popwreckoning

Apparently 2011 is the year the Muppets will rise again.

Smurfs? Meh. Alvin and the Chipmunks? Oh please. But the Muppets – whether or not you were born in their heyday, will always be cool.

And this year will be the year they make their comeback. Remember when Tim Curry was a swashbuckling pirate in “Muppet Treasure Island?” Well I do, and what I remember the most is the soundtrack, even if it was sung by a bunch of puppets and Dr. Frank-N-Furter himself.

But with a new film out in November written by the hilarious Jason Segel and songs by Flight of the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie, and a new compilation of classic circa-1970s Muppets songs covered by some darn good artists, Fozzie Bear better dust off his bow tie.

The Muppets: The Green Album features the likes of My Morning Jacket, Andrew Bird, OK Go playing a groovy extended rendition of the Muppet Show theme song, and Weezer, who we all know has a history with the Muppets (see “Keep Fishin’” music video), along with Paramore’s Hayley Williams performing a charming version of “The Rainbow Connection.”

The Green Album, out August 23, doesn’t stray from any of the classic songs performed by the Muppets themselves, and manages to bring them all into 2011.

To listen to each song individually or to stream the whole album right now, head on over to NPR.org before you buy the album (because you really should).

By now I’ve probably exhausted the fact that Neumo’s gets really hot. But Monday’s Tokyo Police Club show puts all those other shows to rest. I can easily say it reached over 100 degrees in that place. But what can you expect when Seattle was 90+ that day and Neumo’s is a completely black building? Thankfully my friend and I had grabbed a couple bamboo fans from my house before we left.

Like I said, Tokyo Police Club came to Seattle on Monday with openers Freelance Whales and fellow Canadians Arkells. I was surprised that there weren’t more people lined up outside the venue when I got there with half an hour to spare, but I was unaware that there had been an in-store down the street probably going on right as I got there at 7:30. But once I did get in line, I made some new friends, one of which had a camera similar to mine – a DSLR. It was her step dad’s camera, and when we got to the door, she was completely unaware that they weren’t going to let her in with it. She’d taken the ferry, so there was no car for her to put her camera in. After I made my way to the front of the stage, I waited to see if she’d gotten everything squared away. About ten minutes later, she walked through the door, camera in hand and a wristband just like mine.

“How’d you manage to get in?”

“The owner wasn’t going to let me in, but I was outside crying and I saw some people walk out from the venue and was like, ‘are any of you in the band?’”

She then told her story to Graham, the keyboardist from Tokyo Police Club, and being the cool guy that he is, he talked to their manager and got her name on the guest list so she could get a photo pass.

That made me smile so big, and the show hadn’t even started yet.

Right around 9 p.m., Arkells came out onstage and surprised me. I wasn’t aware that they were even playing that night, and they were really good garage rock, kind of a mix between local darlings The Lonely Forest and the early days of Rooney, with strong and driving pop hooks. A couple great songs in particular were “Ballad of Hugo Chavez” and “John Lennon” off their 2008 debut Jackson Square.

Arkells was remarkably energetic for how early it was in the evening, using Neumo’s small stage to their full advantage, even with 5 guys in the band. At one point, lead vocalist Max apologized for getting to the in-store late earlier that day, because Nick, the bassist, had been scouring the city for a Ken Griffey Jr. jersey. Sadly, he didn’t find one.

After a few more kicking tracks, Griffey got another shout out.

“We’re gonna snap. This is the first time this has been done in Seattle, are you ready?” Max asked the audience, raising his hands up to get ready to snap.

“Let’s get three snaps for Freelance Whales!” And we all snapped while the rest of the band let out three power chords.

“How about five for Tokyo Police Club?”

“Let’s give nine snaps for Ken Griffey!” This one got the most cheers.

And just to be cheeky, “And eleven for the dearly departed Super Sonics!”  Then a resounding “awwwww” from the crowd while we all snapped eleven times.

During the intermission, some guy offered to buy me and my friend drinks if we let him use our fans. We didn’t take his offer of a drink, but let him borrow one of our fans for a few minutes. Those fans saved our lives, I’m pretty sure.

After Arkells’ strong set, the roadies unloaded the stage and reloaded it with several more instruments, including a watering can hanging off a keyboard, for Freelance Whales. I didn’t think that I would like Freelance Whales after I heard them the first time. I don’t normally like music that’s so…adorable, but the deep instrumentation is what pulled me in. Plus, I’m a sucker for a good banjo riff.

Freelance Whales, while a softer follower to Arkells, kept it interesting by switching instruments multiple times. At one point, Doris Cellar was playing the keyboards, then the far under-utilized harmonium. Chuck Criss would play the bass then the banjo. Kevin Read played guitar with a cello bow and then the glockenspiel. And that’s all but just a taste of the range of the band’s talent.

The room, however, had mixed feelings about Freelance Whales. There was a girl standing behind me that was screaming throughout their set, a guy next to me proclaimed his love for Doris, and then there were a few people up front who were just anxious to see Tokyo Police Club. It’s understandable, because their energy is far less in-your-face than Tokyo Police Club, or even Arkells, but I didn’t find them any less wonderful.

