CoS at Virgin: Day 1
Now in its third year, the Virgin Mobile Festival at Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore MD has now made itself the premier festival for the mid-Atlantic region, and thanks to this years lineup, is now known for covering the pop-music spectrum. It was a beautiful weekend for a festival, as temperatures never got too hot, and a nice breeze kept up for most of the weekend. While the surrounding Baltimore suburbs were getting pounded with scattered thunderstorms, the festival managed to stay sunny and cool, making it a great weekend for an outdoor event.
At first glance of the schedule, I wondered how they were going to pull this year off by putting heavy hitters such as Foo Fighter and Kanye West on the south stage. In previous years, this was the obvious secondary stage, being that it was small and on a parking lot surface, but this year surprised me as they built it up and moved it onto the grass, creating a second main stage. This was an excellent move on the organizers part, and one that will help the festivals longevity. If that wasn’t enough, there were free rides provided by bike powered rickshaws, free water, and fun, free “swag” for recycling your waste that included jeans and even an iPod for those filling up the free bags they handed out.
Before I continue with the music, I must digress first and call out the organizers on a major mistake. For the entire summer I have been recovering from a major accident that put me in a wheel chair until recently. Every concert and festival I have attended has been extremely accommodating, making the experience that much better, until this past weekend. I assumed that the festival would provide handicapped parking, but as I searched for it, none of the attendants had any idea what I was talking about. Even more frustrating, I had to pay $30 for a regular space as all the handicapped parking I did see had been reserved for those using the race track, not for those going to the festival.
Now with that off my chest… on to the show!
Saturday started off with the indie-approved sensation Cat Power and the pop rock of KT Tunstall. Tunstall sounded great as she belted out her pop friendly hits to a filled out crowd. There were sing-alongs and dancing to be seen as everyone woke up at the crack of noon. Cat Power experienced some sound issues as her voice was hard to hear in the beginning, but luckily things did clear up, providing a great performance.
Gogol Bordello knocked the energy up a notch as they delivered another classic set filled with wine spitting and bucket playing, with all their gypsy-punk fury. Swell Season was a nice surprise to see on the line-up, and the Oscar winners delivered one of the best sets of the weekend. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova harmonized and worked through sleepy, gentle piano ballads, but once it was just Hansard with his worn out guitar, his furious strumming and passionate vocals took over the set. Given the quiet nature of the music, you could hear Lupe Fiasco’s beats on the south stage, at which point Hansard dedicated a Van Morrison cover to the rapper. The highlight of the weekend came at the end of the set, when Hansard’s mic was cut off. He took it upon himself to jump into the crowd, guitar in tow, and lead everyone in a sing along of Bob Dylan’s “You Ain’t Goin Nowhere”.
After Lupe Fiasco finished up, Bloc Party came on next for the last performance on its summer tour. The first mosh pits of the day broke out as they pummeled through their quasi-emo-dance rock, which sounded great and especially heavy. The most unique performers of the weekend were easily the Spanish guitar virtuoso’s Rodrigo y Gabriella. Their technique was as technically impressive as it was flawless. Their hands moved so quickly while strumming, it almost looked as if they weren’t hitting the strings at all. But indeed, they were, as they mixed lightning fast picking and strumming with guitar tapping percussion that had even the hardest of rock fans throwing up the devil horns. “Tamacun” closed out the set and left everyone amazed at what they had just seen.
Citizen Cope mellowed out the festival with a performance that sounded much better in this kind of setting than it had the previous time he was in the area at the 9:30 club. Songwriter Clarence Greenwood rolled through much of his well known material, adding bits of built up intensity, then bringing it back down to the hip swaying, head bobbing melodies he does best. Keeping the north stage chilled out, Wilco came on to welcome the sunset and delivered a powerful set of tunes. As a long time Wilco fan told me afterwards, it was the best he had seen them in the area, as they were especially “on” that evening. After a breathtaking extended solo on “Impossible Germany”, it’s not hard to consider them the quintessential live band.
Closing out Saturday on the south stage was the rock of the mighty Foo Fighters, while opposite on the north stage, some enjoyed acoustic surfer ballads of Jack Johnson. For those looking to rock, Foo Fighters tore through their impeccably impressive set, opening with their recent success “The Pretender”. As always, the charismatic Dave Grohl knocked the audience out of their sweaty shoes with a set that covered all the hits. The surprise came when they broke into their cover of The Who’s “Young Man Blues”, solidifying that everyone within earshot could do nothing but rock out. Half way through, and after the extended metal-esque “Stacked Actors”, Grohl and company brought out the acoustic numbers with their expanded band, glazing through “Marigold” and the powerful “My Hero”. That didn’t last long, however, as the rock was brought back with the classic Foo hit, “Everlong”, and continued to finish the night with “All My Life” and “Times Like These”.
We had been rocked hard, and there was still a day to go…
Virgin really impressed me last year and I was looking forward to going this year until APW was anounced…
Nice closeup of Chan.
I thought Bloc Party stole the show on Day 1. Kele sounded incredible, and the band just rolled through their hits.
I loved Rodrigo Y Gabriela’s set, and it was really special when the Swell Season performed in the audience.
