Outside Lands Festival in Retrospect

For the two days of this past weekend, I lived in the small microcosm that was the Outside Lands Festival, located in San Francisco's massive Golden Gate Park.  With an attendance of probably twice my town's population and as diverse as it gets (the ever-faithful Deadheads, hipsters, suburban families with young children, hoodrats, BoHo girls, punks, college dudes, stoners, yuppies...I could go on), the atmosphere was charged with energetic good times.  Smiles were plentiful, substance-induced or not, and a different kind of Summer of Love emerged, happiness spread like the times of old.

Day 1:

12:00- LA hip-hop duo People Under the Stairs absolutely killed it, starting off the festival with big beats and killer rhymes.  They are a group that give me continual reassurance that hip-hop is not dead, yet.  Highlights: "The L.A. Song", "San Francisco Knights", "Acid Raindrops".

12:45- Freelance Whales put on a delightfully mellow show with their sparkily fuzzy, instrumentally happy indie pop.  What sets this band apart from the other scores of indie pop bands is their use of more instruments beyond the regular acoustic guitar or synthesizers, additionally throwing in a xylophone, an accordion, a banjo, and various percussive dodaddies I can't name.  Highlights: "Generator ^ First Floor" (my favorite track), "Hannah".

1:25- The only band I saw on the Panhandle Stage (100% green powered) snuck up on me and spat into my face some refreshing alternative folk rock.  Dawes represents the genre at its best, putting out tunes that are seemingly written and played by the emotions of a country boy, with streaks of Springsteen's weather-worn ruggedness in his hair.  Random quip: The drummer was totally feelin' it during "Fire Away", my favorite track of their set.  Highlights: "When My Time Comes", "Fire Away" (new), their strong command of the stage despite their youthful status as a band.

2:15- If you could have a so-called "festival awakening", I would declare that mine emerged during the disgustingly filthy Pretty Lights set.  He was the Destroyer of Musical Worlds, throwing down explosive and corrosive beats for the duration of his 40-minute time on stage, incorporating elements of hip-hop, trance, dubstep, and drum 'n' bass into his tracks that smoothly transitioned into each other.  Highlights: everything--- the lights, the music, the feeling of awesomeness that flowed through my veins as his tracks took over my body.

3:05- Everyone's favorite band of Eastern European gypsies kept the intensity going with their banging gypsy-punk.  As crazy as ever, Gogol Bordello put out a setlist that demanded probably the only legitimate mosh pit out of any other act that weekend, and of course, it was completely satisfying.  Energetic and brilliantly mad, they clearly got the crowd into a manic state of wild.  Highlights: "Start Wearing Purple", the ever-wild Pedro Erazo coming out at random intervals to goad the crowd into screaming their eyes out.

4:05- Even though the power was cut halfway through his set, Bassnectar came back blasting the bomb beats harder than before.  The San Francisco freestyle experimental electronic musician definitely showed why he is so revered in the electronic music community, throwing his hair around in Aoki-like fashion and snarling at the crowd like a feral cat.  Highlights: "Basshead", his custom huge black beachballs emblazoned with his logo that were thrown out into the crowd.

5:25- Tokyo Police Club was one of the acts I was looking forward to seeing, and they did not disappoint with their calmingly fast, gently loud songs of youth.  I see a lot of potential in them, and I would refuse to say that they are just an indie hipster trend of a band---sure they are popular amongst that crowd but their music and their lyrics have tremendous power.  Highlights: "Tessellate", "Breakneck Speed", "Your English is Good".

7:05- The forever darkly sexy Chan Marshall, in her alter ego form Cat Power, put on a disarmingly stunning show that exhibited the full force of her sultry voice that any man would die for to lull him into seduction.  Dressed in nothing particularly flashy, she walked back and forth across the stage with her microphone, keeping the audience turning their heads as she crooned us into slow evening tracks. Highlights: her voice, no doubt, no matter what song it was.  Her coming off the stage into the crowd was also pleasingly nice.

