Skrillex

Jay-Z, Kanye West, Skrillex, D'Angelo Kick Off Made In America Festival

On the first day of what Jay-Z hinted hopefully was the "first annual," Jay was spotted roaming from each of the festival's three stages to catch the "great music" he'd recruited. He was watching while Rick Ross and Maybach Music Group rolled through hits like Wale's "Bag of Money" and Philly-native Meek Mill's "Amen" on the main Rocky Stage during the afternoon. He also witnessed Janelle Monáe's Liberty stage performance, which included new song "Electric Lady," hits from "The Audition" and "The ArchAndroid," and covers of Jackson 5 ("I Want You Back") and Jimi Hendrix ("Little Wing"). 

After Monáe put on an impressive show alongside her Wondaland Arts Society band, fans hurried back to the main stage to swoon over D'Angelo. He introduced crowd pleaser "Untitled (How Does It Feel)" with the touch of three keys, sending up a huge roar for more from the audience. 

Following the July release of sophomore album "Gossamer," Passion Pit brought its brand of squiggly electro-pop to the main stage as the sun set. With sweat drenching the back of frontman Michael Angelakos' pink dress shirt, the collective ended its 45-minute set with a killer lineup of songs like "Constant Conversations," "Sleepyhead" and an especially jubilant "Little Secrets." 

A late addition, elusive Roc Nation rapper  Jay Electronica, announced from the Liberty stage that he himself hit up Jay-Z to ask for a short slot and hinted at an upcoming single featuring Chris Brown, according to MissInfo.tv.  

After the Dirty Projectors unspooled the pitch-perfect harmonies of new album "Swing Lo Magellan," Miike Snow was given a prime performance slot to play tunes from the follow-up to its 2009 breakout album. And like the DPs with their "Bitte Orca" songs, the Swedish pop band drew the most attention -- and contained the most panache -- when it played older material like "Animal" and an extended version of "Sylvia." But tracks from Miike Snow's recently released "Happy To You" also scored, as Andrew Wyatt paraded around the stage as strobe lights signaled the buoyant beat of "Paddling Out." 

But although all of Saturday's performers pleased fans and won over new ones, such as was the case with Skrillex who ruled the second stage with skittering beats and a huge throbbing crowd as darkness prevailed andGary Clark Jr. whose effortless blues-rock guitar solos were the first notes of the fest, the night belonged to Jay-Z and everyone knew it. 

At 9:30, Jay-Z walked out to Frank Ocean's chorus on the "Watch the Throne" song "Made in America," in ode to the moments that were to be created. 

After a message from President Barack Obama played on the massive screens -- in which he told concert-goers that "no matter your party, you should vote this fall" -- Jay-Z began performing hit after hit, from "In My Lifetime, Vol. 1" to "The Blueprint 3." Freeway, Memphis Bleek and Young Gunz then made a special appearance to re-create the magic from "Philadephia" 2002 Roc boys hit, "What We Do." 

An hour into his 90-minute set, Jay announced that "Collision Course" song "Numb/Encore" would be the last song of the night, but no one believed that. After waking off stage, fans pleaded for more by screaming "Hova" and throwing their hands up in the signature Roc diamond shape. 

"Because you've been so good to me tonight, Philly," Jay said on the mic before G.O.O.D. Music's Kanye West, Pusha T and Big Sean came out and performed their remix to Chief Keef's "I Don't Like." G.O.O.D Music, later joined by Common and 2 Chainz, took over the rest of the night, performing their collaborative hits ("Mercy," "New God Flow") and solo singles (Big Sean's "A$$," Common's "Light of My Life" and Kanye West's "Can't Tell Me Nothing"). 

"Wait 'Ye, I think we got time for one more," Jay said before asking what looked like the venue's staff, if he indeed did. "We do," he said before he and Kanye made the tired yet overwhelmed fans jump to R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart No. 1, "Ni**as in Paris." 

After the fireworks boomed from the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum behind the Rocky stage and Jay-Z and West finished sipping champagne, fans spilled out onto the Philadelphia streets on foot shortly after 11 p.m. Many will return today (Sept. 2) for the last day of Made in America, which will be streamed live on Made in America's YouTube channel and which will feature a headlining mainstage set from Pearl Jam and music from Drake, X, Odd Future, Run-D.M.C., and many more throughout the day.

