What did you do on Valentine’s Day? Go out to a nice dinner? See a movie with a hot date? Or did you just sit in front of your television with a few bottles of wine and the cast of Parks and Rec to keep you company? While all of these scenarios sound fantastic, I’m fairly positive none of them beat Valentine’s Day at the Music Farm. Grace Potter and The Nocturnals threw a party for a few hundred people with support from Futurebirds, and instead of giving us chocolates they gave us a Valentine’s night that the Holy City won’t forget for a while.

Futurebirds kicked off the night, eager to please the crowd. They’re a big band with a knack for making sweet, My Morning Jacket-esque harmony. They got the audience excited for the headliners but held their own onstage, exciting their fans and making new ones as they played. They played a great batch of tunes of the beach house folk variety, including “Johnny Utah,” and “APO.” They sound very different live than they do on their recordings, but are still amazing.

Grace Potter far surpassed the bar set by the Futurebirds as soon as she and her band The Nocturnals started playing the first notes of “The Lion, The Beast, The Beat.” As soon as she walked out from behind her piano and started strumming her signature Gibson Flying V, I’m pretty sure everyone in the room fell in love with her just a bit more. She danced around sans guitar for a few songs like “Sweet Hands” and “One Short Night.” She covered Dolly Parton’s legendary song “Jolene,” bringing grittiness into the melancholy. She and her guitarist covered “You and Tequila” by Kenny Chesney, having Scott Tournet sing in place of Chesney.

After dedicating “One Heart Missing” to all of the single people in the crowd, they began playing “The Divide,” which is arguably my favorite song off of their new record. The song itself is incredible, but seeing Grace Potter practically act out the lyrics on stage was incredible. She then brought out her steel guitar slide and started in on her old blues style two-part track “Nothing But the Water.” I felt like I had walked in during the middle of O Brother, Where Art Thou, but in a good way. The main set ended with “Medicine,” obviously getting us even more amped for the encore.

The encore started out with “Stop the Bus” from their 2007 record This Is Somewhere. She then played “Stars,” one of the most devastatingly romantic songs I have ever had the painful pleasure to hear. The night ended perfectly with a cover of The Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love” in honor of Valentine’s Day. Futurebirds joined The Nocturnals onstage while Grace took her place at her wooden piano, and then they gave us the best Valentine’s gift anyone could ask for. They fired confetti cannons. Confetti. Cannons. Even though many of us in the audience were single on V-Day, we most certainly weren’t lonely. Grace Potter kept us company, and as is customary for the best Valentine ever, made us all feel loved.

Clarence Greenwood, more commonly known by his stage name Citizen Cope, played to a sold out audience at the Music Farm this past Saturday. His enthusiastic and energized band perfectly balanced out his calm, cool, and collected demeanor, making for a great night of reggae-alt-soul-pop tunes.

Having heard mixed reviews of his live show, I was very hesitant waiting amongst the crowd for Greenwood to take the stage, but once he made his entrance and began playing “Contact” I decided to let my bias go and enjoy it. Fortunately, Citizen Cope sounds just as good, if not better, live than he does on recordings. I assumed he would save “Let The Drummer Kick” and “Bullet And A Target” for his encore, but they were the second and third songs of his set. These two obviously got the biggest reaction from the crowd, and set the tone to what I can only describe as “groovy.” The best moments of the night occurred during “Hurricane Waters,” and “Dfw,” a track off of his newest record One Lovely Day. Out of all of the songs he played, these two were the most love-letter-esque, and every girl in the room was wishing they were receiving them.

As soon as his encore began, it became clear as to why Greenwood chose to play his two most popular songs so early in the set. The connection he had with his fans came across most vividly during his final songs, which consisted mostly of a solo Citizen Cope playing acoustically, eventually being rejoined by the band onstage. Standing at the back of the venue, I had a decent look at how the audience reacted to his heartfelt, stripped down versions of songs like “D’Artagnan’s Theme,” and “Salvation.” While a lot of people were crowding around the bar calling out for more drinks, a majority of them were still crowded around the stage, swaying from side to side and singing along with their hands in the air.

Greenwood communicates with his fans in such a way that reaches beyond witty quips and impromptu banter demanding that they dance or saying how fantastic the city is. The diehard fans in the crowd hung on every chord strummed and note hit, picking up on the subtle fervor and gratitude flowing underneath the surface of his performance. While I’m not the most dedicated Citizen Cope fan, I most definitely understand why so many people are so dedicated to his music.

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All American Rejects Photos by Heather Fowler

By Heather Fowler:

9.28.12 at Amos’ Southend

Just stepping outside it has become obvious that summer is coming to a close. But if you were at Amos Southend on Tuesday night then would never would have guessed.

The show started with a punch with The Ready Set. A fun, energetic band was was perfect for getting the party started. This pop punk band has powerful vocals and strong beats that just makes you want to dance. The singers fast paced and hard hitting lyrics are perfect for a summer party.

