Who: Grizzly Bear at the Mojave Tent.
In 3 or Fewer Words: Sensitive baroque bombast.
I’ll Remember This Forever Because: Grizzly Bear, one of the day’s more beloved indie acts and one name-dropped by headliner Jay-Z a few hours later, got a bit of a raw deal with the Gobi Tent. Ostensibly a folk act, the band can be as ferocious live as their name implies – but in the confines of the Gobi, the quartet’s more baroque leanings were diminished by the onslaught of beats from across the festival. Why the group wasn’t afforded the chance to shine at the main stage or the Outdoor Theatre – like arguably less popular but dancier acts such as Passion Pit and LCD Soundsystem were – is beyond me. Nevertheless, when the band turned up the volume for songs such as their Super Bowl ad single, “Two Weeks,” there was no competition for their roar.

What I’d Tell My Friend Who Was at Echo and the Bunnymen: Still looking for the evocative? Time to catch up.

– David Greenwald (Rawkblog). Photos: Debi Del Grande.