What’s up world? Did you have a good week? I know I did because we got more fly videos, and “Yonkers” won some VMAs. It seems all is right in the music video world. The internet has become the place to see your favorite videos, and as always, we got the ones on the top of the food chain here at Cluster 1. You can always peep that shit here on our site.

But remember folks, we aren’t closed minded. In fact, we are always looking for the next awesome video to post. So, if you think you got some skills, and want to bring something to our attention, please feel free. The bigger the flow of superb filmmaking, the happier we are. And then you can see your work on here, and that will make you happy.

And maybe you could even get into our top 10 countdown, and that makes you happy and famous. Submit some of that quality work. -Ted Maider

CoS and Cluster 1 at Outside Lands ‘11

As always, we at Cluster 1 try to hit as much as we can within the festival circuit. Last month, we landed at San Francisco’s Outside Lands to see if the festival keeps the Bay Area spirit alive. Here’s what we found.

Clock DJ

It’s short, sweet, and a totally awesome idea. This video falls under a minute, and shows what it’s like to play with time in the modern world. Remixes, turntable scientifics, and all that stuff is really just manipulating time in a sense. Director David Salaices takes this concept to a whole new level, and mixes it up…with clocks!

Dolorean – “Black Hills Gold”

Forests can either be some of the most peaceful places on Earth or some of the scariest. In the case of “Black Hills Gold”, director Dicky Dahl goes with the latter. The fact that it was inspired by the untimely death of Beach Boy Dennis Wilson ups the creepiness of this Dolorean video tenfold.

Kid Savant – “4 Years”

Skydiving is pretty extreme – enough to warrant inclusions in Mountain Dew ads. But, Kid Savant takes it to the next level. Here, people jump out of the plane with plants, bicycles, and a Laz-E-Boy (hey, might as well be comfortable). The climax of this video is absolutely beautiful and visually mesmerizing, but you’ll have to fall a few thousand feet before you get there.

Panda Bear – “Alsatian Darn”

Some fan-made videos can be too pretentious and over-the-top. Not this one. Animation buff Ori Toor claims that he likes to improvise his animation. While this video was indeed made by a lone smarty-pants, it looks like something you would find in your iTunes visualizer (except hand drawn to perfection), but there’s almost specific images to go with the random shapes. In fact, it goes with “Alsatian Darn” so well, it’s hard to imagine this song without the simplistic, yet visually fascinating images that take forth.

Paristetris – “Sponge Ideas”

Claymation has always been a trip since its birth. Just think back to stuff like Gumby and Wallace and Gromit. This five-minute clip for “Sponge Ideas” takes that to a modern level of weird. Luckily, there’s a pet octopus around for all sorts of fun hijinks.

Pepepiano – “Fallopian Dudes”

There’s the apocalypse dudes, the Dude-Sons, The Dude, and now there’s “Fallopian Dudes”. This video is full of beautiful slow-motion shots of people jumping. Some are just casually jumping in the air, while others jump off dunes (from personal experience, I can say this is very fun), and jumping into pools. How’s the air up there folks?

Timber Timbre – “Too Old to Die Young”

Here’s something you’ll see in this video: sperm latches onto an egg, only to become a dude’s bald head, which then turns into a set of hands, which then turns into…okay, just watch it. Just not on any sort of illicit substances, please.

White Lies – “Holy Ghost”

This video starts off with the opening of a dusty old novel. However, I would like to know what novel this is, as the story seems very scattered and relatively erotic. Chapters include titles like “Wisdom”, “Understanding”, and “Piety”. Each chapter is accompanied by a sort of visual, whether it be a scenic landscape, a small child taming a horse, or people doing flips in the air. Eventually, things get biblical…

Wonderland

Photographer Catherine Hyland has beautifully captured the decaying husk of what was to be the largest theme park in Asia. With wide shots, creepy sounds, and unusual scenery, this video really does a good job of sending chills down your spine. You’ll never think of a place like Disney Land the same again.

Because of the quality of headliners Osheaga attracted in 2010, it necessitated an expansion to three full days, a move that proved to be an unqualified success. (Just ask the beer and merchandise vendors!) It was an eventful weekend. The vibe was off the charts, the food was great, beer was literally brought to you, there were spectacular fireworks, and there was even a wedding presided over by Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips. Remember what they say: Whatever happens in Montreal…ends up on Consequence of Sound! And the best part of all? Looks like Osheaga is here to stay – The 2012 edition is already scheduled for August 3rd-5th next year!

-Gilles Leblanc
Staff Writer

Friday, July 29th

Sweet Thing – Galaxie Tree Stage – 4:00 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

Toronto pop rockers Sweet Thing got the sixth edition of the Osheaga Music and Arts Festival off to a flying start – Literally! Charismatic lead singer Owen Carrier seemed determined to fire up everyone gathered at the scenic Tree Stage for the long weekend ahead. He let some patrons up front shake his streamer-laden tambourine, and he also took a swig from a unsuspecting festivalgoer’s beer. I don’t think he left a tip, but here’s one from me to you… Check Sweet Thing out, especially the song “Change of Seasons”, recently featured in the trailer for Crazy, Stupid Love. -Gilles Leblanc

Kid Koala – BlackBerry River Stage – 4:00 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

After Kid Cudi’s cancellation, due to illness the morning of the festival, the festival managed to find another Kid…albeit in a koala bear costume. “I am not Kid Cudi,” Kid Koala announced through some booing from the audience before he launched into a light DJ set. Due to the last minute booking of his performance, he didn’t have his laptop with him, forcing him to stick to old fashioned record spinning at the turntable. Vintage yet unsuccessful, leaving much of the crowd to dissipate. Oh well. -Stewart Wiseman

