popwreckoning

After having been asked to headline the Village Voice’s infamous Siren Festival at the historic Coney Island for several years, Built to Spill finally accepted the honor, following in the footsteps of some of indie rocks latest and greatest such as Ra Ra Riot, Broken Social Scene, Steven Malkmus and the Jicks, New York Dolls, M.I.A, Cursive, Popwreckoning favorites White Rabbits, TV on the Radio, and Death Cab for Cutie, to name a few. It’s generally speaking a who’s who of both up and comers as well as hard-hitting indie heavyweights and it’s FREE!

The last time I attended I was young 21 living in Williamsburg. It was the first year the festival took place. It was 100-plus degrees and by the end we were crispy, stuffed with zepolis, covered in beer and sand, and eventually everyone started to look like the side show freaks that Coney Island is famous for. That year we saw Peaches, Rainer Maria, Guided by Voices, and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. It was quintessential New York, one of those amazing days where you keep pinching yourself, “Do I really live here?” But for some reason, I never returned to Coney Island or the Siren Festival after that. Truth, Coney Island was dirty, run down and kinda sad. A forgotten NYC treasure with a giant price tag and an expiration date that every New Yorker was aware of. Coney Island was finished…or so I thought. In terms of the festival and it’s stellar lineup each year, I always thought to myself, ‘Well, I can catch them at The Bowery….right?’

I had a change of heart this year. Lured by the opportunity to see Built to Spill under the shifting sky, by the beach, at the end of a perfect Summer Saturday, I returned to Coney Island nine years later, and now I’m left wondering why I waited so long. This years lineup included Built to Spill, The Raveonettes, Spank Rock, Frightened Rabbit, A Place to Bury Strangers, Grand Duchy, Monotonix, Thee Oh Sees, Future of the Left, Japandroids, Michachu & The Shapes, Tiny Masters of Today, Bear Hands, The Blue Van, Justine D., and Deadheat DJs.

Grand Duchy is Frank Black, a.k.a. Black Francis, a.k.a. lead singer of The Pixies, and if you don’t know that…well shame on you, go do your homework before continuing. Anywho, Black Francis and his wife Violet Clark are Grand Duchy and they played songs on the main stage from their debut album, Petits Fours. The hooky songs feature vocals from Clark paired with Francis’s trademark storming guitar riffs. Clark, in an artist statement, describes the music as a set of opposites: “eclectic and consistent, raw and cooked, smooth and rough, punky and pop, guitar and synth, he and she…Dinner and dessert.” Anything Francis does, in my opinion is genius. See Teenager of the Year as reference. Grand Duchy is another feather in his hat.

Built to Spill took the stage to play the last set, just as the sky was changing from day to eve and the Cyclone lights flickered on. The band that inspired Modest Mouse, Death Cab, and the ubiquitous Northwest Sound that followed, played for over two hours. They played everything you’d ever want to hear, giving the crowd just what they came for. Everyone knew every lyric. You almost didn’t belong if you didn’t. The first note of “Carry the Zero” dropped and the hardcores were high-fiving. Doug Martsch turned four-minute songs into eleven-minute epic guitar jams busting string after string as fireworks blossomed in the purple sky overhead and lovers clutched each other closer. It was ridiculously magical. People were literally turning to the stranger next to them with Cheshire cat grins. And again, nine years later, I’m asking, “Do I really live here?”

Coney Island hasn’t changed much in nine years. It’s still run down, forgotten, and kinda sad, but that’s what you love about it. It buzzes with nostalgia for a time when everything was hustling and bustling, when honey roasted almonds were five cents on the boardwalk, when the skyline mattered, and people believed in two-headed snake babies and one hundred pound rats. To visit Coney Island is a suspension of disbelief. Seeing Built to Spill in this context is a somewhat of a similar act, so good it must be fiction.

Built to Spill: website | myspace
Siren Fest: website

I feel bad for anyone who was unable to attend American Eagle Outfitters’ first ever New American Music Union festival in Pittsburgh’s South Side Works.

That being said let me relay what you missed.

The festival differed from most in many ways. First of all, it was set right in the middle of the city. Concertgoers could shop and dine at any of the South Side Works’ many shops and restaurants, including American Eagle, BCBG, Tosca and The Cheesecake Factory. Upon entry, any general admission or student ticket was given a voucher for a festival t-shirt and a BPA-free water bottle, bearing the festival’s logo. I found this fantastic. Not only did we receive a fantastic musical experience, but there are free goodies, too! To go along with the water bottles, NAMU had two free water stations available, where you could fill your bottle with fresh, clean water at no charge whatsoever.

NAMU -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

The setting was fantastic for more than just dining and shopping in the city. Once you entered the main stage area, you had the stage before you and turning behind you, were greeted with a breathtaking view of Pittsburgh’s hills and sky, University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning jutting majestically from the lush greenery. One also could not have asked for better weather. Before the festival began on Friday, rain showers made it seem as through we’d have a soggy experience, but by 3 PM, the clouds parted and the rain had cooled the city, giving us a cool, clear, and calm 2 days to enjoy NAMU’s phenomenal line-up.

Opening the show were New York’s Tiny Masters of Today. The tween-aged family act left something to be desired, but was surprisingly adept for their age. Their songs were simple, but something you would expect from twenty to thirty-something hipsters, as opposed to a 12 and 14 year-old brother and sister. While the vocals seemed monotone and off-pitch to start, they improved as the set continued, leading me to attribute it to nerves. The crowd responded to them quite well, despite my suspicion that they are widely unknown to most of the concertgoers. Closing their set with a humorous, but accurate, cover of House of Pain‘s “Jump Around,” Tiny Masters of Today are, at this point, more of an endearing novelty group. However, I can see them evolving greatly with a few years time. Definitely one to watch out for.

