Siren and Coney Island
So there's lots to tell since I last posted, but I won't do it all at once. Here's a list of things I need to cover, and I'll try to get to them one-by-one:
1. Siren and Coney Island (0716)
2. Baby Arden and Uncle Boom, nihongo no jyugyoo (0717/18)
3. Neck Sprain and the Half-Blood Prince (0719)
So first thing's first:
Saturday, July 16, Brett and I went to Coney Island for the Siren Music Festival, a free concert sponsored by the Village Voice (and Budweiser, among other things). I was really excited because 1) I'd never been to Coney Island before 2) I'd enjoyed the last time I'd seen Ambulance LTD and expected to again and 3) Sid had told me about Mates of State maybe two years ago after seeing them at SXSW and I guess I was impressed enough by his impression of them that I actually remembered their name (which, if you know me, is saying something).
The weather that day called for intermittent showers with thunderstorms in the evenings, so we packed a towel. I also (thanks to my growing motherly sensibilities) insisted we pack gatorade, and it's a good thing too. AND, as *begin female details: skip if you're disgusted by this type of thing* my breasts had been sore for the past couple days and I hadn't had my period in two months, I also decided to pack a couple "feminine products," just in case. *end female details*
So we took the subway out and made it just in time for Ambulance LTD. The sound wasn't great, but you can't really expect anything amazing from outdoor concerts (and, really, I wasn't going to be too picky - two stages, 14 bands, FREE, sounds good to me). Their energy wasn't quite what it was the first time I'd seen them, but then, that was a smaller, more intimate venue where everyone was a fan. I will say that the guitarist didn't look quite so ready to have a siezure though, which was an improvement. And can I add that I really *really* wish the lead singer would put on some weight. Geez, boy, makes me sick looking at you. Anyway, so I don't *know* their album really well, but, as luck would have it, they opened with the three songs I *do* know well. Very nice of them. They played a few new numbers too. A down song called "Somalia" or summat, which I wasn't such a fan of. The one before that though had a sweet groove that got everyone around us dancing. If you ask me, it was really made for a line dance - not country dance hall style, but more like Humble High School big-booty style. I dug it.
Anyway, their set wasn't amazing, though I have a soft spot for them. Brett told me that they're having trouble appealing to the young midwestern crowd, though they do well in New York. Not really sure what the young midwestern crowd likes, but they have an interesting, strummy sound. I figured it would cross palates, but maybe not.
After Ambulance we did a quick tour of the little flea market and then tried to decide what to do next. There was a small crowd gathered in the lot around something we couldn't quite see but which clearly involved a woman with fake blood on her face (she moved like Julia Ressler, I could totally see her doing that). So Brett pointed to them and said "Want to see what's going on there?" But suddenly *begin female details* I felt a little shock in my abdomen and told Brett I needed to go to the bathroom to see if I was (to quote him) "broken," so I stepped into the Port-a-potty. When I came out, Brett said "You know that show I was pointing at?" At he indicated the group again. There was a guy with a guitar and ratty hair and two women dressed in a morbid-trashy style. They were holding a sign that said "Haunted Pussy," and Brett said "I guess we alread saw it." *laughs* *end female details*
We then headed to the Stillwell (i.e. not-Main) Stage for a glimpse of Be Your Own Pet. We got there 2:45ish, and they were supposed to be on at 2:30, so we thought we wouldn't miss much, but lo, they weren't even on stage when we got there. We hoped that maybe they were running really late, so waited around... past 3:30. No Be Your Own Pet. Too bad. I was interested in seeing the kids (literally, the bassist just turned 16) from Nashville. So at 3:30 Morningwood took the Stillwell Stage. Despite their amusing (though not-too-creative) name and the energetic female lead, I thought they were terrible. There are a lot of music blogs out there raving about them, but really, I didn't care much. We left after one or two songs and headed back to the main stage to catch the end of The Dears' set. Several months ago I went to a Head Set gig that The Dears were headlining. The had a big crowd there and lots of merch. They're from Montreal and apparently have a big following, but at Siren, I wasn't convinced. It was alright, not painful or annoying certainly, but I wasn't really motivated to pay attention to them either. We moved closer once they finished for Q and Not U's (final New York) performance (they just broke up apparently). There was quite a crowd there for them; the fans standing right near us were *particularly* excited, trying (vainly) to start chants and throwing their entire bodies into spastic dances. It was amusing to see. Then there were a couple girls standing in front of us who irritated me, with their makeup melting and running down their faces, exhaling their cigarette smoke into our faces, and (the most annoying part) throwing their trash on the ground. Come on people, I know there's already litter all over Coney Island. Would it really kill you not to add to it? As for the band, they were the best I'd seen yet. Had energy and confidence and catchy numbers, but... maybe it was just the sound system, it was very weird. Hollow-sounding. I could feel it hovering inches from my face, from my teeth around my face to just behind my right ear. But it wasn't getting inside. Maybe that sounds crazy, but that significantly detracted from my raving about them. Otherwise they were pretty cool. I probably would have been more into them back in high school, I know certain of my friends who definitely would have. They had something of a 311 energy to them, though they didn't sound much like them.