Foo Fighters played “Times Like These” early in the set, so I’m pretty sure they didn’t close with it.
Chuck Berry was horrible. He missed more notes than an amateur playing Guitar Hero on expert.
Good report, but no info on the dance tent?
Well, I was at virgin a year ago Ana this year was just as good. The festival may not be perfect but it has heart and a fine spirit.
Day one through my eyes started with a 12:30 PM arrive time. I walked in south stage side right into KT Tunstall who is kool, so I watched a few songs and moved on. Duffy was next for me and even though she has a great voice a little to mellow for me so I moved on.
I feel moving ever so often is the best way to enjoy the festival and see as much as you can.
gogol bordello was next and I watched most of his set, whihc was amazing I love the energy. But I had to get over to the dance tent and see DJ Dan & Donald Glaude. who were amazing just going from hit to hit. Staying in the dance tent Soulwax was next and I basically watched everything till I jolted away for a little bloc party who were as good as I’ve heard. Very impressed. Hit up the offspring next heard there singles and moved back to dance with Steve lawler. I’m guessing you can see I’m a dance junkie lol. saw sum jappenese Beatles and chuck berry then on to dance with ferry corsten who is amazing always when I see him. The i skipped mellow jack for some foo fghters who now how to rock a crowd and please don’t those guys seem like so much fun to hang with. and ended day one with underworld who always know how to put on a show. oh man day one was so much better so here ya go live my day
the dance tent kind of sucked on day 1 (i’m a dance tent junkie as well). some kids were moshing to erol alkan and other electro DJs… seriously! its a fucking dance tent!
underworld though… best set of the weekend. I pity anyone who saw the foos or JJ over them. the crowd was perfect for them, and the setlist rocked.
Though I completely agree with the Underworld statement above, Soulwax and Ferry Corsten were also very very good in the dance tent on day 1…I shamelessly admit that I never left the dance tent all weekend…
Great time except when the frat boys in matching outfits would randomly come in to check the dance tent out and act like their stereotypical idiot and drunk selfs…no offense to cool fraternity brothers or chill drunks…
or worse, redneck couples who used the dance tent as a place to dry hump one another while constantly bumping into me. Seriously, I’d rather not be the love triangle in your brother-sister relationship…definite offense to all rednecks…
Soulwax was great. I’m not a big fan of electro, but I really liked their set. Ferry wasn’t bad either (but I was waiting for Underworld so badly during his set).
Those dudes in the dance tent that just tried to mosh and go insane really pissed me off. at least the crowd towards the end was awesome.
but the dance tent was where it was at this weekend. only really came out for gogol, iggy, and NIN.
I thought Lupe was a huge disappointment. He played for only about 25-30 min, ended his set early too. He was into it for the first 2 songs, and then when they had mic troubles, he wasn’t able to get the party back again. Sucks because he is a great artist and his albums are very good. He was, in my opinion, the only real disappointment the entire weekend.
This was my 2nd year at the fest and it did not disappoint. The promoters have topped themselves again. I came all the way from Texas to see the Foo Fighters, Stone Temple Pilots and The Offspring. I left a new fan of Gogol Bordello, Rodrigo and Gabriela, Citizen Cope and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. I also came away with a new-found hatred for Lil Wayne. What an ass. I’m not losing sleep that he may never return again. I also will miss Lupe Fiasco, since he may not return over a mic glich (which incidentally had just been previously tossed by the lead singer of Gogol Bordello, along with the red bucket). The crowd came to see you, not the sound guys. The show must go on. If he can’t get that, then good riddance. Rock on Virgin Mobile Fest fans. I will see you next year. How can they possibly top this year?
What a horrible recap brah. You totally did not capsh. the total diabetic sweetness of the fest. How’d you get this job brah?
You barely even mentioned the sickness of Lupe brah. I was totally mackin on some chick durin Superstar and she was totally hand inspected my downtown bananza, and just as i came to fruition Lupe did this sick back flip on rhythm to the beat. Totally sick. Then the chick started clapping and got my unborn orphans all over my face. Totally sick. Then I kicked that skank asside did a bump CAUSE THAT’S WHAT GROWN UPS DO!
I passed out for a couple hours cause the six pack of natty ice and the coke were totally not syncin’. But I totally woke of for JJ brah! Dude Jack’s a prophet, his words just make me wanna play game cube all day with my brahs. So I stumbled over to the stage with my brahs, and brah, with the chicks, it was like an all-you-could-rape buffet. They were just beggin to be roofed. So I started spittin some sick game at this skank during Banana Pancakes and I was like “I’ll put my Banana in your Pancake” but she was all “pssht.” But brah, next thing I knew she was leading me over to the ports. But I kind of lost track of things from there, and the rest of the night was pretty hazy. But sure enough brah I woke up in my bed the next day and my ass was killing me. Totally sweet sign that the party was sick. But now that I think about it, that chick was my brah Chad…..which would explain the axe covered dild. thats on my dresser.
Aug 18th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
[...] on BBC Radio to much applause. Following some riotous performances at Lollapalooza and Virgin Festival, Bloc Party has been enjoying the short but sweet summer, which continues for them with appearances [...]