8:45- The Strokes were the sole reason that made Outside Lands a no-brainer for me, especially since these dudes haven't been seen together for the better part of 5 years.  I worried that after each of their respective side projects, and some problems in recording their next album, that they would have compatibility issues on stage.  All these worries went away as I watched their swagger on stage, Nick, Julian, Nikolai, Albert and Fabrizio all as charismatic as they ever were.  They breezed through songs without a single misstep, and Julian's voxbox was near perfect as he sang songs almost a decade old that were given new life on that stage.  Highlights: "Is This It", "Under Control", "Hard to Explain", "You Only Live Once", Albert's no-longer curly fro.
Day 2:

12:45- I missed most of The Soft Pack's set since the MUNI buses were packed, but I adore this San Diego band, and even though I heard just their last two songs, they brought the fire with sunny jams.  Highlights: "Mexico", "Answer To Yourself".

2:15- Hands down one of the top sets of the entire festival, The Temper Trap proved their worth beyond just their appearance in 500 Days of Summer.  Starting off with distortion and drum-heavy songs that developed into long jams, they kept a good pace and were very entertaining to watch and listen to.  Lead singer Dougy Mandagi's voice held up very well, especially crucial since many of their tunes showcase his controlled falsetto.  Highlights: splashing water from the big tom Dougy was drumming on in the middle of a huge drumming jam, "Sweet Disposition", "Fader", "Down River".

3:05- Janelle Monae, for all it was worth, utterly shattered her 20 minute set that was cut short by a late flight that delayed her arrival to Golden Gate Park.  She got big with the theatrics, coming out in a black velvet hood and cape and a synchronized dance with her dancers.  She stopped at nothing, stomping through her songs as her voice commanded the crowd with its large, beautiful versatility.  If she had played any longer, it would have been hard to leave because her energy is unrelentingly infectious.  Highlights: "Dance or Die" (killer opener), "Cold War", her cover of Charlie Chaplin's "Smile", "Tightrope". 

4:00- Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros.  These desert gypsies by way of LA put on a decent show, jumping around and jamming as if around a bonfire at Burning Man.  It seemed as if they lacked something, an energy that kept me less than enthused about their show because it didn't sound like they wanted to be there.  Their performance of their flagship song "Home" hardly showed any effort or originality.  Definitely the most disappointing act of the weekend.  Highlights: the hype from the crowd, everyone was dying to see them.

4:30- The legendary Al Green was amazing.  He was filled with enthusiasm and happiness, clearly very happy to be there in front of that crowd.  Age was just a number as he danced and shot clever quips at the audience.  Unforgettable.  Highlights: "I'm Still in Love With You", his chilling run-through the greats of the genre, singing bits of the Temptations, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding and others.

5:55- The recently popular, long existing Frenchmen of the band Phoenix were humbled by their appearance at Outside Lands, stopping at every song to give their thanks.  Thomas Mars is a terrific stage presence, playful and jumpy, and his voice was spectacular.  Every track was a marvel, mainly playing stuff off of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.  Highlights: killer opening with "Lisztomania", "1901".

6:55- It's safe to say that Nas & Damian Marley's project album Distant Relatives is a staggering work.  As heavyweights in their respective genres, they played off each other's parts so well that I could feel their togetherness in the energy of their music.  Nas was dirt nasty on the mic, and I was happy to finally see a major hip-hop artist live and putting on a sick effort.  Damian Marley was just as bomb, his hip-length dreads swaying as he crooned the audience with proper Jamaican vocals.  Highlights: "As We Enter", "Strong Will Continue", "Welcome to Jamrock".

