Below we highlight a handful of acts we especially recommend seeing at tomorrow’s inaugural Revelry Music and Arts Festival at Union South/Randall Avenue. Besides Delta Spirit, of course.
Julian Lynch
11:30 AM-12:15 PM at The SettMadison’s own multi-instrumentalist and experimental indie musician Julian Lynch is set to grace our ears this Saturday afternoon at 11:30 AM (per Lynch, a time slot he’s quite psyched for). Lynch, a Ridgewood, NJ native, grew up and went to high school with members of Real Estate, Ducktails, and Big Troubles and, as a result, critics often group his sound with Real Estate’s blissed-out pop or Ducktails’ lackadaisical jamming. While Lynch’s sound may have moments akin to those groups, it’d be off the mark to draw many sonic similarities.
Lynch, a learned ethnomusicologist/anthropologist pursuing his Ph.D. in Madison, is a natural inquisitor. His penchant for academia may not be a major influence on his music (to the chagrin of many a journalist), but Lynch’s exploratory mind definitely makes, well, exploratory music. Lynch plays seemingly every instrument known to man and sets few limits on what goes into his records.
Lines, Lynch’s latest record for Underwater Peoples, is an excursion through various styles and moods. From “Going,” a noisy, chord-filled workout to the title track “Lines,” a gentle acoustic musing, Lynch’s versatility is nothing but refreshing. Moods may shift and styles may change, but one thing is pervasive: Lynch’s music is utterly listenable.
Oh Land
Noon-1:00 PM at the Plaza StageNew York-via Denmark singer-songwriter Nanna Fabricus makes delightful tunes as Oh Land. As the daughter of a famed Danish opera singer, Fabricus is no stranger to music or theater. Considering her background, the cinematic nature of Oh Land’s music makes quite a bit of sense. Fabricus’ use of imagery and found sounds creates quite an experience, certainly not one easily forgotten.
While Oh Land’s quirky instrumentation is a significant piece of the puzzle, vocals are the focal point. Fabricus, who sings with the fragility of St. Vincent’s Annie Clark but the conviction of Björk, has one of those voices that can stop you in your tracks. She glides over her tracks with effortless presence but never overpowers her equally potent instrumentation.
For fans of Björk, St. Vincent, or La Roux, or just anyone looking to be entertained, Oh Land is a must see tomorrow.
Chance the Rapper
2:00 PM-2:30 at The SettLAZY PUN ALERT: If there’s ever a “chance” to see this guy, it’s now. Chicago’s Chance the Rapper will get an additional 10,000 YouTube views in the five minutes it takes you to read this article. The man has been getting copious, borderline unbelievable amounts of press this past week following the release of his highly, highly anticipated mixtape Acid Rap. Chance, an unassuming 18-year-old (like myself, damn it) who’s barely out of high school, has steadily garnered love from both his hometown and the press since releasing his first tapes in 2012.
Putting all the sensationalized Twitter buzz and blog ravings aside, Chance is a darn good rapper. Equal parts A Tribe Called Quest and Kanye West, Chance has both the production tastes and the wordplay of a man twice his age. His voice, a peculiar, high-pitched squawk, is a seemingly mandatory mention in every Internet piece. So… uh… here we go: yeah, he has an offbeat quality to his voice but, paired with such strong production and rhymes, it makes things all the more interesting.
No one, from Spin to Billboard to gosh darn Chance himself, is joking when they say this guy will blow up. Avoid the tears that’ll flow when you fork over $50 to see Chance at the Alliant Energy Center a year from now by seeing him at his youthful, hungry best this weekend.
Toro y Moi
3:00 PM-4:00 at the Plaza StageCertainly one of the more anticipated groups to play Revelry, Toro y Moi is a band that has nearly mastered its craft. The indie pop group began in 2010 as a bedroom solo project for Chaz Bundick and, largely through what the kids call “the Internet,” they’ve reached commendable heights. Bundick, a South Carolina native, has since teamed up with friends to help play live, and he’s transformed Toro y Moi’s oft-understated home recordings into something big.
The band’s latest release, Anything in Return, finds Bundick embracing his inner songwriter. Where previous releases were more an experiment in sound collages and atmosphere, Anything in Return puts the emphasis on songs. And songs can Bundick write. Through the new record, he’s solidified his skill in churning out huge hooks with synthy delights like “So Many Details” and “Say That.” The group’s shift to a more accessible, funky sound has been nothing but a good thing.
Toro y Moi’s crowd-pleasing sound has garnered numerous spots at music festivals, and to say they’re experienced performers would be an understatement. Since 2010, they’ve played at least a hundred shows a year and they don’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. Revelry will be Toro y Moi’s first time in Madison, so let’s help them spread the grooves.