While other multi-venue ‘industry fests’ have fallen by the wayside, or were cancelled before they even started, Brooklyn’s Northside has only grown, including a full-fledged ‘Innovation’ portion that probably brings in far more money than Music. But music did come, Thursday-to-Sunday, June 9th-12th, to Williamsburg & Greenpoint:
McCarren Park
HINDS
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Opening the final day at McCarren Park was HINDS. Their garage-pop is certainly sweet, but hardly revelatory considering the amount of press that they’ve been getting. It seems like the most interesting aspect of them to some is that they’re an all-girl group from Spain (with an on-stage persona reminiscent of J-Pop garage-rock).
Rostam
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Rostam Batmanglij may no longer be in Vampire Weekend, but he is doing his own solo thing. He played McCarren with a string quartet, though more of the music seemed to actually be coming out of his computer. Batmanglij did start with two brand new songs, and also later brought out Wesley Miles (QRO interview) of Ra Ra Riot to do a piece from their side-project team-up, Discovery (QRO album review), as well as later Hamilton Leithauser (whose Walkmen headlined McCarren for Northside three years ago – QRO photos) and Deradoorian.
Brian Wilson
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Possibly the biggest ‘get’ ever since Northside started, McCarren Park closed with the legendary Brian Wilson, who was playing his seminal Beach Boys record, Pet Sounds, and more. Wilson had a full ensemble behind him and his piano, including original Beach Boy Al Jardine (making up a bit for it being hard to actually see Wilson behind his piano).
Jardine even brought out his son Matt to do Wilson’s falsetto on a few old numbers, with the singer getting on in years. Yes, they did Pet classics like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”, plus other songs you know such as “California Girls”, “I Get Around”, “Good Vibrations”, “Barbara Ann”, “Surfin’ Safari”, and “Fun Fun Fun”. There was also “Hang On To Your Ego” (which nineties alt-rock fans know from Frank Black’s cover), the Pet Sounds instrumental (“Nobody sings!”), even “Row Row Row Your Boat” with the crowd (not the only time the audience sang along).
No, it wasn’t a discovery of new music, but a reconnection with where so much of today’s music comes from.
Other notes:
-After the tragic shooting at an Orlando nightclub the evening before, everyone’s bags were being checked before entering McCarren Park, which created a line that went around two corners.
Unfortunately missed:
-Slang King (QRO photos) @ The Gutter, 8:40 PM.
-The Forms (QRO spotlight on) @ Matchless (QRO venue review), 9:15 PM. Unfortunately shows conflicted with Brian Wilson.
