35 Conferette : EXPOSED - What Frank's Checking out Thursday...

And so it begins. Here is my schedule if you wanted to stalk me... or just see some good shows...



6:30 - 7:15

Secret Sisters

The Secret Sisters are one of the few contemporary country artist doing anything worth a damn. Stuck somewhere between throwback and contemporary style, these "sisters" utilize the intimacy of country music to create a beautiful, warm sound that should appeal to anyone with a heart and penchant for solid singer songwriters. I especially appreciate this video of the duo performing inside of a Wal Mart.








7:15pm
Free: Violent Squid 
Wristband: Pains of Being Pure at Heart

There is no telling how many times I have seen Violent Squid perform over the years, 10? maybe more. Squid's ever revolving line-up is helmed by Ty Stamp who does what he can to keep the improvisation focused with out loosing spontaneity the experience is based around. Most times I have caught Violent Squid it is playing to smaller audiences which is understandable but it will be nice to see the band playing to a large, wristband-less audience. 

Pains of Being Pure at Heart are one of my favorite indie pop bands around, keeping alive a long tradition of sensitive fuzz pop. One of my first assignments at weshotjr was interviewing lead singer/songwriter Kip before their performance last year. Some times in life there are moments when you feel like you are the only person in the world who feels the way you do, and sometimes you meet people that make you feel a little less alone in the world. That was the was I felt shooting the breeze with Kip. Check back here later this afternoon because I plan on posting the audio from this interview so you can hear what I mean.  Oh yeah and they put on a killer live show.



10pm - Hydrant Cafe
Heartstring Stranglers

A few hundred miles of land and ocean couldn't keep former Dentonite and current Budhapest resident  Frederick Shulze and his long term musical project Heartstring Stranglers from missing out on the Conferette action. This is going to be a streaming performance live from Budhapest, you can consider this the techno portion of the festival. 

11pm - J&J's

Geistheistler 

Pizza, Schlitz and dissonant noise rock is how I will be closing out the first day of activities. Why the early night? Hey some of us have to work in the morning...

35 Conferette : EXPOSED - Interview with Paperstain Day Show host Nick Foreman

A highlight from last year's North by Conferette was the two day Paperstain Day Show which took place just a couple of blocks away from any wristband inspectors. The shows were hosted by Dust Congress front-man and pretty good basketball player Nick Foreman. Even though the event is in no way connected to the 35c, it does work as the perfect companion piece to the larger scale festivities.

If you are too poor to afford a wristband (if you live in Denton this is probablly the case) these shows will give you the opportunity to check out some of the better local acts playing 35c along with some acts exclusive to the showcase.

Most notable from that later category is the debut performance of Most Efficient Woman playing early on Saturday. MEW features Britt Robisheaux formely of Nouns Group and one of the higlights from last year's Paperstain show, Drug Mountain. Accompanying Britt on stage (or area carpet as the case may be) are members of Drink to Victory, Zanzibar Snails and other Drug Mountain buddies. It's going to get loud in there.

The Paperstain Showcase will be held Friday and Saturday with the line ups listed below. I'll quit my jabbering, here is the interview with Nick. Check back here later for thoughts, predictions and places to sneak an in-between show doob for Day One of 35c. Get live updates via tumblr.

35 Conferette : EXPOSED - Interview with 35c Top Cock Jaime-Paul Falcon

It was this gentleman reporter's pleasure to conduct a discourse with Denton's Top Cock, Jaime-Paul Falcon, over a generous serving of tapioca pudding with crisped mint spears. He demonstrated his rare mastery of the English language, as well as an encyclopedic knowledge of internet videos. "JPF", as he is sometimes known, was quite patient with the under-aged and under-skilled waitstaff. Our discussion unfolded thusly:

HB: You were a controversial topic amongst the internet users of 2010. Do you plan on keeping a lower profile this year?

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

HB: Is it pronounced "Falcon" like the bird, or "Falcone" like the murdered Italian judge?

It's pronounced "Smith", I think....not to sure, it really depends on if I'm in Mexico or the US....in Canada it's "Robertson".

HB: What is an El Kabong?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49lFPyzTfjw

HB: Is it better to be loved or feared?

I like to cuddle, so I'm gonna go with feared.

HB: Hypothetical: You rejected my band's application to play the 35 Conferette. I confront you in an alley. What do you do?

Would you like a beer?

HB: Was Mister Heavenly booked because of their quality music or because they will bring Michael Cera to town, and Michael Cera sells wristbands?

Who is Micheal Cera, why the hell do people keep mentioning this guy to me? All these Cera questions have been keeping me from devoting my full attention to Astros spring training updates (we might not suck this year!)

HB: What kind of police presence can the well-intentioned people of Denton expect to see at the festival?

Ever seen the Battle of Seattle, it'll be the complete opposite of that.

HB: How many Paperstain day shows will you be attending this year?

Honestly, it depends on the times, we have bands playing outside during those shows and it's gonna be hard to pick between someone like G Side on our stage and whatever act will be there, so all of them.

HB: I see that bands won't be playing at Boiler Room/Abbey Underground this year. Is that because everybody hated it?

We regrettably didn't book Oso Closo or Snarky Puppy, so Boiler Underground decided they didn't want to be apart of this. Preferably in the port'o'pottys, but if someone is busy fucking in one, mosey over to Abby Underground

HB: If I attend the 35 Conferette, where will I use the bathroom?

