Author: Aralyn Beaumont
FYF, formerly known as Fuck Yeah Fest, came back to the Los Angeles State Historic Park on Saturday, Sept. 3 surrounded by self-made hype. The bill boasted big names in the music community like Explosions in the Sky, Broken Social Scene and Death From Above, 1979. There were promises of ample parking, free water and a doubling of the number of toliets and food booths from last year.
Among the many promises was the claim that, in answering an FAQ on their website, September 3 would be “the best day of the summer.” While this may have been the more subjective claim for FYF creator Sean Carlson to make, the festival did its best to deliver on the more practical notes.
The main stage, dubbed the Leonardo Stage, hosted emerging indie pop bands throughout the afternoon. Los Angeles band Fool’s Gold opened up the stage with their afro-dance pop beats.
Mister Heavenly played next, filling the park with gritty and melancoly sounds. The self-proclaimed “doom-wop” band comprised of indie rock veterans Nick Thorburn/Diamonds from Islands and the Unicorns, Joe Plummer, known for playing the drums in Modest Mouse, and Honus Honus of Man Man, played without their habitual stage-mate Michael Cera. The band coped just fine without a bass player; the quirky beats were still rhythmic and upbeat.
Songs like “Your Girl” and “Charlyne” captured the sweet uniqueness of Thorburn/Diamonds’ voice and the stoniness of Honus Honus’ voice that contributes the doom to their doom wop. Both “Bronx Sniper” and “Pineapple Girl” secreted adrenaline throughout the crowd; while the former punched and screamed at the audience, the latter sent summertime grooves and inflatable pineapples into the audience.
Up next came Seattle pop harmonizers The Head and The Heart, whose rising fame brought a packed crowd to the Leonardo stage. Technical difficulties added an edginess to the band’s produced sound, making songs like “Down in the Valley” and “Lost in My Mind” have the age that their lyrics warrant. The harmonies and crescendos of “Ghosts” and “Sounds Like Hallelujah” energized the crowd and musicians. “Rivers and Roads” brought a captivating close to the band’s set, utilizing each singer’s unique, strong voices both individually and communally. Charity Rose Thielen’s moment alone in the song was a rare treat and made the audience go wild.
The Chicago trio Smith Westerns played songs from their second album “Dye It Blonde,” which consisted of a new sound for the once low-fi band. Now their music is predominately indie rock with strong guitar riffs and a voice that sings his passionate lyrics in a very placid fashion.
The Olivia Tremor Control at the Raphael stage called for a break from the Leonardo stage. The set was an unfortunate reunion for the 90’s band due to the terrible sound quality, which jumbled and mashed together all the different instruments, making their traditional sound, reminiscent of that of the Beatles and the Beach Boys, indiscernible.
Back on the Leonardo stage, NYU-based Cults performed their self-titled debut album, bringing an aura of 60’s sunshine pop over the crowd.
Later in the evening, indie rock superstars Broken Social Scene graced the Leonardo stage for what frontman Kevin Drew explained would be their last show in Los Angeles for a very long time. The band delivered a stunning performance with the epic jam song “7/4 (Shoreline)” sung by the adorable and timid Lisa Lobsinger. Other stand out songs were “Texico Bitches,” from their latest album “Forgiveness Rock Record,” and their cover of Modest Mouse’s “The World at Large.”
Girls took the Donatello stage for the best performance of the night. Luscious roses and lilies adorned the Donatello stage, and three back up singers stood beside the drum set, bringing to life the soulfulness of their latest album, “Father, Son, Holy Ghost.” The eccentric and troubled Christopher Owens enchanted the crowd with his mournfully hopeful voice and awkwardly nimble dance moves. Owens sang with painful sincerity for songs “Alex” and “Jamie Marie,” but brought the crowd into upbeat jives for “Lust for Life” and “Honey Bunny.”
Death From Above, 1979 closed FYF Fest with a dance-punk party. Giant mosh pits formed for the reunited punk band, who played hits like “Go Home Get Down” and “Steady Going.” The duo was dressed in their typical black and white and lamented through the set that their already loud sound was not loud enough. For “Romantic Rights,” drummer and singer Sebastien Grainger jumped into the crowd to sing, leaving Jesse Keeler alone on bass.
By the end of the set, everyone either had their faces masked or were choking from the dust loosened up by the moshing. Packing and spraying the dirt were both used as tactics to avoid the problem, but the dust prevailed in the end, filling the lungs of many ardent fans. That pessimism aside, all was worth it, and the night came to a close with a rowdy finish.
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