Tag Archives: Bon Iver

Red Hot Chili Peppers Heat Up Bonnaroo’s Saturday Night

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MANCHESTER, Tennessee — In a two-hour set that absolutely flew by, the Red Hot Chili Peppers proved Saturday night that they’re still the hardest-working band in the business. Their incomparable energy was on full display in their first Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival appearance as they tore through their nearly 30-year catalogue.

A little more than two months into a tour schedule that has them performing nonstop through the end of November, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees opened with “Monarchy of Roses,” the first track on their most-recent release, I’m With You. “Factory of Faith” and “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie” also represented that disc.

Highlights included the RHCP classics “Give It Away,” “Suck My Kiss,” “Under the Bridge” and their cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground.”

As if his bass playing isn’t impressive enough, Flea deftly made his way across the stage in a handstand. The bassist clearly caught Bonnaroo fever, gushing, “I feel peace and love and kindness everywhere I walk around here.” He praised the weekend’s earlier performances from St. Vincent, Dumpstaphunk, Santigold and the Roots, calling Radiohead’s Friday night set “so f—ing beautiful.”

RHCP, who will headline this year’s Lollapalooza, also pulled out “If You Have to Ask” from 1991′s Blood Sugar Sex Magik and By the Way cut “Throw Away Your Television.”

On a very warm night that had festivalgoers running through the fountain at 2:30 a.m., Skrillex brought huge smiles to the faces of EDM fans.

Also Saturday, metal legend Alice Cooper’s show packed That Tent, which earlier in the day hosted a succession of hard rock and punk acts, including Bad Brains, Flogging Molly, Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan’s Puscifer and Danzig.

Hip-hop also had a strong showing, as the Roots, Das Racist and GZA performing Liquid Swords with Grupo Fantasma all got heads nodding. Childish Gambino projected the lyrics to “You See Me” on the giant screen behind him so his fan boys and girls could sing along.

Friday featured Radiohead, Feist, Ludacris, Foster the People, and Mos Def and Talib Kweli as Black Star. The festival wraps up Sunday (June 10) with the Beach Boys, Phish, the Shins, Fun. and Bon Iver.

Are you at Bonnaroo? Share your review in the comments below!

Radiohead Serve Up Another Legendary Bonnaroo Set

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MANCHESTER, Tennessee — With two very different albums under their belt since they last graced the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival’s farm with their fabled 2006 appearance, Radiohead more than lived up to the hype with their Friday night return at the 11th annual event.

Starting out with The King of Limbs’ propulsive opening cut, “Bloom,” the icons heavily favored their newer tracks when they brought their world tour to Tennessee, also adding “Give Up the Ghost,” “Lotus Flower” and “Morning Mr Magpie” to the set.

In that legendary 2006 show, during which they delighted with an epic 28 songs, they tried out six new tunes that successfully made their way onto 2007′s In Rainbows. They represented that diverse album Friday night with fan favorite “15 Step,” “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi,” “Nude” and “Bodysnatchers.” The recording’s “Reckoner” inspired amateur fireworks.

With Amnesiac‘s “I Might Be Wrong,” their dancy live version of Hail to the Thief‘s “The Gloaming” and Kid A rave-up “Idioteque,” the set list was decidedly more energetic than the mellower selections they presented at the Coachella festival in April.

Halfway through the set, just as casual fans were no doubt wondering whether they were going to hear anything familiar, “Karma Police” gave them the chance to participate in the “This is what you get when you mess with us” singalong.

Another highlight was the “True Love Waits” lullaby seguing into “Everything In Its Right Place,” when a ponytailed Thom Yorke had everyone clapping along as he took to his keyboard. Radiohead also performed two new songs: “Identikit” and the groovy “Supercollider,” which Yorke said was “for Jack White.”

As their scheduled midnight end time came and went, Yorke announced, “We bid you all farewell,” before answering the wishes of many by ending with “Paranoid Android,” dedicating it to “all the people we can’t see in the back.”

