I always loved the videos that Straylight Run crafted, so I was thrilled to see that the creative visual stories are continuing in John Nolan‘s solo project. I love how this video balances images of the adorable relationship of Nolan and his wife with images of him struggling inner demons and life pressures.

Check out this video for “Til It’s Done to Death” and if you find yourself craving more Nolan, swing by his site to download a free live EP.

Related Posts

• November 19, 2009 -- John Nolan w/Person L, Brian Bonz & Mulanix Street Orchestra @ the Record Bar, Kansas City MO (1)
• October 13, 2009 -- John Nolan – Height (0)
• September 14, 2009 -- Straylight Run announces Mile After Mile Tour (0)
• July 28, 2009 -- Interview with: Nightmare of You (0)
• March 2, 2009 -- Lydia @ The Waiting Room, Omaha NE (0)
• October 26, 2008 -- Interview with Will Noon, Straylight Run, pt. II (1)
• October 25, 2008 -- Interview with: Will Noon, Straylight Run, pt. I (2)
• July 21, 2008 -- Interview with: Fred Mascherino of The Color Fred (2)
• December 11, 2011 -- RNJ Announces 2012 Sound of Strength Campaign (0)
• December 3, 2011 -- Fort Lean Release Video, Announce 7″ Single (0)

John Nolan, formerly of Straylight Run and Taking Back Sunday, has been busy touring and coming up with new works for his solo project.

Between touring with Mansions, working to put his album out on vinyl and preparing a digital EP, Nolan still found extra time to treat his fans. To kick off the New Year, he has a free live EP that you can download here.

Tour Dates:
Jan 22 – Moe’s / Englewood, Colorado
Jan 23 – Kilby Court / Salt Lake City, Utah
Jan 25 – The Vera Project /  Seattle, Washington
Jan 26 – Backspace / Portland, Oregon
Jan 28 – The Wire / Upland, California
Jan 29 – Chain Reaction / Anaheim, California
Feb 2 – Chyro Arts / Scottsdale, Arizona
Feb 4 – Emo’s / Austin, Texas
Feb 5 – Art Ambush / Waco, Texas
Feb 6 – Rock Bottom / San Antonio, Texas
Feb 7 – Prophet Bar / Dallas, Texas

Related Posts

• November 19, 2009 -- John Nolan w/Person L, Brian Bonz & Mulanix Street Orchestra @ the Record Bar, Kansas City MO (1)
• October 13, 2009 -- John Nolan – Height (0)
• September 14, 2009 -- Straylight Run announces Mile After Mile Tour (0)
• July 21, 2008 -- Interview with: Fred Mascherino of The Color Fred (2)
• July 5, 2008 -- Warped Tour Rundown 2008 – Kansas City (Part Two) (0)
• August 25, 2011 -- Fantastically Local: St. Paul de Vence (0)
• July 11, 2011 -- Fences and Mansions announce split 7-inch EP (0)
• June 8, 2011 -- Taking Back Sunday Headlining Tour Starts June 14; New Album Out July 28 (0)
• June 1, 2011 -- Into It. Over It. Announce North American Tour Dates with Frank Turner and Andrew Jackson Jihad (0)
• May 29, 2011 -- Former Verve Members Return; The Black Ships Release Kurofune EP (0)

There are albums that are so overproduced that they lose all their authenticity. There are albums that are just right, and then there are those albums that are almost there. With just a little more studio time and mixing, former Straylight Runner Michelle DaRosa would have an amazing little album in her catalog with It Goes On, the first album from Darosa’s new band Destry.

On a first listen, It Goes On sounds a little like folky b-sides from Rilo Kiley’s first album – with Darosa’s voice paralleling Jenny Lewis’ softer tone. But with a couple more rounds you can see the potential that’s been brought together with Destry. “Don’t Forget Me” and “Home Isn’t Home” are probably the strongest examples of how this record is so easy to listen to. That’s exactly what it is – likeable folk pop.

The couple times Destry breaks away from the similar sound comes in the middle of It Goes On. “Trouble,” a bluesy track that shows the rich lower tone of DaRosa’s voice with a haunting bass line that sounds like walking down a dark, wet street and wind blowing through the trees. Right after comes the piano-laden title track, which is a cross between a ballad and a waltzy folk song. It would fit perfectly into the repertoire of pop songs that often provide the backing track on “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Let it be known that It Goes On came together as the band members sent demos back and forth, which is why it is such a simplistic and sometimes rudimentary first effort. Like I said before, if the band members had gotten together to properly collaborate and write the album, the plain shells of songs would have flourished into something even more beautiful. More producing would help Destry separate itself from its more established predecessors.