Tiny Masters of Today: live at Death Disco -- Photo: Shara Shisheboran

I’ve expressed before the difficulty I have with watching a DJ spin a set and being able to review it like a band playing. Orange-jumpsuited duo NASA took this into account and made their set fantastically entertaining. Though the set was a bit too loud, it was far from disappointing. Weaving familiar songs such as Heart‘s “Magic Man,” Blur‘s “Song 2″ and Rage Against the Machine‘s “Killing In The Name Of,” they keep the audience interested in more ways than one.

NASA -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

NASA -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Not only were our DJ’s fantastically animated and interactive, a few minutes into their se, a pair of girls painted green with silver swimsuits emerged, dancing along as NASA introduces their “Martian Ladies.” Eventually, they are followed by a pair of astronauts in blue jumpsuits. One of these astronauts was a straight up b-boy, while the other is clearly proficient in popping and locking. Finally, some sort of space monster showed up; another dancer wearing what appeared to be a bear suit, topped by a reptilian mask. If you like electronic music, but find yourself bored just watching a DJ manipulate some turntables and a laptop, NASA is a group to catch.

NASA -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Just as dusk rolled around, The Black Keys took the stage. The Akron, Oh. duo managed to steal the show not only for the night, but for the entire two-day affair. Somehow, they manage to make a guitar and a set of drums sound like so much more as frontman and singer Dan Auerbach writhed around the stage. The guitars were bluesy, soulful, and even a bit crunchy, prompting solos that can only be described one way: face-melting. There are not a lot of words that can be said, other than the Black Keys brought the house down and Pittsburgh to its knees on Friday night.

Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

The Black Keys: Dan Auerbach -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

The Black Keys: Patrick Carney -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Closing the night was Pennsylvania’s own hip-hop heroes, The Roots. While their set was flawless, they were still no match for The Black Keys but still managed to bring the crowd to frenzy; couples swayed and made out to their sultry beats and hands were in the air cheering them on. All in all, a good way to close the night.

The Roots -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

The Roots: Black Thought -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

The Roots: Owen Biddle and F. Knuckles -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

The Roots: Kamal Gray -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

The Roots: Capt. Kirk Douglas -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

The Roots: ?uestlove -- Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Saturday’s first big draw was Gnarls Barkley. The full band emerged in matching, burgundy prep-school style vests with Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse standing out in gold blazers. Throughout the set, Cee-Lo lost articles of clothing, ending with his white dress shirt unbuttoned over a white tee, claiming, “my shirt ripped while rockin’ out for y’all!” This group is phenomenal, with every bit of instrumentation live, right down to the xylophone riff on “Gone, Daddy, Gone.” The entire set, the audience was unable to hold still, dancing along to every song.

Gnarls Barkley: Cee Lo -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Gnarls Barkley: Danger Mouse -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Gnarls Barkley -- Photo: C.C. Chapman

Gnarls Barkley -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Gnarls Barkley -- Photo: C.C. Chapman

Photo: C.C. Chapman

Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Photo: C.C. Chapman

Following was Spoon, who can only be described as hypnotic. In the same way it was impossible to ignore the group, it was also possible to completely lose yourself in them. The band had brought along live horns, which, frankly, I’m kind of a sucker for. The bass drum drove right into your core…

Spoon: Britt Daniel -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Spoon: Eric Harvey -- Photo: C.C. Chapman

Spoon: Rob Pope -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Spoon: Jim Eno -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Photo: C.C. Chapman

Photo: C.C. Chapman

Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

The Raconteurs took the dusk spot on Saturday night, ushering in the night with—well, frankly–awesomeness. As the highlight of that evening, people in the all-access crowd pulled themselves on top of tour buses to watch them play. Jack White and Brendan Benson share the stage well, each aware of when it’s the others turn to shine. Their songs got longer and longer, the group working their way into a slow, haunting, bluesy feel with every guitar solo being absolutely incredible.

The Raconteurs -- Photo: C.C. Chapman

The Raconteurs: Jack White -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

The Raconteurs: Brendan Benson -- Photo: C.C. Chapman

Photo: C.C. Chapman

Photo: C.C. Chapman

Photo: C.C. Chapman

Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Finally, the biggest draw of the entire festival, Bob Dylan took the stage…and was utterly disappointing. Not once did he pick up a guitar, being known for being a guitar-based songwriter. Dylan stayed on keys and harmonica for his whole set, barely moving and letting his band do all of the work. Sure, he’s known for not being a great vocalist: he’s actually known for being quite a bad singer. This was worse. Age has lent an extremely gruff quality to Dylan’s voice, making him sound as though he’s channeling Tom Waits, and causing his lyrics to be even less intelligible than usual. It was difficult figuring out what songs he was even playing.
What. A. Letdown.

Festival curator Anthony Kiedis expressed interest in keeping the festival going in years to come and I pray to God that he does. I can only hope that something like this gets bigger and better with each year, and if this groundbreaking first try is any indicator.

Anthony Kiedis -- Photo: C.C. Chapman

Anthony Kiedis -- Photo: Melissa Franko for wyep.org

Pittsburgh’s big new music festival can only go up from here.

New American Music Union: website | performances

Photos: C.C. Chapman for A.E./NAMU and Melissa Franko for wyep.org