So, ideally, this is how your day should go: Wake up in morning, grab a vegan omelet (it’s Brooklyn after all!), and then, around 1:00pm, get on the G Train and make your way to up to Newton Barge Park. (Note: as per the Google map below, it’s just north of McCarren Park. You’ll exit at the Greenpoint Ave. stop). Better yet, take the free Northside Festival Trolley! It will take you for Bedford Ave. & 7th to the Green Point Ave. stop and vice versa.

After walking over to the MetroPCS stage (centrally located in Newton Barge Park), you’ll be greeted by the pleasant sounds of an alt-folk afternoon, featuring ARMS, A.A. Bondy, and the one and only Elvis Perkins In Dearland. Around five, you’ll have time to go grab a slice of vegan pizza (it’s Brooklyn after all!), but be sure to hurry back soon, because around 6:00pm, our second show starts. This one will be equally awesome, but a bit louder, as the likes of Grails, Polvo, and Les Savy Fav (who will be debuting their brand new album!) are all set to perform. Plus, if that weren’t enough, you’ll be home in time to catch the second running of Next Food Network Star.

Seriously, what better thing could you possibly find to do on a Sunday?

Still, because we love you, we wanted to add more incentive to go. So, right now, we’re going to start giving away a whole slew of FREE TICKETS. Just send us an email with your name, address, which of the two shows you want to attend, and then one of the following:

– A one paragraph essay on why you want to attend.

– A picture of a Northside flyer that is currently hanging near where you live.

– A picture of a Northside flyer you have printed out and hung around near where you live.

– Anything else that gives a good enough reason to give you free tickets.

Plus, if you do an extra awesome job, we might just give you tickets to both shows. So get writin’/picture takin’/printin’/etc.

In the meantime, find Sunday’s complete schedule, the aforementioned map of the venue, and ticket links to both shows below.

Four day badges, priced at only $50, are still available. Plus, because we love you even more than before, we are currently offering all CoS readers a 20% discount on badges. Just click here and enter code NORTHSIDE.

Show #1:
01:00 pm – Doors
01:30 pm – ARMS
02:30 pm – A.A. Bondy
03:30 pm – Elvis Perkins in Dearland
Tixs: $15/$17 day of; Buy here.

Show #2:
06:00 pm – Doors
06:30 pm – Grails
07:30 pm – Polvo
08:30 pm – Les Savy Fav
Tixs: $15/$18 day of; Buy here.

As part of this year’s Brooklyn-based Northside Music Festival, Consequence of Sound will not host just one thrilling concert, but two. And ready for the best part? They take place on the same day (Sunday, June 27th), at the same location (Newtown Barge Park), and on the same exact stage (MetroPCS stage).

So, right after ARMS (recently added!), Elvis Perkins In Dearland, and A.A. Bondy provide a care-free, relax-your-ass-off Sunday afternoon performance, you’ll also be able to watch New York’s own indie-punk band Les Savy Fav, North Carolina noise outfit Polvo, and Portland instrumental rockers Grails cap off the night with one ferocious and seriously awesome bang.

Both shows will be presented by yours truly and, as mentioned, are part of the 2010 edition of the Northside Music Festival. If you aren’t aware, the event will bring all the aforementioned as well as the likes of Fucked Up, Liars, Titus Andronicus, ?uestlove, Wavves, Thao and Mirah with the Most of All, and plenty more to venues across Brooklyn between June 24th and 27th.

Find set times and specific ticket information for both shows below. In regards to the latter, however, we do encourage you to buy a four-day badge to the festival, because a.) it’s only $50 and b.) you’ll be able to get into everything and anything. Plus, because we love you, we are currently offering all CoS readers a 20% discount on badges. Just click here and enter code NORTHSIDE.

See you there!

Here are the specifics for both:

Show #1:
01:00 pm – Doors
01:30 pm – ARMS
02:30 pm – A.A. Bondy
03:30 pm – Elvis Perkins in Dearland
Tixs: $15/$17 day of; Buy here.

Show #2:
06:00 pm – Doors
06:30 pm – Grails
07:30 pm – Polvo
08:30 pm – Les Savy Fav
Tixs: $15/$18 day of; Buy here.