Earlier in the day, Tune-yards jammed out the sax solo on “Bizness,” Sharon Jones commanded the main stage in the afternoon in a shiny bright-pink cocktail dress and Foster the People brought their feel-good tunes. Friday also featured Feist, Ludacris, Major Lazer, and Mos Def and Talib Kweli joining forces as Black Star.

Jam-band mainstays Umphrey’s McGee, Flying Lotus and Dumpstaphunk, who busted out David Bowie’s “Fame,” kept fans dancing until the early morning.

Still to come this weekend: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Skrillex, Alice Cooper and the Roots will take the stage Saturday (June 9), and the Beach Boys, Phish, the Shins, Fun. and Bon Iver will wrap things up Sunday.

Are you at Bonnaroo? Share your review in the comments below!

Bonnaroo Gets Party Started With Alabama Shakes, Kendrick Lamar

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MANCHESTER, Tennessee — The 11th annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival kicked off Thursday with a characteristically diverse mix of artists representing funk, blues, hip-hop, reggae, electronic, indie rock and even mariachi.

The rootsy Alabama Shakes, who broke earlier this year, nabbed a closing spot on opening night, grooving through “Hang Loose” and their first single, “Hold On.” Frontwoman Brittany Howard had the crowd feeling her pain as she wailed “Rise to the Sun.”

For photos from Bonnaroo, click here.

Kendrick Lamar brought his West Coast gangsta rap to the dirty South. And while he clearly had many fans in the crowd — spitting along to “P P” and “A.D.H.D.” — he took time to address a vocal hater in the front row. “He’s telling us that I’m not the best rapper alive today,” Lamar announced. “Can I prove it to him?” He responded with the frantic “Look Out for Detox.” Earlier in the night, the stage was handled by rappers Danny Brown and Shady Records signee Yelawolf.

Soja’s devotees were treated to “Here I Am,” “Everything Changes” and a bit of advice from singer Jacob Hemphill, who urged his audience of reggae lovers to check out Bad Brains, hardcore punk pioneers who also delved into reggae. Bad Brains is scheduled for their first Bonnaroo appearance on Saturday afternoon.

Just after sunset, Moon Taxi lit up That Tent with jazzy keyboard and bass solos. Also Thursday, Big Gigantic managed to seamlessly blend Jay-Z’s “Dirt Off Your Shoulder,” Aloe Blacc’s “I Need a Dollar,” electro and high-speed drum and bass — all while featuring live saxophone. Mimosa gave a shout-out to fellow Bonnaroo performer Ludacris, mixing the rapper’s “What’s Your Fantasy” into a set that also included DJ Darude’s decade-old trance classic “Sandstorm.”

Over four days, nights and early mornings, Bonnaroo will bring fans more than 150 bands and nearly two dozen comedians. Friday (June 8) features Radiohead, Foster the People, Feist, and Mos Def and Talib Kweli as Black Star. The 2012 lineup also includes Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Beach Boys, Phish, Skrillex, Alice Cooper, Fun. and Bon Iver.

Are you at Bonnaroo? Share your review in the comments below!

Flaming Lips Enlist Grace Potter, Neon Indian In O Music Awards Record Attempt

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It takes a village to topple a record. That seems to be the thinking behind the Flaming Lips‘ efforts to gather an army of musical cohorts to help them take aim at Jay-Z’s record for the most live concerts in 24 hours.

As part of a record attempt that will take place over 24 hours during the June 27 O Music Awards, the Lips will try to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records by playing shows in eight different cities.

We can now reveal that they will get some support from an eclectic group of musicians that includes festival favorites Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, modern bluesman Gary Clark Jr., country singer Hunter Hayes, and indie rock acts Givers, New Fumes, Neon Indian, and Grimes.

Beginning June 27, the O Music Awards will play out across all of MTV‘s screens and linear networks in the form of the world’s first 24-hour award-show live stream via a historic and hectic bus ride through the Mississippi Delta, the birthplace of rock and roll. Two-time O Music Award nominees and multiple Grammy winners Flaming Lips will board a vintage tour bus named Endeavor and zigzag across the region in an attempt to break the world record currently held by Jay-Z for the most live concerts in 24 hours.