 The show stayed strong with The All-American Rejects taking the stage. With every song the crowd was dancing or singing along. These rockers played hard and left an impact on their listeners. Bringing a hometown vibe to the stage, the band made the crowd feel like they were in a smaller venue and the songs were just for them. Throughout the show the band would joke around and enjoy themselves and they never left the crowd out. You were there to rock on with them.

Boys Like Girls brought this summer rock show to a close. With a mix of summer dance music and strong lyrics this band brought a fun but relaxing end to the night. You couldn’t help but to stomp your foot and sing along to the tunes. They brought the last life to the summer before the party ended.  They invited fans to sing on stage and even sang to the fans personally. They were there to experience that show for all it was worth and made sure that the crowd did too.

The question I was asked most at One Unit last night was “What are you doing here?”. I’m not exactly a staple at hardcore shows, and for the last two months I haven’t been attending that many shows at all. Being away, I realize that it’s not the live music that I miss the most.

One Unit has bounced around from space to space since the idea for the venue flowered from the local DIY hardcore scene about two years ago. The new venue at 810 South Edisto Street off Rosewood in Columbia, SC has the potential to be the best space yet. The unassuming cinder block building where One Unit is now housed sits across from a relatively new park and in the shadows of Williams Brice Stadium. This was something that I didn’t realize, or took for granted until the drummer from A Silent Age asked me what that stadium was. Look to your left and you’ll see the lights of the nearly 90,000 capacity stadium jut into the sky. It adds to the experience for a touring band, not so much for the locals.

One thing that the new One Unit space has that the other didn’t is more space. The main concert room, which is only half utilized currently, has two side rooms used for both band storage and potential practice space. The back room, which has a huge garage door, is occupied by a bicycle Co-Op.

Note 1, bring earplugs. The first band was the loudest band I’ve ever heard at a concert and been expected to listen to. So loud I couldn’t stand inside. I didn’t have earplugs for the first band so it was impossible to stand in front of unnecessary full stacks and half stacks. Congrats bros, you reduced the auditory function of 40 18-22 year olds. Apparently you had vocals but no one could tell.  I’m not sure if your band has a name, if you do I never heard you say it. Mad respect for hiding your potential talent behind a wall of earsplitting sound.

After the first band, we’ll call them The Muffled Drop D Chords, was a hardcore band who I also didn’t catch the name of. I didn’t get the name of the first two acts, but you have to understand that the lineup on this show changed a handful of times and at least one band dropped off the day of the show.  The second band was fine though, they at least had an idea of audio volumes and how to control the volume knobs on their amps. They also seemed to understand the fact that above a certain volume your “music” just sounds like a fighter jet flying 10 feet above your head. This band seemed uncomfortable that they were getting into their music, which they shouldn’t have been bothered by. They seemed like a pretty young band both in stage presence and the cohesiveness of their live show. The biggest crowd response came in the form of a Taking Back Sunday cover. They even had me singing along a little bit.

Third up was I am Carpenter who we filmed an acoustic session with earlier in the evening. Since I’ve seen them last they’ve had a couple of changes in the bands, including the addition of utility musician Taylor Pescatore. Their show Monday was hot, sweaty, and intense, as Cathcart and crew played through the dramatic and emotive songs on their upcoming album My God, Clara.

Following I am Carpenter was Richmond, Virginia rock band A Silent Age. Their setup involved hanging a 28 star American flag as a backdrop while Waka Flocka Flame blasted in the background. A Silent age is led by former Bury Your Dead front-man Myke Terry, who wasn’t a bit uncomfortable playing for a crowd more interested in hardcore than modern rock. The Virginians played a high energy live show topped off with industrial lights casting shadows on the ceiling as smoke from a fog machine made everything feel ethereal.

TV Girl at The Radio Room, 6/20/12

When LA’s TV Girl crossed into South Carolina on Wednesday afternoon, it was like they had found the promised land of freely available pyrotechnics and reasonably priced petroleum products. Fireworks or not, TV Girl and We Roll Like Madmen put on quite a show last Wednesday at The Radio Room.

We Roll Like Madmen: Jordan Young (left) and Chris Tollack

As Clemson-based EDM act We Roll Like Madmen, Jordan Young and Chris Tollack collaborate to produce songs that feature bedroom lyrics set to beats that seem to be crafted with dense and dark house parties in mind. (I would know. I had to kick them out of my living room once when the cops showed up.)

The crowd was fairly thin, so most people hung back for the first half of Madmen’s set. But then they played “Jellyfish.” It’s called “Jellyfish” because you’re supposed to dance like a jellyfish. I can’t say whether anyone had ever actually seen a jellyfish dance, but the handful who tried were pretty convincing.

Young and Tollack responded to the crowd’s energy with one of the more passionate performances I’ve seen from them. I could see and hear Young fighting his vocal limits to convey the weight of his lyrics over Tollack’s equally heavy beats. I felt just as emotionally spent as physically.

Following that exhausting performance, TV Girl proffered a welcome but not-too-drastic change of pace. For The Radio Room, a tiny dive bar known mostly for regional acts and a smoky atmosphere, the young group was a breath of fresh air.

