Le Guess Who? 2012 festival guide by Le Guess Who?

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Tivoli Oudegracht

Oudegracht 245

Tivoli De Helling

Helling 7

Tivoli Spiegelbar

Oudegracht 245

Ekko Bemuurde Weerd Westzijde 3 ACU Voorstraat 71 DBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CAB-Rondom 100 (Cartesiusweg) Rasa Pauwstraat 13a Kargadoor

Oudegracht 36

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Lange Nieuwstraat 34

Vredenburg Leeuwenbergh Servaasbolwerk 1a Mirliton Theater

Hoog Catharijne

Plato Voorstraat 35

welcome

le guess who? 2012

Welcome to Le Guess Who? 2012 It means a lot to us that all of you, artists and audience alike, are part of this 6th edition of Le Guess Who?. Since the festival’s beginning in 2007 we’ve told ourselves that Le Guess Who? had to be an ever-changing format and we are very pleased that 6 years later everything still feels completely new, even to us. We’ve had a blast creating this year’s line-up, with the magnificent Colin Stetson opening the festival on Tuesday and Wednesday and by concluding this Le Guess Who? with our new festival-in-festival called Fuzzbox, which feels like the perfect way to end this four-day long “trip”.

There are many, if not all, bands that we would like to recommend and you can find all information about them, and more general information about Le Guess Who?, in this festival guide. One special mention to Rosa Kuiper, who did the amazing artwork for this year’s edition of Le Guess Who?. We hope you will have a lot of fun and a great time at Le Guess Who? 2012! Thank you and see you around, Johan Gijsen & Bob van Heur Le Guess Who? 2012

Free concerts, art and film

Liars Purity Ring Blood Diamonds Die! Die! Die! Mac DeMarco Crocodiles White Fence Led Er Est Toro y Moi

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General information

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Passe-partout and Day Venue and Concert Tickets Tickets Please make sure to exchange your ticket for a wristband at Tivoli or Plato. This wristband will give you access to the festival venues. Passepartout tickets (€75) and Day Tickets (Thursday €20, Friday, Saturday and Sunday €27,50) are available at Tivoli, Plato and www.leguesswho.nl.

Plato (Voorstraat 35) Mon Tue/Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

12.00 — 19.00 10.00 — 19.00 10.00 — 21.00 10.00 — 19.00 10.00 — 18.00 12.00 — 17.00

Tickets for specific venues and concerts may be sold at the door, depending on passepartout sales and venue capacity. Visit www.leguesswho. nl for more information.

Capacity Please keep in mind that all venues have limited capacity. Make sure to be on time if you want to get in.

Timetable The timetable (subject to change) will be available at Tivoli, Plato and www. leguesswho.nl.

Tivoli box office

Utrecht

(Oudegracht 245) Thu 18.00 — 23.00 Fri/Sat 14.00 — 03.00 Sun 18.00 — 00.00 If you are attending one of Colin Stetson’s shows on Tuesday or Wednesday, you can pick up your Passepartout or Day Ticket wristband at EKKO (Bemuurde Weerd WZ 3)

Le Guess Who? takes place in Utrecht’s unique city centre. Utrecht is the fourth largest city in the Netherlands and only 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam. Le Guess Who? visitors will receive discounts at several shops, bars and restaurants with their festival wristband.

General information

Make sure to pick up Le Guess Who’s Guide to Utrecht (available at Tivoli and Plato) to see all of the discounts and other recommended locations, or visit www.leguesswho.nl for more information.

Couchsurfing Tickets for Le Guess Who? do not include accommodation. Utrecht offers only a few options for cheap accommodation. This is one of the reasons why we facilitate the couchsurfing principle through a Facebook plug in on our website. More info: www. leguesswho.nl/couchsurfing

Mirliton Theatre In the 1970s and 1980s, the Mirliton Theatre in Hoog Catharijne was Utrecht’s hot spot for new comedic talent. While the shopping mall around it grew larger and more modern, the cosy comedy club fell into oblivion. This year, the Mirliton has been fully restored to its former 1970s glory, and we’re very proud to be able to add this unique piece of

Utrecht’s history to the ever-growing list of Le Guess Who? locations! Visit www.leguesswho.nl for more information.

Just Like Your Mom, Catering We’ve brought Just Like Your Mom Catering back to our festival. When this D.I.Y. tour support company is not hauling amps or burning rubber, they serve up vegetarian and vegan meals for artists, crew and music-fans alike. So if you’re looking for tasty, affordable and healthy food, just like your mom used to make, you can find these committed folks at: Tivoli de Helling, Tivoli Oudegracht and ACU.

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Subbacultcha! Editorial Section Once again, we’ve asked Amsterdam-based magazine Subbacultcha! to make a special editorial section for this year’s festival guide. Filled with interviews, photographs and other good stuff, it’s sure to get you warmed up for Le Guess Who? 2012! See page 67.

Subbacultcha! ‘musicians’ exhibition

Subbacultcha! will be hosting their ‘Musicians’ exhibition in EKKO Cafe during the festival. This exhibition features a selection of portraits and photo reportages that were published in Subbacultcha! Magazine within the past 1,5 years. Young, upand-coming photographers - mostly Dutch and North American - portray bands and musicians such as DIIV, The Soft Moon, Panda Bear, Grimes and lots more. Subbacultcha! can draw on a large international network of independent photographers to assign photo series that are a far cry from standard band photography.

Le Guess Who? May Day 2013

After the success of last year’s edition, we’ll be hosting another oneday pre-summer festival on Saturday May 18th, 2013. This Le Guess Who? May Day will feature ten to fifteen must-see acts at multiple locations in Utrecht’s city centre and another edition of the free mini festival, Le Mini Who?, during the daytime. The first names will be announced soon. Do not miss!

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Nick Helderman and The Impossible Project At Le Guess Who? 2011, we asked photographer Nick Helderman to capture that special Le Guess Who? atmosphere. He took up that challenge, and together with The Impossible

Project (Enschede, NL), whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve saved analog instant photography from the brink of extinction, he managed to immortalize these elusive moments on genuine Polaroid film. www.leguesswho.nl/impossibleproject

Le Guess Who? Fuzzbox Sunday 2 DEC 2012 On Sunday December 2nd, Le Guess Who? will present Fuzzbox, a new festival for garage-rock, fuzzed-out guitars and psychedelic pop. For this event Tivoli and Le Guess Who? are joining forces with Patronaat, Effenaar, Vera, dB’s, Area51 and Kliko Festival.

Line-up: Ty Segall, White Fence, Allah Las, Fidlar, Night Beats, Traumahelikopter, Nick Waterhouse, Paul Collin’s Beat, Brat Farrar, Jacco Gardner, Acid Baby Jesus, The Feeling of Love, Xray Eyeballs + DJ’s

SATURDAY 1 DEC 2012

Le Mini Who? Utrecht by night might be wonderful, but Utrecht by day is every bit as good! We’re taking full advantage of that fact by hosting Le Mini Who?, a small festival during Le Guess Who? that takes place on Saturday December 1st during the daytime (12 - 6 PM). Le Mini Who? sets the spotlight on many of Utrecht’s hot-spots. A

variety of different locations, many of them located around the thriving Voorstraat, will act as venues for exciting in-store performances, by both national and international artists. And best of all, it’s free!

