This weekend, we'll be live-blogging Fun Fun Fun Fest and all it’s underground performances. Follow Daily Texan reporters, photographers and videographers as we post the highlights of our work here. For minute-to-minute coverage of the best and the worst that Fun Fun Fun Fest has to offer, follow us on Twitter at @thedailytexan.
Update (12:35 p.m.): Ms. Lauryn Hill concluded Fun Fun Fun Fest 2015 with an emotional but occasionally dull performance.
Sitting on a couch, Hill sang powerfully tonight, but didn’t command any sort of stage presence whatsoever, resulting in what could have just been a live listening of some of her greatest hits.
Hill was demanding of her 12-man backing band, but put on a fairly stagnant and uneventful show. Most of her well-received songs came from her 1998 hit record The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
Considering her history as a successful R&B and soul artist, Hill failed to impress, ending the festival on a bit of a dull note most attendees could have done without.
Update (12:30 p.m.): Although the band was relegated to the smallest stage at this year’s festival, BADBADNOTGOOD might have just finished the best show of the entire weekend.
The trio, commonly associated with rap acts such as Odd Future, Frank Ocean and Ghostface Killah, added a saxophone to their repertoire. This proved crucial in each song’s progression.
The highlights of the performance were mainly solo driven, particularly around Chester Hansen’s almost disturbing ability to riff on his bass guitar.
By the end of the show, there were twice as many people crowded around the stage than there were to begin, showing how hypnotic BADBADNOTGOOD can be. Tonight, they might have been at their best.
Update (7:30 p.m.): MSTRKRFT didn’t speak a single word during its set Sunday, but live mixing and sampling helped create an energetic and memorable show.
Jesse Keeler, from Death from Above 1979, and Al-P, formerly of Mississauga, didn’t allow a moment of silence during their 45 minute set, keeping the energy of the crowd as high as possible.
Many people left the set within 10 minutes of its start, simply because they didn’t enjoy the music. MSTRKRFT’s brand of EDM isn’t easy to listen to for those unacquainted with it's style, but the exit of less dedicated festival-goers left the fans of the group to enjoy themselves with some great music.
At the end of the performance, the duo walked off stage, leaving their music still playing. It took the technicians of the stage a few minutes before they realized the group wasn’t coming back, and they needed to find a way to transition out of the music. A simple fade sufficed, but MSTRKRFT left a clear statement with their quick exit — to them, it’s all about the music.
Update (5:40 p.m.): On the Orange stage, Nova Scotian band Alvvays performed to a large audience but didn’t leave a lasting impression.
The band encountered mic problems at the beginning of its performance, but once fixed, it played songs off of their debut record Alvvays with impeccable accuracy.
Although fans seemed to enjoy their performance, the stage presence of the band was a bit stiff. Members rarely improvised or strayed from their typical setlist.
Overall, no new fans of Alvvays were made today. Fans of the group may have liked the performance, but to any new listeners, Alvvays’ performance felt generic.
Update (5:37 p.m.): Title Fight’s performance at the black stage today might not have had much flair, but it certainly hit home with fans of the group.
In front of one of the largest early afternoon crowds this weekend, the Pennsylvania band played its biggest hits off of its most recent record, Hyperview, and almost never skipped a beat.
Dedicated fans or the group were clearly into the performance, with attendees leaping off the stage and crowd surfing.
It might have seemed like a typical performance, but Title Fight showed today its consistency as a group.
Update (3:35 p.m.): Happy Saturday! It’s going to be sunny today, with temperatures in the low 70s and no expected rain.
Aside from concert recaps, we’ll be covering comedy shows and festival life. Follow @chr_dunc and check out The Daily Texan snap story for more updates. Here is our musical lineup for today:
2:20 p.m. — Title Fight at the Black stage
- 4:10 p.m. — Alvvays at the Orange stage
- 6:10 p.m. — MSTRKRFT at the Blue stage
- 7:40 p.m. — BADBADNOTGOOD at the Yellow stage
- 8:15 p.m. — Ms. Lauryn Hill at the Orange stage