Trung Ngo, of TV Girl, shooting pool before their set

They led off with “I Wonder Who She’s Kissing Now,” a catchy diatribe against the hang-up you’re still hung up on. The next song, “Girls Like Me,” was vocalist/synth player Trung Ngo’s transgendered lament on material beauty, sung from the perspective of maybe the girl he already sang about.

Following those two Ngo-led tunes, vocalist/bassist/sampler Brad Petering took the sound in a more “urban” direction on the low frequency track “Loud and Clear.” Petering and I talked afterwards about the tour and how the band got started.

Ngo and Petering, co-founders/de facto creative directors, started releasing music as TV Girl back in 2010. Since then, they have received positive attention from Pitchfork and put out a second EP and full-length mixtape. Earlier this year, they made a strategic move from San Diego to Los Angeles.

Trung Ngo (left) and Brad Petering, TV Girl

Along for the tour (and mentioned in the mixtape activity book) are a guitarist and a drummer who backed the bandleaders with surfy riffs and rhythms. Even during a few instrument-changes, everybody played their parts well.

Overall, I preferred songs where Ngo had the lead over Petering’s more hip-hop influenced tracks. Petering’s delivery had a bit of a dull edge, while Ngo sounded crisp, even through The Radio Room’s average sound system. I think the issue was that Petering’s lyrical style is simple and conversational, which requires an extra attention to melody that I didn’t hear.

At around 45 minutes, they capped off a short set with the title track from their second EP, “Benny and the Jetts.” It was a fittingly familiar conclusion for a band that has at least one fan (me) in the Greenville area.

TV Girl has a lot of potential, and I hope they continue to produce and tour and play music that incorporates so well the nostalgia this generation feels for our popular past.

Brad Petering of TV Girl

PS
I can assure you that David had a fantastic time on his birthday. Modern Man even showed up to play a surprise set after TV Girl. I heard everyone really did shoot off fireworks later that night. Too bad I don’t have anything to report about that. I had work in the morning.

I would like to thank Big Hassle Media for their hospitality. They were great to work with and I hope that we can continue this relationship forever and always. Also, thanks to Lillian Cai and Alex Chura for taking the pictures that are in this article.

I tried to write this article on my way back from Bonnaroo last Sunday and it was a mistake. All I wanted to write about was how I was looking forward to showering, sleeping, and eating. Now that I have fulfilled those urges by doing excessive amounts of each, I think that I can finally wrap my head around Bonnaroo 2012. The theme of this year’s Bonnaroo was, without a doubt, fake british accents. Everyone and their mother seemed to be attempting to sound as if they were from across the pond. I could be cocky and say that they were probably just trying to sound like me, but I think the real truth can be found in Bonnaroo’s lineup (and the popularity of Game of Thrones). There were a lot of British artists this year. Obviously there were a whole bunch of American acts as well but the bands that I heard most people talking about were the ones who were visiting from the UK. This could possibly be due to the fact that they do not tour here as much, who knows. Regardless of whether the bands were American, British, or whatever else, I enjoyed all the music I saw and this year’s Bonnaroo was a major success.

It all started with an eight-legged cat. Well, that is not true, that came later. It started with me and Jake Causey driving through the magnificent Tennessee mountains. Unfortunately when the road got closer to Bonnaroo’s location, the mountains and the scenery got boring again. When we arrived we got some things from the Bonnamart (Walmart next to Bonnaroo), got lost three times, and finally got directed to our campground. When we secured out spot and jumped out of the car, it was nighttime and it was cold outside. You are probably furiously thinking, “Rupert, you are straight up lying to me. Bonnaroo is never cold.” Well, sir or madam, I am not lying. I was at the point where I was wearing a cardigan and thermals to sleep. It got slightly warmer by Saturday but it was nothing compared to the sweaty nights of Bonnaroo 2011. It was pretty hot in the days obviously, but still not too bad. Anyways, we unpacked our bags and went to sleep, anticipating the festivities of the days to come.

Thursday

Thursday started with an eight-legged cat. That was the right place to put that sentence. we were camping with 8 other people and we were all sitting and waiting for Centeroo to open. A man appeared and said “I can show you an eight-legged cat for three dollars”. Obviously we says heck yes. Then he pulled out a jar full of isopropal alcohol that had a stillborn kitten in it. No joke. He took us on a tour of its eight legs, four ears, and two tails. He told us that Discovery Channel tried to buy it from him but he will never sell it.None of us knew what to say. It was really weird, and really Bonnaroo. After that introduction to the weekend, we wandered into Centeroo alongside thousands of buzzing-with-excitement festival-goers. In terms of atmosphere, Bonnaroo is the best festival there is. Everyone is friendly and happy to be there. It creates a little world where everyone feels like family.