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Eighth Blackbird, Bryce Dessner, Ben Frost & Luna Park ZA 06 APR

Micheal Riesman: Dracula VR 01 MRT

Cross-Linx Festival: Patrick Watson & Amsterdam Sinfonietta

Tuesday 27 Nov + Wednesday 28 Nov 2012

Colin Stetson (Le Guess Who? Opening Concerts) Not only is Colin Stetson a touring member of Bon Iver and Arcade Fire, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worked with dozens of artists on stage and in the studio. Tom Waits, TV On The Radio, LCD Soundsystem and The National are among those fortunate enough to have been graced by his presence. With a resume this impressive it would be easy to overlook his solo work. But that would be downright blasphemous. What this man can do with his gigantic bass-saxophone, let no man rend asunder! He has mastered the circu-

lar breathing technique, but apart from being able to play continuously, Colin can actually play multiple melodic and rhythmic layers at the same time. His extraordinary skills will leave you enthralled and breathless. Colin Stetson will be playing Tuesday November 27th and Wednesday November 28th in EKKO. Entrance is free for everyone with a Le Guess Who? passepartout.

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NOR DIC DELIGHT FESTIVAL A Nordic music and lifestyle expedition

SATURDAY MARCH 2 2013

NUTRECHT More information, line up and tickets

NORDICDELIGHT.NL

thursday 29 nov 2012 >> Black Bombaim Chris Cohen Club 3voor12 Utrecht: Hollandse Nieuwe DJ Fitz Do Make Say Think Lapalux

Little Wings Mono Naytronix Sandro Perri Stubborn Heart Thulebasen Tropa Macaca

Thursday 29 nov 2012

Black Bombaim (PT) Psychedelic, Stoner rock

As part of the night curated by DOODcast, DJ Fitz invited Black Bombaim to the festival. This stoner/psych trio from Portugal started damaging eardrums back in 2007. They’ve been contained in the South of Europe since then, racking up a tremendous amount of stage experience. On their self-titled debut album, each song clocked at a decent four or five minutes, but nowadays these guys stretch their songs to ten, fifteen, hell, sometimes even twenty minutes. Nothing is impossible; because your music can never be too psychedelic.

Chris Cohen (US) Psychedelic pop

This year’s Le Guess Who? is a bit of an old friends’ reunion for Chris Cohen and Deerhoof. Cause Cohen was a part of the San Franciscan noise band for five long years. The talented multi-instrumentalist has also played with Haunted Graffiti, Cass

McCombs, White Magic and many others. This year, Captured Tracks released Overgrown Path, Chris’ solo debut; a well-informed, slightly psychedelic retro-pop record, not as hectic as Deerhoof, but every bit as good.

Club 3voor12/Utrecht: Hollandse nieuwe (NL) Continuing the tradition from our previous editions, Le Guess Who? is once again joining forces with Dutch music and media platform 3voor12 to provide you with Hollandse Nieuwe. This frase translates both as ‘New from Holland’ and ‘Soused Herring’, but you can be sure we’ll bring you more of the former than of the latter. In the past we’ve seen bands like Rats On Rafts and Knalpot share the stage on Hollandse Nieuwe nights at Le Guess Who?, and now a new generation of fresh and promising Dutch bands is ready to show you what they’ve got. Line-up: Postmodem, H-Sik, Kleinindustrie, The Fire Har-

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vest, 20th Century Hansa and Those Foreign Kids.

Dirty Three (AU) Post-rock

Almost seven years after Dirty Three last played EKKO, these legendary Australians will return to Utrecht. It’s not that easy to tour when your band members live in Melbourne, Paris and New York. Since 1992 this instrumental, improvisational and dynamic post-rock trio has really built their name by touring all over the world. Their combination of drums, violin and guitar is as unique as it is captivating. Nick Cave is a big fan and even named Dirty Three his favourite live band: “Their music washes over you and you’re away”.

DJ Fitz (IE) Psychedelic

DJ Fitz knows more about music than you do. It’s cool dude. No big deal. If a Turkish disco diva, a Nigerian re-

cord producer, and a Brazilian cabaret dancer all got together circa 1976, Fitz would be playing at their party. And he’ll play at yours, too. We are glad that this man of the international psychedelic underground became one of our Le Guess Who? residents. DJ Fitz is part of the night curated by DOODcast.

Do Make Say Think (CA) Experimental, Post-rock

We’ve got no less than four acts from the prestigious Constellation Records stable at Le Guess Who? this year: apart from Matana Roberts, Sandro Perri and Colin Stetson, we can also add Do Make Say Think to the bill. These Torontonian post-rockers are right at home with Constellation, which also houses acts like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, A Silver Mt. Zion and Tindersticks. But DMST are in no way eclipsed by their more famous label mates. Since their self-titled debut back in 1999, the band has augmented their psy-

Thursday 29 nov 2012

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chedelic instrumental improvisations with jazzy drums and more prominent bass-lines, leading to a warm, abundant and focussed sound. Post-rock perfection.

Lapalux (UK) Post-dubstep, Future garage, Lo-fi

One of the latest signees on Fly-Lo’s Brainfeeder Records, Stuart Howard a.k.a. Lapalux is a budding producer from Essex. He mixes dubstep, hiphop, IDM and pitch-shifted vocals, creating a sound reminiscent of acts like James Blake, Shlohmo and Shigeto. On his first EP, When You’re Gone, Stuart brings us glitchy, downtempo post-dubstep tunes. This young buck is really going places; so make sure to check him out at Le Guess Who, before he joins the big leagues.

Little Wings (US) Folk, Lo-Fi, Singer-songwriter

Kyle Field started Little Wings in 1998 and has been consistently put-

ting out new material almost every year. While Kyle remains at the heart of the project, over the years he has collaborated with numerous musicians, many of which hail from the well-reputed D.I.Y. label K Records, which also released most of Little Wings’ work. He doesn’t tour Europe very often so take this opportunity to see him at Le Guess Who?. Just close your eyes, listen to this man and let his dreamy, melancholic campfire folk come to you. Euphoric misery.

Mono (JP) Post-rock, Instrumental

As not to confuse them with any of the other ten-plus bands that use the name Mono, let it be known that it’s the Japanese post-rock quartet that will grace Le Guess Who? with its presence. Mono is well known for their complex guitar techniques and eruptions of sound. Their widely spun pieces are usually focused on layered guitar melodies, in fact: Mono’s sound is so deep you can almost call it classical instead of ‘rock’ mu-

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sic. Their live shows are very intense, thanks to the band’s dynamic use of feedback and noise.

Naytronix (CA) Experimental, Electronic pop

Naytronix is a fresh and new dance formation from Oakland, formed around multi-instrumentalist/producer Nate Brenner. If you think they sound a bit like tUnE-yArDs, you are not mistaken, because Nate is not only the bass player in Merrill Garbus’ band, he is also her lover. Naytronix sounds futuristic but at the same time it has an undeniably timeless funk woven into it. Check out their self-titled EP, released earlier this year, and let the evil dance party begin!

Sandro Perri (CA) Folk, Singer-songwriter

You could call Sandro Perri plain ‘folk’, but that just won’t do him justice. On his last couple of releases, he has amended the traditional folk sound with both poppy and experimental elements, creating his own

brand of alt-folk. The resulting songs manage to sound unpredictable yet catchy at the same time. Before he switched to his current alias, Sandro released several records as Polmo Polpo and played with Great Lake Swimmers. Check out his latest record, Impossible Spaces, which came out last year on Constellation Records, and find out for yourself what we’re raving about.

Stubborn Heart (UK) Post-dubstep

This duo from London is being advertised as “for fans of the three J’s”. As not to put our Dutch visitors on the wrong track, these three J’s are James Blake, Jamie xx and Jamie Woon. Stubborn Heart can also be labelled as post-dubstep, but they trade in some of the genre’s bass for a bit of pop sheen. The pair pulled up quite the smoke screen, releasing their first record Need Someone/Two Times A Maybe as a limited edition, white-label 12” and keeping their faces hidden from the public. But all this mystery will soon be in the past,

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for when their self-titled debut LP drops this November, these guys are gonna blow up.