But as a first effort, It Goes On works on the most basic level – it’s pleasant to listen to.

Track Listing:
01. Don’t Forget Me
02. So Far Away
03. Leave the Lights On
04. Big Mouths
05. Trouble
06. It Goes On
07. Home Isn’t Home
08. I Made A Mistake
09. Sing My Song
10. Took the Money
11. Tearing It Apart

Destry: website | myspace

Related Posts

• June 22, 2010 -- Jenny (Lewis) and Johnny (Rice) touring, offer free download (0)
• October 26, 2008 -- Interview with Will Noon, Straylight Run, pt. II (1)
• October 9, 2008 -- Land of Talk – Some Are Lakes (2)
• October 8, 2008 -- Interview with: Pierre de Reeder (1)
• October 2, 2008 -- Pierre de Reeder – The Way That It Was (0)
• September 22, 2008 -- Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue (4)
• June 4, 2008 -- Rilo Kiley – Terminal 5, NYC (8)
• March 11, 2011 -- The Elected announces Bury Me in My Rings (0)
• January 5, 2011 -- My Top Ten: Saddle Creek Records Edition (2)
• September 16, 2010 -- Bumbershoot 2010: Jenny and Johnny on the Starbucks Stage (0)

In my circle of friends it is a running joke that Marco only likes Warped Tour bands. Now there is nothing wrong with that, but there is so much more out there than just that pop punk sound. In an effort to diversify his music tastes, we’ve been trying to get Marco to as many shows as possible. I think after the shock of the genre “gypsy punk,” which can be a bit out there, Marco was starting to be wary of the shows I was taking him to. So I might have tricked him into accompanying me into a particular Record Bar show.

“The Starting Line was quite popular on Warped Tour, Marco. The singer from the band is playing an intimate venue. Plus another singer at this show used to be in Taking Back Sunday. They played Warped Tour, too!”

Marco agreed and it wasn’t until we got him through the door that we told him an itsy confession.

“So, um, Marco. Yeah, these solo projects of these ‘warped tour bands,’ don’t exactly sound like those pop punk bands. The different projects sound nothing alike. In fact, this show might be what you would call ‘indie.’” Marco was nervous, but he stuck it out. And as the first band played, I saw him nodding his head a long with the music.

Mulanix Street Orchestra opened with their brand of folk alternative rock. Perhaps is not quite the best word because when they picked up speed and drummer Jeremy Morton‘s beats carried them to the end of the song, it was edgier than your typical idea of folk rock. Yet singer Erica Fitzgerald had kind of a Nashville sound to her voice giving it that undeniable element. I think many would be surprised that such a mature sounding band was the result of rural Missouri roots. Having formed in Kirksville, they’re a bit rough around the edges, but could definitely go places when they refine themselves just a little.

The hilarious Brian Bonz & The Dot Hongs took to the tiny stage next. I’ve seen Bonz several times in the past year and while I know I can always count on his music to be consistent, his stage banter is always…unique. Bonz is a character…And I don’t say that just because the Dot Hongs and Bonz brought animals masks with them to wear.

“Joining us all the way from the set of ‘Slumdog Millionaire,’ I present to you on bass: Jinda,” said Bonz as he introduced one of his bandmates. If I didn’t know what a nice guy Bonz was and if it wasn’t evident with the band’s interactions and body language that this was in all in good fun, I’d almost be offended, but instead I couldn’t stop laughing.

The stage banter offsets Bonz’ music in a bit a funky contrasting, yet complimentary way. Speaking he can be a bit jarring in his sarcastic humor, but then it switches back to one of his songs and I just chuckle as I see the jaws drop when he begins to sing. I can almost see those little cartoon thought bubbles pop up around people’s heads, “That sweet, croon is from that guy who just used the “F” word a second ago? I don’t believe it.”

I seriously don’t know why Bonz isn’t more popular. The guy doesn’t even need a microphone to carry his voice through the venue. And the dynamics! Dynamic control is so rare in a singer these days, but Bonz will use crescendos and descrescendos like the best of the classic singers.

