Spinning Platters Interview: Izzy Bizu: Direct From Outside Lands

Guess what?!? This is the first time I’ve ever recorded an interview with the intent of the video being seen and not heard. And it was with the incredibly talented and friendly Izzy Bizu! Her most recent EP is a horn-laden bit of R&B confection called Flower Power and can be enjoyed RIGHT NOW from your favorite streaming service here

I also took some photos with her from the Outside Lands Press Tent:

Outside Lands 2023: 22 Instant Set Reviews

Happy 15th Birthday, Outside Lands! I’ve been to 13 out of 15, which are pretty good odds if you ask me! And despite this being the “year of the throwing stuff at bands,” this may have been the kindest, friendliest Outside Lands yet! I don’t think I’ve had more lovely conversations with strangers in three days at any other point in my life. Folks were consistently watching out for each other on the ground, working together to get medical attention for folks quickly, even at the risk of losing their spot, sharing food and water, and all around being grade-A music fans. I had the most amazing Creole Garlic Noodles of my life. I had the worst vegan experiment of my life- a veggie lamb slider (I won’t tag the restaurant here). I had plenty of Rocko’s Ice Cream Tacos because Outside Lands isn’t complete without at least 1 taco a day. 

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Day for Night: The reason the Bay Area is headed to Houston for the Holidays

San Francisco is one of the more prominent hubs for music festivals in the country, if not the world. Starting with Noise Pop in February and reaching peak saturation in the Summer, and early Fall, with Outside Lands, Phono del Sol, and Treasure Island Music Festival, just to name a few, seeing an influential or up-and-coming artist perform live is an easily attainable feat (and a mere Lyft ride away for most people). We’ve even coined the term “Fauxchella” in honor of the fact that most of Coachella’s top headliners flock our way, year after year, in between weekends performing in the Indio desert.

Despite this embarrassment of riches, in a few weeks, I’ll be hopping on a plane and joining a group of Bay Area natives heading to a city in Texas that isn’t Austin, known as the live music capital of the world, for an event not related to SXSW in any way.

Day for Night, set to take place Friday, December 16th, through Monday, the 19th, is offering an experience that transcends the boundaries of the traditional festival circuit. One of many examples: they’ve managed amazing feats by booking Aphex Twin, who hasn’t performed live in the US for over 8 years, and Björk, who doesn’t perform often, either, and left many an Iceland Airwaves attendee, including myself, crestfallen with her sudden cancellation last year. Add in DJ Windows 98 (Arcade Fire’s Win Butler), who’ll be spinning Ticketfly’s annual Holiday bash, the night before he’s set to appear in Houston (let’s hope he doesn’t crash, ha), and the it’s clear that Free Press Houston and New York-based creative agency Work-Order know how to curate a festival fitting for a city that is rapidly approaching the distinction of becoming the third largest in the US.

Add the likes of Squarepusher, Run the Jewels, ODESZA, Kaskade, Ariel Pink, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Liars, Washed Out, SOPHIE, and SURVIVE – the creators of the hypnotic Stranger Things theme music – and you have a stellar, unconventional, and sought after group of artists that are extremely selective about which bills they attach their name. There’s a reason for this and it transcends the musical aspect of this event. Read on to find out why you should purchase tickets and book your flight immediately.

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