Anyway, after that we were feeling pretty disillusioned, so we left the stages and went for a walk. Ended up on the Ferris wheel. Brett was not thrilled about the swinging car. It wasn't as cool as I'd hoped, but not worth the fuss he was making. ^_~ Of course I have to tease him about it. Then we had some Nathan's Hot Dogs (most inefficiently run fast-food place EVER) and cheese fries. Yummy. We even stopped in and checked out the "old-fashioned" Circus Side Show. There was a sword-swallowing girl and a firebreathing woman (who I caught practicing poi between shows... she couldn't really do it) and a blockhead who also did Nicole's juggling-two-knives-and-an-apple-while-eating-the-apple trick (he wasn't *nearly* as cute). The best part was the old guy who stood outside in the hat and suit reeling people into the theatre in a very charming old-fashioned way.
We went back down to the Main Stage to see Spoon, the much hyped Austin band, but we couldn't get close enough for it to be worth it, so we mosey-ed on over to the Stillwell Stage for Mates of State. They were, hands down, the best thing we'd heard all day. Good songs, good sound, good blend, and they kept playing when people asked them too. Very cool.
By the time their set ended my back was killing me and Brett was bright red (it never did rain), so it was time to call it a day. We came back to Manhattan and watched the first half of Spirited Away while munching on Pocky (and, in Brett's case, Wasabi peas). All-in-all, a very satisfying day. I really liked Coney Island. Hopefully we'll get to go back and ride the wooden rollercoaster (also called the Cyclone, just like at Astroworld).
1. Siren and Coney Island (0716)
2. Baby Arden and Uncle Boom, nihongo no jyugyoo (0717/18)
3. Neck Sprain and the Half-Blood Prince (0719)
So first thing's first:
Saturday, July 16, Brett and I went to Coney Island for the Siren Music Festival, a free concert sponsored by the Village Voice (and Budweiser, among other things). I was really excited because 1) I'd never been to Coney Island before 2) I'd enjoyed the last time I'd seen Ambulance LTD and expected to again and 3) Sid had told me about Mates of State maybe two years ago after seeing them at SXSW and I guess I was impressed enough by his impression of them that I actually remembered their name (which, if you know me, is saying something).
The weather that day called for intermittent showers with thunderstorms in the evenings, so we packed a towel. I also (thanks to my growing motherly sensibilities) insisted we pack gatorade, and it's a good thing too. AND, as *begin female details: skip if you're disgusted by this type of thing* my breasts had been sore for the past couple days and I hadn't had my period in two months, I also decided to pack a couple "feminine products," just in case. *end female details*
So we took the subway out and made it just in time for Ambulance LTD. The sound wasn't great, but you can't really expect anything amazing from outdoor concerts (and, really, I wasn't going to be too picky - two stages, 14 bands, FREE, sounds good to me). Their energy wasn't quite what it was the first time I'd seen them, but then, that was a smaller, more intimate venue where everyone was a fan. I will say that the guitarist didn't look quite so ready to have a siezure though, which was an improvement. And can I add that I really *really* wish the lead singer would put on some weight. Geez, boy, makes me sick looking at you. Anyway, so I don't *know* their album really well, but, as luck would have it, they opened with the three songs I *do* know well. Very nice of them. They played a few new numbers too. A down song called "Somalia" or summat, which I wasn't such a fan of. The one before that though had a sweet groove that got everyone around us dancing. If you ask me, it was really made for a line dance - not country dance hall style, but more like Humble High School big-booty style. I dug it.
Anyway, their set wasn't amazing, though I have a soft spot for them. Brett told me that they're having trouble appealing to the young midwestern crowd, though they do well in New York. Not really sure what the young midwestern crowd likes, but they have an interesting, strummy sound. I figured it would cross palates, but maybe not.
