FROM THE MOMENT IT WAS ANNOUNCED that Vampire Weekend was coming, my reason for living has been to go to the show and love every second of it. Now that’s it’s over, I have two options: 1. Find a new reason to live. 2. Die. I haven’t decided yet which way I’ll go, but until then: let’s talk about the show.
Vampire Weekend came on a few minutes before 9 p.m. and played a good short set, and the whole thing was done by 10. Maybe it’s my age, but that’s my kind of show. Though I was admittedly a bit skeptical about whether the guys have had enough stage experience to really turn out a good live show, I needn’t have worried. They were awesome. They played hard, they played fun and they played to the crowd — and the crowd returned the favor.
Apropos the crowd: It was big and happy. I wasn’t sure what to expect with regard to audience turn-out, but the place was full. And yes, it was an all-ages event, but even that couldn’t ruin the night. And if I’m being honest, I actually kind of liked watching the goofy group of boys in front of us bouncing around awkwardly to a rhythm that only they could hear. There has never been a more coordination-challenged cluster of kids who’ve dared to flaunt their lack of rhythm, but dammit if they weren’t having a great time. I don’t even think they knew who was on stage. But it didn’t matter. They acted like it was the time of their lives — and it probably was.
Other highlights from the show included a high-energy version of the call-and-response song “One (Blake’s Got a New Face,” when lead singer Ezra Koenig got all rockstar on us with a fun, screamy take on the song; the crowd favorite “Oxford Comma,” with the whole room trying to sing along on the chirpy high notes; and watching bass player Chris Baio’s slick footwork. The guy can move. I wish I had been closer. The only time I would have taken my eyes off of him would have been to stare and Koenig’s shorts.
As usual, I was out-talled by the crowd.
I had a hard time getting any shots, much less good ones.
I couldn’t get his shorts (or a good face shot, for that matter), no matter how hard I tried!
THESE ARE A LITTLE LATE COMING, but here are a few pictures from this year’s Bayfest concerts.
The quick and dirty on the concerts:
3 Doors Down has gone all ballad heavy. The concert, though it drew a sizable crowd, was low-key and boring (except for the fights that broke out, but that doesn’t count). But the band, which sounded great, was there to support the troops and it delivered. Every song began and ended with singer Brad Arnold thanking the troops and saying that there aren’t enough bands that are willing to show their support for the military.
Art Alexakis was there with his all new Everclear band. The band sounded good, with a much more full and complete sound than past incarnations of the group, but Alexakis was a little hard to take. He was the concert equivalent of a drunk frat boy. For the encore, he invited about 75 girls from the audience (using criteria like, “You! In the brown shirt with the big boobs!”) to be the “Everclear dancers,” and instructed them not to dance like strippers, or they would be “kicked the hell off his stage.” Sure they would have. He’s reportedly sober now, but it’s hard to tell.
Live played after Everclear and rocked the crowd. The band is so solid and tight, with impeccable harmonies and precise musicality, it just feels good to listen to them. And they know how to put on a show — they were entertaining and engaging. And if Alexakis was the evening’s resident frat boy, then Live frontman Ed Kowalczyk was the feminist, declaring, in a rare speaking moment (he doesn’t talk much between songs), that there once was a time when women were respected enough to rule the world. And right then, he got all the chicks on his side without having to make them dance.
Three Doors Down drew the biggest crowd of the weekend.
Brad Arnold can definitely sing.
Three Doors Down’s biggest fan: This kid, who looked like he was about 10 or 11 years old, was the best thing about the night. He was way into it.
The Everclear crowd cheers on the “Everclear dancers.”
Live came out rocking and played hard and strong for almost two hours.
Live guitarist Chad Taylor is unstoppable. The guy is super energetic and could probably carry the show on his own.
How many is too many? Live frontman Ed Kowalczyk and the band’s nine backup guitars.
THE DERBY GIRL KNOWN ’round these parts as Rockabilly Wreckher answers the 10 questions.
