What i make of it.

[JakusMaximus]

I know efests get a bit touchy on bad language sometimes so if you don't like it, don't read this.

Ok so for anyone who couldn't be arsed sifting through all the tripe in the hopes of actually having some acts worth seeing this year, i've had a look at a few of the lesser known bands or atleast ones i knew nothing about.

(All subjective mind but hopefully it'l be useful to someone)

FRIDAY

Friendly fires: average indie electro, afaik they released that paris song and are riding the gimmick that they are simply drums, effect laden guitar and singer with no bass. I imagine they'd be empty live, and shit.

Florence and the machine: Dainty bird with a pretty good voice usually accompanied by guitar or piano, but nothing spectacular in a saturated market of female singer/songwriters, give me the real talent of regina spektor, tori amos, fiona apple or GATH over this any day.

Little boots: Pop tart with a drum machine, GIVE 'ER THE BOOT!

Airbourne toxic event: A real talent, i'll definately be seeing these. Very good at carrying the emotion through the singer and the superb orchestral backing. Reminiscent of arcade fire but perhaps a bit less bluesy and more.. contemporary? If you can even get more contemporary than arcade fire. Also they are good live. If the festival is gonna go in this new indie direction... I'd love if they booked more bands like this.

The virgins: Kinda funky indie, they remind me of maroon 5 mixed with primal scream, but less good. they're alright, would be alright to watch with a beer n chill too. might see them, but i think i'd rather have a few beers in the campsite than be arsed to get up for them.

Manchester orchestra: Only ever heard good things about these, a decent american indie band but not in the modern sense of the word... They are in the same strain as death cab for cutie and brand new, but i don't think they're quite as good as either... Promising though, i'll see them definately and hopefully get proven wrong. I've heard they take their performances very seriously so hopefully they'll put on a good show.

Dananananaanakroyd: They have a few good songs from what i can see, Hyper shouty indie rock/punk, and they have the balls to name a song "Pink sabbath". I guess it's a testament to the times. I think these guys will kick off the day alright, but i can't shake the feeling we're gonna be hearing the same hooks over and over again this year although this band seems to have a few things going for it.

SATURDAY

The rakes: Hadn't heard of these, then i realised they were the ones who did that really annoying "22 grand job in the city it's alright" song from a while back. They're indie tripe shit, but they're a bit better than all the other indie tripe shit, but you cant put lipstick on a pig.

The courteeners: last year at hyde park calling Jason mraz was playing, and they were selling t-shirts saying "who the f**k is Jason mraz", this year at R/L it should be "who the f**k are the courteeners". Pretty much exactly how i expected, they are ok and good live if you like that sorta watered down rehashed working klass shit with the catchy melodies for the oh so hard times we live in, for the struggle guys!

Patrick wolf: Heard good things about him, he seems ok, pretty clever and very elaborate performances, multi-instrumental and often minimalist, lots of glitter and costumes. the music is pretty err... Weird, if i'm being frank, but well it's something original even if it's not "really" original, and it's ok.

Metric: I like this band, they're indie with synth but they've been going for a little while now, however the quality of song writing is very good. I'm not really ever biased against genres but a band of this setup could have been so much worse, but they pull it off. Combine all that with energetic live performances; i'll be seeing them. "wont you hold my hands down? I've been bad" >

Spinnerette: Pretty interesting one, lead singer from the distillers and Jack irons on drums (Ex RHCP, pearl jam) and Alain Johannes from Qotsa... So this should kick ass right? Well it's alright, it's kinda slow tempo pop rock, you can see the influences from all bands (Perhaps not Pearl jam or RHCP), but i mean it should make a good show... Burlesque clad brody dalle . it's a bit repetitive and unoriginal, i just think i'd get bored tbh but not quite a tits or gtfo situation.

Delphic: Pretty good dance indie rock, influences from Justice, digitalism, 2manyDj's etc but with a full band. They sound very eclectic live, i may see them if there are no clashes. Actually after hearing a few songs, these are a f**king talented bunch, i'll definately be seeing them. They do things other bands in their genre haven't got the bollocks to do but aren't as self-indulgent as Battles and are much less annoying than Foals.

Dinosaur Pile up: These guys remind me of Blur alot. Also sound a bit like the subways, the songs are pretty good and i could get into them, not bad for a band just starting out but i'm not sure they have the confidence or charisma to make the straight up rock n roll shit work live (like Blur and the Subways do).

SUNDAY

Yeah yeah yeahs: I'd only heard one song from these before, the new single "Zero" isn't half bad. I'd say it's unfair to dismiss these guys, they're a good dance rock band... Influences ranging from Bjork to the beautiful south with a bit of goldfrapp.

Apparently they're alright live too, again it all depends whether you're into that shit.

