Vice Cooler Couleur

We were so excited to hear that DGAFavorites Yelle were returning to the Echoplex after their hilariously entertaining DJ set back in April. We were FINALLY going to see their live set as we'd missed at least one other opportunity when they'd come to LA. It was nice to see the place packed because we knew it was going to be a good show.

We'd never heard of Hawnay Troof before but we definitely won't forget him. Vice Cooler is the definition of DGAF. I mean, holy shit. I rarely see performers give it their absolute ALL like that: raw, genuine, and real as shit. While some performers are too cool for the crowd, he actually connects, interacts, and engages with the audience. He's confessional, grateful, and humble; it's his dance party and everyone really is invited. His music is fabulously fun and inspiringly energetic, and we would LOVE to catch his next show.

We couldn't find any videos of him from that night, but here's one from this past September at the Echoplex which will give you an idea:



After the rocking warm-up, Yelle all took to the stage in denim shirts and a phenomenal set of new material. This is probably the most talented and underrated band out there right now. If you can effectively play live drums to dance music, you've got some epic skills. Yes, we're talking to you, Grandmarnier. And you've got to have epic skills to play in a band with Julie and Tepr, for sure. Their new songs were as polished and catchy as ever. There were parts where all three of them played live drums, and it was a nice touch. If you want to see live pop genius, check them out. I'm waiting for them to take over the world.



For such positive vibes from the stage, the crowd certainly was a buzzkill. Fucking hell, you can be obnoxious on your own time, so if you come to see music, try to enjoy it. You're not there to start fights, feel people up, or heckle anyone... or are you? Put down that next drink unless you REALLY don't want to remember the show the next day. Try going up on stage yourself maybe and see how your audience reacts to you. Bet you can't do it. Especially in a denim shirt. You know who you are.

OH AND ONE MORE THING. IF GRANDMARNIER STAGE DIVES, YOU FUCKING CATCH HIM. I couldn't see well from where I was standing, but I didn't see him crowd surf at all after he dived off the stage. I'm thinking he just sank into that apathetic sea of douchebags. Back in April there was less than half the people, and they were all wasted and on rollerskates, and Grandmarnier still managed to crowd surf.

So we'd like to say that we're thankful for acts like Yelle and Hawnay Troof, for playing in LA and keeping it real and DGAF. Or real DGAF. We'd like to show our gratitude with a mash-up. But this is also dedicated to all the cheap garçons that night and the ones we've met throughout 2010.

Cheap Garçons by cmykdgaf

Yelle Kills! And kills it every time...

Steppin' Up

Thanks to Anthony Dray Johnson (who rightfully got a high five from M.I.A.) for the photos!


M.I.A. is definitely one of the most DGAF people alive. She's got the most swagger, the most epic beats, and puts on a show (or more like a party) so energetic that it will melt your face off. You're guaranteed to dance your ass off and shout along to every lyric. She played a fair amount of songs from each of her 3 albums, including the "hits"... one of the things I love about her is that her music evolves with every album but remains unmistakably her.


She's a raw performer, and she was all over the stage; dancing, climbing on stuff, and constantly going up to the audience to mingle. She even gave a bottle alcohol(?) to someone in the crowd, and invited people up to the stage for the finale, "Born Free". (I also noticed that one of her dancers was one of the guys in that video. He's a HELL of a dancer too, you've got to see it to believe it.) I mean, who else can effortlessly rock hot pink and yellow sequin suits? You have to see her live to experience the badass that is Maya Arulpragasam.
















XXXO

I Think UR Stupid 2

We'd like to thank Jamaica for playing at the Echoplex last week. We definitely missed Flo, but Asian Dan totally rocked it. They played a great show but our only complaint was that their set was unfairly cut short due to time constraints (they were the last on the bill and due to play after 1 a.m.). We hope they come back to LA soon and are allowed to play a full set! In the meantime, check out our remix of "I Think I Like U 2"!

JAMAICA "I Think I Like U 2" (Over Cast Days Remix) by cmykdgaf

DGAFrench

We HAD to return to Ooh La La Fest this year to catch Kavinsky. Shit, we at DGAF had been waiting like a year and a half to see him. He was supposed to come last November, and I was CRUSHED that he didn't make it. So I was excited when we found out he'd be at Ooh La La this year.