Thulebasen (DK) Psychedelic, Experimental

Thulebasen is a soft-psych band from Denmark. Their latest release, Forever Grinning, sports remixes from acts like Lucky Dragons, Gala Drop and Black Dice’s Eric Copeland. Some excellent names, that give you a rough clue in which corner you could place these Danes. Alternatively, you could watch the music video for their song Monster and find out just how crazy this trio is. Monkeys, bears, bananas, lions, egg yolks, dogs, birds: it all looks and sounds like one hell of an acid-trip.

Tropa Macaca (PT) Experimental, Noise

Despite consisting of only two tracks, Tropa Macaca’s latest EP, Ectoplasma, lasts a full 30 minutes. You could say that these two from Portugal like

to take it slow. The experimental/ noise duo released the EP on Daniel Lopatin’s Software Records, where they are in the good company of acts like Oneohtrix Point Never and Blanck Mass. The pair’s songs, or better yet, pieces often start with a guitar or synth-line that warps slowly to the point of unrecognizability. Their sound is an expression of pure sonic hypnosis, something you should definitely experience live.

friday 30 nov 2012 >> Bersarin Quartett

Lumerians

Broeder Dieleman

Marisa Anderson

Clinic

Matthew Dear

Dam Mantle

Mo Kolours

Deerhoof

Night Beds

DJ Fitz

Peepholes

Dracula Lewis

Pyramids, The

Each Other

Sinkane

Fuck Buttons

Soft Moon, The

Hundred Waters

St Paul Psycho

Joel RL Phelps

Suuns

Julianna Barwick

Valleys

Koreless

Why?

Lower Dens

friday 30 nov 2012

Bersarin Quartett (DE) Ambient, Electronic, Neo-classical

Don’t be fooled by the name: Bersarin Quartett is Thomas Bücker’s oneman project. In 2008, his self-titled debut was received with great critical acclaim. This year, Bücker released his long-awaited second album. On the aptly titled II he builds on its predecessor, adding more neo-classical elements to his melancholic ambient mix. His self-proclaimed “imaginary fictional soundtracks” will temporarily transport you to a sonic oasis of delicate peace and astral tranquillity.

Broeder Dieleman (NL) Singer-Songwriter

Broeder Dieleman was recently signed by Utrecht-based independent label Beep! Beep! Back Up The Truck: the label that has previously provided Le Guess Who? with acts like Moon & Sun and Nikoo. Dieleman is a singer-songwriter who sings in Dutch, or Zeelandic Flemish to be specific. This regional dialect from the Southwest of the Netherlands is akin to Scottish; but not just in the

way it sounds, this dialect is extremely suited for honest, pure and straight from the heart folk songs.

CLINIC (UK) Post-punk, Experimental

We are very excited to finally have Liverpool’s legendary art-punk fourpiece Clinic at our festival. Apart from performing in surgical attire, the band is know for their eclectic sound, with influences ranging anywhere from punk to psychedelia, and from dub to girl group. Add to that singer Ade Blackburn’s clenched sing/speak vocal delivery, and its no wonder that Le Guess Who? favourites Suuns cited Clinic as their chief inspiration.

Dam Mantle (UK) Post-dubstep, Experimental

Before he started his electronic project Dam Mantle, Glaswegian transplant Tom Marshallsay played in various bands, ranging from post-rock to experimental folk. This wide range of experience and genre defying attitude is strongly reflected in his

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tracks. He takes glitch-hop, soothing soundscapes and a few broken beats borrowed from dubstep and he weaves them into a wonderfully layered tapestry of intelligent and danceable music. After three promising EPs, Tom finally released his debut album this October and he’s ready to take the world by storm!

Deerhoof (US) Experimental, Noise rock

There are few bands that fit the Le Guess Who? profile as well as Deerhoof does. They’re colourful, weird, cheerful, ingenious and crazy all at the same time. Starting out as a humble noise pop group, they’ve since shifted their sound into a weirder gear and nowadays they play freaked-out, avant-gardist pop music. Their two most striking assets are singer Satomi Matsuzaki, with her remarkable, childlike voice and drummer Greg Saunier, with his wild, oneof-a-kind drumming style. The rest of the band are by no means slouches either, so you’d do well to see these guys play live.

Dracula Lewis (IT) Experimental, Electronic, Psychedelic

Thank you, The Soft Moon, for bringing Dracula Lewis with you on this tour; because this man from the South of Europe has been on our mind for quite some time now. His first release, on limited edition yellow cassette, was recorded on a broken mixer. His aggressive lo-fi electronics blend with off-kilter field recordings, creating a weird maelstrom dubbed ‘Space-psych horror’. If you dare to enter this psychedelic freak zone, we strongly advise you to bring some garlic.

Each Other (CA) Psychedelic, Lo-fi

This Montreal band describes its sound as ‘crackle pop’. Perhaps these young Canucks have been eating too many Rice Krispies, but somehow the onomatopoeic elves ‘Snap’, ‘Crackle’ and ‘Pop’ have found their way into their jangly tunes. Each Other was formed by former members of Play Guitar and Long Long Long, so these guys are no strangers to the stage.

friday 30 nov 2012

suuns Le Guess Who? 2011

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No matter how much they try to hide them behind effects, lo-fi production and offhand playing, their psychedelic pop gems shine through like diamonds in the rough.

Fuck Buttons (UK) Noise, Drone, Experimental

If there’s one act that pulled noise music out of the grey caverns and dark bunkers, then it was Fuck Buttons. On their debut, Street Horrrsing, the duo combined said genre’s inherent harshness with sweeping melodies and driving kick drums, which led to a very pleasurable listening experience. On successor Tarot Sport they deepened and broadened their sound. Now, after an almost 2 year long hiatus during which Benjamin John Power focussed on his solo-project Blank Mass, they’re back on the road. And they have chosen Le Guess Who? as the stage for their return to The Netherlands!

Hundred Waters (US) Folk, Pop, Electronic

In the last couple of years, we’ve seen a lot of bands trying to bridge the gap between folk and pop music. Though many have tried and failed, Hundred Waters is one of these act that rose above the fold. Imagine Björk in the studio with The XX and Bibio. If this combination sounds weird to you, rest assured that the resulting music is strangely pleasing. All weirdness aside, most of the time their pieces fit together perfectly, creating appealing and tranquil sounds. This will be the band’s first time in Europe, so be sure to check them out.

Joel RL Phelps (CA) Singer-songwriter

Joel R.L. Phelps is a songwriter originally from Montana. You might know him as the vocalist/guitarist from Seattle-based post-punk band Silkworm. After he left that band in 1994, he wrote and recorded a lot of solo material. In the following ten years, he released about five records, of

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which the most recent one, Customs/ Traditions, was very well received. Now, almost 8 years later, he’s back. Catch Joel live, on his ‘very rare European tour’.

Julianna Barwick (US) Ambient, Dream Pop, Experimental

If you were one of the lucky few that witnessed Julia Holter’s breath-taking performance at Le Guess Who? May Day, you should definitely come and see Julianna Barwick, as this Southern belle turned Brooklynite conjures up similarly enthralling vibes. Barwick’s music is built around multiple layers of her own voice, creating ambient soundscapes. Her vocal style was, in part, influence by her experiences of singing with the church congregation and school choirs, when she was growing up. She starts most of her songs off quietly, usually with just a single refrain, and then weaves in more loops, creating a complex sonic architecture.

Koreless (UK) Future garage, Dubstep

Koreless is a future garage producer from Glasgow, Scotland. Where lots of his colleagues,like fellow Glaswegian Rustie, tend to stuff their tracks with dozens of sounds, this 20-year old understands the power of patience, emptiness and silence. In his latest single “Lost In Tokyo” he doesn’t even use any kick or snare drums. But his sound is in no way dull, he manages to create really engaging tracks. If you’re into experimental, atmospheric and melancholic electronics full of deep basses, you will love Koreless.

