As eventful as the first part of the weekend had been, the final day of the Monolith Music Festival proved to be even busier. Between the music filling the Colorado based festival’s grounds to our interview with The Avett Brothers, Sunday was one of those days that left head spinning by day’s end. Fortunately, Matt Friedman was up to the task and is back with the final installment of his one-of-a-kind perspective of the scene that was the 2008 Monolith Music Festival…

INTERVIEW: The Avett Brothers at Monolith

On the second day of the 2008 Monolith Festival, I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with the Avett Brothers (Scott, Seth, Bob and Joe), who are quickly building a reputation as one of the best live bands in the world. Our conversation started out as a structured interview, but in this information-packed session, their incredibly amiable personalities almost force them to relay wonderful stories of their early shows and days on the road that give a revealing glimpse into the lives of the band. We covered a wide range of topics, including their new album that they are currently writing and recording, working with their new producer, the legendary Rick Rubin, their relationship with the fans, how they each fell into a career in music, how they have been inspired from everything from jazz to grunge to bluegrass, and some of the many things we can expect to see from them in the future. Also, make sure you listen for their interesting self-comparisons to artists such as Mike Patton, Alice in Chains and many others.

CoS interview with the Avett Brothers @ Monolith Part 1

CoS interview with the Avett Brothers @ Monolith Part 2

SUNDAY, September 14

After a breathtaking beginning to the second Monolith Music Festival, I arrived back at Red Rocks a little later in the day for the final day. With a little experience under my belt, I made sure to drive a little up the mountain and park closer to the actual festival grounds, so I would have a shorter walk to start off the day.

A queue snaked down the path, rounding the precipice and I was left questioning whether parking at the closer lot was worth the wait. On Saturday, we walked right in, but then again, we arrived at a much earlier time (though the entrance was much larger). Either way, the wait wasn’t very long and soon I was in and ready to enjoy the day.

I am not sure which day had the better lineup, as both were packed with amazing acts. Unfortunately, I arrived a little later than planned and the first band that I was really excited about (the Avett Brothers) was not on for a while, but that gave me time to catch some other artists and explore the grounds a bit before the crowd built up.

I will be interested to see if Monolith releases the attendance counts. Saturday was undoubtedly the more crowded of the two days, but neither day seemed filled to capacity (though, once evening hit on Saturday, the only stage with available space was the main stage amphitheater.)

Just to quickly point out one of the rare negatives at Monolith. For one reason or another, the organizers decided to stop selling merchandise about five minutes after each artist finished his or her respective sets. On Saturday, I was enjoying the festival with my family as a general festivalgoer (rather than press) and I witnessed numerous incidents involving festival staff members and artists and/or managers. Artists “got in trouble” for trying to sell shirts or CDs to fans who wanted to buy merch just after they finished. Managers and staff members argued and yelled at the ridiculousness of the policy. To be honest, I have to take the side of the artists on this one, as I cannot quite figure out the benefits of taking down the merch, unless Monolith wanted to keep easy access to the merch tents. Frankly, I can only take a wild guess at the thousands of dollars that the artists missed out on due to this crazy policy.

Whatever…on with the music!

Tokyo Police Club

I walked in by the Acoustic Stage and headed to the amphitheater to grab some grub and catch some of Tokyo Police Club. There was a good-sized crowd watching considering the time of the day. In fact, it was surprisingly large. If I didn’t already know that TPC was from Canada, the fact that the majority of the festival attendees were watching would have led me to guess that this was a local band. With a blend of indie rock and power pop, Tokyo Police Club put on a nice show. The sun was beating down hard with hardly a cloud in the sky, which seemed to raise the energy levels of the crowd, who was completely into the show. Local or not, TPC is clearly a big Denver favorite (the band mentioned that they play the city often.)

With only 30 minutes before the Avett Brothers took over the main stage for what was sure to be one of the best performances of the weekend (see my Bonnaroo review), I figured it was best to kick it outside and check out the Handsome Furs on the New Belgium Stage.