A few of my favorites of their set included “Hannah,” “Generator ^ First Floor,” and “Great Estates.” All of which were from their debut album Weathervanes, released on Frenchkiss Records this last April, which is awesome in its own right.

In all the broad instrumentation and shuffling around the stage, I never saw anyone beat on the watering can I mentioned earlier, but I may have missed it.

By the time Freelance Whales had finished their set, the air above the crowd was the usual hot and sweaty Neumo’s atmosphere, but the air beneath our chests was surely 110 degrees. I wanted to take my shoes off, but I feared major toe-stepping.

Once the fog machines had filled the room, making it even harder to breathe, that’s when everyone shoved their way to the front, decreasing the comfort level exponentially. I’m pretty sure I left at the end of the show with more sweat from other people on my back than my own.

The exuberant Canadians started out with “Favourite Colour” off their highly-awaited second album Champ. I have to say, frontman Dave Monks is only 23, but he’s got the charisma of someone much older than 23. Tokyo Police Club proved to be a really good time, even though I was getting battered from behind me. The band played through some old favorites like “Graves” and “Centennial” off Elephant Shell, and even “Box” off the Smith EP.

I particularly liked “End Of A Spark,” another new track. It had more mature hooks and heavier sound, but it was still completely Tokyo Police Club. Dave’s quirky voice and bass in the forefront of each track makes Tokyo Police Club’s sound much more than any indie pop-rock bands that came before them.

Waiting for one of my favorite songs, “Tessellate,” I endured the moshing going on behind me, but once it was over my friend and I made our way out to enjoy the rest of the show with a semi-constant flow of fresh air. As it was plenty warm outside at midnight, we stepped out for a minute and found at least a couple people who’d almost passed out inside the venue.

I guess that’s a testament to both Tokyo Police Club’s wicked energy and Neumo’s lack of proper ventilation.

As we were just about to walk back inside, our new friend with the photo pass walked outside.

“I was getting thrashed around in there. And when Dave saw, he leaned down and asked if I was okay. And then told the crowd to back off.”

Dave Monks has charisma and class.

Seeing that we’d expected there to be a couple more songs before the last song, we were surprised when we heard the opening riffs to “Your English Is Good,” which is my all-time favorite Tokyo Police Club song, so we ran back inside and rocked out before the encore.

Once the main set was over, a lot of people left. I thought, “Did we miss more than we thought? Was that the encore?”

It wasn’t, because a couple minutes later, the guys walked back out on stage, and started a familiar riff, but not a Tokyo Police Club song.

“My name is Jonas! I’m carrying the wheel. Thanks for all you’ve shown us, this is how we feel!”

A Blue Album-era Weezer cover? I think, yes.

Even though I was standing far off to the side of the stage, I was dancing around and singing along like it was 1995, and it was awesome. Not only was it vintage Weezer, but Tokyo Police Club pulled it off really well, and it got the room ready for what was to be the most fast-paced finale of a show I’ve experienced in a long time – “Cheer It On.” That song ended up being a giant sing-along dance party, which made the temperature raise 5 more degrees in the 2+ minute song.

I’m not even going to post the set list, because they rearranged it so many times during the show that it wouldn’t be accurate.

For fear of going on for forever, I’ll just say – Tokyo Police Club was a roarin’ good time. And they’re pretty nice guys, it turns out too.

For even more photos from that night’s show, head over HERE.

For those sitting at home, wondering how Bonnaroo kids survive on practically no sleep for the entirety of the fest, the answer is simple: it’s too hot to sleep. Though most had been up until 4 a.m. Friday night with LCD Soundsystem, the humidity made it hard to sleep past 7 a.m. Which kind of sucked because there wasn’t too much going on at Bonnaroo until the early afternoon. And it especially sucked because the day was only going to get hotter.

The high temps didn’t damper the spirits of Pennsylvania’s Langhorne Slim. Langhorne Slim is like a non-pop version of Jason Mraz, which I would argue, is the better version. Langhorne’s music was laid back folk rock. Even the surprise appearance of a little kid dancing around the stage didn’t disrupt their good-mood. In fact, it improved it. Langhorne incorporated the kid into the act, dancing with him, lowering a mic to his height and even giving him a high five. Adorable.

Next, it was time for perhaps one of the biggest buzz acts of the fest: Conan O’Brien. Conan’s band performed an introductory jam that had them all out playing their saxophones and trumpets out in the audience, and giving high fives in between notes. The band returned to their spots and a video appeared projecting Conan: bearded and in a fat suit. He looked like Santa’s cousin. The video followed Conan around looking miserable and being depressed: he was eating junk, ignoring his daughter, etc. But then he gets a call: “Want to do a tour? Are you in shape?” Within moments, the beard was trimmed and the fat suit dropped. Then Conan himself appeared in the flesh. The jokes were a mix of being kicked off TV quips and jokes about Bonnaroo…and of course, some that combined both:

“In six months, I’ve gone from hosting the Tonight Show to performing at a refuge camp.”