7:50- The fame that Kings of Leon has garnered in the past year is pretty amazing.  They've gone from relatively popular in the indie world to the top of the mainstream crowd.  I was afraid that they would play tracks mainly off of their most recent record that contains "Use Somebody", definitely not their best, but I was very satisfied that they stuck to their roots despite the new haircuts and bigger stage lights.  Their sound was great, gruff voices and slashing guitars.  The show they put on proved that they deserved the headlining spot and their newfound popularity.  Highlights: "The Bucket", "Knocked Up", "Manhattan", "Use Somebody" (a delightfully smashed dude next to me was singing it during the entire 2 hour set, so when it finally came on he was a happy camper).

Concert Review: Porcupine Tree at The Warfield

Last night, I caught British prog-rockers Porcupine Tree at the midsized Warfield in San Francisco. I had already seen them deliver a mind melting spectacle at the House of Blues in Boston last September, so I was interested to see if Steven Wilson and company were able to mix things up enough to create a memorable new experience.

But first, the opener. As Wilson later informed the audience, this show was to be the only appearance of Australian band Karnivool on the tour. I have a friend who listens to them but I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised: Karnivool play melodic heavy rock a la Tool, chock full of clanky bass riffs and polyrhythmic guitar interplay. Lead singer Ian Kenny was quite impressive, delivering a pitch-perfect, soaring vocal performance. His slicked back haircut, crisp polo shirt, and robotic gestures also win him the prize for most eccentric stage personality of the night.

I usually don't like to break down bands by individual members, but Porcupine Tree's distinct musicians drawn upon their disparate influences to create their multi-faceted prog-rock sound. Keyboardist Richard Barbieri creates wind-swept, Pink Floyd atmospheres, while perpetually smiling bassist Colin Edwin lays down creamy, jazzy lines. Gavin Harrison's extremely technical drumming puts him right up next to the likes of Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy and Mastodon's Brann Dailor. Guitarist/vocalist Steven Wilson provides David Gilmour guitar heroics, melancholy melodies, and a keen songwriting ability. He also runs about the stage barefoot, clad in sweatpants. Finally, touring guitarist John Wesley also provides smooth backing vocals.

After about 15 minutes of a sustained tuning chord, Porcupine Tree took to the stage with a monster extended version of "Even Less" from 1999's Stupid Dream. That song set the theme for the night. Because this was the only concert of the tour that the band wasn't coheadlining, Wilson explained that Porcupine Tree would be experimenting with playing older and less-known songs. He made good on his promise. Within the two hour long set, the group played deep cuts like "Russia on Ice," "Pure Narcotic," and, most surprisingly, non-album track "Stars Die" from 1994.

The band did a great job playing a balanced selection from their enormous discography. For every mellow acoustic moment like "I Drive the Hearse" and "Time Flies," Porcupine Tree crushed a few skulls with the drop-tuned assaults of "Circle of Manias" and "Anesthetize Pt. 2" (one of the few danceable prog-metal songs created, ever). One minute everyone was singing along, the next, heads were bangin'.

I cannot say enough about the visuals, specifically Lasse Hoile's video creations for the band. Whether during the beautiful countryside time lapses of "Time Flies," the eerie apparitions of "The Seance," the stop motion animation of "Octane Twisted," or frenetic, druggy images of "Anesthetize Pt. 2," Hoile's work was perfectly synched to the live music.

The performance was far from flawless. Wilson gave a few false starts and jumbled up several lines. However, the frontman took all his mistakes with humor, remarking, "I bet you didn't see that level of imprecision at the Rush concert last night," after tripping up on a guitar solo towards the end of the show. And honestly, nobody cared during such a remarkable performance.

Here's an edited version of Lasse Hoile's surreal "Time Flies" video. Watch this in HD. You will not regret it.

Concert review: Cynic at Slim's

Last night, I saw prog-metal masters Cynic at Slim's in San Francisco. Having seen these guys pull off an amazing set alongside the killer lineup of Scale the Summit, Devin Townsend Project, and Between the Buried and Me at the House of Blues in Boston earlier this year, my expectations were set high. In addition, one of the main draws of the band's first headlining tour is the performance of their highly influential 1993 album Focus in its entirety.