The band that kicked off my day was The Lonely Forest. They were solid and sound like a baby version of Death Cab For Cutie with some Tokyo Police Club mixed in. I saw Rubblebucket next, a wonderful band featuring a lovely female singer, a horn section, and colorful flags everywhere. At one point, giant robots came into the crowd and danced with everyone. Very impressive. I went back to This Tent and witnessed a triple attack of hip-hop music with Danny Brown, Yelawolf, and Kendrick Lamar. Surprisingly, my favorite of the three was Yelawolf. He is slightly terrifying at first glance/listen but he had such a good stage presence and it was obvious that he greatly appreciates his fans and their support. He made fun of Eminem, sung Johnny Cash, and pleased mostly everyone in the packed tent. Danny Brown and Kendrick Lamar were good as well, I just did not like them as much. From-nothing-to-huge band Alabama Shakes were up next and showed us exactly why they deserve their recent surge of popularity. The only problem that I had with their was that lead singer Brittany Howard’s vocals were turned down too low which was unfortunately because her voice is one of the main draws of the band. They sort of fixed it throughout the set, enough to where I could enjoy it. They were incredible though, and so young! All of the members have insane talent, with the star of the show being Brittany Howard. She was a bright star full of infinite energy. She was talkative, emotional, and inspirational. Everything you could want from a lead singer. She introduced one song by saying that she wrote it because she was best friends with a boy since they were little. As they got older, people started telling them that they can’t just be friend. This enraged her so she wrote a song about it. After their explosive set there were no more bands to see so I meandered off to bed.

Friday

Bonnaroo really upped its game with everything this year. There was more shade, more toilet paper and most importantly, more water. Last year I spent half my time lining up for water but this time I was barely in any lineups the whole weekend. We cooked some sausages then walked into Centeroo the begin the first full day of the festival. I started off the warm day by heading to That Tent, hearing some fake british accents, then getting a nice spot for one of my most anticipated acts, Michael Kiwanuka. Kiwanuka is a sweet fellow from London who has a soul sound akin to Otis Redding and Bill Withers. He won BBC’s Sound of 2012 and his live show showed just why he won this coveted award. He had a full band with him but luckily it just the right amount of sound so as to not drown out his soulful, era-transcending voice. He played guitar so well that you would think that he went to university for music (which he did). His biggest hit in the UK, Home Again provided a sort of anthem to Bonnaroo since I know that every returning Bonnaroo attendee was thinking those two words when they entered the festival gates. Next up was another Londoner, folk artist Ben Howard. I have his debut album Every Kingdom, and I enjoy it, but I did not expect to see the absolute show that he and his band put on. There were only three of them but they somehow managed to give me goosebumps by the second song. A lovely brunette girl played cello, bass, drum, and provided hauntingly beautiful harmonies. The energetic drummer also added his voice and played guitar as well as pounding on the drums. The thing that surprised me, and I think it surprised the band as well, was the support from the crown. I did not think that many people knew Ben Howard but the tent was full of screaming, happy fans. Together, we hung onto Howard’s every word and were all impacted by his godlike guitar playing. It really was something special.

Afterwards I caught some of Hey Rosetta!’s set before heading over to the What Stage to wait for Radiohead. Hey Rosetta! were a good live band but they just did not seem too special after seeing Ben Howard. Then I headed to the massive What Stage to wait for 4 hours to get a good spot for Radiohead. The excitement was already in the air. Radiohead was the band that most of the people there were looking forward to most and they were finally going to see them. I sat next to some friendly people and got ready for the long wait. As the sun was setting Rodrigo y Gabriela came onto the stage. They were so good. I have never seen guitar being played the way that they played theirs. At some points they were playing the most complex guitar parts I had ever seen with their eyes closed! During their set, I ran into Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell and they were both beautiful.

Finally, after getting 8 rows back and making some wonderful friends, the lights turned off and Radiohead stepped out onto the stage and played underneath one of the most impressive stage setups I have ever seen. They had about 10 separate monitors that moved around, flashed different colors, and showed videos of the band. At one point the monitors all came down flat and made it look as if Radiohead were performing in a small club venue rather than a massive outdoor stage. Though without these screens, the band would have done just fine. I do not even want to talk about how good the band were. I was mesmerized from start to finish. I heard people complaining after the set that they did not play many of their old songs but seriously, how could they complain? The set was flawless. What surprised me most was the amount of energy that all the band members had. They were dancing, screaming, and having fun. I just did not expect this brilliant stage presence. Thom Yorke was nuts. He spoke in weird voices, taunted the crowd, and most importantly, sang his heart out. Contrary to the ideas of some, their new songs were the ones that stuck out most to me. Their newer songs have an enormous range of genres and style from hip-hop to chillwave. During new song Indentikit, Thom Yorke and guitarist Ed O’Brien were singing what sounded like two different songs but it sounded absolutely perfect. The Daily Mail and Weird Fishes were some other highlights. You probably saw this on the internet already but they hinted at a collaboration with Jack White and also dedicated a song to Saturday’s headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers. I could seriously write an essay about Radiohead’s performance due to their massive, expansive set featuring two encores but I cannot write too much as I have already busted out a lot of words. I did not even get a chance to talk about Johnny Greenwood’s immense music palette. After being wowed by Radiohead and experiencing my first full day of Bonnaroo 2012, I went to bed.

