Weekly Agenda: Next-big-things and long-time-comings
Owl City
Music is unpredictable, if not a total crapshoot. Did anyone seriously believe that when American Idol debuted those many years ago that it would actually churn out legit pop-stars—er, Kelly Clarkson? A million years later, and not only has it spawned an army of freakishly popular singers (and Daughtry), but it’s also gifted us with an incredibly shiny, stretchy-skinned pop-music bellwether: the judges’ panel. Of course, we’re no Simon/Randy/not-Paula/the other lady, but we are pretty judgmental. So this week we’re making our own predictions on next-big-things and long-time-comings.
Blowing up: Owl City is happening, and it’s happening this very second with every millionth-plus MySpace play. Like a safer sounding Postal Service (yes, it’s possible), Owl City, a.k.a. Adam Young, plays cutesy electronic pop. His show this Tuesday at the Ogden Theatre has been sold out for weeks. Swedish act Miike Snow—another poppy, synthesizer-heavy band—promises a packed house as well this Friday; the show was recently upgraded from the Bluebird Theater to the larger Ogden, which is a sure sign of even bigger things to come.
Next up: Jaguar Love and Major Lazer. Both are in town—Jaguar Love Monday at the Hi-Dive and Major Lazer Tuesday at Cervantes’—and though they sound nothing alike, they do share a common ideal: Play hard, rock harder. Jaguar Love features a Votolato and a Blood Brother (actually both are) and sounds just like you think. It’s a high-pitched, high-energy slam-dance party. Major Lazer is also a duo, a continued collaboration between DJs/producers Diplo and Switch, better known for their work with M.I.A. The dancehall-themed project is fun as shit, an excellent electro-based take on East Coast hip-hop and traditional reggae.
Still up: Lucero’s been on the verge since it started. The Tennessee group—playing Tuesday at the Bluebird—has come a long way, through several labels and a waxing fan base. And though it may never get to the level of stadium shows and a U2 train of tour buses, it remains a maturing roots-rock band that rarely disappoints. Lucero holds fast, and so should you.
