Siren Festival 2008

Just back at 3 am this morning…

Best of the fest? Islands, Parts & Labor, The Dodos, Times New Viking.

These Are Powers' female singer was fun to watch.

Ra Ra Riot members move way too much while playing…

My least favorite Broken Social Scene show.

It was very crowded, but I got there pretty early and was in front 90% of the time (most of the bands I wanted to see were on the main stage…)

way too hot yesterday for this canuckistani, we aren't designed for those extremes. so i showed up after 6 PM, in time to catch the two bands i most wanted to see: helio sequence and BSS. i got a good spot, dead center about 40 feet away from the stage.

HS = a drummer and a guitarist/singer - and a very prominent tape that provided pre-recorded bass, synths, and additional guitars. good music and a lively performance, but would have been better with some live musicians filling in the blanks. i expect techno blips and beeps to come from a laptop, but hearing that many "real" instruments come outta nowhere leads to cognitive dissonance.

Originally posted by wanderlust j. marshmallow:
Ra Ra Riot members move way too much while playing…

interesting complaint. i suppose you'd prefer them to stand in one spot and not move the entire show… sorta like you? :p j/k!

Originally posted by wanderlust j. marshmallow:
My least favorite Broken Social Scene show.

i thought BSS's show was great. good energy, good set list, and the band was obviously having a great time. did you think the performance was weak, or was it something else?

i hope that next year's siren fest has more tolerable weather. this was only my second or third time out to coney island, would have been nice to spend the day there, go on a ride while listening to a band play below, etc. i'm now a tad concerned about lolla & how hot it might…

VV's siren festival slide show

after siren fest, i headed over to the music hall of williamsburg to catch the after-party. unfortunately by the time i made it there and got a bite to eat, i had missed marnie stern… i was sure it was doors at 10 when in fact that's when the show started, as if anyone could make it from Coney island to williamsburg in an hour. dang. i did see her hanging around - what a cutie.

i walked in to the opening shrieks of APTBS. good stuff, can't say i'm a converted fan but definitely enjoyable. damn they are LOUD. it wasn't a loudness that knocked you over immediately. it took a while but eventually all that distorted high-end starts to wear you down. i soooooo hearted my etymotics last night. lots of people standing around with their fingers plugging their ears for the entire show.

apes and androids were really, really good. it was my first time seeing and hearing them, and they did convert me to their live show. 60's flavored psychedelic rock with a strong dose of glam, performed by really good musicians to boot. looking forward to seeing them again.

I knew I couldnt make it all day - especially as i had to be at summerstage all day - so i got there around 3:30. I headed over to the mainstage and caught times new viking. just didnt do it for me and i found some songs decent but most songs i was just waiting for them to end.

i was in the very front for ra ra riot. i was hoping for a more energetic set - with the more upbeat stuff - but overall i thought it was a good set. ive never heard of moving around as a complaint, and i love it that theyre so engaged. and then wes jumping into the crowd was pretty cool.

the helio sequence were great as always. i cant imagine them with a full band and ive seen them live a few times, but i think those guys work great together as the two-some.

i was bummed to miss islands, but the set times were really f-ed up with the late start on ra ra riot and i knew i didnt wanna miss helio sequence.

i cant say i was ever a huge broken social scene fan but after hearing the music they did on the soundtrack for tracey fragments i knew i had wanted to see them. and for free it was perfect. i thought it was a great set, energetic. for spending 5.5 hours in the sun they made me forget about it for the hour they played and everyone where i was - was dancing up a storm. it was a perfect way to end the night.

i was tempted to go with sweetcell to MHOW but there was just no way I could do that along with todays show.

and i would like to add Santogold was f'ing awesome. a 25 minute set that was just energetic, had the crowd dancing and singing along, and her dancers were great to watch. she played all of her songs and said shed be opening for coldplay with a full band. now that will be awesome to see! on that note - im comatose. prob have heat stroke from all the time in the sun! :(

i'm used to seeing BSS play longer (their last 930 show was about 2.5 hours long). The horns sounded OK in the big setting, but in a small and closed setting…it's just hair raising ;)
It's also unfortunate that none of the four lady singers they have made it to the show…

Oh, but this wasn't my least favorite actually. They were beyond disappointing at the Merriweather show opening for Belle & Sebastian. That was my least favorite.

Originally posted by sweetcell:
i thought BSS's show was great. good energy, good set list, and the band was obviously having a great time. did you think the performance was weak, or was it something else?

the whole day was crazy cause i was shooting and running back and fourth between stages seeing little blips of all bands…

loved film school, helio sequence, and BSS. my first broken social scene show and they nearly brought tears to my eyes it was so good.

photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/youbebetty/sets/72157606304280217/

great pix betty! must have been nice to be that close, even if only for a few minutes.

in attempts to complement the above photo set: my much lower-quality from-the-crowd shots available here.

Originally posted by wanderlust j. marshmallow:
I went in 2006. Sound was bad on both stages but I'll be there this year!

Originally posted by xneverwherex:
The sound was atrocious. The first band Twilight Sad spent more time dealing with sound problems more than anything.

i thought the sound was fine, looks like they got that taken care of this year.