Since I'm Lazy Beach House / The Islands / Steve Malkmus and the Jicks / Broken Social Scene @ Siren Fest

After Jaguar Love, I took a much needed rest in the shade. I know I should of supported Ra Ra Riot, but I had seen them the most out of any band playing, and I just couldn't stand up anymore. The heat was getting to me and my water had turned warm.

Another highly anticipated band was Beach House. Add them to the list of first-time performers for me. I was worried that their sound's ambiance would lower the so far up beat tempo of the days performers...that I wouldn't want to stand around in the sweltering sun listening and watching a band create atmosphere outside for thousands of people. I was wrong...although the heat had finally taken its toll on me I was very content and relaxed albeit sweaty and sun-burned during their set. I left in the middle of their last songs to check out Islands.


When I got to the main stage again I noticed that the crowd seemed to be grown exponentially from the mid point of the day to the end. I got stuck between speakers that seemed to delay the drums and bass on The Islands songs. I was content still in the fact that they were playing lots of stuff from their first record, Return to the Sea, and even the new songs were being received warmly by the crowd.


I decided to try my luck and push forward as the crowd dispersed to go see Helio Sequence and possibly Broken Social Scene. I found a spot dead center about 60 feet from the stage so I could catch the start of Steve Malkmus and the Jicks. This was going to be my first time seeing them since moving to Brooklyn and the first time seeing them play with Quasi drummer Janet Weiss. The sound was full and everyone was on his or her game. Weiss' drumming style felt akward at times as it tried to keep up with the slow jam-esque songs The Jicks are know for...but then she would become the driving force behind the next series of bars, riffs and jams. Satisfied is the only way to describe how I felt leaving the stage.

I knew heading to catch the last band, Broken Social Scene, already through half of their set that I wouldn't be able to get close enough to enjoy the performance visiaully but I could still hear them and hopefully some of these new songs from an album that I just found out about a few days before. What I didn't count on was an ambulance riding down the middle of the crowd for no reason in particular. It didn't stop and help anyone. It just stopped. I feel bad if someone needed medical assitance and couldn't get it, but if some ass in an EMT uniform just wanted to get closer to the stage then fuck him or her. After the ambulance blocked my view I got annoyed by the people around me very fast. The 8 hours of music and sun had turned me into a very iritable person and the only thing that had kept me from snaping was seeing the next band. Now that I wasn't "seeing" the next band I noticed every little problem...I was hot, tired, I smelled of sweat and Coney Island (or maybe it just smelled where I was)...people were becoming real again and I had to leave as soon as possible. I couldn't even finish out the set, which I was told only lasted for 15 more minutes. I hopped the Q and was home in 20 minutes before the crowds.

My secret to a successful Siren Festival was drinking lots of cold water and walking on the boardwalk between sets since there was a nice cool breeze there. I also didn't eat anything there aside from a orange and a PB&J sandwich that I brought with me. (I made the mistake last year of eating greasy food and sugary drinks from the venders and it made things worse for wear as the day went on.) This was a great day all in all with record numbers showing up for all the bands and lets hope that we'll be able to have the 9th Siren Fest next year.

Times New Viking / Jaguar Love @ Siren Fest

Next up on my list was Times New Viking. I hadn't seen them before but have been listening to their latest release, Rip It Off, since its release earlier this year. The energy between singer Jared and drummer Adam is inspiring. While the light raspy voice of keyboardist Beth Murphy sets a nice little juxtapose between the band. Probably the best set from a new band that day. But I had high expectations for the next band playing too.


Jaguar Love is the product of Pretty Girls Make Graves Guitarist, and The Blood Brothers Guitarist and Vocalist. Jaguar Love sounds nothing like either of the former bands. More rock n roll then anything and Whitney's screaming delivery of bands past was replaced by a high pitched rockers cry. I desperately wanted to get into their set but I was putting to much pressure on the band in my head. I need to give the songs themselves a more devoted listen before I cast my final judgement on this indie rock super group.


I also want to apologize because my camera died around the end of Times New Viking's set. Its gonna be all imagination from here own out I guess.

The Dodos / Annuals @ Sire Ffest

The first act I wanted to catch on the days bill was San Francisco's The Dodos. I saw them about a year ago and they really blew me away. And I wasn't the only one who wanted to see them. The crowd was as large as it had been all day with the exception of those who hadn't left the second stage to see Film School yet. I love The Dodos and their unique blend of high energy percusive indie folk pop, but it wasn't as crisp sounding as the time I saw them before. They still managed to pull off the set through shear energy alone if not loads of talent. And still were one of the better acts of the day for me.

As the set came to an end I decide to check out a little bit of Annuals before settling back over at the main stage for Times New Vikings.

As far as I could tell from the crowd and reaction they were rocking. I only caught 2 songs but it was enough to satisfy my curiousity.

These Are Powers / Parts & Labor @ Siren Fest 2008

I'm finally feeling up to the challenge of posting about Siren Fest 2008.

I didn't really plan out my day, and decided to try and catch at least a little bit of all the bands, or as many as I could up until the time when the bands I wanted to see came on and I just planted myself somewhere in the crowd for 45 minutes at a time.

I arrived and walked up to the main stage where Dragons of Zynth were finishing up their set. I've seen this band on a few occasions, but for some reason their live show doesn't hit me like the recorded songs...I would of liked to given them another shot but I was late arriving this warm afternoon and had to try and catch as many band (2) in the next 1 1/2 hours as I could.

First up was Brooklyn via Chicago band These Are Powers. Yes they rock with enough energy to make the crowd forget it was pushing 93 degrees already and dance. My first experience of this band was very favorable but short as I made my way a few blocks away to see....

...Parts and Labor.


I had been hoping to catch them since I heard they added another member to the lineup. This was another one of those 1/4 of the set for me things. I didn't notice any difference to the sound with the addition of a guitarist who shreds. Okay so I was a tiny bit impressed by them, but I can't give a huge rambling speech about technique or songwriting vs performance because it was early in the day and I was still trying to meet up with everyone who I'd promised to catch up with, and some who I didn't promise as well.


I'm off for the time being but I'll be back soon to get the rest of them posts up asap. For now check out some of the pictures I took here. Sadly my camera's battery died around 5pm and my backup didn't charge the night before due to a little mis-hap with some curious kittens and a surge protector.

8th Annual Siren Fest 19th July 2008

Yesterday the Village Voice announces initial lineup for the 8th annual Village Voice Siren Music Festival™ at Coney Island.

STEPHEN MALKMUS AND THE JICKS

BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE

THE HELIO SEQUENCE

BEACH HOUSE

TIMES NEW VIKING

JAGUAR LOVE

THE DODOS

ANNUALS

FILM SCHOOL

PARTS & LABOR

DRAGONS OF ZYNTH

THESE ARE POWERS

and more to be announced!

All this and the Cyclone on Saturday, the 19 of July 2008 from 12:00 noon - 9:00 p.m.