Lights – Sennheiser Green Stage – 4:20 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

Lights is the alias for Valerie Poxleitner, a lovely young girl from the same Northern Ontario town as Shania Twain. She plays cutesy electro pop with a tinge of guitar, which the young women not already at the main stage area for Eminem ate up. I don’t mean to accuse her of something like this, as she’s obviously talented, but it looked like her mic was on a bit too much of a fade at times, if you know what I mean (as in she MAY have been lip-synching). I caught her later happily posing for pictures at the artist’s entrance, so all is well as far as her fans are concerned! -Gilles Leblanc

The Knux – Budweiser Mountain Stage – 4:40 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

After a short DJ set, New Orleans’ own The Knux were welcomed to the stage with the crowd shouting “Knux! Knux! Knux! Knux!”. Oddly enough, the fanfare died down and festivalgoers remained rather stoic, despite suggestions by an energetic Krispy. But, here’s an act that’s different than many in the highly contested genre. For one, the members can fill in on instruments when they’re not rhyming. During “Capuccino”, Joey laid some guitar solos down that worked behind Krispy’s flow. It was this versatility that brought the crowd up again, and by the time they reached “Bang Bang”, their closer for the set, the crowd knew they were seeing quality rappers with a bright future to come. -Stewart Wiseman

Uncle Bad Touch – Galaxie Tree Stage – 5:00 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

No creepy, incestuous in-laws back at the Tree Stage, just some straightforward, honest-to-goodness garage rock by a band from Montreal titillatingly called Uncle Bad Touch. With a healthy dose of Led Zeppelin thrown in. Not only that, two of their four members are female, including a tambourine player named Julia who was making her debut with them. And I found out from singer/bassist ‘Mikey’ that they’re coming to Toronto in a few weeks to play a free show with Parlovr – Formidable! -Gilles Leblanc

Charles Bradley – BlackBerry River Stage – 5:20 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

At 63 years old, it’s a wonder why Charles Bradley wasn’t discovered earlier. At Osheaga, the new legend performed one of the most beloved sets of the weekend, and songs like the soul stirring “This World (Is Going Up In Flames)” had the whole audience grooving along. The good vibes carried out until the end, when Bradley finished his set with a surprise cover of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold”, reworked in an unimaginable soul comb over. That sent the Canadians over the edge – but also Bradley himself. The grateful look in his eyes hinted that he’s finally found his place in music: amongst the great soul voices of our time. -Stewart Wiseman

Broken Social Scene – Budweiser Mountain Stage – 6:10 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

The Canadian indie-rock pioneers attracted the first big crowd of the day, and vocalist Kevin Drew thanked Montreal for how well they’ve been treated over the last 10 years, stating how the band can always depend on the city to be there for them. Opening with “KC Accidental”, Broken Social Scene bled out their trademark raw energy, issuing solid cuts of “Forced to Love”, “Texico Bitches”, and a cover of Modest Mouse’s “The World At Large”. A couple of surprises, though. For “Almost Crimes” (off 2002′s You Forgot It in the People), Brendan Canning invited local singer Arielle Engle to join in for the biggest rocker of the set. And while “World Sick” didn’t make the 50 minute set, they did throw in “Meet Me in the Basement”, performed by not so much a band but better yet a tight family that maintains a very healthy relationship. -Stewart Wiseman

Bran Van 3000 – BlackBerry River Stage –  7:05 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

With Kid Cudi withdrawing due to illness, recently reunited Montreal collective Bran Van 3000 moved up a slot. It became somehow appropriate that they followed Broken Social Scene, as you could argue that they were the late-’90s precursor to BSS’ formation in Toronto, only more electronic. When telling other music fans that I was going to Osheaga, I was surprised to hear how many people not only remembered BV3, but wished they could come with me to hear songs like “Drinking in L.A.” (from their 1997 album Glee). Newer stuff from their 2010 comeback The Garden was very well received too, namely “Grace (Love on the Block)” and “Jahrusalem”, which incorporate rapping/hip hop along with costumes on stage. One girl dressed up like a peacock! -Gilles Leblanc

Joseph Arthur – Sennheiser Green Stage – 7:15 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

So it didn’t draw the most, but Joseph Arthur held quite an intimate evening set. The Akron, OH folk singer started the block in nontraditional fashion – by painting. After finishing a modernist Picasso-esque piece, Arthur turned to his band of foot pedals, and swam about in his sea of loops. As much as the crowd asked him to play “Into the Sun”, he never touched it and stuck mainly to material from his latest effort, Graduation Ceremony. Lyrical lessons arrived in the form of “Black Lexus” and “Honey and the Moon”, the latter highlighting his essential strengths of providing words of wisdom via poetry. Where else would you see a spoken word piece involving oil paints? -Stewart Wiseman

The Rural Alberta Advantage – Galaxie Tree Stage – 8:00 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

Another Canadian draw, The Rural Alberta Advantage (RAA) took to one of the festival’s smallest stages, which in turn produced the most excited (and packed in) audience of the day. Travelers from all over – Calgary and St. Johns, to name a couple – arrived to see the group. So appreciative this crowd was – the last time RAA performed at Osheaga was ’09 – that at moments, the die-hards sang louder than singer Nils Edenloff. Still supporting their latest effort, 2011′s Departing, the set was quite heavy with newer material, with one standout being “Tornado 87″, thanks to its irresistibly catchy chorus. A key to the band’s success is their wide range of sounds. From the beautiful “In the Summertime” in which Amy Cole and Nils Edenloff traded vocals, to the rocking finale “The Deathbridge In Lethbridge” where drummer Paul Banwatt was at his best. Because of this, the RAA are a band loaded with songs for every musical taste, and their performance on Friday night was only a glimpse into what’s to come. -Stewart Wiseman

