The first show to take place on the new patio of the Beaumont Club was the lovely titled “Red, White and Blow It Out Your Ass”, a free show from 96.5 the Buzz in response to the local pop station’s annual fest. Beaumont patio actually turned out to be a better venue than the inside of the club. Despite the warm weather, a light breeze made it feel cooler and the unevenness of the ground made it so nearly everybody could see the stage…a major contrast from the inside.
Canada’s Pilot Speed started the show with some piano rock. The group has been compared to Radiohead, but I picked up more of a Coldplay vibe in the wave of other new artists such as Barcelona and Carolina Liar. They were OK, but I unmemorable. Repetitive fist pounds and lack of hooks made it so they just became a background buzz as pockets of conversation erupted around the venue.
In stark contrast, California duo The Limousines got the crowd close and dancing after announcing, “There’s some prime real estate going to waste up here.” Though vocal inconsistencies made the singer occasionally sound like a goat, this set was so much fun to jump around to, that I’m willing to forgive that. They were probably my favorite act on the roster and mostly just because of their stage presence.
After an annoyingly long wait (I think it was bordering on an hour), Miike Snow began their set. For those of you unfamiliar, these are the guys who wrote Britney‘s “Toxic”, among other pop tunes. Their band’s music is nothing like that however, and with their leather jackets in the heat, the guy’s knew they were too cool to be known for pop tunes. Their electronica rock was fun and tight, but it was hard to take them seriously when it seemed like so much of their stage was wasted by people simply there to pump their fists in the air. I watched one member wave a drum stick in the air, while only utilizing it roughly once in the entire song.
Norwegian rock queen Ida Maria headlined. And she really is a queen. The cocky singer will affirm that herself in “Queen of the World”. With a rough voice like that you’d find in a smoky bar, Maria confidently sang through her songs and told the crowd she expected every single one to buy her album. I guess only somebody with her confidence and pride could get away with a song like “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked”, but I preferred the more modest confidence of the earlier performance of the Limousines.
Despite the warm weather and the long wait for Miike Snow, this was pretty decent for a free show and the first show on the Beaumont’s lawn.
Ida Maria: website | myspace
Miike Snow: website | myspace
The Limousines: website | myspace
Pilot Speed: website | myspace
Photos by: Joshua Hammond
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