First up was Dysrhythmia, a spazzy instrumental metal outfit. Despite the trio's obvious instrumental virtuosity, their short set was relentlessly exhausting and devoid of any melody. After about five minutes, I was impatiently waiting for them to get off the stage.

To my relief, Intronaut took the show in a completely different direction with their combination of earthy stoner metal grooves and psychedelic interludes. I had never heard any of their songs before the concert but was pleasantly surprised by the seamless blend of loud and soft dynamics. Pounding, tectonic rumblings gave way to shoegazy vocal harmonies and back again. The set ended with a drum off between Danny Walker and guitarist Dave Timnick. Definitely a band I'm going to follow up on.

After an agonizingly long set up time, Cynic took the stage and launched into "Veil of Maya," the first track off of Focus--and immediately stopped. Turns out frontman Paul Masvidal's guitar rig wasn't working properly, a problem that plagued the performance of the album. Both his solos and vocodered singing were too quiet during this portion of the set, resulting in a rather thin sound. The moshing of a few in the audience was really distracting from the music at times, as well. I mean, I'm a fan of a good mosh now and then, but not when some 250 pound metal dude careens into you during a jazzy instrumental piece like "Textures." However, the tight rhythm section of drummer Sean Reinert and bassist Rob Zielhorst kept the core of the songs running well.

Cynic really began to shine once Focus was laid to rest, performing the majority of their 2008 masterpiece Traced in Air and even including a song from Masvidal and Reinert's Portal side project. The sound crew finally fixed the levels on Masvidal's vocals and guitar, fleshing out the sound significantly. Surprisingly, the best moments of the show were the more subdued songs like "Nunc Stans" and a reinterpretation of Traced track "Integral Birth," during which Masvidal picked up an acoustic guitar and showed off some dexterous fingerpicking. On "Adam's Murmur" and "Evolutionary Sleeper," Cynic proved that they are among the best when it comes to playing fluid, jazz-influenced metal.

Technical issues aside, Cynic put on a great show. If you're a fan of any kind of metal whatsoever, I highly recommend checking out their "Re-Focused" tour. Dates can be found here.

Listen to "Wheels Within Wheels" from the band's "Re-Traced" EP below.

Sasquatch! Music Festival @ George, Washington Part 2

Could Day 2 of Sasquatch! be better than the first? YES!
The day began with Local Natives, a band recommended to me by a friend recently. They began with some lighter tunes, perfect for a lazy afternoon. Soulful and harmony-filled songs caused the early crowd's whoops and hollers to the vocal prowess of the multiple singers. We also dug the grooves of the drummer and tom tom oriented auxiliary percussionist. “World News” was the highlight for me, constantly crescendoing and hitting chilling harmonies during the soft hook.



After wandering between multiple stages and catching bits and pieces of great music galore including an awesome set from Tegan and Sara, LCD Soundsystem was up on the main stage. This was the best show of the weekend for me. Murphy’s maniacal command of the mic invigorated the crowd as the band blasted through murderously energetic dance tunes—old and new. The entire Gorge Amphitheatre bubbled with dancing music lovers bopping heads, waving arms, spinning erratically and pissing off plenty of event staff that prayed for clear pathways across the audience area. Murphy absolutely killed it on “I Can Change”, smoothly dipping into his falsetto and leaking beautifully heartbroken crooning.



Dirty Projectors delivered an amazing set too. The musicianship they displayed impressed me more than from any other band in at the festival. I knew they loved toying with rhythmic structure but when they dropped “Temecula Sunrise” the abstractions suddenly seemed clearer and they blew my mind.



I chose to peace out of Dirty Projectors early to catch the full A-Trak DJ set simply because I think he’ll be the less likely artist to appear in my city affordably. I spent the entire show wondering why the Rumpus Room’s roof didn’t spontaneously explode from the energy of the blistering electro and screaming fans of the new dance music generation. Beginning with "Circle of Life" from the Lion King, cutting up his floor filling "Heads Will Roll" remix and finishing with "The Hey Song", I couldn't get enough.