The set was also highlighted by the appearance of Andy Richter, Dion Cole, a Triumph the Insult Dog video message, and of course, the infamous Walker Texas Ranger clips. Although, the Walker clips did inspire the audience to chant “aids, aids, aids,” which might not be the most appropriate thing ever. Other cute moments included when Conan took the time to take a picture with a fan in the front row.

This being a music festival, there were also plenty of musical aspects, too. Joke songs and White Stripes covers (just two days before, Conan recorded a live album with Jack White). There was even Meatloaf‘s bat out of hell inflatable. Hideously awesome.

When the show ended, the audience demanded more, so Team Coco obliged with a cover of The Band‘s “The Weight.” During an instrumental break, Conan went out to give hugs and high fives to the audience. A nice gesture, but one that almost got him killed as people swarmed him for a chance to touch that infamous red hair. But he handled it well and was all smiles as 15 minutes later he worked his way back to the stage. Too funny; too cute.

When I came out from the Comedy Theatre, the soulful singer and pianist Norah Jones was performing on the Which Stage. Unfortunately for the talented writer, her tunes aren’t the best to experience in the sun outdoors. They became swallowed up in the dead air and she became more like bore – ah Jones, not Norah.

Disappointed with Jones, I returned back to the trusty comedy tent to catch the Bonnaroo Roast with Roastmaster Jeffrey Ross. Ross did a funky walk out to to some jam music freezing to point at an audience member, “Ugly,” then the sign interpreter at the front, “Deaf,” then himself, “Fat,” before going up to twirl with his attractive female stagehand, “Yeah.” The Roast was pretty funny and Jeff took the time to make fun of Bonnaroo bands, people in the audience, himself and even the heads of Superfly productions: “Nice work, guys. Really. You got thousands and thousands of people to come, but only have seven bars of soap.” He even took a jab at Jay-Z: “Think he’ll perform Empire State of Mind for like the millionth time? Always ripping off “New York State of Mind. He’s not Jay-Z. He’s fucking lazy.” Also, I must say, that sign interpreters have the hardest job at the fest. The comedians sure put this interpreter through some uncomfortable hand gestures.

As fun as it was to take a laugh at ourselves, I ventured out of the Roast a little early to catch some of the talented Avett Brothers. They’ve got some beautiful harmonies going with their blend of bluegrass rock and I love their use of strings on their songs.

The Avett Brothers by Joshua Hammond

Speaking of great harmonies, Mumford and Sons owned That Tent with their performance. The UK group absolutely blew me away and I think it is just a matter of time before these labelmates of Phoenix blow up. They play pretty mellow folk music a la Noah and the Whale style, but they still brought plenty of rock, with one member lifting his upright bass above his head while playing it…those things aren’t light. The band seemed to be having a great time and so did the audience. This was just one of those feel good performances and perhaps one of my top performances of the fest.

Jack White’s current project, The Dead Weather, with The Kills‘ Allison Mosshart soon took over the What Stage. Jack White primarly plays drums in this project, proving that the man can and will do absolutely everything in music with near perfection. He does come out from behind the set to sing and even play guitar. However, with how big of a name as White is, Mosshart was the star. The woman prowled the stage while singing, cigarette down to her side, making her look and even soundlike the classic movie image of those smoky lounge singers – and I do mean that as a compliment. I love how her voice fits into this southern rock style. In fact, I like her much more in this than I do in the Kills, and from the looks of it, she seems to enjoy this more, too.

Weezer is not how you typical think of rockers, with their frontman Rivers Cuomo being a Harvard graduate and a stereotypical image of a geek as opposed to one of those high school drop out rock stars that don the leather jackets and always have a flask of Jack Daniels at their side. But I’m glad this band has managed to defy stereotypes to become one of the biggest, and longest lasting groups around. Almost every song in their very long set list has been successful on the radio – these guys just know how to write a catchy tune. Their set was also improved by the change that has come over Rivers in the last six years. When I first saw the band in 2005, though the songs were familiar and catchy, the performance was stale. The band just did not seem into it. Now, six years later, it is like they’re a whole new band. Rivers has a renewed energy and wonderment – almost like a kid at an amusement park. “Hello, plane. Hello, plane with banner behind that plane!” shouted Rivers. At another point, he stole the camera from a photog in the pit and snapped a crowd shot. Then, his quirkiness hit a new extreme during the encore when the band played a mash of “Kids” by MGMT and “Poker Face,” by Lady Gaga. When he got to the Gaga lyrics, Rivers put on a blonde wig and began thrashing around. Hilarious. I love when music is simply fun.

Weezer by Joshua Hammond

Speaking of fun, how about the epicness that is Stevie Wonder? The crowd at Bonnaroo tends to run a little younger, so the demographic here kind of missed out on Wonder’s prime, but that doesn’t mean everyone wasn’t still excited about the legend’s performance. I think everyone was surprised by how many of the tunes we all knew and Wonder did a great job of helping the crowd singalong.

