Kevin Bronson on August 24th, 2014

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Reviews: Ty Segall, Against Me!, Run the Jewels, Avey Tare’s Slasher Flicks, Connan Mockasin

TY SEGALL

You Should Have Been Here Because: Set amid the pines of The Trees stage, FYF darling Ty Segall’s set felt like a great backyard jam session, but on a much larger scale. During the raucous, hour-long set, there was fun for everyone: those who wanted to mosh it out in front, those who wanted to shake a leg in the middle, those who wanted a seat on the grass toward the back, and those passed out and peppered amid the crowd. “We’re from down the street,” Segall commented late in the set, one of his only bits of banter throughout a fury of righteous guitar riffs. These guys can wail, and wail they did. The new material from the forthcoming album “Manipulator” sounded joyous live, and it was a great way to come down and close out day one, for those who didn’t want to dance at DJ Harvey or didn’t care about Wolfgang Amadeus Whatever.
Downside: There are certain crowds that make you feel older than you really are. This was one of those crowds.
Postscript: If these songs are any indication, “Manipulator” may be the best album of his career.
– Andrew Veeder

AGAINST ME!

You Should Have Been Here Because: Granted, an avenue of trees hung with Christmas lights is probably not the first setting that comes to mind when envisioning a great punk show, but life is strange that way. Clad in all black, Against Me! took the stage guns blazing. There was no holding back for these punk rockers. Every single lyric and drum roll was punctuated like the band was going to die tomorrow. The pit was a writhing mass of hands and fists that jumped just as excitedly when the set contained old favorites like “I Was A Teenage Anarchist” and “Don’t Lose Touch” as when new songs like “Unconditional Love” came on. One might expect this crowd of hardened punks to boo when lead singer Laura Jane Grace announced songs as “This song is about cutting poisonous people out of your life,” before launching into “Black Out.” But no, they were into it? Why? Because not only is Against Me! chocked full of hand clapping, fist pumping punk anthems, but their lyrics are fearless and always true to themselves. Whether it’s standing up to the police or becoming a woman, Against Me! is not afraid to bear their soul to you. They trust you’ll take care of it. And by gum, we do. It’s really something watching grizzled punk fans sing along to “Transgender Dysphoria Blues.”
Downside: Why weren’t these guys on the Main Stage? Why?
Postscript: All of you who left early for Interpol, we are no longer friends.
– Molly Bergen

RUN THE JEWELS

You Should Have Been Here Because: As the sun went down and night descended upon The Trees, the dynamic duo of El-P and Killer Mike as Run the Jewels proved they are a force to be reckoned with. The lively partners tore through tracks from their first album, seamlessly tag-teaming the rapid-fire lyrics of opener “Run the Jewels” and commanding the onlookers as Trackstar the DJ manned the 1s and 2s. The masses clapped and rapped along most of the way, elevating the energy to a frenzy at dusk. With heads stacked front to back, El-P remarked that, “This is a crowd for a group who released a free record a year ago,” and, “The whole reason we are here is because you listened and liked our record,” drawing a huge response from those in attendance. Mike gave his props to the ongoing and respectful mosh pit, saying, “You guys keep wildin’ out until you carry each other out.” By far the most political act of the day, they closed with “A Christmas F*cking Miracle,” and dedicated it to Michael Brown. Run the Jewels came, they saw, and they crushed it.
Downside: Sometimes you’re having so much fun at a rap show, you totally forget about the classic shoegaze band you may never see again playing on the next field over.
Postscript: I’ve never heard anyone brag about taking a picture with Nancy Pelosi while really high before. So well played, Killer Mike.
– Andrew Veeder

AVEY TARE’S SLASHER FLICKS

You Should Have Been Here Because: “Animal Collective are the best band in the world,” said the fellow next to me, rolling a man-sized blunt in cigar paper, explaining how he arrived in the comfortable shade for this side project helmed by David Portner, aka Avey Tare. “This is more accessible, though.” Ah, the elasticity of that word. The singer-guitarist, abetted by keyboardist/singer/looper Angel Deradoorian and drummer Jeremy Hyman, dispensed hyperkinetic experimentalism that at times sounded like a tape machine choking on B-sides from the ’60s. Surprisingly, it was absolutely compelling, except for the fact that the trio was playing music directly into the harsh setting sun and there were no visuals. At turns danceable and spastic, the music offered competing structures and challenged first-timers to make sense of it all. There’s a hand-clapper on Slasher Flicks’ April album called “Little Fang,” so not all of it was collage. But there were moment when you thought: Was that one of Deradoorian’s wonky keyboard effects or a technical problem?
Downside: it was not for the dead sober.
Postscript: That blunt was fragrant.
–Kevin Bronson

CONNAN MOCKASIN

You Should Have Been Here Because: In the bright August sunshine, the easy listening vibes of Connan Mockasin went down real smooth. Spread out on the tree-lined lawn, the crowd gazed up at the bespectacled, fair haired Australian with lazy grins on their faces. Flutes, wind chimes and saxophone solos peppered the set. Smooth jazz is hip again, guys. Heck, they even played a song entitled “Faking Jazz Together.” Honestly, it was surprising that there weren’t any healing crystals hanging from the trees or off the microphone stands. This is the kind of music you would expect from a dentist office or waiting in the living room of someone who reads palms. At one point, Mockasin led the crowd through a series of spirit fingers dance moves. Halfway through the set I asked some young teenagers leaning against a fence why they liked the show so much and one of them replied simply, “It makes me feel at ease. Wanna roll a spliff?” Fair enough, man. Fair enough.
Downside: They were shut down abruptly in the middle of their closing number. The guys at the soundboard just turned them off. That’ll teach them to stop noodling in the middle of a song for five minutes during the set. Time management is no joke at a festival.
Postscript: The people who had the most fun here was the circle of dudes in black tank tops playing hacky sack.
– Molly Bergen

Photos: Gallery by Zane Roessell; additional Avey Tare courtesy of Concert Photography by Scott Dudelson