Rockabilly Wreckher is a member of the Pacific Roller Derby league, a newish crew of derby girls based here in Honolulu that is this city’s most raucous example of chicks in skates. The league is currently training and raising money for its debut appearance at this month’s fourth annual RollerCon in Las Vegas.
The next fundraiser party happens tonight at Anna Bannana’s with music courtesy of SheCanDevour, Busekrus, Commando, Bari Bari 13 and Pimpbot.
Doors open at 8, cover is $7 and there will be drink specials all night.
1. Where are you right now?
At home
2. What is the last album you bought or downloaded? Kiss Kiss Kill Kill by the Horrorpops.
3. What song always makes you dance?
Anything rockabilly/ska-punk/’80s
4. What is the last book you read? Flyboys by James Bradley
5. What are the most overrated bands of all time?
The ones that charge you an arm and a leg to see them! Get over yourselves! I’m an avid music lover supporting you and that’s how you repay me? By charging me 38 bones to see you when I remember paying five bucks five years ago when you were in a club with 20 to 30 people at most? Pfffttt….
6. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
San Francisco … or maybe a pub in Ireland drinking the “real” Guinness I keep hearing so much about.
7. You’re running for president. Who’s your running mate?
My husband. He’s smarter than me. He’d keep me in line.
8. What’s in your refrigerator?
Smithwick’s, Blonde Bock, leftover Thai, rotting veggies, and too many condiments… I think there’s some healthy stuff hiding in the back.
9. What’s your guiltiest pleasure?
I like fancy restaurants.
10. Complete the sentence: I want _______.
The island to love roller derby as much as I do!
Some kids play in the marching band. The cool kids play in the funk band.
Not to condone that misplaced adolescent notion of what’s cool and what’s oh-so-lame, but the UH Laboratory School has taken ninth period music to a level that’s pretty much way cooler than most music classes. The class, which is titled The Funk Band, is to high school curriculum what Converse kicks are to footwear: classically hip.
(Before I go on, a disclosure: Claire Gordon, the band’s bassist, happens to be the daughter of Advertiser reporters Mike Gordon and Suzanne Roig.)
The Techniques performed last Thursday at Ala Moana’s center stage and I was there to witness the kids in action (which led to an inevitable internal rehashing of regrets, which led to me asking myself angrily why I never had the discipline to learn a musical instrument).
The young band did an amazing job, working through their super eclectic set list with just the right amount of fervor and focus. They played everything from The Cure to Jason Mraz and they did it really, really well. Aside from the obvious advantages that the class offers the kids (discipline, music theory, etc.), it’s also really cool to see these kids jamming out pop classics like The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” and Jimi Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower.” Micah, the band’s ‘ukulele pro, killed it on the Hendrix classic, playing his four strings like he meant it.
Here are a few photos of the festival and of the Empire Polo Field where the Coachella Music Festival takes place:
There were an estimated 50,000 people at the festival on each of the three days.
The field is surrounded by palm trees and mountains. It’s so different from anything in Hawai‘i, but it’s beautiful, if not a little barren and very, very hot. I guess that’s why they call it the desert.
Besides making sure the best bands show up and play, the organizers go to great lengths to make the outdoor event aesthetically appealing. These tents provided shade and some of them were misting stations to help take the edge off the crazy heat.
One of the VIP tents where people could relax on couches instead of grass. There were also air-conditioned tents for the extra hot and weary.
Dusk is a beautiful time in the desert. The temperature starts to drop and the sunlight is exquisite.
When night falls, it’s like a different place: cool and comfortable.
FROM THE MOMENT IT WAS ANNOUNCED that Vampire Weekend was coming, my reason for living has been to go to the show and love every second of it. Now that’s it’s over, I have two options: 1. Find a new reason to live. 2. Die. I haven’t decided yet which way I’ll go, but until then: let’s talk about the show.
THESE ARE A LITTLE LATE COMING, but here are a few pictures from this year’s Bayfest concerts.
THE DERBY GIRL KNOWN ’round these parts as 
Some kids play in the marching band. The cool kids play in the funk band.