Bonz invited John Nolan and his wife, Camille, on stage for a song, and while I’m a sucker for the guest bits, I don’t think the guest spots had anything on the brilliant Broken Social Scene cover Bonz wrapped up with. The Dot Hongs left just Bonz alone with an acoustic guitar and his beautiful voice to sing a cover of “Superconnected” that gives the original a run for its money.

Finally it was time for the band I was most eager to see: Person L. First, I’d like to apologize to Kenny Vasoli. I think I kept selling Person L short because I was so attached to The Starting Line and I think I wanted Person L to be a rehash of the Starting Line. But it is not.  Aside from Kenny’s voice being so distinct, there really are no similarities between the two bands. So when the first Person L record came out in August 2008, I didn’t give it its due credit. I even went out to this show half-hoping that he would play a TSL cover, but he didn’t. After watching Person L play, I’m glad he didn’t.

Person L has improved so much and the songs from their new album, The Positives, that just came out on Tuesday, Nov. 17, are much more rocking and solid pieces. I think the debut record got a little too experimental, but this new one is almost like jazz rock. I’m also in love with the idea of double percussionists. It gave the live show an extra depth. I’ve also never seen Kenny give so much energy in a performance. Did he move around as much with TSL? I’m not so sure he did. His stage presence was phenomenal and if Kansas City kids weren’t so scared of touching others and catching swine flu, I’m sure there would have been some moshing.

So if you’re going to this tour expecting TSL, you won’t get it. But you will get Person L and that band does put on a great show that is worth checking out, as is their sophomore album.

Finally, it was time for the headliner, John Nolan. This show was sort of a homecoming for him since he now lives close to Kansas City in Lawrence. Many know him as a former member of Taking Back Sunday and also as the singer of Straylight Run. As a soloish musician (soloish, since his wife, Camille, joins on most of his tunes), he sounds like an acoustic and stripped down Straylight Run. It’s still a different sound and one that is a bit happier, but the transition to Nolan solo side project from his previous band isn’t as drastic as going from something like TSL to Person L. And if you are going to this tour, Nolan does appease the Straylight fans with a few of those songs and looking at set lists from different nights, these are songs for the true Straylight fans and not just the casual “Existentialism” listeners. He also played some of his recent “Collaboration Experiment,” which is available for free download, but the set mostly featured songs from his new solo debut Height.

As I said earlier, this was very stripped down. Camille played keys for many of the tunes, and John played acoustic guitar, but it was really just a spotlight on his voice: his lyrics. The passion, the pain, and much like the lyrics with Straylight, the same brilliant commentary and reflections. However, Straylight lyrics seemed to be more of a global reflection or thoughts on another. “A laundry list of problems doesn’t make you interesting,” and “Tearing out all these open pages / Women and kids of all ages / Millions of men with blank faces /Italicised lies, headlines, bold type.” But with the solo project, comes more personal subject matter and Nolan reflects more on his own actions and behaviors: “I’m consumed by what might have been again and again and again” and the very self-aware “I’m focusing my hate, but it’s hollow, unsubstantiated. / You’re an easy mark, and I just need a target right now. / I can’t face myself. I can’t honestly own up to who I am.”

Just because lyrically, the man can be a bit depressing, don’t think the live show will make you want to go home and cry into your pillow. He pours his pains into the expression of his songs and is quite pleasant and amiable in between them. He jokingly yelled at a girl to come back in the venue when he overheard her drunken friend doing the same. He even promised a dance party to the audience and delivered. After Brian Bonz and the Dot Hongs joined the Nolans for the final two numbers, they burst into a fun jam and goofy dance moves that put a fun cap on the night. I look forward to catching more of Nolan when he returns to Lawrence in December.

Remember my friend Marco at the beginning of this post? I am sure you’re wondering why I chose to tell such a lengthy tale about a friend of mine that you’ll never meet. Because I think sometimes, in our snobby land of music reviews, we automatically assume only our opinion matters and most of the time only an indie band is good, I present you Marco: a guy who likes mainstream music and couldn’t identify Ben Gibbard from a box of crayons. Now put your American Eagle wearing, Target shopping boy in the middle of the ultimate indie show and if you can get him to agree that the bands are good, then you know you have a winner. Marco made it through the show. He even smiled, clapped and bobbed along with the tunes. I’m not sure if he has fully embraced the idea of “indie” yet, but he has embraced these bands. So I ask not that you take my “pretentious views” on this show and trust in Marco. Because even if Marco can agree that this was a good show and these are good bands, then you should be able to agree to that as well.

