To wrap up the weekend-long fest, Culture Collide culminated in a block party, with two large outdoor stages in true music fest fashion. A lot of heavy hitters were lined up that night, and I was able to see three acts, each of which proved to be great.
Just to speak a bit about the block party, I think this part of the fest definitely had the most going for it. It was big, it was outdoors, and combined with the variety of local food trucks, live art, and corporate-sponsored giveaways, it had a definitive LA vibe. Given that it was free with registration, the block party by far had the biggest turn out, and the crowd was upbeat and excited. Personally, with Culture Collide’s infancy as a festival (only its second year), I think it’d be in their best interest to extend the outdoor block party format for more days. Utilizing the local venues is great, and that should still happen, but there was something galvanizing about getting a few thousand people outside in the beautiful southern California weather to see big bands from around the world.
Anyway, I went on to check out three bands that evening: MEN, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and CSS. Peep my thoughts below.
MEN (Brooklyn, NY) Listen at their Facebook
Composed of ex-Le Tigre members, MEN boast an electro sound that fits right in with the fest’s general musical palette. But where this band differs from others is in its message. Lead by JD Samson, MEN’s music touches on varying LGBT issues and social acceptance, using art and dance music as the vehicles to get their ideas across. They put on a fun show, albeit there set at CC was fraught with technical difficulties. Strings broke and a laptop came crashing to the floor mid-song, but as is the case for any bands, these things happen. MEN definitely took it all in stride and put forth a good show that really helped set the tone for the night. If you’re into hard electro, LGBT awareness, etc., definitely check’em out.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Brooklyn, NY) Listen at their Facebook
CYHSY has been around for some time now, with three LPs to their credit, yet this was the first time I’d ever caught them live. They’ve experienced their fair share of critical flak for what some see as not living up to expectations, and while I haven’t chronicled their development enough as a band to comment on that, I am happy to report that they put on one hell of a show. These dudes were pure pros, with a poise and control of both their music and the circumstances. They had an instant rapport with the audience, played a variety of songs, and did it all with a genuine energy. It definitely showed, with the band even ignoring the set times to play a couple extra songs. Come to think of it, this was probably my favorite show of the fest. In truth, I hadn’t given CYHSY all that much consideration, but with this show that’ll definitely change. Sometimes you’ve got to just put away what you read, be it criticism, hype, whatever, and just enjoy yourself for 45 minutes — and CYHSY made that possible.
CSS (Sao Paulo, BR) Listen at their Facebook
My last show of the night, I decided to take in the wild pack of brazilians known as CSS. To say this band is beloved would be an understatement. Before their set even started, with another band playing on the opposite stage, fans gathered and chanted for CSS. Like many of the other Culture Collide acts, you can’t help but dance to CCS. As one of the bands that ushered in the “new rave” movement, they did not disappoint, and I found myself in the midst of a full-on dance party. This band was really fun, and it really came across in their performance. Singer Lovefoxxx strutted out adorned in a glittered-up masquerade mask and sang the songs with sass and pep. They were loud, pulsing, and the crowd loved it. This band really is about just having a great time, and refreshingly they don’t take themselves too seriously. Lyrically irreverent and playful, CSS are hot and all about getting you to move. I mean, their name is Portuguese for “I’m tired of being sexy” — finally, someone who knows my plight!
In all seriousness, CSS was a great way for me to wrap up my Culture Collide weekend on a positive note. It really embodied what my experience at the fest was like — just unpretentious, good-natured fun. Culture Collide has the potential to become a worthy LA staple, and I hope the momentum continues. Dance on, my friends.
Check out the Sunday block party gallery at Flickr.
RP
