Things I learned from FYF day 1:
- Expo park is still not a place to hold a festival, BUT, they have fixed basically everything from last year, and I commend them for that. The new walkways eliminated the spacing between stages problem, and the arena was actually open and viewable. Plus of course, I got right in instead of waiting in line for 3 hours.
- Mikal Cronin are very fun live. Their drummer appears to be a 10 year old boy.
- Le Femme might be the most incredible live act ever. Or not, but they were enough fun that while I was walking over to see Tennis, I stopped the moment I heard their music and completely nixed plans to see an act I like very much.
- BADBADNOTGOOD are pretty sure they're in a rock band, and that's awesome.
- Perrier water is still terrible.
- I don't know when or how Run the Jewels got SO big, but their set was incredible. Joined on stage by Zack Dela Rocha, Travis Barker and Gangsta Boo for each of the songs they're featured on from RTJ2. Travis Barker might be the most incongruous member of a band ever, he's way too cool to be in Blink 182.
- !!! are required festival viewing. The lead singer of Future Islands got nothing on this guy, and their sound is just fantastic live. So much dancing, so many people having a lot of fun. Again, they're a perfect festival band. Also didn't realize they have a new album out this year.
- The first notes of "This Modern Love" still nearly make me cry every time I hear them, and that's OK. Second time seeing them. Even though I was right up near the stage and in the middle of an awesome pit, I think I narrowly preferred their set at Lollapalooza a few years back when I was a million miles from the stage. Song selection was better at that show, I think. Though I will say that the new song they played was a decent song, just a terrible Bloc Party song. They said they have a new album out next year, btw.
- YEEZY! He was great until the middle of his set, which I personally didn't like. I may have just been bitter because I chose to watch all of Bloc Party, so I missed No Church in the Wild, Stronger and Power, but had to sit through three full Cruel Summer tracks, and four-five seconds (which, granted, did have a Rihanna feature, but it was SO weird, like, she was just standing in the pit with a mic, she looked high out of her mind, like she had no idea where she was) and then missed the ten minute medley of hits he did in order to get to Jesus and Mary Chain in time. And to be honest, hearing 30 seconds of All of the Lights would've just pissed me off more. Except Travis just told me that Rihanna DID sing on All of the Lights as well and now my heart hurts.
- Jesus and Mary Chain were as good live as the first time, but I was disappointed by the Pychocandy set, because, as contentious an opinion as it may be, that is my least favorite album of theirs, but remember that I count them among my favorite bands. They also didn't play "April Skies" so fuck off there.
Anyways, FYF day 1 almost ended up being my favorite festival day ever. Just good music, good times, no stress, affordable food (God Pupusas are amazing). BUT once it got to the end of the day, their poor scheduling really did rear its ugly head in the choices I had to make and I missed a lot and that was a bummer. I'm still giving favorite fest day to the day of Lolla that I saw The Cure.
OH ALSO: RIDE IS COMING!!!!!! November 12th at the Wiltern. I don't know if this was mentioned, but I'm so FUCKING HYPED.