Outdoors in New York 2009

<div> <a href="features/features/outdoors_in_new_york_2009/"><img src="http://www.qromag.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/outdoors09.jpg" alt="Outdoors In New York 2009" /></a> <br /> </div> <p> Wall Street & the rest of the world economy collapsed, the new season at CitiField...
Outdoors In New York 2009

 

Saturday, September 26th: SummerStage @ Central Park, midtown Manhattan
 

 Phoenix

 Phoenix - Julie Kennedy

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy

Just before the outdoor concert season in New York drew its last breath, Julie caught French phenom Phoenix (say that five-times-fast…) at the second of their two dates at Central Park SummerStage (QRO venue review).  Beloved by seemingly everyone, Phoenix gave New York one more taste of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (QRO review).

 Phoenix

Click image for full-sized picture – Julie Kennedy

You can tell this ‘Outdoors in New York’ didn’t quite compare to 2008 (QRO Outdoors in New York 2008) or 2007 (QRO Outdoors in New York 2007) by the fact that it ends with someone else’s photos.  In 2007, everything was fresh & new, while in 2008, knew what I was doing, but 2009, it all seemed a bit old hat (and the economic collapse in the fall of ’08 didn’t help matters – does this mean I can blame George W. Bush?…).  But there were still a lot of moments to be had.

 Phoenix

Click image for full-sized picture – Julie Kennedy

 ~

 Passion Pit

 Passion Pit - Julie Kennedy

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy

Passion Pit are seriously blowing up.  Yes, Manners (QRO review) & "Sleepyhead" already have gotten them a lot of attention, but interest is still growing.  So maybe, is their (or their publicist’s) ego, as Julie’s photo pass for Phoenix didn’t allow her to shoot Passion Pit, the opener, for some reason – but she snuck some shots anyway:

 passion photographers

Click image for full-sized picture – Julie Kennedy

Passion Pit’s next scheduled NYC gig isn’t until 2010 (January 8th, to be exact – QRO concert listing – Elvis & David Bowie’s birthday!) – but at Terminal 5 (QRO venue review – and headlining)!  So expect to only see Passion Pit at big venues like SummerStage from now on:

 Passion Pit @ Central Park SummerStage

Click image for full-sized picture – Julie Kennedy

~ 

 

Saturday, September 5th: Under the Tracks @ 502 West 25th St., Chelsea, Manhattan, NY
 

 These Are Powers

 These Are Powers

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It can’t be a summer outdoor concert season in New York with unwillingly seeing These Are Powers, NYC’s worst indie band.  Two years ago, showed up early for Frankpollis (QRO photos – now Your Nature) at City Sol Festival (QRO photos) at Stuyvesant Cove Park (QRO venue review) and had to endure their painfully loud noise-rock.  Last year, had to cover them as part of Siren Music Festival (QRO 2008 recap) on Coney Island, after unfortunately missing Dragons of Zynth (QRO photos) and thus having to go to TAP’s stage to endure their even louder noise-rock, this time with a new beats-dropping drummer.  And now, they were headlining (!) ‘Under the Tracks’, beneath the abandoned Highline rail (the same one that gave the name to Highline Ballroom, just to the south – QRO venue review) on Manhattan’s west side.

 super(drunk)fan

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Yet I was actually returning to Under the Tracks, after having showed up for earlier bands (see below), then left to go see The Black Hollies (QRO photos) at Mercury Lounge (QRO venue review), and then returned, just in time to miss prior band Grooms (another bad NYC indie band that plays too much, formerly Muggabears – QRO photos).  Why?  Free alcohol – why else?  The whole free, RSVP event was sponsored by Smirnoff Vodka, and not only did they never run out of their product, but up until right near the end of These Are Powers’ set, they had sweet bottles & cans of carbonated Smirnoff malt beverages, their versions of Mike’s Hard Lemonade and the like, which tasted like lemonade or soda – easily able to eschew cups of poorly-mixed vodka drinks that you choke down.

 [insert own 'blowing bubble' dirty joke here]

Click image for full-sized picture

But there were other reasons, too.  The whole thing was thrown by JellyNYC, of Pool Parties at Williamsburg Waterfront (QRO venue review) & McCarren Park Pool (QRO venue review) fame.  ‘Under the Tracks’ was just that, in an abandoned lot beneath the Highline, where you could enjoy the nice weather, but dirty enough you didn’t care if you spilled a drink (except that you lost alcohol…).  It was Labor Day Weekend, which meant the event (headlined by bands that "couldn’t sell out Cake Shop" (QRO venue review), as one BrooklynVegan commenter succinctly put it) wasn’t packed – and neither was the line for drinks.  There was at least one drunked These Are Powers superfan (see above) taking photos (even climbing on the stage to do so at one point – QRO photo) ensuring I wasn’t the drunkest there.  There was a pretty girl blowing bubbles (see above), taking her cue from a fake jack-o-lattern which did so (QRO photo).  And, keeping the ill-dated (but certainly not unwelcome) Halloween theme, TAP handed out candy:

 is there anything better than candy (besides alcohol)?

Click image for full-sized picture

But mostly, it was the free drinks that were able to make one enjoy (though not remember) These Are Powers, whose All Aboard Future (QRO review) is currently the lowest-rated album of 2009 here (QRO Album Reviews).  Guess there’s such a thing as ear goggles – or, as Homer Simpson put it, "To alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems…"

~

 The Smith Westerns

 The Smith Westerns

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Before heading off to The Black Hollies (and made it there just when they were about to start), caught The Smith Westerns.  Doubt I would have remembered much even without the Smirnoff (actually, wouldn’t have been there without the Smirnoff).  They did take advantage of the projection screen behind them, but was more concerned about avoiding the swinging video camera that was apparently taping everything (and stocking up on Smirnoff):

 why are they filming this?

Click image for full-sized picture

~

 Wombripper

 Wombripper

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Originally, it was supposed to be Knight School kicking off Under the Tracks, or at least that’s what the press release said on BrooklynVegan – with which someone from Knight School commented that they weren’t (and didn’t know how their name got there).  Whatever – replaced one no-name with another, instrumental procession-rock Wombripper (think Oneida – QRO photos).  So no-name that I had to ask some girl who’d been up front their name, after the set – and, because of the loud DJing, she had to mime the name, which was awkward already, then doubled when I found it she was the bassist’s girlfriend:

 Wombripper's girls

Click image for full-sized picture

~

 

Tuesday, September 1st: Nikon @ Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY
 

 The Killers

 The Killers - Gaelen Harlacher

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

We got back-to-back nights of The Killers & Wolfmother, who skipped NYC proper for NJ & outdoors on Long Island.

 The Killers in the dark

Click image for full-sized picture

~

 Wolfmother

 Wolfmother - Gaelen Harlacher

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 

Sunday, August 30th: Pool Parties @ Williamsburg Waterfront, Brooklyn, NY
 

 Grizzly Bear

 Grizzly Bear - Gaelen Harlacher

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

While I was at the third & final day of After the Jump Fest (QRO recap) at Park Slope’s Littlefield (QRO venue review), it meant missing the final Pool Party at Williamsburg Waterfront (QRO venue review), but Gaelen & Julie stepped into the breach.  While Day Three of ATJ (QRO Day Three recap) was sparsely-attended, the Waterfront was absolutely packed, for a second week in a row (see below).  Okay, Girl Talk (see below) gets those kinds of crowds, but Grizzly Bear?

Not only did Grizzly Bear draw the hoi-polloi, but also in attendance was Jay-Z, Beyonce, and Mischa Barton (of The O.C. – remember The O.C.? – QRO’s Music of The O.C.QRO Review).  Unfortunately, no photos of them, but here’s a Grizzly Bear in shadow:

 Grizzly Bear in shadow

Click image for full-sized picture

~

 Beach House

 Beach House - Gaelen Harlacher

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher 

While I was disappointed about missing the last Pool Party, a) the free beer was probably gone in seconds, b) others are more into Grizzly Bear than me, and c) I’ve heard Beach House outdoors is kind of boring.

