Yo, procrastinators! Culture Collide starts today! We know how this goes—every year you promise yourself you'll study the lineup beforehand, listen to tons of new music and prepare yourself to make the most out of the fest. But then...you don't. We actually think wandering around aimlessly at a festival is a great way to pick up new favorite bands, but in case you're completely unprepared, here are a few acts you can wander to and from on purpose.
Big Phony (Korea), singer/songwriter
Melodious and soulful, hopefully acoustic, from a Seoul-based musician raised in New York City. Thursday, 9pm at The Champagne Room and Saturday, 3pm at United Methodist Church.
Alphabetics (Costa Rica), dance punk
Indie beats reminiscent of the Strokes and Ted Leo, high energy, high fun. Thursday, 10:30pm at Taix and Saturday, 5pm at the World Stage.
Monokino (Netherlands), electro-pop
Heavy rock guitar, high-pitched vocals, quirky electronic overtones and a lady keyboardist who was formerly a member of Cobra, China's first all-women rock group. Friday, 6pm at United Methodist Church.
Sampology (Australia), audio-visual DJ
Genre-defying blend of audio and video samples (from the well-known and loved to the very obscure), cheeky sense of humor. Friday, 11:30pm at Taix and Saturday, 7:45pm at the Echo.
Quantic (Colombia), cumbia/funk/soul/trip hop
Latin-infused beats from a British-born, Bogota-residing musician who plays guitars, bass, double bass, piano, organ, saxophone, accordion and percussion, then mixes it all himself. Saturday, 10pm at United Methodist Church.