Janelle Monáe – Budweiser Mountain Stage – 8:05 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

Janelle Monáe didn’t just take advantage of the huge crowd waiting for Eminem; she knocked a home run right out of Parc Jean-Drapeau and into the Saint Lawrence River with a performance that had Montreal raving about her so much, she became a trending topic on Twitter. It was funky to the max, energetic beyond belief, and boundlessly creative. With her backing band sharply decked out in varying degrees of black and white, Monáe entered fully covered in a cloak accompanied by two similarly dressed “druids” before shedding her garment and launching into “Dance or Die” off her breakthrough album The ArchAndroid. We got her hits “Cold War” and “Tightrope” back-to-back, as well as an absolutely KILLER cover of “I Want You Back” by The Jackson 5. We even got to see her artistic side as she painted an impromptu picture in glitter during instrumental parts of songs. -Gilles Leblanc

Eminem – BlackBerry River Stage –  9:20 p.m.

One word heard all night Friday during Eminem’s return to Canada as a headliner was « malade. » Translated, it means sick, with a similar meaning to how English-speaking kids use it today slang-wise, only more amplified, more frenzied. Yeah, I’d say it’s a suitable way to characterize the Osheaga-record throng of 38,000 ‘hip hop heads’ who came to see Mr. Mathers before he hits Chicago for the 20th anniversary of Lollapalooza. Eminem sure wasn’t afraid to play up that we were witnessing something historic, from the dramatic opening video to the hard road he’s been on that led to his latest chart toppers Relapse and Recovery, pausing occasionally to remind Montreal how much he’s missed the city.

Photo by Bobby Foley

I don’t know about momentous, but there were an abundance of highlights – Royce da 5’9” made a guest appearance for “Fast Lane” and “Lighters” (Em even wore a white Bad Meets Evil T-shirt to commemorate the occasion). There were tributes to 2Pac and Nate Dogg. But the biggest cheers were saved for Eminem’s greatest hits medley, where he rapped a verse from each of “My Name Is”, “The Real Slim Shady”, and “Without Me”. That is until everyone lost their collective $#!% when they heard the riff to ‘Lose Yourself’ after a short encore break. An explosive finish to a stellar Day 1 of Osheaga! -Gilles Leblanc

Saturday, July 30th

The 222s – Budweiser Mountain Stage – 1:00 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

The thing that was maybe most impressive about Osheaga in 2011 was how receptive the crowds were to so many bands, even The 222s, who were probably NEVER up this early back in their late-1970s punk prime. Hailed back then as one of the genre’s first ever bands from Quebec, they reformed last year for North by Northeast, but this was their debut at a fest like Osheaga. And it doesn’t look like this will be just another one-off, as they had people bopping their heads to their fun fun fun Ramones-indebted songs like ‘I Love Suzan.’ -Gilles Leblanc

The Midway State – BlackBerry River Stage –  1:30 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

Montreal and Toronto aren’t always the best of friends, for reasons that extend far beyond music. The “Centre of the Universe”, as Toronto is sometimes called derogatively outside its borders, actually had quite a heavy presence at Osheaga 2011, including alt-rockers The Midway State. They just released their second album, Paris or India, a couple of weeks ago, and were in full showcase mode Saturday afternoon. By the reaction new tracks like “Alive”, “Fire!”, and “Lightning” got when they were played, it was as if a busload of Torontonians had made the 6+ hour trip to the festival…and encouraged everyone else to cheer them on! -Gilles Leblanc

Manchester Orchestra – Budweiser Mountain Stage – 2:00 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

“I took French for seven years and failed every year of it,” frontman Andy Hull announced to an adoring crowd. Luckily, he didn’t need his French skills to communicate to the French speaking crowd; from the first strum of his guitar the crowd was already into it. Atlanta, GA’s Manchester Orchestra knocked out 40 minutes of catchy pop-rock. With vocals that ranged from soft-spoken to aggressive rage, Andy Hull made the crowd familiar with his music, which seemed fitting given that the first time they played in Montreal there were only 18 people in the crowd. “Shake It Out” turned things up a notch, building a chin dance from the crowd. All in all, a very surprisingly enjoyable set. -Stewart Wiseman

The High Dials – Galaxie Tree Stage – 2:10 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

In need of some shade after being out in the open and exposed directly to the sun, I headed to the comfortable Tree Stage for the first time Saturday to take note of The High Dials from Montreal. They didn’t help cool me off much, as their psychedelic rock-meets-power pop got bodies working up a sweat, and when their saxophone-playing friend joined them for a handful of songs, forget about it! And I must say, they also had the most radical-looking amplifier case of anyone I covered at Osheaga, as it was littered with stickers of admirable bands like The Kills and Franz Ferdinand as well as places they’ve conceivably travelled to in the relatively short time they’ve been together. -Gilles Leblanc

Hey Rosetta! – BlackBerry River Stage –  2:40 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

Hey Rosetta! has been receiving more and more attention as of late, and their set at Osheaga helped them win over many new fans. The folk-rockers from Newfoundland mainly played songs off their latest LP Seeds, and proved to the audience why they were put on the Polaris Prize short list. The crowd picked up “Yer Spring” relatively quickly, and echoed the line “I’m going up!” along with vocalist Tim Baker for the song’s entirety. Smiles were apparent on the faces of many in the crowd, and it seems that Hey Rosetta!’s music has a way of lifting the spirits of a whole audience. This was quite apparent when the band closed with a cover of The Constantines’ “Do What You Can Do”, an anthem about doing more to help others, which Hey Rosetta! definitely did on Saturday by helping make Osheaga a memorable event. -Stewart Wiseman

Mother Mother – Galaxie Tree Stage – 3:10 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