Lower Dens (US) Post-punk, Dream pop

After their rejuvenating performance at Le Guess Who? 2010, we’ve invited Jana Hunter and her crew back to our festival. The Baltimore baritone has been involved in countless projects, mostly freak-folk and new weird Americana, but in her band Lower Dens she’s found the perfect outlet for all the other colours on her

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musical pallet. She mixes drone pop, post-punk, post- and kraut-rock to paint her swirling, dreamlike compositions. Their last album, Nootropics, was named after brain-enhancing pharmaceuticals, so you can be sure that seeing this band will do wonders for your muddled mind.

Lumerians (US) Psychedelic Rock

Lumerians is a psychedelic/space rock band based in Oakland, California. Live, these guys are all about dancing and delivering the right groove. They combine murky organs and synths with lots of fuzz, deep bass and drifting guitars to create a sound to which bodies sway and minds melt. And then there are their hallucinatory visuals, which complete the live experience. Keep an open mind and immerse yourself in this garage/psych heaven. And make sure to give them a warm welcome, because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s their first time in Europe!

Marisa Anderson (US) Singer-Songwriter

Marisa Anderson is a composer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist living in Portland. Last year, she released her second solo record, The Golden Hour, on the respected Mississippi Records label, which releases music from artists such as Abner Jay, Mississippi Fred McDowell and Mahmoud Ahmed. Her music is inspired by Delta blues, West African guitar, classic country & western radio, gospel, noise, rhythms, mortality, and praise. She is one of those artists that still has that fingerpicking blues style from back in the days.

Matthew Dear (US) Electronic, Pop

Matthew Dear started out as a dance music producer. He used to be one of the leading lads in the minimal techno scene that flourished around 2007. Since said genreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s implosion, a lot of his colleagues disappeared off the radar, because they couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make the switch to the post-minimal

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era. But Matthew Dear could; he’s put some pop, disco and electro in his sound, which turned out to be a great success. Now, with two fullband records beneath his belt, he’s really come into his own as a charismatic bandleader and frontman. Live on stage, he will give you an aesthetically pleasing performance, both in sight and sound.

Mo Kolours (UK) Hip hop, Electronic, Experimental

Hudson Mohawke, Flying Lotus, Samiyam; DJ/producer Kutmah had some pretty big names on his compilation Kutmah Presents Worldwide Family. One of the lesser-known acts on this disc is Mo Kolours. He is of part-Mauritanian, part-English heritage, one half percussionist and one half beat-maker. His beats reflect his roots: part African, part L.A., part drums and part electronic. The groove, the vibe and the rhythms are leading the way here. You won’t find any exuberant melodies, but if you let his sounds carry you away, you’ll

end up in places you’ve never been before.

Night Beds (US) Folk

Night Beds is a Nashville by way of Colorado Springs indie-folk formation. After having released three EPs, they’ve now joined the Dead Oceans roster by releasing a wonderful 7” on that label. Their sound is really open and sparsely arranged. Apart from having a very qualified vocalist, these arrangements are the band’s strong suit; their light and breathable songs have so much air and space in them, it’s like they’re actually floating.

Peepholes (UK) Lo-Fi, Experimental

Peepholes is a duo from Brighton. Katia Barrett does the drums and vocals and Nick Carlisle plays the keyboards. They make lo-fi synthgaze music with limited equipment and lots of reverb. Their Caligula EP, on Upset! The Rhythm records (John

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Maus, No Age, Lucky Dragons), is hypnotic and a slightly spooky. The title track in particular is an excellent showcase for their talents. Peepholes first ever gig in the Benelux will be at Le Guess Who? 2012, so take a peek.

The Pyramids (US) Psychedelic, Free jazz

Now this is something special: meet The Pyramids, an American free jazz orchestra. They were founded in 1972, and broke up five years later. But the band reunited some years ago to spread their Sun Ra-esque splendour all over the world. In a spectacular comeback the band has performed at lots of big jazz festivals, like Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Enjoy Jazz Festival in Heidelberg and Worldwide Festival in Séte, France. This is forty-year old free jazz played by musicians who haven’t lost any of their virtuosity; it’s truly sensational.

Sinkane (US) Experimental, Psychedelic, Shoegaze

The name Sinkane, born Ahmed Gallab, probably doesn’t ring any bells, but be assured that this man paid his dues. He played drums and more in Caribou, of Montreal and Born Ruffians, and he’s currently involved in Yeasayer. Sinkane’s wide range of influences and experience is reflected in his dance music. Apart from the obvious Yeasayer connection, he’s throwing krautrock, afrobeat, shoegaze and psychedelia into his fresh and constantly evolving style. Recently signed to the prestigious DFA Records, Sinkane is destined to make a name for himself.

The Soft Moon (US) Post-punk, Shoegaze, Coldwave

There are few bands that sound as 80’s-informed as The Soft Moon. Hell, if you didn’t know any better, you might think they’re some obscure band from the legendary Factory Records label. It’s like walking into a time capsule. With each album they

friday 30 nov 2012

release, more people get addicted to their shoegazing, coldwaving postpunk sound. The release date for their upcoming full-length is October 30, so you’ve got some time to get to know the new record. Take our word for this: you really don’t want to miss this intense live band’s only Dutch show this tour.

St. Paul Psycho (NL) Garage, Punk, Lo-fi

St. Paul is one of Holland’s most successful indie/pop DJs. He’s played at almost every Dutch festival, is resident DJ at Tivoli’s thriving Thursday night Pop-O-Matic and does shows on both radio and TV. You could call him a diverse DJ, but not tonight, not at Fuzzbox. Tonight it’s all about the 1, 2, 3, 4! St. Paul will douse you in nothing but the best guitar bands in the world: Splashh, DIIV, Ramones, Gun Club, Cloud Nothings and many more. Stay hydrated, bring a change of clothes, and most importantly, do the Psycho!

Suuns (US) Post-punk, Shoegaze, Krautrock

In October 2010 Montreal band Suuns released their debut Zeroes QC, which catapulted them instantaneously into the indie arena. Their mixture of krautrock, shoegaze and electronics crawls under your skin and grabs you by the throat, determined not to let go. Their live performances are even more exciting than their records, their brilliant performance at Le Guess Who? 2011 is testimony to this. And the band thoroughly enjoyed playing our festival, because they’re dying to pay us another visit. Right now, the band is preparing their second album, so they’ll be playing a lot of new material this year. Sneak preview time!

Valleys (CA) Folk, Post-rock

After various line-up changes, Montreal-based trio Valleys is currently comprised of long-time collaborators Marc St. Louis and Matilda Perks. They combine folk-ish sounds with post-rock textures; like Rue Ro-

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yale jamming with Mogwai. Their debut album, Sometimes Water Kills People, was recorded and co-produced by Alec Dippie from legendary British post-punk group The Monochrome Set. Valleys also wrote the soundtrack to the Belgian film Hors Les Murs, which will hit theatres this November. That’s what you call well planned, because several weeks later, they’re playing Le Guess Who?

Why? (US) Indie, Hip-hop

Why did we book Why? Because this American alt hip-hop and indie rock band has been around for fifteen years. And they have released their fifth album, Mumps, Etc, this October. Because this band has collaborated with acts like 13 & God, Xiu Xiu and DJ Krush. Because singer Yoni Wolf used to be in cLOUDDEAD. And because his band mate and brother Josiah has made a successful solo-album. Because their live shows are filled with virtuoso drumming, inimitable rap and vocal work, and unexpected twists. Now that’s why!

2013

MET O.A.

