Sunbear of WeWoreMasks recaps the local extravaganza this hot, humid, music filled weekend. Thanks, Sunbear!

photo credit: greeneyeri

The second annual Free Press Summerfest music festival descended upon Eleanor Tinsley Park this past weekend, at nearly double the size of the inaugural run last year, proving that yes, Houston is a city that cares about and loves its music. Our neighbors, Austin boasts the smug motto of being the “Live Music Capital of the World” and though that isn’t without merit, Houston has simply had it with being overlooked, not only as a tour stop for major acts, but for its diverse local talent. Summerfest is the marriage of those very ideas: that our local bands can play alongside the best of the best, with acts ranging from our own darling Wild Moccasins, to the extravagant Flaming Lips whose presence hasn’t been felt by Houston in 10 years. The musical diversity was palpable: everything from the southern twang of Tennessee’s Lucero, to the eloquent indie pop of Canada’s Stars, to southern rappers Slim Thug and Bun B representing Houston’s burgeoning rap scene. And the bears were there to witness its greatness.

photo credit: arielle gutierrez

Settling onto level ground, which was in scarce supply on the angular hillside of Allen Parkway, we were greeted to the Wild Moccasins, fresh from a national tour and back home where they belong. They were their usual selves, which is to say fetchingly exuberant as they played tracks from their newly released Skin Collision Past. Elsewhere, The Eastern Sea were indulging a small but devoted crowd to their baroque-rock sound. Their set at Cactus Records the day before found a truncated version of the band playing an intimate set on a stage just large enough to house a drumset. Given room, their 9+ member collective really flourished, with local rap artist and house favorite Fat Tony making a guest appearance to drop a few bars over their jams, the first of many surprises of the Summerfest.

photo credit: glowjangles

The song “Three MC’s and One DJ” should conjure up one thing and one thing only: the Beastie Boys and Mix Master Mike, the latter of which performed a deafeningly loud DJ set for the sweltering Houstonians watching the mainstage. Using old school chops with *gasp, an actual turntable, Mix Master Mike got Houston on its feel to the sounds of hip hop’s greatest, past and present.

Ra Ra Riot came on to an increasingly hot, burning Houston sun, which is surely out of the element. Their orchestral pop numbers, albeit precise and engaging, suffered from the day time heat. Any band with an electric cello (a mighty fine one at that) and a violin ensemble should have the benefit from playing at night time. The band managed to win over several fans after they burned through “Dying is Fine” and “Ghost Under Rocks,” among others off of their 2009 effort, The Rhumb Line.

photo credit: 29-95

Hollywood Floss, a local favorite, just dropped his record House of Dreams. Showing up to Summerfest backed by The Pinecones and Kidd the Great, Floss decided to run through songs off his newly released album, while throwing in his own interpretations to “Seven Nation Army” and Green Day’s “Brain Stew,” both of which were in heavy favor by the crowd. It’s safe to compare the energy of his set to N.E.R.D., which helps due to Floss’ strikingly similar appearance to one Skateboard P.

The sun had begun to set, but that wouldn’t stop Houston’s own Golden Axe from melting faces. A two piece band consisting of ridiculous riffs shredded over an absurdly shaped guitar, and the primal pulverizing of drum skins, Golden Axe brought heavy metal to the party and it was rousingly epic. As if to bring balance to the amount of machismo force in the air behind the Axe, Chicago’s Kid Sister sassed her way onto the stage to the electro beat of “Right Hand Hi” off her debut album Ultraviolet. Sharing the stage with naught more than her own DJ, Kid Sis took to kicking aside stage monitors to give her the appropriate space necessary to jerk and juke to her brand of Chicago house.

The Detroit Cobras from Detroit (surprise-surprise!) kept the girl power going with their gritty and raucous retro rock-and-roll sound, covering american blues and rock standards like “cha cha twist” and “bye bye baby” with a serious blousy swagger.

photo credit: glowjangles

Gregg Gillis aka mash-up master Girl Talk would close out the first night of the festival doing what he does best: stage-dancers, toilet-paper armed leaf-blowers, and hundreds upon hundreds of songs mashed into near oblivion. Ciara’s “My Goodies” coalesced with Boston’s “Foreplay/Longtime.” Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA” collided with Dr. Dre’s “Tha Next Episode.” Guns n Roses’s “Paradise City” butted heads with Fat Joe’s “Lean Back.” There wasn’t a moment when someone’s favorite song wasn’t being played. The Summerfest volunteers were repaid for a hard day’s work with the chance to bump and shimmy with Gillis, who not only lost his shirt, but stood atop his DJ table, commanding all of Houston to dance or go home. And what a dance party it was. The whole of Summerfest’s attendees were on their feet, losing their shit to every beat, trying to keep up with Gillis’ manic time changes and song switches.

photo credit: tu-anh pham

To end night one’s festivities, the Houston crowd was treated to a fireworks display that was as awe-striking as any given performer. Seriously, we love fireworks.