Kanye. This is how it is done. Rapper Jay-Z started about ten minutes late. That’s it. And it was Stevie Wonder’s fault for starting his set late. Then Jay-Z played a set full of his hits and he was nice about it. No attitude. He thanked Wonder, fellow artists like Alicia Keys for their help on his record. We bounced with him. We froze him. We sang with him. It was great. The only disappointment was that with Beyonce side stage for all the set, it was a bit of a bummer that she didn’t come out and join him for any of the female vocal spots on his tunes. It’s not like we were promised that, but it would have been cool.

Jay-Z by Joshua Hammond

As hard as it was to part from Jay-Z, there will some other great performances getting ready to start over at the tents.Thievery Corporation got people dancing with a blend of India-influenced DJ beats and their singer’s strong vocals amping the crowd up. However, this performance couldn’t even begin to compare to the crazy dance parties that were about to erupt over at This Tent.

Dan Deacon Ensemble was interesting to say the least. The stage was covered with xylophones and drums and keyboards as well as a glowing, green skull. Like I said, interesting. Before even playing a song, Dan Deacon tried to put everyone in the same mood: “Put your fist in the air. Then point your finger. Now put your left foot just behind your right foot. Now rock back and forth. Now rock down so you’re on your knees.” We all obliged, chuckling. Well, we all obliged save one guy in a white hat: “Too cool for this,” said Deacon. “Everyone point at this guy. Now stare at this guy.” It was weird, but bizarrely fun. After this “crowd bonding” moment was over, the ensemble finally exploded into their crazy dance jams. At some point in your life, go see Dan Deacon with the full ensemble. It will probably blow your mind and be one of the best moments of your life.

Dan Deacon wasn’t the only one with crazy stage theatrics. Gwar was playing a stage over from Deacon. The nordically clothed rockers began with a video history of their odd inception. Then the costumed warriors appeared, showering everyone in waves of blood and rock. Even the Bonnaroo Fountain got in on the crazy Gwar action and was turned red for the night with LED lights.

But for those wanting to dance into the twilight hours, the party was at This Tent. DJ Deadmau5 was playing the his beats well past 5 a.m. to an enthusiastic crowd covered in glow sticks. The mysterious Deadmau5 wore giant mouse ears and sat high up on the stage in DJ booth. It was like he was the electronic lord and we were his dancing minions. He held such power. With a raise of his arms, we’d dance harder and faster. He was still going strong by the time I finally made it back to my tent to rest for the final day of Bonnaroo.

Check back for more photos and recaps from Bonnaroo. View a recap of Thursday here and a recap of Friday here.

Bonnaroo Friday had a rocky start for PopWreckoning. Sweltering temperatures and a “knock” on our tent woke us to inform us that we had camped in the wrong spot. Frustrated, we packed up our tent and began rewandering the muddy roads trying to figure out what we couldn’t figure out the other day. Fortunately, the Bonnaroo fates finally took mercy on us and we at last got our new camping spot: in VIP. Huzzah! Free showers and close to Centeroo!

Press goes through orientation on Friday, so after resetting up our tent, we headed to the media area to hear the ins and outs of Bonnaroo with the wonderful Big Hassle Crew. They shared some good insights, photo rules and a few good jokes.

Press got a special treat today: an acoustic performance of Dr. Dog. The band played about three songs rich with banjos, guitars, and light drumming. acoustic. Check back for a video from the band’s acoustic performance a little bit later.

I glimpsed a bit of alt country act Jessie Baylin and a long line waiting to see Conan O’Brien, while I was walking over to the uke wielding Julia Nunes. The quirky singer played a very long set list of her original tunes and fun covers. Never has a been a ukulele been more bad ass than in her hands. When it came time for her to play a cover of Weezer, Nunes hinted that she might be joining the band for their Bonnaroo set on Saturday. Nunes also announced she had been camping with the rest of us plebes instead of enjoying a trailer or hotel like many other artists. All the more reason to love her.

Then, it was off to see Canada’s Tokyo Police Club over at the Other Tent. The young rockers began with the feedback that kicks off their first song on the newly released, Champ. “Favourite Food” is one of my favorites on the new album and it was a great way to start their set. The band looked absolutely jubilant at the audience’s warm reception. They followed it up with the classic “Nature of the Experiment” before delivering another new one. The old hits were there, but so were plenty of new ones. I can’t wait to see these guys take off with Champ.

Begrudgingly, I pulled away from TPC to go to the Troo Lounge to see Young Veins, a new 60s revivalist rock band. I went into the set knowing nothing about them, but the tunes were catchy and it was a well done homage to rock of old. As I bobbed my head along with the tunes I couldn’t help, but think something was…pretty odd. For a band I had never heard of, they sure looked familiar. Turns out I knew them better than I thought. This is the new band of former Panic! at the Disco members, Ryan Ross and Jon Walker.

No Springsteen at Bonnaroo this year, but we did get Jersey’s second best: The Gaslight Anthem. These guys just released the killer, anthem-heavy American Slang and delivered a set chock full of those tunes as well as the stuff that helped get them national attention.