Check Out:
Elvis Perkins In Dearland – “Shampoo”
A.A. Bondy – “When the Devil’s Loose”
ARMS – “Heat & Hot Water”
Les Savy Fav – “Sweet Descends” (Live)
Polvo – “Beggar’s Bowl”
Grails – “Up All Night”

To help cap off the festival, we’ll be hosting a Sunday afternoon showcase at the outdoor MetroPCS stage (Newtown Barge Park) featuring two of folk music’s best acts: Elvis Perkins in Dearland and A.A. Bondy. So, grab a beer/soda (it’s an all all-age event!) and come chill under the sun/begin to recover from the mayhem of the previous three days. This is one of those deals where you just let it all soak in. No real energy required.

Doors open at 1:00pm and you’ll need either tickets, priced at $15, or a Northside badge to get in. Said badges are currently available for only $50 and will not only grant you access on a first-come, first-served basis to every Northside music, art, and film event but also a ton of drink specials and discounts at local restaurants and bars.

For additional information about the festival itself, click here. Also enjoy a mp3 from both our scheduled acts below.

Check Out:
Elvis Perkins In Dearland – “Shampoo”
A.A. Bondy – “When the Devil’s Loose”

Bowerbirds 2010 Tour Dates:
11/05 – Durham, NC @ Troika Music Festival
11/06 – Lookout Mountain, GA @ Covenant College
11/07 – Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder
11/08 – Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern
11/15 – Lexington, KY @ Al’s Bar
11/16 – Lousiville, KY @ The 930 Listening Room
11/17 – Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
11/18 – Fayetteville, AR @ RZ’s Coffeehouse
11/27 – Charlottesville, VA @ The Southern
11/28 – Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
11/30 – Boston, MA @ Paradise #
12/01 – Providence, RI @ Hi-Hat #
12/02 – Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel #
12/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church #
12/04 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom #
12/05 – Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool
12/06 – Harrisonburg, VA @ Blue Nile
01/12 – Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle *
01/13 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House *
01/14 – Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop *
01/16 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall *^
01/17 – Madison, WI @ High Noon *
01/18 – Iowa City, IA @ The Mill *
01/19 – Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater *
01/22 – Spokane, WA @ Empyrean Coffee House *
01/23 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret *
01/24 – Olympia, WA @ Northern *
01/25 – Seattle, WA @ Triple Door *
01/26 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios *
01/28 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent *
01/30 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo *
02/01 – La Jolla, CA @ The Loft *
02/02 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room *
02/03 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress *
02/05 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues *
02/06 – Austin, TX @ The Mohwak *
02/10 – Tampa, FL @ New World Brewery *
02/12 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl *

# = w/ Elvis Perkins in Dearland
^ = w/ The Rural Alberta Advantage
* = w/  Julie Doiron

If you’re looking to catch the man live anytime soon, you’re probably in luck. Having The Felice brothers and Elvis Perkins along for many of these dates ain’t too shabby either.

A.A. Bondy 2009 Tour Dates:
10/24 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso (upstairs) *
10/26 – Utrecht, NL @ Tivoli *
10/27 – Frankfurt, DE @ Batschkapp *
11/01 – Charleston, WV @  Mountain Stage #
11/03 – Charlottesville, VA @ The Southern *
11/04 – Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall *
11/05 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl *
11/06 – St. Augustine, FL @ Cafe 11 *
11/07 – Orlando, FL @ The Social *
11/09 – Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder *
11/10 – Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree *
11/11 – New Orleans, LA @ The Parish *
11/12 – Houston, TX @ Walters On Washington *
11/13 – Austin, TX @ The Parish *
11/14 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
11/16 – Little Rock, AR @ Sticky Fingerz Chicken Shack *
11/17 – Nashville, TN  @ Mercy Lounge #
11/18 – Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar *
11/19 – Bloomington, IN @ The Video Saloon #
11/20 – St. Louis, MO @ Gargoyle Club #
11/21 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall #
11/24 – Milwaukee, WI @ Club Garbialdi
11/25 – Minneapolis, MN @ 400 Bar
11/27 – Omaha, NE @ Slowdown, Jr.
11/28 – Columbia, MO @ Mojo’s
11/30 – Columbus, OH @ The Basement
12/01 – Akron, OH @ Music
12/02 – Pontiac, MI @ Crofoot Ballroom
12/03 – Toronto, ON @ El Mocambo
12/04 – Montreal, QC @ The Green Room
12/05 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
12/07 – Portland, ME @ Space Gallery
12/08 – Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse Music Hall
12/09 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom

* = w/ The Felice Brothers
% = Bondy solo
# = w/ Elvis Perkins in Dearland

Slipknot 2009 Tour Dates:

In support of the upcoming 10th anniversary release of its eponymous major label debut, Slipknot has announced a a string of fall tour dates. The trek, which will be entirely composed of west coast stops, will include an appearance at this year’s Smoke Out Festival as well as two previously postponed shows from last month. Sacramento’s own Deftones will provide support beginning in Portland, OR through San Bernardino, CA. Tickets for select dates will be available beginning Friday, September 11th via Ticketmaster.com.