Of course, we worship the movie Steak so we thought it was hilarious that Sébastien Tellier would be playing that night too. We missed him last year at Ooh La La because we didn't go the night he was playing. We missed Turzi and Acid Washed, but fortunately we did make it to the El Rey in time to catch Tellier.

Obnoxious drunks in the crowd yelling during Sébastien's acoustic set

I was actually cracking up from the very start. Shimosh said he looked like a "sparkly Jesus". She was not kidding. Everything he was wearing was sparkly. In fact I swear he had some glitter in his hair too. The shit-faced audience was shouting stuff like "sexy French" at him. I can't really disagree with the guy who yelled that out, though. The whole experience was totally ridiculous. But totally entertaining.

Sébastien Tellier singing in the crowd of drunks

Sorry Tellier, but as soon as I saw Kavinsky at the side of the stage near the end of your set, I lost my mind. IT WAS ALL ABOUT KAVINSKY FOR ME. I waited anxiously for his set to start, and I was amused before he even started playing. There is just some bizarre paradox about him that I can't explain. He's sexy and goofy at the same time. He's got some major swagger but there's also something comical about him. I'm SO glad I made it to the front row, in the center.



I had as much fun watching him DJ as I did listening to his set. He has a lack of self-consciousness as well as a lack of hiding his emotions or expressions while playing. He played an eclectic, memorable set. I expected no less from him. The set started off with some technical difficulties, but luckily the volume was fixed early on. I feel sorry for all the people who decided to leave during his set. They missed out on such an undisputed badass. It was a damn shame that the place was almost empty when he did his finale with "Baba O'Riley". But someone shouted "Vive la France!" as he was walking off the stage, which was more like it. And hilarious. But I mean, REALLY?

It was a huge downer when I found out that following Monday that Record Makers actually had an exhibit the day before the show. Don't you LOVE finding out about things the week after something happens? Especially when they had ended the day before you found out about it? I was either too excited about Kavinsky playing to read any full descriptions of the Record Makers 10th Anniversary, or details of the exhibit weren't posted when I'd bought the tickets for for the El Rey show. Whatever the reason, it was major fail, and I need to be a more diligent internet stalker. But we're already excited for the next time Kavinsky comes back to LA!



If Sliimy doesn't come to LA anytime soon, he NEEDS to play Ooh La La Fest next year. Jamaica, who we saw there last year are playing this Friday, Oct 15 at the TILT 3 Year Anniversary at the Echoplex.



We'll be there. Be there of be DGAF. Or rather, be there AND be DGAF.

Le DGAF

Remember this guy? Kavinsky is finally back in LA tonight along with Sebastien Tellier and others at the second annual Ooh La L.A. (aka FRENCHFEST 2010). Hope to see you lovely DGAF betches there tonight at the El Rey.


the french national bird is the cock.
We had a blast at last year's Ooh La L.A. festival and are super stoked that they've brought back Tellier and added Kavinsky. I don't know too much about Acid Washed or Turzi, and I'm lazy so i haven't researched them, but i hope i'll be pleasantly surprised.

Last year's Ooh La L.A. fest

Jamaica (formerly Poney Poney) at Ooh La L.A. 2009



check out the rest of the festival and tickets and lineups and other crap here:
www.oohlalafestival.com

Part of DGAF never dies

Need we say more? photo: JKatan

The best thing about LA is its ability to have outdoor music festivals without humidity or a big chance of rain. And the best thing about outdoor festivals is definitely the fresh air. It can get hot, nasty, and stuffy as hell inside a packed indoor venue. I mean nothing against indoor venues of course, but it's definitely way more comfortable being in the middle of a sweaty crowd when you're outside.

Not a bummer in sight. photo: JKatan

HARD Summer had the right idea of moving to the Los Angeles State Historic Park. It was the same quality, just a different vibe. Instead of an all-night rave style party, it felt way more like a regular daytime music festival.

This is not EDC, people. photo: JKatan

The security was not messing around... we'd already witnessed an arrest before we'd even got in. We then had to remove our shoes at the gates, airport style. Police were patrolling the streets, drug dogs were walking around, bouncers were everywhere. Nobody was fucking around.