~

 

Tuesday, August 25th: Nikon @ Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY
 

 Blink-182

 Blink-182 - Gaelen Harlacher

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

Apparently, Blink-182 broke up, and are now back together.  They ain’t gettin’ any younger…

~

 Weezer

 Weezer

Click image for full galleryGaelen Harlacher 

Talk about an act that ain’t gettin’ any younger – remember when Weezer was a great band?  If you do, don’t put yourself through the hardship of listening to the latest record (QRO review)…

~

 

Sunday, August 23rd: Pool Parties @ Williamsburg Waterfront, Brooklyn, NY
 

 Girl Talk

 Girl Talk

Click image for full gallery

 Girl Talk - Julie Kennedy

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy

Considering how much coverage was made of this show – mentions in New York Times, DailyCandy, Time Out: New York, etc. – you pretty much knew it was going to be packed (BrooklynVegan warned it’d be like last year’s MGMT Pool Party – QRO photos).  The stage was surrounded from all four directions, including the back, thanks to no back tarp:

 Girl Talk from the rear

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So it came as no real surprise that the crowd pretty much stormed the stage (and demolished the photo pit) from the get-go, even coming up the back (bad move, not having the back tarp down…):

 this is what happens when you don't have a back tarp

Click image for full-sized picture

Eventually the crowd "broke the stage", as Girl Talk said himself.  Surprisingly, security/NY State park officials didn’t take that opportunity to shut the whole thing down – and it even started raining, too!  After the stage cleared, security manned the front of the stage, like a Danzig show:

 a Girl Talk show - or a Danzig show?

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This was the first Pool Party at Williamsburg Waterfront (QRO venue review) which really hit max capacity – even the beer area was maxed out, before Girl Talk went on.  Many people hung out at the fence that ring the south and eastern sides of the Waterfront (making all of us inside feel extra-special…):

 thanks for making me feel like a real VIP

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Indeed, many tried to jump said fence, like climbing on top of the Porta-a-potties against the fence on the inside:

 busted while on the john

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Many also jumped the small barrier from the beer area to the VIP area, which was rather silly, considering the free beer had long gone:

 slipped past the john

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For both, usually the first person would make it in, moving fast, while the next person would think it was easy, take too long and/or make too much of a scene, and get busted (generally a guy was the first over the fence/port-a-potty, successfully, while a girl would take too long following him & get caught, but the other way around over the barrier – girl would just slip through, guy would make a macho show of it & get caught).  The hired, green-shirted security had their hands full on the stage, so doing the busting was usually staff – or NY state cops:

 NYPD Blue

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~

 Wiz Khalifa

 Wiz Khalifa

Click image for full gallery

 Wiz Khalifa - Julie Kennedy

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy 

Never heard of this hip-hop act (few had – probably only played second, over Max Tundra (see below), because was friends with Girl Talk), didn’t really pay much attention, for some reason…

 Williamsburg Waterfront's other sights

Click image for full-sized picture

~

 Max Tundra

 Max Tundra

Click image for full gallery

 Max Tundra - Julie Kennedy

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy

Never easy for a truly one-man act to fill such a large stage/venue, but Max Tundra is pretty funny & engaging, and place wasn’t packed yet.  Thankfully, Pool Parties gave a reason to show up early beyond free VIP beer.

They gave the photo pass to Julie, so I was wondering around outside – nowhere near as close as official Pool Party photographer (and ex-BrooklynVegan photo editor) Kyle Dean Reinford:

 a little too close, dawg...

Click image for full-sized picture

~

 

Sunday, August 16th: SummerStage @ Central Park, midtown Manhattan
 

 Dinosaur Jr

 Dinosaur Jr

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It’s been a disappointing summer, from starting with Michael Jackson’s death to ending with Les Paul’s – so thank god for Dinosaur Jr.  The best alt-reunion out there is keeping it going strong, now on their second record with the original trio of J Mascis, Lou Barlow & Murph, Farm (QRO review).  Their set was naturally heavy on Farm and eighties material of the original trio, before Barlow & later Murph’s departures, but maybe could have used more of their first reunion record, Beyond (QRO review).

There were lots of shouts of "Lou!" from the crowd, but that might just be because ‘Lou’ is such an awesome name to shout – just as Red Sox’s Lou Merloni (really any ‘oo’-sounding name, like Sox’s Kevin Youklies).  Still, should be more shouts of "Murph!":

 Lou! Murph!

Click image for full-sized picture

Still, Dinosaur Jr is really Mascis’ baby – even the set list just listed the one Barlow song (Farm‘s "Imagination Bind") as ‘Lou’ – QRO photo.  And he’s still got the bank of speakers surrounding him – no wonder his hair’s as white as Gandalf’s:

 Mascis! Speakers!

Click image for full-sized picture

It was the first hot summer show in a long time, and it felt like summer of ’09 was only beginning, not ending.  But definitely a great way to end Central Park SummerStage (QRO venue review).

 Dinosaur Jr

Click image for full-sized picture

 ~

 The Walkmen

 The Walkmen

Click image for full gallery

The Walkmen was literally the band I’d just seen last, at the Guggenheim’s (QRO venue review) ‘It Came From Brooklyn’ (QRO live review), so it was kind of hard to get into them.  They really do seem to prefer playing their newer, slower songs – singer Hamilton Leithauser seemed kind of strangled on "The Rat".  But it did give a chance to bust out their horn section, a bunch of guys in summer suits & one girl, standing out in a summer dress:

 many fellas & a lady

Click image for full-sized picture

~ 

 

Sunday, August 16th: Pool Parties @ Williamsburg Waterfront, Brooklyn, NY
 

While I was sweating it out at the last free SummerStage show of the summer (see above), Julie was across the East River at Williamsburg Waterfront (QRO venue review) for another Pool Party.  Hip-hop ain’t exactly my forté, but was disappointed to miss Kenan Bell (QRO interview) – a.k.a. the world’s biggest receiver of the "I don’t like hip-hop, but I liked your stuff" semi-compliment (even had, on guitar, Ted Feldman of Bear Hands – QRO spotlight on).  Also disappointed to miss the free beer – and free food, this time – which, word has it, lasted a very long time.

 Del tha Funkee Homosapien

 Del tha Funkee Homosapien

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy

 ~

 Gravytrain!!!

 Gravytrain!!!

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy 

 ~

 DD/MM/YYYY

 DD/MM/YYYY

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy 

~

 Kenan Bell

 Kenan Bell

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy 

 ~ 

 

Friday, August 14th: River-to-River Festival @ South Street Seaport, downtown Manhattan
 

 School of Seven Bells

 School of Seven Bells

Click image for full gallery

 School of Seven Bells - Julie Kennedy

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy

The final River-to-River show of the season wasn’t as good as I’d hoped, but that was partially my own fault – had to leave after one song of School of Seven Bells to make it to ‘It Came From Brooklyn’ (QRO live review) all the way uptown at Guggenheim (QRO venue review).  But wasn’t that impressed with SVIIB’s Alpinisms (QRO review), nor by the one song of theirs I saw at South Street Seaport (QRO venue review).

 ~

 The XX

 The XX

Click image for full gallery

The XX brought back somber eighties New Wave in more ways than one – the whole group dressed like they were going to kill themselves, with the two singers looking like refugees from 80’s Anglo-goth scene.

 ~ 

 

Thursday, August 13th: RiverRocks @ Hudson River Park, Pier 54, Manhattan
 

 Yeasayer

 Yeasayer

Click image for full gallery

 Yeasayer - Julie Kennedy

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy 

And thus began the final long weekend of (most of) the outdoor concert series in New York.  With only just now getting hot, it feels like summer’s only finally starting, but the free shows are actually ending – last Thursday with 40th anniversary of Woodstock celebration at Castle Clinton (QRO venue review) (see below), and now the final RiverRocks show at Hudson River Park (QRO venue review), with Yeasayer.

 Yeasayer

Click image for full-sized picture

Have never been as big a fan of Yeasayer as others – one of those critics’ never quite caught on to – and wasn’t bowled over by this show.  Still enjoyed the songs I liked off of All Hour Cymbals (QRO review), like "2080" and "Sunrise", but was more than a little lost during their new material.

It was also really packed in the small VIP viewing area to the side of the stage, because security was being particularly pushy about making sure no one stood in the long side alley, leaving little place else to watch.  Spent most of the non-photographing time either way back, near where they were selling beer (sound did carry very well), or sitting in the photo pit.

 Yeasayer

Click image for full-sized picture

Hudson River Park doesn’t throw enough shows to be a summer regular, and the venue can be annoying if you’re not in the photo pit – either way far away from the stage, or way far away from concessions.  But they got a strong line-up this year, thanks to it being booked by the same people who book South Street Seaport (QRO venue review).  And Yeasayer had some of the coolest outdoor lighting I’d seen this summer:

 Yealighter

Click image for full-sized picture

 ~

 Amazing Baby

 Amazing Baby

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Certain bands just open too much, and Amazing Baby is example #1 (example #2?  Wild Light – QRO live review).  One just can’t shake the feeling that they’ve just got a really good publicist, that someone ‘decided’ they were going to be the next big thing, and were going to keep putting them out there until it happens.  Not that there’s anything wrong with Amazing Baby, if nothing, yes, ‘amazing’, (kind of like Wild Light not being that ‘wild’…) – it’s just that, as long as they keep opening big shows, can’t shake the feeling that no one thinks that anyone would come see them on their own [update: they’ll be headlining Bowery Ballroom on October 3rd – QRO event listing].

 Amazing Baby

Click image for full-sized picture

 ~

 

Thursday, August 13th: Seaside Concerts @ Asher Levy Park, Coney Island, Brooklyn
 

While I was watching Yeasayer & Amazing Baby for free on The Hudson (see above), Gaelen was covering a much more mainstream, but still free, event on The Atlantic, at Coney Island’s Asher Levy Park.

 Blondie

 Blondie - Gaelen Harlacher

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 Pat Benetar

 Pat Benetar - Gaelen Harlacher

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher 

~

 The Donnas

 The Donnas - Gaelen Harlacher

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher 

~ 

 

Sunday, August 9th: Pool Parties @ Williamsburg Waterfront, Brooklyn, NY
 

Was too hungover from Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival (see below), and worried about rain, so skipped Simian Mobile Disco’s DJ set – ’cause how interesting to watch is a DJ set, anyway?

 Simian Mobile Disco

 Simian Mobile Disco

Click image for full gallery of Simian Mobile Disco at Highline Ballroom in New York, NY on 4/23/09

~

 

Saturday, August 8th: Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival @ Old American Can Factory, Gowanus, Brooklyn
 

 Festival sights

 Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival

Click image for full gallery 

After staying up way too late the night before for an Electric Tickle Machine (QRO live review) basement house party, was almost too hungover to hit up Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival.  But the clarion call of free PBR in the first two hours got me out to The Old American Can Factory in deepest Gowanus.  Split between an Outdoor Stage that was nestled in between buildings of the abandoned factory, and an Indoor Stage in one of the warehouses, spent most of the time outdoors – better bands, way better lighting, and free PBR in the ‘Artist’s Lounge’ that overlooked the Outdoor Stage.

 ~

 The Juan MacLean

 The Juan MacLean

Click image for full gallery 

Though the festival ran 4:00 PM – 4:00 AM, thankfully the headliner, The Juan MacLean, went on at 12:30 AM, not 3:00 AM.  Of course, by that time I was pretty drunk from the cooler in the ‘Artist’s Lounge’ (would sometimes have to wait for it to be restocked, but that only meant I’d grab like three once it was…), but Juan (& Nancy Whang) certainly had the crowd going when I left:

 The Juan MacLean & crowd

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~ 

 Shy Child

 Shy Child

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Remember only slightly more about Shy Child than Juan MacLean, but gotta appreciate the keytar and sax, plus once playing from the lip of the stage.

 ~

 Codebreaker

 Codebreaker

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Most memorably thing about Codebreaker was that they gave out about a million of of their CD-singles for "Follow Me" – but that did help recollection the next day.

 ~

 Flashmen

 Flashmen

Click image for full gallery 

Electronica can be boring with an energetic frontman, and Flashmen provided it with their skirt-wearing Flashman (didn’t actually flash anybody, though…).

 ~

 Young Love

 Young Love

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A little more emo-dance, Young Love was also the best-looking band of the festival.

 ~

 Jupiter One

 Jupiter One

Click image for full gallery 

While there was still some light out, Outdoor Stage played host to some not-that-electronic acts, like the more emo/alt-rock Jupiter One.  But the rock ‘n’ rollers did provide some energy, something that electronic music can often lack.

 ~

 Awesome New Republic

 Awesome New Republic

Click image for full gallery 

Another more mainstream emo-rock act, do have to appreciate the keyboardist’s three keyboards – as well as that he played on crutches, with a broken foot!

 ~

 Bell

 Bell

Click image for full gallery 

The only act at BEMF I’d actually ever seen before – twice, actually, and both times at Mercury Lounge (QRO venue review) – had never been that impressed with Bell, but always liked her, and now I know why: she reminds me of Lizzie Powell (QRO interview) of Land of Talk (QRO spotlight on) – who’s finally getting back on the road (see dates in Spotlight On), but still hasn’t scheduled anything for New York…

Wasn’t the only one who liked Lady Bell – Rude Bear did too, though not as much as he loved these other lovely ladies:

 Rude Bear loves the ladies...

 ~

 Home Video

 Home Video

Click image for full gallery 

The first band playing that I’d heard of, enjoyed Home Video’s indie-meets-electronica that isn’t actually indietronica.

 ~

 

Friday, August 7th: Celebrate Brooklyn! @ Prospect Park Bandshell, Park Slope, Brooklyn
 

 Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

 Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

Click image for full gallery 

Once again, Celebrate Brooklyn! had their Americana acts listed in reverse order of quality.  Just like at the Dr. Dog/Phosphorescent/These United States show (see below), the headliner at Prospect Park Bandshell (QRO venue review) was the least interesting, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals.  A jam-festival regular, Grace Potter’s so big that that U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer – QRO photo – took time out of celebrating the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to celebrate Grace Potter as well.  He probably just came out for the attention (old joke, "The most dangerous place in the world is between Chuck Schumer & a camera…"), but he was no David Yassky, making his return visit to Celebrate Brooklyn! – here’s hoping he wins in his race for City Comptroller.

Grace Potter herself?  Wasn’t that fascinated, though she did make good photo.  But I wanted more of her bassist – or at least the side-boob she showed at Rothbury.

 Grace Potter & favorite Nocturnal

Click image for full-sized picture

For some reason, Celebrate Brooklyn! was enforcing a two-song limit on photographing – but that just meant I could leave earlier to hit up a Bushwick basement party with Electric Tickle Machine (QRO review).

 Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

Click image for full-sized picture 

 ~

 Deer Tick

 Deer Tick

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The two-song limit was a much bigger pain for Deer Tick.  Not because I wanted more photos of yet another alt-country/rock band, but because, mid-set, the singer invited his girlfriend from Those Darlins on stage to sing with them – and then proposed!  Was sitting in the VIP tent, doing an Onion crossword…

 ~

 Jones Street Station

 Jones Street Station

Click image for full gallery 

But the real annoyance with the two-song limit was with the real reason to go to the Bandshell – Jones Street Station (QRO interview).  Forget alt-country/rock, their Americana is straight-up & great, both live & on the about-to-be-released In Verses (QRO review).  And they can play big places like the Bandshell or Town Hall (QRO venue review), or small, like their free, monthly ‘Live From Down Home’ series (QRO photos) at Housing Works Used Book Café (QRO venue review).

Either way, they still end it with the excellent "Tall Buildings" – though didn’t go completely a-cappella this time, but can you blame them?:

 JSS among tall buildings

Click image for full-sized picture

Video: "Oh Victoria"

~

 

Friday, August 7th: River-to-River Festival @ South Street Seaport, downtown Manhattan
 

For the 10th anniversary of Moshi Moshi Records, they’ve organized a summer tour, which hit South Street Seaport (QRO venue review).  I was at Celebrate Brooklyn! (see above), but Julie caught it all:

 CasioKids

 CasioKids - Julie Kennedy

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy

 ~

 Slow Club

 Slow Club - Julie Kennedy

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy 

 ~

 The Wave Pictures

 The Wave Pictures - Julie Kennedy

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy 

 ~

 

Thursday, August 6th: River-to-River Festival @ Castle Clinton, downtown Manhattan
 

 John Kelly Sings the Joni Mitchell Songbook

 John Kelly as Joni Mitchell

Click image for full gallery

After last week’s excellent Arlo Guthrie show (see below) at Castle Clinton (QRO venue review), the final show celebrating the 40th anniversary of Woodstock was bound to drop at least somewhat – especially when you went from a Guthrie who played Woodstock to a guy dressing up as a woman who actually didn’t.  John Kelly did have a good voice, and didn’t keep up the act the whole way through, eventually dropping the wig & dress – but singing just the same.  What was realy disappointing was the catering – all the sandwiches were gone even before Kelly took the stage, and, for the first since I’ve been going to Castle Clinton, they ran out of booze, which prompted me to leave.

~

 

Sunday, August 2nd: Pool Parties @ Williamsburg Waterfront, Brooklyn, NY
 

Yet another rainstorm cancelled yet another outdoor show which yet again moved to Brooklyn Bowl (QRO venue review), this time Dan Deacon’s ‘Round Robin’ show, where he takes the stage alongside No Age & Deerhunter, and the three trade-off performance duties, song-to-song.  This time, I did make it (after much confusion), and ended up having a pretty good time – including running into earlier-that-week interviewees YACHT (QRO interview), the next day’s interviewees Los Campesinos! (QRO spotlight on), and always-running-into interviewed Matt & Kim (QRO spotlight on) (did also see the guitarist from the terrible These Are Powers – QRO album review – but let’s not count him…).

