Belle and Sebastian
For more than 20 years the Glaswegian chamber pop ensemble Belle and Sebastian have been making enchanting music. Unfortunately for New Orleanians, their visits to our region have been limited. Fortunately, they are bucking that trend with a show at the Civic on the 11th. Belle and Sebastian are one of those groups that not only have an deep catalog of outstanding songs but also have perfectly honed a joyful and seemingly intimate live performance. There is a fair bit of audience participation involved in their shows as well—come prepared to sing and dance along. Earlier this year the band released a series of three EPs titled How To Solve Our Human Problems, which sees them expanding sonically. You won’t want to miss this show.
Bonnaroo
If it is June, that means it is once again time to return home to The Farm for Bonnaroo. This year, the festival is headlined by Eminem, The Killers and Muse. They will be joined by Sturgill Simpson, Bon Iver (doing two unique sets—including a late night set), Paramore and alt-J, among others. While the star power of these headliners is undeniable, things really start getting interesting as we move into the smaller print. One of the things that makes the trip to Tennessee worth it year after year is the concentration of amazing smaller acts. In one weekend you can catch the folk duo First Aid Kit, the Afrofuturist experimentation of Thundercat, the baroque pop of Moses Sumney, the indie pop of Japanese Breakfast or the Psychadelic experimentation of Pond. All of these groups have released amazing records in the past year. In addition to the great musical lineup, the organizers of the festival have put a lot of effort over the last few years into the space itself. First upgrading the support infrastructure with new bathrooms and barns. Now they are using these new spaces to create new festival experiences. While the campground has always been interesting in its own right, now the festival is breaking the barrier between the camps and Centeroo by bringing the artists and activities right out into the camps themselves. Everything including morning cartoons and guided meditation to Karaoke with T-Pain. This is the formula for keeping a festival fresh. It’s not just the performers that matter, the peripheral experiences keep people coming back year after year. Make sure to keep an eye on the web for our daily updates from The Farm
JUNE 5
Pond psych out Gasa Gasa.
JUNE 5
Coathangers punk Santos Bar.
JUNE 11
Belle and Sebastian serenade The Civic.
JUNE 13
The Glitch Mob move the Joy.
JUNE 15
Maps and Atlases rock the Parish.
JUNE 16
Bonerama funk up Tipitina’s.
JUNE 19
Katie Von Schleicher brings the dark to Gasa Gasa.
JUNE 20
Eagles rock the Smoothie King Center.
JUNE 22
Guided by Voices represent the lo-fi One Eyed Jacks.
JUNE 26
Pixies and Weezer bring noise pop to Champions Square.
Dates are subject to change; email Mike@MyNewOrleans.com or contact him through Twitter @Minima.