Thanks for the recap, SunBear. See you at the next Texas throwdown.

We’re packing up and heading to the Bayou City once again for the 2nd Annual Free Press Summerfest. This year’s headliners include: The Flaming Lips, Girl Talk, Bun B, Ra Ra Riot, and many more local natives trying to breakout at Houston’s sophomore shindig over the two sunny days.

I’m going to go ahead and assume the Summerfest planning committee addressed some of the premiere issue they encountered last year, given their obvious success and impending increase in attendance. Let’s just hope Eleanor Tinsley Park can withstand the full force of The Flaming Lips, though I suspect Wayne & co. will be giving a tame dose of their psychedelic pandemonium.

Check out some photos from last year’s kickoff.

Hope to see y’all there. Cheers!
(Yes, this means you Houston friends.)

Guest writer Stephanie C. recants her tales from Saturday.

I had my doubts, after all it is Dallas. And still, my natural inclination is to be a Dallas hater and complain and write about the few things that would help what is hopefully the first annual Homegrown Festival grow into its own for years to come. But, dammit…we had fun. It was cool, cool for Dallas at least.

A Late Start
MeVs didn’t arrive until late afternoon. I won’t lie, the heat of the day kept us away.  Perhaps that is the reason for the sparse crowd early on.  Had we known of the fountains or the covered mist patio,  we probably would have sauntered out there earlier. Wish we had, actually. I’ll blame that on the lack of information on the website. Apparently, Homegrown’s Facebook page was the place to go for questions. Wish we’d known that too.

The Music
Two stages, 14 bands, all things local down to the beer and artist tents. Dallas’s very own local acts, which I had forgotten Dallas had, and judging by the public’s responsiveness have been sorely missed.  This was immediately apparent in the in the amount of hip swaying, head bobbing, and singing that was going on while The O’s played during the remaining daylight hours in the concrete corporate-ness that is downtown Dalla.s Even so, it was so good to see, and felt so good to partake in for that matter. The evening cooled and the always late-arriving Dallas crowd finally started to show when Ishi took the stage and transferred their energy to a surprisingly receptive Dallas audience.  By nightfall, the crowd couldn’t hold back anymore. Headliner, Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights got Dallas to sing and dance their hearts out, no easy feat by any means.  The feel-good authenticity of this night made it, well, downright homegrown-like.

A Humble Beginning
As night fell and the sound (which by this point was much better) ricocheted off of what has oft defined Dallas: skyscrapers, we couldn’t help but feel a little excited. I sincerely hope that this wasn’t a big Dallas tease. Last year’s reopening of Trees, the promise of both Main Street and (the planned) Deck Park, and the steady streaming of local music flowing into venues such as City Tavern or the Double Wide is, for now, enough to get one a-buzz. Dallas’s potential for spotlighting a music scene that’s been largely left in the shadows of its towering skyline was for a few hours that night in full view. So, we’ll jump on the bandwagon of folks that have added “first annual” to Homegrown Fest and cross our fingers. Dallas, please don’t let us down.

-Stephanie C.

Lakewood, arguably the most neighborly neighborhood in East Dallas, presented the city with a local festival this past Saturday on what turned out to be a fantastically sunny afternoon (no thanks to the weather forecasts). Though expectations were low, Lakewoodstock attendance was relatively high, providing nearby residents with an unorthodox day activity for the kids and kinfolk.

More carnival than festival
Call me spoiled from the adventures of the past, but my definition of a festival has certainly been altered over the past year. Though it was a valiant effort, Lakewoodstock’s entertainment was quite lackluster. Local businesses and community entities did their best to add to the atmosphere with classic carnival staples such as face painting, ring toss, and a bounce house. Seriously, ring toss?

Venue Architecture
With Abrams Rd. splitting the venue in half, attendees were forced to throw away chug their beverages before walking 5 yards into the other half, back and forth, throughout the day. I suppose the party planning committee wanted to showcase local businesses on both sides of Abrams – that I can understand. Why not shut down that portion of Abrams anyways? I’ll chalk it up to first year rookie mistakes by the planning committee.