It was a rough decision where to go from there: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes were singing their heartwarming tunes out at the Other Tent and the Gossip would be setting up at This Tent, but as great as it is to see some of the bigger stages/acts, the best part of Bonnaroo is seeing the up and coming talent on smaller stages. So I made my way to Troo to see PopWreck love Kevin Devine. He’s been doing pretty well for himself, playing nearly all major US festivals this year, and it seems word of his passionate rock is beginning to spread. Troo was packed – and not just with general public fans. It seems Kevin was the musician’s choice, too. Members of Manchester Orchestra hung around backstage watching their fellow Favorite Gentlemen perform his tunes that range from the political to the heartbreak. I also spotted Person L/The Starting Line’s Kenny Vasoli watching, too.

Of course, I didn’t spend too much time people watching. It was hard to take my eyes off Kevin as he dipped down with his guitar just to pop back up to yell into the mic on an especially emotionally-charged chorus. Kevin modestly talked to the crowd, but some of the stuff he said in between songs was just as great as the songs: “You might be saying ‘are there two bass rockers on that stage?’ There are! You’re not fucked up on mezclin yet. You wil be. And I’ll be selling it to you.” He must have been feeling the Bonnaroo love because he then played a new song, “She Stayed a Steam,” off an upcoming Fav Gentlemen release. The song starts slow, but the buildup is great to an especially big chorus. I can’t wait to hear more. Kevin ended with “Brother’s Blood,” and I had a gut-feeling that nothing left at the fest would even begin to compare to his performance.

Giving my feet a break from all the walking, it was back to press for a mini-press conference with some big name artists such as The Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne and Ok Go’s Damien Kulash. While the band members talked about the differences between playing music at a fest vs. a club and what Bonnaroo means, comedian Jeffrey Ross stole the show with his clever quips about the fest: “I saw a band called The xx. They put me to sleep. They should have been called The zz,” he joked. But it was all in good fun: “I only roast the bands I love. All comedians are wannabe rockstars. That’s where this comes from.” Jeff is in charge of the Bonnaroo Roast and based off this sampling, it’s going to be a good roast.

The next chunk of the fest was like a special movie edition of Bonnaroo, and no, I didn’t go to the Cinema Tent. Three of the next four acts I saw consisted of people well known for their work in films. Zooey Deschanel (Elf, Yes Man) sang vintage rock in She & Him with the amazing guitarist that is M. Ward. Though She and Him basically is Deschanel and Ward, they were backed by a band that included several girls simply there to give back up vocals and harmonies. The music was pleasant and made more rockable by Zooey’s constant jumping up and down. Though many went to go see Zooey, they got hooked in by the music and stayed for the whole set.

The only thing that kept me from staying for their whole set was that The National was set to begin playing soon and I love the way the bass vocals carry over their big brassy and string heavy indie rock tunes. Half-expecting good music with little stage presence, I was blown away by the energy and enthusiasm they delivered. Lead singer Matt Berninger joked with the audience and even crowd surfed. It was big; it was fun.

Then it was time for movie star number two: Jack Black in his band Tenacious D. This was also my first glimpse of Conan O’Brien who had been emceeing the What Stage all day. It was fun to have a comedian introduce the comedic group. The set was like a cross between a play and a rock concert. The guys are skilled musicians, but their stage banter was just as essential to the act’s performance. For example, at one point, Jack Black pretended to accept an emergency phone call: “What? You want to make a ‘Pick of Destiny 2’? But there’s a catch? You want me to do it with the guy from ‘Mall Cop’?” This caused Kyle Gass To storm off and Black to perform “(Dude) I Totally Miss You.”

My third and final movie star act was none other than Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers. It was kind of insane the reaction Martin got. The guy had only walked out to the side stage to huddle with his band before the set and people swarmed the barricade to get a picture of him…again, not on stage. Martin took the almost-too strong reaction kindly, “I’ll tell you one thing. I wish I practiced,” he said. “It has been a long time dream of mine to play bluegrass at Bonnaroo. Today, I feel one step closer to that goal.” Then the band began their bluegrass tunes. The pluck of banjos, the flying bows of fiddles: it was furiously fast and fun. Then time for more jokes before the next jam: “This is a song that…well, that pretty much says it” or “I wrote all the songs you’re hearing myself, which I think distinguishes us from every other bluegrass band at Bonnaroo playing their own stuff.”

I left Martin a little bit early to explore and walked by the psychedelic jams of Les Claypool and the piano songs of the adorable Tori Amos. This was on my way to jam rockers Dawes at the Troo Lounge. Dawes again proved that Troo, despite being one of the smallest stages, had one of the best lineups of the day. Dawes was the type of rock music that you could sit back and relax to, but you could also stand up in dance. Definitely, check them out.

Kings of Leon had the undivided attention of Bonnaroo for the next chunk of the night: no one was up against them. The What Stage was packed as the Southern rockers blazed through tunes “Sex is on Fire,” “The Bucket” and even a Pixies cover. To be honest, I found it a bit boring, but there are thousands of other people who seem to disagree with me. Oh well. I do give the band props on the long set and also the long encore that included the popular “Use Somebody.”