10/10 – Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheater
10/11 – Kennewick, WA @ Toyota Center
10/13 – Portland, OR @ Memorial Coliseum *
10/15 – Vancouver, BC @ Pacific Coliseum *
10/16 – Victoria, BC @ Save on Foods Center *
10/18 – Edmonton, AB @ Shaw Conference Centre *
10/20 – Calgary, AB @ Calgary Corral *
10/21 – Spokane, WA @ Star Theater *
10/23 – San Jose, CA @ Event Center at San Jose *
10/24 – San Bernardino, CA @ Smoke Out Festival
10/29 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Palladium
10/31 – Las Vegas, NV @ Pearl Concert Theater

* = w/ Deftones

Bowerbirds 2009 Tour Dates:

Following Bowerbirds’ July release, Upper Air, the band spent the bulk of the summer touring across North America. They will continue to do so in to the fall, splitting their time between visiting Europe, joining Elvis Perkins in Dearland for some special shows in the Northeast, and headlining in select US cities. Tickets for select dates are available beginning via Ticketmaster.com.

10/10 – Aarhus, DK @ Voxhall
10/11 – Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen
10/12 – Hamburg, DE @ Knust
10/13 – Berlin, DE @ Zapata
10/14 – Nurnberg, DE @ K4
10/16 – Nijmegen, NL @ Doornroosje
10/17 – Utrecht, NL @ Ekko
10/18 – Frankfurt, DE @ Brotfabrik
10/19 – Munchen, DE @ Feierwerk
10/22 – Barcelona, ES @ Sidecar
10/23 – Valencia, ES @ Wah Wah Club
10/24 – Barcelona, ES @ Neu! Club
10/26 – Paris, FR @ Point FMR
10/27 – London, UK @ Cargo
10/28 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell
10/29 – Cardiff, UK @ Clwb Ifor Bach
10/30 – Edinburgh, UK @ Sneaky Pete’s
10/31 – Glasgow, UK @ Captain’s Rest
11/01 – Manchester, UK @ Dulcimer
11/05 – Durham, NC @ Troika Music Festival
11/06 – Lookout Mountain, GA @ Covenant College
11/07 – Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder
11/08 – Columbia, SC @ New Brookland Tavern
11/15 – Lexington, KY @ Al’s Bar
11/16 – Lousiville, KY @ The 930 Listening Room
11/17 – Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
11/18 – Fayetteville, AR @ RZ’s Coffeehouse
11/27 – Charlottesville, VA @ The Southern
11/28 – Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
11/30 – Boston, MA @ Paradise *
12/01 – Providence, RI @ Hi-Hat *
12/02 – Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel *
12/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church *
12/04 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom *

* = w/ Elvis Perkins in Dearland

White Rabbits 2009 Tour Dates:

Continue to support their latest LP, It’s Frightening, White Rabbits have mapped out a U.S. tour for this October and November. Joining them on the trek, which runs from October 17th to November 10th, will be Suckers, Local Natives, and Glass Ghost. Tickets for select dates are available beginning via Ticketmaster.com.

09/23 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
10/17 – Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel *%
10/18 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s *%
10/20 – Providence, RI @ Club Hell *%
10/21 – Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse Music Hall *%
10/22 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground *%
10/23 – Montreal, QC @ Il Motore *%
10/24 – Toronto, ON @ The Drake Hotel *%
10/25 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick *%
10/27 – St. Louis, MO @ The Firebird *%
10/29 – Columbia, MO @ Blue Note *%
10/30 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge %
11/01 – Tempe, AZ @ Clubhouse #%
11/02 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre #%
11/04 – San Francisco, CA @ Slim’s #%
11/05 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom #%
11/06 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret #%
11/09 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center %
11/10 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom %

* = w/ Suckers
# = w/ Local Natives
% = w/ Glass Ghost

Smack in the middle of those dates, the band’s new EP drops October 20. Entitled Doomsday, the six-track release’s titular number was previously included on the March 10, 2009 album Elvis Perkins in Dearland; another song off Doomsday, “Stop Drop Rock and Roll”, often appeared on set lists during the band’s most recent gigs.

