Next up in the festival guide, the first part for Les Ardentes 2010. It has a more alternative dance/rock/hiphop setting going on so there are bands enough to talk about for this one! It’s the third year I’m going and the previous two edition were absolutely brilliant. Four days of rock, alternative, pop, hiphop, electro, dubstep, techno, dnb, … on one main stage outside and two indoor halls (which you very much appreciate at bad weather!). I’m trying to get press access for this festival, so there might follow a review with some hot content afterwards! but for now here are the bands that are on my must see list and should be, yet again, on yours!

Pavement

This band is completely new to me but that’s probably because they were out for 10 years and got back for a full on reunion. Pavement is a Rock/Pop/Indie band and is actually very easy listening, it’s not easy to compare them with an other more known band, but you should check out some of the youtube videos and their best-of compilation album “Quarantine The Past”.

Cypress Hill, Missy Elliott, Drake

I told you Les Ardentes also featured some hip-hop names and these aren’t some small names. Missy Elliott will be playing for the very first time in Belgium and I’m sure not going to miss out on it. I’m absolutely clueless if she had any new numbers lately but tracks as “Pass that dutch” and “Get your freak on” will surely pas the revue. Other old school legends are Cypress Hill, their latest album “Rise Up” doesn’t bring much new under the sun but yet again we’re going for the absolute classics as “Insane in the membrane”. Drake is a young and fresh hip-hop artist who is currently finishing his debut album on the record label runned by Lil Wayne who normally was performing at Les Ardentes last year but cancelled his gig, I’m hoping Drake doesn’t do the same.

Crystal Castles

By the looks of several youtube videos that showed parts of their gigs true out the last years this is probably one of the most energetic performances there is. Crystal Castles is an electronic duo formed by producer Ethan Kath and vocalist Alice Glass. Their debut album was very rough, trashy and oh so damn brilliant. Alice Practice a track from that debut album was used as a soundtrack in one of my favourite UK shows Skins, I was suprised by its effect, literally goosebumps! Their second album Crystal Castles II wasn’t release that long ago. It stepped down from the rough and trashyness and made it a bit more accessible for a larger crowd. I hope Alice won’t be holding back!

N.E.R.D.

wonder “kid” Pharell Williams formed with band member Chad Hugo a productionduo that was responsible for the production of artists as P. Diddy, Snoop Dogg, Britney Spears and many more. In 2001 they teamed up with Shay Haley and started the group N.E.R.D. A mixture of Hip-hop, Funk, Rock and Pop makes this a must see. Their last album Seeing Sounds is so damn fresh and has very catchy tracks as “Everyone Nose”. And as you can see in the video, they sure know how to get a crowd hyped!

Planet Turbo feat. Tiga, Proxy, Thomas Von Party, Zombie Nation, Riton and Matt Walsh

This will probably be the best “electro” experience of the whole four days. Tiga and his buddy’s will be taking over one of the two indoor halls for a complete evening. Proxy and Zombie Nation will be bringing us live stuff of course, I just hope Proxy updates his setlist! and Zombie Nation … well he can play whatever he wants, his gig at Pukkelpop last summer was brilliant. Turbo recordings on myspace.

Midnight Juggernauts

Along with a good friend of mine we expected their debut album too be huuuuge. and it was huge! But unfortunately not with the bigger crowds (in Belgium at least). I bet some of the tracks from that album like “Road To Recovery” and “Into The Galaxy” sound familiar even tough they aren’t fimiliar with the band itself (check those out on youtube). The Midnight Juggernauts recently released their second album “Crystal Axis”, a somewhat “darker” set of tracks. The first single Vital Signs has past the front page a time or two. These guys are most definitely on the top of my to see list.

VILLA

For our Belgium readers the names Fredo & Thang will probably ring a bell. These two did a lot of dj work some time ago, but then suddenly somewhat dissapeared (or I just lost track …). Well, for those who are still clueless about the name VILLA, it’s Fredo & Thang + Seba. Their djsets differs a lot from those by Fredo & Thang back then. Down tempo warm house like tracks, hard to describe, but best placed in line with productions from Aeroplane.

Next up Les Ardentes part two!