More support acts will be named soon, and each will play a full set before making way for the Lips to take the stage for their mini-sets with unique collaborations and special guests. Tickets for the shows go on sale Thursday (June 7) and can be purchased through the individual venues. Partial proceeds from the show will be donated to VH1′s Save the Music Foundation. Also, the entire show will be streamed live on OMusicAwards.com and accessible on all platforms including mobile and tablets.

“I don’t remember if I was asked or if I volunteered. … But I’ve accepted the job of not driving but commandeering the Magical Mystery Merry Prankster bus,” Lips frontman Wayne Coyne told MTV News. “I’ve accepted the attempt at breaking the world record of performing eight shows in 24 hours. And I’ve explained to the music freaks at MTV, VH1 and CMT that I am not a host. … But I always liked the way Jerry Lewis would get all sweaty toward the end of his yearly telethon. To play and sing Flaming Lips songs at eight in the morning, well … I’m open to new experiences.”

During the 24-hour live stream, 24 awards will be presented to winners. Fans can vote now up until the show via the O Music Awards website in a wide assortment of categories that include Must Follow Artist on Twitter, Best Online Concert Experience, Most Adorable Viral Star, Fan Army FTW, Best Music App and Digital Genius Award. Nearly 10 million votes have been cast since voting kicked off on May 23.

You never know what’s going to happen on the live stream, where the Lips will be constantly “on,” as cameras follow them on the bus, on the stage and everywhere in between. Along the way, the band will meet up with fans and presenters who will dole out awards and, of course, deal with all the pitfalls and unexpected detours that a multi-state road trip entails — flat tires, stops at musical monuments, and perhaps the occasional music-making special guests and hitchhikers.

The day before the big show, June 26, the Lips will release a physical version of The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends, the previously digital-only album featuring unique collaborations with Yoko Ono, Nick Cave, Bon Iver, Ke$ha and an exclusive new track recorded with Ghostland Observatory’s Aaron Behrens.

The Flaming Lips O Music Awards itinerary:

» 6/27 – Memphis, TN @ Handy Park (New Fumes)
» 6/27- Clarksdale, MS @ Ground Zero Blues Club (Gary Clark Jr.)
» 6/27 – Oxford, MS @ The Lyric (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals)
» 6/28 – Jackson, MS @ Duling Hall (Neon Indian)
» 6/28 – Hattiesburg, MS @ Benny’s Boom Boom Room (Hunter Hayes)
» 6/28 – Biloxi, MS @ Hard Rock Casino (TBD)
» 6/28 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Varsity (Givers)
» 6/28 – New Orleans, LA @ TBD (Grimes)

The full list of nominees can be seen over on the O Music Awards official site. Additional performers and presenters for the June 27 show will be announced in the coming weeks.

Ke$ha Gives Flaming Lips Frontman His First-Ever Toe Tattoo

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Flaming Lips mastermind Wayne Coyne took away more than just a vial of blood when he traveled to Nashville to record with Ke$ha. (Though, really, you’d think that would be enough.) He also left with his first-ever tattoo … not to mention a newfound respect for the wild-child pop star.

“Most of the time, if someone’s willing to work with me, they’re going to be a freak. And Ke$ha … I sort of thought that she would be a freak, I’d heard about her and we’d tried to get a hold of her earlier,” Coyne told MTV News backstage at the Hangout Fest in Gulf Shores, Alabama. “We showed up at her house, and she has a tattoo gun that she gives everyone a tattoo with, so within 20 minutes of being at her house, I had a tattoo on my toe; it’s the only tattoo I’ve ever had.

“We were set to do this one song that I had prepared, and we went into the studio that night, and stayed there until about 2 in the morning, and did four songs, just making stuff up,” he continued. “And the next day [we] worked for another couple hours. She’s funny, she’s gracious, she’s imaginative, she’s creative and she’s a lot of fun to be around.”