However, this ain’t ‘Outdoors Unless It’s Raining In New York’, so here’s photos of Dan Deacon, Deerhunter & No Age in the outdoors:

 Dan Deacon

 Dan Deacon

Click image for full gallery of Dan Deacon actually outdoors at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, TX on 11/8/08

 ~

 Deerhunter

 Deerhunter

Click image for full gallery of Deerhunter actually outdoors at last year’s McCarren Park Pool Party on 8/3/08

~

 No Age

 No Age

Click image for full gallery of No Age actually outdoors at South Street Seaport on 7/11/08

~

 

Saturday, August 1st: Celebrate Brooklyn! @ Prospect Park Bandshell, Park Slope, Brooklyn
 

 Dean & Britta’s ’13 Most Beautiful…’

 Dead & Britta & Dennis Hopper

Click image for full gallery 

Dean & Britta (QRO interview), and their prior acts Luna & (for Dean Wareham) Galaxie 500, were always more artsy and relaxed than bowl-you-over, so while they were a perfect fit to create songs for Andy Warhol’s 13 Most Beautiful Screen Tests, the show itself wasn’t exactly overwhelming.  But it wasn’t meant to be, and the duo (& rest of their band) let the screen tests take center stage – though that meant the lighting was poor, and could always use to see more of Britta Phillips:

 Britta Phillips & Edie Sedgwick

Click image for full-sized picture

Always thought of Andy Warhol as over-rated – what’s he famous for, other than re-using other people’s images of Marilyn Monroe & Campbell Soup, plus the original famous-for-being-famous ‘fifteen minutes of fame’ line? – and especially smug.  You couldn’t see Warhol in any of the screen tests, but many of his subjects looked quite smug and ‘ain’t I the shit…’ – especially the ones you’ve never heard, who are all dead, often from drugs.  Some of the girls looked that way, too, but at least someone like Edie Sedgwick had her looks going for her (then).  Better were those who had fun with it, like Lou Reed drinking a Coke, Jane Holzer brushing her teeth, or especially the anti-Edie, Ingrid Superstar, giving the camera the sly finger.

Not the most exciting night, for sure, but certainly special.

 Dean Wareham & Paul America

Click image for full-sized picture

 ~

 Crystal Stilts

 Crystal Stilts

Click image for full gallery 

Boy, they’re really better when they’ve got their keyboardist…  While Crystal Stilts’ singer Brad Hargett hid behind shades & a ‘fro, and drummer Frankie Rose dressed like a Mormon for some reason, sometimes-keyboardist Kyle Forrester (also of Ladybug Transistor, Essex Green – QRO photos) was the only one interacting with the crowd, making up for the probably-just-scared Stilts by joking about the sturdiest keyboard stand ever, and even asking for an "under-7 dance-off".

Why were the rest of the Stilts so intimidated?  The massive Prospect Park Bandshell (QRO venue review), for sure, but also playing before 13 Most Beautiful, which included the one-and-only Lou Reed – who Hargett is completely trying to look like (surprised Hargett didn’t go buy a Coke after seeing Reed drinking one).  Reed was actually hard to recognize, without any introduction from Dean & Britta, behind his own shades & ‘fro & coke – not to mention being so much younger.  When I asked Stilts guitarist JB Towneshend if that was Lou Reed, he somewhat indignantly replied, "Fuck yeah!"

~

 

Saturday, August 1st: SummerStage @ Central Park, midtown Manhattan
 

 M. Ward

 M. Ward - Julie Kennedy

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy

While I was watching Dean & Britta & Andy Warhol’s 13 Most Beautiful people (see above), Julie hit up Central Park SummerStage (QRO venue review) for M. Ward (QRO album review).  Word is, it seems that his time in She & Him (QRO album review) with starlet-cum-indie-pop-princess Zooey Deschanel (who reportedly ordered backstage at Terminal 5 – QRO venue review – that "no one on staff look her in the eye…" – QRO photos) has left him a little full-of-himself & demanding others not look at him.  He moved back & forth on stage, had his band on with him for only one of the first three songs, and those first three were really more of a medley – all of which left ‘shoot the first three songs’ photo pit in straits.  And then SummerStage officials started booting people out of the venue, whether they worked for the label, BrooklynVegan, or whoever (not QRO, though…).

 ~

 Mike Watt & Nels Cline

 Mike Watt & Nels Cline - Julie Kennedy

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy

Thankfully, neither the bassist for legendary punk acts The Minutemen & fIREHOSE, nor the guitarist for Wilco (QRO live review outdoors) have such big heads.  Mike Watt (the former) & Nels Cline (the latter) also seemed to be having a lot more fun on stage.

~

 

Friday, July 31st: River-to-River Festival @ South Street Seaport, downtown Manhattan
 

The scheduled show at South Street Seaport (QRO venue review) was Polvo/Obits, but rain & thunder forced the cancellation of the show.  It was moved to Brooklyn Bowl (QRO venue review) later that night, but missed it.  Don’t have any photos of either of those bands, so here’s photos of best Seaport show I’ve seen, The National on August 17th, 2007:

 The National

 The National

Click image for full gallery of The National at South Street Seaport on 8/17/07

~

 

Thursday, July 30th: River-to-River Festival @ Castle Clinton, downtown Manhattan
 

 Arlo Guthrie

 Arlo Guthrie

Click image for full gallery

Best 40th anniversary of Woodstock show yet at Castle Clinton (QRO venue review).  The weather was perfect, packed house – and got to see a Guthrie!  While the son of Woody Guthrie was only 19 when he played Woodstock, old age works well on him & his music.  What’s more, he was hilarious, telling great stories about not just Woodstock ("I remember getting there…") but other musicians like his dad, not to mention making music.  .

~

 

Sunday, July 26th: Pool Parties @ Williamsburg Waterfront, Brooklyn, NY
 

The headliner was …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, capping a weird iine-up fo bands that had nothing to do with each other – except that the first & last were from Austin.  Of course, got their too late for Austin’s Grupo Fantasma (see below), and the thunder on the East River, by state park rules, forced the shut-down of Williamsburg Waterfront (QRO venue review), and cancelled Trail of Dead’s set.  But here’s some photos of them outdoors at home, during the 2008 Fun Fun Fun Fest (QRO recap):

 ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead

Click image for full gallery

~

Black Lips

 Black Lips

Click image for full gallery

How did bands like Black Lips first get crowds to go wild?  On record (QRO review), they’re nothing to write home about, but live, fans go crazy from the get-go, and that held up at Williamsburg Waterfront.  Guess it’s kind of a chicken-and-egg thing – plus free & all-ages is bound to get some crazy kids…

But by this point, the ‘craziness’ is kind of rote – crowd-surfers, pushing up agains the barrier, security pushing back, etc.  Having the speakers at the middle of the photo pit practicaly invited Lips to walk onto it, and one time, singer/guitarist almost got into a fight with security.  They need those big barriers they had at McCarren Park Pool (QRO venue review) to hold back fans like this:

 crazy crowd

Click image for full-sized picture

Early on, the photo pit barrier basically collapse in the center and house-right, leaving a few photographers trapped on the house-right, and the rest stuck in the house-lef, in front of the ‘good’ third of the crowd, who did something truly original – not go nuts:

 'good' crowd

Click image for full-sized picture

 ~

 HEALTH

 HEALTH

Click image for full gallery 

Ugh – terrible noise-rock.  Other than their drumming, HEALTH was mostly screaming and messing with their instruments.  One singer/’guitarist’ could put his guitar on and then wait a whole song before actualy playing it – and when he did, it was just to hit it while swinging it around.

~

 Grupo Fantasma

Also missed this Austin band – but here’s some photos of them outdoors at home, also from 2008 Fun Fun Fun Fest:

 Grupo Fantasma

Click image for full gallery 

~

 

Saturday, July 25th: Patio @ Union Pool, Williamburg, Brooklyn
 

 Your Nature

 Your Nature

Click image for full gallery 

After hitting up new undiscovered favorite Electric Tickle Machine (QRO review) at the space-formerly-called Supreme Trading Co. in the afternoon, swung by the outdoor patio at Union Pool (QRO venue review) for a little free music from an old undiscovered favorite (that now more people are discovering), Your Nature (formerly Frankpollis).  After being unimpressed with the first show seen under the new name (QRO photos – though that had more to do with the venue, Annex – QRO venue review), this performance was definitely better.  While I’m not sure how I feel about the growing presence of non-Frank-or-Pollis Malcolm (QRO outdoor photos from when Frankpollis was a trio), and once again missed Wild Yaks (happened numerous times at Northside Festival – QRO recap), who opened, music at Union Pool’s patio is neat (even though the band didn’t have monitors), especially going behind the band, next to the taco wagon (shot from that angle):

 Your Behind

Click image for full-sized picture

~

 

Friday, July 24th: River-to-River Festival @ South Street Seaport, downtown Manhattan
 

 Black Moth Super Rainbow

 Black Moth Super Rainbow

Click image for full gallery 

Electronica can be pretty boring, live, outdoors, when it’s light out.  But Black Moth Super Rainbow answered that by bringing in a ringer: a man in a monkey suit & kabuki mask.  After a hilarious introduction, a screen projection of a blogger talking about this terrible band "Black Mother Rainbow or something", and Eric Wareheim (of Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!QRO photos) saying it’s okay to like them (but that they should be called ‘The Black Rainbows’), the actual band kind of hid behind equipment while this masked man pretended to be lead singer:

 Who is this masked man?

Click image for full-sized picture

While he did eventually run out of antics to do, the faux-singer was at his best in an unscripted moment.  He’d brought out a bag of chips, fed a few to the crowd, but them dumped the rest in the photo pit, which meant that one of South Street Seaport’s cleaning crew had to sweep it up:

 cleanin' up for those crazy kids

Click image for full-sized picture

But the masked man played chivalrous, and went down to clean up the mess he’d made, not to mention get a big cheer for the lady:

 no, I insist, let me

Click image for full-sized picture

 ~

 Blank Dogs

 Blank Dogs

Click image for full gallery 

Decent, but they had no masked monkey man.  Singer did sound like a robot, and bassist looked like a vulcan.

 ~

 Dan Friel (of Parts & Labor)

 Dan Friel (of Parts & Labor)

Click image for full gallery 

There’s only so interesting a guy sitting in a folding chair playing some collection of gizmos on his lap can be.

~

 

Thursday, July 23rd: RiverRocks @ Hudson River Park, Pier 54, Manhattan
 

 Ted Leo & The Pharmacists

 Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Veronica Hoever

Click image for full gallery – Veronica Hoever

 Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - Gaelen Harlacher

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

It was pouring rain in the early evening, which forced the bumping of Radio 4 (QRO photos) & Extra Golden, but the skies parted and Ted Leo jumped at the chance, playing without a set list at Hudson River Park (QRO venue review).

~

 

Thursday, July 23rd: River-to-River Festival @ Castle Clinton, downtown Manhattan
 

 Richie Havens

 Richie Havens

Click image for full gallery

Castle Clinton (QRO venue review) is ‘rain or shine’ – but the only established coverings were in the ring that surrounds the castle, and above the stage.  Still, there was a pretty damn healthy turnout for Richie Havens, who did ramble at times, but could also be really funny (like worrying about the fate of all the people on Pluto, now that it’s not a planet anymore) and even somewhat profound ("I’m glad to be here – I say that everywhere, but what I mean is that I’m glad to be anywhere…".

~

 

Sunday, July 19th: Pool Parties @ Williamsburg Waterfront, Brooklyn, NY
 

 Dirty Projectors

 Dirty Projectors

Click image for full gallery

After the craziness of Siren the day before & at Williamsburg Waterfront (QRO venue review) the week before, was nice to have a more relaxed Pool Party.  Still don’t quite understand how or why Dirty Projectors have gotten so big, considering the difficulty of Bitte Orca (QRO review), but there was a huge crowd there to see them.

Projectors joked that this was the first time they’d played outdoors where it hadn’t rained – certainly a nice day out…

 ~

 Magnolia Electric Co.

 Magnolia Electric Co.

Click image for full gallery 

Caught a bit of them – nice, but very sedate.  And the singer looks like a younger Harry Shearer – but with a massive uni-brow:

 unibrow on young Derek St. Hubbins

Click image for full-sized picture

~

 

Saturday, July 18th: Siren Music Festival @ Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY
 

 Coney Island

 Siren fireworks

Click image for full gallery 

 Siren @ Coney Island - Veronica Hoever

Click image for full gallery – Veronica Hoever

Another year, another ‘last Siren ever’.  This year was a bit of ‘the boy who cried wolf’ letdown, but more because the acts were such a disappointment.  Okay, nothing was going to top last year (QRO 2008 recap), headlined by Broken Social Scene (QRO photos from Siren ’08) and Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks (QRO photos from Siren ’08), and including two of the best breakouts since QRO started, Annuals (QRO photos from Siren ’08) & Ra Ra Riot (QRO photos from Siren ’08).  But still, the wildly diverging stages, thrown-together-at-the-last-minute line-up, and problems with security – not to mention being knocked back down to only press/photo pass, no VIP, made it a weak Siren.  Still worth showing up for, though…

~

 Spank Rock

 Spank Rock

Click image for full gallery 

Well, it was a wild one.  Couldn’t really understand anything the hip-hop star was saying, but got the general dirty gist.  More interesting was, after Spank Rock invited one girl up on stage to dance (and ordered fans to storm into the photo pit), other girls would climb on stage uninvited, and be escorted off by security (especially funny was one girl, who took her shirt off to show off to the crowd, but stood outside of the light, and so no one saw…).  And really, Amanda Blank (QRO photos) was better than Spank (QRO photos) or other guests, Ninjasonik (QRO photos):

 Amanda Blank

Click image for full-sized picture

Eventually, the hard-pressed security shut everything down, hauling people off of stage, including a ton of photographers, who seemed to think that if the crowd could storm the photo pit, they could go on stage (Nicky Digital even walked up right into the middle of the stage at one point to take a photo…).  Security also demanded the photo pit clear – well, one security guy, who started telling everyone at the opposite side from the exit they had to leave, even though not only was no one between you & the exit leaving, but the rest of security wasn’t either.  An interesting event, not sure if I’d want to see it again, and damn sure Siren won’t want it again…

~

 Built To Spill

 Built To Spill

Click image for full gallery 

 Built To Spill - Veronica Hoever

Click image for full gallery – Veronica Hoever

Of course, when the alternative was the sweet-but-boring Built To Spill, kind of no alternative.  Are there two acts that could reasonably be headlining Siren more different than Spank Rock & Built To Spill?  Kind of amazing they’re still around (their status as ‘the indie band that plays jam festivals’ helps – QRO photos from a festival) – and still on Warner Bros.

~

 Monotonix

 Monotonix

Click image for full gallery 

Everyone was wondering what the legendarily crazy Monotonix would do at Siren – still, playing from inside the crowd wasn’t that big a surprise, as that’s what they always do (QRO live review).  Two things did surprise: that they only wore speedos (and not only mooned the crowd, but spread cheeks too…), and that security closed down the photo pit.  How the band playing in the crowd necessitated closing the photo pit is anyone’s guess – another is why closing the photo pit also closed down entrance to the backstage VIP area, which was completely separate other than sharing an entrance from the outside.  Hard to feel too bad for VIPs, being denied what they were ‘due’, but the security guy seemed to be enjoying denying people (same one who decided to clear the photo pit all on his own during Spank Rock – see above).  Even Val Lopez (QRO interview) from played-on-that-very-stage-earlier-in-the-day Bear Hands (see below) had to haggle his way in.  Only person with carte-blanche?  Spank Rock, of course, who could let in any amount of people he wanted – maybe because that was the only act at Siren the security guy had heard of (and Spank Rock paid security’s favor back in full… – see above).

~

 The Raveonettes

 The Raveonettes

Click image for full gallery 

 The Raveonettes - Veronica Hoever

Click image for full gallery – Veronica Hoever 

Had nowhere to go when security closed down the pit at Monotonix, because The Raveonettes were just boring, like their latest, Lust Lust Lust (QRO review).  More interested in a place to sit, which was damn hard to find at Coney Island.

~

 A Place To Bury Strangers

 A Place To Bury Strangers

Click image for full gallery 

 A Place To Bury Strangers - Veronica Hoever

Click image for full gallery – Veronica Hoever 

Can remember being interested in this band from their self-titled record (QRO review) – then heard them live.  No, they’re not bad, just unnecessarily loud (and that made for a thinner-than-usual photo pit).  Was cool seeing the guitarist swing his instrument around with abandon – but did he then have to put his mike up to his amp too?