Outside Lands 2012: Metallica and Skrillex Rock San Francisco

Outside Lands 2012: Metallica, Skrillex Rock San Francisco

It's official: there's no such thing as genre-division anymore. The proof? The Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park this weekend, which found boomer headliners sharing time with EDM youngsters, metal oligarchs, and AOR mainstays -- and an audience that lavished love on them all with equal aplomb.

It wasn't just chemicals at work, though: moderate temperatures and a sort of passive-yet-engaged overall crowd interest, coupled with a woody, never-neverland vibe (thanks to the naturally green surroundings), gave the fest a less hectic vibe than, say, its close cousins Bonnaroo and Coachella, with a lineup clearly on par with either of those powerhouses.
Some highlights from the weekend:

Organizers may have made a mistake on Friday by having Neil Young and Crazy Horse close the night out after the Foo Fighters, who delivered a typically consistent set of powerfully bludgeoning pop-alt classics, "Everlong," "Learn To Fly," and "The Pretender" among them. Young, on the other hand, chose to spend his first hour crafting feedback jams and one-note riffs, often for minutes at a time, clearing out the once-full field before early depart-ees had a chance to hear timeless jams like "Cinnamon Girl" and "The Needle and the Damage Done." Spotted among the wise music fans who stuck around: comedian David Cross.

In what's becoming a festival tradition, Jack White played a surprise set by his Third Man records truck before blasting a full-frontal assault on Sunday's mainstage crowd, wowing about a thousand lucky passers-by (and their Twitter followers) with four songs including a mellowed-out version of "Hotel Yorba" with his all-female band before playing the song again, just an hour later, in tightened up form, with his dude-buddies, in front of a crowd at least thirty times the size.

Beck's inconsistent set Friday was a bit lackadaisical (in fact, it seemed like Beck himself forgot a fair number of his own lyrics), but it was clearly meant to showcase his recently-reunited "Odelay"-era band, which includes Justin-Medal Johnson on bass and Smokey Hormel holding down axe duties. He didn't debut anything from the forthcoming sheet music collection "Song Reader," though instead dedicating the "Sea Change"-era "Lost Cause" to Beastie Boy Adam Yauch and whispering his way through the third verse of "Where It's At."

The longest lines? They weren't to get in: those moved fast. They were for individual-sized, super-fresh pizzas, Korean tacos, and coffee. Yep, coffee.

Fog-filled forests dotted with giant eucalyptus and hidden paths set the stage for a quixotic experience at Golden Gate Park. The backdrop was only reinforced by the fashion trends, which could best be described as Lord of the Rings-meets-Dances With Wolves. Feathers, face paint and furs were routine, rounded out with occasional animal printed jeggings and makeshift grass crowns.

Watching Icelandic moodsters Sigur Ros play melodramatic songs like the chilly "Svefn-G-Englar" as the fog rolled in over the meadow on Saturday should have felt alien and moving in the best possible way. But, instead, it was interrupted by cannon-fire coming from Metallica's pyro-laden show on the other side of the field, inspiring at least a few of the lovelorn to give up on learning Hopelandic and instead make their way across the long field to sing along to a few bars of "Master of Puppets" and "One."

Saturday's run at the Panhandle stage was a dream come true for blog disciples, with sets ranging from effective to majestic from 70's throwback Father John Misty (who ironically implored the audience to avoid taking the brown acid), soul-man Michael Kiwanuka (a slippery cover of Hendrix's "May This Be Love" was a weekend highlight), some retro-punk from the bay area's Thee Oh Sees, and finally Philly's Dr. Dog, who played to a massive throng that knew every word to "Shadow People."

The biggest non-headliner crowd of the weekend didn't belong to hitmakers fun., whose early hour prevented thousands from getting there on time to sing along to "We Are Young," or Norah Jones, despite a guest spot from the Dead's Bob Weir, but rather Alabama Shakes. The buzzy, rootsy band could have had a two-story audience filling the Sutro Stage's massive field as they played songs like their current single "Hold On," suggesting that, next year, their placement should be a bit more prime.

