Lolla Page 2
Resplendent in a costume that looked like a zebra-stripped bat cross-pollinated with a dungeon-dwelling dominatrix, Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Karen O leveled any remaining doubt as to her status as a brand-new breed of rock star. While Nick Zinner (guitar) and Brian Chase (drums) churned out the tornadic soundtrack that is “Cheated Hearts,” O purred, then barked the chorus “Sometimes I think that I’m bigger than the sound.” She was never more right.
The Roots helped lead the jam band contingent for the day, but rather than exclusively catering to the hippie crowd, turned in a potent set of horn-slapped funk, rap, and hip-hop. Rather than only relying on a DJ or pre-recorded tracks, the group have always distinguished itself for live instrumentation, which remains as sharp as ever and continues to blossom into an incomparable wall of soulful sound . . . Unfortunately noise rockers STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9 to be exact) couldn’t connect with nearly as broad appeal. The troupe’s lengthy solos and lack of hooks dragged between sleepy jazz trips and draining psychedelics.
Cold War Kids expounded on their considerable buzz. The minimalist trio’s take on indie rock had the distinction of filling the open spaces without losing the music’s tent-revival charms.
Lesser known acts like Tokyo Police Club and Tapes N’ Tapes were proof that not everyone is ready for The Bigs. The former actually managed to sound considerably less scrappy than on their debut EP (A Lesson In Crime) and the latter’s jaunty grooves seemed better suited to the confines of a club . . . [But Andy disagrees] Tapes ‘N Tapes appealed with melodic centering across a seemingly opposite blend of surging electronics and lo-fi indie rock. The end product was a curious and ambitious wall of eclectic sounds, showing undeniable promise beyond even all the hipster music bloggers who jumped on the bandwagon a long time ago.
If you happened past the Kidzapalooza stage Saturday afternoon, you may have been surprised to see My Morning Jacket’s Jim James picking a banjo, covering Alvin & The Chipmunks and, moments later, being joined by Patti Smith . . . Singer-songwriter Regina Spektor set even more impressive attendance records, though it was almost impossible to catch a glimpse given the massive throngs packed tightly into the Petrillo Music Shell (re-branded the Adidas stage at this particular event). Her sweet smile and glorious wails almost got lost in the back of the massive outdoor setting, but most kept quiet enough to allow her tender expositions (think a less religiously influenced Tori Amos) to permeate the radius.
The more times change, the more Roky Erickson stays the same, and while the mullet may never come back in fashion, no one can deny his seminal sound. Along with backers The Explosives, he returned to the early days of psychedelic rock, reminding all where the genre came from (which was primarily his mid-1960s band the 13th Floor Elevators). And just for the record, this particular performance was much more fluid and fleshed out then even a triumphant comeback concert at last year’s Intonation Festival.
Self-made men Clap Your Hands Say Yeah broke free of puny production and frequent Talking Heads comparisons to produce a performance that was surprisingly comparable in size to the main stage they occupied . . . Minneapolis-by-way-of-New-York’s rockers The Hold Steady won “Most Excited Band” award, if there were such a thing. The raucous quartet is still mining mileage from last year’s excellent Boys And Girls In America collection. From the word go, the smiles never left their faces and the needle they buried in the red never once retreated.
Australia’s Silverchair returned to the American touring circuit after what seemed like eons. Outside of a few grunge-era recollections, the group pushed leaner, dance-laden tunes stock full of high harmonies, including a radically different (compared to their early days) “Young Modern Station.”
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Patti Smith started her early evening set with a smoldering “Redondo Beach.” Letting the music find its own level proved to be a rewarding experience. The energy and intensity that built slowly through “Because The Night” and “Free Money” reached a zenith during covers of “Gloria” and Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
After such a build-up, Interpol almost felt like an afterthought. Although the never-lets-any-light-in density of their music was the perfect companion to the now steadily falling rain, the New York foursome played it safe and stoic throughout Saturday’s closing set . . . But for those who ventured over to catch Muse, they were exposed to A second coming of Radiohead, a double-edged sword the band continue to face. Though some would argue the lush and atmospheric alt-rockers are too derivative of Thom Yorke and company, careful listeners could catch an individualized brew of swelling orchestration and momentum-building apexes, not to mention a supernatural visual spectacle.
Category: Live Reviews
