Editor’s Note: In the past, Fiestas brought artists such as the Flobots and the Shins.
This year, we get Twista. That’s not to say this year won’t be good, but it does mean that Twista had better give a performance way better than the ones on his music videos.
The Daily Lobo went out, or, more accurately, online, and listened to the artists coming to Fiestas this year. What follows is a guide about what to catch, what to skip and when to put insert earplugs:
Twista
Carl Terrell Mitchell (aren’t rappers’ regular names grand?) is headlining this year, and maybe we’re biased, but he has his work cut out for him. His music leaves something to be desired for anyone who doesn’t listen to rap, but he is actually pretty good. He used to hold the title for the fastest rapper in the world, and his album Kamikaze was a chart-topper.
That said, he hasn’t been doing a whole lot lately. But, hey, if rap is your thing, you can’t go wrong with this guy, even though he probably won’t make you an “Overnight Celebrity.”
Flosstradamus
This is the band all you remix junkies, and anyone else with ears, should be excited about.
Flosstradamus is the stage name of Chicago DJs J2K (Josh Young) and Autobot (Curt Cameruci). Besides having awesome names, they have awesome music. The group’s remix of Matt and Kim is killer, and the crunchy beats will get you dancing, provided you aren’t so paralyzed by social shame that you can’t move. Beyond that, it’s always sick to listen to remixes that make original songs better. We’re looking at you, Twista.
Danielle Ate the Sandwich
No, that’s not a misplaced headline from another story. That’s the actual stage name of performing artist Danielle Anderson.
She’s something of an interweb star, and it’s easy to understand her success. She’s a cute girl, yes, and she has quirky little songs — played on a ukulele, of course — with weird backdrops on every video.
She’s basically a less shitty non-version of Justin Bieber, but still, any version of Justin Bieber should be feared. Her songs are little more than chords that blend into one another after a while, and the subject matter, lost loves — surprise — gets boring after a song or two.
Plus, she’s known for her YouTube presence. We can’t help but wonder if she has any stage presence, but maybe that’s just us.
The Radar Brothers
These guys are a standard rock setup, which isn’t bad, but also isn’t exciting in a city dominated by standard rock outfits. Granted, the band’s singer does have a distinctive croon that cradles the listeners through songs.
Other than that, we don’t have a lot to say. If you dig indie rock, you’ll probably appreciate these guys, but if you don’t, they aren’t going to change your mind.
Ryanhood
More indie rock, this time of the “folky/emo-y” variety. The band is just two guys with guitars, fingerpicking and sing-whining their way through a fairly standard set of Bright Eyes knockoffs. This doesn’t excite us at the Lobo that much, but hey, we’re the type of guys that prefer Bob Dylan to Conor Oberst — you know, fuddy-duddies.
If you’re a girl (or guy, for that matter) who gets in the mood to throw your panties on the stage every time some pretty white boy sings a moody song about relationship troubles, this is definitely your band. Sample lyric: “Ooh me, choose me/Don’t abuse me.” So, you know, they have emotions and stuff.
The Real Matt Jones
The Real Matt Jones distinguishes himself from Ryanhood in one important respect: Instead of being two white guys with guitars playing emo-folk, it’s one white guy with a guitar playing emo-folk. Sample lyric: “I’m not so lovable/I’m not so wonderful/I’m not so beautiful inside me.” It’s safe to say that all the girls that still have their panties left after the Ryanhood show will toss them onstage for Matt Jones.
Squash Blossom Boys
Damn fine homegrown bluegrass. These guys seem to be omnipresent around Albuquerque, especially the UNM and downtown areas. So you’ve probably seen them before, especially if bluegrass is your thing.
It’s a little weird to think that these guys will be sharing a stage with Twista and Flosstradamus. But, you know, diversity is key to this type of event.
Marabout Saints and Arroyo Deathmatch
The Lobo has given a lot of recent coverage to these two bands. Arroyo Deathmatch won UNM’s Battle of the Bands, and the Marabout Saints made a strong showing. Both bands are worth your time. So be sure to check out these UNM-area acts and support your fellow students.
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