Best of Fresno times for us, Friday and Saturday night. The 4th Fresno Urban Sound Expierence happend with Fresno's music community, supporters of Downtown and the arts, and just regular dudes, all coming together to have a good time, showing how fun Fresno actually is.
Highlights
>As with all of the FUSE Fests, the walking around, bouncing back and forth between all the venues was cool. Folks were starting to get the hang of it on Saturday as nice groups of Fresnans were roaming to and from the Ironbird Lofts and African-American Histroy Museum stage as each set ended and the other began.
>Festival goers that couldn't tell you what the diffrence is between Rademacher and Azazel but went and had fun anyway.
>The festival within the festival "Eli Fest" at Club One. Drummer Eli Reyes drummed for five bands straight through the night, and didn't die or nothin'. The room was mostly packed all night too.
>Downtowners that happen to be walking by and getting a free show at Iron Bird and AAHM and really enjoying the music.
>All the bands seemed to have a blast no matter how big or small their crowd was.
>Musicians from different genres checking out other band's sets, being impressed and saying "how good these guys are" even though the music wasn't there thing.
Lowlights
>Not enough festival goers getting over to see the Downtown Club venue. Great Fresno spot and good music that was missed for the most part. Certainly the last second venue change had something to do with that.
>On Saturday there were two stages outside Iron Bird Lofts. Most of the lofts have a balcony and those that live on the East and South sides could watch and listen to said stages to their hearts content. Nobody did ... except for one dude that came out to have a smoke then went back in. What the hell? You have a freaking music festival happening outside your balcony and you don't hang and check it out? Ya don't have a party during the festival and jump down, listen to some music, jump back up and keep partying? Sorry Iron Bird Loft people but you're fucking lame.
>Nobody shows up to the bands playing early. Not sure if that's a Fresno thing or what. You guys missed out on Sounds & Sciences, they kick core ass.
>There are a lot of local bands, good bands, with NO following. No regulars that come to see a show of their favorite Fresno band, regardless of where they're playing. Yes, there are a few that have that, but more don't than do. Kinda weird to us but whatever.
Buzz Bands
Bands or sets that we saw that we were impressed by or ones we heard folks talking a lot about were the Sunburns, Kevin Hill Blowout, Dia Del Astronauta, Distrito Torre, B-Rawcity, Westerns, Let's Go Bowling, College Kids, Lezayr, The Dirty Stomp, It'll Grow Back, Abigail Nolte, Boxcar Figero and pretty much everyone that played at Hero's - upper tier musicianship right there.
Something To Take With You
One thing to remember Fresnans for next year and when you go out to enjoy bands around town in general: Crowd the stage. Yeah, we get not doing it when it's something mellow or whatever. But mostly this is a sign of respect to the bands and a way to experience the music more intensely. Fresnans are notorious for sitting in the back of the room and nodding.
Guess Fresnans need to get educated. Maybe we'll learn that before FUSE 2012.
Here's a video we put together of FUSE 2011:
