popwreckoning

Day 2 – Saturday

A full day off to enjoy the festival and beautiful weather? YES.

We didn’t plan on getting to ACL until 2:00 so Jason showed us around town.

Know the way to a girl’s heart? Take her to the most amazing grocery store she’s ever seen. Central Market in Austin is a place for food lovers, beer lovers, soda lovers, oh and especially cheese lovers. This place seriously has it all. They even had a Boulevard Brewery section!

Well and after you take her to Central Market, make sure you check out the highest point in Austin. It’s beautiful and overlooks the entire river, along with downtown.

Onward to Zilker Park for the fest!

As we were walking in the gates, Lucero’s distinct vocals were blaring over the crowds. We stopped for a minute to catch a song, then walked the distance of the park to the Budweiser stage where Gaslight Anthem were.

I absolutely love Gaslight Anthem, and this was no exception.

This is where I rant about how amazing Manchester Orchestra was: HOLY SHIT! I’ve seen them a total of 4 times now and each and every time they just get better. Opening with “Shout It Out” and even quoting friend/bandmate in Bad Books, Kevin Devine towards the end. The only set that I could actually stay for the whole time and loved every minute of it. Guitarist, Robert McDowell looked into the camera to say hi to his grandmother since the performance would be airing on the internet. Andy Hull then leaned into the mic, “guess what, Grandma? Robert’s drunk!”

Okay, you get the picture. They rocked it.

Walked over to see the end of Silversun Pickups, who were awesome, then on to the Austin Ventures Stage for the majority of the night.

Local Natives blew me away. I knew they were good, but I didn’t expect them to be this good. One of my favorite bands of the day.

The other favorite band of the day? Monsters of Folk, of course. I absolutely love Conor and have since the day I heard a Bright Eyes song way back when.

Opening with their single, “Say Please,” MoF immediately got the crowd involved. Throughout their set, members switched instruments and roles between every song. For their second song, Conor took over. “Soul Singer in a Session Band” moved the crowd in such a way that I haven’t seen in awhile. Beautiful.

Next – LCD Soundsystem! Once again, would have been much better at night instead of 6:30 in the evening. Even still, there was tons of dancing. A perfect warm-up for Deadmau5 who played directly after on the neighboring stage as the sun set.

On our way over to see headliner, M.I.A., Matt and Kim were shutting down their set. They were in the middle of a cover of Mario’s “Just A Friend.”

Halfway through M.I.A’s set (which she was super energized and awesome to see live), we decided to beat the rush out of the park and head back.

We then tried out 6th Street for a bit, which is a whole story on it’s own.

Read Day 1 here.

For a long time, it seemed like St. Louis was only going to purport its stereotype of being a rap and hip hop town. Nelly was the most recognizable act from this gateway city. If a music fan wanted to listen to some indier acts, they’d have to traverse to Chicago or even Kansas City. Bands seemed to skip by this place unless they were of amphitheatre magnitude, and without anyone to step up and organize an event to draw these smaller indie acts, St. Louis seemed helpless as to how to change this.

But the people started speaking up – showing their musical tastes to be more diverse than just Top 40 radio. And guess what? The city answered. Slowly there has been a trend where these smaller rising bands and even more established, but not-quite-amphitheatre-status groups started visiting the Lou. And then the biggest boost: this year, St. Louis was presented with the first (hopefully annual) LouFest.

LouFest, a two-day music festival in the beautiful Forest Park, featured over 18 acts this past weekend with Canada collective Broken Social Scene headlining Saturday and the band crush of many, She & Him, on Sunday. Though the line-up seemed to focus more on indie folk or garage rock, it found its diversity in other ways: Jeff Tweedy and Built to Spill brought a classic touch, while Fruit Bats and So Many Dynamos brought a newer touch. Carolina Chocolate Drops gave a bit of a musical history lesson, while Gentleman Auction House, Kim Massie and others showed the range of local talents.

Bottle Rockets had the honor of being the first band to play at the first LouFest. Though their set was rocking for this established act, the crowd was sparse that early in the day. People were either trying to beat the heat or the steep ticket prices (lower cost is the number one suggestion for the 2nd LouFest!) because the crowd didn’t start filling out until around 5 p.m. Which is a shame because some of the best bands of the whole festival played that early afternoon.

Stephaniesid‘s music seemed to be unfamiliar to most everyone, but by the end of her set she had made everyone feel like old friends. She had a bit of a country alt rock thing but with the adornment of little, almost jazzy, freestyle yelps. This woman knows how to own a stage – she danced with the decorative drapings, sang her heart out and even got the crowd to singalong and participate, which wasn’t easy in that heat.

St. Louis’ own So Many Dynamos took over the blue stage after Stephaniesid and they had surprises in store for their hometown crowd. The boys invited out the Funky Brass Butt Band to amp up their set.

Adam Reichmann on the yellow stage had a harder time finding an audience for his slower jams, not to say he and his band were bad, but at least in this setting, the music and jokes fell flat.