Saturday

On Saturday I slept in, got a free homemade granola bar, and saw some more talented acts. When I got into Centeroo I went straight to This Tent and stuck it out there for most of the day. At the tent I saw Das Racist, Battles, and SBTRKT. Das Racist were as ridiculous and fun as I expected them to be. They hyped up the crowd a whole lot and at one point they made us all turn around and face the back of the tent before launching into their song Michael Jackson. I saw Battles at around 2am at Moogfest last year and was just about asleep so I enjoyed their performance at Bonnaroo this year a lot more. They told the crowd that they had planned to take a year off but had to come back just to play ‘Roo and I think that everyone was glad they did. They are way too good at instruments. Up next was SBTRKT, which is a stage name and project headed by Aaron Jerome from London, UK. It also refers to the live musical duo of Jerome and his frequent collaborator Sampha. Jerome spent the show triggering samples, mixing, and playing the drums which Sampha played keyboards and sang. His voice and both of their passion and energy was highly impressive. The only gripe that I had was that the show not at night. I believe that with an amazing light show, their sound would have worked ever better. Afterwards I headed over to see The Roots who were huge and full of energy. All of the members were all over the place and having the time of their lives. They got the enormous crowd moving and left an impression on everyone. During Red Hot Chili Peppers I went on Bonnaroo’s fantastic ferris wheel and then saw some of ?uestlove’s Superjam featuring D’Angelo and members of The Roots.

I woke up Sunday morning and thought that I had drooled everywhere but I realized that it was actually raining. Jake and I had already been planning to leave early due to our 8am summer class but this rain convinced us to skip Sunday altogether and drive home. It was very unfortunate that we had to miss The Civil Wars, The Antlers, and Bon Iver, among others, but that is the price I have to pay for being a super smart college student. As you can tell from my review, Bonnaroo was amazing. I will be in Europe for the first half of 2013 so I will not be there next year but I hope that SceneSC can continue this happy relationship with the festival. Happy Bonnaroo!

If you weren’t at 5 Points Pub last Wednesday to see Heyrocco and Civil Twilight put on a show, then I feel very sorry for you. Both bands came to play (literally) and both bands won the crowd over. Heyrocco started off their set with “The American Tourist” and then went on with “Whales,” from their recently released album Comfort. I took the fact that they played my two favorite songs of their’s at the very beginning as a sign that the show could only get better as the night went on.

In Heyrocco’s case, that was definitely true. After a couple of slower songs, they launched into “Brothers,” an upbeat, kind of anthem-ish tune from their Friends Mixtape that really can only be described as infectious. After that they played a new song, the title of which is either “Math” or “Meth,” I couldn’t tell which one, but whether it’s about that subject in school that we all love to hate or that drug thing, it’s amazing. Then came another song from Comfort, “Alaska 1957,” the live version of which was just as amazing as the recorded version, even though there was no cow bell. They covered “I Ran” by the English 80’s rock group A Flock of Seagulls; I’ve never really been a fan of the original, but Heyrocco’s rendition of it made me appreciate the song a tad bit more. They closed their set with “Rave Monks,” which gave us enough juice to make it through the rest of the night.

Heyrocco is an impressive band, not just because they write amazing music and are great performers, but also because they have formed such a versatile and mature three-piece entity at such a young age. I know many wannabe musicians around their age who don’t have even a fraction of the talent that Nathan, Tanner, and Chris of have and constantly throw in our faces, leaving us with dropped jaws and a desire to buy all of their music. What with their awesome lyrics, instrumentality, and Nathan’s unique voice, I have high hopes that they can go very far in their musical career.

After a twenty-minute wait, Civil Twilight hit the stage, starting off with “Highway of Fallen Kings,” “Every Walk I Have Ever Taken Has Been In Your Direction,” and “Move/Stay.” These songs and the four that followed all blurred together and sounded the same to me. Thankfully, the last part of the set was so much better. As soon as they started playing “Letters To The Sky” and then went straight into “Fire Escape,” there was hope for redemption. They then covered Massive Attack’s “Teardrop,” the hook of which many of you would recognize as the theme song to the popular television series House M.D. During “Teardrop,” lead vocalist/bassist Steven McKellar jumped into the crowd for a run through of the chorus and a solo. I would have found this entertaining and, dare I say, charming, if he wasn’t stumbling into people left and right. Overall, this was a pretty decent cover; although, why anyone would even attempt to cover it after Newton Faulkner took a shot at it, I’ll never understand. My favorite moment from their set was when Steven played “Quiet In My Town,” acoustically, just him and a guitar on stage. He took hold of all of our hearts when he sang, “Today is quiet in Columbia, South Carolina.” I was so pleasantly surprised by this number that I almost forgot about the first half of the set. They ended the night with “What You Want,” and even though most of the ground chanted a resounding “One more song!” the set was complete.

I feel like my disappointment in Civil Twilight’s set was kind of egged on by how impressive and entertaining Heyrocco’s was. Civil Twilight didn’t engage with the audience as much, and to me, interaction with the people who took time out of their lives to come and see you play is almost as important as the music. I understand that they’re from a different country and the etiquette may differ somewhat, but in a venue that small, it’s easy for some members of the audience to feel a disconnect from the performer, especially if there is hardly any acknowledgement from them. Overall, Civil Twilight seemed like they were putting up an indifferent front and while they were really into the music they were playing, they didn’t seem excited to be playing it. They’re all wonderful musicians and their music is great, but the live show kind of put a damper on my Civil Twilight party train.

