In my honest opinion, Treasure Island Music Festival is the best music festival I have ever attended. The line-up this year was filled with the best of who’s-who in the indie music world without it compromising reputation by booking a radio-friendly act in order to boost ticket sales. Besides, both dates were sold out and for good reason.
So let’s go over Day One first; first off, not the best day. Not a bad day by any means though. Bay Area’s own The Limousines kicked off the festival at a perfectly upbeat and energetic tone. Playing their now iTunes hit Very Busy People, I saw a band that I have been watching for years now become a tight electro-dance duo that will be emerging as one of the more prominent bands in 2010.
I stayed for about 3 songs for Crown City Rockers, who sounded like a next generation Roots with a mix a Franti optimism, which was kind of a turn off. Murs tore it up with his brand of storytelling hip hop. The guy works the crowd like a pro and I was quite impressed with his set. I only caught a song of Federico Aubele, I have no valid opinion of him just yet. Around this time I went to take pictures of the carnies at the backend of the festival grounds, which involved a guy laying on a bed of nails while his female assistant chopped apples and carrots on his chest. The food was okay, obviously at festival prices but the portions were perfect. One of the bands I was looking forward to was Passion Pit, who did a decent job at translating their unique dance-pop sound live. While the songs seemed to be missing a few of the layers that are featured on their latest record, Passion Pit certainly earned their time at Treasure Island.
Next I met up with lead vocalist of The Limousines, Eric Victorino to talk about the new record and other stuff, which I will post here in a few days time. We headed over to see Dan Deacon do this thing. I had already seen Dan at the Great American Music Hall this year and his performance here wasn’t any different. The only difference was the crowd, I’m not sure everyone knew what they were getting into. Dan Deacon is very demanding of his audience, he will tell you to do a dance competition, run around in circles, stretch in bizarre poses, and probably make you do things you wouldn’t expect at a rock concert. But that’s the fun of Dan Deacon show. He did pretty well despite getting frustrated a few times at certain audience members, “HEY! You with the fucking hat! Take two steps back!”
Next up was my first time seeing The Streets. Michael Skinner is much uglier up close…that I can assure you. I never fully understood the appeal of The Streets, his live show didn’t convince me, but I admit I was enjoying myself. After that was the legendary DJ Krush as he destroyed the crowd with his samurai-like DJ skills. He displayed a sense of extreme concentration that was admired by anyone willing to witness it. After Krush, I headed over to Brazilian Girls. Don’t let the name fool you, no Brazilians in this outfit, and only one girl, Sabina Sciubba. She cam out in a lingerie-like outfit with a giant heart on her torso. I was a little bored despite the obvious eye-candy of her costume. After about 3 songs I looked to see how the ferris-wheel line was…really long, so I declined in order to catch LTJ Bukem and MC Conrad. I should have caught the ferris wheel instead. Another performance that bored me to tears. I recognize they’re talented, but it’s just not my scene. I decided to stay for two songs and go find a good spot in the photo pit for MSTRKRFT.
For anyone that was a fan of MSTRKRFT that night, the duo did not disappoint. But while fans of pulse pounding electro beats were rocking out, everyone else was trying to find a good spot for Girl Talk. Greg Gillis came out with a mic and started to hype up the crowd, who was already amped up to party their asses off. This is around the time my camera’s battery ran out [note: bring extra batteries]. While mixing current radio hits with songs from last year’s Feed the Animals, Girl Talk did what he usually does, jams on his laptop while everything around him explodes, literally. There were giant tubes with balls in them, a girl with a leaf blower and a toilet-paper dispenser in the end shoot TP at the crowd, hipster dancers on stage, and at the end, a firework spectacle that pretty much said to MGMT, “Well, beat that fuckers!”
Unfortunately, MGMT couldn’t match the energy and wackiness of Girl Talk’s set. Even announcing that this was their last time playing for a long time and playing the whole record in full from start to finish didn’t hype up the crowd enough. Playing the whole record in track order didn’t help much either, after they played Kids, about half the crowd dispersed and headed for the buses back to San Francisco. I was one of them. Being that I was damn near passing out from exhaustion I had to call it a night early. Plus, my thoughts on MGMT didn’t change from watching them perform five songs into their set. They have 5 or so solid pop tunes and after that it gets kind of dull.
Let’s be clear, I had a blast, especially during Girl Talk, Passion Pit, The Limousines, and Dan Deacon. I was already impressed and was more than ready for what Day Two had in store.
Passion Pit– I’ve Got Your Numberfrom Chunk of Change (2008)
Click this picture for Treasure Island Music Festival Day One pictures from Kata Rokkar, taken by Shawn Robbins
I had a nice little trip out to NY, saw family & friends, caught an improv show in the city (Magnet Theater….it was hilarious) and saw Paranormal Activity (It did what it was supposed to…scare the fuck out of me). Now it’s back to business…
No Kuestionnaire today, I just back yesterday and barely had time to piece one together, but I’ll make that up for you this weekend as we will be getting exclusive access to the Treasure Island Festival! So expect some surprises and awesome ‘treasures’ to come your way.
I don’t know what happened this past weekend in the Bay…I’m kind of out of the loop on that. But I am aware that Vampire Weekend will be doing a gig in Lafayette at the Lafayette Town Hall Theatre [weird]. Get tickets as soon as you can and if you haven’t already heard their new tune, Horchata, it’s downloadable from here.