HARD gets it right again. photo: JKatan

We arrived just in time for Breakbot, who warmed up his set with clean funky disco-tastic house, surprised everyone when he decided kick into harder gear. We were left so flabbergasted by the transition from Snoop Dogg to Mr. Oizo that we did a synchronized jaw-drop that no one could even imagine choreographing.

The breakdown with Breakbot. photo: JKatan

We headed to the Harder Stage for Switch, who was dropping all kinds of baile funk fun, and witnessed a pretty intense 2-hour tag team set from Benga and Skream. It was wobbly, energetic dubstep madness. They know how to work a crowd.

This is how we roll (no pun intended). photo: JKatan

We listened to the always dope sounds of Diplo as we headed toward the food trucks. The only thing security couldn't stop were the red ants that were crawling on my shoes and biting my feet while we were in line. We finished our sandwiches and made our way back to see Flying Lotus, who was playing a good but very mellow set. Apparently I missed him drop some heavy ass shit just as I left to check out Crystal Castles, who were assaulting the senses with their controlled, noisy chaos. If they're not punk as fuck, I don't know what is. Hell, even Alice Glass rhymes with badass.

Is that steam? photo: JKatan

But we could not bear to miss Tiga, who was tearing it the fuck up. He probably played the most undeniably danceable set all day. Proxy kept the party going... but we had to head over to at least catch the end of Major Lazer. There was a Chinese dragon and a ton of people dancing on stage, and we knew we'd missed some ridiculous antics. Leave it up to Major Lazer to take the party to the next level.

video: JKatan

But nobody brings the party like Soulwax. Yay Belgium! If you also know about 2ManyDJs, you know that the Dewaele brothers have so much musical talent it's disgusting. They've evolved from a really cute, catchy, and interesting pop band to this nonstop dance machine. It amazes me how they make live instruments sound electronic and analog equipment sound digital... you get the energy of a live band with the sound of a DJ set. It's totally legit.

video: JKatan

My only complaint? That they didn't play for like 2 hours. They were the perfect closer to HARD Summer. I don't think you can really follow Soulwax; I think it worked out to not have other DJ's on til 4am after the headliner.

But I forgot to mention one of the highlights of the day, and it was seeing the lineup for this:

Part of the weekend never dies.

EDGAFNIES

Whoomp! There it is!


So-Me knows what's up...


... and so do fusion taco trucks


We are the crowd, we're coming out, got my flash on it's true...


Busy P, WTF?


Busy P, FTW!


Pack it up


Pack it in


Let me begin


I came to win


Battle me that's a sin

For those who missed it (and I feel sorry for you who did, you know who you are!)... not only did they play Mr. Oizo twice, but So-Me took to the mic and RAPPED parts of a French hip-hop song. Yes, RAPPED, and totally pulled it off. I don't know how frequently this happens, but we've been to our fair share of Ed Banger parties and we have never witnessed this, and we certainly never anticipated this. Whatever it was, it earned So-Me undisputed DGAF of the night. The place was super packed and we were worried at one point that we wouldn't be able to get in... so even if we'd missed everything else and only saw that part, it would have still made the ENTIRE night worthwhile.

So-Me? More like... So-DGAF

Tahiti Boy & The DGAF Family

If you don't know Tahiti Boy & The Palmtree Family, you will after this video:



That is the most DGAF legal acid trip I've had in a while. My favorite part is when that fuzzy puppet monster tries to eat that mushroom at the end. We figured their live performance wouldn't be as mind-bendingly surreal as a Ben & Julia production, but we were looking forward to seeing Tahiti Boy & The Palmtree Family when they came to the Echo in April. We'd first heard about them when we found out that their guitarist Antoine is also in Jamaica.

Tahiti Boy & The Palmtree Family are fun, breezy, summery pop. They're not overtly psychedelic but they'll put you in a dreamy haze. They're really cute and mellow live, and play really well crafted songs, so check them out! They're really nice if you say hi too.


Tahiti Boy


& the Palmtree Family


Antoine Palmtree


drum!


Harmonizing adorably.


No, the CD's were not free


But apparently they were

Don't forget to watch their DGAF tour video!
And check out their music on MySpace.