The biggest disappoint of the weekend was not Public Enemy’s set but the fact that the sound kept cutting out. Maybe next time. After this show I hit up the main stage for the last gig of the night, Massive Attack. I wasn’t really familiar with their music other than the obligatory House theme song but since one of my buddies declared them the only artist that mattered to him I thought why not. The show did not blow me away but I appreciated the vocal talent of their featured guests and the bass rattled my bones pleasurably. They commanded the big stage with eeriness and sheer power.

Day 3 coming soon.

Sasquatch! Music Festival @ George, Washington Part 1

So I’m all recovered from my three-day weekend at Sasquatch! Music Festival. With such a formidable slew of awesome sets and a packed campsite full of anxious concertgoers/partiers, the experience never fell short of incredible. After a solid five-hour wait in a line of cars, trailers, trucks and the occasional bold pedestrians, my buddies and I arrived at our campsite and settled in for a miniscule night of sleep.

After a stretch and morning yawn my friends and I were ready to hit Day 1 of the festival. We checked out the smaller stages in the early afternoon and saw Mumford & Sons tear up a heartfelt set with an energetic crowd singing and dancing. Later, we stuck around for Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. While most of their set impressed the crowd and riled everyone up with their catchy folk-like tunes, “Home” exceeded any possible standard for the group as they blasted through it and summoned the inner whistling prodigy in every member of the crowd.

The first great main stage show was Broken Social Scene, a legendary band I had yet to see. You Forgot It In People stands as one of my all time favorite albums and they’ve failed to disappoint me since with spectacular records. The show was impeccable. Kevin Drew’s vocals particularly impressed me as he maintained his nonchalant delivery but unexpected power and force. And of course, the guitar work maintained its sleek and graceful nature as a backbone for unbelievable build-ups and swoops of sonic pleasure. “Cause = Time” hit an energy level so high the entire amphitheatre screamed as if the late afternoon collided with a solar eclipse.

After meandering through the small stages again I landed myself in the Rumpus Room, a dance music tent fairly small in size considering the size of the whole festival’s population. Fairly familiar with most of their releases, I anticipated The Very Best would throw down a solid show filled with catchy African beats. They tore the place up. Giving me a preview of many out of control Rumpus Room experiences to come. Letting everyone know where the party was at, the vocalists wailed their lyrics perfectly on point and jumped up and down sporadically between their DJ and a few backup dancers. Hands shot up at the pulse of every reggaeton beat and hips swayed for the full set. When “Warm Heart of Africa” dropped (this actually happened three times with different beats) everyone went nuts.

Still feeling the adrenaline of the last show I decided to make my first tough call of the weekend: Vampire Weekend or Dâm-Funk. I chose Dâm-Funk because Vampire Weekend is scheduled to play in my neighborhood park later this summer and the Rumpus Room was unreasonably poppin’. He killed it. Riding out three of his most infectious beats including “Hood Pass Intact” into complete jam sessions with falsetto vocals and keytar shredding there was no stopping the man from bringing the funk. The crowd undulated wholly with the enormously punchy 90s’ g-funk-esque bass lines and every hand stayed in the “ayer” as if Dam was carrying a gun instead of nasty musical equipment.



At this point, with the last artist hitting the Rumpus Room, how could I leave? Next up was Z-Trip. He blasted through a carefully timed set of popular hip-hop, electro and dubstep that catered exquisitely to all the music fans ready to set aside their pretentious babble and just share an unforgettable booty shaking frenzy. Highlights included three Dre beats in a row (“California Love”, “Nuthin’ But A G Thang” and “Gin and Juice”) and a mashup with legendary Seattle classic “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. Every drop revealed either a highly reputable standard or nostalgic vibe, leaving the crowd screaming uncontrollably, maniacally endorsing crowd-surfing and skyrocketing their hands.