Suffice to say, Heyrocco won the evening with their quirky charm, infectious energy, and unique sound. Make sure to check out Comfort, download it a time or ten, and do your darndest to see them play live as soon as possible.

Memorial Day weekend marked the beginning of yet another Sasquatch musical adventure.  Anticipation seemed to stream through the lines of cars as they began to line up off the Washington Interstate. The cracks of beer cans echoed through the gorge as the EPIC wait to get into the campground began. Hours later, wristbands intact, booze smuggled passed security, people began to make their way into the small village that would be their home for the next three and a half days.

Day 1

Due to the wait and the time it took to set up camp, Friday began with the masterful mashup DJ Girl Talk, aka Greg Gillis.  The crowd was amped and ready to dance their faces off and Gillis certainly delivered.  In true Girl Talk fashion he came out and immediately began to pump up the crowd by having everyone throw toilet paper, or glow sticks, and the craziest dancing fools were brought up on stage with him. His set started with “Play Your Part,” the song that kicks off one of his most popular albums Feed the Animals.  Gillis’ ability to keep a crowd engaged is beyond what most DJs are capable of doing on their own. He never lost the crowd’s focus; beating us over the head with endless hit after hit.  Pretty Lights followed and kept the crowd moving.  When he started, the crowd threw glow sticks in the air making it look like it was temporarily raining neon at the gorge. While his light show and set were interesting after Girl Talk it’s hard to keep a crowd as excited, and people began to filter back towards camp, where the party never stops.

Day 2

Saturday began with newbies Alabama Shakes, who had the Bigfoot stage swarmed. Their debut album Boys and Girls has been a gift from the musical gods reminding people what it means to play real rock and roll.  Lead singer Brittany Howard’s voice is reminiscent of Janis Joplin.  Listening to her perform songs like “I Found You” and “Boys and Girls” makes it feel as if you’re reading her diary they’re so personal. Yet she rocks the house with her roaring vocals on songs like “Be Mine” and “Hold On.”  It will be interesting to watch this band blossom in the years to come.

After Bigfoot it was time to go to the Sasquatch stage to post up for the heavy hitters to come that evening. Caught the tail end of the Civil Wars set, an adorable duo whose mellow tunes seem to go hand–in-hand with the natural beauty of the gorge.  Country singer Jamey Johnson followed and seemed hell-bent on putting everyone to sleep with his laid-back set.   While a talented musician, his country music was out of place.

Childish Gambino’s music had been blaring throughout the campgrounds that morning in eagerness of his performance.  Gambino, otherwise known as Donald Glover, on top of being a rapper is also a standup comedian, and a writer and actor for NBC hits such as 30 Rock and Community. His energy, as well has his band’s, was relentless and exactly the kind of energy boost people needed especially after the sleepfest that was Jamey Johnson.  I had never heard much of his music, but as a huge fan of Community (not going to lie I was hoping Abed would show up), I knew I wouldn’t be let down. Gambino’s lyrics are incredibly clever and he calls ‘em as he sees ‘em. He calls out his haters, his friends, family and even the girls he’s uh been “romantically involved with.”   His talent is so incredibly genuine it’s hard to focus on anything other than him. He commanded his audience and helped bring the main stage back to life.

Metric continued the life support with their electro pop anthems. Lead singer Emily Haines, in all her whimsy, danced around the stage with her tambourine and blasted our ears with her synthesized love. She appeared to be exactly where she wanted to be and reminded her audience that their souls were out there for us and we were grateful. They played new songs from their up coming album Synthetica, due out June 12th, as well as chart toppers from their album Fantasies.

The chart toppers didn’t stop when The Shins took the stage. As a band should in a festival setting they played all their big hits from “New Slang,” to “Kissing the Lipless” and “Sleeping Lessons.”  The crowd sang along and front man James Mercer made us all honorary members of the band.

As soon as his roadies hit the stage dressed in typical Third Man fashion, fedoras, black suits with silk blue ties, Jack White’s newest album Blunderbuss’ signature color, a frenzy seemed to grip the crowd as people descended into the pit to get a better view.  The roadies began to transform the giant main stage into a more intimate setting reminiscent of the White Stripes, but with many more instruments. Once everything was in place including the Third Man spotlights and drapes, the band took the stage banging on their instruments amping up the crowd which erupted in to screams and cheers when White appeared.  As soon as he picked up his guitar he went right into playing The White Stripes song “Black Math” sending the crowd into a dancing fit, jumping up and down.  From that point on we were taken on a journey through the music career of Mr. White. He played songs from his new album, as well as songs from his other groups The Racounteurs and The Dead Weather. He even did a Hank Williams cover. Mostly he delighted the masses with many a White Stripes song including, “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground,” “Hotel Yorba,” “Catch Hell Blues,” “Hello Operator,” and “Ball & Biscuit.” He picked up his acoustic and played “We’re Going To Be Friends,” while everyone sang along.   He ended with “Seven Nation Army,” which has become quite the anthem, and involuntarily causes people to chant along with the well know guitar rift.  It was interesting to see how much White still plays to his drummer, which he was known for doing with former band mate Meg White.  There was a lot of White Stripes nostalgia going on, and it was different hearing all the songs played with much more sound.  Jack White played an amazing show. His music is universal, and truly authentic. He’s a living legend who continually shows us what music is and can be.

