Pacific Festival Post Fact - Part 1 (recap by ZSE)

After being anointed with my VIP Press/Media pass courtesy from the organizers of Pacific Festival, I proceeded into the festival and went to see Hanni El Khatib on the Pacific stage. I'd intended on listening to him perform a few songs from his set as I wanted to walk around the festival and get an idea of where I would be spending most of the day. I was struck by the first song I heard, which was his best, the rocking "Build. Destroy. Rebuild." Here's "Build. Destroy. Rebuild".

Hanni El Khatib- Build. Destroy. Rebuild.

After Khatib and orienting myself to the festival grounds, I saw !!! (chk chk chk), a dance-punk group whose lead singer had incredible stage presence. He connected with the crowd and elevated the energy by getting off the stage and dancing/walking his way to the first 75-100 fans in the front rows. Their energetic and animated performance definitely earned my respect.

AM / FM by ChkChkChk

Disco-house duo Poolside were still dropping beats after !!! finished, so I jogged and caught the last song of their set. Although I don't remember what that song was, here's "Do You Believe" which I assume they played.

Poolside - Do You Believe

Poolside overflowed into The C90s - who performed on top of the shagedelica bus, that was covered with white fur on nearly all of the interior and exterior of the bus. It was an interesting site to see and getting access to dance on top the bus while The C90s performed Disco/Electronica/Dance was a unique experience! Here's "Shine A Light".

Shine A Light by TheC90s

Read more for my review of three of my favorite acts during the day, Fred Falke, Phantogram and Calvin Harris.

Guide to Collide

Filter's Culture Collide Festival officially kicks off tonight at The Standard with an intimate lobby performance from Theophilus London amongst others. But, the true festivities get going in the early evening on Thursday when six different venues open their doors to Filter's festival badge bearers.

You could get confused with all the different options presented to you - so we're giving you a little pointers in this friendly GUIDE TO COLLIDE.

With Echoplex, Echo, 826 and Taix all within legitimate walking distance of one another, it is hard not to gravitate towards the events at those four venues. Thursday offers artists at all 4 with notable performances from Black Lips, City Riots, Kamp! and LexiconDon at Echoplex, CasioKids from Norway at Echo, rising LA act Gamble House at 826 and the European sounds of The Black Atlantic (Netherlands), Gold Lake (Spain), Laleh (Sweden) and Nive Neilsen & The Deer Children (Greenland) at Taix. In audition to the aural pleasureas, Taix also offers some internationally themed happy hours that are likely to please the palate.

However, to draw some of the crowd away from a massive collision of people, Filter made sure the line-ups at Spaceland and Standard were super strong on opening night. I'm heading to Spaceland - which boasts Risers, a young band out of Los Angeles already making a statement with well crafted, somewhat epic songwriting, opening for Finaland's K-X-P and Zebra and Snake. For those with an international appetite for DJs, Standard hosts El Guincho (Spain), The Witness Protection Programme (Ireland) and Sebastian Tellier (France), along with a live performance from Voxhaul Broadcast.

Risers

Friday, your Collision Decisions get a little bit easier as only four venues play host. If you want to go to festival center - you'll have easy access to Klaxons, Land of Talk, The Besnard Lakes, Suuns and Baby Monster at Echoplex if you prefer music from North America. If you love the blokes from over the pond, The Boxer Rebellion, White Lies (Dj set), Amusement Parks on Fire and Witness Protection Programme at Echo is probably for you. Taix hosts artists fromt ehr est of the world - with Battle Circus (New Zealand), City Riot (guide says AUS - not sure if thats Australian or Austrian - reminds me of DUMB & DUMBER - put another shrimp on the barbie, mate!), Harrys Gym (Norway) and L. Stadt (Poland). We'd guide you to those three venues over Spain inspired Spaceland's line-up of El Guincho, Gold Lake, Capsula, The Outline and Two Sheds.

Saturday is the last "venue day" and also the last day of beer gardens and Happy Hours at Taix. I think I'm going to invest some time in the tribes culture by visiting Taix from 2-4 pm to check out the happy hour and special guest performance presented by the Israel Ministry of Cultural Affairs. Wonder if that special guest might be Pink Noise or Monotonix, both Israeli acts performing later at Spaceland where they will be joined by Mariachi El Bronx, The Franks and Jacuzzi Hi-Dive.

Also performing Saturday night are White Lies, Voxhaul Broadcast, Battle Circus + others at Echoplex; Cass McCombs, Laleh, The Black Atlantic at 826LA and Bambi Kino, Capsula, Two Sheds and Hello Saferide at Taix.

Sunday is the culmination, the climax, the entree course - as most of the above mentioned acts pour out into the streets and flood Sunset Blvd. with indie tunes galore. The Toyota Antics sponsored Block Party begins around 2:30 p.m. with Glaciers, followed by The Tender Box and a special guest. Things don't get going with multiple acts until around 5 pm - which leaves enough time to recover from a wild Saturday and poke your head in at the start of the Do Over (only 3 Sundays left after this one).

But, once 5 rolls around - acts multiply - Monotonix, Amusment Parks on Fire and White Lies all take the stage within that hour, followed shortly after by Phantogram, Cass McCombs and The Boxer Rebellion, who headline stage 2. The festival closes out with headline spots from Tokyo Police Club on the Main Stage at 8 and Seal Wolf and Fran Healy's respective acoustic performances at the Church.

Learn more details about Filter Magazine's Culture Collide Festival, including where you can get tickets - by clicking here.