Pemberton Music Festival: July 16-19, 2015
After counting down the 5 shows that I had the most fun at last week it is time for the 5 best musical performances at Pemby. As fun as dancing to the likes of Tiësto and Duke Dumont or reliving high school memories to the nostalgia trips of Weezer and Ludacris were, these 5 performances stand alone for their pure musical merit. That exhilarating feeling shared between the performer and the audience when the former has laid it all out on the stage and left the crowd hungry for more is, to me, what seeing live music is all about. And at a large-scale music festival like Pemberton this is more difficult to do than one would initially assume. Many artists struggle with their performances due to issues such as a bad time slot (too early in the day, especially in the sweltering heat, or at the same time as a more popular act) or being on the wrong stage (I've seen bands struggle greatly on the large, main stage when used to smaller club venues). Nonetheless each of the 3 following artists (2-1 coming soon) conquered Pemberton in their own way and left at least one member of their audience wanting more.
5) Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires - How Long
On Friday I was able to convince a few friends to make their way into the grounds under the brutal gaze of the afternoon sun. I told them that Charles Bradley was an incredible singer who evoked the soul of Otis Redding, the funk of James Brown, and the showmanship of both. I illuminated the sad fact that Chuck had been homeless for a few years when he was younger and that, only by fluke chance, was discovered in a small bar in Brooklyn where he was moonlighting as a James Brown impersonator. He quickly signed to Daptone Records and the rest is history; a genuine American success story.
We arrived just as he was singing "The World (Is Going Up In Flames)", a piano driven lament to the problems facing the planet today. I was immediately glad that we had made the trek to see him. The power behind that voice is something to behold and you can feel every ounce of pain in his voice that has seen many tough days in his 69 years on earth. After a couple more incredible vocal performances he exited the stage but left the band out there. The Extraordinaires got their chance in the spotlight to which they did not disappoint. They played an upbeat funky tune that included trumpet, saxophone and guitar solos until Charles made his triumphant return. The band then launched into my chosen song, "How Long", a bluesy jam with flourishes of horns and a slick guitar backbeat. He really let it all out during this one, putting on a vocal performance for the ages (see pic below for proof). At this point the crowd was hanging on his every word as the mood turned from sorrow to bliss as he dedicated the next few songs to all the lovers out there. After the fury and ferocity of the heavier "Confusion", Bradley closed with "Let Love Stand A Chance". With positivity and hope back in the air Chuck went down into the crowd and began hugging as many people as he could. Tears rolled down his cheeks in what was one of the most heartfelt and genuine moments I have ever witnessed at a concert. There is a man who is truly thankful for a second lease on life and the crowd and I couldn't agree more.
4) Dan Mangan + Blacksmith - Vessel
Sunday evening kicked off with local indie rock hero Dan Mangan and his newly named band Blacksmith. With the majority of the crew at the dance tent chilling out to Tycho it was easy for the small group of us to make our way right up to the front of the main stage. Dan started out with the slow burning opener from his newest album, Club Meds, called "Offred". His powerful voice was showcased early; a smooth, deep growl that gets louder and more ferocious as the song goes on. After a couple more solid tracks he played my chosen song "Vessel". The stomp-along tune about how it "takes a village to raise a fool" features a complex drum beat accented by piano and keyboard grooves. This song is also when Dan's powerful voice really took off into the stratosphere, with every note belted out like it was his last. Highlights that followed included "Mouthpiece", "Rows of Houses", the politically charged, horn-driven "Post-War Blues", and the sing-along classic "Road Regrets". It was made very clear how happy Dan Mangan + Blacksmith were to be there as he exclaimed with a mix of pride and shock in his voice how cool it was that they were sharing the stage that day with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Missy Elliott, and Kendrick Lamar. This was a big moment for the hometown hero who does not get the main stage treatment too often and he took full advantage of said moment, proving that he and his band belonged up there.
3) The War On Drugs - Under The Pressure
The very first show that I watched at Pemby 2015 was one of my favourite bands, The War On Drugs. With the songwriting and vocal style that evokes Bob Dylan, the dynamic finger-picking guitar of Neil Young, and the epic song craft of Bruce Springsteen it's no wonder why I love these guys so much. Yet with all these comparisons, The War On Drugs are still very much their own, unique band. Their rolling, shimmering guitars and prominent use of baritone saxophone are like nothing I've ever heard. These guys have performed at almost every festival this year and it shows as they are extremely tight and flawless live. This was the fourth time that I've seen them and definitely the best.
Opening with the organ-driven rocker "Burning" it was instantly clear that these guys meant business. The simple blue/purple/pink backdrop in front of the beautiful Mount Currie set the mood perfectly (see pic below). A song or two later came the Springsteen-esque "Baby Missiles" in which lead singer Adam Granduciel blasted on the harmonica. Then the slower "Disappearing" showcased those shimmering guitars I mentioned earlier and gave the crowd a chance to sing along to the "yeah, yeah, yeahs". It was also around this time that my friends started giving me major props for convincing them to come see these guys; that always feels really good. Up next was "Red Eyes", my early candidate for song of the decade. The first single from their latest album, Lost In The Dream, is a chug-along rocker that features all of the best aspects of TWOD; bombastic baritone sax, epic organ and guitar, and sung with reckless abandon. Any more description wouldn't do it justice so I've added the video below for you to get a chance to hear for yourself.