Related Posts

• November 28, 2009 -- Person L – The Positives (0)
• October 13, 2009 -- John Nolan – Height (0)
• June 29, 2009 -- Brian Bonz & the Dot Hongs – From Sumi to Japan (1)
• December 1, 2008 -- Interview with: Brendan Walter of Valencia (1)
• August 24, 2008 -- Valencia – We All Need a Reason to Believe (4)
• July 21, 2008 -- Interview with: Fred Mascherino of The Color Fred (2)
• June 8, 2011 -- Taking Back Sunday Headlining Tour Starts June 14; New Album Out July 28 (0)
• December 24, 2010 -- Taking Back Sunday record a new holiday song ‘Merry Christmas; I Missed You So Much’ (0)
• March 30, 2010 -- Taking Back Sunday Back to Earlier Line-Up? (0)
• January 26, 2010 -- John Nolan Premieres ‘Til It’s Done to Death’ Video (0)

The former singer/guitarist for Taking Back Sunday, John Nolan, left the band with Taking Back Sunday’s bassist Shaun Cooper to start a new band called Straylight Run. John Nolan then went on to start a solo project and will be releasing his fist solo album on October 27, 2009. After just looking at the cover of the album, the album caught my attention. The album cover artwork is of a paint-picture of someone jumping up in the air, barefoot, and in a calm grass clearing.

Once I found out that John Nolan was formally a part of the band Taking Back Sunday, I had a biased opinion towards him (I strongly dislike Taking Back Sunday). However, once I listened to the album all the way through, my bad thought about him vanished… for the most part. The first three tracks on the album start off nicely. But the two tracks after are not a good follow up.

The first track “The End of The Beginning” is about a one-minute long intro musical piece that sets up for the song “Til its Done To Death,” which is by far my favorite song on the album. It is a mellow song that has a catchy beat and choirs that leaves you singing along to the music.

The last few tracts are definitely worth going out and listening to. There were only two bad apples in my opinion on the album. “Here I Am” is one of the latter tracks that resembles that of the music Pink Floyd used to create.

So get to it and have your self a gander. Height is available Oct. 27.

Tracklisting:
01. Till It s Done To Death
02. I Don t Believe You
03. Screaming Into The Wind
04. It Takes A Long Time
05. Here I Am
06. Not To Let Go
07. Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth With Money In Hand
08. I Won’t Ever Be There
09. Keep Calm And Carry On

John Nolan: myspace

Related Posts

• June 8, 2011 -- Taking Back Sunday Headlining Tour Starts June 14; New Album Out July 28 (0)
• March 30, 2010 -- Taking Back Sunday Back to Earlier Line-Up? (0)
• November 19, 2009 -- John Nolan w/Person L, Brian Bonz & Mulanix Street Orchestra @ the Record Bar, Kansas City MO (1)
• September 14, 2009 -- Straylight Run announces Mile After Mile Tour (0)
• October 26, 2008 -- Interview with Will Noon, Straylight Run, pt. II (1)
• October 25, 2008 -- Interview with: Will Noon, Straylight Run, pt. I (2)
• July 21, 2008 -- Interview with: Fred Mascherino of The Color Fred (2)
• December 24, 2010 -- Taking Back Sunday record a new holiday song ‘Merry Christmas; I Missed You So Much’ (0)
• January 26, 2010 -- John Nolan Premieres ‘Til It’s Done to Death’ Video (0)
• January 17, 2010 -- Free Download of Live John Nolan EP (0)

The coasts of the United States never seem to be at a shortage for festivals, but travel to the heart of the country and festivals are scarce. Chicago does have Lollapalooza, which is a fun festival, but very mainstream. So the addition of Monolith Festival has been a haven for the Midwest hipster to see new buzz indie bands and some classic gems in one of the most beautiful venues in the world: Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver, Colorado.

The first day of the festival was a cold and rainy mess, but the bands stuck it out with smiles and were gracious to all the people who stayed the whole day. Store bought ponchos and trash bag made ones became the must have fashion accessory and one stage emcee quipped he would give a prize to anybody who could pull off the most creative, hipster rain outfit.

