Cult record label Burger Records might still operate out of the same little shop in a strip mall in Fullerton, but the self-proclaimed “rock n roll philanthropic quasi-religious borderline-cultish propaganda spreading group of suburban perma-teen mutants” have become an international force in the world of music in the past few years. In addition to their massive catalog of cassette tape releases, from indie punkers to icons like Redd Kross and Kim Fowley, Burger has continued to nurture and support artists around the globe on multiple fronts. One of the most visible is Burger’s constant event programming, which hits its zenith every year with their 2-day Burgerama festival in Orange County. The festival has been growing in leaps and bounds since its inception in 2012, to the point that between 2013 and 2014 the festival, held at the Observatory in Santa Ana, more than tripled its attendance.
This year Burgerama 4 promises to be the biggest and best year yet, boasting headliners like crowd favorites FIDLAR and Ty Segall, punk legends Gang of Four, and the biggest act to play the fest to date: Weezer. Here are some stand-out acts you should be sure to check out:
BLACK LIPS
Atlanta rockers Black Lips have been in the game for ten plus years, bringing their own particular brand of flower punk to all four corners of the globe. Over time the Lips have grown from rabble-rousing teens into true entertainers, channeling the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard as well as a splash of Darby Crash and Lux Interior in their unruly, rambunctious live shows. Don’t miss them.
Black Lips perform Sunday at 6:45pm on the Rama Stage.
MADLIB
Using the word “prolific” to describe this Los Angeles underground producer and self-described “Beat Kondukta” would be an understatement at best. Madlib has worked with artists as varied as Erykah Badu, Freddie Gibbs, Ghostface Killah and MF DOOM, as well as released several solo albums under various pseudonyms, including the aforementioned Beat Kondukta and the cartoon-voiced Quasimoto. Burgerama provides a rare opportunity to see a true genius at work.
Madlib performs Saturday at 6pm on the Observatory Stage.
COSMONAUTS
Fullerton’s Cosmonauts are one of Burger Records’ crown jewels. Not your typical garage rock fare, the band blends psych, pop, and punk elements into well-crafted yet catchy songs, and their lush atmospheric live performances are at their very best sublime. If you’re music that propels you off into space, as the name implies, then their set is definitely for you.
Cosmonauts perform Saturday at 2:15 pm on the Observatory Stage.
SHANNON AND THE CLAMS
Oakland trio Shannon and the Clams are talented musicians with a high reverence for genres of music past – think rockabilly, 60s psych, and old school R&B crooners, but they bring their influences firmly into the present with their captivating stage presence and dedication to having a truly good time. Their set will be the most fun you have at Burgerama, hands down.
Shannon and the Clams perform Sunday at 3pm on the Observatory Stage.
COLLEEN GREEN
Colleen Green may not be reinventing the musical wheel, but her simple, catchy garage-pop songs belie a level of depth and wit that is both refreshing and enchanting. At once channeling 90s alt girls like Liz Phair and Veruca Salt and bearing her heart in a sweetly earnest yet darkly wry way, Green reveals her bubble-gum pop to be full of fuzz, tears, and dirt. It’s that combination of the direct and heartfelt with the shadowy undertones of human experience that make Green worth checking out.
Colleen Green performs Sunday at 12pm on the Observatory Stage.
THE COATHANGERS
What started out a party band is now one of the most beloved girl groups in the garage rock game. Atlanta’s Coathangers may have honed their musical craft over years of tireless touring, but they haven’t lots their snarling bite or their love of a good time, both of which make their spirited, piss-and-vinegar punk sets not to be missed.
The Coathangers perform Saturday at 1:30pm on the Rama Stage.
NO PARENTS
No Parents are, if you’ll excuse the pun, the enfant terrible of the Los Angeles underground music scene. The quartet makes lo-fi, ultra-catchy, scuzzy pop punk that is brought to life by their lively, raucous live performances (which may or may not usually include lead singer Zoe Reign stripping down to his skivvies…and then some). This band is worth showing up early for.
No Parents perform Saturday at 12pm on the Rama Stage.
WHITE FENCE
White Fence‘s Tim Presley is not only an inventive songwriter and skilled lyricist, the San Francisco native is also one of the few remaining devotees to the craft of recording, which until recently he did all himself on a four track (his last album was recorded by Ty Segall). Presley has an incredible knack for layering his songs with such incredibly delicate bits of nuanced emotion and subtle quirks, and the resulting sound is like a highly evocative, incredibly beautiful musical croissant. And who, I ask you, does not love a croissant?
White Fence performs Sunday at 2:25pm on the Observatory Stage.
(Black Lips photo by Samuel Perez, Cosmonauts photo by Alice Baxley, Colleen Green photo by Eric Penna, No Parents photo by Kelsey Reckling)
Full line up below:
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