After taking a quick beer break, I was amazed by how many more people were now at the Tree Stage in anticipation of Vancouver’s Mother Mother. Once mohawk sporting singer/guitarist Ryan Guldemond and the rest of his band got going, it was easy to see what all the fuss is about. I don’t know if the same holds true for the rest of the country, but these guys (and two girls, including Ryan’s sister Molly) are gaining a lot of steam in Toronto – Two songs from their 2011 album Eureka, “The Stand” and “Baby Don’t Dance”, have been getting significant airplay on modern rock radio station 102.1 The Edge, and they’re booked to playSound Academy this September. -Gilles Leblanc

Tokyo Police Club - Budweiser Mountain Stage – 3:20 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

Over 40 minutes, vocalist and bassist David Monks’ high-energy antics kept the crowd in line, which happened to be the first great gathering of Saturday. Pulling from 2008′s Elephant Shell and 2010′s Champ, the Canadian outfit received the best response from earlier work, especially the tender “Tessellate” and “Nature of the Experiment”. In a smart move, they closed their set with the very fitting “Your English Is Good”, a song which united the voices of the French and English speaking people into one universal language. Much has changed here, and for the good. -Stewart Wiseman

John Butler Trio – BlackBerry River Stage –  4:00 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

I learned at Osheaga that Australia’s John Butler Trio have some pretty hardcore Canadian fans. They were the only band I can remember where people brought handmade signs for them – One in particular was from a “Sheila” claiming she had trekked all the way from Vancouver (nearly 5,000 kilometres, or 3,000 miles) JUST to see them!  I also learned that the John Butler Trio were one of the more rocking bands at Osheaga; when Butler himself wasn’t getting’ down and bluesy with his lap slide guitar, he was kickin’ up a proverbial storm playing banjo-fuelled bluesgrass. An easy highlight of the entire weekend for me. -Gilles Leblanc

Sam Roberts Band – Budweiser Mountain Stage – 4:50 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

When Arcade Fire headlined Osheaga in 2010, it showed how powerful the Montreal crowd can get supporting a major hometown act, and that’s exactly what happened when Sam Roberts and crew hit the stage. The much anticipated set started with the heavy hitting “I Feel You”, off his recent critically acclaimed effort Collider, and from there the crowd just continued to ignite. His first performance at home, at least in support of his latest LP, Roberts worked with a devoted following, which altogether felt more or less like a homecoming. As a result, he brought out some close friends, including Elizabeth Powell (lead singer of Land of Talk), who performed backup vocals on “Longitude”, and renown Montreal sax man Chet Doxas who joined Roberts’ brass section. To close out the set, Roberts shouted to the audience, “On va chanter ensemble mes amis,” before kicking into “Brotherdown”. In any other festival in the States, Sam Roberts might just be a second thought on a festival lineup; but in Montreal he was one of the most anticipated acts of the weekend. -Stewart Wiseman

PS I Love You – Galaxie Tree Stage – 6:30 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

PS I Love You are rapidly becoming the type of band you don’t ever get tired of seeing live, as something memorable is always bound to happen. When I saw them a little over a month ago at NXNE, Paul Saulnier and drummer Ben Nelson blew out an amp by the sheer force of their rawk. At Osheaga, Saulnier ‘only’ broke a string off his guitar, but he hardly bat an eye as he was too busy trying not to bite his protruding tongue. He also showed a good deal of wit, saying things like, “Don’t cheer, I’m just the roadie,” and “We’re PS I Love You, and we only have 12 minutes left.” I foresee big, big things for these Kingston boys. -Gilles Leblanc

Lupe Fiasco- Budweiser Mountain Stage – 6:30 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

After a day chock full of rap and hip hop, Lupe Fiasco had all of Saturday to own the genre. Chicago’s finer export kicked off with “Shining Down” which saw him parade around the stage in glory. Unlike some other acts, Fiasco didn’t need to try hard to pump up the crowd, as they were ready and willing to party. Where many rappers rely on beats to accompany their music, Fiasco’s band blended rock sounds with his rhymes in a surprisingly good combination. Things got weird halfway through his set, however, when Fiasco went on an anti-American rant that had many scratching their heads instead of cheering, but then again this is the same rapper who labeled President Barack Obama as “the biggest terrorist”.  Oh well. Closing with his biggest hit “The Show Goes On”, Fiasco brought the energy back and the party started once more. No new fans per se, but those who turned out had a blast. -Stewart Wiseman

Death from Above 1979 – BlackBerry River Stage –  7:25 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

Having seen Death from Above 1979 less than two weeks before at the Quebec City Summer Festival, I didn’t think they could get much more intense, but they may have actually topped what drummer/singer Sebastien Grainger himself called the best show so far on their reunion tour. The mosh pit at the main stage bordered on the insane, but what was even crazier (yet infinitely cool), was how several of Grainger’s friends in music, such as Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew and Jimmy Shaw from Metric (who he owns a recording studio in Toronto with), came out to support him and Jesse F. Keeler from down in front, in the photographer’s area, as opposed to side stage. -Gilles Leblanc

Ratatat – Sennheiser Green Stage – 8:15 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

A friend of mine who’s more well versed in electronica than yours truly insisted I see Ratatat, touting them as the “American Daft Punk.” I don’t know if I agree entirely with his declaration, but I’ll give Ratatat this: They know how to draw a crowd and throw a heck of a unique dance party, complete with a glassy, monolith-shaped projection system to add to everyone’s, um, trip! Dope, hand waving beats from mastermind producer Evan Mast were accentuated by bendy guitarist Mike Stroud. They were fun, but the festivities at the Green Stage would only get louder and more penetratingly pulsating as the weekend wore on… -Gilles Leblanc