Here’s what Elvis himself had to say about Doomsday:

“We call this thing The Doomsday EP for obvious reasons, and its middle name to which it also answers is The EP of the Id. Being drawn to the many faces of the American strain it seems we have more or less subconsciously produced a collection speaking to/and or from several of them at once. It’s a document of impulses sleeping egos and their superiors let pass to tape. I myself didn’t know what these songs sounded like in the hands of EPID until they were processed and played back. You have a song that arrived like the rest of us by boat, a selection from the Sacred Harp, a rock ‘n roll heralding the eternal advent of rock ‘n roll, an ode to the soul of the undead and, finally (and firstly), two takes on a single song called Doomsday, one which comes from our March release and the other which leans in the direction of its original conception as something of a gospel number. And here they all are, risen from their cribs and graves, under one moonlight while their folks and undertakers look the other way.”

Folks, this is what happens when you let your kids grow up to become English majors at Brown.

Elvis Perkins in Dearland 2009 Tour Dates:
09/02 – New York, NY @ Housing Works Bookstore Cafe
09/03 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
09/05 – Seattle, WA @ Bumbershoot Festival
10/02 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
10/03 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
10/04 – San Francisco, CA @ Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival
10/31 – Woodstock, NY @ Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble
11/01 – Charleston, WV @ Mountain Stage
11/03 – Charlottesville, VA @ The Southern *
11/04 – Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle Tavern & Music Hall *
11/05 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl *
11/06 – St. Augustine, FL @ Cafe 11 *
11/07 – Orlando, FL @ The Social *
11/09 – Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder *
11/10 – Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree *
11/11 – New Orleans, LA @ The Parish *
11/12 – Houston, TX @ Walters On Washington *
11/13 – Austin, TX @ The Parish *
11/14 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
11/16 – Little Rock, AR @ Sticky Fingerz Chicken Shack *
11/18 – Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar *
11/20 – St. Louis, MO @ Gargoyle Club *
11/21- Chicago, IL @ TBD *
11/30 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
12/01 – Providence, RI @ The Hi Hat
12/02 – Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel
12/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
12/04 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
12/05 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

* = w/ A.A. Bondy

Sun and The Boss. It was hard not to be excited about those two things as Saturday descended on the green fields of Bonnaroo. And that’s without mentioning everything else making up day three. Trent? Wilco? The Mars Volta? A lack of mud, well, kind of? It was certainly a day worth remembering…

Elvis Perkins In Dearland:
This Tent: 12:30-1:30

There’s a lot of mystique surrounding the man who goes by the name of Elvis Perkins. Most know that his father was Norman Bates in the original Psycho and that his mother was tragically killed in September 11th.  But what does that say about him as a performer? Not much. Unfortunately, when he and the rest of Dearland made their way on stage Saturday morning, much of that air of mystery remained. Elvis Perkins is a weird dude, and his cleverly lackadaisical delivery of slow churning pscyh folk only exacerbates his oddness. He was interesting to watch, and as the set progressed, the band’s energy level rose notably. They even invited the cast of Bon Iver, Justin Vernon and all (why he didn’t have Justin sing on a track was confusing), for the last few songs. It was a good way to start another great day of music. – DL

Booker T & the Drive-By Truckers:
Which Stage: 3:00-4:45

Technically, there was no super jam as this year’s Bonnaroo, though one can certainly make a case that Booker T and the Drive-By Truckers’ performance on the Which Stage on Saturday afternoon was just as good as any super jam of Bonnaroo’s past. Maybe it was just the combination of Booker T’s soulful organ and the rock fury of the Drive-By Truckers shelling out classics like “Green Onions”, but that was just something particularly captivating about the hour-long performance that left quite a bit of awe. – AY

Rodrigo y Gabriela:
What Stage: 3:30-5:00

It’s always a pleasure to hear the glorious sounds of Rodrigo y Gabriela’s flamenco induced, acoustic guitar playing, but it was the magic behind this Mexican duo that kept everyone’s spirits high during the sun’s peak hours on the What Stage. Known for their fast, rhythmic guitar playing the duo captivated the audience with what they’ve always done best, along with impressive solos and a couple of new songs from their currently unreleased album 11:11. As always, Rodrigo continuously grabbed the crowd’s attention by repeatedly asking for our assistance carrying the beat, which made their hour and a half performance fly by almost too quickly, despite of course, our aching and raw palms. By then end, the crowd was left in a stupor; completely numb from watching Rodrigo’s fingers fly vertically along the fret board as Gabriela geared our focus towards her wavering fingers and unique rhythmic knuckle playing. – AF