Crystal castles: I'd rather 100 beth ditto impersonaters eat 20 pounds of grilled cheese each, do a diarhoea shit in a giant tub, put it in a greenhouse, take it to the sahara desert and leave it to marinade in the boiling sun until it sweats into a furry putrid syrup and then have it pumped straight into each of my orifices simultaneously via jet powered car wash than have to listen to this crock of shit ever again.

Passion Pit: These guys are ... You guessed it, indie dance drummachine pop! They're ok, they sorta have their own angle on things but i mean that's expected. It's ok i guess, full of pop hooks and convention. I probably wont be seeing them, can't think of anything else worth mentioning.

Metronomy: Shit.

In Case of fire: Decent british rock band, Pretty good song structures with many influences, i see Biffy Clyro and Jane's addiction, They're not bad if not a tad overproduced. Couldn't find any live vids of them but they have a very "big" sound. I have to say they aren't bad, i may catch them if i wake up.

One thing i've tried to do is judge each of the bands individually rather than in the context of the festival... If i took into account how many bands there are on this line up producing the same/similar music then all of these bands would be tarnished by this ridicolous saturation. This is the kind of music i'd expect to see at Big weekend for the most part and if things don't change R/L can get f**ked (IMO of course). Then again there are a few gems this year and still enough bands to warrant me buying a ticket, it's just everything i wouldn't see this year anyway is of a similar musical strain.

[savestheday]

Metronomy: Shit.

Edited May 26, 2009 by savestheday

[Azzy G]

Crystal castles: I'd rather 100 beth ditto impersonaters eat 20 pounds of grilled cheese each, do a diarhoea shit in a giant tub, put it in a greenhouse, take it to the sahara desert and leave it to marinade in the boiling sun until it sweats into a furry putrid syrup and then have it pumped straight into each of my orifices simultaneously via jet powered car wash than have to listen to this crock of shit ever again.

[funkymp]

Dinosaur Pile up: These guys remind me of Blur alot. Also sound a bit like the subways, the songs are pretty good and i could get into them, not bad for a band just starting out but i'm not sure they have the confidence or charisma to make the straight up rock n roll shit work live (like Blur and the Subways do).

[inspectedinspector]

Friendly fires: average indie electro, afaik they released that paris song and are riding the gimmick that they are simply drums, effect laden guitar and singer with no bass. I imagine they'd be empty live, and shit.

[thomasowen]

Dinosaur pile up are the best band Ive ever seen on the introducing stage (not saying much but still.)

[ste4_20]

Dinosaur pile up are the best band Ive ever seen on the introducing stage (not saying much but still.)

[thomasowen]

You mustn't have seen Sky Larkin on there then.

Really don't get Airborne Toxic Event.

[robsadler]

Edited May 26, 2009 by robsadler

[thomasowen]

Yeah yeah yeahs: I'd only heard one song from these before, the new single "Zero" isn't half bad. I'd say it's unfair to dismiss these guys, they're a good dance rock band... Influences ranging from Bjork to the beautiful south with a bit of goldfrapp.

Apparently they're alright live too, again it all depends whether you're into that shit.

um.....where do i start. did you even listen to them?

they aren't really dance rock at all (is that what category bands like the klaxons and friendly fires are?). if you had to categorise them it would probably be something along the lines of garage punk rock.

influences more like.....the stooges, the ramones and bikini kill.

robx

[JakusMaximus]

Yeah yeah yeahs: I'd only heard one song from these before, the new single "Zero" isn't half bad. I'd say it's unfair to dismiss these guys, they're a good dance rock band... Influences ranging from Bjork to the beautiful south with a bit of goldfrapp.

Apparently they're alright live too, again it all depends whether you're into that shit.

um.....where do i start. did you even listen to them?

they aren't really dance rock at all (is that what category bands like the klaxons and friendly fires are?). if you had to categorise them it would probably be something along the lines of garage punk rock.

influences more like.....the stooges, the ramones and bikini kill.

robx

[2reese2]

Little boots: Pop tart with a drum machine, GIVE 'ER THE BOOT!

ha ha

so true

[thomasowen]

Little boots: Pop tart with a drum machine, GIVE 'ER THE BOOT!

ha ha

so true

[scottt]

She adds a bit of pop to what otherwise is a pretty serious day so I think its a good idea that shes there.

[thomasowen]

Im actually pretty pleased with that addition. Bit of a "guilty" pleasure

[PrettyNifty]

I agree with pretty much everything you've said. Only difference is i'll be seeing Flo and the Machine I also would have thought most people had heard the Yeah Yeah Yeahs already.. i can almost guarantee you'll have heard another couple of their songs at some point, Gold Lion, Maps etc....