2 Festivals, 1 Sunny Day, Barrel of Bands...Downtown LA Comes Alive!

GRAND AVENUE FESTIVAL AND DETOUR FESTIVAL, DOWNTOWN LA, OCT. 7, 2006;

Reviewed by: June Caldwell, Tim Estrada, and Alisha Ways. Photo by: Rodger Caldwell.

Los Angeles came alive like a sleeping giant on October 7, with not one but two festivals a few blocks from each other! The summer music festival season never stopped as it is mid October, and the sun is still shining bright in a crystal blue sky. My friends and I had to scatter to catch all the action!

GRAND AVENUE FESTIVAL FEATURING KINKY, DOWNTOWN LA, OCT.7, 2006, REVIEWD BY JUNE CALDWELL

Kinky was the highlight of the Grand Avenue Festival amidst a cornucopia of artists, food and vendor booths, and such diverse free offerings as ballet, the orchestra, and country music classes. By far, the more hidden of the two festivals, the massively hyped LA Weekly Detour Festival a few blocks down took the spotlight. Which made the feeling all the more like we were the big winners as the loyal Kinky crowd gathered around the stage. Kinky was on the main stage, directly following a tamale making demonstration by one of the local overpriced restaurants. Kinky is in the strange position of being one of the most heralded bands in Latin American, filling 30,000 arenas and little known in the US. With their mix of Latin, dance and punk you basically throw out definitions and join the party whenever they hit the stage. As we waited for them, the rush of excitement was palpable. It was the clandestine feeling you have stuffed in front of the stage about to see one of the best bands in the world, knowing unbelievably at a free concert that was barely advertised.

When the music started you couldn’t keep still. When they hit the stage, they started out slowly, as Gilbert, the lead singer explains this afternoon show was early for them to be awake! Ulises, the lead singer was the coolest of the cool. Wearing what looks like corporate trousers, and business shirt and tie, half tucked in, he is so out of the trendy mainstream he is the definition of the unselfconscious idol as he alternates hiding behind his elaborate synthesizers and strutting across the stage slamming beats out of his accordion. ‘Cornman’ from their first album had traditional Latin beats with accordion, the crowd starting to wake up, got, singing along while the band started to jump all over the stage. ‘Leon’ from Reina, starting to rock and the sweat and dancing built. Later they hit us with ‘Mirando de Lado’ from their self-titled Kinky – their more techno phase with congas and synth. The menacing drums, hip-swinging guitar, drums cutting loose started a swarming mass of us at the stage. Next was ‘Sambita’ from Kinky, everyone sings along, with the almost jazzy hip swinging. ‘Mas’ was about halfway through the set– far and away their hit. The first few beats of the drums, we all knew and started literally jumping up and down. By this time a mosh circle was dancing arm and arm. Oddly starting like a religious chant, the opening chords and drums take you to a sultry island and escape and you want to grab your partner and sing along at the top of your lungs which we were. Sister Twisted from Reina kicked in with the calliope party sounds, and Kinky started explosively dancing all over the stage. When the set was over, we cheered them through one last encore in the way too short set.

LA DETOUR FESTIVAL, DOWNTOWN LA, OCTOBER 7, 2006, REVIEWED BY TIM ESTRADA

Just two days shy of the debut of what is destined to jumpstart more buzz to eclipse even that of the buzzing in my ringing ears. In fact I was even serenaded by Songs for the Deaf" by daring, desert darlings Queens of the Stone Age. How fitting that this fiesta, the LA Weekly Detour Music Festival, takes place near my backyard in the dubious downtown LA. This detour led me on the road to a melodic opus. Reminiscing on my many adventures surviving this maddening mayhem, I look to my right, recognizing the spot I was mugged, stepped in a pile of piss (urine in American), and was surrounded by a swarm of rats. Than I try to remember what else I did this past Tuesday. I can go with the flow.

THE FOUNDATION

As I loiter freely attempting to weasel my way into VIP, I catch a glimpse into the future. Just added to the destiny driven second stage was the spiky angst of The Foundation who sticks a furious bite into an eager crowd interpreting elements of Iron Maiden and Green Day.

THE LIKE

Although getting heavy rotation on the glorified college station Indie 103 in LA, the Like showcased a maturity deepening in pleasant and sunny all girl harmonies.

OF MONTREAL

Feeding off a frenzy of feisty fans, the flamboyant and foxy Of Montreal donned nsational sundresses and American presidential wigs during a decent performance making way for a promising mark in music's repertoire. The best reception came during the erotic shirtless swagger of lead singer Kevin Barnes ala a gallivanting Mick Jagger. Hey folks how about changing your names to Stones of the Queen Age?