Bon Iver:
This Tent: 3:30-4:45

The name may translate to “Good Winter” in French, perhaps raising some doubts as to how the chilly, atmospheric folk would translate in the blistering Tennessee heat. But, for Justin Vernon and the rest of Bon Iver, the name could mean “Bad Band” and they would still blow everybody within a hundred feet right off their feet. Justin and the dudes that make up the impossibly humble, yet unbelievably powerful Bon Iver, did exactly that on Saturday. The large “This Tent” was packed tight with bodies. I mean packed. Rumor has it that Drew Berrymore and Justin Long watched on from the equally populated VIP area to the stages side. There really wasn’t a more electric crowd at all of Bonnaroo, and for good reason. This was a hair raising, bone chilling, downright beautiful thing to witness. And it wasn’t soft or cutesy either. Throughout the unbelievable performance, Vernon attacked his electric guitar, two drummers slammed their arms down with great force, and atmospheric textures still found their way in. Perfect control was the key here, and it was there in excess. Vernon sat down with his national resonator for a stirring rendition of “Skinny Love,” with every single audience member singing along. He stood up and thrashed on songs like “Wolves” in a set that included a wonderful cover of Yo La Tengo’s “I Feel Like Going Home” and highlights from the beautiful For Emma, Forever Ago.

The true high point of the best performance at 2009’s installment of Bonnaroo (yep, I said it), however, came at the set’s bittersweet end. Nobody wanted the guys to exit the stage, but it would have been wrong to attempt to follow up all the raw energy and utter passion that Vernon and the rest of his band brought out during the impossibly climactic “Wolves”. With the crowd filling in by chanting the mantra-like ending lyrics “What might have been lost” Vernon was able to take his falsetto to immeasurable heights, impossibly crooning his way to a finish. Drums crashed, and chaos ensued before it was all over and the guys walked off of the stage, drenched in sweat (at least Justin was). Not one person could say it didn’t leave them standing in amazement, and the festival’s true highlight left everybody wanting to see Bon Iver again as soon as humanly possible. It may not have been a good winter, but it was definitely a phenomenal something. – DL

Of Montreal:
This Tent: 5:30-6:30

Just a few years ago, there weren’t many people who knew of Of Montreal. But, after countless tours and ridiculous stage shows, the media took them under their wing and come Saturday at Bonnaroo, the band’s set at That Stage was packed to the brim. The scene that soon ensued went something like this: After making fans wait 15 minutes past their original start time – thanks elaborate stage setup!, a man dressed in a suit and tiger mask appeared and smashed a bottle over Beatle Bob, who, yes, is still alive and was getting ready to introduce the band. Then, strode out the members of Of Montreal in their flamboyant costumes sending the crowd into a frenzy. A few minutes into the first song a Christmas tree was brought on stage by an assistant in a gas mask. He was joined by three others in zip-up pajamas who danced around opening their gifts; the first two were gas masks and the third was poison gas that resulted in the death of one of the kids. Out there? You bet.

Needless to say, Of Montreal’s hour long performance was easily one of the more entertaining sets of the weekend. Of the music played, because Of Montreal is a band first and foremost, the biggest highlight had to be the 12-minute epic that was “Past Is A Grotesque Animal” from 2007′s Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? If you weren’t a fan of Montreal before the performance, you certainly left as one. If you were under the influence before the performance, you left scared shitless. – AK

Wilco:
What Stage: 6:00-8:00

Of course, at the Which Stage on Saturday, Wilco did what Wilco always does when they perform. They put on a solid show, filled with explosive energy, laid back whimsical philosophy, and heartbreaking tragedy all in one performance. Playing a great deal of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and highlights from most of their more recent studio albums, including the brand new Wilco (The Album), Wilco made a good choice by not trying to pull of a new album listening party in the form of a live performance. It was hard not to have a good time with Jeff and the rest of the guys in such highs spirits. Tweedy’s touchingly pathetic attempt at humor made fans remember why they fell in love with him in the first place: “If you guys start booing us, we have a built in excuse tonight.  We’ll just pretend you’re saying Bruuuuce.” With little crowd laughter, Tweedy pleaded, “I worked on that all day.” But there was no booing to be seen as Nels Cline shredded his strings and bent his guitar’s bridge, Glen Kotche effortlessly flailed about his drum set, and every one else did their part. The controlled chaos that Wilco can bring forth to seemingly simple songs is always great to see live. At the end, the guys proved they aren’t lying when they say “Wilco will love you.” – DL

