Tag: All Points West

1MM: Backstage @ All Points West With My Bloody Valentine, Gogol Bordello, MSTRKRFT, La Roux, Ice-T and At Least One ‘Bad Boy Chef’

August 6th, 2009 | File Under: 1MM, Media | 2 comments

Through the looking glass with MSTRKRFT

[Photos by Jen Maler]

One of the things All Points West got right this year was the ‘VIP area’ behind the main stage. While its sister festival, Coachella, often suffers from severe clusterfuck syndrome, Jersey City’s piss-poor weather and comparatively weak lineup meant less of a line in the gratis drinks area, no guest appearances by Paris Hilton or Danny Devito, and a tented area of open couches, which is where we ran into Nick Diamonds (Islands), Honus Honus (Man Man), Jason Reece (…And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead) and a football-tossing Arctic Monkeys.

Meanwhile, self-titled’s official fest photographer, Jen Maler, caught the following semi-recognizable celebrities and APW artists on film…

Posted in: 1MM, Media

1MM: All Points West Day Two, Wherein We Don’t Know What’s Scarier — Tool Fans, My Bloody Valentine’s Amps Or Arctic Monkeys’ Smoke Machines

August 5th, 2009 | File Under: 1MM, Media | Leave A Comment

Braving My Bloody Valentine's wave of distortion

[Photos by Jen Maler]

“This is music for two dudes to hate fuck to.”

Gotta love our associate editor and his blunt way with words. Especially when it has to do with Tool and Day Two of All Points West, a.k.a. the Day When God Decided To Stop Being a Vengeful Prick and Start Bathing Us All in Sun. Not that it dried the grounds enough to make all the mud pits tolerable. No, we spent most of the day hopping from sinkhole to sinkhole, eventually ending up backstage, where we watched most of the day via a live TV feed. Not My Bloody Valentine, though; we had to see them up close, letting their sonic annihilation approach wash over us like the world’s greatest form of primal scream therapy. (And unlike last time, we were sober for the whole thing.)

Also worth a look from the side of the stage: Arctic Monkeys, who continue to play tighter sets than most bands twice their age and deliver singles like “I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor,” “Fluorescent Adolescent” and “Brianstorm” like they’re mission statements. We’ll have an interview from them later this week. For now, some photos…

Posted in: 1MM, Media

1MM: All Points West Day One, Wherein a Torrential Downpour Can’t Tear Us Away From Jay-Z, Yeah Yeah Yeahs Or, Err, Vampire Weekend

August 5th, 2009 | File Under: 1MM, Media | 3 comments

Jay-Z (obviously)

[Photos by Jen Maler]

Should we stay or should we go? That was the question last Friday, as we stared at the storm outside self-titled’s window and considered whether Jay-Z, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Flying Lotus were really worth a ferry ride to a field full of mud and Vampire Weekend fans. Lucky for us, photographer Jen Maler had a hard case full of equipment ready for the rain and whatever Karen O decided to spit at us. Here’s what survived all the madness.

Be sure to watch this page for more All Points West coverage throughout the day, including a slew of exclusive backstage shots.

Posted in: 1MM, Media

Jay-Z Assumes the Beastie Boys’ Headliner Position At All Points West, His First Stateside Festival Appearance

July 23rd, 2009 | File Under: News | Leave A Comment

So Goldenvoice has suddenly filled the gaping headliner hole in the first night of this year’s All Points West festival with Jay-Z. Believe it or not, this is the first U.S. fest appearance for the legendary rapper/Live Nation spokesman, who irked Oasis by topping Glastonbury’s bill in 2008.

Posted in: News

An Open Letter to the Organizers of All Points West …

August 13th, 2008 | File Under: Reviews | 2 comments

[Semi-satirical text and photos by Andrew Parks]

Dear Goldenvoice, Radiohead and anyone else involved with the inauguration of All Points West:

We had a good time this weekend; we really did. That said, the staff of self-titled couldn’t help but emerge from the first two days with some Dos and Don’ts for next year … if there is a next year.

Posted in: Reviews

NOTES FROM THE TRENCHES OF ALL POINTS WEST: Day Three, Featuring Cat Power and a Whole Lotta’ Frat Rock

August 11th, 2008 | File Under: Reviews | One comment

CAT POWER, in one of her about-to-crack moments

[Photos by hooverflagit]

Jack Johnson, Ben Harper and Trey Anastasio all in one rain-soaked evening—what is this, Bonnaroo? Why no, it’s the third and final day of All Points West, a Radiohead-free celebration of what passes for college rock these days. Oh, and Cat Power, who’s apparently back to her buzz-killing ways of mumbling and stumbling through an entire set.

self-titled contributor Courtney Balestier shares all of the good, bad and ugly details from her notebook after the jump …

Posted in: Reviews

1MM: Underworld @ All Points West, 8.8.08

August 10th, 2008 | File Under: 1MM, Media | One comment

Photos by Andrew Parks

The idea of seeing Underworld in broad daylight is sacrilegious to say the least, so, yeah, we were a little bummed out to hear that the trio’s All Points West set started at 6:30. Especially since their known for such innovative visuals. And no, we’re not talking about the phallic blow-up props that surrounded the stage as the sun started to set. We’re talking about the rave-on tapestry of free verse phrases and live wizard-behind-the-curtain clips that made us miss being 19 and high-tailing it to Toronto for “Amen” breaks and drum & bass ’til the break of dawn.

Underworld didn’t exactly welcome us back to the world of jungle; after all, that’s not really their place in the scheme of electronica’s golden age. What they did do is remind us of how vital and visceral techno can sound and feel with or without the use of synthetic chemicals. “Born Slippy Nuxx,” “Pearl’s Girl,” all of dubnobasswithmyheadman—these are the anthems that reduce self-titled to an emo-tastic mess of sample-triggered memories and godawful dance moves.

Speaking of dancing with one’s self, Karl Hyde is still the finest ‘frontman’ in dance music, a wiggly worm of an Englishman with more energy than a battalion of bloggers who listen to nothing but Ed Banger-esque electro. Karl, the sequined shirt is easily forgiven, my friend.

Watch out for a full Underworld interview this week. For now, some photos …

Posted in: 1MM, Media

I WAS THERE: Radiohead @ All Points West, 8.9.08

August 10th, 2008 | File Under: Reviews | 4 comments

Photos by Andrew Parks

To answer your question, yes, Radiohead’s pair of All Points West performances looked like Blade Runner the Musical with an In Rainbows-heavy soundtrack. (Cheers to a smattering of well-aged fan favorites, however, including “Bends,” “Planet Telex,” “Fake Plastic Trees,” “Street Spirit,” and “Paranoid Android.”) The view from the photo pit was awe-inspiring to say the least—what looked like a hundred thin fluorescent light tubes and a backdrop of video screens and bulbs that went pop, pop, pop, shimmering like an acid flashback or at the very least, one hell of a music video shoot.

In other words, your move U2.

Setlists for both nights and a stack of future-shocked photos after the jump. Look out for a lot more All Points coverage later in the day, including commentaries on all three days and photos of Underworld, Animal Collective and more.

Posted in: Reviews

Tag: All Points West

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