20 Artists You Need To Know: Summer Festival Edition
Header by Bryan Allen Lamb.
With spring getting into full swing, summer seems within reach already. For music junkies, spring just means a couple more months until festival season. Whether you're planning on hitting all, one or none of the festivals listed in this week's playlist, all of the artists are definitely ones you should know.
Bonnaroo - Check out Run The Jewels
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A hip-hop duo from New York with just two albums under their belt, but mucho street cred amongst hipster rap enthusiasts and the hip-hop community. A definite must-see.
Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath
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I’ve seen Black Sabbath live, and believe me, it’s sad. Just a bunch of pissed off seniors narrowly escaping the bus ride back to Shady Pines. Do yourself a favor and check out the funky bunch known as Brownout who add groovy bass lines that even Ozzy approves of.
Warped Tour - Check out Riff Raff
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If you don’t know who Riff Raff is by now, then listen up: the walking, talking, real-life version of the “alleged” inspiration for James Franco’s Spring Breakers character is playing all Warped Tour dates. The nonsense rapper of neon-flavored Bart Simpson shaped Cheetos is just a skip-and-a-hop away from your hometown. His bogus rhymes are catchy, fun and worth the money to see up close. Also, his merch table is probably going to be full of light-up do-rags or rhinestone encrusted McDonald’s toys from the 90’s.
Candy Hearts
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If you’re already at Warped Tour, then you’re probably going to be at the Candy Hearts show, but the general public might not have the pop-punk upper hand that you do. For those that don’t know, Candy Hearts are a cutesy pop-punk trio from New York who could be described as: Paramore + Bubbalicious Cotton Candy gum + a wink + a diary. If you’re a fan of New Found Glory, State Champs, or Set It Off, then Candy Hearts are a must-have in your library.
Bunbury - Check out The Front Bottoms
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The acoustic pop-punk band have been a Warped Tour hit for some time, but they're moving up the ladder of notoriety ever since their 2013 release of Talon Of The Hawk.
Lindsey Stirling
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Don't even act like you know someone who plays the violin flawlessly, let alone be able to entertain millions in the age of technology doing so. Plus, she often themes her songs to a certain era or place, so her outfits and performance are sure to be entertaining.
Coachella - Check out FKA Twigs
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Amongst all of the gigantic, jaw-dropping artists featured at Coachella this year, one who has been kept more on the hush is FKA Twigs. FKA (Formerly Known As) Twigs started out in 2013 as a YouTube sensation and then POOF! Her sultry demeanor and daze-y hip-hop style are what make her so intriguing. Not to mention her image/feminine mystique is the IRL version of Tumblr, which is probably what Coachella is looking for.
Marina & The Diamonds
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I. Love. Marina. And. The. Diamonds. And you should too. She’s an indie-pop artist who has more soul and flavor than most of her sugary sweet counterparts. Her deep, Welsh accent pulls through the electro-Madonna-esque beat of her songs. Also, her outfits are described as “retro cartoon-ish,” so expect an exciting visual; I’d describe her sound as that too. She may be popular among the invested music critics and indie-pop enthusiasts of the scene, but she deserves to be more than just an honorable mention.
South By Southwest (SXSW) - Check out All Them Witches
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The Nashville natives of All Them Witches have the classic-rock, heavy riff act down to a T. What sets them apart from that blase "hip radio rock friendly" sound is that they have a groovier, sludge inspired Queens Of The Stone Age tang to them.
B.I.C. (Bitches Is Crazy)
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The Bronx hip-hop/rap group known as B.I.C. produce raw, Latin-influenced rhymes similar to their modern counterparts (IE: A$AP Rocky, Schoolboy Q, etc).
2014 Music Festivals Announcement Round Up
Music festivals in America and abroad are beginning to hit critical mass. It's our generation's sign of approval to any artist if they find themselves on a bevy of festival lineups come summer, they're doing something right. Perhaps the most prevalent "music for the people" approach in the industry, festivals allow acts both large and small great opportunities for exposure and listeners the chance to attempt to take it all in. The spring/summer of 2014 is shaping up to be one of the largest festival seasons in recent memory and event organizers have wasted no time announcing jam-packed lineups that look more like an iTunes playlist than a real concert experience. We gathered together lineups from festivals from coast to coast and even beyond to give you the most full, in-depth guide to diving into festival season, check them all out on the following pages.