The Mars Volta:
Which Stage: 7:15-8:45

Playing on the main stage at the same time as The Decemberists and Elvis Costello proved to be a rough decision, but it was hard to say no to The Mars Volta, what with their unique progressive-psychedelic-experimental-the-list-could-go-on rock sounds? As guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López slipped into the groove, frontman Cedric Bixler-Zavala revved up his stage show, whipping around his white microphone cable while singing very apt lines like, “Give me that corpse please/That one that tore nightly/I really want it now.” Because he doesn’t play an instrument, Bixler-Zavala sought to match Rodríguez-López’s mind shattering riffs by falling to the ground and gyrating around the stage, all of which could have been more suitable for a nighttime slot.

“We’re gonna play one from our first album,” Bixler-Zavala declared. “Because according to our fans, all the other ones suck!” That, of course, led to “Drunkship of Lanterns”, the long, sweet and sour epic off 2003′s De-Loused in the Comatorium. In the audience, one fan casually remarked that she went to high school with the prog-rockers and when asked what they were like, she said, “Just like this. They did their own thing and told everyone else to fuck off.” Word to the wise: Let them do what they please, The Mars Volta put on an incredible show, even despite the rosy sun. – AK

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band:
What Stage: 9:30-12:30

It’s hard to sum up the three hours of heart-stopping, earth-shaking, love-making, Viagra-taking music that descended on Bonnaroo’s What Stage at 9:28 p.m. and refused to let go until three hours later. After all, entering the festival, there were about as many questions surrounding Bruce Springsteen & the Street Band‘s headlining performance as there were sun burnt, wide eyed campers conjugated at the What Stage waiting for Springsteen to appear from the shadows. How would Springsteen translate to a festival with a particularly strong jam base, especially in a year where Phish would be performing two sets? How would the ordinary festival fan react? How would the new material go over? Would he even dare to play it? Would The Boss take advantage of the slew of adoring artists willing to scramble on stage for a guest appearance at a moments notice?

This wasn’t New Jersey. This was Manchester, Tennessee.

By a little after midnight, our questions had been answered, with many perhaps different than what was originally guessed. There were no Morellos, Escovedos, or Anastasios on Saturday night. Minus an appearance from Evan Springsteen during “American Land”, this was strictly an E Street Band performance.

Set wise, Springsteen played it safe, seemingly well aware that a large contingent of the audience wasn’t familiar of selections past the greatest hits. So, following a few numbers from his latest offering, Working on a Dream, The Boss did just that – he opened with “Badlands”, thrilled with “Out in the Street” and “The River”, and offered an encore featuring “Rosalita”, “Glory Days” and “Dancing in the Dark” back-to-back-to-back. When request time came, the vibe was much of the same: Rather than embark on the latest edition of “Stump the Band,” Springsteen took to a performance of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” – I kid you not!, “Growing Up”, and “Thunder Road”.

Three hours and 28 songs later, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band had answered all the aforementioned questions. Some, like most of the 80,000 who watched the band on Saturday night, surely walked away impressed with thoughts ranging from “Wow, I got to see ‘Born to Run’, dude” to “How old is that guy?” Others, such as the small contingent of Springsteen diehards who traveled to Manchester for the weekend, likely had an opposite opinions, perhaps a bit displeased by the greatest hits and cheesy mentality of the set.

My answer to the latter perspective? The Giants Stadium, WOAD shows will return. But for one night, in a field in Manchester, Tennessee, The Boss went a different route, one which made for one memorable evening for those 80,000 gathered in that field in Manchester, Tennessee. – AY

Nine Inch Nails:
Which Stage: 1:00-3:00

It’s hard to believe Trent Reznor when he says that this will be Nine Inch Nails’ final tour. After all, Reznor has taken long breaks in between albums up until his recent kick of productivity. But it sounded so sincere when mid-set Reznor stated, “It just dawned on me that tonight is our last show in the US.” If NIN genius is indeed calling it quits for good, then Saturday’s 1 AM set made everyone in attendance quite mournful of the loss. Drawing highlights from nearly every one of NIN’s albums, the set was chock full of raucous sing alongs and heart wrenching ballads that only Reznor could pin down. Skittish drum machines, ominous fog, and glaring strobe lights welcomed Reznor and touring band to the stage. The guys were at the top of their game, in a performance that was different from most other NIN shows. Instead of the usual, perfectly orchestrated, art-piece like NIN show, Reznor’s Bonnaroo performance came across as a raw, impromptu, intimate performance. Perhaps this was due to the rather informal way everything was done, the minimal band size (only four of them), and the lack of ornate lighting (though the lights weren’t completely simple). It was like seeing them in your backyard, despite the huge crowd that looked on. Everybody was chanting along to “Head Like A Hole” and “The Hand that Feeds”, and a surprise cover of Joy Division’s “Dead Souls” was exciting, but not until the stunning rendition of “Hurt” did it feel like this was the last time any of us would see NIN again. As Reznor sang the sad tune, nearly on the verge of tears, lighters went up, and he signed off, possibly for the last time ever on American soil. – DL