Uber-DJ Skrillex drew just about every fest-guest under the age of 30 away from Stevie Wonder on Sunday as soon as the latter had made his way through an inspired singalong of "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," doling out a breathtaking lazertag-inspired set that found the odd-haired dubstep master atop what looked like a crashed Star Wars X-Fighter, commanding the audience to jump along with every boom-bip bass drop. Fans who held fast with Wonder on the Polo Field were treated to a rush of hits, a speech supporting Obama and biting jokes, including asking the audience to "put away your cell phones so I don't have to blind-handle you."

Skrillex vs Stevie Wonder at Outside Lands

Surveying the rabid Skrillex crowd, I felt old for one of the first times in my life. Like, John McCain, “get off my lawn” old. Who the hell was this mall punk with a Miley Cyrus haircut, anyway? What, in God’s name, has he inflicted upon the music world? And why, oh why, did this hoard of tweens, bros, and “cool-dads” choose to undergo Skrillex’s sonic weedwacking, instead of running into the arms of living-legend Stevie Wonder?
Having committed the cardinal sin of leaving the main stage as Stevie ripped through “Signed Sealed Delivered," I guess I was setting myself up for a repellant EDM experience. Seriously, how could a brostep-practitioner (let alone a DJ) compete with a 14-piece band, diving into one of the greatest back-catalogues in pop history? However, as I approached the Twin Peaks stage, and the barrage of twisted noise and splintered video-projections came into focus, I found myself not just underwhelmed, but vaguely, viscerally offended as well.
As Skrillex’s formulaic dynamics ran their course (laborious, heavy-handed tension, building up to the inevitable “beat drop”), and the rigidly brimmed bro-hats in the audience bobbed up and down with militaristic synchronization, it dawned on me: the guy’s music is doomed by a perfect storm of chaos and joylessness. Say what you will about Metallica’s brand of contrived assault: their set was fun; Skrillex’s audience was enraptured, alright, but in a much more fascistic sense. Let’s just say that the image of Apple’s famous 1984 superbowl ad was a difficult one to shake.

I’d try to describe the Skrillex aesthetic, but is there anything that hasn’t already been said? Yes, there were lots of “womp-womps,” crashy noises, and syncopated Michael Bay sound effects piled atop the simplistic chord progressions. Factor in the predictable buildups and payoffs, and the seizure-inducing visuals, and you have a concertgoing experience with all the warmth and charm of a monster truck rally. Which isn’t to say that noise and chaos can’t be used compellingly. Hype Williams, Death Grips, and Black Dice are all capable of wringing anarchic perversity from their shards of noise, without sacrificing any sense of joy or wonderment.
Okay: I’ll concede that Skrillex’s music possesses an experimental edge. Also, it’s somewhat refreshing to see Middle America being turned on to the possibilities of dissonance in music. But, whereas even a quasi-countercultural figure like Trent Reznor would look out of place in front of a Bud Light logo, Skrillex looks perfectly at home. Unlike true boundary-pushers like Throbbing Gristle, Skrillex’s product is the dream-material of hair-gelling Viacom executives: an endlessly commodifiable brand of pseudo-punk rebellion, perfectly calibrated to sell energy drinks, college football, and the military-industrial complex, all while the bro-hats nod away.
After 10 minutes of Skrillex’s sonic cheese-grating, I was more than ready to head back into Stevie’s sunny embrace. As I heard the clavinet riff from “Superstition” fade in gradually on the walk over, I knew I had made the right decision. Maneuvering through the main stage crowd to make my way towards the action, the mood reversed completely, as Stevie made up for Skrillex’s joy-deficit, and then some. With three drummers, a brass section, an army of keyboardists and guitarists, and a few beautiful backup singers in tow, the pop master sported the swagger of 100 Skrillexes, without any of the gnarled, meatheaded machismo.
Therein lies the genius of Stevie Wonder: his ability to radiate joy, groove relentlessly, and even get political, with stunning cohesiveness. Just because “Higher Ground” and “Living for the City” possess sober lyrical content doesn’t mean you can’t dance your ass off to them. Elsewhere, “Sir Duke,” “I Wish,” and “Happy Birthday,” had the diverse crowd in a frenzy, dancing and singing along to some of the most infectious choruses ever written.
After initially taking the stage, armed with a Keytar to cover Marvin Gaye’s “How Sweet It Is,” Stevie jumped restlessly between a handful of instruments, displaying his virtuosity on the clavinet, piano, harmonica, and lap steel guitar. It was a welcome reminder (and a great introduction, for the uninitiated) of Stevie’s extraordinary musical talent; after all, he’s the visionary who recorded Talking Book (1972) completely on his own, drums and all.
Shuffling through a wide range of covers (Smokey Robinson’s “My Girl,” The Beatles’ “She Loves You,” and most memorably, Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel), as well as a hit parade of original material, Stevie’s set was an exuberant, poignant trip through a lifetime of pop brilliance. Young and old, black and white, no one could resist Stevie’s charm. Whereas Skrillex was signed on to appease a fixed set of demographics, Stevie came to play for everyone.

