Gimme FYF! The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Mikal Cronin, and More

Take the red line to Union Station, then hop on the Gold Line to Chinatown. When the subway doors opened last weekend, you could already hear the music from the nearby LA Historic State Park, where 20,000 willing and ables were pouring into the grassy fields and rolling hills.

The two-day festival in Downtown LA's nearby Chinatown transformed the area into a haven of fun-havers and music junkies. Saturday featured headliners Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio, and Flag (members of Black Flag), and boasted about 30 other amazing acts. But I was most impressed by the host of young up 'n' coming musicians making serious ripples in the music community. Saturday, I was more than pleased to see Mikal Cronin, Ty Segall, Toro y Moi, and Thee Oh Sees giving their all and slaying the kiddos with their sets. As lesser known acts, they had more to lose by performing on a big stage, but even more to gain. These new contenders are the legacy of good music and they are definitely worth keeping an eye and an ear on.

Throughout the fest, there was plenty to do and see. There was a DIY tent where people got crafty making pins and decorating iPhone covers. The iconic Echo Park record shop Origami Vinyl brought its entire store down for the event, and featured signings with artists throughout the weekend. A particular highlight for me was going back to the artist area to hang out with Ernest of Washed Out for our photo shoot and seeing what it's like on the other side of the velvet curtain. But possibly the best thing was using the clean and waiting line-free bathrooms in the VIP area—definitely a high point for me.

Stay tuned for artist profiles on our favorite FYF musicians from this year's fest!