Yeasayer:
That Tent: 1:00-1:45

Yeasayer has come a long way since releasing All Hour Cymbals back in 2007, and Saturday night’s set must have been a milestone for them as they played to their largest audience yet in the That Tent. The band’s live set has changed some over the past year and a half as they have expanded it bringing on another member to help out on the electronic percussion which in turn has allowed Chris Keating to become more of a front man. Their sound has also expanded as they continue to rework old favorites like the more guitar focused “2080” and the spacey opener “Sunrise”. The energy was huge in the shrinking tent as the band introduced new songs that had some people wondering if they had been slipped something. Vocal effects, reverb, and some huge bass lines kept the dancing up with the roar of the audience getting louder after every song. For a band that had often been missed at the bottom of festival line-ups, this was their long awaited introduction to the music community, and it was a mind blowing one at that. – EM

MGMT:
That Tent: 2:15-3:45

This time last year, MGMT managed a popular Thursday night spot, which one could certainly argue attested to their rise in popularity over the last year. On early Sunday morning, the duo of Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden, now backed by a full band, returned to Bonnaroo for a much anticipated late night set at That Tent. And, well, some of the things that went down easily rivaled the festival’s biggest names. Although main stage act Nine Inch Nails were set up at Which Stage for an epic late night set at the same time, MGMT seemed to hold more than a candle to Reznor and Co. That Tent proved to be too small, with the crowd not only overflowing the boundaries of the tent itself, but spilled all the way back to the vendor stands and merch tents. Glow stick wars rivaled Phish’s Sunday set and standards “Time to Pretend”, “Electric Feel” and “Kids” electrified the crowd. One can now only wonder what where MGMT will be this time next year. If their Bonnaroo set is any indication, the duo could rise to be one of the most exciting acts in, hell, the entire world. – TB

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Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3:

Elvis Perkins In Dearland:

Booker T & the Drive-By Truckers:

Bon Iver:

Press Conference feat. Triumph the Insult Comic Dog:

Of Montreal:

Wilco:

Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band:

Nine Inch Nails:

Yeasayer:

Perkins’s thoughtfully tempered, wistful/brooding folk-pop has, as a matter of course, garnered all the attendant comparisons to Bob Dylan (as well as Tom Waits, Van Morrison, Nick Drake and even Leonard Cohen), but the Dylan-ness of his delivery at this performance was startlingly and surprisingly full-on. “Chains Chains Chains” may as well have been “My Back Pages”; “Emile’s Vietnam in the Sky” came off as a plodding copy of “Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again”.  Here’s a bit of 12-bar blues; there’s a hit of harmonica; and didn’t that last number sound an awful lot like “Maggie’s Farm”? The fact that Perkins himself often sings with nasally intonations and keeps his harmonica strapped ever-ready at his jaw, well, didn’t help. The overall effect wasn’t one of imitation or mimicry — rather, it was just the unshakable bummer that the music didn’t sound more singular and unique.

But hey, at least Perkins, unlike Dylan, doesn’t suck balls live. Though of few words, the former’s camaraderie with the crowd was palpable (he actually referred to a young, female concertgoer as “ma’am”), and in turn, the Dearland devoted couldn’t have listened more reverentially (to the occasional point of near-silence). Drummer Nick Kinsey added a welcomed dash of theatrics getting out from behind his kit, strapping a bass drum and cymbal to his chest and cavorting about the stage with carefree vigor. His percussion bolstered Dearland’s hushed arrangements with a Dodos-esque thumping, which was likewise well complemented by the Tin Pan Alley-ish, brass-section support of the opening band, The Woes, a New York-based, alt-country/ragtime/funk-soul outfit that fucking rocked the night’s first set.

