More songs that caught my ear. Difficult to describe my mood of late. Pleased with successful completion of a project at work, sober and anxious about money problems, sad and rejection prone with some of the usual family dynamics.
Glory - Radical Face
Funeral - Band of Horses
The Girl - City And Colour
Comes and Goes (In Waves) - Greg Laswell
I Turn my Camera On - Spoon
Do You Realize?? - The Flaming Lips
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1 - The Flaming Lips
Burning - The Whitest Boy Alive
Your Protector - Fleet Foxes
Beach Baby - Bon Iver
Home - Edward Sharp and The Magnetic Zeroes
40 Day Dream - Edward Sharp and The Magnetic Zeroes
There are always more songs to hear and learn and enjoy.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Firefly 2014
Finally getting around to posting about this year's iteration of the Firefly Music Festival. There was good and bad, first the good - performances, memories, and experiences:
1. The Airborne Toxic Event
5. Shaky Graves
6. NoNoNo
7. Weezer
8. Seeing old friends
9. Meeting new friends
10. Random happenings
Then a few things that weren't quite as good.
1. During the first (and only) late night show that I stayed for, (Son Lux in the forest. Weird atmospheric music in a super trippy atmospheric place) Kid on the barrier seized. He was probably 3 rows in front of me. Really killed the vibe and took away any chance of getting lost in the music for me. He was probably high, probably dehydrated, and certainly not a good combination with the myriads of strobe lights that were going off. Really weirded me out.
2. Attending alone. This allowed me to get closer to stages (good thing) and let me set my own agenda (also good) but fundamentally I enjoy spending time with friends and I missed my music fest partner, Pru.
3. Dust. The dust raised by 80,000 people tromping through former fields was truly amazing. Spent mornings of the next 2 weeks coughing. Don't regret it, but the dust was remarkable.
4. Finding my car. Sunday I got what was easily the closest parking spot I have ever had there. Great - right? On the way out, bone tired, sad it was over, depressed at leaving, I walked right past it and spent a good 20 minutes walking up and down rows of cars that were farther away than where I had actually parked. So frustrating.
5. Continued growth of the festival, both in distance and sheer numbers of people. While this is a necessary and terrific thing, and I am highly supportive of it and glad it is happening, It is frustrating to not be able to get anywhere close to the main stage unless you are willing to wait through a number of preceding acts. The acts that I would have loved to have been closer for were the Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys, Weezer, and Martin Garrix.
6. Schedule conflicts. Biggest one was Martin Garrix starting at the same time the US World Cup match was still going. TATE vs Portugal the Man, Beck vs Tegan & Sara vs Johnnyswim vs Sleigh Bells (Absurd choice)
7. Missing Bleachers, American Authors, Portugal the Man, The Jezabels, A-Trak, Johnnyswim, Tegan & Sara, Jake Bugg, Phantogram, and Broken Bells. Sacrifices had to be made.
8. Bands that didn't click. Saw and didn't like Holychild, The Weeks, Outkast, Dan Kroll
9. Not camping. Getting a hankering to camp one year. Needs to happen. Not sure when...
10. Cost. The whole thing is an expensive proposition. I made it to 35 stages, which helps spread the cost around as opposed to individual tickets, but still...
1. The Airborne Toxic Event
- One of my favorite bands at one of my favorite venues. Waited for an hour to be in the second row. Shook hands with Darren, caught a bottle of gatorade that Mikell threw out, and almost got the last set-list that Adrian brought over. Plus the show was terrific, probably my favorite of the weekend.
- Checked an hour before Foo Fighters to see if I had any chance to get close. I didn't. So I went over to Band of Horses and made it to the 4th row. Show was absolutely brilliant. They played hard, they played long, and rocked harder than I ever expected. The band changed guitars after almost every song. Really enjoyable performance.
- Trying to decide between Tegan & Sarah and Beck. Was going to catch half of each from what would end up being pretty far back at both. Finally decided to just go over to Beck where at least I could get pretty close for 1. Made it in to about 12th row and loved his mixture of straight up rock and creative weirdness. Beginning and end were older songs and rocked harder than the middle section. And he played E-Pro!
4. Kodaline
- Beautiful and really comfortable on stage for one of the early bands. I enjoyed their melodic tuneful approach, but liked that they could get the crowd up when it mattered. Impressed me as on the way up.
- Had heard he would be a good act to see, but was really planning on seeing someone else. Turned out to just be wandering around and decided to go take in the end of his set. I thought it was great and enjoyed the experience a lot.
- New band from Sweden. Thought the sound was great, lead singer was young, ingenue-like, combined with well produced backing beats and guitar. Caught my eye as a band who was thrilled to be playing to a largish audience, similar to Imagine Dragons 2 years ago.
- Crowd was large, and totally into it. Rivers Coumo and Co. did not disappoint. The crowd sang along on almost all the songs. Tremendously fun time. Sang the "Sweater Song", but not "The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived"
- Watched Lucius with my NPR / Firefly / Music friend Lorie. Caught up with an old work friend on Sunday morning, and hung out for a couple hours with an older work friend on Saturday. Looked up old friends Steven and Lauren along with Sarah. Saw Donnie in the crowd. Passed Lori M while walking. Watched for but didn't see (even though they were there...) Lydia, Tricia, Eric, Jennifer and others
- Destiny, girl in front of me at TATE. Donated sunblock to most of the band. Darren brought over a set of drumsticks.