Only one show remained that day for the whole festival—Deadmau5. No doubt, many of his admiring fans came all the way out just for this set. Everyone who attended Day 1 piled in front of the Bigfoot Stage under the night sky and the mau5 kicked off a blistering set of glitchy and epic electro. With lighting by the people who brought us the magnificent Daft Punk tour recently, the energy level both visually and aurally stunned everyone. At one point the pedestal he stood on showed a Windows dialog box, signaling a few chuckles and taunts, then proceeded to show an angry talking face on his mouse mask. The build ups never lasted too long to draw impatience from the crowd and when the beat dropped he would point his finger up and then into the audience (as if we needed instruction to dance). Nothing but mass hysteria.

Afterwards my buddies and wandered back to the campsite to party late into the night, meet new people and create excitement for the next two days. Day 1 was great, almost unbelievably, Sasquatch! kept getting better.

Outside Lands Music Festival Lineup Announced

Concert (5/29): She & Him @ the Fox Theater Oakland

Zooey Deschanel and M.Ward definitely know how to satisfy their audience, ladies and gentlemen alike. Last night at Oakland's barely two-year old Fox Theater, She & Him played to a lively, adoring capacity crowd of 2800, backed by their completely capable 5-piece touring band. As the band walked out, you could almost hear everyone's thoughts: "Where's Zooey?"  She came out jumping up and down in a sparkling, baby-blue dress and black leggings, giving the audience exactly what they wanted.   M.Ward, looking as dapper as ever, started off the show with his masterful guitar workings, his fingers flying up and down the neck throughout the show, showing tastefully blitzy solos and proving very modestly that She wouldn't be the same without Him.

She set the pace, breezing through the first 5 songs, smiling wide-eyed with the spotlight on her as M.Ward drifted to the side, allowing himself to play his part in the dark while the crowd got to see what they came for. She slayed her critics who say she looks like a "deer in the headlights" during their shows, flashing cute remarks throughout the rest of the set that embodies her charm, silver screen or in person ("I'm going to get a sip of water now...'cause you get thirsty...and dehydrated."). And even better, her voice did more than hold up during the show; she showed blissful control and range that trumped that of the studio recordings. As half of the group too, M.Ward acted as the perfect counterpart, picking up more vocal involvement as the show went on, but seeming perfectly content on his side of the stage with his guitar. The Chapin Sisters, who opened the show with folksy hippie pop, proved their worth as '60s backup singers, providing plenty of "ooaaahs" as the rest of the band kept the rhythm just as it should've been.

Many pleasant surprises came up: Al Anderson of NRBQ came onstage twice, the first time to sing and play parts of the song he wrote "Ridin' In My Car", which She & Him covers on Volume Two.  During some "quality time" with Zooey, she dedicated a song to her parents, who were in the audience, along with her husband, Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie.  The best of all, however, came with the double encore.  During the first, the entire band came out and performed a couple songs, most notably a completely awesome cover of "Roll Over Beethoven" (with Al Anderson).  The second was definitely the best, though, as Zooey and Matt alone suavely played the Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong classic "Would You Like To Take a Walk?" that perfectly showcased their musical chemistry with back and forth singing parts that closed the show perfectly.  At the end, they bowed, arms over each other, and ran offstage like they were 10 years old again, showing how much fun they're having with this.

UPDATE: Their spectacular cover of "Would You Like To Take A Walk" from the show.



Setlist: I Was Made For You / Thieves / Black Hole / Me and You / Lingering Still / Sing / Home / Change Is Hard / Thought I Saw Your Face / Brand New Shoes / You Really Got a Hold On Me / I Put a Spell On You (Cover) / Gonna Get Along Without You Now / Gonna Get Along Without You Now / In the Sun / Take It Back / Don't Look Back / Over It Over Again / This Is Not a Test / Ridin' In My Car / Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? / Sweet Darlin'.  1st Encore: Roll Over Beethoven (Cover) / Fools Rush In (Cover).  2nd Encore: Would You Like To Take a Walk (Cover).