6 Must-See Artists at Fun Fun Fun Fest 2015

By: Josh Terzino –

As most of the North America prepares for the coming frigid weather, it’s still bright and sunny in Austin, Texas. Picturesque Auditorium Shores is the site for Fun Fun Fest, where music festival season comes to its inevitable close November 6-8. This is the tenth anniversary of Fun Fun Fun, so they’ve pulled out all the stops: on top of the great bands playing this year, they also have some of the top comedians doing sets and after shows galore that you can only get into with a festival pass.

Here are 6 acts that make the trip to Texas worth the cash!

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D’Angelo & The Vanguard
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It feels kind of silly to have to tell people that they need to see D’Angelo & The Vanguard perform, but it needs to be done. After a hiatus lasting more than a decade, D’Angelo has surrounded himself with some of the best musicians working today to create a two-and-a-half hour set of funk and soul that will blow your mind.

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Andrew Jackson Jihad
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Pairing the rapier wit of John Darnielle with the frenzied energy of a punk show, these Phoenix-based rockers deliver the goods night in and night out. Christmas Island elevated their name a bit last year, but they still fly under the radar of the mainstream despite opening slots for Frank Turner and Against Me! Sean Bonette is a great craftsman of songs, and eventually they’ll be headlining fests instead of riding the undercard.

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Tops
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This quartet is probably better known in Canada where they formed, but last year’s great album Staring At You sparked a lot of buzz around them. They’re far more interesting than the now catch-all phrase “indie rock” would make them seem. Tops is at their best when their 80’s-influenced synth pop can breathe, as on their brand new single “Anything.”

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Benjamin Booker
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The shine has wore off Benjamin Booker a bit. A year after his brilliant self-titled debut, the upstart blues punk has been quiet for a while. His explosive live show is still a thrilling experience to behold. Jack White asked Booker to open on his most recent North American tour, so that should give you some idea of the talent this guy has.

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Shamir
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Getting the dance party started in Austin is this newcomer to the music scene. Playing on his 21st birthday, the “On The Regular” singer is sure to Ratchet up the fun even higher than normal for this performance. Critics have lauded Shamir for the dynamic use of a soft voice against wild beats, on a record that’s equal parts Gloria Gaynor and Dizzee Rascal.

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Desaparecidos
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Conor Oberst has been all over the map for the past few years. Stepping away from the Bright Eyes moniker has opened him up to some different styles, playing with folk/pop duo First Aid Kit, alt-country weirdos The Felice Brothers, and indie rock band Dawes with the latter two acting as his backing band on recent tours. It’s no surprise that after all the changes he would want to go back to something familiar-his long stagnant hard rock band that until this year had released one album way back in 2002. Their new record, Payola, is a fantastic follow-up featuring all the pent-up rage and angst that started to bubble over on The Mystic Valley Band’s “Roosevelt Room.” Live videos show the band is tight as could be, delivering gut punching anthems of fuzzy guitars and vocals fans can really scream along to.

Tickets to the 2015 Fun Fun Fun Festival are still available for purchase here.