Bright Eyes – Budweiser Mountain Stage – 8:15 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

To follow Fiasco’s fiesta was a little unfortunate for Conor Oberst’s Bright Eyes. As a result, he arrived to a much smaller crowd, though this didn’t affect the band’s performance at all. Opening with “Four Winds”, the female-heavy audience serenaded Oberst with his own lyrics; a trend which continued throughout most of the night. “Poison Oak” started out soft and mellow, like the majority of Bright Eyes songs, but had an emotional climb towards the end of the song, building up higher and higher and making it one of the highlights from their set. “The Calendar Hung Itself” was a particularly dark and moody number, contrasting slightly with the other more upbeat songs. Performing closing duties, “One for You, One for Me” rang loud as a perfect anthem and one of the best of the night, leaving their many fans with a message of endearing hope. Much needed today. -Stewart Wiseman

Elvis Costello & the Imposters – BlackBerry River Stage –  9:20 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

The second night of Osheaga was, er, a bit of an anomaly compared to the rest of the festival. Once the carnage had subsided following Death from Above 1979, it was time for Elvis Costello’s carnival to roll into town; he even brought a go-go dancer and strongman scale. (The “Hammer of Songs.”) Unfortunately for the 40 year music veteran, the assembled masses couldn’t have been more indifferent – At best, it was maybe a quarter of the size of Eminem’s audience from Friday. Not much of a ‘mass’ by any means. And that’s a shame, because it’s not like he didn’t belong there; his “Watching the Detectives”, “Everyday I Write the Book”, “Alison”, “Radio Radio”, “Bedlam”, “I Want You”, “(I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea”, and “Clubland” all form the basis of present-day alternative rock. And he gave it his all, too. Those who were there will tell you they had a rollicking good time. I felt bad for ol’ Elvis, but that said, I still left before his encore to see the end of Fucked Up’s set at the Tree Stage. Any guilt I may have been feeling went away rather quickly when Damian Abraham presented Sebastien Grainger as a special guest to ‘sing’ a F’ed Up song with him and do some crowd surfing among his francophone peeps! -Gilles Leblanc

Fucked Up – Galaxie Tree Stage – 10:10 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

At a festival where most of the people could be labeled as pot-smoking hippies, the Fucked Up crowd of punks and hardcore fans was a rare sight. After Damian “Pink Eyes” Abraham brought out his son for an appearance, the band arrived too and wasted no time in getting the crowd psyched up, starting with “Queen of Hearts”. The song didn’t even start yet before Abraham was interacting with all his fans from the photo pit, and it only took two songs for him to lose his shirt, crowd surf, and join the romping mosh pit. Naturally, Osheaga sent their toughest security guards to work this set, and they were the busiest they had to be all festival. Admittedly, the messages in these songs can often be lost due to the loud nature of the show, but Fucked Up has put together some great love songs, which is often a challenge for hardcore bands. Of course, that’s the last thing anyone’s thinking about while they’re performing, but on record, especially their latest LP,  David Comes To Life, it’s something to always consider. There’s much more to this shirtless maniac than what meets the eye. -Stewart Wiseman

Sunday, July 31st

Elephant Stone – Galaxie Tree Stage – 1:00 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

After everything that had happened at Osheaga over its first two days, it wouldn’t have surprised me in the least to have heard someone on the Montreal Metro say, “You know what this festival REALLY needs? A band to seriously rock a SITAR!” Enter Elephant Stone, the brainchild of Rishi Dhir, a former member of The High Dials, who of course played the day before. There are sonic similarities between the two competing groups, but where Elephant Stone takes psychedelia to a new level is when Dhir stretches barefoot on a raised area to jam with his Indian imported instrument. Groovy, man! -Gilles Leblanc

The Sheepdogs -Budweisier Mountain Stage – 1:00 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

The Sheepdogs cracked open Sunday with some good old fashioned rock and roll. The Saskatoon natives have been making the rounds, thanks to their fame via Rolling Stone, but they back up the words on print. Ewan Currie is everything a rock and roll frontman should be: great voice, works with the country rocker look, and enjoys cold beer for breakfast. Musically, it’s just as picture perfect. Country rocker “I Don’t Know” sounds like it came straight out of the 1970’s, with Currie and bassist Ryan Gullen trading vocals, while a song like “Southern Dreaming”, specifically that guitar hook, kept the crowd awake and dancing. Good things to come. -Stewart Wiseman

Typhoon – BlackBerry River Stage –  1:30 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

No, not every indie musical ensemble who prominently feature string and horn arrangements in the 2000s are Arcade Fire rip-offs. (Or is that Shark Attack now?) But when you play the same stage as they did the year before, in their hometown no less, there are bound to be comparisons. Portland, Oregon’s Typhoon didn’t make anyone at Osheaga forget who Arcade Fire is; however, they definitely won themselves some new fans with their determination to make it to the festival combined with outstanding musicianship. Anyone with dueling drum kits is worth a listen! -Gilles Leblanc

An Horse – Sennheiser Green Stage – 2:00 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

Seeing all these different instruments producing such great sounds, I was taken aback somewhat to discover Australia’s An Horse are only a two-person band who probably would have fit in better yesterday. At first glance, I guess you could call them a “reverse White Stripes,” as there’s a girl named Kate Cooper on guitar and Damon Cox on drums (Sex = Male). I found them slightly underwhelming; if anything, they made me yearn for The White Stripes even more…or at least The Raconteurs. Sorry to digress, but I’d like to ask the Osheaga organizers to book Jack White, Brendan Benson and company for next year’s festival. Now! -Gilles Leblanc

Eels – BlackBerry River Stage –  2:50 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