& AMSTERDAM SINFONIETTA

PATRICK WATSON ÓLAFUR ARNALDS &ORKEST

HAUSCHKA MUSIC MINING

RACHEL GRIMES MET STRIJKTRIO DO 28.02 VREDENBURG UTRECHT ZO 03.03 DE DOELEN ROTTERDAM

VR 01.03 MUZIEKGEBOUW EINDHOVEN

ZA 02.03 PARADISO AMSTERDAM

MA 04.03 DE OOSTERPOORT WWW.CROSS-LINX.NL GRONINGEN

saturday 1 dec 2012 >> Adrian Sherwood

Mac DeMarco

Amenra

Mala

Beak>

Man From The South

Benji B

Matana Roberts

Birdt

Oathbreaker

Camera

Objekt

Cate Le Bon

Old Apparatus

Chain and the Gang

Palmbomen (live)

DĂŠbruit

Prince Rama

Erin Lang and The

Ravens and Chimes

Foundlings

Sunflare

Grimes

Team Ghost

Grup Ses Beats

Tim Hecker

Lucrecia Dalt

Zammuto

Machinedrum

SATURDAY 1 DEC 2012

Adrian Sherwood (UK) Dub, Electronic, Reggae

During Le Guess Who? 2010, Scientist blew us away with insane amounts of bass, but this year, Adrian Sherwood might just outdo him. He’s the founding father of legendary dub label On-U Sound, and has been playing the field for quite some time now. In his 30year long career, he’s worked with artists ranging from Lee “Scratch” Perry, Depeche Mode and The Cure. On-U Sound released over 100 albums and singles, the label launched the careers of many musicians and influenced countless others. Jah Bless!

Amenra (BE) Sludge, Post-hardcore

On a loudness scale ranging from 1 to 10, Amenra would go up all the way to 11. This Belgian sludge/post-metal band has been operating on the frontline of those metallic genres for almost ten years now. Their dark, heartfelt and compelling music is backed up perfectly by their intense live show. With their inaccessible performance and all black stage attire, they create

an unmatchable atmosphere. Though the band doesn’t spend much time on the road, we’ve managed to bring them back to dB’s for this year’s edition of Le Guess Who?.

Beak> (UK) Electronic, Experimental, Ambient

Why is Beak> using that bracket in their name? Maybe they’re trying to tell us that they’re better than all those that came before them, or that their sound as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The band, which includes Geoff Barrow of Portishead fame, melts krautrock, dub and a range of different sound effects into a menacing, claustrophobic whole. In stark contrast with Geoff’s work in Portishead, most songs are recorded in single, live takes. After playing as Anika’s backing band at last year’s Le Guess Who?, Beak> is coming back with their own grade-A material.

Benji B (UK) Electronic, Dubstep

BBC Radio DJ Benji B can play just

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about everything in the beat spectrum. Whether it’s dubstep, grime, electronic jazz, breaks or bass music; he knows how to separate the wheat from the chaff. After the success of his long-running show on BBC 1Xtra, he managed to score a slot on its big brother BBC One. If you want to hear what’s hot and happening, Benji B is your man.

Birdt (NL) Folk, Singer-songwriter

Birdt is Bardt van der Dennen backed up by Janne Mansens. They like to keep things simple, playing nononsense, melancholic songs using elements from country, folk and Americana. The band enjoys playing acoustically, using their music to tell stories in true folk tradition. Live, the pair shares vocal duties, adding guitar, violin, clarinet and accordion to create a full-bodied sound. Their new album is out this November, so you can expect a lot of fresh new songs from this pure and sincere folk act.

Camera (DE) Krautrock

During krautrock’s heydays in the early 70’s acts like Can, Faust and Neu! cultivated a creative climate for German experimental music. Nowadays, some krauts still proudly continue this tradition. Camera from Berlin plays dubbed-out krautrock, they’ve collaborated with pioneers like Neu!’s Micael Rother and Dieter Moebuis from Cluster. These guys like to play guerilla gigs in public places, droning on untill they’re stopped by the cops. Lets hope that the police won’t show up when they’re playing at Le Guess Who?.

Cate Le Bon (UK) Folk, Electronic, Singer-songwriter

Cate Le Bon is a singer-songwriter from Wales. The ball started rolling for her when Super Furry Animals singer Gruff Rhys took her along on tour, back in 2007. Since then, she’s played at big UK festivals like Latitude, Glastonbury and Green Man. At first glance, many elements of Cate’s work might strike you as contradictory. Her

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songs combine electronics with 60’sinspired folk. Cate sings in English and Welsh, using her distinct vocal melodies to create songs that are both haunting and disarming.

Chain and the Gang (US) Garage rock, Soul

Jack-of-all-trades Ian Svenonius, has played in numerous bands, hosts a music program for Vice TV and is a published author. His latest project is called Chain and the Gang. This band feels like a culmination of all his previous musical work, fusing Make Up’s garage rock, with Weird War’s eclectic funk. The result is a stripped-down, swaggering rock & roll band, with a psychedelic edge and a funky attitude. His songs ooze with both sleaze and Marxist ideology.

Débruit (FR) Electronic, Hip-hop, Glitch hop

In a scene overrun by generic EDM, one indomitable Gaul still holds out against the invaders. Xander Thomas is fighting back with his Débruit pro-

ject. He combines instrumental hiphop, tropical bass, wonky synth-lines and a house vibes, sometimes all in one track. But mere genre-classification would not do this Frenchman justice, cause his particular brand of music has a very personal feel. Xander’s latest offer, From the Horizon, is a striking example of his eclectic style. His talents have not gone unnoticed, as a wide range of artists, like Zero7, Hot Chip and Lee Perry, have asked him to remix their tunes.

Erin Lang and The Foundlings (CA) Singer-songwriter, Electronic

Erin Lang is a singer/songwriter from Montreal. She really started blossoming in the summer of 2000, when Roger O’Donnell, who then played keys in The Cure, encouraged Lang to focus on a career in music. The pair has worked together ever since. This turned out to be a match made in heaven, as Erin’s sweet, angelic vocals blend seamlessly with Roger’s synth-lines. Live she performs with The Foundlings: Tim Adams on

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drums, Nick Lisher on guitar, and, of course, Roger on keyboards.

Grimes (CA) Experimental, Synth pop

At 24 years of age, Claire Boucher is one of today’s biggest upcoming talents. In 2006 she moved from Vancouver to Montreal and rooted deeply in this city’s D.I.Y. scene. As Grimes, she combines the punk ethos with pop music. This girl is influenced by a wide range of genres like IDM, new age, K-pop and industrial. In 2012, all of this culminated in her current sound, which is both futuristic and otherworldly. With four releases in two years, Grimes is nothing if not productive; her third full-length, Visions, has been released on 4AD this year. The album contains dreamy electronica and synthpop. But her live shows are way more bass-heavy and dance floor oriented.

Grup Ses Beats (TR) Hip-hop, Electronic

Grup Ses Beats is a electronic duo

from Turkey. In their home country, they’ve played with big acts such as The Gaslamp Killer and Gonjasufi. But they’re also influenced by Madlib, J Dilla and Dimlite. GSB combines Western instrumental hip-hop with Turkish traditional music, creating a unique blend. This is probably one of the first times they’ve played abroad, so please be nice to them at Le Guess Who? 2012.

Lucrecia Dalt (ES) Singer-songwriter, Folk, Ambient

Dalt’s website notes “The Sound of Lucrecia a.k.a Lucrecia Dalt creates a whimsical, star spangled electronic indie experience that blurs old fashioned distinctions between studio and stage, performing and recording”. Let’s put that into perspective: Lucrecia Dalt sounds like Nite Jewel and The xx fooling around during an after-after-party. Dalt was part of the Red Bull Music Academy, where her work was met with rave reviews “Dalt spins everything out herself: soft singing, the lumbering drumkit, the drawling guitar, the alienated drum

SATURDAY 1 DEC 2012

Grimes 50

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machine and an arsenal of effects that distance and estrange”. All quotes aside, this is one senorita you can’t afford to miss.

