M83
Article by Brian Nowakowski
“I heard about this frog…” it wasn’t a very tiny frog, but it was very special. I didn’t find it in the jungle, but instead Hammerstein Ballroom; and indeed, my world is changed forever.
As darkness descended upon the crowd, the rumbling from above began. The growing, anticipatory hum of amplifiers, accompanied by neon diamonds lit up behind the stage, rained down an overwhelming feeling of epic-ness. The feeling? E.T. didn’t have a spacecraft of this magnitude. Suddenly, rolling synth overtook the airwaves and the universally cosmic message of “Intro” came belting out of front-man Anthony Gonzalez’ mouth… “Carry On”.
When we think of the typical festival, we imagine sprawling fields tucked away somewhere in middle-America where music lovers campout in the impossible heats of the middle of summer. Bonnaroo, Electric Forest, Camp Bisco - they all follow the same logistical style. So how would a brand new festival, in late September, tucked away in the southeast, fare against our learned expectations? We found out last weekend as we trekked to Bouckaert Park outside of Atlanta for Counterpoint Music Festival, realizing that some molds are meant to be broken.
Lollapalooza offers an incredible and diverse bill of artists. It is one festival that truly caters to just about every type of music lover. With so many incredible sets, it was hard to pick our favorites, but here are a few of the major standouts that made trekking the bad weather and heat worth it!
Passion Pit
This outfit from Boston, MA stunned with a heart-on-its-sleeve set. Front man Michael Angelakos delivered a sincere and powerful performance. The band delivered a non-stop, passionate and energetic performance. A definite highlight.
M83 has the tendency to sell out their shows. Quickly. Earlier this month they sold out Terminal 5 and they already sold out their Summerstage performance in August.
For some reason, however, their show on October 2 at the Hammerstein Ballroom has yet to sell out. While this is good news for those who still want tickets for that date, they must be running out quickly, as M83 just announced they would be playing another date, 10/3, at the ballroom.
Rejoice! But if things go like they usually do, snatch up those tickets soon. Check this out for more information!
It's always exciting when a new festival comes around. Here in the US, this is happening more often these days, helped by the huge increase in the popularity of EDM. Enter Counterpoint which stems from a collaboration between MCP Presents (Camp Bisco, Light All Night) and C3 (Lallopalooza, Austin City Limits), two of the biggest festival promoters in the US. With their knowledge and sway, they've attracted what may end up being one of the finest lineups of the year. Including Bassnectar, Skrillex, Pretty Lights, AVICII, Steve Angello and over 50 others, this multi-day, camper friendly festival is sure to cause quite a splash. Heading to Atlanta on September 27-29, the city will never be the same again.
May is looking good for all of you NYC concert goers out there. Not only are some big names coming through (M83, Norah Jones, Jack White), but a ton of awesome smaller bands. The end of May also marks THE BEGINNING OF SUMMERSTAGE, which should prove inspiration enough to get through this month at work. So, take a look at the list, pick some shows and start your summer off right! If we forgot anything, leave a comment and we'll put it up!
May 11
Japanther/Ritz Riot @ 929 XPO
Teen Daze/Supreme Cuts @ Glasslands
Active Child/Balam Acab @ Mercury Lounge
Boston plays hosts to a bevy of star-studded EDM acts in the coming months. Specifically, May & June offer up the likes of Armin van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, and Laidback Luke (to name just a few)! With luscious tunes sweltering throughout the night, and the locales equally banging, the next few months are guaranteed to bring copious amounts of nocturnal wildness!
As is the nature of wickedly awesome fiestas, tix are scarce! The time is nigh to snag the goods, brace for mayhem, and rage volatile! May the coming months bring you plentiful shenanigans!
MAY
M83 stormed onto the scene last year with the highly acclaimed album Hurry Up, We're Dreaming. Although they've been around since 2001, they are only now getting some of the notoriety they have been seeking. They've only just begun playing huge shows at festivals and arenas, but the band, fronted by Spanish-French musician Anthony Gonzalez, has really come into their own. Playing a mix of electronic pop and 'showgaze' style rock, M83 have successfully crossed over as a band EVERYONE likes. They are playing on Oct. 2nd, at the Hammerstein Ballroom, which is an insane venue.
HELLO PHILADELPHIA! With the warm weather looming and festivals impending, we know you're in the mood for some musical love in the coming weeks. Youll be glad to hear you have a seemingly endless list of musical options happening soon, including Steve Aoki, The Weeknd, Bassnectar, John Legend, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Death Cab for Cutie, Acid Mothers Temple (which is obligatory), Andrew Bird, Spriritualized, M83, and tons more. Also, the Spring Edition of the Punk Rock Flea Market is coming up on May 13, which is always a great time, so don't miss it! As always, if we forgot a show or you want something listed, comment below.
Don't worry, I didn't make it to Coachella either. Fortunately, there are tons of videos on Youtube this year of some of the best performances thanks to the live streaming coverage offered. Here's a list of the highlights. Look for more in depth coverage from joonbug later this week (we were on the ground too!).
Bon Iver, playing the track "Wolves." Hot off of winning a grammy, Justin Vernon played to a huge crowd on Saturday night.
Radiohead played. Need I say more? They also played for almost two hours, and you can see ALL of it below!
M83's performance to an amped up crowd on Friday night. Katy Perry rumored to be in attendence...
Pulp, legendary Brit Pop masters played a killer set on Friday. Once again, watch the hour plus set in its entirety below!
Frank Ocean opened with a Dylan cover. Awesome! Watch his set below.
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