The enigmatic Mark Oliver Everett brought his bearded Eels to Montreal for one of the more anticipated slots of the Osheaga Festival. He looked to be ecstatic to be there, high fiving bandmates after songs and yelling nonsensical things like “We did it!” Focusing mainly on his recent Eels album trilogy (Hombre Loco, End Times and Tomorrow Morning), I’d say it was a triumphant return to Canada for the man simply known as E – It rocked, it was soulful in a Blues Brothers kind of way, and it was plenty weird, but we’ve come to expect that from him since Beautiful Freak introduced us to E’s world in 1996. And I think he was the only artist to express his love for poutine. And maple glazed donuts, apparently! -Gilles Leblanc

The Sounds – Budweiser Mountain Stage –  3:30 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

Does anyone reading know the Swedish equivalent for “Damn?!”As in “Damn, are The Sounds ever awesome!” Considerably more rocking than ABBA, but not quite as punkish as The Hives…I think the majority of people at the Budweiser Stage would concur with me that their “new” New Wave was just right for Osheaga. I KNOW a lot of red (and white)-blooded males in the audience were transfixed on sexy Sounds lead singer Maja Ivarsson. And I know it got awfully hot in Montreal that weekend, but those little black bicycle shorts she was wearing? All I can say is…DAMN! (Or is that jävla?!) -Gilles Leblanc

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Sennheiser Green Stage – 4:15 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

As luck would have it, my feet were hurting pretty bad by the time New York City’s The Pains of Being Pure at Heart took to Osheaga’s Green Stage. It didn’t take long for them to be joined by my ears, but in the best manner possible. Their driving, all-out guitar assault was pure bliss to me. I can see why their album Belong has been so highly regarded this year. I must look into this “Nu Gaze” movement more, as I definitely heard echoes of NYC’s own Sonic Youth, Gish and Siamese Dream-era Smashing Pumpkins, and My Bloody Valentine. I especially found it cool how singer Kip Berman even stopped at one point to acknowledge someone wearing a MBV T-shirt. -Gilles Leblanc

Cypress Hill – BlackBerry River Stage – 4:20 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

Sunday saw a fun, nostalgic site: Cypress Hill. Whether it was intentional or not remains to be seen, but the veteran hip hop stars performed at 4:20 p.m. and naturally the smell of weed was inescapable near the stage.  With the exception of The Flaming Lips, the West Coast rappers attracted the biggest crowd of the day and they were definitely the most adrenalized. B-Real started the set with a short freestyle before calling on Sen Dog to join with him on “Shoot ‘Em Up”, which had fans making finger guns in the air. “Are you fucking high right now?” B-Real asked the crowd to mass applause, edging them on to smoke more and more. By the time the set ended with “Rock Superstar”, it was hard to find one person in the front row whose eyes weren’t bloodshot, a mission accomplished for Cypress Hill. -Stewart Wiseman

Viva Brother – Galaxie Tree Stage – 5:00 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

A music festival just doesn’t seem complete without some flair and flavor from the UK. Thank goodness latest buzz band Viva Brother made the trip to Canada. They describe their sound as “Gritpop”, or a grittier version of mid-’90s Britpop as practiced by Blur and Oasis. Speaking of Oasis, if you were to tell me Viva Brother frontman Leonard Newell was a relative of the Gallaghers, I’d probably believe you. His eyes also seem to have a bit of a Thom Yorke ‘droop’ to them; if that’s not a perfect pedigree for rock ’n’ roll success, I’m not sure what is. If that wasn’t enough, they had someone in a full-blown gorilla suit (and Viva Brother T-shirt) show up at their Osheaga set and bounce nonstop with their arms in the air! -Gilles Leblanc

Beirut – BlackBerry River Stage – 5:50 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

“It’s great to be back in the land of poutine,” vocalist Zach Condon joked early in the set, before speaking to the crowd in surprisingly good French. Beirut’s music was able to put all the festival goers under a trance, creating a relaxing atmosphere for the evening set. “Nantes” had the entire crowd clapping and cheering along from the moment Condon raised his trumpet. Zach Condon’s a talented multi-instrumentalist, but bad luck hit him when his ukulele’s sound failed to be picked up across the speaker system. After trying a few times, he decided to give up and move onto “Scenic World” which literally moved the audience. Overall, the combination of poetic lyrics and rousing horns won over the crowd, and Beirut’s set was spoken about for the rest of the evening. -Stewart Wiseman

City and Colour – Budweiser Mountain Stage – 6:35 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

City and Colour started their performance with “Sleeping Sickness”, welcomed by cheers from the crowd, which only grew louder when Dallas Green invited Tragically Hip vocalist Gordon Downie to the stage to sing a verse. Alexisonfire and City and Colour could not be further apart musically, and the introspective music had the crowd pleased and clapping on songs like “Weightless” and “Fragile Bird” from this year’s release, Little Hell. The set wrapped up not long after that with “Sometimes (I Wish)”, leaving fans disappointed as the band only played 30 minutes of the 50 that they were supposed to play before the delays. (Fans that caught Toronto’s critically acclaimed rapper Shad’s set at 8:00 were treated to a surprise in his opener, as he brought out Dallas Green to sing the chorus to his song “Live Forever”.) To make up for their short set, City and Colour promised to be back in Montreal soon for a full length concert; leaving their many faithful waiting for the day where they can enjoy Green’s poetry once again. -Stewart Wiseman

White Lies – Sennheiser Green Stage – 6:55 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