Preferably in the port'o'pottys, but if someone is busy fucking in one, mosey over to Abby Underground.

35 Conferette : EXPOSED - Interview with 35c Den Mother Natalie Davila

As you may or may not know I am in love with Denton and have been for the past ten years of my residency here. It is the quiet, small town vibe that permeates throughout the Golden Triangle's northern corridor along with the dynamic musical landscape of Denton Rock City that keeps my heart locked tight as I brush off advances from other hip and more metropolitan cities.

I hate music festivals, especially when they are hosting artist that I want to see. While the commercialization aspect certainly plays a part, the main reason is because I hate being around large groups of people. I like seeing music in intimate clubs or venues where fans are gathered to dedicate their attention to a musical performance. Festivals tend to have that cattle call feel, bands go on in their alloted time and place for an audience that may or may not know who they are. Most festival goers are either enjoying music or meander about drunkenly weighing attendance options.

 So how do I feel about 35 Conferette, the local music festival with a big heart and Camel sponsorship? Over the next couple of days leading up to the festival and including the festival itself I will be doing some hard hitting investigative reporting and Nobel worthy commentary. The whole team will be here to provide you with ground floor coverage without the crutch of a press pass.

We are going to start this thing at the top with festival co-organizer Natalie V Dávila. Check back the rest of the week for more interviews with elite people, movers and shakers. You will also be hearing from some of the new staff here at Phosphate on Film. STAY TUNED!

Also you can be-friend us on Facebook and Tumblr. Joy.


FP: How does 35c compare to the Warp tour?

ND: 35c is pretty tight and all… but I feel like Warp Tour is just… legendary. You can’t compete with that.

How much does everyone love the new festival name?

Well you want something short and sweet… that isn’t easily misspelled or pronounced incorrectly… so I really feel like we hit the nail on the head with that one.

Do you think next year you will be able to afford all of Outkast?

Next year I plan to reunite Naughty By Nature…

How do you feel the the festival will affect the local music scene once the festival is over?


It will probably collapse in on itself like a dying star..

Do you know which hotel Ramona Gonzalez is staying at?

Her room is right next to Michael Cera’s…

Do you think she needs a place to stay?

Please see answer to previous question.

 Is she dating that guy from Wavves?

I heard he cries a lot… on stage.

If you could invite any dead president to appear as a MC who would it be?

Calvin Coolidge. I bet he’d be pretty chill.

Why are there no other music festivals in Texas other than NXNW which is really just a week long industry event?

Mafia ties.

 What frightens you most about this weekend?

Chupacabras and/or drunken idiots.

Arthur Russell / Gary Wilson Free Screening Tonight! Totally Worth It.

Here is a little information about the screenings tonight. This will be the first night for the beer tap to be open at The Hydrant so bring some money and your ID for some booze.

9:00 pm

7:30pm

Tonight we have a very special screening for you at the Hydrant as a part of the ongoing ultra chic film series collaboration with the 'folk's over at www.wedentondoit.com. I am proud to present a documentary double feature over two not so well known, but very important musicians of the late 20th century. Gary Wilson and Arthur Russell.

You Think You Really Know Me and Wild Combination are conventional documentaries over very unconventional subjects. During their time both artist received little acclaim outside of weirdo music fans and sold very few records except to the aforementioned group. In the case of Gary Wilson he is still releasing (albeit sporadically) music miles ahead of his contemporaries.

Over the years both have claimed  their places in the underground music pantheon by the gradual release of their music to a wider audience and  more marketable contemporary artist singing their praises. Wilson received a flaccid shout out on Beck's hit song Where It's At ("let the man Gary Wilson rock the most") and Rough Trade recently release an EP of Russell covers including Jens Lekman and Joel Gibb.



Gary Wilson and Arthur Russell's music share very little similarities except that they both disregard any notion of what contemporary pop music can be. Both approach their music not as music made for the masses but music as a cathartic extension of their own psyches. It would be easy to classify both as "weirdo" musicians who use the only way they know to express their demented or shattered personalities, but neither artist music is that simple. I imagine both as birds with clipped wings and songs to sing. Russell's spirit bird hidden in a bush attempting to get the crickets to dance. Meanwhile Wilson's bird is in full makeup making it's nest in the rafters of a smoky night club searching for the chick that broke his heart before they even hatched.


Arthur Russell is best known for his work in the realm of dance music, creating groundbreaking singles (under numerous monikers) around the same time as Larry Levan and other underground NY dance artist of the late 70's. If all we had were those few singles that would be swell, luckily in his brief time as a musician Russell recorded a treasure trove of elegant, sparse and forward thinking music, some of which has still yet to be revealed. 

Gary Wilson's latest release Electric Endicott, his third official album and the first since 2005's stunning Mary Had Brown Hair, solidifies Wilson's place as an artist who like Russell lives outside the main stream of contemporary artist. Gary Wilson the performer is a cross between the Fugs, Frank Sinatra and Charlie Brown. Endicott stands as his most accessible release, which I admit isn't saying much.  You might find out for yourself if you win the record tonight.

Would have liked to write more over this but I don't have the time, in fact this was written entirely on my lunch break! Russell and Wilson are two of my all time favorite musicians and look forward to sharing their stories and music with others. Two stories you do not want to miss, especially in the presence of others. I will be discussing recent releases by both artist in an upcoming feature 'Overlooked Albums of the 2000's' so keep an eye out for that. See you there and check back later tonight to see what is in store next week.