Even though Pitchfork denied me a media pass, I still found a way in that didn't involve me paying money, which we all know is something that's hard to come by these days for a freshly-graduated 20-something who majored in creative writing.
I volunteered with the Dill Pickle Food Co-op (yay!) on Friday so I got to attend for free on Saturday, and also scored a snazzy yellow volunteer t-shirt.
On Friday, I was stationed by the drink ticket tent and put wristbands on people for six hours straight. Luckily, this was very near the blue stage so I got to see a lot of sweet acts.
The first band I caught was Willis Earl Beal, who I'd been hearing about but had yet to listen to. He gave a soulful performance. I wish I were closer to the stage so I could see what he was doing, exactly. Whatever it was, it sounded great.
Then Tim Hecker did a DJ thing which was ok, but I wasn't really in the mood for it.
Japandroids also rocked the blue stage and had me dancing along. I'd never heard them before but I enjoyed the set. Clam Casino played next (weird name, but I danced more. Not sure how the people that I was putting wristbands on felt about that).
Purity Ring played last on the blue stage. They set up all sorts of colored lights- atmospheric! And then they played stuff and I danced some more and got really excited when they played that one song I listen to a lot. You know the one. Couldn't really see much of what went on since I was so far away, but it sounded fun, and pretty much like the recordings.
Then Saturday happened. I missed Cults because I was playing a show with one of the bands I'm in (coldcountry.bandcamp.com - Cold Country is playing at the Burlington tomorrow, too) but I got to Union Park in time for Sleigh Bells.
You may remember my previous review of
Reign of Terror. I don't like their latest stuff as much, but no matter what, Sleigh Bells knows how to put on a show, complete with crowd-surfing. I hear their walls of amps is fake, though. Lame.
I danced around for Hot Chip (which was fun) but cut my time with them short in order to wait for Godspeed You! Black Emperor. I love me some post-rock. The musicians wandered onstage and began to play without a word. The two-drumset thing they had going on was sweet. I love post-rock atmospheres, but after an hour my back started to hurt and I chose to leave, all pitchfork'd out.