- Girl reading a book close up at one of the early shows. (Hunter Hunted maybe?) Friendly, 21 pilots designs in her shoelaces, Fan of Gemini Club on the Big Break stage.
- Girl from Massachusetts at Ziggy Marley, wistful about Ziggy looking like Bob, friendly and happy to talk about festival in general, other festivals, and other things.
- Friendly guy smoking out with new friends at Band of Horses. Friendly and engaging. Talking about how he smuggled weed in past security.
- Girl with buzzed hair, raised $4000 for cancer, then donated hair. Fun and friendly
- Whole group to celebrate Goals by Jones and Dempsey during USA vs Portugal
- Waving at another old friend from work while walking by.
- Stopped by an acquaintance who hangs out with some other friends.
- Being able to smuggle in things all 4 days. Backpack never fully opened.
- Walking 1.25 miles to get to the first stage.
- Walking + jumping + dancing equaling 15-16 miles on the long days.
- Loved the sheer exuberance and physical response of the crowd at Martin Garrix
- Loved the unique and thoroughly joyful take on music and performance by San Fermin (Like Edward Sharp and the MZs if they played complicated music)
- Loved how much Ziggy Marley looked like Bob. Especially singing "Redemption Song"
- The poetry and confidence and weirdness of The Ceremonies
- Bad Things being really good, Wishing I could have watched the Colourist with more than half an ear, The joyful and no worries approach of Royal Teeth, The energy and great performance of Local Natives, Hunter Hunted, Magic Man, Lucius, Wild Child, Haerts, Basic Vacation, and many others I'm sure
Then a few things that weren't quite as good.
1. During the first (and only) late night show that I stayed for, (Son Lux in the forest. Weird atmospheric music in a super trippy atmospheric place) Kid on the barrier seized. He was probably 3 rows in front of me. Really killed the vibe and took away any chance of getting lost in the music for me. He was probably high, probably dehydrated, and certainly not a good combination with the myriads of strobe lights that were going off. Really weirded me out.
2. Attending alone. This allowed me to get closer to stages (good thing) and let me set my own agenda (also good) but fundamentally I enjoy spending time with friends and I missed my music fest partner, Pru.
3. Dust. The dust raised by 80,000 people tromping through former fields was truly amazing. Spent mornings of the next 2 weeks coughing. Don't regret it, but the dust was remarkable.
4. Finding my car. Sunday I got what was easily the closest parking spot I have ever had there. Great - right? On the way out, bone tired, sad it was over, depressed at leaving, I walked right past it and spent a good 20 minutes walking up and down rows of cars that were farther away than where I had actually parked. So frustrating.
5. Continued growth of the festival, both in distance and sheer numbers of people. While this is a necessary and terrific thing, and I am highly supportive of it and glad it is happening, It is frustrating to not be able to get anywhere close to the main stage unless you are willing to wait through a number of preceding acts. The acts that I would have loved to have been closer for were the Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys, Weezer, and Martin Garrix.
6. Schedule conflicts. Biggest one was Martin Garrix starting at the same time the US World Cup match was still going. TATE vs Portugal the Man, Beck vs Tegan & Sara vs Johnnyswim vs Sleigh Bells (Absurd choice)
7. Missing Bleachers, American Authors, Portugal the Man, The Jezabels, A-Trak, Johnnyswim, Tegan & Sara, Jake Bugg, Phantogram, and Broken Bells. Sacrifices had to be made.
8. Bands that didn't click. Saw and didn't like Holychild, The Weeks, Outkast, Dan Kroll
9. Not camping. Getting a hankering to camp one year. Needs to happen. Not sure when...
10. Cost. The whole thing is an expensive proposition. I made it to 35 stages, which helps spread the cost around as opposed to individual tickets, but still...
July 7, 2014
Another busy week beckons. Plenty of anxiety. Some serious questions. Music will be important. Here's some, many thanks once again to NPR All Songs Considered, as well as from a completely random listen through a small portion of my collection. Some are new, some are favorites, and some just capture my ear in the ever-overwhelming present.
Beneath the Brine - The Family Crest
If Pilots Go To Heaven - Broken Twin
Do I Have the Time - Jessica Lea Mayfield
Turtles All The Way Down - Sturgill Simpson
Forgiven / Forgotten - Angel Olsen
NeverEnds - Vijay Kishore
Blush - Plumb
Alone - Trampled by Turtles
Hysteric - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
I Drink - Mary Gauthier
Beneath the Brine - The Family Crest
If Pilots Go To Heaven - Broken Twin
Do I Have the Time - Jessica Lea Mayfield
Turtles All The Way Down - Sturgill Simpson
Forgiven / Forgotten - Angel Olsen
NeverEnds - Vijay Kishore
Blush - Plumb
Alone - Trampled by Turtles
Hysteric - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
I Drink - Mary Gauthier
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
