Over here at TVD, Clark Newman, Jenn Bress and I can’t wait for Sweetlife Festival this Sunday! The festival returns this year with a fierce lineup including headliners The Strokes, and TVD is giving you a little preview of what you’ll be seeing at Merriweather Post Pavilion. Set times were just announced yesterday morning and are below. Need a ticket? There are still some available at Ticketfly.
We started off yesterday with Part I, and today we’re practically jumping out of our chairs because we’re so pumped about the list. Of the five bands we’re showcasing today, three of them have played all SOLD OUT shows at 9:30 Club recently. If you missed Girl Talk, Crystal Castles, or Cold War Kids over the past few months and have enviously been waiting for them to return, here’s your chance to see all of them!
The Strokes 8:45 – 10:00
Headlining the Sweetlife Festival 2011 are The Strokes, a little band you may have heard of who formed in New York City. Their decade plus-long tenure puts them at the forefront of indie rock music revival, the Sam Adams of the craft beer revival: big-time now but rooted in genuine artwork. They released their latest album Angles in late March, so expect a few new numbers among fan favorites like the timeless “Last Night.” They’re the last set and start at 8:45, huzzah!
Girl Talk 7:15 – 8:15
Girl Talk. Girl Talk. Girl Talk!!!! Greg Gillis returns to MPP under his nom de plume, and like all of his shows, it’s sure to be a sea of writhing bodies dancing on stage, in and on the seats, on the lawn, and on top of each other. Gillis followed up his sensational 2008 mashup anthology Feed the Animals with 2010’s All Day, and we could dance to this shit all day and all night. It’s all of your favorite songs from every music genre having an orgy together.
Lupe Fiasco 5:50 – 6:50
If it weren’t for Jay Z, Lupe Fiasco’s debut Food and Liquor would never have been released by Atlantic in 2006. Lupe’s entrenched in clout, having performed with Ice Cube in Da Pak, collaborated with Pharrell with All City Chess Club, and produced a mix tape that includes beats from Diddy’s “Angels,” Lil Wayne’s “Fireman” and Radiohead’s “The National Anthem.” Lupe fills the gaps in his accessible hip-hop style with indie flair; check out his post-punk band Japanese Cartoon’s debut album In The Jaws Of The Lords Of Death released under his real name Wasalu Jaco. Fiasco will likely perform songs off his new release, Lazer as well as hits like “Superstar” and “Words I Never Said.”
Crystal Castles 4:40 – 5:30
Crystal Castles, like Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros, will have glittery video game songs stuck in your head for days. The band’s name, a tribute to a song featured on the ’80s classic cartoon She-Ra, couldn’t be more appropriate for the band. Toronto’s Crystal Castles, heaving with spazzy synth and incomprehensible punky screams, never fail to entertain. We’re crossing our fingers for a special guest appearance by Robert Smith who collaborated with the duo on “Not in Love,” but that’s surely wishful thinking. Crystal Castles have headlined so many tours, they are sure to steal the show.
Cold War Kids 3:45 – 4:25
Cold War Kids, from Whittier, CA, have been blowing up the indie scene with moody, miraculous, soul-influenced albums since 2006, with their debut Robbers and Cowards. Jacquire King, the producer behind Kings of Leon’s commercial breakout Only By the Night, pushed the band into the limelight. They’ve sold out the 9:30 club a couple of times. They’ve got boyish charm.
We’re impatiently counting down the days till Sweetlife!
See you there!
