www.treasureislandfestival.com
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Show of the Month
Treasure Island Music Festival
Treasure Island, CA
September 20-21, 2008

The sun broke free and fans flocked to the middle of the San Francisco Bay for the second annual Treasure Island Music Festival this September. With a green bent and a breezy, beach party theme, the two-day celebration of music and art did not cease to amaze with its excellent booking, immaculate views and all-around smooth-sailing execution.

Opening Day One was the winner of imeem’s Mutiny and Mayhem competition, San Francisco’s very own The Frail. Kicking off its early set with “Addicted,” the energetic dance-rock quartet put on a strong performance that included songs off its new Firefly EP. Soon after, the crowd migrated to the Bridge Stage for Loquat, another SF mainstay. With an ethereal performance full of chimes and harmonious vocals, Loquat contrasted the rampant energy of the previous band with songs from its latest, Secrets of the Sea.

Following Chester French, East Coast transplant Aesop Rock energized fans with his mastery of crowd-rousing wordplay, joined onstage by DJ Big Wiz and Rob Sonic. Hands were readily in the air for their performance of “Ready Aim Shoot.” As the end of their set neared, Aesop jokingly commented on being timed, “I keep looking at my watch like I’m waiting for my girl’s pregnancy test,” garnering a mixed reaction of shock and laughter. Nortec Collective followed on the Tunnel Stage with a unique blend of electronica and Norteño themes. Hailing from Tijuana, the genre-melding five-piece encouraged inventive dancing among the crowd on songs like “Shake it Up.”

Later that afternoon, local DJ and turntablist extraordinaire Mike Relm unleashed an innovative and almost comedic mashup of popular songs, ranging from Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name” to Vince Guaraldi’s “Linus and Lucy” (yes, the piano piece from Peanuts). His was an appropriate set, ushering the eclectic energy of the following acts, TV on the Radio, CSS and Justice, and turning the island into one big dance party before the first day closed.

Or, the Whale, another Mutiny and Mayhem winner, opened Day Two with an organically strong and harmonious performance, establishing the mood for an already sunny day. With the tambourine-laden “Call and Response,” the scene was set for more alt-folk acts to follow. Local music hero John Vanderslice graced the Bridge Stage with a full band, playing a standout sampling of old and new songs, including the marching “Time to Go” off of 2007’s Emerald City. He exhibited enormous gratitude to a crowd more than willing to reciprocate.

Continuing the string of Bay Area bands was Port O’Brien, with a huge seven-piece ensemble in tow to match the impressively large crowd. They concluded with the disbursement of pots and pans, allowing the crowd to participate in a rollicking performance of “I Woke Up Today.”

Later that afternoon, Berkeley’s The Morning Benders performed a set of catchy alt-pop hits, including new song “All Day Day Light” and finishing with a sing-along to “Grain of Salt.” On the Bridge Stage, a faulty cable couldn’t faze Austin’s Okkervil River as lead singer Will Sheff joked, “A lot of these sets here at the festival are very, very professional, and I hope you can appreciate the difference.” Okkervil’s poignantly rambunctious set included songs from new release, The Stand Ins. Fleet Foxes followed with an impressively tight performance full of glorious vocal polyphony. The “baroque pop” band from Seattle started its set a cappella and filled the show with offbeat banter (including a discussion on the Judeo-Christian paradigm), for a captivated audience that included The Raconteurs, stageside. The last performing West Coast band of the weekend, The Dodos featured at most three performers onstage, however their percussive sound easily filled the entire field. The hometown group utilized a variety of instruments, producing a huge wave of echoing melodies over complex rhythms.

As Sunday night came to a close, the final presentation was perhaps not The Raconteurs’ frenetically awesome set, but rather the San Francisco skyline setting off a quiet light show of her own.

-Review by Keane Li; photos by Brian Echon (more…)

Check out some of my quick shots from TIMF Day 1 and Day 2!

www.treasureislandfestival.com
www.myspace.com/treasureislandfestival

Day 2 of the Treasure Island Music Festival offered a line-up of mostly folk and indie rock bands, contrasting the electronica-centric acts from Day 1. Here are more pics from my mobile phone. On the Festival overall, I just have four words:

It.

Was.

Awesome.

Lollipop.

(Update: My Performer Magazine review describes it in a few more words than four.)

Riding over for Day 2.

The smooth sounds of Or, the Whale.

Berkeley’s The Morning Benders prepare for their set.

Monster looking at human.

Monster gnawing at human.

Everyone loves Okkervil River.

Yarn feeling art… or something.

Art by David Best. Reflection by me.

The backsides of The Raconteurs as they watch Fleet Foxes.

Lawn art.

The Dodos playing at the Tunnel Stage

Dance, dance!

Dude in a wing sculpture.

I don’t remember who this is…

Festival grounds.

I don’t remember who this is either…

Ferris wheel.

The Bridge Stage near sunset.

Ferris wheel at night means happy sexy kissy time.

This is what The Raconteurs would look like if you were drunk and far away and a camera phone.

Now check out my full review as published in Performer Magazine!

www.treasureislandfestival.com
www.myspace.com/treasureislandfestival

Like most things handed down to me from my ex, the only digital camera I owned quickly crapped itself into a fan. Still, I succeeded in capturing a few images with my mobile phone. Hopefully, they convey the energy evident at the TIMF.

I’m also too lazy to write about things multiple times, so you’ll just have to read my TIMF review once it’s published in Performer Magazine… (And check out Day 2!)

Early shuttle to the Island.

The Bridge Stage before the prepubescent hipsters showed up.

Everyone prefers my glittery green “Press” band to the prismatic “Vendor” band. I’m so pretty…

The Frail puts on a fantastic opening set. They were supposed to gig with us at Minna in Feb, but cut out for a very understandable reason.

Wheeeeee!

Aesop Rock brings the best from the East to the West.

One of many flamboyantly dressed attendees.

Pirates on stilts!

Colorific crowd…

Fantastic SF DJ, Mike Relm, gears up for his set on the Tunnel Stage.

Ferris wheel at sunset.

That minuscule blur is TV on the Radio.

I love this picture. Hula girl against the SF skyline.

Oakland Bay Bridge on the way back home…