The day begun under the Arizona sun with a collection of local artists from all around the state.  While the park stayed pretty desolate for the first few hours, we had no trouble getting down and dirty with some of AZ’s finest (and hugely under appreciated) talent.

The Black Moods kicked off the festivities, and laid down a grungy, 90’s-esque set, while members of Wiz Khalifa’s Taylor Gang, Berner and Chevy Woods drew the other half of the crowd to their side of the park with their consecutive rap sets.  We were lucky enough to run into lead man of the Black Moods Josh Kennedy, who was more than happy to share his sentiments on TMF.

JNTM : How did you get in contact with TMF? Was it tough to get a spot?

Josh : “Yeah, we came to them.  We had to fight tooth and claw to get in here—And we’re the ones playing right when the gates open”.

JNTM : That being said, what do you think of the festival as a whole?

Josh : “Oh, well it’s a great vibe in here already, it’s great!”

These Zeppelin and Creedence influenced rockers have been playing the AZ venue circuit for a while, and it seemed that they were happy to break into the world of festivals.  Oh, and of course they were willing to take some glamour shots with us.

The nine-piece, “Gypsy Funk” group Dry River Yacht Club was up next, and having seen them a time or two already alongside He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister, we thought we knew what we were in for.  Lead hottie Garnet and her motley assortment of musicians gave us a huge-sounding, trippy and completely unique experience.  Somewhere in between the oboe, the violin, and the sultry vocals, we fell in love.  After their set, we flagged them down to see what they had to say about their music and the festival.

JNTM : “You guys have an incredibly unique style.  How did you all come together to create the Dry River Yacht Club?”

Fred : “All of us are like one big group of producers—It’s like working on one big piece of wood, we all bring something to the table and widdle away at it.”

JNTM : “So how has your experience with True Music Festival been so far?”

Garnet : “We’re so proud to be playing here alongside such great acts.  He’s My Brother, she’s My Sister, The Flaming Lips? Awesome.”

As the day progressed, things only got more diverse, and exponentially more massive.  Lord Huron’s hippie-folk vibe flowed perfectly into the smooth, almost lounge-style rock of Black Carl on the other side of the field, and kept us moving until the big names began to arrive.

After a long few hours of rock in the hot sun, nothing was quite as refreshing as GRiZ’s funky, saxophone-accentuated set.  He laid down a medley of songs off of his new and critically acclaimed album Rebel Era, such as “Getting Live”, as well as the James Brown-influenced “DTW to DIA”, remembering of course to drop his collaboration track with Grammatik, “Digital Liberation is Mad Freedom”, sprinkling little sax solos whenever possible.

About midway through GRiZ’s set, people began to turn their heads to the sky to see the colorful parachutes begin making their way down towards the festival.  The skydivers continued to roll in through his set, and into Capital Cities.

We were wary of Capital Cities at first.  After all, all we had known were a few of their most poppy tracks, such as “Safe and Sound” and “I Sold My Bed, But Not My Stereo”, and we half-expected a somewhat boring, clap-your-hands pop set.  Instead, we got some thick and groovy funk sounds, with all the goofy nonchalant-ness of Chromeo, and the musical prowess and diversity of Breakbot.  They even gave us a slowed-down, soulful rendition of the BeeGee’s “Stayin’ Alive” that had us spinning and snapping like a couple of dudes right out of the late 70’s.

Sweaty from a couple hours of dancing and mingling with the Scottsdale folk, we traversed the field once again to feel the folky sounds of both The Kopecky Family Band and He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister.  Although HMB, SMS was missing their trademark lead woman, they had a medley of female vocalists cycle through their set in what they called “A big game of musical chairs”.

Stoner sensation Wiz Khalifa went on next, and as the night began to get cold (who knew it actually gets cold in Scottsdale?) everyone flocked to the main stage to watch him and his band do their thing.  He laid down hit after hit, from party anthem “Young, Wild, and Free” to “Black and Yellow”, and although his set was in every way opposite of the few before him, everyone seemed to get down without missing a beat.  It seemed that everyone had a certain act that they had come especially for, and for many of the people there, it was Wiz.

Next up, on the opposite end of the musical spectrum, but the same stage, The Flaming Lips went on, bringing their trademark freaky sounds and stunning visuals with them.  Lead man (and legend) Wayne Coyne stood atop a pile of massive silver spheres adorned with rope lights directly in the center of the stage (and he cradled a baby doll through the majority of his set, because sure, why not?).  After playing  variety of songs both new and old, and dazzling the crowd with their huge and all-encompassing light show, Coyne and the gang touched some hearts with “Do you Realize?”, and finished off their set leaving people dazed and confused on their walk over to Kill Paris.

