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Day 2 saw us really dive into Culture Collide. We spend a good 5 hours hopping in and out of pretty much all the venues that night, catching six different bands in the process. By far our favorite spot was Taix, a french restaurant transformed into Culture Collide’s HQ. It definitely had the best mix of good music and energy that night. So without further ado, here’s the rundown.
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Hands (Los Angeles, CA) Listen at their Official Website
RP: Hands are another local LA band and ended up opening the Thursday night lineup at The Echoplex. I sort of akin them to lite version of Minus The Bear, without being anywhere near as technically proficient. Bright, easily dance-able, it’s too bad they got stuck in that particular slot. All told, they had a decent set, which can be tough considering you’re the opening band of the night and there’s 15 people ambling in, half-heartedly paying attention.
SG: It was really hard to find anything online about Hands before seeing them play, and I was almost convinced that the hardcore band sharing the same name was opening up today’s festivities; they weren’t, and that was totally fine with me. In the end, lots of FX-driven falsetto, and a diverse set separated the group from the other dance bands playing over the weekend. I can honestly say I was impressed with the way some of the songs could totally shift tonally and stylistically and still sound coherent. With that being said, although there were some really stand out tracks, the majority fell into what we’re used to for this sort of dance/indie genre. I will say that the keyboards were pretty amazing, evoking a much welcomed Tangerine Dream flavor most of the time.
The Gift (Alcobaca, PT) Listen on Soundcloud
RP: The Gift was definitely one of the more interesting bands we watched all weekend. I really have no idea how to describe them, but some sort of a Portuguese disco circus opera singing supremely uplifting and hopeful Disney tunes springs to mind. If that sounds a little strange, I’m really doing the band no justice. The lame part is that I really didn’t get the full experience. Due to some technical difficulties (which had some members of the band visibly livid), the band started 25 minutes late and had to rush through a shortened set. Unfortunately the technical difficulties didn’t end there: the levels were inconsistent, some keyboards weren’t working, monitors were failing, and yet, The Gift played their butts off. Kudos to them for being professional and doing their best to put on an energetic show. I can’t say that it’s something I’d listen to normally, but these are some very talented musicians with a great message.
SG: I was actually really looking forward to this band, and listened to the entire album the day before seeing them. Knowing what they were capable of, the set was extremely disappointing due to some technical issues out of the band’s control. Half of their instrumentation was lost in the mix, yet the band gave it their all and were all smiles once the show started (which is totally commendable). They might’ve been a little out of place amidst the indie-ready crowd, but that was a good movie on Filter’s part for adding them into the mix. It’s just too bad that these talented musician’s didn’t have the right tools to give a performance that gave them justice.
Tennis System (Los Angeles, CA) Listen on Soundcloud
RP: Another sweet local surprise, we walked in on Tennis System’s set at Taix a bit late. Playing their own brand of noisy psych-pop, I’m really digging their sound. While this type of scene has really blown up as of late, I think they do a good job of avoiding the bandwagon label, and really with hooks this catchy I couldn’t care less. I really like their grungy, no nonsense look too. Definitely picking up their album when I get a chance.
SG: Definitely a highlight of the weekend. Imagine a much more raw, noisy, and grungier Wavves (since they’re the “it” band right now). I couldn’t help but feel as if I was transported back to grunge’s heyday, rediscovering Nirvana for the first time. Since they’re local, I’m going to have to check them out more.
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The Postelles (New York, NY) Listen at their Official Site
RP: Charismatic and down-to-earth, The Postelles play that kind of good, old-fashioned rock and roll. The kind of music that subtly gets you shaking your hips, stomping your feet, and lifting your spirits up. Hailing from New York, The Postelles really center on frontman Daniel Balk, who’s a natural on stage, working the crowd and showing a ton of command. The band came off as some really sincere dudes, so my hats off to them for having a great time and playing just solid rock and roll tunes.
SG: I was starting to get pretty tired by this time in the evening, and The Postelles gave me the wakeup call that I needed. Going from Tennis System to this was also another treat as the two were completely on opposite sides of the spectrum (even the crowd was completely different). Polished NY rock a la The Strokes or even Jet got the blood flowing, and they totally worked the crowd. They’re a great live act.
Avi Buffalo (Long Beach, CA) Listen on Soundcloud
RP: Avi Buffalo make it the fourth local band we’d seen at Culture Collide, and like most of the others, I liked what I was hearing. Boasting a folky, jammy sound, Avi Buffalo distinguish themselves by peppering in some experimental artistry and utilizing a collective approach to their music. Presenting their set with a collection of art at the foot of the stage, mixing in impromptu raps, and long, spazzed out soundscapes, the band is made up of a bunch of those kids everyone admired in high school, but kind of hated at the same time because they were just so flippin’ good at what they do. Currently signed to Sub Pop, they’ve got a sophomore album coming out soon and plays tons of show in the LA area, so you’ve got no excuse. Good stuff.
SG: Avi Buffalo was a great way to end the night. Easily one of the most technically and eclectic shows of the fest, their light rock/jazz sound set them apart from everyone else. Avi Zahner-Isenberg is a monster on the guitar, and since they’re from our backyard practically, I’m excited to see more of them.
Check out our Friday gallery at Flickr and stay tuned for Saturday’s lineup: De Staat, Analog Girl, You Say France And I Whistle!
RP, SG
