Audio Highlights of the
Daylong Music Fest

Last time they [Modest Mouse] were in Miami they played The Polish American Club.

By Tiffany Rainey

You’ve seen the fliers. Bang Music Festival is back this year and with a vengeance. While last year’s live-stage lineup consisted of a mix of indie tour darlings like Brazilian Girls and VHS or Beta, local funky favorites Spam Allstars and the ever-theatrical New York art-pop duo Fischerspooner, concert organizers have stepped up their game (and ticket prices – now at a whopping $75) this year to provide the city’s musically inclined with a show that may just alleviate Miami’s reputation of utter musical indifference when it comes to live acts. And for those who prefer electronic grooves, Bang hasn’t forsaken its roots completely. DJ tents are in order and slated to house nearly 50 turntable wizards for your listening pleasure. That being said, skip dinner on Lincoln Road in favor of joining the masses in downtown’s Bicentennial Park this Saturday. Here’s a little of what to expect.

Duran Duran: This group of five defined the 1980s. Too bad it’s now only four. Though many expected all original members of the Birmingham, England band to grace the stage, a letter to fans on the pop quintet’s Web site confirmed that Andy Taylor dropped out in late October due to an “unworkable gulf.” Goodbye full reunion. Some, however, is better than none at all, and given that Duran Duran was formed in 1978, they’re not getting any younger and this is their last stop on the 2006 tour. To listen: www.duranduran.com.

Daft Punk: This Paris duo rarely shows their faces. Instead they’ve donned robot masks and given television interviews with their backs turned. For the faceless pair and their fans it’s all about the music, and since 1993 they’ve been producing a lot of it. Best known for electronic club hits like “Around the World” and “One More Time,” you’re as likely to hear Daft Punk’s catchy riffs on an iPod commercial as you are sitting in the VIP region of Suite. Providing a nice transition between Bang’s DJ tents and the main stage, anticipate very little wiggle room when the pair takes the stage. To listen: www.daftpunk.com.

Modest Mouse: Hitting town early in what is already becoming a sold-out tour, this cult favorite draws music snobs like moths to a flame. Last time they were in Miami they played The Polish American Club; this time they’re taking one of the city’s main stages. Though still not a mainstream radio favorite, their 2004 Epic release Good News for People Who Love Bad News got plenty of play in college bars and scene hotspots. A new album of melodramatic lyrics and masterfully arranged instrumental experimentation is due out early next year. To listen: www.modestmouse.com.

Photo by Matthew Donaldson

Gnarls Barkley: Known for their madcap costumes that poke fun at pop culture and efforts at a cat-and-mouse game of hidden identity early in their short career as a duo, DJ Brian Burton (Danger Mouse to you) and bluesy vocalist Thomas Callaway (better known as Cee Lo Green) stole the proverbial show with the release of their debut collaboration St. Elsewhere in April of this year. Their single “Crazy” quickly climbed the charts, thanks to massive distribution of demos and rampant downloading. Expect an over-the-top troupe of musicians to join the duo and keep the otherwise heavy lyrics as light as their pop-psychedelic-R&B-hip-hop-infused backdrop. To listen: www.gnarlsbarkley.com.

Common: Considered one of hip-hop’s few lyricists with a conscience, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. toes the line between prophet of the people and voice of the everyday street. In his music, the Chicago-born rapper often trades on themes of love and social issues. Live, he translates his message via well-rehearsed skits but without the fluff of costuming or large-scale theatrics. The followup to his 2005 album Be (produced by Kanye West and J Dilla) is expected in early January. To listen: www.common-music.com.

Other highlights on the Bang bill: Tiësto, Damien “Jr. Gong” Marley and Thievery Corporation.

Bicentennial Park is located at 1075 Biscayne Blvd., Miami.Visit www.bangmusicfestival.com for tickets and information.

The Future of Fusion

By Rayme Samuels

Photo courtesy of Rogers & Cowan
Yerba Buena can’t seem to get enough of Miami. After kicking off their Musica Fresca Fusion tour in September, they’re already back headlining at this year’s Bang Music Festival.

“Yerba Buena is an expansive project, a collective project, and in a way it’s a musical diary of all of our lives,” said Andres Levin, front man of the group, who struggles to define their sound as “basically roots dance music — very primal and kind of folkloric in a way.” Combining Afro Cuban rhythms with hip-hop, the New York City-based group exemplifies the fusion of their place of origin. Bursting onto the music scene with sultry Latin beats on the hit track “Guajira,” the band quickly proved they were worth all the hype. “It’s really a collective to celebrate our culture and our music — the sky’s the limit with it,” he continues. “The minute that we get defined, it’s time to do something else.”

Their debut album in 2003, President Alien, cemented the band’s status as musical gods. The follow up album, Island Life let us know that these guys don’t mess around when it comes to creating magical tracks in the recording studio. The group embodies fusion in its simplest and most effective form. On Island Life, they combine their traditional Latin sound with unexpected yet powerful gypsy music on tracks like “Bellydancer.” “I’ve been a fan of gypsy music for a long time,” says Levin, describing his mild obsession of combining music of eastern European origin with meringue, house and rock beats. “When we play those kinds of cuts people absolutely go nuts — pop music is definitely heading in a globalized direction.”

As one can learn from watching any live performance or music video of the group, the members of YB really know how to party. “Yerba Buena is and has always been an all-star band. Everybody that is in the band or has been in the band is exceptional in what they do, and in a way a solo artist in their own right.” The six-member crew knows how to put on a performance, making their coming appearance at Bang a special one for Miami enthusiasts who have a pure connection with this musical powerhouse’s eclectic and innovative sound.

If nothing else, Levin explains, Yerba Buena’s goal is to “bring happiness, dance and a bit of a revolution to where Latin and mainstream music is heading.”

The Bang Music Festival takes place from 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday, Nov. 11 at Bicentennial Park, 1075 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Admission is $45-$75. Visit www.bangmusicfestival.com.