Frankie Cosmos is one of the headlining acts at this year’s Northside Festival in Brooklyn. Therefore, there is a lot of pressure placed on this outfit to bring in not only the crowd, but the energy. Here are some of the things we expect from this sure-to-be lively set.
Songs from Exile in Guyville
As it states in her profile on the Northside Festival site, Frankie Cosmos will be playing songs from Liz Phair’s debut album Exile in Guyville. This is potentially both good and bad news; though the fans may or may not see the traditional set list they imagined, they would not be performing from this album if there weren’t a reason. The lo-fi early 1990’s gem will be performed with justice, for sure, at this year’s festival.
Carefully chosen tracks.
If the band decides to stray away from Liz Phair to play some original content, there are certain things the audience can predict. Sometimes, it is easy to pick out what songs a band will play during their live shows, and others it’s a toss-up. Will it be more current, will it be more nostalgia-based? In Bandcamp’s blog, Greta Kline asserts her past tendency to avoid having throwaway tracks. Because of label shifts, they now have a ton of choices to pick from for performing on tour. Greta wants to make sure they are the best of the best, so it is certain whatever Frankie Cosmos plays at the show will be their favorite, the ones they are sure they can play with confidence and heart. In the interview, Greta stated when thinking of picking songs to play:
I was like, ‘I know we’re gonna have to tour with these songs for at least a year. So do I want to fucking play them every night?
So even if the show is just Exile in Guyville, it will be top-notch because of their high standards.
Brevity and longevity.
If they decide to play music of their own, more than likely, Frankie Cosmos will be playing a lot from the most recent release Next Thing, a 15 track powerhouse of indie pop clocking in at less than 30 minutes. It can be expected there will be a lot of songs for the amount of time the set will last. Though the songs are short and sweet, the lasting value of the tracks rests in listeners long after the final guitar strum. The genuineness and vulnerability present in the record is strong and powerful. Fans will not only sing along and listen to the sound, but will be immersed in it throughout the whole festival.
Relaxing, community vibe.
No matter the actual song content, it is without question the show will be fun for everyone. There will be lots of singing, lots of swaying, and general head-bopping as they put on a show worthy of a community crowd. This set, no matter what, will be a calming reprieve from the heaviness of all the music at Northside, so it is something nobody will want to miss.
Listen to the new album Next Thing in preparation for the set:
[bandcamp width=350 height=786 album=2152703168 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5]
Frankie Cosmos plays at Rough Trade, Saturday June 11th.
