The day has just about arrived! Tomorrow morning you’ll find out whether or not you’re one of the lucky ones who’ll be heading to Woodword, QLD, for the tenth annual Splendour in the Grass Festival. But before the day arrives, here are the top FIVE music videos by the bands you can’t miss at this years festival!
5
Band of Horses – Is There A Ghost?
Calling the music this band produces stunningly beautiful is an understatement. Since 2004, Band of Horses have slowly but surely built up this reputation – becoming a must see band on any line up they find themselves in. During my recent trip to SXSW in Austin, Texas, their performance in a church became a highlight for many, including myself. Not a bad accomplishment when you have the competition of almost 2,000 bands! And performing new material, off of Infinite Arms, released on May 18th, at both this event and at Splendour in July, you better believe they’ll once again be a highlight for all who attend. In this track, we go back to 2007 with “Is There A Ghost?” – a beautiful song and a great video, their first to hit the Billboard Charts. See you in the crowd!
4
Pixies – Debaser
It’s not easy picking a favourite Pixies song, but when it comes to videos, Debaser is an easy choice. Inspired by the classic silent film”Un Chien Andalou”, by Luís Buñuel and Salvador Dalí, to me Debaser perfectly captures the spirit of the band. It’s no surprise, therefore, that it’s a constant fixture on many artist’s Rage countdowns. They’ll be a hard ticket on the bill to beat!
3
Yeasayer – O.N.E.
This was honestly the hardest choice on the list – with the other single off of their Sophomore LP Odd Blood, “Ambling Alp”, proving itself just as viable a contender. But with bizarre morphing heads, an energetic performance behind a fence, futuristic cubes and catchy melodies, this rather epic clip came out on top. Having had the opportunity to catch these guys when they were last in Australia, I can attest to their brilliance live – not always achievable for the more experimental of groups. But they definitely bring it on stage, and belong on any “must see” list!
Watch it now! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLrKDGZx15c
2
Grizzly Bear – Ready, Able
Claymation! You’re back! And in fine form, indeed. “Ready, Able”, off of Grizzly Bear’s acclaimed LP Veckatimest, was by no means an instant favourite on the album. In fact, for at least the first month of owning the album, the slow build up led me to skip to the quicker to love tracks, such as “Two Weeks”. But then you finally give the track patience, and low and behold it’s probably the most touching, beautiful song on the record. At about 2 minutes in, the song changes, becoming a melody concocted by someone who enjoys merry-go-rounds; watching life pass by as they go in circles. I’m sure you have your own vivid imagery on listening to the song, but for a track that rewards its listeners patience, there are few better. And for a video to then provide us with some good old claymation? Well, it made the choice all the easier.
1
The Strokes – Heart in a Cage
“Heart in a Cage” represents a defining moment in the history of The Stokes for me. It was when I went from liking the band to LOVING the band. Set in the streets and high atop the roofs of NYC (and actually filmed there, apparently, not in front of a green screen) in black and white, “Heart in a Cage” is the epitome of the music video. A showcase of the band in all their splendour, set against the backdrop of the place they love – all the while presented stylistically, with a precise eye. And with the song garnering energy that few can match, the combination is electrifying. This was an easy choice for number one – and it will be great to see the boys back in action at Splendour 2010.
So that does it for our top 20 music videos of Splendour 2010, as we gear up for the stress of ticket sales tomorrow morning! We hope you enjoyed the countdown, regardless if you agreed with us or not! And we wish you ALL the best of luck tomorrow – hopefully we’ll see you up there!