Machinedrum (US) IDM, Glitch-hop

Travis Stewart is one busy guy. Alongside Om Unit, he’s part of the juke/ ghettotech project Dream Continuum. As 50% of Sepalcure, he releases mellowed-out dub, techno and house. But when he’s wearing his Machinedrum hat, there’s nothing mellow about Stewart. As Machinedrum his music packs a lot more punch. Although you might know this man from funky glitch-hop bangers such as “Alarma”, his new SXLND EP is darker and more techno-informed. We’re wondering which of his many sides he’ll show at our festival.

Mac DeMarco (CA) Lo-Fi, Retro-pop

After recording several obscure cassette-only releases under the moniker Makeout Videotape, Montreal’s Mac

DeMarco has signed to Brooklyn’s Captured Tracks in his own name. His first release, Rock and Roll Night Club, was a lo-fi documentation of the, then 21-year old, singer’s musical journey. The EP showcases Mac’s growth as an artist, as he tackles a variety of musical styles. His second release is simply titled 2. On this LP, the Canadian crooner comes into his own as a singer and producer. DeMarco strikes the perfect balance between heartfelt honesty and not taking himself so serious. His disarming odes to urban squalor will be stuck in your head for quite some time.

Mala in Cuba (UK) Dubstep, Electronic

You could call Mala the godfather of dubstep. Bold as this may sound, his resume is impressive indeed. As one half of legendary pioneering collective Digital Mystikz, he’s produced some pioneering tunes and he owns the highly acclaimed Deep Medi Musik label. This year the man did something special; he recorded his new album In Cuba, with local musicians. This

SATURDAY 1 DEC 2012

created an unsurpassed authentic live sound, which gives the music lots of personality and punch. On this tour, Mala is backed by a live band and this show will be the Dutch debut for his new sound.

Man From The South (NL) Singer-songwriter

Man From The South is a man from the South of the Netherlands. He hails from Eindhoven to be specific. Last September, the upcoming singersongwriter released his debut Koblenz on the renowned Dutch label Quadrafoon Records (Shaking Godspeed, Hooghwater). They sure took their time though, because the record had been sitting on a dusty shelf for three long years. When the album finally saw the light, its splendour was revealed for all to see. On this bittersweet debut, the songwriter presents us with 10 poignant and intimate songs filled with melancholy.

Matana Roberts (US) Jazz

Matana Roberts is a jazz saxophonist

and composer based in New York City. She’s played with bands like TV on the Radio and Godspeed You Black Emperor!, but she also has an impressive discography of her own. As one of the leading ladies in African-American experimental music, she’s redefining the jazz traditions with her COIN COIN project. Combining narrative, theatre and music, this mesmerizing performance is her personal exploration of African-American history. Expect atmospheric vocals, desolate strings and demonic free jazz explosions.

Oathbreaker (BE) Hardcore, Metalcore

Oathbreaker is a chaotic hardcore band from Belgium. They’ll have the honour to play with sludge giants Amenra at this year’s Le Guess Who? festival. But there are some differences between these two bands. While Amenra likes to take it slow, and sometimes stretches their compositions past the 10-minute mark, Oathbreaker is much more straightforward; their frantic, 3-minute songs hit you like a punch in the face. The band describes their sound as “a packed nuclear arsenal”.

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To top things off, their frontwoman is equipped with a voice unmatched in its brutality.

Objekt (UK) Techno, Dubstep

Back in 2011, Objekt really put us all on the wrong track: the British-born, Berlin-based techno producer released his first 12”, Objekt #1, packed with techno-influenced dubstep. Tracks like “Tinderbox” were very well received and dubstep promoters all over the world lined up to book this guy. But Objekt had already moved on. His sophomore release, Objekt #2, hardly had any dubstep on it; on this disc, it’s all pumping and rolling modern techno. But always with a smart twist that makes him sound different from everyone else. If there’s one producer who deserves the label ‘post-techno’, Objekt is your man.

Old Apparatus (UK) Dupstep, Ambient, Experimental

Who or what is Old Apparatus? This London collective is veiled in mystery.

Similar to others in their genre, like Burial and Zomby, very little is known about these guys or girls. The group’s self-titled debut came out in 2010 on Mala’s Deep Medi Musik label. But that doesn’t make Old Apparatus pure dubstep. Their sound is less bass-oriented, contains hints of pop, experimental synth-lines and much more. This act proves that there’s hope in these anxious post-dubstep days.

Palmbomen (live) (NL) Chillwave, Psychedelic

Back in 2010, chillwave was the way to go. A lot of artists released very similar sounding material, but Amsterdam’s Kai Hugo managed to rise above the herd. As Palmbomen he added some Italo and disco to the glo-fi template and created a catchy sound with a distinguished retro-feel. His first EP, Moon Children, was well received both in Holland and abroad. He used to perform solo, just him and his vintage analogue synths. But recently, Kai started playing with a live band, adding LED visuals to complete the spectacle.

SATURDAY 1 DEC 2012

Prince Rama (US) Psychedelic, Tribal

This Brooklyn-based trio left the Hare Krishna movement in 2007 to start a psychedelic band. Prince Rama sounds like three equal parts of Amon Düül, Animal Collective and Gang Gang Dance. This year, the tribal dance group got an offer they couldn’t refuse, when Animal Collective asked the threesome to support them on their European tour. Now, instead of playing in bars for crowds of around 50 people, the band saw their audience soar to the thousands. This year’s gig at Le Guess Who? will take them back to a more intimate setting, where their ritualistic live shows can once again attract a rabid cult following.

Ravens and Chimes (US) Chamber pop, Baroque

Ravens & Chimes are a chamber pop formation from New York. They have added a mandolin, glockenspiel, and harmonium to their collection of instruments, and not just because it looks cool in their bio. This band wants to

fully explore the sonic palette and strives for the best possible sounds. Their songs start off subdued and comely, but they stir up these calm waters with furious sonic bursts. Produced by Arcade Fire drummer Howard Bilerman, their debut album, Reichenbach Falls, kick-started the quintet’s career. On follow-up, Holiday Life, the group sounds more polished, and manages to show the full scope of their ambition and passion.

Sunflare (PT) Noise-rock, Lo-fi, Psychedelic

Sunflare is an ear-splittingly loud noiserock band from Portugal. This harsh lofi formation is one of those acts you’ve probably never heard of, but who will blow you away nonetheless. Why not make some room in your festival schedule to see these freaked-out psychedelic Portuguese? The group describes their sound as “music that rises from spontaneous collective energy and heavy-fuzz blown out rock and roll”. You have been warned!

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Team Ghost (FR) Post-punk, Shoegaze, Electronic

Team Ghost is a five-piece that mixes post-punk and shoegaze with electronic elements. Nicolas Fromageau, former founding member of M83, returned to the stage with Team Ghost in 2009. After releasing some EP’s and racking up stage experience by supporting Crystal Castles on their European tour, his new group is now working on their debut album; Rituals is expected in early 2013, and the first single “Dead Film Star” has left us hungry for more.

Tim Hecker (CA) Ambient, Drone

Tim Hecker’s tunes have laid bare the generation gap. Your grandmother would cry out: “this is not music”. You could describe his sound as “structured ambient”, “tectonic colour plates” or “cathedral electronic music”, yet it wouldn’t convince her. But who cares what she thinks! Hecker’s compositions are a fascinating but elusive blend of noise and ambient, of dissonance and

harmony. And it’s not just the sounds: live, his music has a physical element as well. The sub-bass pulsates through the room and the static sends a chill up your spine. Since 1996, Tim Hecker has been at the forefront of the international ambient-scene, and we’re really glad to have him back in Utrecht for Le Guess Who?.