The result of that collaboration (a song called “2012″) shows up on the Lips’ special Record Store Day double-LP, The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends, a thoroughly out-there collection of songs and sound-collages that — as the title implies — the band recorded with the likes of Bon Iver, Nick Cave, Neon Indian, Yoko Ono and, uh, Coldplay’s Chris Martin … to name just a few. But will fans get to hear even more of the Flaming Lips/Ke$ha team-up? Well, Coyne certainly hopes so.

“We really loved making this music together — I think I’ve probably done six or seven songs with her — and I know a lot of her fans like ['2012'], but I don’t know if we’ll put more songs out there,” he said. “She has other agendas besides doing music with Wayne, you know, but I hope so, because I think it’s really great, crazy, unexpected music. And she, to her credit, loves what we do. She wants it to be whatever. She has no limits of what she wants it to be.”

And don’t think the Heady Fwends sessions will be the last time Coyne and Ke$ha share time (or blood) in the studio. If anything, the Lips’ recent output of, uh, non-traditional releases — songs encased in gummy skulls and fetuses, 24-hour noise-jam freakouts that play for all eternity, limited-edition vinyl filled with actual blood, etc — suggests Coyne and Co. are just getting started … and they’re going to get even weirder before they’re finished.

“That’s been the beautiful thing about all of these weird collaborations and projects; you work with freaks. Even working with someone like Chris Martin, he’s very open to, like, ‘Let’s do stuff!’ That’s the great surprise about it,” Coyne said. “I don’t think people are surprised when we work with a group like Lightning Bolt or Neon Indian — people think of us as like-minded — but the surprising thing with the Chris Martins or the Ke$has, they’re like us too, they just don’ play music that sounds like that all the time.”

Kanye West’s ‘Lost In The World’ Video: A Year In The Making

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No one was complaining last week when Kanye West decided to drop the video for “Lost in the World” off his fifth LP My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, but there was a little bit of confusion for sure. Why did Ye decide to film a video from his 2010 album now, on the heels of the G.O.O.D. Music project? Well, the video’s director Ruth Hogben tells MTV News that the clip was shot almost a year ago.

Hogben, a fashion filmmaker, explained that she was introduced to Kanye through her SHOWStudio colleague Nick Knight, who thought that she would be a good fit to work with the eccentric rapper/producer.

The pair first began discussing their plans for the video around May 2011, and they captured all of the visuals in a two-day shoot later that summer. “I think he just wanted something that represented the song really well,” Hogben said, detailing the brainstorming session.

“He explained how he felt about the song and it was a really interesting process because he just talked to me about the song — how he felt about the lyrics, about the beat. He was really very concerned about how he felt about the track, so that’s where it started.

“It was a really strong collaborative process,” she continued. “The conversation was very organic — he says one thing, I say one thing, he sends a picture, I send a picture. So it was a creative conversation that just kept rolling. We had a two-day shoot and then we spent quite a long time working on the edit together, making sure that it was right. We’ve probably been tweaking and working on it for about six months.”

On first look, the black-and-white clip seems to play up the desperation of the Bon Iver-featured “Lost in the World,” with West and his dancers set against the dark, ominous backdrop, but Hogben describes the final product as “energetic.” She maintains that fans are supposed to come up with their individual interpretations of the clip. Even the dancers in the video were given the creative freedom to let loose. “It was actually their interpretation of the song,” Hogben explained. “Kanye didn’t say to them, ‘Dance this way.’ We wanted an interpretation of how they felt about the song.”

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Kanye West’s ‘Lost In The World’ Video Months In The Making

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Kanye West surprised and confused fans last week when, out of the blue, he dropped a video for “Lost in the World” off his fifth album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. But director Ruth Hogben tells MTV News that she and ‘Ye actually shot the video together last summer.

Hogben, a fashion filmmaker, explained that she was introduced to Kanye through her SHOWStudio colleague Nick Knight, who thought that she would be a good fit to work with the eccentric rapper/producer.