The Handsome Furs

The Swayback

The first thing that I picked up about the Swayback (besides the fact that it was not the Handsome Furs, who I was expecting to see) was the noticeably retro sound. As I approached the stage and listened to the heavy bass lines undercutting bouncy guitar riffs, I realized that the singer’s headband and his Jesus-stylin’ mane and facial hair (also see hippie look) might be impacting my perceptions. I felt the strong sun increasing in strength, piercing through the heavy clouds that had hung over Red Rocks.

Then he sang and I heard his deep crowing voice, almost “Morrison-esque”, and decided that while the powerful, sludgy post-rock sound was undoubtedly modern, this band certainly has no shame with paying respect to its forefathers. Interestingly enough, even with the keyboardist playing the tambourine, there is an unmistakable metal edge to the band’s songs live, particularly with respect to some of the guitar parts.

The Avett Brothers

The first, and only other, time that I’ve caught the Avett Brothers, I was going into the experience based on my knowledge of a couple of their songs and reputation alone. I made the mistake of not taking it seriously enough and didn’t quite catch the full set. That was not happening this time. I was ready and waiting fifteen minutes before set time and was not leaving the area until I was absolutely positive that the show was over. Part of me thought that I was overhyping the Avetts and was setting myself up for a disappointment. As any Monolith attendee fortunate enough to catch the set would tell you, that part should have just minded its own business.

I wish I could explain the Avett Brothers’ sound to those who are unfamiliar, but like a lot of good music, it is a unique and complicated blend of styles. Call it what you will – folk, bluegrass, country, indie, post-whatever – the Avetts put on one of the best live shows around and you’re only fooling yourself if you think you will not get into their stuff live. They absolutely ripped it at Monolith, putting down the hands down best performance on Sunday. While the crowd did not seem to start quite as large as it was for Tokyo Police Club, it quickly built to surpass the earlier numbers. Further, the place was raucous, as everyone watching screamed, cheered, and howled along with the music.

Kicking off the set with favorites off Emotionalism, “Shame” and “Die, Die, Die”, the Avett Brothers had the crowd singing along during the mellower parts and stomping feet when the songs picked up the pace. Other notable songs included “Distraction #74” and “Give Me a Kiss.” Of course, they couldn’t have left out the staple live song “Salina”. However, on this occasion, the song may have meant even more than normal, as Seth Avett mentioned that this was the first time that they have ever been able to say that they’ve woken up there on the same day that they played it. Turning it into a dramatic rendition of the crowd favorite, Bob Crawford and Joe Kwon smoothly caressed their bass and cello, respectively, with bows, while Seth played gentle melodies on the keys.

It is difficult to pick out one highlight song from the set, but it was very nice to hear the two brothers play “Tear Down the House” off the Second Gleam. The Gleam albums are laid back, stripped down and only feature the two siblings. Thus, it only makes sense for Bob and Joe to leave the stage for the song and give the Avetts an opportunity to showcase another style to the crowd, before digging back in for another rowdy number.

It is also hard to argue against the new song “Starting With You” from their album that they are currently working on. On the other hand, my favorite live song was probably “Paranoia in Bb Major”, as it brings out the raw sounds of the band (not far from the rawness of independent punk rock). Plus, I love watching Joe pick up his large, standup bass and play it like a guitar (he also uses it as a percussion instrument).

If you are not yet familiar with the Avett Brothers, check out my interview with them. Better yet, make sure you catch them live. There really is nothing that can replace their live shows. They are, without a doubt, one of the best performing acts around today.

Tilly and the Wall

Hot, sunny days seem like the perfect setting for a band like Tilly and the Wall. There is something about the bright personalities of the band members and upbeat, cheery pop music that fits in perfectly with outdoor settings. Not exclusively, of course, as I have seen the band indoors and it sounds just as good there. However, when I see some bands at festivals, I catch myself thinking how amazing it would be to see the show at a small club (though I can’t remember this thought at Red Rocks). Tilly and the Wall is different.

