Tag: run the jewels

Riot Fest 2018: The Riot Still Rages

Janky Smooth Central Command September 22, 2018

Words and Photos by: Meghan Breedlove This past weekend in Chicago, Riot Fest 2018 wrapped up their 13th year and Janky Smooth was there to capture some of the scenes from the weekend. Even though Riot Fest shared some devastating news regarding Blink 182’s cancellation (due to health issues) a few short days before the festival, Riot Fest was able to recover quickly by booking Weezer, Taking Back Sunday, and Run the Jewels. related content: How Riot Fest Chicago 2016 Survived The Misfits Subpar Performance Even with Blink 182’s absence, there was no shortage of their songs, with multiple Blink 182 covers sung over the weekend to honor the band, with both Weezer and Young the Giant covering “All the Small Things”. The festival layout was somewhat cozy, with five stages of proximity, a freak show, a variety of carnival rides, and of course pretty much any fried food your heart desired. Overall, Riot Fest 2018 was a major success despite some last minute lineup changes, so here is a recap of my adventure in Chicago this past weekend. related content: Jawbreaker At Riot Fest: The Moment I Stopped Hating Pop Punk Day 1 I first arrived at the festival

FYF Fest 2017 Steals Coachella’s Throne As So-Cal’s Premiere Festival

Dave Unbuckled August 1, 2017

My bones are still rattling and recovering from Capn’ Jazz’s sold out set at The Echo Thursay night. So much so that I limp across the edges of Exposition Park, and marvel at the crowd as I walk into my first FYF fest. The festival has grown dramatically since it’s early days as a showcase for DIY and up and coming local punk acts in 2004. It’s so comfortably warm walking through the LA coliseum on the outskirts circling the festival that I skip my normal routine of stealing water bottles and go straight to the pit. Related Content: FYF Presents: The Glorious Return of Cap’n Jazz At The Echo In an impromptu pow wow we map out our weekend and get ready to go watch Badbadnotgood- a band I’ve been following since their second album BBNG2 began getting the well-deserved buzz it received nearly five years ago. The band has carved a niche identity as mainstays in these large festivals. The crowd sways through their set, flexing their youthful energy that will be gone by day’s end but for now the band invites special guest Denzel Curry onto the stage and finishes the set with people pogoing to Trap Jazz

Day For Night Fest: Futurists Of Audio & Visual Converge In Houston

Lindsay Krause December 26, 2016

Shadowy figures traverse dimly lit concrete walkways, gliding past “High Voltage” warning signs that adorn massive steel boxes hanging from the ceiling. A chain link-fence houses what appears to be some sort of parasitic mass of hair, the fibers hovering above curious crowds of observers like a space creature. A neo-futuristic looking couple decked out in silver metallic platforms, all black skintight clothing and bondage style leather harnesses hold hands as they navigate the industrial landscape and make their way toward the Blue stage. Had I taken the red pill and woken up in the goth haunt Club Hel from the film The Matrix? It certainly felt that way, but I was in fact partying inside Houston’s premier winter music and arts festival, Day for Night. Taking residence in a vacant post office building in the heart of downtown the second edition of the gathering boasted an exclusive Bjork digital exhibit, a highly-anticipated headlining appearance from Aphex Twin (his first set in the U.S. since Coachella 2008), 3 outdoor stages and a multitude of thought provoking light installations. The event is the product of the minds that organize Houston’s Free Press Summer Fest, yet Day for Night offers an experience that

Run The Jewels Release Meow The Jewels. Cat Ladies Rejoice

Danny Baraz September 25, 2015

You know when you’re really high and you have this “great idea” that seems so genius that the world may never be the same? The next day, you open the Notes section of your phone that you used to remind you of said idea and you just stare at it and laugh and say to yourself, “What the fuck was I thinking?”. Enter Meow The Jewels, RTJ’s remix of Run the Jewels 2 made up entirely of cat sounds and samples. One fan. One dab. One kickstarter goal of $45k and 2,828 donations later and the total donations for the project have peaked at over $65k. The end is surely nigh. I’m sure El-P and Killer Mike never thought with all the need for altruism in this fucked up world, that people would come together and organize to insure this very important album get made. I take comfort in the fact that all the limited edition vinyl that is sold will go to various charity’s benefiting those who have been victims of police brutality. El-P took to Twitter “we did it for you, Mike Brown and Eric garner.” You can download the album here Meow The Jewels: 01 Meowpurrdy [ft. Lil Bub,

Run The Jewels Take Over and Spit Fire at the Regent Theater in LA

Danny Baraz January 16, 2015

Run the Jewels have had quite the ride since Run the Jewels 2 dropped on Mass Appeal Records in October of last year. In those two and a half months, Run the Jewels have not only become the most hyped act in hip hop but in all of music. RTJ2 was on everyone’s list of best albums of 2014, including ours, at the #1 position. It’s not JUST because they have the next level beats produced by El-P and the hardest hitting and most technical flows. On the contrary, the masses typically don’t appreciate that type of excellence and originality in hip hop. My guess is it’s that both El-P and Killer Mike have connected to the plight of the common man in this country. The content of their lyrics span an array of topics such as racism, poverty, police brutality and politics in a way that is not boring and not condescending to anyone except the target of their frustration- The System. While they might seem like an overnight success story to someone who is just tuning in, the truth is that both men have been languishing in an immense popularity amongst only those with taste; which is a

Run The Jewels: Taking Hip Hop Back at The Echoplex

Danny Baraz November 14, 2014

It’s been years since anyone in hip hop has released an entire album of “destined to be classic” tracks, much less two. Over the last couple years rappers like Danny Brown, Ab-Soul and Schoolboy Q have released some classic tracks but the entire body of work leaves much to be desired. Weak beats and lazy lyrics dominate the landscape in the mainstream and the underground. B-boys have all but disappeared in this era of club bangers. Graffiti is now called “street art” and dance crews now have large shows in Las Vegas. Then on April 9th, 2013 a self-titled album called “Run the Jewels” dropped and changed the game. Jaime Meline, a.k.a. El-P is not only a dope M.C. but the beats he produced with Little Shalimar and Wilder Zoby are the foundation of not one but two instant classics- Run The Jewels and Run The Jewels 2. On Thursday, November 13 El-P and Killer Mike played the Echoplex as Run the Jewels for Day 13 of Red Bull Sound Select’s, 30 Days in LA. The anticipation was thick moments before Run The Jewels took the stage. There was a buzz of speculation on some special guests and the Echoplex