Staff Blog
F Yeah Fest, July 11, Starlight Ballroom
posted by colleen brogan
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| Monotonix |
| Photo | Colleen Brogan |
This past Friday, F-yeah Fest 2008 rolled into the Starlight Ballroom, its amorphous collection of artists, comedians and musicians in tow. Aside from cultivating an alternative fan base, FYF takes a political edge by supporting causes like the U.S. Campaign for Burma. It’s come a long way from its modest origins in L.A.’s Echo Park — this year, they rattled off 27 dates in as many days; the last show went down July 13 in Brooklyn.
Ami Shaley, frontwoman of Israel’s Monotonix, started her band’s set by mooning the crowd during the first song. The band made a spontaneous exit out the fire escape to play in the street, culminating when drummer Ran Simoni, kit and all, was lifted above the crowd and played on the shoulders of fans.
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| Matt and Kim |
| Photo | Colleen Brogan |
Next up was Matt & Kim, charming Brooklynites who played a short, poppy set, he on the keyboard, she blasting away on the drums. Matt kept trying to get the stage hands to turn the spotlight onto her and away from him, even though he was the one singing.
Icons Dillinger 4 and Circle Jerks closed out the evening, but the biggest noise of the night came from local heroes Paint it Black. There was a telling change before they took the stage, as the lighthearted, Ray-Ban-donning hipsters who’d been bouncing along to Matt and Kim’s “Yea Yeah” scuttled away to make room for the spirited aggression Dan Yemin and Co. are so adept at drawing out of a crowd.
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| Paint It Black |
| Photo | Colleen Brogan |
The frontman offered the requisite less-than-complimentary remarks about George W. Bush, as well as a partisan call to arms this election season: “Anyone who is against gay marriage or reproductive rights is our fucking enemy, and we will fucking throw down right now if that’s your style. I won’t fucking stop until you’re on your back — and you will be.”