Another polar opposite, Kill Paris brought some funky and heavy electro-beats to the table, playing fun remixes, and raising our heart rates for the big man himself, Bassnectar.

After seeing Wiz Khalifa and The Flaming Lips, I had come to a realization about TMF.  What I thought was directionless scheduling before was actually a cleverly-designed lineup designed to attract people of all walks of life.  They actually scheduled three different headliners with three completely different styles and fans.  Still, the same people who were awe-stricken at the Flaming Lips were right up front, getting weird with Bassnectar.

Now, we had recently had a Bassnectar experience at HARD Summer, and it was interesting to see how his set had evolved since then.  It seemed he had mellowed out his set slightly to accommodate the types of people who may have not been die-hard electronic music fans.  Either way, he still brought it insanely hard with heavy tracks like “Raw Charles”, and left us at the perfect point for the end of the festival—exhausted, confused, and grinning like children.

The True Music Festival Experience was weird, definitely.  That, however, did not subtract from the fact that the festival was one of the most interesting experiences we’ve seen in music.  From the added perks of picking up a VIP pass (Skydiving, exclusive areas, ect) to the seemingly clashy lineup, True Music Festival definitely took a few big risks for their debut show.  Fortunately for them, it paid off in what seemed to be a very successful and universally enjoyed experience.  We’re glad they invited us there to show their stuff, and if we’re lucky, we’ll be there next year to see what’s changed.

Photos by Quinn “TurtleGravy” Tucker

The post True Music Festival Brings Together a Smorgasbord of Music for their Debut appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

True Music Festival, Arizona’s first multi-genre festival, has just added some additional acts to their already impressive lineup.

First on the list, we have Detroit-based producer and master of all things funky, GRiZ. Following up the release of his incredible sophomore album, Rebel Era, GRiZ is sure to bring his unique and energetic live show to the Valley of the Sun.

The next exciting addition is OWSLA artist, Kill Paris. Known for his glitch-hop style of EDM, Kill Paris has released some huge tracks including his remix of “Saturn” on Kill the Noise‘s Black Magic Remixes EP.

Other indie rock artists added to the list include He’s My Brother She’s My Sister, Hellogoodbye, Kopecky Family Band, and Arizona natives Black Carl, Dry River Yacht Club, and Black Carl.

The first ever True Music Festival will be held on December 14, 2013 at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Tickets are available now for $70. TrueVIP Packages will go on sale Friday, October 25th starting at $1500 for a 15 person suit.

For more information, check out the True Music Festival website. 

The post True Music Festival Adds GRiZ, Kill Paris, & Others to Lineup appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNubM6BoQXg

Michigan has long been a mecca for breading brilliant musicians and is no exception when referring to up and coming hip hop artist Christian Deon. Growing up in Grand Rapids, the artist known as “Vee” pays homage to his childhood for his humble beginnings that have lead to his rising stardom.

“I got my start back home, in Gun Ru [is] what we call it. Just in the neighborhood and within my family hip-hop was and is apart of our culture so it was natural to try it ya know?”

With obvious deep roots in the East Coast rap scene, Vee looks to such iconic rappers as 2pac, Diddy, Biggie, Ma$e, Wu Tang and Outkast. Appropriately, idolizing the rap gods that paved the way, one particular instance stuck with Vee as a young boy that to this day defines his hunger for fame.

“It was actually Diddy and the family’s All About the Benjamins that let me know this was out. We was all at my auntie house back home, that video was on, it was me, my brother and my three cousins (one of which being a girl, Quita) she did lil Kim’s part. I had the last part, Biggies, I did it all through… it was just a moment, and I nailed it, the whole room erupted and every body was jumpin all over me and shit, I knew then that I could entertain, and that hip hop was for me.”

Leaving Michigan would force the young Vee to make a new life and child hood in Arizona where to this day remains the topic of discussion in a buzzing West Coast rap world. Transforming as an artist, Vee originally went simply by his last name “Dean” for a while, then “Menace” for a short stint and eventually landing his current rap name, “Vee”. Much like his name changes, each represented a current place in his life that has humbly molded his hip hop state of mind.

“I put out lil mix-tapes consistently, had a bullshit mic duck taped to a closet, awooden pole that you put hangers on. And that was duck taped to the wall… with red rag over it. (Woop) I started doing local shows around the PHX area, it was a hit and I had everyone there and ppl loved to see me perform. Through those times it’s so wild you believe making it is around the corner, but then comes THE GRIND…”

When recently asked about the story behind his name (Vee), it was clear that self proclaimed perfection was far from the truth. Unlike the many cliche rap names in industry, a jury of his peers dubbed him with a name carrying more weight than any “Lil” or “Young” could justify.

