RED BULL ALSO GIVES YOU MUSIC
Just about everybody knows that commercial by energy drink company Red Bull, the one where they go, “Red Bull Gives You Wings.” But what some of you may not know is that the company also gives you music. Ever hear about the Red Bull Academy? I’m not sure if you get a diploma, but you can listen to some amazing lectures from some of the industries most creative and successful voices. And now there’s the Red Bull Soundclash, which rolled into town last night at the Vanguard in Hollywood last night. More than 800 people saw Chi-Towns’ Kid Sister face off against local heros Moving Units, in four rounds of musical challenges. Sarah Chambliss from Red Bull sent over these shots and a blow by blow account of what went down.
MOVING UNITS USES HOMETOWN ADVANTAGE TO WIN RED BULL SOUND CLASH LOS ANGELES
Moving Units Edges Out Kid Sister in Interactive and Unique “Musical Conversation” Performance
Los Angeles, CA (December 17, 2009) — Last night at Vanguard Hollywood, Los Angeles band Moving Units took advantage of their local fan base to narrowly defeat Chicago artist Kid Sister. While the event may have culminated with the announcement of a winner, the event was less about who won or lost, and more about two artists taking part in an innovative and interactive musical performance. As hosts Max Lugavere and Jason Silva (hosts and producers of Al Gore’s Emmy Award-winning Current TV) oversaw the “musical conversation” between the two artists, Kid Sister and Moving Units performed various musical tasks, both rehearsed and improvised, showcasing their musical abilities. The 800 fans in attendance were able to officially voice their favorite, as each round was judged by their applause (measured by a decibel meter hung from the ceiling).
The Red Bull Sound Clash Los Angeles’ unique musical format and scoring occurred as follows:
Round 1 – The Cover
This round featured both bands playing their own take on the same cover song – Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me.”
Winner by applause: Moving Units
Points: 1 point
Round 2 – The Takeover
This innovative round showcased the collaboration between the two artists, as each was tasked with finishing the second half of a song started by the opposing band. For example, Kid Sister would start playing one of her original songs and midway through would stop and Moving Units would seamlessly finish the song in their own style. The performers would then switch for a Moving Units original song.
Winner by applause: Kid Sister
Points: 2 point
Round 3 – The Clash
The third round highlighted the artists’ musical versatility by charging them with performing songs in three different styles – a cappella, dance/funk and punk.
Winner by applause: Moving Units
Points: 3 points
Round 4 – The Joker
The final round featured a special guest that performed with each band. Kid Sister brought up famed DJ Steve Aoki, and Moving Units called on Drake Parker from Nickelodeon’s “Drake and Josh.”
Winner by applause: Kid Sister
Points: 1
TOTALS
Moving Units: 4 points
Kid Sister: 3 points
The Los Angeles event marked the ninth U.S. Red Bull Sound Clash appearance. The first eight featured the following band pairings: Allison vs. Monte Negro; Nico Vega vs. Crash Kings; The Roots vs. Antibalas; Viva Voce vs. The Builders and the Butchers; Shiny Toy Guns vs. Erykah Badu; Los Amigos Invisibles vs. Plastilina Mosh; The Dirty Heads vs. Dear And the Headlights; and The Foreign Exchange vs. The Love Language. The event has also been an international success, with multiple performances in Japan, Russia, Hungary and the Netherlands.
About Kid Sister
Born in Chicago, MelissaYoung’s (aka Kid Sister) crucial break came when her single “Pro Nails” got into the hands of Kanye West. The song’s punchy synths and syllable-flipping rhymes prompted him to record a guest verse and make a cameo in the video. Her critically acclaimed debut album, Ultraviolet, on Downtown Records was produced by famed DJ/Producer A-Trak, and boasts collaborations with artists Estelle and Diplo. The album seamlessly fuses elements of electronic hip-hop, ghetto house and other up-tempo sounds, highlighting Kid Sister’s lyrical charisma and stylistic versatility.
About Moving Units
Formed in 2001 by Chris Hathwell, Blake Miller, and Johan Boegli, this disco-punk band released their debut EP, Moving Units, in early 2003. Their touring experience includes opening slots for Hot Hot Heat, The Pixies, Blur, and Nine Inch Nails. Their debut full-length album, Dangerous Dreams, was released in 2004 and a second studio album, Hexes For Exes, followed in 2007. Evolving with the times, the band has expanded both their sound by adding lush and dark synthesizers and electronic drums, as well as a second layer of guitars, making their once minimalist sound larger and more expansive.
About Red Bull Sound Clash
Red Bull Sound Clash is a totally unique clash of sounds, styles and creativity, where two bands don’t battle each other, but instead collaborate to create an innovative live music performance. The Red Bull Sound Clash experience features two bands with different music styles (e.g. Rock vs. Ska) facing off on two stages positioned on opposite ends of the venue with the audience in the middle. In a series of four rounds, the bands perform various tasks, some rehearsed, and some improvised, to showcase the array of their musical abilities. The audience participates in the back-and-forth exploration between the bands by judging each round.
Tags: Kid Sister, Moving Units, Red Bull Soundclash, The Vanguard