~

 Grand Duchy

 Grand Duchy

Click image for full gallery 

 Grand Duchy - Veronica Hoever

Click image for full gallery – Veronica Hoever 

It’s nice that Frank Black (he’ll never really be Black Francis to me) started a band with his wife, Violet Clark.  It’s cool that their album, Petit Fours (QRO review) is actually pretty good.  But when the man is on stage, want to hear Pixies songs/early Frank Black…

~

 Future of the Left

 Future of the Left

Click image for full gallery 

 Future of the Left - Veronica Hoever

Click image for full gallery – Veronica Hoever 

One of the few bands at Siren that really delivered.  Yes, Future of the Left were loud, but also with killer energy.  But what was the bassist doing when he went through the pit & into the crowd, then kneeled down, out of view?  Whatever it was, got a lot of cheers…

~

 Frightened Rabbit

 Frightened Rabbit

Click image for full gallery

 Frightened Rabbit - Veronica Hoever

Click image for full gallery – Veronica Hoever 

Can’t help but think of Frightened Rabbit as an indoor acoustic band, considering saw them that way (QRO live review), and they made a live record like that, Liver! Lung! FR! (QRO review).  Their heart-wrenching sound just loses something outdoors, but still fairly good.

~

 Thee Oh Sees

 Thee Oh Sees

Click image for full gallery 

 Thee Oh Sees - Veronica Hoever

Click image for full gallery – Veronica Hoever

Another wild garage-rock band with forgettable songs?  Yawn…  Was neat to see the singer not only put his mike in his mouth, but once lift his guitar by only chomping down on the neck.

~

 Japandroids

 Japandroids

Click image for full gallery

 Japandroids - Veronica Hoever

Click image for full gallery – Veronica Hoever

Not a fan of guitar-and-drums duos, but the fact that they split vocal duties improved this act.

~

 Bear Hands

 Bear Hands

Click image for full gallery 

 Bear Hands - Veronica Hoever

Click image for full gallery – Veronica Hoever 

Great to see Bear Hands (QRO spotlight on) again – it’s been too long.  Glad to hear that they’re recording, but this meant a lot of new songs, and no "Long Lean Queen" (QRO video).  And they shouldn’t have brought on a very drunk Das Racist, who impressed no one with their cover of Jay-Z (had to ask later who that was & what they were doing), and they only engendered ill-will with staff & security – one Racist was thrown out of the pit at the start of Spank Rock (see above).

~

 Micachu & The Shapes

 Micachu & The Shapes

Click image for full gallery

 Micachu & The Shapes - Veronica Hoever

Click image for full gallery – Veronica Hoever

Ugh – not just experimental music, but experimental music with an attitude.  Atonal, annoying, stupid sneer, weird-for-the-sake-of-weird instruments – even too much cowbell, which is a mighty hard thing to pull off in these post-"More cowbell" world.

~

 The Blue Van

 The Blue Van

Click image for full gallery  

 The Blue Van - Veronica Hoever

Click image for full gallery – Veronica Hoever 

Only other band to really impress was The Blue Van, and had no expectation going in.  Their guitar-party-rock isn’t particularly inspired, but they certainly bring the energy and activity necessary for that kind of music, especially the bassist & pianist, who practically knocked over his standing instrument…

~

 Tiny Masters of Today

 Tiny Masters of Today

Click image for full gallery  

 Tiny Masters of Today - Veronica Hoever

Click image for full gallery – Veronica Hoever

Knew not to expect much from these siblings after hearing Skeletons (QRO review), but poor sound balancing (guitar too loud, vocals too low) hurt matters further.  Was neat to see Your Nature/Frankpollis’ (QRO photos) Jackson Pollis playing drums up there – though should be up there with his own band (QRO live review).

~

 

Saturday, July 18th: Warped Tour @ Nassau Coliseum, Long Island, NY
 

While Veronica & I were baking in the heat of Coney Island for Siren, Gaelen was baking in the heat of Long Island for Warped Tour, which was making it’s stop at Nassau Coliseum.

~

 The A.K.A.’s

 The A.K.A.'s

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 Anti-Flag

 Anti-Flag

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 Bad Religion

 Bad Religion

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 Bayside

 Bayside

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 Flogging Molly

 Flogging Molly

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 Less Than Jake

 Less Than Jake

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 The Maine

 The Maine

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 Meg & Dia

 Meg & Dia

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 NOFX

 NOFX

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 Scary Kids Scaring Kids

 Scary Kids Scaring Kids

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 Senses Fail

 Senses Fail

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 Sing It Loud

 Sing It Loud

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 Jeffree Star

 Jeffree Star

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 30H!3

 30H!3

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 Underoath

 Underoath

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

~

 

Friday, July 17th: River-to-River Festival @ South Street Seaport, downtown Manhattan
 

 Superchunk

 Superchunk

Click image for full gallery 

It’s official: I’m an old man.  All the best outdoor shows have been old bands – ‘old’ meaning they released stuff in the eighties or nineties.  Mission of Burma (see below), Wilco (see below), and now Superchunk.  But unlike those other two, didn’t know Superchunk’s new or old material that well, and they still rocked.  So loving them at my first Pool Party two years, where I got to shoot from on the stage, wasn’t a fluke (QRO review).

It was also great to see them having fun, without it being all they did.  Good songs & a good show, with lots of leaping:

 Superjump

Click image for full-sized picture

Videos: "Learned To Surf", "Slack Motherfucker"

~

 Vs.

 Vs.

Click image for full gallery 

Showed up late for Vs., only caught the tail end.  Thought they had members of +/- (QRO album review), but didn’t recognize any.

More, much more important is that South Street Seaport (QRO venue review) has stepped up and become this summer’s best free outdoor venue.  Last year it was Castle Clinton (QRO review), with great acts & a great spread (including free beer & wine).  Two years ago it was McCarren Park Pool (QRO review), great setting & great acts (& free beer & whiskey).  Now it’s the Seaport, thanks to great acts (not a skippable one in the bunch), great people (gotta say River-to-River have the nicest staff of all), great balance in crowd between the too-mature Castle Clinton/Central Park SummerStage (QRO review)/Prospect Park Bandshell (QRO review) and the too-immature Williamsburg Waterfront (QRO review), and yes, free alcohol.

~

 

Thursday, July 16th: River-to-River Festival @ Castle Clinton, downtown Manhattan
 

 Tribute to Sly Stone

 Tribute to Sly Stone

Click image for full gallery

Last summer, Castle Clinton (QRO venue review) was the great free outdoor venue, thanks to acts like St. Vincent (QRO live review), Ted Leo & The Pharmacists (QRO photos), Akron/Family (QRO photos), and Long Winters (QRO photos) – plus classy VIP spread that included wraps & wine.  This year, the spread has stepped a bit back (damn economy…), and all four weeks are celebrations of the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, featuring correspondingly old, or at least old-appeal, acts.  It kicked off with a tribute to Sly Stone by Steven Bernstein’s Millenial Territory Orchestra, featuring Bernie Worrell and a host of guest vocalists, incluing Sandra St. Victor, Dean Bowman, Martha Wainwright and Shilpa Ray:

 Bernie Worrell

Click image for full-sized picture of Bernie Worrell

 Sandra St. Victor

Click image for full-sized picture of Sandra St. Victor

 Dean Bowman

Click image for full-sized picture of Dean Bowman

 Martha Wainwright

Click image for full-sized picture of Martha Wainwright

 Shilpa Ray

Click image for full-sized picture of Shilpa Ray

Sly Stone was very good (as was Bernie Worrell) – not good enough to make me like Shilpa Ray, who really just bellows, with no tone or harmony, but made for an enjoyable evening (even if it did run too long, and I only caught the tail end of Wild Light opening for stellastarr* at Highline Ballroom – QRO photos).  One young guy was really into it by the end, boogie-ing to the last few (extended) jams.  It was kind of dorky, and he shouldn’t have jumped up a step and onto the stage, but he wasn’t in anyone’s way, and stepped down when the security guy immediately told him to.  But that led the mean old man security guy to tell the boogier he’d "throw him out" (could lip-read him saying that) if the kid did that again, and spent the rest of the show watching that kid like a hawk, just itching to get his power trip and bust some young person for having a good time – very Woodstock of him…:

 damn kids shouldn't be dancing!