“My name means Visionary. It was given to me by homies who always used to ask me what was gonna happen next, I just always had a low sense of future telling. Maybe its just as simple as… I make happen what I want to happen, or maybe I’m just better then Cleo Idk.”

 

2013 has been no short work for Vee as he is soon to release a mix-tape hosted by renowned Bootlegkev titled “Rula” and a single featuring underground hype Problem called “Good Good”. Recently released songs “Ever”, “The Dark”, “Body Count” and the YouTube sensation “Bag of Purp” have been killing charts and filling headphones world wide.  With a hustler’s mentality, its no wonder why Vee still makes noise in Arizona’s hip hop community. Seen chillin with the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Problem, the Michigan native is rap’s most unique combination of East coast roots and West coast heat that demands attention in each well placed lyric.

Holler at the young’n on his rise, Vee is open to connect and chat with fans, the movement is real… get with it.

Twitter- @veetharula

Instagram- veetharula

Youtube- Veemovement

The post Artist Spotlight: Vee appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

True Music Festival is a brand new, multi-genre music festival making its debut this winter in Scottsdale, Arizona at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort. The festival, which will be taking place on December 14, 2013, is already packing some major heat in terms of headlining artists.

First on the list is the always eccentric and EDM favorite, Bassnectar. With his new album out and Immersive Music Tour already underway, Bassnectar will be wrapping up his year by bringing his huge sound and incredible light show to the Scottsdale area.

The next headliner is one of the most influential and genre-bending bands in rock ‘n’ roll: The Flaming Lips. The three-time Grammy award winning band is known not only for some of the most thematic tracks ever written, but more importantly for their amazing live shows including elaborate costuming and visuals, and lots of toilet paper. Don’t forget about Wayne Coyne crowd surfing in a a giant balloon.

The next big name to take the stage at the True Music Festival is hip hop mogul Wiz Khalifa. Khalifa, who has also been busy with an international tour, is sure to be a huge bringer for hip-hop fans across Arizona. Wiz is best known for his tracks “Black and Yellow,” “Young Wild & Free,” and “No Sleep.”

Sticking to their motto of having a “multi-genre” music festival, the final two artists on the headliner list give attendees a true blend of indie and folk rock. Capital Cities, known best for their smash dance single “Safe and Sound,” and Lord Huron who have been making waves in the indie community since 2010, will be bringing the perfect mix of grooviness to an already stacked lineup.

First tier general admission tickets are on sale now, while VIP and other packages will be available within the next coming weeks.

Be sure to check back soon for more information on additional artists, tickets, and more! 

The post True Music Festival 2013 Preview appeared first on Just Noise To Me.

If you missed out on  the Sound Wave Block Party in Scottsdale, fear not, for this year’s Wet Electric intends on being one of the biggest parties of the year.

Activated Events and Relentless Beats have teamed up to bring Tempe some of the best artists from around the world for the “ultimate daytime music festival.”

Based at Big Surf Waterpark in Tempe, Arizona, Wet Electric 2013 is your chance to get wet and wild with some of the hottest artists and attendees in Tempe in the biggest wave pool in the country!

Wet Electric 2013 Lineup

In past years, Wet Electric has hosted artists like Dada Life, Eric Prydz and The Crystal Method. This year, however, we can expect to see even bigger names with even bigger tracks. The Wet Electric 2013 lineup includes a powerhouse of artists like DJ AM protege MAKJ, EDC favorite and party all-around party animal Chuckie, Russian-born Arty, big-room house artist (and RL Grime’s alter ego) Clockwork, and dubstep innovator Flux Pavillion. 

Also featuring… 

Abstrakt, Hemmesphere, Sam Groove, Hazardous, Nasty Nos, Kuntrol, Exacilbur, Grey the Mute, The Agency, Mad Max, BiJou and more!

Tickets

Ticket purchase is good for entry and access to all water slides (yay!) — 21+

Use promotional code “JNTM” to get $5 off your order! Tickets for Wet Electric 2013 can be found by clicking here.

Dates & Times

MAINSTAGE LINEUP: 

Flux Pavilion: 7:30pm – 9:00pm

Chuckie: 6:15pm – 7:45pm

Arty: 4:45pm – 6:15pm

Clockwork: 3:45pm – 4:45pm

MakJ: 2:45pm – 3:45pm

Decipha: 1:30pm – 2:45pm

Lujan: 12:00pm – 1:30pm

Wet Electric 2013 will be from 12PM to 9PM on Saturday, October 5, 2013.

Check back for updates on the lineup, set times, and more!

The post Wet Electric 2013 appeared first on Just Noise To Me.