VFest: Grandstand Stage

Kasabian [12:00 - 12:50]
MP3: Kasabian - "Empire"
[Official Site | MySpace]
"Kasabian are an alternative/indie rock band from Blaby, near Leicester, England...named after Linda Kasabian, a member of the Charles Manson cult (aka the Manson "family")...The band has been compared with the likes of Primal Scream, with whom it shares an electronica-indie rock fusion, and Oasis, with whom it shares confidence, swagger and rough vocal style." [Wikipedia]
These guys were one of the first great live shows I caught upon arriving in DC almost two years ago. They are cocky, brash, and talented. The new album doesn't live up to their own hype, but that doesn't mean I won't be crashing the gates to take a look.

Wolfmother [1:10 - 1:55]
MP3: Wolfmother - "Colossal"
[Official Site | MySpace]
"People love to make references like 'these guys sound like 25% White Stripes, 25% Black Sabbath, 45% Led Zeppelin, and 5% Australian sorcery sprinkled with frog warts.' Here's the deal: this band kills live, their CD is amazing, their EP is great, and they are going to annihilate Coachella and anything that comes before or after it." [Metro Distortion]
While indie nation, some of who weren't on board to begin with, begin to turn their collective backs on these Aussie upstarts, I simply can't get enough. Their live performance is sheer energy and I've seen it slay 40 people at Fletcher's as well as several hundred at Coachella. Mark my words, this will be a great performance.

The Raconteurs [2:25 - 3:25]
MP3: The Raconteurs - "Intimate Secretary" (Live @ Lollapalooza)
[Official Site | MySpace]
"The Raconteurs are a new band made up of old friends, consisting of Jack Lawrence (bass), Patrick Keeler (drums), Brendan Benson (guitars, vocals, keys) and Jack White (guitars, vocals, keys). The seed was sown in an attic in the middle of a hot summer when friends Jack White and Brendan Benson got together a wrote a song that truly inspired them. This song was "Steady, As She Goes" and the inspiration led to the creation of a full band with the addition of Lawrence and Keeler. While each of these four individuals have had successful careers with their own bands, the culmination of all their talents is what truly makes The Raconteurs a force to be reckoned with." [Official Site]
I've struggled of late with Jack White, his Coke ad, and his MTV spot. What can I say, there is a fickle hipster in all of us. Watching him interviewed on THE CHARLIE ROSE SHOW put me back on track. This is Jack's world, and we're just living in it.

Gnarls Barkley [3:55 - 4:45]
MP3: Gnarls Barkley - "Smiley Faces"
[Official Site | MySpace]
"The product of a transcontinental collaboration between Atlanta's Cee-Lo (formerly of the pioneering Dirty South rap group Goodie Mob) and the L.A.-based DJ and producer Danger Mouse (who became famous with his brilliant copyright-ignoring Beatles/Jay-Z mash-up The Grey Album in 2004), the string-soaked, bottom-heavy "Crazy" first caught on in the U.K. in April, when it debuted at Number One based on download sales alone. It stayed in the top spot for nine weeks, tying Queen's 1975 run with 'Bohemian Rhapsody' -- before the duo made the unusual decision to stop manufacturing the record. 'We figured tying with Queen is enough pressure for now,' Cee-Lo says." [Rolling Stone]
My top three reasons to see Gnarls Barkley are as follows: (1) outfits, my guess is they are dressed as jockeys, but that might be too obvious seeing as we are at Pimlico, (2) hearing Cee-Lo's voice live during tracks like "Smiley Faces" and "Crazy," and (3) shaking my groove thang with the First Lady, who is a formidable dancer and Gnarls Barkley afficionado.

The Killers [5:15 - 6:15]
MP3: The Killers - All These Things That I've Done (Live 8)
[Official Site | MySpace]
"Much of The Killers' music is based on British influences and on the music of the 1980s, particularly New Wave music. Brandon Flowers has also said in interviews that the larger than life sound of many of the band's songs is due to the influence of living in Las Vegas, a city where everything is about flash and who can top whom. Despite their appreciation for the wave of post-punk bands that sprung up during the 80s, the band members are also avowed fans of David Bowie, Morrissey, Queen, and Saves The Day, and the influence of these bands can easily be felt in some of their songs. Brandon Flowers occasionally sings with a faux British accent." [Wikipedia]
I missed these guys when they came through last summer. JK, the First Lady, and other members of the Metro D extended family were able to attend. The First Lady loved them, JK thought Maximo Park stole the show, and I just wish I could have seen it for myself. Come Saturday, the wait is over, and I want to see if these guys have it.

The Who [6:45 - 8:00]
MP3: The Who - "Baba O'Riley"
[Official Site]
"In the annals of rock 'n' roll history, only a handful of bands are recognized as among the greatest of all time. Everyone knows the short list, and invariably, The Who is on it. Since joining together in 1963, The Who have consistently created engaging and challenging music, much of it defying easy categorization. That the band is together today, thirty years after the release of their landmark 1970 concert album, Live At Leeds, exciting new and old fans alike, is a testament to their power and endurance." [MCA Records]
I saw this name on the bill and bought my tickets within seconds. You better. You better. You bet.

Red Hot Chili Peppers [8:30 - 10:00]
MP3: Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Don't Forget Me (Live @ Canvas Club)
[Official Site | MySpace]
"Few rock groups of the '80s broke down as many musical barriers and were as original as the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Creating an intoxicating new musical style by combining funk and punk rock together (with an explosive stage show, to boot), the Chili Peppers spawned a slew of imitators in their wake, but still managed to be the leaders of the pack by the dawn of the 21st century." [All Music]
The great part about "Don't Forget Me" is that the bass carries the chord progression, allowing John to go absolutely apeshit on the guitar. I get goosebumps listening to this track live. John's solos are different every time. Here's to the first of my two encounters this year with perhaps the greatest guitarist of his generation. I can't wait for his riffs to pierce my skull.

**The Raconteurs and RHCP tracks are from tight posts at Ear Farm.**
**The Killers track is from a great post at Superb Live.**