White Lies’ Harry McVeigh struck me as having an amazing beautiful ‘alternative’ singing voice, reminiscent of Dave Gahan from Depeche Mode. They have some downright gloomy sounding songs and lyrics (i.e. “Holy Ghost”, “Death”, and debut album To Lose My Life), yet I found them fairly pedestrian, almost gentlemanly, especially compared to the rougher-around-the-edges Viva Brother. I loved how they joked about this fact, saying how while it may have looked like they were crying occasionally, they were actually sweating. Polite like Coldplay, but with more underground indie credibility…for now! -Gilles Leblanc

The Tragically Hip – BlackBerry River Stage – 7:25 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

It’s hard to watch The Tragically Hip and not solely focus on Gord Downie running around the stage with odd-ball antics, apparent right from the start on opener “Grace, Too”. Too much time is often spent watching Downie, that the guys behind him actually making the music are left under-appreciated, but guitarists Paul Langlois and Rob Baker were superb at their craft and were critical in the great performance The Tragically Hip put on. Songs like “Bobcaygeon” and “New Orleans Is Sinking” had the entire crowd roaring the lyrics back at the band; a true testament to how influential The Tragically Hip have been for almost three decades in shaping the sound of Canadian music. The band closed with the rocker “Little Bones” that lifted the spirits of the entire crowd, many of whom came to the festival for the sole purpose of seeing the Hip; and by the end of the set everyone knew why The Tragically Hip will go down as Canadian legends. -Stewart Wiseman

Crystal Castles – Sennheiser Green Stage – 8:15 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

It’s not that I don’t or can’t appreciate club-style electronica at a rock festival – I think it’s brilliant that Osheaga has the Piknic Electronik as a place for people to dance or chill out. That said, I don’t think I’m the only one who doesn’t ‘get’ Crystal Castles’ strobe-flashing, seizure-inducing live show. Seriously, why does Alice Glass have a mic? It’s not like we can ever make out what she’s singing, and she doesn’t really add much else other than inciting crowds even further by jumping into the sea of bodies to surf. Security didn’t like how her actions inspired some to climb trees either. They did end with their cover of The Cure’s “Not in Love”, even though it took us all a minute to recognize it because of all the distortion. -Gilles Leblanc

Death Cab For Cutie – Budweiser Mountain Stage – 8:25 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

For a band coming out of Washington state, the pressure is always there to match up to other local greats like Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, and Pearl Jam. For 10 years and counting, Death Cab for Cutie has managed to rise to fame without the roaring rock ‘n’ roll, commanding a devout legion of fans, all of whom can recite any of their lyrics in their sleep. This extends out into Canada, of course. After an extended intro that saw Ben Gibbard go from guitar to piano, “I Will Possess Your Heart” launched the group into a slightly erratic set. Two songs into their performance, Ben Gibbard’s guitar started acting up on him, and after replacing it with another guitar that wasn’t working, he showed his professionalism when he sat down at the edge of the stage to serenade his loving fans instead of stopping the entire song. Favorites like “Soul Meets Body or “The Sound of Settling” worked well, but so did new single “You Are a Tourist”. Technical problems aside, the gig was a joy. -Stewart Wiseman

The Flaming Lips – BlackBerry Stage – 9:25 p.m.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

Before The Flaming Lips started their festival closing performance, frontman Wayne Coyne advised the audience about his strong strobe lights and to be careful with his giant space bubble; but what he should have warned the crowd about was that his performance may induce acid trips. Right from the very beginning with the band members walking out of an illusionary door in an LED screen, the audience knew they were experiencing perhaps the most jaw-dropping rock show they’ll ever see. Coyne eagerly anticipated this performance and told the crowd that he last played Osheaga in 2006, and that Osheaga is not just one of the greatest festivals in Canada, but is one of the greatest in the entire world.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

Alongside a cast of characters dolled up a la Wizard of Oz, Coyne & Co. rolled out their 1999 masterpiece The Soft Bulletin in full (with the exception of “Buggin’”) to a crowd that may not have been familiar with their work, but who knew theatrics when they saw it (this is the city where Cirque du Soleil was born after all). Halfway through the performance, however, Coyne (looking truly emotional) told the crowd that sometimes this album has the power to “fuck him up” and that this may be the last time that anyone ever sees it performed in full live. This would be a shame, especially since it builds to quite the climax. The end of the album is just electric, and on Sunday, “The Spiderbite Song” attracted cheers from all who were there to witness the end to a great weekend at Osheaga 2011.

Photo by Stewart Wiseman

Before finishing his set, though, Coyne called upon one of his many Dorothy’s and another man dressed as the Cowardly Lion for a wedding ceremony. Coyne announced that the two were from Calgary and that they met at Osheaga that morning, took 10 hits of acid each, and then decided to get married. “With all the power vested in me by the universe, The Flaming Lips, Montreal, and LSD; I now pronounce you man and wife!” Coyne proclaimed for the new happy couple, before launching into “Do You Realize??” -the last song of the set. Now, how were you planning to get married again? -Stewart Wiseman

MSTRKRFT – Sennheiser Green Stage – 9:50 p.m.

Photo by Gilles Leblanc

There’s no use trying to review MSTRKRFT’s DJ set other than they altered the entire space near the Green Stage into the biggest rave I’ve ever seen! Standing side-by-side at an oversized steel table, donning headphones occasionally but always with a smoke in their mouths it seemed, DFA 1979’s Jesse F. Keeler and his longtime friend Al-P pushed the sardine squished crowd to a veritable fever pitch with their high-speed, aggressive, bone-rattling rhythms. It was an unconventional way for anyone with leftover energy to get themselves tired and ready for a long sleep after a weekend unlike any other, but hey, it worked for me! -Gilles Leblanc

The Culture of Osheaga

Gallery by Gilles Leblanc and Stewart Wiseman

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Glastonbury 41 has come and gone, leaving in its wake a 1,000% sales bump for some, muddy boots for others, and enough memories to hold us over until Glasto’s return in 2013. We compiled some of our favorites highlights in video form below, from U2 and Bey’s epic headlining sets to Radiohead’s surprise shindig and Janelle Monáe’s breakout performance on the West Holts stage. After you watch it all, be sure check back to CoS later this week for our written coverage of this year’s festival.

