Flying Lotus/Diplo
Auditorium Shores, Nov. 6Was Erykah Badu supposed to perform during this two-set block at the Blue stage? Local rapper Zeale tweeted the First Lady of Neo-Soul’s pending guest appearance Sunday at noon with Pitchfork picking up the news and shooting the rumor all over the Internet. Badu squashed the rumor by 4pm, tweeting, “I’m not gone make it to Austin, y’all my mama said no.” Both Diplo and Flying Lotus could’ve used the added energy. Leading off, L.A. glitch-hop impresario Flying Lotus went about his business head-down and focused, breaking only for a few “Austin, are you with me?” and three references to Lil Wayne. Draped in shadows and mixing down two turntables and a MacBook, the producer of last year’s challenging Cosmogramma chased cheap thrills with remixes of Waka Flocka Flame’s “Hard in da Paint” and Tyler, the Creator’s “Goblin,” but the masses already gathering for Odd Future had no interest in an imitator. Diplo had more luck whipping up a frenzy with his reggaeton-infused dance-house hybrid, but those not transfixed by “All of the Lights” shaking in the crowd probably spent the set waiting on an Afro-sporting Dallasite.
This article appears in November 11 • 2011.