Somewhere past the midway point, the band left the Dylan behind. With the traditional “Crucifixion Song”, its sound began to shimmer with a spiritual rockabilly vibe. That then carried over into the church-derived blues-rock of “Stop, Drop, Rock and Roll”, a nostalgia-dusted ditty that practically begged for a Chuck Berry duck walk to be done across the stage (which probably would have cracked the femurs on Perkins’ hunched, skeletal frame). And then Perkins brought out his two most popular singles — “Shampoo”, with its working-song undertones and, as the last encore, the hooky ballad “While You Were Sleeping” — and finally, fantastically, he sounded exactly like himself.

Photo support by EAR FARM.

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For better or for worse, Perkins seems to have shed a great deal of the Mangumisms on his second effort, and first with a proper band (Dearland). Needless to say, the addition of a large scale backing band provides more energy and a fuller sound.  Perkins is in good company, with like-minded musicians helping him convey his thoughts.  As he strums his choice of electric or acoustic, his harmonicas hum, bass drums pound, horns blow, accordions sparkle, organs drone, and we have a sort of Americana/folk-rock ensemble on our hands. Whereas Ash Wednesday seemed to stay spacious and low key, Dearland is noticeably louder and bigger. After some atmospheric carnival sounds from the first few seconds of “Shampoo”, loud drums explode into a powerful tune. Right from the start, textures are a plenty throughout, and that raises the bar overall. The guy (Mr. Perkins) even takes some sonic leaps with the electric guitar rocking “I’ll Be Arriving”; loud chains clank cinematically over a church organ, and fuzzed out vocals all get closed out by elephantine horns.  While this is the most obscure and varied that the album gets, it certainly shows that Elvis and his new group of mates are willing to take some risks, however small they may be. This is only one unexpected track on a group of otherwise pretty conservative tunes. Of course, the voice that once brought Jeff Mangum’s pipes to mind still sits behind the mic, though not as obviously so. The vocals sound a little different on each track.  They almost take on a Celtic feel on “I Heard Your Voice in Dresden”, and with each subsequent song it seems that they seem to have found their own, dare I say, unique qualities.

Lyrically, things seem to have taken a step back from the whimsical and unintelligible –honestly, what was “Emile’s Vietnam in the Sky” about?– and have ventured into more coherent and clever territory.  Perkins sports his wittiness with lines like “some maps said our love is lost, but I swear I know my way from here.”    Perkins also shows he can be equally poignant and funny on songs like “Send My Fond Regards to Lonelyville.” “Doomsday” provides a comical look at the apocalypse with hilarious lines such as “And though you voted for that awful man, I would not refuse your hand on doomsday.”  While most songs are somewhat straightforward, Dearland doesn’t stray completely away from the cryptic, providing for an equally easy and challenging listen.

As Perkins ventures into Dearland, both figuratively and literally, he becomes less lonely. He can tone it down at times, but more often than not, songs are bursting with energy, and seem to be more optimistic than not. Even as he sings about mourning, Perkins seems cheerful: “I love you so much more in death than I ever could have in life.” It’s a fine sophomore effort from a guy who seems to have come out of nowhere, (another reason for my original Jeff Mangum suspicions), as a forlorn folk connoisseur. Elvis Perkins in Dearland is exactly what you would expect if you were told that Elvis Perkins was getting together with a band for his new record. It’s not shocking in the least, but it does turn out to be a good listen. With a group of friends at his back, Perkins takes his folk based rock to the next level.  Loneliness can work well for some, and happiness equally for others, but for Elvis Perkins and his new set, both seem to be playing their part.

Check Out:

Produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Chris Shaw, perhaps best known for his work with Bob Dylan and Ween, the 10-track effort was recorded in Upstate New York and seeks to convey the spirit of the band’s live performance. Per Perkins:

“This album is faster and younger than Ash Wednesday.  Being in a studio with three other creatives instead of just one was a new thing for me.  It takes four times as long to decide everything… but in the end, this kind of interplay made for much good.”

Perkins and Co. are currently offering an early taste of their debut effort in the form of three online streams, including an organ-heavy track, entitled “Shampoo”, via their website.

The band will tour in extensively in support of the release. Dates are still forthcoming.

Elvis Perkins in Dearland Tracklist:
01. Shampoo
02. Hey
03. Hours Last Stand
04. I Heard Your Voice in Dresden
05. Send My Fond Regards to Lonelyville
06. I’ll Be Arriving
07. Chains, Chains, Chains
08. Doomsday
09. 123 Goodbye
10. How’s Forever Been Baby