I would have enjoyed catching Tilly and the Wall’s full set on Sunday. Unfortunately, conflicts are bound to exist at festivals such as Monolith and I was hustling from Avett Brothers to watch small, local band Hearts of Palm. I tend to go with the choice that I’ll have fewer opportunities to make up in the future or a new discovery.

Regardless, I was able to enjoy a nice chunk of Tilly’s set. The show brought visions of a hipster edition of Candy Land. Beach balls seemed to be bouncing everywhere in the crowd. The three girls, dressed in bright colors, brought the crowd into the show through clever chanting, sing-a-longs and clapping to the beat. As usual, Jamie Williams had her tap shoes strapped on, so she could bring a little jazz flair to the 80s/indie-pop vibe. Tapping on top of her platform, her shoes mixed nicely with the drum set to give the music an extra layer of percussion. All of that was under the harmonized vocals of the two singers, Neely Jenkins and Kianna Alarid. Out of the songs that I heard, the crowd seemed most into “The Freest Man” off Bottom of Barrels.

Hearts of Palm

Moving downstairs and inside, I believe I caught the biggest “tiny band” at Monolith. The small Gigbot Theater was packed so tight that it was even hard to squeeze inside. As Hearts of Palm are fast-rising Denver locals, the large crowd did not surprise me too much. At the same time, this band puts on an excellent live show and I don’t think many people who stopped by to check them out left the theater before the conclusion of the set.

Equipped with a diverse array of instruments (including a saxophone and trumpet), Hearts of Palm played a rowdy set, too raw to be indie-pop, yet not quite punk. The band brought a slight basement show vibe to the fest. Granted, this would be a big basement, tightly packed with many people, but it felt like a basement show, nonetheless, in that raw up-close and personal way. Of course, I mean this in a complimentary sense and the show was in no way raw in an immature sense. Based on my first time seeing Hearts of Palm, the live sound and the way the band members dance, I would guess that their backgrounds range from experimental indie music to punk and hardcore.

The band announced that two of the band members would be soon leaving the band to pursue family and career interests. They have one more show scheduled with the current lineup, so go see them while you can!

Band of Horses

Band of Horses was the first performance on the second day of Monolith to take place in the dark. The Justice fans in attendance wasted little time in announcing their presence, as high up in the seats the glowsticks made their first appearances of the festival.

The band played their popular folk rock to the large crowd singing and dancing along to the music. Chock full of tempo changes, the deliberately paced music sounded rich and thick as it filled the crevasses of the outdoor environment. It is tempting to say that the highlight of the set was when Band of Horses played new songs featured on the next album. However, one track clearly stood out above the others and even people like me, who are not huge fans of the band, have to appreciate epic performances when a band nails it. Singer Ben Bridwell sounded absolutely stunning as he reached for his high notes on “The Funeral”. The stage crew added to the unforgettable atmosphere with beautiful and colorful lights of blue and yellow, as the members of the band chimed in with their “oooooo ooooooo ooooooo’s”. Glancing out over the stage, a full moon shined brightly over the city of Denver in the distance. It was a stunning sight and a perfect setting for a perfect performance of a near perfect song.

Akron/Family

Having never seen Akron/Family, I was not sure what to expect from the “hippie” band. I’m usually not into jam bands or the super experimental music and, while I have heard great things of Akron/Family’s live shows, I was also aware that some might consider their music to fall somewhere between those two categories.

If you have ever heard their music, you might think they come off as a bit bizarre. Live, they are certainly as strange as they sound on their recordings, but they also really rock out. In addition, I have a hard time not digging any band in which every member takes part in the singing, including the drummer. The guitar and bass discharged heavy roars of feedback that clashed against Akron’s harmonized vocals. On more than one occasion, steady, yet intricate drumbeats built to the release of elaborate guitar solo.

The wacky trio of Deadheads pulled out a seemingly endless, eclectic assortment of instruments for their set, including an ivory recorder, some sort of fife and many others. Perhaps most interesting was when the bassist played a recording on a small tape player (walkman type thing) through his microphone and his bass strings, which added some very unique sound effects. Moreover, were they loud! The speakers blared the music at such high decibel levels that the power physically moved my baseball cap.