I wore two jackets and a poncho and wrapped my camera gear in a bag and despite only operating on an hour of sleep, I made it through the festival and loved every minute of it. Monolith fortunately has one of the best indie line-ups with few disappointments, so it was easy to lose yourself in the music and forget that you couldn’t feel your toes anymore.

Generationals // Woxy.com Stage @ 12:20 – 1 p.m.

Like I said, it was ridiculously cold out and off and on sprinkling, so heading to the indoor stages early seemed like a good plan when I arrived at Monolith Amphitheatre. Turns out it was. I started at the Woxy.com Stage, a stage that ended up having the best line-up of the day and hosting a majority of the best acts that I saw. Generationals were among those acts.

Generationals had a rock sound with folksy inclinations. The singer was a lot of the reason I liked them because he had a sort of nasal boldness to his vocal that made me think a bit of Tokyo Police Club without ever thinking that the band sounded like them. The female keyboardist balanced out his vocals, but I wasn’t as thrilled with the band when they gave her the lead vocals on a song. She was a fun support member to watch, switching from keys to keyflute (I have no idea what those mini-keyboards are that you blow air into, but that is what I’m calling keyflute.)

As I walked off from their set, I made a mental note to check out this band’s music at home. I quickly learned that I’d be making a lot of these mental notes.

Stars of Track and Field // Radius Earphones Stage @ 1:00 – 1:40 p.m.

I’ve been dying to see Stars of Track and Field since a few years ago, my local radio station, 96.5 the Buzz, played “Moons of Antarctica” on air and I went out and actually purchased their album. “With You,” my favorite from that album, was actually the last song I listened to in the car ride before the fest.

I don’t know why, but for some reason, I always figured the group had a girl in the band because of the records’ harmonies, so I was a bit surprised when three guys came out wearing tight pants and leather jackets. Despite the gray day and playing indoors, the singer had on bug-eyed sunglasses. He also adorned a scarf and their whole look reminded me of the time I saw Barcelona and their musical sound isn’t that different from each other. Perhaps they’re all friends–they are both bands from the Northwest, and maybe they do their shopping together.

Once I got over my surprise that a weird falsetto was the actual harmonizer, I got really into their set. They had a few pitchy problems, but it was still good. The new songs fit perfectly with the old and it was fun to watch the guitarist take random dips and jumps as he rocked out. Another cool thing that I discovered about Monolith watching them is that to the side of the Radius Earphones Stage, there was an artist that was painting them. I guess this was happening all day and it was fun to see a mixing of the two art genres. Stars of Track and Field just released a new album about a week ago. Go check them out.

Set List:
Movies
EOAT
Static
Bright Fire
With You
The Aviator
Arithmatik
Now You Lift
Lacuna
Lights

The Antlers // Woxy.com Stage @ 1:40 – 2:20 p.m.

The Antlers were yet another amazing discovery for me. I really hadn’t heard much about them until this past week and had no idea what to expect. What I got was the product of if the singers of Cold War Kids and Passion Pit had a baby that then the kid was raised by Fleet Foxes in some mountain cabin in the heart of the Rockies. This group had that sort of classic sound meets modernity.

The vocalist was a crooner and he would crawl up the scales at the end of the verses, hit his high note and add a beautiful, yet different vibrato touch at the end. Gorgeous. As a whole, the group had the Fleet Foxes vibe with that sort of blending and harmonizing that the Foxes do so well. Also gorgeous.

A warning though—the musical subjects are very sad–hospitals, death and cancer.

Set List:
Bear
Sylvia
Shiv
A Trophy
2
Epilogue

Lydia // Radius Earphones Stage @ 2:20 – 3 p.m.

I’ve seen these barefoot indie pop musicians multiple times and they always give warm fuzzies. Piano, pleasing guitars and a perfectly happy band that never stops smiling kind of does that for you. They’re like Straylight Run, but happier.

These United States // Woxy.com Stage @ 3 – 3:40 p.m.

I think this band might win for favorite new artist of the day. PopWreckoning recently raved about them in an album review, and now we continue the raving by declaring them fucking amazing live. It was like being at a barn party with your closest friends gathered and just as you hit the tipsy point, somebody whips out an acoustic guitar and just starts jamming. It’s the kind of party where you love your friends and the music and are having such a good time that you think you could be eternally happy holding your beer and listening to your friends play forever.

