By Dolan Murphy
Facebook is too powerful. First I need a Facebook account to use Turntable.fm, then Spotify, and now I need one to see Neon Indian and Kreayshawn for free? To me, that seems to give a little too much power to a company with such a spotty privacy record. And, like everyone else who has seen The Social Network, Zuckerberg creeps me out. That said, let me take off my tin foil hat for a moment and talk about the show that brought you here.
Kreayshawn is most famous (well, really only famous) for “Gucci Gucci”, an addicting, M.I.A.-esque pop gem that earned her an MTV VMA nomination for Best New Artist. The video is up to 22 million views on Youtube, and the song has permeated both mainstream and alt culture in a short amount of time. It remains to be seen whether or not she’s a one-hit wonder, but Sony’s set to find out, after they signed Kreayshawn to a million-dollar deal earlier this year. The track also prompted Lil’ Wayne to release a freestyle over the track, in which he lobs a few gentle disses at Kreayshawn.
Neon Indian is arguably the most successful chillwave project to date, but still a Yeti-sized step from the mainstream. Mexican-born Alan Palomo put the Texas band together in 2008, and Neon Indian found blogospheric success quickly with an excellent EP and, later, LP, both called Psychic Chasms. They picked up steam in 2010, touring with Phoenix, hitting a series of summer festivals, and earning a “Best New Bands” nod from Rolling Stone. And they’ve had a busy 2011, too — first with a Flaming Lips collaboration, then with their second proper full-length, Era Extraña. They’ll kick off a college tour on the heels of Extraña on October 24th, here in Iowa City at Union Bar. Expect the crowd to be split between “Gucci Gucci” fans and Neon Indian fans.
Whether you’re a Neon Indian fan, Kreayshawn fan, or just a warmonger, this show is not to be missed. But to put the tin foil hat back on, the show is free for students if you have a Facebook account, are willing to “like” Dell Lounge on Facebook and sign up for their email list, and haven’t misplaced your student ID. If that’s you, get the process started HERE. Otherwise, you can pay $10 at the door (with your student ID), or pay for a $15-plus-fees GA ticket HERE. So, now you know. Your Facebook ‘like’ and email address are worth $10.
Vice, Dell, Intel, and Prime Social Group present:
Noisey U College Tour Ft. Kreayshawn & Neon Indian
Monday, October 24, 2011
Union Bar | 7PM | All ages