Zammuto (US) Lo-Fi, Experimental, Electronic

In January 2012, New York City-bred experimental duo The Books broke up. But not long after they called it quits, singer Nick Zammuto started over with a new band, the aptly titled Zammuto. With this four-piece, he takes things in a different direction: on the group’s self-titled debut album Nick eschews cut-and-paste electronica in favour of experimental instrumental work, reminiscent of acts like Battles and Dan Deacon. Fans and critics alike welcomed Zammuto with open arms. Here’s hoping that these guys will be every bit as big as The Books.

sunday 2 dec 2012 >> Adrian Crowley

Land Observations

Acid Baby Jesus

Luyas, The

Allah-Las

Nick Waterhouse

Brat Farrar

Night Beats

Destroyer

Paul Collins Beat

DIIV

Revival Hour, The

Cheatahs

Ringo Deathstarr

Feeling Of Love, The

Sharon van Etten

Fidlar

Traumahelikopter

Grouper

Ty Segall

Hayden

White Fence

Jacco Gardner

Xray Eyeballs

Jerusalem In My Heart

SUNDAY 2 DEC 2012

Adrian Crowley (IE) Folk, Singer-songwriter

Adrian Crowley is a singer-songwriter from Dublin. He released his first album in 1999 and his star has been rising ever since. After his record Long Distance Swimmer was nominated for the Choice Music Prize in 2008, the quality of his work has only been growing. With the recently released I See Three Birds Flying, he has further solidified his reputation as an excellent songwriter. People describe his sound as “a heartbroken steam engine whistling Tennyson’s ‘In Memoriam’ as set to music by Leonard Cohen”, so you’re really in for at treat!

Acid Baby Jesus (GR) Garage rock, Garage punk, Psychedelic

What’s up with all those lo-fi garage rock groups and their weird band-names? On the same night as Xray Eyeballs, we’ll give you Acid Baby Jesus. This band is from Athens. Not indie mecca Athens, Georgia, but good old fashioned Athens, Greece. This just might make them the first ever Greek

band to play Le Guess Who?. Last year, they’ve released their self-titled debut on the small garage-label Slovenly Records and now they’re ready to take over the world. These guys show that you don’t have to come from Texas or California to play kick-ass garage rock.

Allah-Las (US) Garage rock, Surf, Psychedelic

Allah-Las is a psychedelic 60’s band from Los Angeles. This year, the band released their self-titled debut, filled with laid-back retro-sounding surf pop. They’ve also done an unusually sized eight-inch split with Nick Waterhouse. All the guys in Allah-Las are surfers and their sound is like a musical reflection Venice Beach’s geography. Strongly influenced by classic LA bands like The Byrds and Captain Beefheart, these boys have earned their spurs back home and soon they’ll have the whole of Europe grooving to their laid-back sound.

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Brat Farrar (AU) Garage rock, New wave, Lo-fi

For this new musical project, Sam Agostino took the name of the leading lad from a 1949 crime novel. After leaving his previous band Digger and the Pussycats behind, he was reborn as the all-singing, all-dancing, one-man new wave machine that is Bratt Farrar. Taking his D.I.Y. approach to the ultimate level, Farrar comes crashing down from his Melbourne bedroom with songs that sound like they where recorded ages ago.

Destroyer (CA) Lo-fi, Folk, Electronic

When you see the name Destroyer, you’ll probably think of a punk or metal band. Well, you couldn’t be further from the truth. This project, started by Dan Bejar, incorporated lo-fi folktronica and cynical indie rock. The band’s sound fully solidified on last year’s Kaputt, which topped almost every notable end-of-year-list around. With this record, Dan established himself as one of modern popular music’s most sudden success stories. So let Destroyer

take you on a warm and well-informed musical journey that will give you everything you could ever desire.

DIIV (US) Post-punk, Krautrock

The new golden boys on Captured Track’s roster are DIIV. Among their all-star line-up are Beach Fossils’ Cole Smith and ex-Smith Western Colby Hewitt. The band found their name ‘Dive’ to be a tad too ordinary, so they changed it to the more exotic looking, but same-sounding ‘DIIV’. They tried to tell us that it was out of respect for some obscure Belgian industrial band, but in fact, it was just the start of their deviously planned hype campaign. But these boys prove they’re more than mere fluff, their well-informed krautrock and post-punk manages to sound both retro and timeless.

Cheatahs (UK) Genre: Lo-fi, Shoegaze

Starting out as a lo-fi bedroom project by London-based Nathan Hewitt, Cheatahs quickly grew to a four-pie-

SUNDAY 2 DEC 2012

ce after the Canadian-born multiinstrumentalist recruited some of his friends. The band had some releases on small local labels, most notably on Marshall Teller Records. This London imprint, for which Nathan designed the logo, saw budding bands like The Vaccines and Gross Magic grow to global indie-fame. It seems like Cheatahs is now following in those band’s footsteps, as they have now been swept up by Wichita Records. Now, with a slew of new material in tow and a debut LP coming up, these guys are determined to show you what they’re worth.

The Feeling Of Love (FR) Garage rock, Lo-Fi

What do you know about The Feeling of Love? Do you know that they started out as a one-man project, but that they’ve developed into a threepiece? That they’re from France? That they’ve toured with bands like Thee Oh Sees and Ty Segall? That they’ve even released a 7” tour split with everyone’s favourite garage-rock wonder boy? That they play psyche-

delic garage rock & roll in the vein of Oblivians, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, and Doo Rag? All you need to know is that we love you and that we love The Feeling of Love!

FIDLAR (US) Lo-fi, Garage rock, Skate punk

With a name short for “Fuck It Dog, Life’s A Risk”, and songs like “Wake Bake Skate”, FIDLAR have become known as LA’s number one skatepunk band. These guys grew up spoon-fed on the Internet and D.I.Y. culture, doing everything from home recording to silk-screening their own shirts. Now, instead of spending their days stoned behind a computer, they’ve been touring around the world. And if their stage reputation is anything to go by, you can be sure that these guys will never have to do an honest day of work in their life.

Grouper (US) Ambient, Drone, Shoegaze

Grouper is Liz Harris’ one-woman ambient project. Her first album,

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back in 2005, was a self-titled and self-released CD-R. Since then, she’s been nothing if not prolific: sometimes releasing up to three records in one year. Liz released a split with Xiu Xiu and joined Animal Collective on their Merriweather Post Pavillion tour. With her avant-garde playing style and dreamy vocals, she will take you to the depths of her suspenseful and strangely beautiful nightmares.

Hayden (CA) Folk, Singer-songwriter

Hayden Desser started making music in 1995 and has gained a lot of followers since then. Each of his records is released on his own small music label, Hardwood Records, which also released music by Basia Bulat and Cuff the Duke. His voice sounds like Neil Young and Leonard Cohen with specks of J. Mascis; so it’s no wonder that The National personally invited this singer-songwriter along. It’s been four long years since Hayden played Le Guess Who?, so it’s good to have him back in 2012.

The Luyas (CA) Experimental, Electronic, Folk

As Le Guess Who? visitor, you probably know all about Montreal’s fertile independent music scene. The Luyas is one of the standout acts from this bountiful Canadian city, and they have strong ties with other local bands: the four-piece shares members with Arcade Fire, Miracle Fortress and Bell Orchestre. On top of their already unorthodox instrumentation, their singer, Jesse Stein, is equipped with a custom-built, 12-stringed electronic zither. This ‘Moodswinger’ was designed Holland’s very own experimental luthier Yuri Landman. So if your mood could use some swinging in the upward direction, you should definitely check out The Luyas!

