festivals out there. It's impossible to spotlight them all, so here are the ones that were kind enough to send in their details.

NYC POPFEST 2012
nycpopfest.org
May 17-20
Cheap, under $15 per show, some shows are free
New York, New York

Too many bands and locations to mention, but all the details are here. Standout bands, it seems to me, to be Saturday Looks Good To Me for 5/18 and the "money bet" show is on 5/20 with White Town (for their one-hit "Your Woman"), The Ladybug Transistor (who I saw with The Lucksmiths), Allo' Darlin and The Wave Pictures (who I will be checking out live tonight at 7th Street Entry). To get me excited, I have been listening to Wave Pictures' Long Black Cars to get an idea of their pop-ness. Check out their video for Speghetti.

Cake Shop (5/17): The Marshmallows, Heaven's Gate, Dear Marje, Speedmarket Avenue, Burning Hearts

Knitting Factory (5/18): Catnaps, Orca Team, Cola Jet Set, Wild Moccasins, Saturday Looks Good To Me

Spike Hill (5/19): Lisa Bouvier, Outerhope, Pale Lights, Habibi
Public Assembly (5/19): Pushy Parents, The Electric Pop Group, Seapony, The Pooh Sticks, Comet Gain

Littlefield (5/20): Swearin', Sleuth, Dot Dash, The Holiday Crowd, White Town, The Wave Pictures, The Ladybug Transistor, Allo' Darlin

BEIJING BLUES FESTIVAL
bluesfestival.cn
May 18-27
300 rmb (3-Day)/130rmb (single)
Beijing, China

MusicDish*China is partnering with Beijing Blues Festival and HitWeek China this May 2012.

Since I am only spotlighting one festival, I'll just use the Beijing Blues Festival this time. I looked over their artist lists, there are so many Chinese blues artists (who knew?). There are also a couple from the West.

MusicDish's Eric de Fontenay had this to say about their partnership: "Music festivals are the key platform for introducing new music to a growing base of hungry Chinese music fans no longer content with the pop platitudes that engulf mainstream media. Partnering with Beijing Blues Fest and Hitweek will allow us to extend our brand reach to new audiences."

H2O MUSIC FESTIVAL
h2omusicfestival.com
June 9, 2012
$30 - $90. $225 (VIP)
Dallas, Texas

Tickets are already on sale on their official website. They recently announced signing Calle 13, Prince Royce, Norteño band Duelo, and YelaWolf. This is already with Juanes, Snoop Dogg, Gym Class Heroes, Weezer, Paulina Rubio, and Damian Marley.

If you were wondering about the Spanish-language acts, executive vice president of Sales for Univision Radio, Jack Hobbs had this to say: "We are thrilled that with our sponsors Univision Radio is able to present an event where English-language acts can share the stage with Spanish-language talent. H2O's lineup reflects the reality of the young Hispanic music fan - the Hispanic 2.0 listener."

I would be really interested in seeing how Weezer vs Snoop Dogg goes, as their music styling is not exactly in the same ballpark.

For the latest H2O Music Festival announcements and artist confirmations, be sure to check their official website or on Facebook or on twitter.

TAOS SOLAR MUSIC FEST
solarmusicfest.com
June 30 and July 1
$51 (single), $91 (both days)
Taos, New Mexico

In its 14th year, the all-ages Taos Solar Music Festival will be taking place this June 30th and July 1st.

Tickets are $51 (single) or $91 for both dates. Camping is also available, check with the official website for more details.

Headliners include Lyle Lovett and Los Lobos. Full details below:

Saturday Lyle Lovett Los Lobos The Del McCoury Band NM SolarFest Band Search winner

Sunday Michael Franti and Spearhead Sonny Landreth Mat Kearney

GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL
grantparkmusicfestival.com
June 13—August 18, 2012
Free ($140 starting for membership reserved seating)
Chicago, Illinois

In its 78th season, the Grant Park Music Festival starts this June 13th and runs until August 18th at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. All the concerts are free and will take place on Wednesday and Friday evenings at 6:30 p.m., and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. (unless otherwise noted).

The ten-week/30 concerts festival will feature American composers Michael Gandolfi (June 15 and 16) and Sebastian Currier (July 6 and 7), chorus director Christopher Bell, conductor Carlos Kalmar, cellist Alban Gerhardt (June 16), pianist Steven Osborne (June 20 and 22), and conductor Koen Kessels. More detail and schedule at grantparkmusicfestival.com.

Although free, you can get memberships to the Grant Park Music Festival, which offers specific reserved seats or general seating in a reserved section of the Pavilion for all Grant Park Music Festival concerts. Memberships with seating benefits begin at $140.

PYGMALION MUSIC FESTIVAL
pygmalionmusicfestival.com
September 27-29, 2012
$75 (early)/$85 (regular)
Champaign-Urbana, Illinois

Grizzly Bear and Dinosaur Jr are headlining this year's Pygmalion Music Festival. Looking over their scheduled guests, this is definitely an indie "buzz" festival: Cloud Nothings, Tennis, Hospitality, Willis Earl Beal, Frankie Rose, Big Freedia and The Divas, Lord Huron, Julia Holter, Lotus Plaza, Craft Spells, Owen, Oh No Oh My, Zeus, etc.

September is far off, expect even more notable artists to be announced.

Tickets right now are $75, but expect it to go to $85 closer to the festival's date.

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ +W♥M