The Roots ended everyone’s Saturday evening with their usual crowd pleasing ways. They are a phenomenal live band and if you ever have the opportunity to see them live go, because not only will they entertain you, they’ll keep you grooving all night long.

Day 3

Day three was a grassy knoll day.  I saw the end of Chiddy Bang a hip-hop/rock duo from Philly. Their sound would have been better on one of the smaller stages, but cheers to them for being given the opportunity to perform on the Sasquatch stage. M. Ward charmed the afternoon crowd with his ethereal guitar melodies and winsome lyrics.  His songs always seem to remind me of a fairy tale and the gorge provided a perfect backdrop for his sound.  A local Washington favorite The Head and the Heart followed playing to a fairly large audience for an afternoon band. Their music has an easy flow of vocal harmonies with a danceable side to it.

After the mellowness of the afternoon my friend in I went in search of something to dance to. We headed to the Banana Shack where all who wish to move go.  We were disappointed with euro-trance band Apparat, so we moseyed over to the Bigfoot stage to get a good spot for Little Dragon, a band I was quite unfamiliar with, but am so grateful I found. If you have not heard Little Dragon go out and buy their album Ritual Union immediately. It is exceptional. Lead singer Yukimi Nagano’s stage presence is subtly commanding.  She directed the lights and her partners on stage with her tambourine and drumstick, while moving around as if she was walking on water. Thank you Little Dragon for giving me something to dance to and saving me from the easygoing monotony of the day.  Sunday ended in the dance tent with James Murphy who put on a typical DJ set, but with an amazing light display and awesome graphics.

Day 4

Monday, the day every Sasquatcher is saddened to see, started with Welsh band The Joy Formidable.  I wasn’t too impressed with this band. They sounded like any other alternative rock band you might hear on a popular radio station. Their lead singer’s facial expressions were distracting, but boy could their drummer tear it up.  The audience was graced with a true afternoon delight in Feist.  She is one of the best female performers around. She taught herself how to play music, as well as sing. She writes and produces her own material, and her creativity is unmatched. Live she is quite the fireball one might expect from a redhead, enticing the crowd to sing along, clap, and dance. Her back up singers The Mountain Band were three hippie girls, fully clad in peasant girl type dress, who helped with the vocal harmonies so essential to Feist’s music. Their performance helped enhance hers and they all looked like they were having one hell of a good time.

People moved towards the Yeti stage to catch a glimpse of funny man John C. Reilly and Friends. Reilly is a part of Jack White’s Third Man Records label and has recently put out a couple singles produced by White. His sound is old timey country with a rockabilly vibe to it.  It seemed that most people were expecting him to bust out into characters he’s played in movies, not really giving him the opportunity to prove himself as a musician.

Ready to dance, the Banana Shack once again became our destination, and L.A. Riots was raging away beneath the white tent.  The excitement disappeared with SBTRKT, so we went over to the main stage just in time to catch the beginning of an epic rock show put on by the amazing Tenacious D.  They were incredible, not only because they are talented musicians, but also complete fans of rock and the theatrical aspect of a show.  They are sincere performers even if the things they’re talking about are completely insane.  For example in celebration of their new album Rize of the Fenix, a “phoenix” arose center stage. When I say “phoenix” I mean a giant penis with a face and huge pair of balls with flaming wings arose from the middle of the stage and leaned towards the audience.  I was scared it was going to shoot something at us.  Later a giant evil squid appeared on stage and Jack Black killed it will a nerf gun. It was like being at a more comedic GWAR show.  You know less aliens and blood, but more dick and butt jokes, but the same kind of performance rock.  At one point Black even sings, “Look inside my anus and you’ll know Sasquatch is real.” The whole audience including the people on the grass sang along to the soft rock ballad “F**k Her Gently,” which was hilarious, and heartwarming.  Tenacious D was a much need dose of face melting R’n’R for the people of Sasquatch.

In a last ditch attempt to get some dancing in we tried the Banana Shack one more time for the DJ Nero.  He had good moments, but every time he’d build up the beat he’d drop into some dub-step bass line, and that’s all he did. The music became predictable, so we went to the last show of Sasquatch, Beck.  He played all the songs you’d want to hear Beck perform, but he looked so bored through his entire performance the novelty wore off quickly. If you’ve seen videos of older Beck shows you know what he’s capable of, but his stage presence at Sasquatch was incredibly disappointing. I wanted to go up there shake him and remind him that the lovely people of the audience were paying for him to get to his next Operating Thetan Level, so if he could pretend to like us for just a minute that would be much appreciated.  He closed out his set by bringing Tenacious D back on to help him sing his last two songs. Thank goodness he did that, it was the most physical energy his set had all night.

