Fun Fun Fun Fest Wrap Up: Day Two, Part Two

Don Caballero: Even though drummer Damon Che is the only original member left in Don Caballero, he has a long history of working on music that sounds distinctly ... Don Caballero. The band's set on Sunday afternoon (sun-drenched, TUMS-enabled) was less energetic than last time we saw them (during SXSW), but it's not too terribly surprising. That being said, they continue to sound exactly like they did back in the day, (early - mid '90s), stop/start guitar-driven epics that display Che's legendary "Eight arms" reputation. They were dead center stage at 4 pm, as the sun started to fade --that stage was bright as shit. Add that to Che's "bad Mexican" experience from earlier in the day, and we're just happy they went ahead with "Palm Trees in the F*cking Bahamas". We had a chance to talk to the band after their set, and Che happily related his diamond in the rough theory on Austin: "If you're in a band and have a shitty show in Austin, there's something wrong with you. Maybe quit." Atta boy, Damon. -Paige Maguire

Moth!Fight!: Perhaps we’re spoiled from seeing a MothFight show executed so well – the band’s set at the Victorian Pageant at the Mohawk was exquisite – but the band’s bare, sunny debut at Fun Fun Fun was not up to those same standards. The seven-piece band at first seemed overwhelmed with keeping up with constant instrument swapping on the small stage, alternating hurriedly between violins, pedals, and cowbells. A big part of MothFight’s appeal is their stop-start, frenzied interchange between blocks of noise and expressive pop, but the balance wasn’t achieved until the second half of the set, where the emphasis fell onto the song structures themselves and not the clatter between them. -Adam Schragin

Mates of State: Music festivals are a great place for firsts. For example, the Flaming Lips set a Lollapalooza was the first time we saw a flock of rabid Santas. Lolla was also the first time we danced with Beatle Bob. Firsts from SXSW are better left unwritten. And thanks to Mates of State, we finally watched a pregnant organist rock out at Fun Fun Fun Fest.

Despite being seven months into her pregnancy, Kori Garnder pounded out prancing organ melodies and adorably raw harmonies with drummer-husband Jason Hammel. The set of electro pop love songs started with an explosive "Fraud in the '80s." The crowd was instantly hooked. Favorites like "Nothing is Everything" kept the energy high and the duo showed some range by mixing in new songs with a delicate, airy feel.

Maybe it was the surprising Texas heat. Gardner seemed to glow just a little brighter, Hammel was somehow tender behind the kit, their combined voices entwined even tighter. It has always been easy to romanticize the Mates and their fairy tale family. But on Sunday, knowing the family is growing made it irresistible. A little love story can go a long way.

P.S. If you aren't in a sugar coma yet, go check out "Band on the (Diaper) Run" at Babble.com. The sweet little Mates of State parenting column will push you over the edge. -Julie Neumann

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists: Ted Leo is an adorable man with a voice that seems to get broader, more emotionally stirring as it ages. Backed by long-time drummer Chris Wilson, ex-Nation of Ulysses guitarist James Canty and bassist Marty Key, Leo gave an inspiring, hopeful performance, dappled with his signature affection for a properly executed cover tune, and some dedications that made the crowd's hearts swell just a little more. Chumbawumba's "I Never Gave Up" closed the set, after the aforementioned Misfits song, and Austin folks were especially excited to sing along, as it was dedicated to the memory of Lance Hahn, who passed away a couple weeks ago. The set was exhilarating, and it's easy to see why the band stays on the road as much as they do: their sets earn them new fans by word of mouth and embrace long-time listeners with surprises, energetic leaps and attention to detail. One of the most exciting sets of the weekend, without a doubt, and we look forward to the band's next visit, when they'll have time to really stretch out (and maybe bring back that Kelly Clarkson cover). -Paige Maguire

Diplo: Probably the biggest name that went most under appreciated at Fun Fun Fun was Diplo. Coming off of a summer of rocking parties in Barcelona, London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Tel Aviv, DJ and producer Diplo (with DJ Blaqstarr as his MC) drew a small but fervent crowd to stage 3 at the edge of Waterloo Park. Competing at first with the militant Battles and later with the sultry Cat Power, Wes Pentz drew dancers and observers to the stage with Pied Piper wizardry. By the end of the extended set, the once complete skeleton hanging at the stage front was fragmented across the crowd, repurposed as dance props.

We remember the first time we heard Diplo's version of M.I.A.'s "Galang" and the first time we saw his charming smile and blue eyes in a magazine -- it was love. This time, seeing him perform in person, we were barely able to stand. But maybe that was just the (literally) bouncing stage or the entrancing, extra-terrestrial lights. Maybe the bumping stage also accounted for the early power outages, though neither Diplo nor his on-stage crowd were deterred or disheartened. Watching him spin was like trying to wrap the mind around just how Willy Wonka turned that analog chocolate bar into a digital delicacy. Constant knob tuning, level adjusting, and track tweaking -- we couldn't keep up. But the crowd could; with endless energy they moved, jutting hips and arms akimbo grooving to perfectly matched beats.

Diplo, in black Cons and a Morbid Angel t-shirt, weaved effortlessly through house tracks, new hits like Simian's "Never Be Alone" (chorus: We are your friends, you'll never be alone again), old left-fielders like Busta Rhymes' "Woo-Hah! Got You All in Check," and electro staples like Daft Punk's "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger," maintaining an enthralled crowd as he worked on the two digital turntables, a laptop (using Serato Scratch Live), and mixer in front of him. And all this before 10pm. Swoon. -Mercedes Kraus