review & photos: Outside Lands: Day 2

15 August 2010 (Sunday)
San Francisco, CA
(day 1 reviewed HERE)


The Devil Makes Three
Wow, these guys sure could get a California crowd square dancing. I hadn’t seen the likes of this since the third grade and learning about the Oregon Trail. With a rose painted on an acoustic guitar, could you expect anything short of heartfelt Americana? The Santa Cruz band is a simple three piece, and their delivery is basic while simultaneously accentuating their strengths. They really hit home with “Help Yourself”, as Pete Bernhard sang with lighthearted exuberance: “I done some bad things but I like to have my fun.”







Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
With an abundance of Near Eastern clothing and an aesthetic that could only be described as psychedelically inspired, lead singer Alex Ebert was espousing George Harrison vibes like no other. Before the first song even commenced, Ebert jumped down in a sprightly manner and dove right into the crowd. When he finally made it back to the stage, he was dancing as if he were trying to shake bugs off of his legs. Never ceasing to monkey around, he and female counterpart Jade Castrinos (who, for the record, had some impressive pipes) tried to summon the sun to the dreary San Francisco sky. The duo were grinning, harmonizing, and radiated an infectiously giddy energy. The band brings to mind 50’s style rockability, as the communal dancing, singing and frolic gave way to American Bandstand type submission to primal instincts. Whereas the music is not inherently spectacular, what makes ED&tMZ an act that is hard to forget is their matchless delivery. Ebert’s vocal style seemed to be inspired by the likes of James Brown. Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros is composed of eleven members who inspire, rather than awe. The only worries I have for this band come in terms of longevity: how long can this remain fresh?










Al Green
Covering the Temptations and howling delightfully on the main Lands End stage, Al Green and his fantastic backing band proved that soul, more than any other genre, is timeless. He slyly interjected that he was singing all of these love songs with no hopes of getting a special lady and therefore encouraged the crowd to grab a hold of a lover. The horns soared, Al danced and absolutely everyone in the audience had a grin on their face.




Phoenix
Oh, Phoenix. Why must you embody everything I love about indie rock, from the constant obsession with perfection in tone to the unshakable humbleness of leading man Thomas Mars? I don’t think our French boys could deliver a disappointing set if they tried, they are just programmed for excellence. The highlights of the set included the strange, decelerated version of “Rally” and the explosive closer, “1901”, complete with Thomas Mars crowd surfing during the reprise. During the set, Mars seemed to be overflowing with nervous energy and climbed atop everything including the speakers to his right. Edward Sharpe may have showmanship, but Phoenix have staying power. Their music has so much substance, and their impeccable sets will surely be relayed by fans to generations of forthcoming grandchildren.












Social Distortion
One of the few disappointments of the weekend, Social D were diametrically opposed to The Strokes: although the California punk outfit have a new album coming out in November, their set left me thinking “why do these guys even bother?” They were desperately trying to cling onto the times of past, but failing utterly, down to the tastelessly over-propped stage. They rendered a mediocre version of the Cash classic “Ring of Fire” and even failed to strike a chord with “Ball and Chain”. Unfortunately, some bands should only be reachable through well-worn records and trips down memory lane, not in the live concert setting.





Kings of Leon
The band opened up with “Closer”, and I almost thought that they had replaced their bass player, because Jared looks a hell of a lot older than what I remembered. From the first few moments, seeing Nathan pound away made my heart ache for Kings of Leon, whom I had forsaken because of how far they’ve strayed from their badass origins. I had originally planned on watching their whole set, but after hearing them butcher “My Party” (which is a relatively new song, pretty detached from their first two albums), I couldn’t stick around. How they managed to water down a track from Because of the Times, I don’t know. It’s so unfortunate to see such a talented band piss away their potential by delivering half-assed, mom-approved rock, but what pained me the most was seeing Nathan—the lone remaining good element of the band—drumming in the background as if nothing had changed. They aren’t trying to go back to their roots at all, they’re milking this corporate bullshit for all its worth. I, for one, refuse to be a part of this nonsense.

review & photos: Outside Lands: Day 1

14 August 2010 (Saturday)
San Francisco, CA
(day 2 reviewed HERE)


The Whigs
The Athens threesome kicked the festival to a start with their relentless drive and unparalleled Southern fire. During the periods of vocal free instrumentation, the band conjured up King Crimson like layering and hi-fi distortion that made people forget that this was, chronologically speaking, the least important band of the weekend.





Dawes
The LA band’s set on Saturday was a monumental improvement from when they opened for Delta Spirit, and that show was actually really solid. The band was louder, more confident, and feeding off the good vibes from the crowd, who, to lead singer Taylor Goldsmith’s apparent surprise, were singing along to most of the songs.




Langhorne Slim
It’s amazing that the Pennsylvania native even has functioning vocal chords with all of the screaming that he did. The juxtaposition of his soft strumming and booming vocals created a spectacular effect. Slim asked the crowd to sing along a few times, but his eagerness for their participation waned once they failed to deliver to his standards, as he feigned a yawn of boredom. He sat down oh so un-dejectedly when he broke a string (inevitable, with the ferocity of his playing), determined to keep the energy high. Indeed, his whole set was riddled with his gawky dancing and plain as day need for attention. Slim didn’t sing “Say Yes” or “Diamonds and Gold” but dug deeper into his older catalogue instead (although he broke this pattern when he debuted a new song). The combination of banjos and enthusiastically slapped keys really heightened the barnyard wedding effect, and I mean that in the most endearing sense. “This is the first time we’ve been cold at a music festival,” Slim observed. “But better to be a bit chilly than to fry your nuts off. That’s what my mom always used to say, anyway.”








The Levon Helm Band
Levon really blew me away. Although I frequently listen to The Band, I had never heard his collaborations with daughter Amy and co. But Levon was a spectacle to behold, pounding away at his drums, contributing lead vocals to some songs and doing it with a grin that would give the AARP a run for their money. Retire? Hell no. Let’s go play us some music fests instead. This is the stuff that legends are made of. As for the band itself, it delivered admirably with alternating singers, a marching horn section and familial bonds that looked past blood relations.












Tokyo Police Club
The Canadian band is really finding their ground musically, coming off an excellent sophomore effort, Champ. Their songwriting keeps exploring new territory, as displayed in their new, synth driven shoe-gaze-on-speed number, “Top 5”. They used the crowd extensively for accompanying hand claps and their youthful enthusiasm really transcribed well to a live setting (as opposed, to, say, The Soft Pack, whose very allure comes from their jadedness).










Cat Power
The poor thing knew that most of the crowd wanted her gone, and her melancholy crooning didn’t help one bit. Neither did her attempt to get closer to the audience by hesitantly getting off the high stage—double taking about six times and finally getting a security guard to help her down. I mean, COME ON, if you’re gonna do it, you might as well jump. As she headed off the stage, she whispered “sorry guys” repeatedly. It’s ok, Cat, The Strokes redeem all sinners.



THE STROKES










catch day two tomorrow!