The biggest moment of the set arrived about thirty minutes in. Akron/Family was in the middle of a nice song with the drummer on lead vocals and the guitarist was fiddling. The guys up front (Seth and Miles) dropped their guitar and bass, respectively, and the drummer (Dana) completely took over the song, playing a fun drum section. Seth pulled out a tom-tom drum and Miles played his fife, sending the crowd into a frenzy for a few minutes. They bent back down and picked the guitars back up, immediately ripping solos. This song blended into chants of “hey hey hey!” furthering the crowd participation. From this point, the band pushed the momentum forward until the final song. The finale was a slow down, but the audience remained completely enthralled and impressed with the tribal presentation.

TV on the Radio

Akron/Family finished late, so I hustled down to the main stage area, as I did not want to miss any of TV on the Radio’s set. I found a nice spot and sat down. It was not nearly as cold as it had been the previous night – or maybe I was just better prepared with more layers. Either way, I kept looking at my phone because TVOTR was still not on, which was strange because Monolith had done an excellent job at keeping to the schedule throughout the weekend. Finally, the band walked out at 9:15, thirty minutes late. However, these guys are troopers and should be applauded for showing up at all. Apparently, their bus broke down at 10:30 am in Salt Lake City and they were not able to find a replacement part. Instead of canceling, which would have been completely understandable since they could not get another bus, they rented individual cars and drove 100 miles/hour to make the show.

I have seen TV on the Radio before and think that the live show manages to build upon the many strengths of the band. Tunde Adebimpe, the lead singer gives a commanding aura to his performance. He spends much of his time doing a slight shuffle dance and posturing to pull out powerful exhalations from his lungs. The band threw a bit more of gospel at the crowd to kick things off (more than I remember hearing in the past), which I thought was a nice addition to its intellectual sounds of funk, electronic and rock. While TVOTR had no problems grabbing the crowd’s attention, it snapped everyone’s attention a few songs in with “Dreams”. They kept it up by moving right into the favorite “Wolf Like Me”, which just might have been their best song of the night, emphasized by an awesome breakdown.

The show would not have felt complete without hearing some of the new tracks off the brand new album Dear Science, which just dropped on September 23. A couple of the new songs had a punky feel to them with driving beats and are in the style of the band’s stuff that I dig.

TV on the Radio finished the set off on a climactic tone with their biggest single to date, “Staring at the Sun.” It certainly did not resemble the studio track off their sophomore album Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes. Instead, the band played an extended, almost remix-sounding dance version of the textured indie rock classic.

Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS)

I have somehow managed to see CSS three times in just a couple of months (they are not one of my top bands – though I do enjoy the shows) and each time, I am more and more amazed by Lovefoxxx’s outfits and onstage personality. Being that this was a great festival at Red Rocks, she could not disappoint and made it a point to change her outfit numerous times. I think her original, a crazy silver ball of a thing, was my favorite of the night.

While there were a couple of minor technical issues with the guitars, the band had an obvious great time and it transferred over into the music. Playing each and every one of their best songs, the band played a great set for a stomping and flowing crowd. Even the folks, who did not seem to know the words, or even the songs, were jumping around and dancing their feet off to the crazy pop music.

With the wind picking up (though not nearly as heavily as the prior evening), Lovefoxxx stood at the front of the stage and announced that she felt like Mariah Carey with her hair blowing across her face. Good timing, as she furthered that the next song would be the band’s R&B song and CSS kicked off the crowd favorite “Music Is My Hot Hot Sex”.

More photos from Sunday

Categories: Concert Reviews, Features, Festival News/Rumor, Interview
Tags: Akron/Family, Band of Horses, CSS, Hearts of Palm, Justice, Live at Monolith 2008, Mariah Carey, Monolith Music Festival, The Avett Brothers, The Handsome Furs, The Swayback, Tilly and the Wall, Tokyo Police Club, TV on the Radio