The pair first began discussing their plans for the video around May 2011, and they captured all of the visuals in a two-day shoot later that summer. “I think he just wanted something that represented the song really well,” Hogben said, detailing the brainstorming session.

“He explained how he felt about the song and it was a really interesting process because he just talked to me about the song — how he felt about the lyrics, about the beat. He was really very concerned about how he felt about the track, so that’s where it started.

“It was a really strong collaborative process,” she continued. “The conversation was very organic — he says one thing, I say one thing, he sends a picture, I send a picture. So it was a creative conversation that just kept rolling. We had a two-day shoot and then we spent quite a long time working on the edit together, making sure that it was right. We’ve probably been tweaking and working on it for about six months.”

On first look, the black-and-white clip seems to play up the desperation of the Bon Iver-featured “Lost in the World,” with West and his dancers set against the dark, ominous backdrop, but Hogben describes the final product as “energetic.” She maintains that fans are supposed to come up with their individual interpretations of the clip. Even the dancers in the video were given the creative freedom to let loose. “It was actually their interpretation of the song,” Hogben explained. “Kanye didn’t say to them, ‘Dance this way.’ We wanted an interpretation of how they felt about the song.”

Kanye West’s ‘Lost In The World’ Video Finally Arrives

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Here we thought that Kanye West was focusing his time on prepping the upcoming G.O.O.D. Music album, when he comes out of left field with new visuals for his My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy track ”Lost in the World.”

Simply calling the new visuals from Kanye a “music video” might be a disservice, though, so let’s say that ‘Ye teamed up with fashion filmmaker Ruth Hogben to create a new mini movie. The black-and-white clip opens with a warning that “strobe effects are used in this video” — West clearly learned a lesson from thebacklash that accompanied his “All of the Lights” video — before “Lost” flashes across the screen in a few different languages and, finally, the song’s title is announced.

The dark clip plays up the desperation of the Bon-Iver-featured “Lost in the World,” with a group of models dressed in sheer fabric (it wouldn’t be a Kanye piece without some form of exposed skin) expressing their pain through dance.

West himself appears on a mirrored platform, which reflects the dark sky above, and as the video progresses, the looming structures overhead begin to part, revealing an ominous city skyline. During the drum-heavy breakdown at the end of the track, the models convulse into full synchronized dance, ending with one lingering shot of the pained expressions on their faces.

Kanye’s aesthetic has continued to evolve over his last few projects, and this new clip seems to be an extension of the techniques he employed in the visuals for Watch the Throne‘s “N—as in Paris.” The clip premiered on Friday (May 4) with no context, as Kanye’s most recent releases are the G.O.O.D. Music singles “Mercy” and the “I Don’t Like” remix, along with the solo track “Way Too Cold.”

What do you think of Kanye’s “Lost in the World” video? Tell us in the comments!

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Kanye West Debuts Dark ‘Lost In The World’ Video

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Kanye West works in mysterious ways. Just when it seemed like all of his creative energy would be funneled into his upcoming G.O.O.D. Music compilation, the mad genius jumps back two albums, finally dropping a video for “Lost in the World,” from his critically acclaimed 2010 album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

Simply calling the new visuals from Kanye a “music video” might be a disservice, though, so let’s say that ‘Ye teamed up with fashion filmmaker Ruth Hogben to create a new mini movie. The black-and-white clip opens with a warning that “strobe effects are used in this video” — West clearly learned a lesson from the backlash that accompanied his “All of the Lights” video — before “Lost” flashes across the screen in a few different languages and, finally, the song’s title is announced.

The dark clip plays up the desperation of the Bon-Iver-featured “Lost in the World,” with a group of models dressed in sheer fabric (it wouldn’t be a Kanye piece without some form of exposed skin) expressing their pain through dance.

West himself appears on a mirrored platform, which reflects the dark sky above, and as the video progresses, the looming structures overhead begin to part, revealing an ominous city skyline. During the drum-heavy breakdown at the end of the track, the models convulse into full synchronized dance, ending with one lingering shot of the pained expressions on their faces.