Without a doubt the Flaming Lips were one of the primary draws of Bonnaroo this year. Not only was the band going to perform all of Dark Side of the Moon with Stardeath and the White Dwarfs, but they were also treating fans to a regular Lips show. The infamous hamster ball made its return after the “birth” of the other members onto the stage. Coyne wheeled around over the audience, immersed in a sea of confetti. It just got bigger from there: more confetti, more fog, more dancers and guest singers (Beth Ditto and Margaret Cho). In stark contrast, the Dark Side performance lacked the theatrics of the preceding performance, but that was still pretty cool, too, because it proved the Lips weren’t just a gimmick band. I guess there was one major theatric. They ended with a giant fog projection of the artwork from Dark Side over the audience. Epic.

Though it seemed like at first that everyone and their moms were at the Lips, the Black Keys did somehow manage to wrestle a sizable crowd to their set at That Tent. The set wasn’t as crazy a spectacle as the Lips, but it was still a good show in which they invited up extra musicians and played a decent number of brand-spanking new songs.

I know that it is almost blasphemous that I didn’t return back to the Lips to see all of Dark Side of the Moon. But Bassnectar was beckoning. Bassnectar is a bad ass dj and he turned This Tent into a giant dance party. I would have been content just dancing into the morning twilight with him, but even though it was 2 a.m., there were still tons of acts to go.
Rumor was that Kid Cudi wouldn’t be able to perform since he was arrested in New York the day before. So I skipped it. Turns out he did perform. Alas. But it wasn’t too bad because it just meant I had more time to enjoy LCD Soundsystem. They were surprisingly awkward, but it was fun and worked well for their style of music. It was still a dance party at the This Tent, but a different sort of one from the remixing of Bassnectar. Not surprisingly, people went crazy for “Drunk Girls,” considering that’s what half the crowd was. I love how intimate the band made this performance feel and in their hands, it was pretty easy to find the energy to party with them until 4 a.m. What a great way to end the night.

More photos and recaps from Bonnaroo coming soon. You can view Day 1: Thursday’s recap here.

If you want to be a good band, play your instruments flawlessly. If you want to be a spectacular band, play your instruments flawlessly and frequently jump on a trampoline…Ok, so that formula might not work for everyone, but it definitely works for Weezer.

The quirky rockers were in Kansas City Friday to headline the first of 96.5 the Buzz‘s annual summer concert series: Buzz Under the Stars. They were joined on the bill by American Bang, Manchester Orchestra and Coheed & Cambria.

Nashville’s American Bang gave the audience a dose of their soulful southern rock. With stretched out, yowling vocals, big drums and even bigger guitar riffs, these guys are like a more affordable Kings of Leon. Though the audience didn’t seem that familiar with their tunes, many were at least able to sing along with single “Wild and Young” and pick up on the choruses to the rest of the catchy Americana rock songs.

After American Bang, was Manchester Orchestra, and with how often they play for this city, they might as well move here and take up residence. Like American Bang, they’re also from the South, but their sound takes on a completely different edge. I love them for the energy and intensity they bring to their music, but as they kicked off with their popular, “I’ve Got Friends,” I was dismayed with how rushed and sloppy this set seemed in comparison to previous performances. They’re a good band, so I know they can do better than what I heard Friday. Only “Shake It Out” seemed up to its usual standard.

Manchester Orchestra Set List: I’ve Got Friends, Pride, Shake It Out, Everything to Nothing, The River

Next up were the science loving prog rockers Coheed & Cambria who played a juggernaut of set list. Wailing, soaring guitar riffs made this the perfect music to rock your head up and down to and it was almost a shame that it was so hot that the mosh lovers couldn’t really get into it. The only issue here was that while the set sounded great down in the front, if you moved further out into the venue, the falsetto vocals got swallowed up. Not necessarily the band’s fault, but one of the pitfalls of an outdoor show.

Coheed & Cambria Set List: (Intro), The Broken, Here We Are Juggernaut, At The Killer, Three Evils, World of Lines, Made Out of Nothing, The Suffering, Pearl, Time Consumer, No World for Tomorrow, A Favor House Atlantic, Welcome Home

Watching Weezer, it is a little hard to believe that they’re seasoned veterans of the alt rock world with the youthful and downright jubilant energy they use in their performance. Their set of hit after hit though, served as a good reminder that these guys have been around for awhile and good with reason. Singer Rivers Cuomo danced around the stage, hopped on a trampoline, smashed instruments and every other spectacular performance trick you can think of, but the real treat came during the encore performance. Weezer mashed together MGMT‘s “Kids” with Lady Gaga‘s “Poker Face.” Brilliant (you can check it out below). I know that Weezer fans are divided and some even go as far to ignore the new music, but the thing about Weezer is that no matter what you say you like, all their music is fun.

