FRESTYL
Tastemaker of the week

Hello hello hello frestylers! How is it Tuesday already? Tuesday is #tastemaker time, so allow us to introduce Natalye Childress, our #tastemaker of the week. You can find her over in the editor’s office of Berlin Beat, where she puts her passion for music to work and brings a little west coast sunshine over to Berlin. Take it away Natalye…

In a couple of hours you’ll receive her recommendation for upcoming live music events in #Berlin. Curious? Quick, subscribe to our newsletter and check your inbox after lunch!

Hallo #tastemaker, who are you? 

I’m Natalye, a California-born music journalist, writer, editor, and author! I love cats, vegan food, road bikes, the ocean, and mixtapes.

First live music show of your life?

My parents took me to see the Beach Boys performing on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, sometime in the late 80s, which I only somewhat recall. The first real concert that I fully remember was in the early 90s when my dad took me and one of my siblings to see country singer Randy Travis. Comedian Jeff Foxworthy was the opener - you know, the “you might be a redneck if…” guy.

What about the last one?

Last week I interviewed Crystal Fighters and then saw them perform at Lido. They have a fantastic stage presence and the (sold out) crowd ate it up. It’s rare that I say this, as I prefer intimate shows to big huge ones, but Crystal Fighters are definitely a perfect festival band; their music and antics are just so fitting for getting large groups of people excited!

Best music event attended in Berlin?

I go to multiple concerts every week so it’s not easy to choose. That said, I have really loved the annual Indie Pop Days and Popfest Berlin festivals because they bring together such talented people from all over the world and emphasize the community ties of the indie pop/twee/C86 genres. As far as best and consistent sound overall, every time I see Purity Ring, my heart soars. And finally, the most fun I have ever had at a show was Astronautalis performing on Valentine’s Day in 2012. Not only is he a talented musician, but he is hilarious and a total badass.

Track of the week? If it’s a live track, we’ll love it even more.

“Strong Talk” by PTTRNS. Not only is this German band super catchy and tons of fun live, but this video was filmed in Berlin and is pretty fascinating to watch, as it subverts the standard music video format.

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Hope you enjoyed the chat, and if you want to be the next #tastemaker, just drop us a tweet! 

:: the frestyl ladies