These United States made every person in the room feel like they were all close friends at a party such as that. Their crowd interactions made it seem like if you did have a request, they would have tried to fulfill it. In fact they tried to do something like that. A person in the audience asked where they were from and after responding, they want on to say that they had a question box on the side of the stage because nothing was as important as responding to what the people want. And as for the crowd, whether they knew the bands very, very, very new music, they would still try to sing along.

When I left the room, I was still singing, “Get yourself home, boy, get yourself home.” The little jamboree at the packed Woxy.com Stage was hands down one of the best sets of the festival and maybe one of the best sets that I’ve seen in my life.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros // Southern Comfort Presents Stage @ 3 – 3:30 p.m.

I only caught a bit of this group, but it was exactly like the Letterman performance. Smiliing hippies dancing to the feel good “Kumbayah” like music that a bajillion musicians on stage were performing. It was good, but it is hard to give a complete review of a band when you only caught a song and a half.

Frightened Rabbits // Esurance Music Stage @ 3:30 – 4:15 p.m.

This Scottish act was the first of three that I would see at the festival and the Scottish acts came to the festival to show the American audience who was boss.

Accents made it difficult to really follow lyrics, but it didn’t matter. It sounded great and the people loved it. Some fans got really, really into it:

Pains of Being Pure at Heart // Southern Comfort Presents Stage @ 4 – 4:45 p.m.

Pains of Being Pure at Heart was a band that I was really excited and really nervous to see. I loved their self-titled debut, but one of the critics I respect in Omaha gave them a mixed review about two days before this festival. He basically said something along the lines of PoBPaH as one of those groups that has a great band, but a singer who can’t sing.

After seeing them for myself, I have no idea what he was talking about. The singing was perfectly fine and a nice cheery spot in the extra dismal weather. Kip, the singer, even quipped, “Today we’re the Rains of Being Pure at Heart.”

I think the band’s genuine glee at playing for Monolith made the set just that much better. It would have been easy to be wallow in misery that I could see my breath,  couldn’t feel my extremities and was now at risk for pneumonia, but then I would look up and see Pains’ smiles and I’d smile too and forget the cold and get lost in their noise pop.

OK Go // Esurance Music Stage @ 4:45 -5:45 p.m.

You know them for their dance moves whether in front of funky wallpaper, on treadmills or in a backyard, but OK Go is so much more than that. They are a talented band that cares about their fans and really understand the art of performance.

One member walked out ahead of the group and struck out a large clear sideways bass drum. He was the herald to singer Damian Kulash‘s entrance. It was an attention grabbing opening.

The band proceeded into a set filled with all their well-known songs and some brand new ones. There was lots of confetti and cute little anecdotes.

What I liked the most about OK Go was that the band really was all about the people. Red Rocks is an epic amphitheatre, but there is a big gap between the main stage and the front row of the audience. Kulash bridged that gap and carried his mike stand to the heart of the audience for a love song.

“Denver, are you lovers?” Kulash asked. To which the crowd cheered a yes. “Good. Our next one is a love song. We’re going to give it the 60s treatment and wave…or you got lighters? Those allowed here? Hold up you cell phones and let them get fucked up in the rain.”

They had a playful edge about them that just made it impossible to not like every moment of the set.

“This next one is a new song, but I need your help singing. This is in C er G no D…Pitch perfect. We’re pitch perfect.” said Kulash. “You’ll sing, ‘Let it go, this too shall pass.” The audience had a miserable attempt at repeating it back. “That was a bit fast, but we’ll give it a try.”

Kulash does not have a future in teaching because that was the worst attempt at giving directions I have ever seen. When the song finally got to that part, it sounded nothing like what he sang in the practice run, resulting in a kind of pub like singalong on the audience’s end. Fortunately I think Kulash has a secure future in music so he won’t have to toy with the idea of education as an alternate career.

Set List:
Shooting
Get Over It
Million Ways
White Knux
I Want You
Oh No
BFK
Don’t Ask
HIGA
Last Leaf
Skyscrapers
Disaster
TTSP
Good Idea
Invice
DWYW

The Walkmen // Southern Comfort Presents Stage @ 5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.

I couldn’t bring myself to leave OK Go and I was dreading trekking up the stairs again, so I was strongly contemplating skipping the Walkmen to wait to  see M. Ward, but others at the site have said this act was the shit, so I embraced more soreness to add to my calves and jogged up to see the Walkmen. It was good, but kind of blah. After the last few really solid and crowd-welcoming performers, it was hard to get into this set. The Walkmen’s downfall? They could sing and play well, but the performance was lacking in the entertainment value. Sorry other editors at this site. I just didn’t feel it.

