If ever you need a reminder of the life-affirming power of a great concert, go see The Flaming Lips.  If you know anything about Oklahoma psych-pop legends, you know they put on one of the most crazy, visually spectacular, musically overwhelming live shows of any band out there.  This performance was particularly exciting because the band was [...]

Posted by Taylor in Festival, Live 7 Comments »

While I’m a fan of Saturdays=Youth, I’m not as familiar with the M83‘s earlier albums so I was taken a bit by surprise when their live show was more of a dance rave than the 80′s-inspired guitar-heavy shoegaze of which I was accustomed. Although this made the brilliance of songs like “Graveyard Girl” and “Kim [...]

Posted by Taylor in Festival, Live 7 Comments »

I didn’t know too much about Japandroids going into the show but from what I had heard about the live incarnation of the Canadian garage rock duo they were a must-see act. What I had heard though, in no way prepared me for the face-melting awesomeness that these two guys provided.  Their set-up was as simple as can be: one dude on [...]

Posted by Taylor in Festival, Live Comments Off

Brooklyn quartet Grizzly Bear’s music has been labeled everything from “pastoral” to “fussy” to “precious”, and I can’t say the group was undeserving of any of these qualifiers after witnessing their Sunday evening set this year at Pitchfork Festival. As with The National, Grizzly Bear got an upgrade in both set time and attendance relative [...]

Posted by Pete in Festival, Live 3 Comments »

Out of all the bands playing at Pitchfork Festival, I think I’ve seen The Walkmen the most times before this and frankly their live show has never really impressed me. The short time I was at their set though, I really enjoyed. You have to give Hamilton Leithause props for throwing himself into the performance, [...]

Posted by Taylor in Festival, Live Comments Off

Going into The Thermals I expected a non-stop whirlwind of fist-pumping power-punk songs which the Portland trio definitely delivered but what I did not expect was a slew of 90′s cover songs ranging from Nirvana’s “Sappy” to Sonic Youth’s “100%” to the classic Green Day anthem, “Basket Case”. The mixture of their own infectious sing-a-long tunes like [...]

Posted by Taylor in Festival, Live Comments Off