Fun Fun Fun Fest 2014 Friday Listings

Peelander-Z

1:10pm, Black stage
FFF vets return with an absurdist punk spectacle reminiscent of the Power Rangers and Japanese game shows that hinges on space-monster invasions, adorably mispronounced choruses, and audience participation. The quintet of New York residency and outer space provenance remain locally connected though Austin's Chicken Ranch Records and bandleader Kengo Hioki's murals all over town.
– Kevin Curtin

Pallbearer

2pm, Black stage
These Little Rock, Ark., doom mongers debuted to critical acclaim with 2012's Sorrow and Extinction, and that grew into a tower of awe on this year's follow-up Foundations of Burden. Credit elegant melodies, a megaton live set, and the seething passion of frontman Brett Campbell.
– Michael Toland

SZA

2:15pm, Blue stage
St. Louis-born SZA employs a multitude of styles and influences into her brand of nontraditional R&B. Pulling bits of trap, chillwave, and Seventies soul, as well as nonmusical connections such as ballet and Wes Anderson films, the quietly charismatic singer/songwriter has quickly built a short but compelling catalog.
– Kahron Spearman

Amon Amarth

4pm, Black stage
Still hoisting ale tankards and battle-axes in support of last year's slab of Norse beef, Deceiver of the Gods, these Swedish Viking enthusiasts blast mythology-obsessed death metal with the craftspersonship of Hephaestus and the bloodthirsty ardor of Ares.
– Michael Toland

Sun Kil Moon

4:25pm, Orange stage
A proclivity for picking feuds with careless crowds and fellow artists, Mark Kozelek pens fragile folk-rock that belies his notorious combativeness. Though the onetime Red House Painter's February album Benji arrived breathtakingly bare bones, the San Franciscan's sturdy baritone will match Friday's heavier acts despite his sadcore songs.
– Neph Basedow

The Blood Brothers

5:15pm, Black stage
This artsy, noise-addled experimental hardcore clan – considered by many Washington state's equivalent to At the Drive-In – hung up its grape-snuggling jeans in 2007 after five albums and 10 years of spastic live shows. The glammy, progressive quintet, fronted by energetic dual vocalists Jordan Blilie and Johnny Whitney, re-emerged this August for a slate of reunion shows.
– Kevin Curtin

City and Colour

5:40pm, Orange stage
Having shed the hardcore edge of his former outfit Alexisonfire, Dallas Green has successfully re-made himself as gentle singer-songwriter across four albums over the past decade. While his high, swooning vocals hearken the ephemeral folk, the Canadian retains the big hooks, melodies, and raw emotion on last year's The Hurry and the Harm.
– Doug Freeman

Julianna Barwick

6:15pm, Yellow stage
With soundscapes simultaneously lush and cold, Brooklyn's Julianna Barwick crafts ambient worlds that linger within loops and notes stretched across an evocative abyss. The Louisiana-born artist's third proper LP and jump to the Dead Oceans label, last year's Nepenthe, was recorded in Iceland with Sigur Rós producer Alex Somers.
– Doug Freeman

Dinosaur Jr.

7pm, Orange Stage

Ten albums and 30 years backing them, these pioneering Massachusetts alt-rockers tackle opening day prime time, while guitar wiz frontman J Mascis doubles up with a solo Sunday set. Withstanding lineup shifts and a contentious 1997 disbanding – a parting that spurred bassist Lou Barlow's Sebadoh and the Folk Implosion – the trio's original lineup regrouped in 2005, with 2012's I Bet on Sky being the most recent group effort.
– Neph Basedow

Majical Cloudz

7:20pm, Yellow stage
Devon Welsh and Matthew Otto are fresh from a 20-date spot opening for New Zealand's most notable pop "Royal." Majical Cloudz might seem a little down-tempo for Lorde audiences, but the deconstructed synth stylings of the Canadian duo are the perfect wind-down to a festival's first day. 2013 Matador offering Impersonator has legs.
– Abby Johnston

Atmosphere

7:35pm, Blue stage
Minneapolis' Atmosphere was at the core of independent hip-hop's surge, creating Billboard-charting LPs on their highly influential Rhymesayers label. With Ant on the boards, and the prolific, introspective Slug behind the mic, the duo remains a surest shot, bringing out one of the best traveling fan bases in hip-hop.
– Kahron Spearman

2 Chainz

8:55pm, Blue stage
One of the ultimate grind-into-success stories, Tauheed Epps eventually found his way to the top of the charts via some of the most irreverent songs in rap history. Orginally known as Tity Boi, he gained widespread recognition while performing with Playaz Circle, a duo once signed by Ludacris' Disturbing tha Peace label. After a solo deal with Def Jam, changing his stage name, and allying with Kanye West, the hardest-working man in rap has earned every ounce of success.
– Kahron Spearman