Silver Linings
Despite my prejudice and minor gripes, my low expectations were definitely exceeded by the sheer strength of the local community. Yes, the limbo between festival and carnival allowed Lakewoodstock to get away with not having some crucial stereotypical elements of either, but for its worth, I enjoyed myself. From the perspective of a local resident, I can see how this would be an attractive event on a Saturday at the end of spring. Boy scouts, the local fire department, and community businesses all pitched in to make this possible. With more helping hands, a little more foresight, and an absurd amount of more live music, I can definitely see this little local baby-festival growing into it’s own.

Austin group The Laughing sweep into town today with a nighttime gig at The Cavern on Lower Greenville. Fresh off the release of their debut album Fever, the group is beginning to gain traction on the crowded ATX music scene and recently played at the raucous Fun Fun Fun Fest.

Their music is a unique blend of genres across several decades, mixing elements of New Wave, Psychedelic, and Experimental Rock. It has a rumbling, haunting quality to it, with the somber hints of TV on the Radio but the more tribal infectiousness of the Talking Heads – think rock pop in shaman skin. Personal favorites from the album include the title track “Fever” and “Runner”.

Check out their oddly hypnotic website, or better yet, get some live The Laughing at the Cavern tonight.

MeVersus is heading East to sister-state Louisiana for a Cajun-style monster mash this Halloween. Goblins and ghouls will be accompanied by the likes of Justice, K’Naan, and The Flaming Lips at this year’s Voodoo Experience 2009. Get dressed, get tickets, and get funky!

What to pack:
Depending on the festival type, you’ll either be camping or heading home to a bed/couch each evening. In either case, you’ll want to pack light, yet comfortable. Most festivals being in the summer allow for t-shirts and shorts to dominate your festival wardrobe. I personally recommend some serious headgear. Hippies, cowboys and Jews all agree, covering your dome is crucial in that scorching heat.

Snacks. You’ll be traversing up and down amphitheater stairs till you’re content with watching Girl Talk on your back under a tree. The body needs fuel and those $8 gyros aren’t going to cut it. I’m a huge fan of the Nature Valley line of health bars. They’re everything you need and nothing you don’t. A couple fistful of these bad boys and you’ll be out-dancing even the most colorful hipsters at Thunderheist.

Shades. No point in being at the festival if you can’t see wtf is going on. Blu-Blockers, they’re hip.

Shoes. Skip the sandals people. A) Festival feet are gross. B) You’ll be walking at least a couple miles in the heat from 2-12 at night, not including the multiple dance parties you’ll be partaking in. C) Festival feet are really, really gross. If the hippie in you is dying to air out, just take those kicks off and waft around a bit. Ever try to walk 10 ft. with a busted flip-flop. Epic fail.

Homework. Festivals are the Barcardi 151′s of the music scene, best bang for your buck and you’ll have no recollection of what the hell happened come Monday morning. Hundreds of artists all packed in a couple of days for you weekend warriors looking to get loose. Do your homework. Load up your ipods, zunes, izunes, and zunepods with upcoming shows and give those artists at the bottom of the line-up page a listen. Their grueling 1pm afternoon set might be the show of the weekend.

Memory machines. Show off to all your friends Monday morning by updating your wickedly cool profile pictures. Whether you’re a pro photographer or just a top-seeded amateur, chances are if you had a good time, you won’t remember much. Forget the fancy gizmo-porn. Just take copious amounts of photos. Flickr doesn’t care if you use your iphone or a disposable camera (yes, they still make these), great shots are made from great opportunities. Think Monotonix.

Punctuality is key. Get a schedule. Print it out. Download it to your phone. Memorize it. Pneumonic device it. Whatever. No excuses. I’d hate for you to miss Deer Tick because you were too busy hover-squatting in the portapotty on the other side of the festival.

Now the trick it to stay focused the rest of the week at work. Fake excel window anyone?

A healthy mixture of both excitement and anticipation are conjuring here at MeVs HQ for upcoming extravaganza Monolith Festival September 12-13 at nearby Red Rocks Amphitheater – arguably the best live music venue in America. Here’s a little look ahead at what’s in store:

Chromeo: a Montreal based electrofunk duo whose music can only be described as ” a guilty trip back to the eighties with a splash of contemporary gangsta”. Their obvious command of style coupled with Dave 1′s infectious smile makes even my tummy fill with butterflies. Our last encounter with this dynamic duo left me drenched, drained and yearning for more. Rumor has it they’re releasing a new album this summer. Can we expect even more fancier footwork?