[Video] Disclosure Lets The Fire Burn At Coachella 2014
Photo by Chris Garmon
Unless you've been living under a rock, you're very aware of last weekend's mega festival in the desert, Coachella. This year seemed to be the year of the special guest appearances. For example, Nas brought out Jay and Puffy, Queen Bey danced around supporting her sister Solange, Gwen Stefani and Snoop Dogg joined Pharrell on stage, Chance The Rapper brought out Justin Bieber, and we finally got to see Outkast back together, who themselves were joined by Janelle Monae and Future. RH favorites Disclosure was not going to be left behind as they also brought out some of their special friends to one of the best sets from the festival, bringing out Sam Smith, Mary J.Blige, and Aluna Francis (of Aluna George) to the stage during their featured songs. The UK brothers have been killing it since they dropped their debut album Settle last year and haven't looked back as they've been performing non-stop and appearing on talks shows and award shows all over the world.
Settle was pretty much on everyone's top albums list of 2013 (including ours), and with good reason. I pretty much had it on repeat for six months, and like many others, I couldn't get enough of their infectious production. I was lucky to be able to catch them during their tour stop in Austin this past January (check out the photos). I've seen a lot of DJ/producer sets, and Disclosure is definitely on the top of my list after seeing them live. If you are a fan or have yet to see them, check out their full set at Coachella below and don't be afraid when you end up dancing around your desk.
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NAS: "Illmatic XX" Stream and Documentary Trailer
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Nassir Jones' classic Hip-Hop album Illmatic. Today, Nas drops Illmatic XX, the 20th anniversary edition of the '94 debut of one of the most prolific rappers of our generation. Nas not only dropped a classic album, but changed hip hop as a whole with his gritty poetic street rhymes with a real message. Illmatic appears on best hip hop albums lists and many note the rapper as being one of the most influential rappers. This past weekend, Nas performed the classic album front to back at Coachella (video below), bringing out Hova to assist on a few tracks. That performance couldn't have been better, as you can see that no matter what, the Queensboro MC, 20 years later after dropping his debut, is still one of the most relevant hip hop artists today.
I was 11 years old when Illmatic dropped, and I remember listening to it like it was yesterday. My older brother had it on cassette, and I used to sneak into his show box of tapes while he was gone and listen to them on my Sony Walkman (remember those kids?). Not until a few years later did I really understand what Nas was rhyming about and really understand the rhymes and message he was conveying. 20 years later, the albums is still as relevant as it was in '94. Not only did he shape his career, but Nas shaped and changed hip hop culture as a whole.
To continue the celebration of the 20th anniversary, Nas will be premiere the documentary Time is Illmatic at the opening night of the Tribeca Film Festival tomorrow. If you can make the opening night, I would suggest it or just wait until it hits Netflix like the rest of us. You can buy Illmatic XX now on iTunes.
"I gave you what the streets felt like, what it tasted like, sounded like, smelled like, all on that album, and I tried to capture it like no one else could," the rapper says in the trailer.
Stream Illmatic XX and the trailer for the documentary below.
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Illmatic XX Tracklist:
Disc 1: Remastered original album
01. The Genesis
02. N.Y. State Of Mind
03. Life’s A Bitch
04. The World Is Yours
05. Halftime
06. Memory Lane (Sittin’ In Da Park)
07. One Love
08. One Time 4 Your Mind
09. Represent
10. It Ain’t Hard To Tell
Disc 2: Demos, Remixes & Live Radio
01. I’m A Villain (previously unreleased)
02. The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show on WKCR October 28, 1993 (previously unreleased freestyle)
03. Halftime (Butcher Remix)
04. It Ain’t Hard To Tell (Remix) (promo single)
05. One Love (LG Main Mix)
06. Life’s A Bitch (Arsenal Mix) (promo single)
07. One Love (One L Main Mix)
08. The World Is Yours (Tip Mix)
09. It Ain’t Hard To Tell (The Stink Mix) (UK single)
10. It Ain’t Hard To Tell (The Laidback Remix) (UK single)
[Video] Big Boi Speaks Out on Outkast Reunion
The biggest music news story so far of 2014 is most definitely the larger-than-life announcement that Big Boi and Andre 3000 will assemble once again as Outkast as part of what seems to be a year-long reunion tour spanning over 40 festivals, indicative of the status quo of a music industry that is a much different environment than the one the duo exited stage left from 10 years ago, after their 11x platinum Speakerboxx/The Love Below became the second highest-selling hip-hop album of all time. Big Boi sits down with RevoltTV to discuss his longevity in the game and his excitement at linking back up with his old friend to re-live the music that made both of them stars in their own right. Check out what Big Boi has to say in the video below.