Click image for full-sized picture 

  ~

 

Monday, July 13th: KeySpan Park @ Coney Island, Brooklyn
 

 Wilco

 Wilco

Click image for full gallery 

Now this is how alt-American is supposed to be.  With all the alt-country/folk acts coming up nowadays, it’s too much – thank god for Wilco.  Seriously, is there anything more American than seeing Wilco & Yo La Tengo at a ballpark?  Great show (which included guest-vocals from Feist – QRO live review – who’s looking’ particularly good these days, very Jennifer Garner/Michelle Obama in the ripped forearms…), first time ever at the home of the Brooklyn Cyclones, KeySpan Park (QRO venue review), can’t imagine I’ll have a better day at a ballpark this year (considering how The Mets are playing…).  There were even beer guys – the only downside?  They stopped serving beer after the seventh inning, or roughly you had no idea it was coming.  But the show ended relatively early, giving time to hit up Nathan’s.

Really haven’t been to a bigger (and more expensive) non-festival yet, Wilco coming in as the greatest comps since Wilco at McCarren Park Pool (QRO venue review) last year (QRO review).  Do wish the subway ride to Coney Island wasn’t so long (especially for upcoming Saturday, Siren – QRO festival preview), but a damn great night for all:

 KeySpan crowd

Click image for full-sized picture   

~

 Yo La Tengo

 Yo La Tengo

Click image for full gallery  

Of course, Wilco are more Wrigley Field than Ebbet’s/Shea/Citi & Mets Single-A affiliate Cyclones – that alt-honor has to go to Hoboken, NJ’s Yo La Tengo.  Named after an anecdote about the worst team ever, the ’62 Mets, the three-person crew did have some difficulty filling the massive stage – but Ira Kaplan brought baseballs to toss out to the crowd…

Yes, Wilco + Yo La Tengo wasn’t a short show, considering both bands’ discography.  But gave me time to shoot Yo La Tengo despite not getting my photo pass until after the first three songs, and also gave me time to check out KeySpan in the daytime, when it’s even nicer:

 KeySpan Ballpark

Click image for full-sized picture 

~

 

Sunday, July 12th: Nikon @ Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, NY
 

 Judas Priest

 Judas Priest - Gaelen Harlacher

Click image for full gallery – Gaelen Harlacher

Another summer with Judas Priest at Nikon at Jones Beach Theater on Long Island – this time doing British Steel in its entirety:

 Welcome to British Steel

Click image for full-sized picture

 ~ 

 

Sunday, July 12th: Pool Parties @ Williamsburg Waterfront, Brooklyn, NY
 

 Mission of Burma

 Mission of Burma

Click image for full gallery

The old folks save the day!  After being utterly unimpressed by the three noisy, unskilled young openers (see below), and discovering the fact that I was the only person in the photo pit without a VIP wristband (not at all insulting & demoralizing…), not to mention forgetting that there were four bands, not three, so being disappointed when Mission of Burma didn’t come on an hour earlier, was all ready to take my shots and go.  But then the art-punk icons totally rocked, even with never-heard material off of their upcoming The Sound, The Speed, The Light.

Of course, it was still old songs like "When I Reached For My Revolver", "This Is Not a Photograph", "That’s How I Escaped My Certain Fate", and surprise "Mica" which were the best – but they’ve had almost thirty years to age well.  Clint Conley, Roger Miller & Peter Prescott all had energy that belied their age – hell, even Conley’s mother was there:

 Clint Conley's mom

Click image for full-sized picture 

Lot of things to nitpick about th first Pool Party in the new digs, Williamsburg Waterfront (QRO venue review), from the cordoned-off ‘beer area’ to lack of slip-n-slide (and being the only photographer who wasn’t given a VIP wristband…), but gonna reserve final judgement.

Videos: "1001 Pleasant Dreams", "That’s When I Reached For My Revolver"

~

 Fucked Up

 Fucked Up

Click image for full gallery 

Positives about Fucked Up: the singer was engagin & funny, like Les Savy Fav’s Tim Harrington (QRO photos), a lot of people were into them, and a lot of running up to the crowd.  Negatives: their actual music.  They said they were influenced by Mission of Burma (see above), but hard to see how…

~

 Ponytail

 Ponytail

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Always hated noise-rock, and Ponytail aint’ changing my mind.  Plus, their singer looks like a petultant twelve-year-old-boy, about to start a fight or throw a tantrum.

~

 Jemima Pearl

 

Click image for full gallery 

Be Your Own Pet broke up so the world could have yet more run-of-the-mill garage-rock?  Not noise-bad like Fucked Up or Ponytail (see above), but nothing special – and the guitarist seemingly didn’t know how to tune his own guitar, creating a long wait, then the band did a song without him, but he still wasn’t tuned, so had to pull out Pearl’s guitar.

~ 

 

Saturday, July 11th: CitySol Festival @ Stuyvesant Cove Park, Hudson River, Manhattan
 

Actually didn’t go, because, for the second year in a row, the bands at Stuyvesant Cove Park (QRO venue review) were bad (Shipla Ray returned), and the only band I was interested in, The So-So Glos, had seen on Thursday (QRO photos) free VICE event at Glasslands Gallery (QRO venue review).  But here’s our photo gallery from the last time it was good, 2007, including Les Savy Fav, Land of Talk (pictured), Besnard Lakes, O’Death, and Frankpollis:

 Land of Talk 2007

Click image for full gallery 

  ~ 

 

Friday, July 10th: River-to-River Festival @ South Street Seaport, downtown Manhattan
 

 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

 The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Click image for full gallery

Having been skeptical of Brooklyn’s new alt-garage/pop wave, wasn’t dying to see The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, but had never seen them before (after they didn’t show up for a scheduled gig on Day Two of SXSW – QRO Day Two recap), and hadn’t been to South Street Seaport since ‘Seaport On Ice’ (see below).  Gotta say – was definitely impressed.  Didn’t need to know their songs from their self-titled LP (QRO review) to enjoy the expansive set.

Video: "Gentle Sons"

~

 

Thursday, July 9th: RiverRocks @ Hudson River Park, Pier 54, Manhattan
 

 Matt & Kim

 Matt & Kim - Dese'Rae L. Stage

Click image for full gallery – Dese’Rae L. Stage

It shouldn’t come as that much of a shock that an outdoor, all-ages, free Matt & Kim (QRO interview) show would be nuts, but still – the crowd was pressing against the barrier from the get-go, even from the opener (see below), with numerous crowd-surfers (including Kim Schifino).  Matt Johnson (QRO interview) brought out a t-shirt cannon, though it was manned by Autobot (Curt Cameruci) of openers Flosstradamus (see below).  All the chaos may have been tough for the security folks, but meant they had bigger things to worry about than enforcing the three song photo pit limit.

 ~

 Flosstradamus

 Flosstradamus

Click image for full gallery 

I take a dim view of DJs, especially as acts, and especially outdoors, without all the club lights, but Flosstradamus did stand up pretty well.  In fact, they even had the security guys joining in at times:

 Put your hands in the air!

Click image for full-sized picture

The crowd up front was very young, with a lot of underage girls – and one guy, probably still a minor, but really didn’t need to have his shirt off, crushed up against them:

 Put your shirt on!

Click image for full-sized picture

 ~

 Team Robespierre

 Team Robespierre

Click image for full gallery 

After waiting in an incredibly long, though actually pretty fast-moving, once it got going, line – that I didn’t actually have to wait in – still managed to make it there for Team Robespierre.  Not as good as when I saw them on the stage floor of Highline Ballroom (QRO venue review) as part of the F Yeah Tour (QRO photos) – with Matt & Kim (QRO photos from same show), but enjoyable.

~

 

Wednesday, July 8th: SummerStage @ Central Park, midtown Manhattan
 

 Juana Molina

 Juana Molina

Click image for full gallery 

Had heard a lot of praise for Juana Molina before, but had guessed that it was amped by that she sang in not English.  Good for her & those who enjoyed that, but don’t say someone is good just because she sings in a language other than your native tongue.  And the big problem with Ms. Molina had nothing to do with her tongue – she simply set up way to far away from the stage.  Seriously, she was incredibly far away from the people taking photographs, let alone fans.

~

 Curumin

 Curumin

Click image for full gallery 

Went to this with absolutely no expectations, and was pleasantly surprised by Curumin.  Not by their performance while I was in the photo pit, but by how much they affected the crowd afterwards.  Their rhythm really did get to everyone, from security to skeptical critic, even when they covered Michael Jackson’s "Beat It" (a.k.a. the source material for "Eat It").