M. Ward // Esurance Music Stage @ 6:15 – 7:15 p.m.

M. Ward had a similar problem to the Walkmen, except, unlike them, I felt really guilty that I found his set a little blasé. He is a fantastic guitarist and singer, but I think he would have been better off either earlier in the day or playing one of the smaller indoor stage. His act was nice because it diversified the line up a bit and I think some of the older audience members really got into it, but the younger kids had a hard time staying awake.

Ward just had a tough act to follow after OK Go’s set and like I said, his problem wasn’t that he isn’t talented. Simply poorly placed in the line up.

Set List:
Sad Sad Song
Chinese Translation
Requiem
Epistemology
Fool Says
Poor Boy
Some Lucky Night
One Life Away/Lullaby Rag (acoustic)
Poison Cup
Four Hours
Magic Trick
To Save Me
Fahey/Fisher of Men
Nobody Like You
To Go Home
Vincent
Big Boat

Beethoven

Girl Talk // Esurance Music Stage @ 7:45 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Anybody who has heard of Girl Talk knows that Girl Talk tears it up every time. My friends had never experienced Girl Talk and I had to rush off to an interview before this set, so I gave them a little tip: stay close to the front before this set and keep your eyes open. Why would I give this tip? Because Girl Talk is a DJ that likes to be surrounded by people, toilet paper and lots of confetti…sometimes blow ups and balloons, but those were missing this time around.

Anyways, my smart friends took my advice and soon noticed a line toward the side of the stage and hopped in the line. This line was to get on stage with Girl Talk and to dance your heart out. So as Girl Talk blasted his spin on modern and classic hits, my friends got to dance up close and personal on one of the most epic stages in the United States.

I got out of my interview to join the rest of the audience getting covered in the rain, toilet paper and confetti and I loved every messy minute of it. Girl Talk has to be the love of everyone…well, maybe not the security and clean-up crews, but still, you know what I mean.

Of Montreal // Southern Comfort Presents Stage @ 8:45 – 9:30 p.m.

It is weird to say this, but Of Montreal was kind of tame this time around. No guitars were given out like at Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza at the end of the set. No guest performers. No balloons. Even the costumes weren’t quite as crazy as usual. They still had the gas mask Christmas story and they had the little dance bits with the people in black.

So since I wasn’t as distracted by the other stuff that usually accompanied their set, I was actually left to focus on their music this time around. Guess what? It was still fucking amazing. Great keys, falsettos and guitars and all while every band member moved around and danced.

Set List:
Intro
Mingusings
Fashion
Seine
Cato
Forecast
Rapture
Id Engager
Faberge
Elegant Castle
Touched
Eluardian
Heimdalsgate

Rejector

Yeah Yeah Yeahs // Esurance Music Stage @ 9:30 – 11 p.m.

I want to be Karen O. This is a woman so creative that she can wear jackets more colorful than Joseph’s technicolor dreamcoat. So bold she has no problem spitting like a man. And so talented that she can be caressing the vocals to a love song one moment, “They don’t love you like I love you,” and then going into a loud yowl, “I do! I do love you!”

Karen O owns the stage and uses every square inch for her dance moves and she never tires as she hops around. Watching her, it is almost easy to forget that Yeah Yeah Yeahs is a band and there are other people on the stage. I’ve seen this band multiple times and tonight was the first time that I really watched the rest of the band. Nick Zinner has some great guitar lines, but I finally noticed him as a performer tonight. He often just stands off to the side in a too cool for school leather jacket with his lower lip out in a concentrated pout as he plays. This show he seemed to finally interact and Karen and Nick even came together in an embrace at one point.

Each song was better than the last as the band went through old and new hits. “Cheated Hearts” into “Headz Will Roll” into the normal full version of “Maps” just made for a non-stop dance party and singalong.

It was  a great way to end the night and left the crowd psyched and ready for day two of the festival.

Set List:
Runaway
Dull Life
Honey Bear
R Tung
Shame
Gold Lion
Zero
Miles Away
Skeletons
Hysteric
Soft Shock
Cheated Hearts
Headz
Maps (full)
Dates

Look for the Sunday follow-up soon!

Monolith Festival: website

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