But Titus Andronicus didn’t have any trouble finding enthusiasm for their brand of punk indie rock. Perhaps it was the contagious smile of violinist/guitarist Alexi Crawford or the New Jersey quips or catchy lyrics of frontman Patrick Stickles, but this was one of the best performances of the entire festival and that was evident by the crowd’s reaction.

That energy was set to carry over into Lucero’s set, but unfortunately the lead singer was ill and they had to call things short despite an admirable effort to play a rocking set even with his weary voice. St. Louis understands, but come back soon?

Word is that when LouFest organizers put out a survey to see what bands the city wanted them to bring – the number one response was Airborne Toxic Event. This is the viola-wielding, piano beating band that brought radio “Sometime Around Midnight” with a hushed intro that grows into a screaming, guitars blazing end. Yeah, they’re undoubtably good, but the number one request for the fest? Turns out Airborne Toxic Event had never played St. Louis in their 370 or so shows since their inception. So they were well overdue for an appearance. The band must have been feeling a little guilty for their extended performance absence and they spoiled St. Louis by debuting a bunch of new songs, which feature the same dynamic drive that powers their radio hits. You won’t have to worry about sophomore slump with this band.

Built to Spill as classic indie rock staples drew a huge crowd not just from LouFest attendees, but also from bands curious to see live one of their primary influences.

Broken Social Scene swamped the stage with their many collective members trading off vocals and instruments. There really couldn’t have been a better headliner for the night. Brass, double drums, great harmonies and tons of energy from staple Kevin Drew. While most bands save their big stunts for a big set closer, Drew showed by the second song that they weren’t holding anything back; he jumped off the stage and was embracing the audience. If you’ve never had the chance to experience this band live, you must. Their recordings don’t do the live show justice.

Sunday’s bands would have to really pull out all the stops to top what was delivered Saturday.

Since Sunday is the lord’s day, the bluesy, soulful voice of St. Louis’ miss Kim Massie delivered a special Gospel set to start the day before Magnolia Summer and then one of the more buzzed about bands: Carolina Chocolate Drops. They’re perhaps best known for their cover of “Hit ‘Em Up Style,” but the americana trio is more than just a novelty cover. Though the instruments are untraditional to what the typical guitar-based band, this act is all about the traditions: water jugs, fiddle and banjo. It was a fun lesson for what really is American’s musical history. But, of course, the fun cover made this set perfect.

Gentleman Auction House was another act representing St. Louis. Two drummers, two keyboardists and the enrichment of brass. St. Louis bands aren’t afraid to break out a little pomp to boost the volume of their sets.

Cory Chisel & the Wandering Sons continued the trend of delivering feel good Americana songs, unfortunately, with such stand up acts before them, they didn’t stand out quite as much as they usually would have.

Fruit Bats continued the festival’s trend of delivering feel good folk music over on the Yellow Stage. It was a bit more lively than the preceding set and got people moving.

Alejandro Escovedo was an artist that I hadn’t really heard, but had heard a lot about. Everything from “classic” to “best guitarist” ever were some of the excited boasts I had heard. However, while the music was good, it was too laid back to really take a grip. Perhaps Alejandro was just a little overhyped.

Jeff Tweedy might be St. Louis’ favorite son. Actually, earlier that day, the mayor had proclaimed that day “Jeff Tweedy Day,” to which Tweedy responded in true rebellious son fashion, “That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard.” The Wilco front man appeared without his usual band mates, but that didn’t stop him from performing the Wilco hits with his acoustic guitar. This set really was a treat for the Tweedy/Wilco fan, but for first time listeners, they might have had a hard time getting into – be patient, keep giving the music a chance and start with Wilco recordings before returning to the solo stuff would be my advice to those people.

Jeff Tweedy

She & Him closed off the weekend, but honestly, I could have done with an encore performance from Broken Social Scene. Sure Zooey is the band crush of many, but she didn’t really engage with the audience. M. Ward tried and I have to admit, I liked his songs about more for their rocking edge. I really enjoyed the cover of “Roll Over Beethoven,” that they closed with. But with how much praise this indie duo gets, I have to say that it was a bit of a letdown to see them deliver their set with lackluster energy and then short the audience of 20 minutes of performance with an early departure. Bring back BSS, please!

Though I found some of the 2nd day a bit more dry in the quality of performance, LouFest still did a great job and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for next year.

St. Louis’ debut music festival, LouFest, is this weekend in Central Field at Forest Park. So what can you expect from the green friendly fest?

First off, if you procrastinated buying tickets, they have not sold out yet. You can get them without hidden service fees here. It’s $64 for two day passes and $38 for single day passes. Kids 10 and under are free with a ticketed adult (there’s even a kids stage and activity area!). Single day passes are not allowed re-entry. Another warning: it’s cash only at the box office should you wait.

Now like many other outdoor fests, Loufests has some rules. No flags, coolers, glass, food, laser pointers, pets, professional cameras, weapons or oversized umbrellas. However, you can bring in a sealed bottle of water (up to one liter), non-professional cameras, blankets and folding chairs.

Don’t sweat that they’re not letting you bring in food. LouFest has a “Nosh Pit,” a fun area of local foods that are even vegan and vegetarian friendly. They’ll have everything from the standard burgers and brats to the more unique options of sushi and crepes. Check out the full list of food and vendors here.