This was directly followed by the extremely chill "Best Night", one of my faves that they rarely play live and a great description for that evening (well all four nights of Pemby to be exact). A few tracks later was my chosen song, "Under The Pressure", the 9-minute opener from Lost In The Dream. The previous two times I saw The War On Drugs they opened with this and I always felt that was a bit of a waste; thankfully they smartened up and played it in the perfect set-closing slot. With that being said, if you're ever looking for the perfect song to kick off a road trip, look no further. I say this because the potent combo of keyboard and guitar creates an atmosphere that is both relaxing yet clearly going somewhere. After my friends left to get a good spot at J. Cole I stayed for the encore of "Come To The City". After an incredible first show I knew that I was in for a real treat at Pemberton.
Numbers 2 and 1 coming soon...
We arrived just as he was singing "The World (Is Going Up In Flames)", a piano driven lament to the problems facing the planet today. I was immediately glad that we had made the trek to see him. The power behind that voice is something to behold and you can feel every ounce of pain in his voice that has seen many tough days in his 69 years on earth. After a couple more incredible vocal performances he exited the stage but left the band out there. The Extraordinaires got their chance in the spotlight to which they did not disappoint. They played an upbeat funky tune that included trumpet, saxophone and guitar solos until Charles made his triumphant return. The band then launched into my chosen song, "How Long", a bluesy jam with flourishes of horns and a slick guitar backbeat. He really let it all out during this one, putting on a vocal performance for the ages (see pic below for proof). At this point the crowd was hanging on his every word as the mood turned from sorrow to bliss as he dedicated the next few songs to all the lovers out there. After the fury and ferocity of the heavier "Confusion", Bradley closed with "Let Love Stand A Chance". With positivity and hope back in the air Chuck went down into the crowd and began hugging as many people as he could. Tears rolled down his cheeks in what was one of the most heartfelt and genuine moments I have ever witnessed at a concert. There is a man who is truly thankful for a second lease on life and the crowd and I couldn't agree more.
4) Dan Mangan + Blacksmith - Vessel
Sunday evening kicked off with local indie rock hero Dan Mangan and his newly named band Blacksmith. With the majority of the crew at the dance tent chilling out to Tycho it was easy for the small group of us to make our way right up to the front of the main stage. Dan started out with the slow burning opener from his newest album, Club Meds, called "Offred". His powerful voice was showcased early; a smooth, deep growl that gets louder and more ferocious as the song goes on. After a couple more solid tracks he played my chosen song "Vessel". The stomp-along tune about how it "takes a village to raise a fool" features a complex drum beat accented by piano and keyboard grooves. This song is also when Dan's powerful voice really took off into the stratosphere, with every note belted out like it was his last. Highlights that followed included "Mouthpiece", "Rows of Houses", the politically charged, horn-driven "Post-War Blues", and the sing-along classic "Road Regrets". It was made very clear how happy Dan Mangan + Blacksmith were to be there as he exclaimed with a mix of pride and shock in his voice how cool it was that they were sharing the stage that day with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Missy Elliott, and Kendrick Lamar. This was a big moment for the hometown hero who does not get the main stage treatment too often and he took full advantage of said moment, proving that he and his band belonged up there.
3) The War On Drugs - Under The Pressure
The very first show that I watched at Pemby 2015 was one of my favourite bands, The War On Drugs. With the songwriting and vocal style that evokes Bob Dylan, the dynamic finger-picking guitar of Neil Young, and the epic song craft of Bruce Springsteen it's no wonder why I love these guys so much. Yet with all these comparisons, The War On Drugs are still very much their own, unique band. Their rolling, shimmering guitars and prominent use of baritone saxophone are like nothing I've ever heard. These guys have performed at almost every festival this year and it shows as they are extremely tight and flawless live. This was the fourth time that I've seen them and definitely the best.
Opening with the organ-driven rocker "Burning" it was instantly clear that these guys meant business. The simple blue/purple/pink backdrop in front of the beautiful Mount Currie set the mood perfectly (see pic below). A song or two later came the Springsteen-esque "Baby Missiles" in which lead singer Adam Granduciel blasted on the harmonica. Then the slower "Disappearing" showcased those shimmering guitars I mentioned earlier and gave the crowd a chance to sing along to the "yeah, yeah, yeahs". It was also around this time that my friends started giving me major props for convincing them to come see these guys; that always feels really good. Up next was "Red Eyes", my early candidate for song of the decade. The first single from their latest album, Lost In The Dream, is a chug-along rocker that features all of the best aspects of TWOD; bombastic baritone sax, epic organ and guitar, and sung with reckless abandon. Any more description wouldn't do it justice so I've added the video below for you to get a chance to hear for yourself.
This was directly followed by the extremely chill "Best Night", one of my faves that they rarely play live and a great description for that evening (well all four nights of Pemby to be exact). A few tracks later was my chosen song, "Under The Pressure", the 9-minute opener from Lost In The Dream. The previous two times I saw The War On Drugs they opened with this and I always felt that was a bit of a waste; thankfully they smartened up and played it in the perfect set-closing slot. With that being said, if you're ever looking for the perfect song to kick off a road trip, look no further. I say this because the potent combo of keyboard and guitar creates an atmosphere that is both relaxing yet clearly going somewhere. After my friends left to get a good spot at J. Cole I stayed for the encore of "Come To The City". After an incredible first show I knew that I was in for a real treat at Pemberton.
Numbers 2 and 1 coming soon...
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