Doom: Daniel Dumile will light up the stage with his complex lyrics and head swaying beats. Formally known as MF Doom, his collaborative project with Dj Danger Mouse in 2005 The Mouse and the Mask won me over during my late night adult swim college days. Doom excels in collaborate efforts including: Ghostface Killah, producer Madlib, and aforementioned Dj Danger Mouse under the guise of Marvel super-villain Dr. Doom. His lyrics are clever, well executed and at times, quite comical. (I like the ones that reference comic characters) In a world where repetitive beats and samples rule the radio, it’s good to hear some refreshing rhymes and attempts at story telling past bitches, 40′s, and stanky legs. They say he’s never been photographed without his mask…Hi, my name is Glowjangles, this is my zoom lens.

More previews coming soon!

T Bird and the Breaks ended the day with tracks from their latest album Learn About It. Though the stage was a little cramped for a 10-piece band with so much soul, they accommodated well and garnered quite a crowd.

More pictures after the jump >>

The Results:
Restaurant Category

1st Place: Torchy’s Tacos
2nd Place: La Condesa
3rd Place: El Caribe

1st Place: Las Lomas
2nd Place: Sazon
3rd Place: Cuatro’s Restaurant

1st Place: Curra’s Grill
2nd Place: La Condesa
3rd Place: Sazon

Individual Category

1st Place: Twyla Wick
2nd Place: Michael Hutchinson
3rd Place: Robert Heady

1st Place: Karen Kessel
2nd Place: Gary Peifer
3rd Place: Brett Appolito

1st Place: Burt Friedman
2nd Place: Jim Hoppers
3rd Place: Carol Castillo

Commercial Bottlers – Judged by Celebrity Judges

1st Place: Kala’s Kuisine – Curry Chipotle Sauce
2nd Place: Austin Slow Burn – Salsa Con Habanero
3rd Place: Pace – Pico de Gallo

1st Place: Kala’s Kuisine – Mirchi Masala Salsa
2nd Place: Big Dawg’s Fire Rescue Jalapeno Hot Sauce
3rd Place: Tears of Joy 6th Street Green

1st Place: Tears of Joy – Tequila Lime Hot Sauce
2nd Place: Pepper Creek Farm – Island Flame
3rd Place: Kala’s Kuisine – Mango Chutney

1st Place: Big Daddy’s Ass Burn Hot Sauce
2nd Place: Sgt. Pepper’s Tropical Tears Mango Hot Sauce
3rd Place: Big Dawg’s DNR

Commercial Bottlers People’s Choice

1st Place: Don’t Panic Hispanic
2nd Place: Tears of Joy 6th Red Salsa
3rd Place: Kala’s Kuisine Curry Chipotle Salsa

1st Place: Tears of Joy 6th St. Green Sauce
2nd Place: Austin Slow Burn Salsa Verde
3rd Place: Kala’s Kuisine Mirchi Masala Salsa

1st Place: Tears of Joy Tequila Lime Hot Sauce
2nd Place: Logan’s Habanero Relish
3rd Place: Austin Slow Burn Green Chile Queso

1st Place: Aztexan Habenero Supreme
2nd Place: Tears of Joy August in Austin Hot Sauce
3rd Place: Austin Slow Burn Jerk Marinade

(source: AustinChronicle.com)

Some Recommendations:

• You vs. the heat – H2O. The stuff is solid.
• You vs. parking – not a big deal. parking garages and bike lots galore.
• You vs. the hot sauce – Bearable all around. Oh, try the one in the skull bottle if you like tasting Death on this particular August weekend. Bread and prayers help.
• You vs. the music – music wins. be prepared to move those hips.

I would usually recommend heading out early to avoid that Texas UV blast and get a good nights rest for the following work day – this is not one of those times. T Bird and the Breaks headlines the music scene at 4:00 pm to distract you from the near suicidal ingestion of habeneros, chilis, and the under-preparation of both. Their mixed fusion of funk, jazz, and sexy are a perfect combination for a Sunday afternoon groove in Austin city limits.

Join the fun, music and hot sauce from 11am to 5:30pm at Waterloo Park, 12th and Red River. Cheers!

More info after the jump >>