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Summerfest 2013: The Lineup Returns to Championship Form

Posted in Music News, News with tags 2013 Lineup, 311, Alice Cooper, Atmosphere, AWOLNATION, Billy Idol, Cake, Capital Cities, Diplo, Empire of the Sun, Foreigner, Henry Maier, Imagine Dragons, Matt & Kim, MGMT, Milwaukee, Pretty Lights, Robert Delong, Summerfest, Summerfest history, Talib Kweli, Trampled By Turtles, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, yeasayer on Thursday, April 18, 2013 by Eric Gilardi

One of the greatest music festivals in the world recently returned as a championship contender when they released their lineup for 2013. Lately, the festival seemed to rely mainly on its prestige alone. After all, it is a festival that spans over 11 days and has more than 800 acts performing on 11 different stages. The festival is a vision of the great late mayor of Milwaukee, Henry Maier, who wanted a massively relative festival that would compare to the joyous Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. He started the tradition that became Summerfest in 1968.

The lineup has been lacking the innovative music that the youth and many more have gravitated towards in recent years. This year after they released their headliners at the Marcus Amphitheater I had mixed feelings. So I was a little skeptical when I received the E-mail that their complete lineup was out but said, “What the hell” and clicked the link. To my astonishment, I was really impressed. One thing that stuck out in my mind was that they got some major electronic, Indie rock and alternative rock acts. All whom are currently relevant in their respected industries. This list includes Pretty Lights, Diplo, Empire of the Sun, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Yeasayer and MGMT. They did this while still including a lot of the older talent (Alice Cooper, 311, Foreigner and Billy Idol) and mixing in many more talented up and comers.

Another thing you have to appreciate about Summerfest is the variety of music that they bring to the many ears attending the festival. They have done a great job blending country, pop, blue grass, electronic, rock and even a little bit of hip hop into the lineup. A few other artists that would be worth seeing are: Capital Cities, Atmosphere, Trampled by Turtles, Robert Delong, Matt & Kim, AWOLNATION, Imagine Dragons, Taliban Kweli and Cake. If you are the least bit interested after reading this head over to summerfest.com/lineup for a complete listing of this year’s lineup.

A Day in Rock History: April 13th, 2010

Posted in Off Topic, Random with tags Andrew VanWyngarden, Ben Goldwasser, Congratulations, MGMT, Oracular Spectacular on Friday, January 13, 2012 by Eric Gilardi

On this day in rock n’ roll MGMT released their second studio album Congratulations. This was the much-anticipated follow-up album to their debut album Oracular Spectacular. Up to this point MGMT had ridden a tidal wave of success from their first album that was filled with more club and electronic vibes than an actual rock n’ roll sound. It was no surprise to me the negative reception that their second album received after the release on April 13^th, 2010.

Personally, I thought their second album was better than the first. It is more true to their sound and who they want to be as artists. To the naysayers that only gave the album a listen once or twice I suggest you put the album back on and give it another listen. This time listen to it like you have never heard the album Oracular Spectacular but rather listen to it from a stand point of a music fan. Now, what do you hear? You hear an album that takes you on a trek back to the rock of the 60’s or 70’s. This is what the American rock duo of Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser wanted to do. They do not sell themselves short and do what the masses want but rather what they want. I would hope that you do not sell yourselves short by not giving this album another listen. Sometimes when you do not get what you expect you are getting a present.

On a furthernote, you should probably pull both albums back out of the archives and reconnect with them because they are currently in the process of making their 3^rd studio album. This album will be a self-titled album, and its supposed to drop in 2012 at some point. Now, if you are expecting them to go back to the sound of Oracular Spectacular, I would say think again. If the way their sound changed from their first to their second album is any sign of where the duo plans to go then get ready for another pleasant surprise. Another present from MGMT is in the works, Congratulations!

Throw Your Geology Books Away!

Posted in Audio, Downloads, Music News with tags Andrew VanWyngarden, Eric Wareheim, Geology, Glitter Penis, MGMT, volcano, Wesleyan on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 by Erik Burg

A young VanWyngarden on the right

Some very interesting (old) new music has surfaced from one half of 2008 spotlight stealers MGMT. Andrew VanWyngarden, while attending Wesleyan University, had a class called Earth & Earth Sciences and he certainly did his very best to use his musical talents to pass the class. For some sort of presentation on the magical world of volcanoes, VanWyngarden wrote and performed a song called “Super Volcano” that sounds almost identical to some of the earlier MGMT releases out there; It’s easy to see how MGMT finally came about because this track exemplifies much of what they’re all about: over-the-top synths, floaty and imaginative vocals, and some hilarious (yet informative) lyrics. See the hilarious video for “The Youth” directed by none other than Eric Wareheim of Tim and Eric Great Awesome Show Great Job! fame below.

The track, considering its for an environmental science course, is surprisingly better than expected. It’s obviously nothing that would have made an album cut, but it makes for a delightful B-Side for a band that’s been all over the map this year. To be quite honest, the song sounds quite familiar of some older Of Montreal tracks, say…Satanic Panic era Kevin Barnes. If you fall head over heels in love with this cut though, you can find more from VanWyngarden and his first take a two man band called Glitter Penis here.

Now if only the burning hot lava from the super volcano could come and rescue all of us stuck in the miserable weather this week in Minnesota. It’s effing -35 right now!! anyway, ENJOY!

mp3: Andrew VanWyngarden (MGMT) – “Super Volcano”

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