Another cool thing about LouFest? They got the Metro to add an additional stop at the fest and extend service for August 28-29. Just be sure to take the #3 Forest Park Shuttle.

Also, don’t be sure to miss out on the sweet after-parties. Honestly, what is a fest without an after-party? Some amazing DJs will be kicking it at the Gramophone Saturday night, so join Hey Champ and AcidKids celebration of LouFest and London Calling. Go here to buy tickets – they’re $8 in advanace and $10 at the door. Doors open at 9 p.m.

Then on Sunday, head to the Flamingo Bowl as DJ Clockwork spins with DJ TrashTalk, Nick O and more. There will also be art, an auction and prizes. Cover is $5. Head here to learn more.

Finally, the most important thing about LouFest: the music! Check out these videos below from some of the acts that you must not miss!

Carolina Chocolate Drops – “Hit Em Up Style” cover:

So Many Dynamos – “Search Party”

Airborne Toxic Event – “Sometime Around Midnight”

Fruit Bats – “The Ruminant Band”

Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco) – “Fake Plastic Trees”

Broken Social Scene – “Cause = Time”

Schedule:
Saturday
12 p.m.    Bottle Rockets
1 p.m.       Stephaniesid
2 p.m.       So Many Dynamos
3 p.m.       Adam Reichmann
4 p.m.       Titus Andronicus
5 p.m.        Lucero
6 p.m.        Airborne Toxic Event
7 p.m.        Built to Spill
8:30 p.m. Broken Social Scene

Sunday
12 p.m.      Kim Massie (special Gospel set)
1 p.m.         Magnolia Summer
2 p.m.         Carolina Chocolate Drops
3 p.m.         Gentleman Auction House
4 p.m.         Corey Chisel & the Wandering Sons
5 p.m.         Fruit Bats
6 p.m.         Alejandro Escovedo
7 p.m.        Jeff Tweedy
8:30 p.m. She & Him

Here at PopWreckoning, we’ve officially hit a level of mail that makes it impossible for us to give full reviews to every band. However, this does not mean we believe that these bands shouldn’t be granted some for of press. It simply means we have to scale it down a bit. Therefore, we have opted to create a feature called Bite Size Reviews, which shall appear several times a week. This feature will contain 5 reviews each under 100 words and links to the albums website, MySpace page or label. We believe this is the best use of our mail and hope you too enjoy the reviews. They are as follows:

Thao – Know Better Learn Faster

With a 33-second intro of a chain gang chant, complete with handclap poignancy, you’ll expect a jumper and a revolutionary from albums past. Well, let’s just say that the Thermals split they did earlier in the year for Record Store Day was a preemptive move, since you have a little of the Thermals pop persistent throughout. Maybe even edging out their Alterna-Folk ground that was evident on We Brave Bee Stings And All. Social-mixer-and-mix-tape-friendly, with even a few tracks to dance to, like “Easy” and “Body.” “Fixed It!”, however, is a song made for Wednesday night group karaoke.

website | myspace | @ First Unitarian Church | @ Electric Factory | @ Terminal 5 | interview with | @ Liberty Hall

-

Lucero – 1372 Overton Park

This album should be taken with a box of tissues, as Lucero rounds a hill of ragged southern blues to its repertoire. Word is, that this record sounds more like Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers and Tennessee, but those slower unrefined drawls bring on an even stronger Memphis soul, with a seriously smoky edge. True, that “What Are You Willing To Lose” maintains that upbeat organ choir uprising, but the album is a toying game between emotions—rebellious cries both amorous and longing. At least with Tennessee the instruments were creative and full, whereas 1372 just sounds like you’re outside a motorcycle rebel dive bar or a truck stop diner.

website | myspace

-

Panther – Entropy

Panther begins by playing a little with your mind. The first track, “Latitudes For Centuries” sounds a bit like a Broadway warm-up, with an echo of ethereal vocals overpowering an introduction of piano. From there, it’s anyone’s guess. True to its history, the play-through sounds like it was a one-man (Charlie Salas-Humara) act that gathered a partner and a brand new direction. This adventure is just that, less electrical and more dancy-melodic. “Control Yr Ships” will quickly be an album favorite—the echo-ey voices returning with definite vociferous and keys presence. “Springwater” gets a bit too Dirty Projectors for me in a short chorus, but what’s left off the record is sincerely intelligent fun.

website | myspace | @ berbati’s pan

-

Fink – Sort of a Revolution

This is technically an artist doing the a.k.a. deal, whose real name is Fin Greenall, and whose day job is songwriter, producer, and DJ. A Sort of Revolution is masterfully crafted, from the writing to the production, and given his resume we’re not very surprised. The fourth album strings along Greenall’s beautiful rhythm and blues voice in matching syncopation with intensely focused acoustic guitar plucking. Simply speaking, a record made for chilling out with a slicker vibe. This definitely isn’t folk, so take that you acoustic demographic. And in a flawless addition to his already stellar collection of full-lengths, you’ll be happy to know that it was a John Legend collaboration that set this record to a new tier of awesome.

website | myspace