Issue 22 - Island Waves - Texas A&M University Corpus Christi

The Black Keys
This bluesy-rock duo didn’t get recognition until
2010 when their album ‘Brothers’ gave them
the recognition they’d been working for since
their conception in 2001.
‘Tighten Up’ is considered to be the
groups breakthrough single giving them
the exposure from all angles including a key
combination from producer Gnarls Barkely
and half Danger Mouse that would continue
into their seventh album ‘El Camino.’ Don’t
fix it if ain’t broke, right?
The Black Keys aren’t strangers to ACL, but their
set should be dramatically improved now that
their success has reached international success.
The band performs Friday following Florence +
The Machine’s set, but unlike Flo’s hour long set,
The Black Keys will get a closing hour and a half
performance.
Note: Since The Black Keys are closing Friday as the last
group at the Bud Light stage, following ACL tradition, their
set MIGHT last a little longer than the alotted hour and a half.
PAGE 7 ENTERTAINMENT/ ISSUE 22
A closer look at this year’s music festival, Oct. 12-14
JOSE MARTINEZ
editor-in-chief
Once a year, thousands flock to
Zilker Park in Austin for a music
festival that, since 2002, has been
tearing it up. (No literally, one year
they caused so much damage to the
park that sprinklers had to be installed
the next year to contro the
dust being kicked up.)
It’s called the Austin City Limits
Music Festival, and next to South
by Southwest, proves why Austin is
the Live Music Capitol of the World
— and guys, we’re only two and
half hours away from it.
The lineup this year has everyone
from Iggy and the Stooges to the
Randy Rogers Band. You don’t get
more diverse than that my friends.
But it’s not just about the music
festival. Between pushing and
shoving through the Texas heat to
see your favorite band or singer,
there’s a pretty sweet art show
going on somewhere in the park
that’s worth looking at least. Not
to mention the food — trucks filled
with the best culinary specialties
Austin has to offer are lined as far
as the eye can see.
Still looking for tickets? Unfortunatley
three day and single day
passes sold out within minutes of
going on sale. There is hope though.
The fine people at ACL have set
Florence + The Machine
Los Campesinos
Just a couple of years ago, Florence + The Machine
would be considered an underdog at a festival the
magnitude of ACL, but today Flo is a powerhouse of
mighty vocals followed by massive arrangements and
spectacular visuals.
Flo has already hit up Coachella
and Lollapalooza this year to
great reviews in support of her
second album ‘Ceremonials,’ but
it’s Flo’s debut album ‘Lungs’ that
we know her in the first place.
In her debut we were introduced
to Florence Welch’s eccentric
yet gravity-defying voice
that echoed behind explosion-like
percussions. The groups hit, ‘Dog
Days Are Over’ has sold more than
two million copies in the United
States alone and help secured
them as a Best New Artist nominee
at the 53rd Grammy Awards.
My only disappointment is that
Flo’s set will only be an hour long
on Friday. Most of the group’s hit songs will make it on
their setlist, but it’s the groups covers such as ‘Jackson’
with Josh Homme that appear on ‘MTV Unplugged – A
Live Album’ that make Florence + The Machine a spectacular
sight to hear and see.
I’m at a loss for words. Imported all the way from the U.K.
come a seven piece indie rock band who has enough charisma
and spunk in one song that they will leave you wanting more.
I first found out about them in high school when they
popped up on my Pandora radio and I have been in love ever
since. I’ve never seen them perform live so this will be a treat.
(I’m so excited!)
To describe their sound would be like mixing
in a hearty dose of the group Matt and Kim and
flavoring it with some Artic Monkeys and The
Wombats. (The Wombats will also be at ACL this
year too!)
There’s something about hearing Los Campesinos
though that will change the music you are currently
listening and only make you want to update
your collection to something on par with them.
The group is currently on tour in support of
their latest album ‘Hello Sadness.’
They’re the first group to open up the Bud
Light Stage on Friday with an hour long set and after
ACL, they won’t be in the area for a while so missing
them now would mean missing them for God knows
how long down the road.
In the mean time, I recommend you make a Spotify or
Pandora channel dedicated to them and try to find the
meaning of your life before you heard them.
Childish Gambino
He is hip-hop’s prodigy child, and takes
the form of actor/comediean Donald
Glover by day and no reservations rapper
Childish Gambino on stage.
Glover is also known for his work on
television mainly on shows like ‘Community’
and ‘30 Rock.’
His debut album ‘Camp’ revitalized
the world of alternative hip-hop and
showed the likes of B.o.B. and Wale
how it’s done in an industry that’s focused
more on sales rather than content. Glover’s song
‘Heartbeat’ even earned the rapper a MTV Music Video
nomination recently for Best Hip-Hop Video.
Even though there is a heavier and much more accomplished
rotation of alternative hip-hop going on
underground such as Skizzy-Mars and Yonas, Gambino
scratches the surface yet leaves his mark on with his
latest album ‘Royalty,’ which rightfully features a guest
appearance by Glover’s idol Tina Fey.
Gambino will perform at the new Barton Springs
stage Sunday and close it out for an hour long set.
aside a limited number of three day
passes for $185 cash, available for
students if you have a valid student
ID and are willing to camp outside
of the H-E-B Plus at 2508 Riverside
Drive Sept. 21 starting at 6 a.m.
Good luck, and may the odds be
ever in your favor. There’s always
Craigslist and StubHub too.
But for now, to wet your appetites
and to give you a pretty good
idea of what to expect, I’ve pointed
out some acts that you won’t want
to miss at this year’s show.
Visit ACLFestival.com for more
information about the show and
for a lineup and schedule of all of
the acts.
BASSNECTAR
In the world of electronic and dubstep music
stands BASSNECTAR.
Separating him from other electronic artists
would be his rock and trance fused creations
that bare no comparison to his contemporaries
such as Skrillex and DeadMau5.
Recently, BASSNECTAR has collaborated
his 8 Bit sound with hip-hop Lupe Fiasco on
his track ‘Vava Voom’ which is also the title
track from his latest album.
BASSNECTAR will definetly have a more
industrial and urban sound that lingers in
his set as opposed to someone like Skrillex
who would favor a more organic and homegrown
feel.
BASSNECTAR’s show will be at the Honda Stage closing
it out for the Saturday show from 7 to 8 p.m. so I’d
also expect a pretty sweet light show to accompany a
electifying set. Like Crystal Castles, expect a raging
croud and like his name says, plenty of BASS.
Crystal Castles
There is one word to describe Crystal Castles: adrenaline.
Synth beats that pick up where Depeche Mode left off in the
80s and a catalog that would compliment the motion picture
‘Drive’ soundtrack are basically Crystal Castles
in a nutshell, but something tells me this show
should be a stand out among other electronic artists
at ACL this year.
Velvety smooth bass beats and distorted vocals
are not typical of electronic music but it’s become
part of Crystal Castles iconic sound.
If you attend this show, I would be aware that
this show will be packed with bass and enough
raging audience members that you will end your
ACL 2012 experience on a high note.
Crystal Castles plays Sunday at the Honda stage
closing it out; however, there is a time conflict between
them and Childish Gambino at the Barton Springs so
depending on what you’re really in the mood for, you will
miss one of these power-packed shows. Lo siento.
Unless you have the ability to be in two places at once,
then more power to you.
THE
HEADLINERS THE UNDERDOGS