I listened to mostly the new Karen O / Where The Wild Things Are Soundtrack, new Flaming Lips, and the Sunny Day Real Estate re-releases on vacation and all have made my trip all the more relaxing. More on that this week…
And now…your ‘To See’ list…
Today! Sunny Day Fucking Real Estate at The Fillmore! With Jealous Sound nonetheless! I’ve been sneaking a peak at the setlists and they do not disappoint. If you’re missing out one a Kuestionnaire, read our short and informationless Kuestionnaire with lead vocalist Jeremy Enigk from last year. Also happening is Junior Boys at the Mezzanine, The Pogues, DeVotchKa, Zander Schloss and Sean Wheeler at The Warfield, and A Wilhelm Scream, The Riot Before, Living With Lions and Heartsounds at Thee Parkside.
Wednesday, Great Lake Swimmers, Laura Gibson and The Wooden Birds grace The Great American Music Hall and These Arms Are Snakes, dd/mm/yyyy and Glaciers rock out at the Bottom of the Hill.
Thursday, Say Anything, Eisley, Moneen and Moving Mountains play Slim’s, Gogol Bordello and Apostle of Hustle play The Fox Theater, Moby will be at The Warfield, and doom metalers Nadja rock Oakland’s Terminal.
Friday, Brand New do an acoustic set at San Fran’s Rasputin Music at 4pm and then go to the San Jose State Event Center Arena with Manchester Orchestra and The Builders and the Butchers, Butthole Surfers and Melvins play the Grand Regency Ballroom, hardcore terrors HORSE the band take on San Jose’s PBSJ, and Nellie McKay & The Aristocrats do Yoshi’s San Francisco.
Saturday, Treasure Island Festival takes over the night scene as well with Dan Deacon, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Teeth Mountain, Nuclear Power Pants, and DJ Aaron Axelson at the Mezzanine and A Place To Bury Strangers plus These Are Powers, All The Saints, and Geographer at The Independent. More info here.
Also on Saturday, WHY? with Mount Eerie, Au and Serengetti & Polyphonic at The Great American Music Hall and Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, M. Ward, and Jim James (aka Yim Yames) also known as Monsters of Folk do The Fox Theater.
Sunday, stylish synthpoper La Roux plays The Great American Music Hall and Straylight Run does the Rickshaw Stop.
Lots to do if you didn’t get your Treasure Island tickets in time. Have fun!
Sunny Day Real Estate – Sevenfrom Diary (2009 Edition)
Laura Gibson– Come By Storm (Hinah Session)from hinah session (2007)
dd/mm/yyyy– White Linesfrom Are They Masks? (2008)
These Arms Are Snakes– Horse Girlfrom Easter (2006)
Nadja – One Hundred Years [The Cure Cover]from The Cure’s Pornography (2008)
Well…I apologize for being a bit late in announcing this (I kind of knew about it for a while) because there are no more spots in this contest, however, this should be something interesting to watch. If you’re in the Mission District and see a bunch of wackos dressed as pirates, here’s why…
Tomorrow is the Treasure Island Treasure Hunt at the Hotel Biron from 6pm to 7pm! Treasure Island Music Festival and The Bay Bridgedare bringing indie music fans and people who have a lot of time on their hands together for a treasure hunt and a chance to win tickets to this year’s festival as well as VIP passes, gift packs, and more for the winners! Feel free to swing by the Mission and watch the chaos ensue because after the hunt at 9:30pm, there will be a party at a Mission District bar (not yet announced which one though).
Ahoy! It be speak like a pirate day! Well this buccaneer originally wasn’t goin’ to loot and plunder this island but due to a weird swashbucklin’ schedule, but it looks as though I be attendin’ Day One of da second annual Treasure Island Music Festival tomorrow! ARG! Aye, I have never laid eyes on any of these scallywags live. So I be quite excited to see TV on the Radio, Hot Chip, Foals, Aesop Rock, and da all mighty Justice slash up da stage! Yo-ho-ho! Da festival’s previous line-up included such sprogs like M.I.A., Cut Chemist & DJ Shadow, Spoon, and Modest Mouse. So I shall go on the account and commondeer a privateer to sail da high seas to Treasure Island! Raise da jolly roger! Shiver me timbers!
(If yee is to comment, yee must do so in ‘pirate speech’)
Roar! Kata Rokkar news! Okay…so this September is jam packed with upcoming shows and little updates here and there.
XChannel andTotally Fuzzy have recently been so kind as to add us to their blog roll. The sites are literally oversized mp3 blog databases. Feel free to browse through their library of unique mp3 blogs and discover some interesting tunes.
Yesterday I created a Facebook Page to promote the site and let like-minded people discuss whatever they feel like. So go ahead and become a fan. You will instantly become cooler, seriously.
This weekend I will be attending Day One of the Treasure Island Music Festival which includes Justice, TV on the Radio, Foals, Amon Tobin, Aesop Rock, CSS, and many others. More on that tomorrow…
On the 25th I’ll be at the Woven record release show at the Rockit Room in San Francisco. The interview with lead vocalist Ory Hodis will be up sometime next week.
My entire collection of photos from the Outside Lands Music Festival is right here.
Well the Ipod commercials have yet again made some random indie band hit mainstream status once again. This time around it’s Chairlift. This electro-folk trio hails from (obviously) Boulder, Colorado and is making me even more excited for snowboard season. I digress; if you’re into a gothic version of MGMT or a modern day Siouxsie & the Banshees, look no further. This act will satisfy your chillaxing needs.
Oh yeah and the new Ipods don’t look too shabby either.
Kata Rokkar is a place where you can download free mp3 from artists and bands that I currently love and listen to. They are only for sampling purposes and to influence you to go out and support these artists by purchasing their records and going to their concerts. If you are a record company or an artist that is displeased with a song being displayed, feel free to contact me and I will remove it ASAP. Thank you and enjoy!
I’ve Got Your Number from Chunk of Change (2008)