Jacco Gardner (NL) Baroque pop, Psychedelic

Jacco Gardner is a neo-psych musician from the Netherlands. He plays keys in The Skywalkers and Lola Kite, but for his solo work he takes things in a different direction. By drenching

SUNDAY 2 DEC 2012

classical sounds like harpsichords, flutes and strings in a thick coat of 60’s psychedelia, he’s continuing the all but forgotten ‘baroque pop’ tradition. His debut 7”, Where Will You Go, was released on international garage label Trouble In Mind Records, which also sports releases by Ty Segall and The Fresh & Onlys. This young Dutch craftsman is really going places.

Jerusalem In My Heart (LB) Electronic, Psychedelic, Visual

Jerusalem In My Heart is the name of the collaboration between filmmaker Malena Szlam and musician Radwan Ghazi Moumneh. The project lies somewhere between visual installation, theatre and Middle Eastern electro performance. JIMH could best be described as a happening instead of just a concert. The Chilean filmmaker Malena takes care of the visual aspect, while Moumneh combines authentic Arabic music with electronics and elements of psych. This creates a complete, musical, visual and theatrical experience. The piece has been performed in Beirut, Damascus,

Paris and Montreal, and now it’s time for Utrecht and Le Guess Who? to be submerged in this exclusive piece of work.

Land Observations (UK) Krautrock, Ambient

Land Observations is James Brooks and James Brooks is Land Observations. This London based artist and musician explores the relationship between layered guitars and understated, krautrock-like 4/4 beats called “Motorik”. While this may sound like a strange combination at first, it actually works like a dream. The tapped rhythm and plucked guitar swarm around each other, like little tadpoles in a pond. Now, with a debut release on Mute under his belt, he’s finally ready to share his compositions with the world!

Nick Waterhouse (US) Garage Rock, Rhythm & Blues, Soul

Nick Waterhouse is the latest rising star on the prominent label Stones Throw, which also features Mayer Hawthorne, Madlib and J Dilla. Nick plays rhythm

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& blues like there’s no tomorrow: raw, rhythmic and exciting, simple yet grooving and catchy. His debut album, Time’s All Gone, is a vibrant and soulful album on which he cleverly mixes classic R&B with contemporary influences. His live show at EKKO was very convincing, so Le Guess Who? invited him to come back to Utrecht.

Night Beats (US) Garage Rock, Psychedelic

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the name Night Beats? If you said electronic dance music, you might end up disappointed, because this psych-soul garage group is nothing like that! The band formed in 2009 when drummer James Traeger moved from Austin to Seattle, where he met guitarist/singer Lee Blackwell and bassist Tarek Wegner. Since then, the band released their self-titled debut and toured North America extensively, alongside bands like The Black Angels and Black Lips. Night Beats is a great band, which can’t be missed at our garage night.

Paul Collins Beat (US) Genre: Power pop, New wave

In their native United States you can just call Paul Collins’ Beat ‘The Beat’. But in Europe, we use that prefix to differentiate them from the English two-tone ska band of the same name. Paul Collins’ Beat has been around since 1977 and since then, bandleader, singer and guitarist Paul Collins has led them through several incarnations. Now his band is back, which is great news, because otherwise we wouldn’t have one of the best power pop bands in the world at our festival. Paul’s still alive and kicking after 35 years!

The Revival Hour (US) Folk, Lo-Fi

The Revival Hour is a relatively new collaborative project between DM Stith and John Mark Lapham from The Earlies. With just two hundred likes on Facebook, this is one of those new acts you don’t want to miss at this year’s Le Guess Who?. Their sound richly orchestrated sound is folky like Woods and cheerful like

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Passion Pit. “It’s something I’m really quite proud of. It’s got a life of its own — it’s got heart.” DM Stith said about his latest project. His colleague Lapham has played Le Guess Who? before with a different partner; back in 2009, he played here with Micah P. Hinson as The Late Cord.

Ringo Deathstarr (US) Shoegaze, Noise pop

Ringo Deathstarr is a shoegaze band from Austin. They’ve obviously had My Bloody Valentine on repeat for quite a while, which is why their 2011 album, Colour Trip, almost sounds like a modern-day interpretation of Loveless. But Fugazi has also influenced these Texans. Because of this their sound is faster and more driven than Kevin Shields and Co. Most of the songs on Colour Trip don’t even pass the three-minute mark. The band used Kickstarter to pay for the successor and reached their goal by gaining 145% of the set target. Now that’s some serious crowdfunding!

Sharon van Etten (US) Folk, Singer-songwriter

Sharon Van Etten made an incredible impression at this year’s Le Guess Who? May Day, so we asked her back straight away to play the real thing. This year, the singer from Brooklyn released her third album, Tramp, on Jagjaguwar records. Aaron Dessner from The National was in charge of the mixing and a variety of musicians from acts like Beirut, Wye Oak, Julianna Barwick and Anthony & the Johnsons have added their contributions. This big list resulted in a great record. Van Etten is probably one of the best female vocalists out there at the moment.

TRAUMAHELIKOPTER (NL) Garage rock, Lo-fi, Psychedelic

Traumahelikopter is the Dutch word for rescue helicopter. Something you might need after seeing this trio play, because this “primitive garage rock ‘n roll with hints of lo-fi psychedelia and punk” will definitely mess up any venue. Hailing from Groningen, these rascals have already shared the

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stage with a lot of big names in their scene, like Ty Segall, Mark Sultan and The Spits. Traumahelikopter’s motto is ‘grit your teeth’, so hold on tight and enjoy the ride!

Ty Segall (US) Garage rock, Lo-Fi, Psychedelic

Who doesn’t enjoy some pure and honest garage rock every once in a while? If you do, then Ty Segall is your man. He also played Le Guess Who? in 2010, and we’re really happy to have him back, because Ty is really something else. Whether he’s collaborating with artists like Mikal Cronin, White Fence, Sic Alps or Thee Oh Sees, playing with his recently formed Ty Segall Band, or just flying solo, he’ll never fail to deliver. His lo-fi, neo-psych garage with 60’s sing-alongs and lots of reverb will leave you drenched in sweat, bleeding from your ears and with your face melted off.

WHITE FENCE (US) Garage Rock, Psychedelic

Tim Presley is one talented guy: He used to spend his days in hardcore

band The Nerve Agents and garage rock band The Strange Boys, and nowadays he’s the guitar player and singer in psychedelic band Darker My Love. But his solo project White Fence is the most exciting of them all; psychedelic and distorted garage pop is what this is all about. After touring with Ty Segall and Woods earlier this year, Tim is all warmed up for White Fence’s first ever European tour, which includes Le Guess Who?.

Xray Eyeballs (US) Garage rock, Post-punk

They don’t just have one of the most awesome band names ever; Xray Eyeballs also make music to match. Since their first release in 2009, they’ve streamlined their sound, and replaced their drum machine with a flesh and blood one. These Brooklynites combine lo-fi garage rock with tatters of new wave and 80’s noise pop. This works well, as you can hear on their latest record Splendor Squalor, released on Kanine Records (Chairlift, Grizzly Bear, Surfer Blood). Promising band!

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RESTORED AND DIGITALLY REMASTERED BY DAVID LYNCH

DAVID LYNCH PRESENTS ERASERHEAD WITH JOHN NANCE, CHARLOTTE STEWART, LAUREL NEAR, JEANNE BATES AND ALLEN JOSEPH. CAMERA AND LIGHT FREDERICK ELMES AND HUBERT CARDWELL, SOUND ALAN R. SPLET AND DAVID LYNCH. WRITTEN, PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY DAVID LYNCH. COPYRIGHT : © 2006 ABSURDA ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.