Kanye’s aesthetic has continued to evolve over his last few projects, and this new clip seems to be an extension of the techniques he employed in the visuals for Watch the Throne‘s “N—as in Paris.”
The clip premiered on Friday (May 4) with no context, as Kanye’s most recent releases are the G.O.O.D. Music singles “Mercy” and the “I Don’t Like” remix, along with the solo track “Way Too Cold.”

What do you think of Kanye’s “Lost in the World” video? Tell us in the comments!

324d4 spotted Kanye West Debuts Dark Lost In The World Video

Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg Stun Coachella With Eminem, 50 Cent, Tupac Hologram

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INDIO, California — Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg wowed Coachella’s final night Sunday with a roster of guests way beyond what even the rumors could have predicted. Backed by a live band and unexpectedly artsy video screens, no less than Eminem, 50 Cent, Warren G and a hologram of Tupac graced the stage.

As if that wasn’t enough, Wiz Khalifa also joined the West Coast hip-hop legends for the anthem of the weekend, “Young, Wild and Free,” which had the crowd singing the chorus in unison: “So what we get drunk/ So what we smoke w—/ We’re just having fun/ We don’t care who sees/ So what we go out/ That’s how it’s supposed to be/ Living young and wild and free.”

Kendrick Lamar — who performed an afternoon set on the main stage Friday — also joined the pair for “The Recipe,” his new joint featuring Dre, who introduced him as “straight outta Compton.”

After their own “The Next Episode” and “Deep Cover (187 on an Undercover Cop),” Dre and Snoop covered House of Pain’s “Jump Around.” The hardest moment of the night came when 50 Cent stormed the stage for “What Up Gangsta” with Tony Yayo by his side, seguing into “P.I.M.P.” with tropical calypso steel drums and his 2003 breakthrough hit, “In da Club.”

Snoop paid homage to his late homey Nate Dogg, performing “Ain’t No Fun” alongside Kurupt and Warren G as the screens displayed photos of Nate, Snoop and the rest of the Dogg Pound.

The appearance of the late Tupac in very-realistic hologram form, which was amazing to some and creepy to others, brought “Hail Mary” and “2 of Amerika’z Most Wanted.”

Eminem even came out for “I Need a Doctor,” a dubstep-flavored “Forgot About Dre” and “Til I Collapse.”

Capping their historic set with “What’s My Name?” and “Still D.R.E.,” Dre and Snoop disappeared below the stage with the Good Doctor proclaiming to the adoring audience, “I wanna say thank you for the love for so many years.”

Sunday’s surprise guests didn’t stop there though, as Rihanna joined Calvin Harris for her latest single, “Where Have You Been,” and “We Found Love,” and Rage Against the Machine spitter Zack de la Rocha lent his lyrics to DJ Shadow.

Earlier in the night, the main stage was handled by French electronic duo Justice and the much-anticipated At the Drive-In reunion. The influential post-hardcore band had heads banging to “Pattern Against User,” “Lopsided,” “Enfilade” and slowed it down a bit with the melodic “Napoleon Solo.”

Elsewhere, the Sahara dance tent hosted Avicii, the Weeknd grooved a huge crowd at the Outdoor Stage as he sang the sun down with his soulful jams, and Florence and the Machine had the ladies lifted with the frontwoman’s request that the “strong gentleman in the house” offer their shoulders for “Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up).”

In response to last year’s event selling out — a week after the 2011 lineup was announced — the festival is experimenting with featuring the same artists for two consecutive three-day weekends: April 13-15 and April 20-22.

At Coachella’s uncharacteristically cold and glooming first day Friday, the Black Keys and Swedish House Mafia kept fans warm. Saturday brought Radiohead, Bon Iver and David Guetta with Usher.

Did you go to Coachella? Share your review in the comments below!

f49d4 spotted Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg Stun Coachella With Eminem, 50 Cent, Tupac Hologram