 

Skrillex To Score Spring Breakers Film

RISE AND GRIND! Morning Music News: Skrillex To Score 'Spring Breakers' Film And MORE! 

 

Stand over Pharrell and RZA, there’s a new Hollywood maestro on deck! Dubstep producer and Grammy-nominated artist Skrillex has been selected to score Selena Gomez’s upcoming film release Spring Breakers. Read more over at [Idolator]
It’s finally official. Rapper and ‘close friend’ to the unstoppable Maybach Music Group Gunplay has inked a big solo LP deal with both Def Jam Records and MMG! And according to the Teflon Don himself, Gunplay’s debut studio album is already in the works.
Can’t stop won’t stop - King Bey is already back in the studio! The international pop singer shared the news with her Menil museum tour guide Toby Kamps. But before she heads back to the booth, there is one last ‘To Do’ on her list. Find out more over at [TheUrbanDaily]
Drake is no stranger to recording booth, but watching him perform voiceover work for his Ice Age 4: Continental Drift character Ethan is kind of, well, hilarious! B-roll footage of Drizzy Drake working and re-working lines like “He did NOT just do that. That is crazy!” deserves an immediate ‘press play’. [Idolator]
It’s been a while since Bow Wow’s dropped any new music, and talks of his YMCMB album Underrated have since died down. However the new father is still keeping fans entertained with dope Wizzle Mixes. The latest beat to get the Bow Wow treatment is A$AP Rocky’s “Goldie.” Listen over at [HipHopNMore]

Skrillex, Swedish House Mafia's Sebastian

Skrillex, Swedish House Mafia's Sebastian Ingrosso Team Up At NYC Samsung Mobile Event

NEW YORK – Guests attending an event with Swedish House Mafia's Sebastian Ingrosso were treated to a special surprise last night (June 20) in New York City, when Skrillex showed up to perform. The event was held at Skylight Studios and put on by Samsung Mobile to celebrate the launch of the new Samsung Galaxy SIII. A number of interactive rooms allowed guests to play with the device while listening to the producer-DJs spin the beats. The phone prides itself on its unique music capabilities and the ability to watch and share at the same time, going beyond content consumption and attempting to simplify how consumers share information.
Other celebs in attendance to help celebrate the phone’s launch included "Twilight's" Ashley Green, who helped guests navigate through features of the new phone, along with NBA Star Stephen Curry and Hall-of-Fame Knicks legend Walt Frazier.
Swedish House Mafia's most recent project was collaborating with Usher on the tracks “Numb” and “Euphoria” from his recently rereleased Looking 4 Myself. Usher’s love of dance music comes as no surprise, after his catchy collab with David Guetta on “Without You” and latest single "Scream." In a recent interview with MTV News, SHM’s Steve Angello emphasized their respect for Usher that made the collabs ultimately come together.
"He's always been a great artist," Angello said. "He always knows what he wants. Good collaboration, all in all. For us, we'd rather work with someone that we respect than to just work with a big name."