Tuesday’s mass exodus back to the real world always begins entirely too early, but people have to return to their normal lives. It’s easy to forget about everyday life at Sasquatch, and everyone seems dismayed as they called out their goodbyes to the beauty around them.  Overall my Sasquatch experience was fairly mellow this year, but with definite high points. Girl Talk, Alabama Shakes, Childish Gambino, Jack White, Little Dragon, and Tenacious D all helped to provide me with classic Sasquatch moments.  For those four days there wasn’t a single place in the world I would have rather been.  Thanks for the opportunity SceneSC!

It was a glorious Wednesday night at 5 Points Pub. Cara Salimando started the evening out with a quiet bang with her performance. Her set was simple, and that’s exactly the way it should have been. Her voice is airy and beautiful; all it needs is a piano or a ukulele to back it up and I feel like anything more would have lessened the specialness of it, at least in this particular venue. Some standout songs are “Dust,” “Commonwealth,” “Dream,” and my personal favorite, “The Way We Are.” I feel like she was letting us read her diary, it all felt very personal and intimate. Cara’s one of those rare birds that lays it all on the keys, does is well and doesn’t sound like a whiny damsel with a broken heart. Not only is she a fantastic musician, she did a great job of communicating with the audience and making us feel like we were all best buds. She played amazingly as it was, but knowing that she had a split finger being held together by super glue and was performing on next to no sleep made us all appreciate her just a bit more. “Commonwealth” was the last tune in her set, a quiet number that left a big impression. It was obvious that the song moved many of us, and I was kind of sad to see her leave the stage, but I’m sure there will be many more opportunities to see her play in the future.

William’s set up was simple and very homey: two beautiful guitars, a couple of tables, and a lamp. A lamp. I felt like I was getting ready to watch a show in my own living room rather than at a venue. I’m not going to lie, when he first hopped on stage and began playing the beginning chord to “Pour Yourself A Drink,” my first thought other than “Ooo, the hair” was “Wow, he’s not as tall as I thought he’d be.” Anyway, he continued playing the same chord, saying he wouldn’t stop unless we all moved closer to the stage, so of course we did. That’s the great thing about knowing how to play an instrument well—it gives you power. After the opening song he went on to play an unreleased song that “actually already is kind of released thanks to the Internet,” called “You And I Against The World,” a romantic ballad that literally had my heart melting and pooling on the floor around my feet. After taking a huge dose of “Grandpa’s cough medicine,” he played a cover of John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero,” as well as the very pop/alt tunes from his most recent release Walk The Talk— “Compromising Me,” “Girl You Shoulda Been a Drummer,” “You Never Give Up,” and “Oh, Love!” the last of which I especially enjoyed. William’s solo music is a force in and of itself; there are so many different aspects to it that work together to deliver the best possible sound to our eager ears.

Then came the old The Academy Is… favorites like “Classifieds” and “Down and Out.” Even though he didn’t mention the band by name, it was nevertheless amazing to hear him play these songs; there are many bands that have broken up and feel that it’s some sort of taboo to perform those songs on their own. The fact that William chose to perform these songs kind of gave us some weird unofficial confirmation that the band came to an end on peaceful terms.

I’m not sure what exactly I was expecting to come next but it most certainly wasn’t Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” booming on the monitors while William tuned his guitar and adjusted his harmonica holder. Yes, we were all Rick Roll’d by William Beckett, but I honestly didn’t mind. In the words of the man doing the rolling, “Seriously, how could you be mad about being Rick Roll’d?” After the silliness ended he brought Cara back to the stage to back him up on Ryan Adams’ “Come Pick Me Up.” This cover made me mentally sigh and say “Ah,” it was the perfect song for them to sing together. I thought the show had peaked with this song, but oh no, it did not. As soon as William said, “I was surprised that someone asked me to play this song…. It’s called ‘After The Last Midtown Show,’” I had to hold my breath. Suffice to say that song is very special to me…I wasn’t expecting him to play it at all since he hadn’t at any of his recent shows. It was a very emotional five minutes, to say the least. He closed the set with “Great Nights,” a very fitting song off of his upcoming EP about going out with a friend and seeing an entirely different side to them that you didn’t necessarily want to see. Before playing the song he explained the logic behind staggering the releases of his EPs in such a way that we didn’t have to wait months upon months for a full length record when we could just get four songs every three months, “leaving a trail of bread crumbs” to a full album’s worth of songs.

I thought I had an idea of how great William’s voice is, but until I heard him live, as in the sound waves going directly from his mouth to my ear, I didn’t truly appreciate how amazing his voice actually is. He has so much talent, energy, and dare I say swagger, it’s impossible not to be entranced with his performance. He connected with his audience in such a way that isn’t possible in larger venues. He embraced the intimacy of the venue rather than shying away from it whereas many other musicians might have been intimidating by how personal the space felt. William sang incredibly and made us all feel as if we were a part of something special. If you have an opportunity to see him on the last few dates of this tour or even on his stretch of shows in July with Relient K and Hellogoodbye, definitely take it.

Check out William Beckett’s Facebook for more tour details.