THE BLOOD ARM

The Blood Arm stole the whole bloody show! Going into this set it was impossible for me not to like this band, comprised of a Latin boy or two from East LA, my home. The home of our savior Cesar Chavez in addition to the likes of Los Lobos, Phil Spector, Vincent Price, the Breeders and Weezer. While trying not to gush from ear to ear I sulked in bewilderment at the rush of adrenaline that poured out of LA's most hyped heroes since X. Ripped lead singer Nathaniel Fregoso had more than his shirt ripped spiraling into the crowd on several occasions and even climbing atop the stage railings while never missing a beat. This was the only band at the festival I recall to receive a celebrity introduction and that's the way I like it. Ben Lee praised these funk fueled phenoms as LA's greatest treasure. Charisma oozed through every sweat gland pouring the way the audience poured their heart out to these charming performers who save their White Stripes meets Moving Units and Franz Ferdinand epic "Suspicious Character" for the finale, dedicated to their fans loyalty.

REDD CROSS

After exhausting myself I was in need of medical attention by Redd Kross. I jetted my way to see their intense performance and I have to say they made a believer out of me with their sonically stellar spectacle of energy. Everyone from REM to Teenage Fanclub carries the spirit of what this band is all about. Sitting across from where I always catch my bus was beyond surreal as I sit mesmerized by their sheer confidence that elevates them to LA's modern legacy.

NORTEC COLLECTION

After trying to compose myself from the Jaxx's exhausting set I caught wind of Mexican electronica inspired Nortec Collection who made the most of their computer exercises spurting out hip jiving bongo beats.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE ON THE LA DETOUR FESTIVAL, REVIEWED BY ALISHA WAYS!

BLONDE REDHEAD

With so much music to digest in one afternoon and night it's hard to maintain the high I get from seeing one band before I am overwhelmed with the performance of another. The first full performance of the evening I was thrust into was from 4AD trio Blonde Redhead. An eerie single note prompted Amedeo's robust falsetto in the distorted wall of sound that is "Melody of Certain Three." And Kazu's dainty, scouring whisper of a voice echoed through "In Particular." Kazu and Amedeo frequently played their guitars face to face in full sonic discourse, ending their 45 minute set in an atom splitting aural tangency.

BASEMENT JAXX

Then it was back to the main stage where it seemed like everyone had drifted in anticipation and some in curiosity to see the Basement Jaxx. Unlike the average multitude of house and electronic music where vocals and lyrics are often merely lifeless provocations with blatant references to sex and drugs, vocals are always readily present on Jaxx albums. But while they are readily accessible, they still take a back seat to the quirky beat making of Simon and Felix. Again, that is on the albums. On stage voluptuous, sumptuous, sultry black songstresses took over, belting over clean pop edged house grooves, while the kilt wearing horn section blurted out jubilant, staccato palpitations. The crowd was in a mad dynamic delirium. An already feverish crowd went hysterical when "Where's Your Head At?" blasted from the speakers. During "Do Your Thing" even the stiff, nervous boy in front of me began to shimmy. Their performance featured plenty of dance routines, glittery apparel and costume changes. And of course people costumed as gorillas running amuck.

BECK

After this I finally got to make a stop at St. Vibiana's Church, where two hour blocks of spinning by DJs like Travis Keller and Shepard Fairey were all happening. I caught the frail, long haired traveling DJs of VHS or Beta, Grey Goose and cigs on deck, bumping ground trembling, industrial strength grooves, while multi-colored suns were projected over the walls, colliding and collapsing in corners. Feeling a little dizzy after an hour of terrible vibrations, I escaped the smoke permeated room and waltzed over to what most anticipated would be the act of the night: Beck. Stage 1, City Hall West Stage. The music started before the band took the stage, and a live video of puppets designed as the band playing "Loser" was projected on screen. Then, WHAM! The band bounced on stage picking up where the puppets left off. The set was an amalgam of folk, funk, rock, hip-hop, spoken word, and on and on, excellently conducted. People in teddy bear costumes ran rampant and at one point the band even sat down to dinner. A dinner table was pulled out to the middle of the stage where the band took a seat, while Beck, harmonica hoisted around his neck and classical guitar in hand, gushed: "I'd like to raise a toast to Downtown L.A. . . . on a full moon evening, the lonesome streets of Downtown have been filled with song." The band used glasses of water, dishes and utensils as percussion instruments for the next few songs.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE

Just when I thought the evening had reached the peek of insanity. I trudged over to the Queens of the Stone Age set, where people were packed tighter than sardines in a crushed tin box. Security couldn't stop the overflow of people being pushed toward the stage and allowed groups of people to stand on the sidelines back stage rather than throw them back in the crowd. Dehydrated bodies of people and angsty kids who were being a little to ruff in the pit were pulled over the front rails by security and escorted out. Strobes flashed so relentlessly the spot was lit up like a car dealership. They were the last band of the night and the crowd was insatiable. Queens performed songs from their new album as well as old favorites. "Nausea" and "Burn the Witch" blared louder and harder, sounding impossibly clean. Slick versions of "Medication" and "The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret" resounded. Thick glacial vocal melodies and the riff riddled, heavy, booming drone of Homme's guitar hooks has generated the new sound of straight forward rock, and crowds go insane when bombarded by its sound. And after the last and heaviest song of the set, and many feigned endings, Homme bellowed, "have a good rockin' night!" leaving a still unquenchable crowd screaming in vain for one more song.