Weezer Set List: Intro, Hash Pipe, Troublemaker, Undone, Surf Wax America, Woolly Mammoth, Trippin’ Down the Freeway, Perfect Situation, Dope Nose, Say It Ain’t So, Brian’s Theme, Can’t Stop Partying, Why Bother?, I Want You To, My Name Is Jonas, Beverly Hills//Hot for Teacher, Pork and Beans, MGMT’s “Kids”/Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face”///Island in the Sun, Buddy Holly

The wait is over for those wondering what great music would draw them into the humid campground in Tennessee for Bonnaroo 2010…sort of. For those patient enough to wait as a new band is revealed every few minutes, keep an eye on the Bonnaroo myspace.

Initial bands announced include Dave Matthews Band • Kings of Leon • Stevie Wonder • Jay-Z • Tenacious D • Weezer • The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs perform “Dark Side of the Moon” • The Dead Weather • Damian Marley & Nas • Phoenix • Norah Jones • Michael Franti & Spearhead • John Fogerty • Regina Spektor • Jimmy Cliff • LCD Soundsystem • The Avett Brothers • Thievery Corporation • Rise Against • Tori Amos • The National • Zac Brown Band • Les Claypool • John Prine • The Black Keys • Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers • Jeff Beck • Dropkick Murphys • She & Him • Against Me! • The Disco Biscuits • Daryl Hall & Chromeo • Jamey Johnson • Clutch • Bassnectar • Kid Cudi • Baaba Maal • Kris Kristofferson • Medeski Martin & Wood • The xx • GWAR • Dan Deacon Ensemble • Tinariwen • Wale • Deadmau5 • The Melvins • Gaslight Anthem • Miike Snow • The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band • Dr. Dog • They Might Be Giants • Punch Brothers • Isis • Blitzen Trapper • Blues Traveler • Miranda Lambert • Calexico • OK Go • Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue • Martin Sexton • Lotus • Baroness • Dave Rawlings Machine • Mayer Hawthorne and the County • Japandroids • Jay Electronica • Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros • Ingrid Michaelson • The Dodos • Manchester Orchestra • The Temper Trap • Cross Canadian Ragweed • Big Sam’s Funky Nation • Carolina Chocolate Drops • Needtobreathe • Tokyo Police Club • The Entrance Band • Local Natives • Brandi Carlile • Mumford & Sons • Rebelution • Diane Birch • Monte Montgomery • Julia Nunes • The Postelles • Lucero • Here We Go Magic • Hot Rize • Neon Indian • B.O.B

The festival is from June 10-13. You can buy general, VIP and other packages for tickets here.

The festival promises some more surprises/announcements in the next few weeks.

Weezer front man Rivers Cuomo (left center) was in a bus accident earlier this morning in Upstate New York. Rivers and his family were in a bus going from one gig to another when their bus slid on some ice.

Rivers complained of rib pain and was transferred, along with one other passenger, to St. Mary’s Hospital in Amsterdam, New York. Cuomo’s wife, daughter, and a fifth passenger on the bus were uninjured. The bus was traveling from Toronto, Ontario, to Boston, Massachusetts, for a show Monday night at the Agganis Arena at Boston University.

Neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected as a factor in the accident.

Currently the Weezer tour with Motion City Soundtrack has been canceled.

Get well, Rivers!

An intimate gathering of Weezer fans greeted me at the entrance of the Hollywood Palladium in eager anticipation of KROQ Presents Weezer and Wax. The line twisted around the block; garnished by Weezer tee shirts and multi-colored converses. Controlled chaos reigned supreme; courtesy was common, but the amount of positive energy was outrageous, unharnessed, and completely apparent.

The Palladium housed the crowd comfortably (I had enough room to air guitar solo to “My Name Is Jonas”) and by the time Wax ascended the stage, the balconies were teeming with anxious fans. For those who are unfamiliar with Wax, I don’t blame you. This particular show was their first live set in 14 years, and marks the reunion of Weezer and Wax sharing the same bill since they toured the same LA circuit in ’92 (Both bands moved to LA the same year). But, it sure didn’t seem as if they had lost their touch over the past decade plus. Their ska-studded set was energetic and efficient, despite the fact that the crowd hadn’t the faintest idea where this band had materialized from (I would guess the 90’s from the sound of their set).

But, the main attraction was yet to come, and it was blatantly acknowledged in the restless arena as Wax put up the Weezer “W” and gracefully bowed offstage. In between sets, the energy level heightened considerably. A horde of little girls donning Weezer gear skipped gleefully around the Palladium chanting the headliner’s moniker, and a roar went up in the arena once a KROQ crony had sufficiently introduced the band. And then there was Rivers. Rivers Cuomo has to be one of the greatest entertainers I have ever had the courtesy of observing from two feet away mid-performance. His gestures were overdramatized, leaving girls squealing with every awkward lunge of his limbs.

Appearing in matching white sweat suits, the band also sported a minor change of roster: drummer Pat Wilson armed himself with a bass for the set so that accomplished drummer, Josh Freese, could join them on electric drums (Freese has played with A Perfect Circle, The Vandals, Devo, and NIN). Their performance was nothing less than fantastic. Rivers made use of several props (a trampoline, a football, and his water, just to name a few), and smashed his acoustic guitar at the end of “Undone” after dragging it behind him while crawling on the brink of the stage. Rivers definitely glows in all of his delightfully geeky splendor. The set list included several unexpected covers including Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” and Blur’s “Song 2,” as well as, several new tracks off of their new album Raditude (one of which included a guest appearance by Sara Bareilles for a duet with Rivers). The band is swiftly heading East in support of the new album; their next show is scheduled for December 1st at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.