~

 

Saturday, July 4th: River-to-River Festival @ Battery Park, downtown Manhattan
 

 Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band

 Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band

Click image for full gallery 

For the third year running, headed to southern tip of Manhattan for Fourth of July – not for the fireworks, but for the rock ‘n’ roll.  Unfortunately, the music River-to-River has delivered at Battery Park (QRO venue review) has dipped with each year.  Two years ago, The New Pornographers (QRO review) were perfectly suited for the setting (despite being Canadians…).  Last year, it should have been better with Sonic Youth (QRO photos), but outdoors during the day just isn’t the right setting for the venerable band – especially all the way over in the ‘VIP’ area, which does have sweet buffet food & (non-alcoholic) drinks.  And this year it took another, major, step down with Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band.  Okay, not as bad as on the paper-thin Outer South (QRO review), and certainly fitting with the holiday, but just got boring fast.

~

 Jenny Lewis

 Jenny Lewis

Click image for full gallery 

At least the opener was good.  After last year’s deadly-dull Feelies (QRO photos) opening for Sonic Youth (they seriously never have good openers…), the opening slot moved up big time with Jenny Lewis.  The singer/guitarist/keyboardist from Rilo Kiley (QRO photos) redeemed herself for the weak Rilo record, Under the Blacklight (QRO review), with her second solo release, Acid Tongue (QRO review) – pretty much doing everything right than Mr. Oberst did wrong when he went Americana.  Frankly, she could/should have been headlining (and then would have paid more attention, as the opener is time to hit the VIP buffet, before it’s all gone).

~

 

Saturday, June 27th: Celebrate Brooklyn! @ Prospect Park Bandshell, Park Slope, Brooklyn
 

 Dr. Dog

 Dr. Dog

Click image for full gallery 

Celebrate Brooklyn! booked their two main ‘alternative’ acts back-to-back, but there’s a million miles of difference between Blonde Redhead (see below) and Dr. Dog.  Dr. Dog is a relatively uninspired country-rock jam band on their last record, last year’s Fate (QRO review), but live, they move from the Beatles-retread into the later seventies, more rocking.

It all isn’t fascinating or that deep, even live, but a lot of people were enjoying it, and it was easy to just lay back and not think too hard.  They also had a nice light show and extensive horns section, plus, unlike the night before, security let press into the psuedo-VIP bar/tent area, and I met Dana from Akron/Family (QRO photos).

But the best addition was Zimba, their actual pet dog, who came on stage (after new song "Fat Dog"…) to big cheers.  He headed right for one young boy, who was on his dad’s shoulders (lots of families there, as Dr. Dog is a ‘family-friendly’ band, neither hipster nor high), and got to pet pet Zimba:

 Zimba

Click image for full-sized picture

 ~

 Phosphorescent

 Phosphorescent

Click image for full gallery 

Probably the band I was least interested in seeing of the three, and didn’t really change my mind.  Found the lead singer/songwriter a little insufferable with his country ‘persona’ – something lots of people in indie-rock have been doing these days.  Their music was more accomplished than Dr. Dog’s, but lost some of the hook.

 ~

 These United States

 These United States

Click image for full gallery 

In fact, there, was something like a ‘reverse scale of quality’ going on, with the best act up first, These United States.  Their freakier jams on Crimes (QRO review) are more fun, especially live, and the lead singer/guitarist’s accent doesn’t feel as forced.  He was able to finesse with chatter the time it took for the bassist to replace a broken string.  He was also more humble, joking that "if you’re hear to see Dr. Dog or Phosphorescent, thanks for comin’ early – and if, in the much more unlikely event, you’re hear to see us, stick around…" – though did joke that they brought the rainbow with them:

 These United States' rainbow

Click image for full-sized picture

~

 

Friday, June 26th: Celebrate Brooklyn! @ Prospect Park Bandshell, Park Slope, Brooklyn
 

 Blonde Redhead

 Blonde Redhead

Click image for full gallery 

The first ‘professional’ NYC outdoor show of the summer for me, at it was a doozy in Blonde Redhead.  The first time I saw them (QRO photos), at McCarren Park Pool (QRO venue review), wasn’t that impressed, but the next time, as part of Arcade Fire’s Randall’s Island min-fest (QRO review), they certainly stood up, and the key was that, the second time, they were playing at night.  The band’s ethereal sound, most recently on 2007’s 23 (QRO review), is a nighttime sound.

This was the first time I’d seen them since finding out that the drummer & guitarist are twin brothers, and it seems obvious now, but also a little creepy – especially since they look so different than singer/bassist/keyboardist Kazu Makino; old & Italian & male vs. young & Japanese & female.  Some people really love Blonde Redhead, some people really don’t (and think they were better in their early, Sonic Youth-esque days), but don’t really fall into either camp.  Still, great show – despite Prospect Park Bandshell’s (QRO venue review) too-large ‘VIP’ area, and the old adults who were sitting & would complain when you’d be standing.

 ~

 Ólöf Arnalds

 Ólöf Arnalds

Click image for full gallery 

Heavily flogged by Brooklyn Vegan, this was my second time seeing Ólöf Arnalds, second time outdoors, in fact, after last year’s East Village Radio 5th Anniversary Festival (QRO festival recap), and still can’t see what all the fuss is about.  Outdoors in a massive venue like the Bandshell isn’t ideal for a one-woman alt-folk act outta Iceland, and she is charming, but got bored, and wasn’t impressed by her covers of Bruce Springsteen (QRO live review) or the just-passed Micheal Jackson.

~

 

Friday, June 26th: Paper Magazine event @ South Street Seaport, downtown Manhattan
 

 Kid Cudi

 Kid Cudi - Julie Kennedy

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy 

After missing the Bicycle Film Festival’s South Street Seaport (QRO venue review) show on June 17th, with Jon Spencer Blues Explosion & The Teenagers, because was at Metric (QRO review), it was going to happen again with Paper Magazine‘s Kid Cudi/Chester French show there, thanks to Celebrate Brooklyn!’s Blonde Redhead/Ólöf Arnalds show at the same time (see above) – like Bicycle Film Festival, this was announced very late and had already made plans.  But Julie came through with photos of both.

 ~

 Chester French

 Chester French - Julie Kennedy

Click image for full gallery – Julie Kennedy 

However, Chester French might have been the better of the two mainstream hip-hop acts, as they got surprise guest Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes:

 Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes

Click image for full-sized picture – Julie Kennedy

~

 

Friday, May 1st: NYU Strawberry Festival @ Washingston Square Park, Manhattan
 

 White Rabbits

 White Rabbits

Click image for full gallery 

The reason to show up for NYU’s Strawberry Festival, a spring fling where-in NYU accepted the under-21 status of the ‘festival’ whole-heartedly, going kid-friendly with jelly beans, skee-ball, and the world’s largest strawberry shortcake.  The rain managed to hold off until right after White Rabbits were done (where it quickly turned into a downpour), thankfully.  Was fun to see the NYU mascot rocking to the Rabbits:

 White Rabbits + NYU mascot

Click image for full-sized picture

White Rabbits did seem a little ill at ease in the setting, which was understandable, but do wish they had played more Fort Nightly (QRO review) songs, since the new It’s Frightening (QRO review) wasn’t out yet.  Mostly importantly, White Rabbits have improved since this performance, especially with the It’s Frightening material.

 Video: "While We Go Dancing" 

 ~

 Motel Motel

 Motel Motel

Click image for full gallery 

Highly praised by critics such as Brooklyn Vegan & NY Press‘ Johnny Leather, was second time seeing Motel Motel, and they were better than at the first (though that was at SXSW – Day One recap), but they seem like a jam band to me.  Their rendition of Steve Reich’s "It’s raining" has been stuck in my head ever since…

 ~

 Teengirl Fantasy

 Teengirl Fantasy

Click image for full gallery 

First outdoors band of 2009 wasn’t a band at all, just two guys on turntables & computers & whatnot.  This kind of performance is only interesting to watch with massive light shows (and usually stoned) – certainly not outdoors during the day, on a street off of Washington Square Park.  So boring that left & missed the following Golden Triangle.

 

~

 

Friday, February 13th: Seaport on Ice @ South Street Seaport, downtown Manhattan
 

 The Kiss Off

 The Kiss Off

Click image for full gallery 

One very nice addition to Outdoors in New York this year was the very early in this year outdoors event at South Street Seaport (QRO venue review), ‘Seaport on Ice’.  In addition to South Street Seaport putting up a skating rink, they also had bands playing, to rock the skaters:

 Seaport on Ice

Click image for full-sized picture

The Kiss Off have improved in sound since their Brace EP, a fuller sound that’s both more interesting, and more exciting electronica.  They have since changed their name, at least, to ArpLine (?…), and are busy making their debut full-length with Chris Coady (of TV On The Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Blonde Redhead).  But can they handle the zamboni?:

 zamboni!

Click image for full-sized picture

Video: "Something’s Wrong"

 ~

 

 

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