Whenupon we become a bit more tired and burned out
It dawned a bright and sunny day – oh frack that, it did, but it then turned cloudy. Perhaps a spot of moisture to bring the dust down a bit?
This was our third day on site, and the second of the festival proper, and I for one was becoming a bit burned out. Too much sun, too much dust, too much sensory inputs. Bu earplugs work in a situation like this, so at least I’m getting sleep.
It was to be another huge day. But a funny thing about huge days – you run out of steam. Or motivation. Or else you just want to veg and drink (non off-site) bevvies and enjoy the atmosphere.
So here’s what I did catch today:
Not a bad day, and certainly worth the price of admission.
I missed Carolina Liar and Low vs. Diamond. Liar I had heard of before, and I quite like the atmospheric pop sound they put out. Very melodic (good) but bordering on anthemic (not so good, but not so much to be off-putting). I listened to them from the camp site while I was getting motivated to move.
Low I’d never heard of, but will look into at some point just to see.
And so my day began with Mates of the State, another band of which I’d heard nothing. But mightily impressed was I.
The Mates are a husband and wife duo (mates, get it?). He’s on drums, and she on keyboards, accompanied by a cello and violin at this festival. Any indie band with a violin and cello rate highly in my books. Plus, they tour with their two girls, one(ish) and four. And they have a blog, Band on the Diaper Run.
I like them just on principle, but their music was damned good as well. I really can’t over hype this band. A definite catch when they come around to Cowtown. (They’re at Lee’s Palace in Toronto – that HQ of alternative music – August 4, if you happen to be around. Three days too early for us.)
Here’s a taste of their sound from a June 6 set in Philly:
Next up, Sam Roberts opening up the main stage for the day. I watched from a far for this one, not being a huge fan, but now sort of wish I had gotten closer. They sounded good, and from those who were up front, his onstage energy and vibe was (apparently) great.
I think Sam gets a hard ride in the Canadian music scene. I know he has a solid fan base, but for some (and perhaps, even for me) he’s a bit too mainstream, too poppy to be truly accepted by us snobs. But you have to respect him and what he’s done, as (I feel) you must of most of the good music coming out of Quebec. He’s paid his dues, and deserved his place on stage here.
And his performance of Brother Down was epic.
Next (next) up, My Morning Jacket. A much hyped band on the Pemberton Forums, with some rabid fans actually insisting that they would boycott the festival because they only got 45 minutes.
For me, yawn! A bunch of pretentious gits doing that 70s long hair, back’n’forth in the air thing. Old, and not particularly original.
Better things to come, though: Buck 65.
I know of very few performers who, as a solo artist, carry a festival crowd. Billy Bragg’s one, Matt Good another. Richard Terfry, aka the Buckmeister, is another. Simply amazing with his computer (and pre-recorded beats) and turntable.
Standouts included Indestructible Sam and The Centaur. I’m just sad that I had to leave the set early to catch a good spot for The Hip. In fact, I’m fairly sure that missing Wicked and Weird and possibly Blood of a Young Wolf were my biggest musical crimes of the festival.
And then there were The Hip.
There are those who tire of Gord Downie’s antics; his white hankies, his mic stand disassembly, the failed dances with the same. I’m not one of them. In my mind, this is Canada’s band (well, them along with the Rheostatics), and Gord is our own lovable goof.
As long as he continues to deliver (and he does), he can get away with damned near anything he wants to.
The set was pretty much as I remembered it from Virgin, but no less exciting. He seemed to be a bit more successful in kicking up the stand this time around, and he even gave away bits and pieces of it to the audience, again.
Over a dozen songs, many from their last album, and many of their mainstay hits, which is to be expected at a festival. Grace, Too was a little… forced, but Poets was a highlight. As was Bobcageon, a personal favourite.
I’m pretty sure they overstayed their timeslot by 15 or 20 minutes, though.
I got into a bit of a better position for Wayne Coyne and the Flaming Lips. Having missed their opening antics at Virgin, I was particulary looking forward to Wayne’s bubble crowd surfing. I managed to swipe a bit of it on video:
This is an epic live act; one of my top 100 to catch before you die. And while it wasn’t the much hyped UFO Show played in recent U.S. gigs, it was no less… big. From Wayne’s bubble bound crowd surf, to the sing-alongs to She Don’t Use Jelly and (once again, a personal favourite of mine and the crowd’s) Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, to the truly massive amounts of confetti and big white balloons, this was more theatre than musical performance.
And for me, it’s everything that a festival should aspire to.
Now, word on the street had it that the sound quality wasn’t all that great, especially in the nosebleeds. But up front where I was, everything sounded just fine. There has also been some “discussion” on the boards about their placement after the Hip on the bill, and some outcries that Canada’s band had been short changed.
Much ado about nothing – the order was reversed at Virgin in what I imagine to be a behind the scenes egalitarian move, and the Hip shred a one hour time slot – the only other thirds bill main stage act to have one.
Anyhow, they make a brilliant travelling duo, and it was awesome to see them again in the mountains, even so soon after Virgin.
And then to the main act for the evening, Tom Petty. And the Heartbreakers.
There’s a line of thinking that goes something liike this: Tom Petty is old people’s music.
When I suggested that, only half in jest, I was roundly set in my place by a whole bunch of young’uns getting uppity at me. To be truthful, it was pretty amazing at how widespread the great reception was, and how many of those young’uns were singing along to old saws like Maryjane’s Last Dance and Free Falling.
I was definitely feeling the power burn out by this, so I caught all of this show from back in stowage class, somewhere between the sound booth and the B-Live Tent. “So this is what 40 000 people look like from the back”, I remember thinking to myself.
Organizers had thoughtfully places a vid screen on the back of the sound booth, and it helped, but the two on either side of the main stage were larger even from back here, so it didn’t really affect much.
What was astounding was the cool, easy vibe that carried on back here. Much different from the frenetic activity in the front. People, moms and dads with babies and little kids, the ubiquitous hula hopers, and even the odd spaced out freak, doing her “I’m in my own universe” sway, all coexisting. And lots of elbow room, too.
Sound was good, but muddied by the bass of the B-Live. But the vibe? Peaceful. A great way to end the day.