Weezer: website | myspace | @ maryland heights | Raditude review

Expecting a return to the days of the Blue album or Pinkerton from Weezer?  Quit living in a world of naivety. Weezer doesn’t want to be that band. They’ve been there; they’ve done that. This new change in direction is due to Rivers Cuomo’s new found flair for pop music , allowing the touch of Butch Walker and a cast of pop/rock masterminds such as Tyson Ritter of All-American Rejects. I’m here to pose the question that’s the elephant in the room, and that would be, is that really such a bad thing? Here me out now, Weezer was always at their best with crunchy guitars and geeky hooks and with this album they offer a glimpse into the promise they can have in a new found world of making pop music.

While I prefer the Weezer of old, like I’m sure most of you do, I can’t help but appreciate Rivers and gang for taking a big, big chance with this change in style demonstrated to a T with the incredibly catchy single “(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To.” Weezer was never one to add too many things to the melting pot, so with these new found collaborations, one can only imagine the random Rivers has in store for us. I’m referring to those Spinner performances with Kenny G (yes, Kenny G, Chamillionaire and Sara Bareilles which you can see here

While the flair for pop doesn’t always work, I’m looking at you “Can’t Stop Partying,” the pop shines through when they let the whoa’s fly in “The Girl Got Hot.” One gripe I have is that some of the lyrics are a little too tongue in cheek with their references to partying, clubbing and simple premises, but this definitely is their best album in quite some time following the so-so Red album of 2008 and Make Believe of 2005. For those who lost faith, this album could make you a believer again.

Simply put, Weezer just wants to have fun, won’t you join them?

Track listing:
01. (If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To
02. I’m Your Daddy
03. Girl Got Hot
04. Can’t Stop Partying
05. Put Me Back Together
06. Trippin’ Down the Freeway
07. Love Is the Answer
08. Let It All Hang Out
09. In the Mall
10. I Don’t Want to Let You Go

Weezer: website | myspace | @ maryland heights

L.A. five-piece Rooney is gearing up to release a new, limited-pressing EP, Wild One and will embark on a national headlining tour beginning November 27 at Los Angeles’ El Rey Theatre, in support. Fans can get a first listen to Wild One as the EP will be available exclusively at these upcoming shows before becoming available at iTunes in early 2010. Only 5,000 EPs will be pressed.

Wild One was produced and engineered by the band, and features four brand-new tracks. The EP was mixed by Dave Trumfio (Wilco, Built to Spill and My Morning Jacket) and mastered by Dave McNair (Willie Nelson, Patti Smith.)

After signing with a major record label and working with some of the music industry’s most esteemed producers since their inception, the band is proud to showcase this collection of songs they crafted entirely themselves. Rooney’s latest offering features some of their best, most inventive and original material to date.

Rooney was signed to Geffen Records in 2002 after independently releasing a series of EPs and demos. They released their self-titled debut in 2003; shortly thereafter they saw significant success with single “I’m Shakin” and a cameo appearance on hit teen drama The O.C. The band has toured with a variety of superstar acts including Kings of Leon, Weezer and The Strokes.

Rooney is Robert Schwartzman (vocals/guitar), Taylor Locke (guitar / vocals), Ned Brower (drums / vocals), Louie Stephens (keyboard / vocals) and Matthew Winter (bass).

Track Listing:
1. Suckceed
2. I Don’t Understand
3. Wild One
4. The Days Keep Going By

Tour Dates:
Nov. 27 – El Rey Theatre / Los Angeles, CA
Nov. 28 – The Glass House / Pomona, CA
Nov. 29 – Slim’s / San Francisco, CA
Nov. 30 – WOW Hall / Eugene, OR
Dec. 1 – Hawthorne Theatre / Portland, OR
Dec. 2 – El Corazon / Seattle, WA
Dec. 4 – In the Venue-Club Sound / Salt Lake City, UT
Dec. 5 – Bluebird Theatre / Denver, CO
Dec. 7 – Station 4 / St. Paul, MN
Dec. 8 – House of Blues / Chicago, IL
Dec. 9 – Majestic Theatre / Detroit, MI
Dec. 10 – Beachland Ballroom / Cleveland, OH
Dec. 11 – Webster Hall / New York, NY
Dec. 12 – Club Stage / Baltimore, MD
Dec. 13 – Middle East Underground / Cambridge, MA
Dec. 14 – The Note / West Chester, PA
Dec. 16 – The Loft / Atlanta, GA
Dec. 17 – Tipitina’s Uptown / New Orleans, LA
Dec. 18 – Meridian / Houston, TX
Dec. 19 – Emo’s / Austin, TX
Dec. 20 – Granada Theatre / Dallas, TX
Dec. 22 – Club Congress / Tucson, AZ

Rooney: website | myspace