Outkast Announces Over 40 Festival Dates
Outkast is gearing up for one hell of a 2014. On the heels of the announcement that the duo, preparing to celebrate their 20 year anniversary, would headline this year's packed Coachella, Big Boi and Andre 3000 announced a tour of over 40 festival dates that are expected to run the course of the year via their social networking accounts earlier today. No word yet on the precise locations or dates of the announced sets, but expect that to roll out soon.
The Atlanta duo has gotten music fans buzzing with the recent news of their reunion, after stopping work together after their 2006 movie Idlewild and just after their last album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, which went eleven times platinum and sold over 11 million copies. None of the reunion news has come with a promise of new music, but we can all hope. In the mean time, there is a disturbing amount of Belieber Kool-Aid-drinking Twitter fiends who don't have any idea who Outkast is, which has (thankfully) since been taken down.
The announcement was also made on Outkast's personal website, with the following message:
“Ingenious and iconic recording artists and performers, Antwan “Big Boi” Patton and André “3000? Benjamin today announced via Outkast’s social media platforms that their return to the stage celebrating their 20th anniversary will include festival dates around the world. After headlining performances at Coachella in April, the influential group will be the marquee act at over 40 festivals around the world throughout the Spring/Summer of 2014 (dates to be announced).
“It’s truly an honor to celebrate 20 years and still be free to do music the way we choose,” said Big Boi. “Don’t just think outside the box, know that there is no box. I’m looking forward to rocking the stage with my Bro Ski and to all the fans – stank you smelly much, this is for y’all!”
“And imagine, all we wanted to do was rap! I am thankful to have been a part of a group that allowed me to explore anything that came to mind and have fun doing it. Returning to the stage together is the most exciting way for us to thank everyone for their 20 years of supporting Outkast,” said André 3000.”
Coachella 2014 Line Up Announced
The day that many music festival fans have all been waiting for is finally here: the revealing of the 2014 Coachella line up. Headlining this year’s highly anticipated two weekend festival in April will be Muse, Arcade Fire, and a reunited OutKast, followed by a line up filled with much variety and amazing talent. Revolt TV revealed OutKast’s reunion and plan to perform at Coachella late last year. Muse had been highly rumored due to strong hints from the band, but nothing was official.
However, there remains much to be anticipated from this exciting line up. Lorde, the youthful alternative act creating much Grammy buzz will be performing amongst the likes of many legends. The EDM scene will once again be a driving force as well with big name acts such as Skrillex and the recently popular Zedd, followed up by many other captivating, similar acts. Local Chicagoan and highly acclaimed artist Chance the Rapper will also get a piece of coveted performance time during the crazy dual weekend festivities. Receiving much critical acclaim from all over the country in the past year, one could only imagine a good turn out for his set.
Other performances will include the Replacements, Queens of the Stone Age, Beck, MGMT, Empire of the Sun, Ellie Goulding, HAIM, Pharrell Williams, Foster the People, Motörhead, Cage the Elephant, Fatboy Slim, A$AP Ferg, Grouplove, Bastille, Neutral Milk Hotel, Disclosure, Broken Bells, Capital Cities, CHVRCHES, John Newman, Flosstradamus, City and Colour, and many more.
2014 marks the third year in which Coachella will be divided between two weekends, with the first of the festivities being the weekend of April 11-13 and the second weekend being April 18-20. Festival passes will go on sale beginning this Friday, January 10, at 10 AM PST. While tickets will be available for both weekends, passes for week one will only be sold with a shuttle combination as opposed to the second weekend. More info regarding tickets, festival details, and a full line up can be found on Coachella’s website.
[via LA Times]
Outkast May Reunite at 2014 Coachella
Big Boi and Andre 3000 haven't made a full-length album together since 2004s Speakerboxx/A Love Below went Platinum eleven times over, becoming one of the most successful commercial and artistic triumphs in the post record label-driven music landscape. Since then, the pair made one project together, Idlewild, based off the movie both appeared in.
After all this down time, though, OutKast may be heating back up. On the heels of an XXL article about Speakerboxx/A Love Below, which turns ten this year, Billboard is reporting that OutKast is allegedly in talk to play at the 2014 Coachella Festival in Indio, California. Adding to the rumors are a Sleepy Brown Instagram photo that alludes to the pair re-uniting at the annual festival. Whispers also are reporting that the pair may make a run of several festivals throughout 2014.
Coachella has long made a name for itself as the quintessential place to get back together, having brought together the likes of Big Audio Dynamite, Faith No More, Iggy and the Stooges, the Jesus and Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine, Pavement, The Pixies, Rage Against the Machine and Siouxsie & the Banshees, as well as the Tupac hologram on their stage since beginning 1999.