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Can't wait to do my next post. It's going to be great. In fact, let's do that shit right now.

While I was traveling overseas the FFF6 lineup was "leaked" via nautical flags. However, I didn't really get a chance to look at the full list until I got back home recently. Let me just tell you what I think.

My reaction is mostly positive, so let me start with the bits that will make you warm and fuzzy inside....

The comedy lineup looks good. Brian Posehn was actually one that I called on my stab at guessing the lineup. I can't wait to hear more about wieners and farts. I'm excited to see Donald Glover and noticed his Childish Gambino moniker is also on the list of performers on the orange stage. And Henry Rollins. Holy shit this is going to be great.

One of the most surprising aspects about my attendance last year was how I was repeatedly drawn to the black stage. Don't get me wrong, I grew up with Megadeth and Guns n' Roses blasting through my pre-adolescent ears, probably stunting my growth in some capacity, but in my adult years I have enjoyed metal only in moderation. FFF5 kind of changed that for me. The black stage this year is definitely most awesome in my book. Danzig?! The Damned?! SLAYER?!?! Is this for real? One of my favorites from my college radio days, Murder City Devils, are rejoining--I still have "Press Gang" on my running playlist. I've seen Boris and Russian Circles and cant wait to see them again. Plus, Death Grips and Thee Oh Sees both put out some interesting stuff recently. So I'm pumped. This year I plan to leave my Guatemalan suit at home. Instead, I will be wearing my bright yellow dhoti and pre-biblical looking jibba among a sea of black-hooded dudes and dudettes. I will say, I think metal fans are the kindest, coolest and scariest ones around. Even though I may not look the part, my heart's totally in it.

The blue stage is looking good too. Although I fear for my life, I will have to see Odd Future. Major Lazer will be fun as fuck. I have a duplex in my heart reserved for YACHT and Dan Deacon, and hell, Neon Indian can sleep on the couch. Flying Lotus, Four Tet, Public Enemy, ok enough, we know it's going to be great. I could just list everyone, but I'll stop.

The nerd in me is jumping for joy over some of the acts on the orange stage. Hum?!?!?! No joke, when I first saw them listed I did a quick internet search to make sure there wasn't some OTHER band named Hum, like some new shitcore band or whatever it's called. But no. It's the real deal. I rocked out to Hum while I was still in high school. I used to actually jam out on air guitar to most of the songs on You'd Prefer an Astronaut. I owned 3 of their CDs, all except the first one, which I'm sure wasn't available anywhere expect maybe in some used record bin in Champaign.... As for the rest of the orange stage acts, this I where I get philosophical. There's a difference between loving and liking. You can like a band or a person, but not love them, or love them but not like them... Of the bands I love but don't like: Mates of State are well-loved in Madison, WI, where I'm from originally, and if they play songs from their first couple albums that would be swell, but I fear they won't; Blonde Redhead, I really do love them, I loved playing Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons when I did college radio, i love the singer, but the twins freak me out...I'm really undecided about how much I like them today; Ted Leo, when i first heard him I thought he was like a gritty poet on the mic, with a really interesting style, and now that I'm older I don't quite get what the buzz is about... Of the bands I like but don't love: M83 are growing on me. I was slow in liking them, as Dead Cities is a newly discovered gem for me. I'd heard the buzz but I shut it out until recently. So they have great potential in my world; Lykke Li, I just adore her, I need to listen to more. Her music is so subtle, it needs more time to grow on me, but I feel like her performance is going to be a really special treat or possibly a huge disaster, but I will probably still retain a crush on her no matter what... Bands I love because I love them: Okkervil River, the first "Texas band" (although Will Sheff's from N.H. isn't he?) besides Spoon that I really got into since moving here 5 years ago. Love the lyricism, it's that exotic English.... Bands I want to love or at least like but I don't know them well enough: Black Joe, started listening to some of his stuff, pretty raw and wild; Tuneyards, everything i've heard so far is melodic and good, can't wait to see how they do live; and finally, there are several lesser known acts like Les Butcherettes that I'm excited for, it's just wait and see.

This brings me to the negative part. Overrated bands I fucking hate: Passion Pit gets top honors. Trust me, I will be far on the other side of wherever they're playing whenever they're playing so that I don't have to be subjected to Alex Whateverthefuckhislastnameisimnotrippingongreeksitsjustthathehasalongunmemorablelastname's ear-piercing, eunuch-inspired vocals. Whoever clipped his balls needs to give them back. Seriously. Save the rest of us the torment of hearing him squeal over programmed dance beats. Ok, those guys might be talented, whatever. I don't care. My ex-girlfriend brought me to their show in Dallas in 2009 (was it?) and not only was the band bland, the CROWD was the single worst audience I've ever been swallowed up in in my whole life, and I've seen a shitload of shows from all types of music. Now I know that was Dallas, and Dallas people are hollow corporate scumbags who don't know shit about good music. I certainly expect more from the cultivated and cool Austin crowds that I've grown to know and love. Hell, if someone passes me the doob I might be tricked into hearing half a song. But on a serious note, the first time I heard Passion Pit was like hearing Rush for the first time. I thought the singer was a girl and had to be shown video footage of a performance in order to have that perception squelched. The big difference is that Rush made innovative highly structured music, whereas Passion Pit schlepps out crappy dance hits to critical acclaim. They don't even have to work for their stardom. To each his own.... Wow, that took so much of my vitriol, i don't think I have the energy to hate on Girls right now, so I'll just leave it at that.

Feel free to publicly agree or disagree with anything I just spewed at you. It's just my opinion, and opinions can change. Mine probably won't.


La-la-love you, don't mean maybe,
Hideous Man #26