After Ambulance we did a quick tour of the little flea market and then tried to decide what to do next. There was a small crowd gathered in the lot around something we couldn't quite see but which clearly involved a woman with fake blood on her face (she moved like Julia Ressler, I could totally see her doing that). So Brett pointed to them and said "Want to see what's going on there?" But suddenly *begin female details* I felt a little shock in my abdomen and told Brett I needed to go to the bathroom to see if I was (to quote him) "broken," so I stepped into the Port-a-potty. When I came out, Brett said "You know that show I was pointing at?" At he indicated the group again. There was a guy with a guitar and ratty hair and two women dressed in a morbid-trashy style. They were holding a sign that said "Haunted Pussy," and Brett said "I guess we alread saw it." *laughs* *end female details*
We then headed to the Stillwell (i.e. not-Main) Stage for a glimpse of Be Your Own Pet. We got there 2:45ish, and they were supposed to be on at 2:30, so we thought we wouldn't miss much, but lo, they weren't even on stage when we got there. We hoped that maybe they were running really late, so waited around... past 3:30. No Be Your Own Pet. Too bad. I was interested in seeing the kids (literally, the bassist just turned 16) from Nashville. So at 3:30 Morningwood took the Stillwell Stage. Despite their amusing (though not-too-creative) name and the energetic female lead, I thought they were terrible. There are a lot of music blogs out there raving about them, but really, I didn't care much. We left after one or two songs and headed back to the main stage to catch the end of The Dears' set. Several months ago I went to a Head Set gig that The Dears were headlining. The had a big crowd there and lots of merch. They're from Montreal and apparently have a big following, but at Siren, I wasn't convinced. It was alright, not painful or annoying certainly, but I wasn't really motivated to pay attention to them either. We moved closer once they finished for Q and Not U's (final New York) performance (they just broke up apparently). There was quite a crowd there for them; the fans standing right near us were *particularly* excited, trying (vainly) to start chants and throwing their entire bodies into spastic dances. It was amusing to see. Then there were a couple girls standing in front of us who irritated me, with their makeup melting and running down their faces, exhaling their cigarette smoke into our faces, and (the most annoying part) throwing their trash on the ground. Come on people, I know there's already litter all over Coney Island. Would it really kill you not to add to it? As for the band, they were the best I'd seen yet. Had energy and confidence and catchy numbers, but... maybe it was just the sound system, it was very weird. Hollow-sounding. I could feel it hovering inches from my face, from my teeth around my face to just behind my right ear. But it wasn't getting inside. Maybe that sounds crazy, but that significantly detracted from my raving about them. Otherwise they were pretty cool. I probably would have been more into them back in high school, I know certain of my friends who definitely would have. They had something of a 311 energy to them, though they didn't sound much like them.
Anyway, after that we were feeling pretty disillusioned, so we left the stages and went for a walk. Ended up on the Ferris wheel. Brett was not thrilled about the swinging car. It wasn't as cool as I'd hoped, but not worth the fuss he was making. ^_~ Of course I have to tease him about it. Then we had some Nathan's Hot Dogs (most inefficiently run fast-food place EVER) and cheese fries. Yummy. We even stopped in and checked out the "old-fashioned" Circus Side Show. There was a sword-swallowing girl and a firebreathing woman (who I caught practicing poi between shows... she couldn't really do it) and a blockhead who also did Nicole's juggling-two-knives-and-an-apple-while-eating-the-apple trick (he wasn't *nearly* as cute). The best part was the old guy who stood outside in the hat and suit reeling people into the theatre in a very charming old-fashioned way.
We went back down to the Main Stage to see Spoon, the much hyped Austin band, but we couldn't get close enough for it to be worth it, so we mosey-ed on over to the Stillwell Stage for Mates of State. They were, hands down, the best thing we'd heard all day. Good songs, good sound, good blend, and they kept playing when people asked them too. Very cool.
By the time their set ended my back was killing me and Brett was bright red (it never did rain), so it was time to call it a day. We came back to Manhattan and watched the first half of Spirited Away while munching on Pocky (and, in Brett's case, Wasabi peas). All-in-all, a very satisfying day. I really liked Coney Island. Hopefully we'll get to go back and ride the wooden rollercoaster (also called the Cyclone, just like at Astroworld).
posted by Bibhatsu at 18:45
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