Oh, and you might want to hit this link up. Just sayin’.

Beyoncé

“Crazy In Love”

“Run The World (Girls)”

Big Boi

“Shutterbug”

Coldplay

“The Scientist“

Fleet Foxes

“Sim Sala Bim”

Janelle Monáe

“Cold War” / “Tightrope” / “Come Alive”

“Come Alive (The War of The Roses)”

Laura Marling

“Rambling Man”

Little Dragon

“Ritual Union”

Morrissey

“Meat Is Murder”

“This Charming Man”

“I Want The One I Can’t Have”

Mumford & Sons

“Roll Away Your Stone”

Paul Simon

“So Beautiful or So What”

Primal Scream

“Movin’ On Up”

Pulp

“Common People”

Queens of the Stone Age

“No One Knows”

“Little Sister”

Radiohead

“The Daily Mail”

“Bloom”

“Street Spirit”

The Vaccines

“All In White”

Warpaint

“Undertow”

White Lies

“Bigger Than Us”

U2

“Elevation”

“Yellow ” / “Moment of Surrender” / “Out of Control”

You can peep the whole list of shows below, but here are some “must sees” in our book: Death From Above 1979 at the Metro on Thursday, The Vaccines/Tennis at Schubas on Friday, and Titus Andronicus/Fences hitting up Reggie’s on Saturday. If you’re willing to brave the House of Blues, you can catch more of Lykke Li (who wouldn’t?) and the Arctic Monkeys, performing their new brilliant LP. It should be noted that there are no planned performances at the Vic Theatre, where Soundgarden and Pearl Jam both performed pre-weekend sets in previous years. Could there be something in the works? Maybe a Foo Fighters gig? Speculation, sure, but you never know. We’ll have to play the waiting game.

In the meantime, here are your shows and check out Do312.com for ticket information!

Lollapalooza 2011 Aftershows
08/03 – Cold War Kids w/ Gold Motel, Carbon Tigers, Katz Company @ Metro
08/04 – Death From Above 1979 w/ Metz @ Metro
08/04 – Crystal Castles w/ The Naked and Famous @ House of Blues
08/04 – Smith Westerns @ Schubas
08/04 – Delta Spirit w/ Reptar @ Lincoln Hall
08/04 – Cults w/ Guards, Riter @ Empty Bottle
08/04 – Feed Me w/ Savoy @ Logan Square Auditorium
08/05 – Black Lips w/ Night Beats @ Empty Bottle
08/05 – Atmosphere w/ Prof, Evidence, Blueprint @ Metro
08/05 – Lykke Li w/ Foster The People @ House of Blues
08/05 – Portugal. The Man w/ Wye Oak @ Double Door
08/05 – The Vaccines w/ Tennis @ Schubas
08/05 – Afrojack w/ Perry Farrell @ The Mid
08/05 – Tinie Tempah & Young the Giant @ Subterranean
08/05 – Local Natives w/ Walk the Moon @ Lincoln Hall
08/05 – Sam Adams w/ Kyle Lucas & Captain Midnite @ Bottom Lounge
08/05 – Pretty Lights & Skrillex @ The Congress Theater
08/06 – The Pains of Being Pure at Heart w/ Young Man @ Empty Bottle
08/06 – Arctic Monkeys w/ Disappears @ House of Blues
08/06 – White Lies w/ Rival Schools @ Double Door
08/06 – Fitz & the Tantrums w/ Christina Perri @ Schubas
08/06 – MSTRKRFT w/ Midnight Conspiracy, Nathan Scott, Compact Disco @ The Mid
08/06 – Dom w/ Typhoon @ Subterranean
08/06 – Two Door Cinema Club w/ Grouplove @ Lincoln Hall
08/06 – Titus Andronicus w/ Fences @ Reggie’s
08/06 – Daedelus w/ Eskmo, Lorn @ Bottom Lounge
08/06 – 12th Planet w/ 16bit, Richie August, Mega Mike @ Logan Square Auditorium

Other heavyweights include A Perfect Circle, Bright Eyes, The Cars, Big Audio Dynamite, Ween, Arctic Monkeys, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and Nas, Explosions in the Sky, Death From Above 1979, Deftones, Cee-Lo Green, Beirut, Flogging Molly, OK Go, The Kills, and Cold War Kids.

A number of indie favorites are confirmed, including The Mountain Goats, Atmosphere, Titus Andronicus, Ratatat, Best Coast, Crystal Castles, White Lies, Lykke Li, Local Natives, Black Lips, Delta Spirit, Sleigh Bells, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Wye Oak, The Drums, Smith Westerns, The Naked and Famous, Phantogram, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., The Joy Formidable, Young the Giant, and Cults.

If that weren’t enough, Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump, Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Cage the Elephant, Rival Schools, The Chain Gang of 1974, Friendly Fires, Portugal. The Man, Manchester Orchestra, Two Door Cinema Club, Noah & The Whale, Lissie, Foster the People, Mayer Hawthorne & the County, Fences, City and Colour, and Gold Motel are also confirmed.

This year’s edition will also feature an expansion of Perry’s Place, the festival’s electronic-oriented stage. Designed to accommodate a crowd of 15,000, the area will host the likes of Girl Talk, Kid Cudi, Pretty Lights, Skrillex, The Glitch Mob, Jay Electronica, Modeselektor, Daedulus, Feed Me, Busy P, and Joachim Garraud.

Find a complete list of confirmed acts at our Festival Outlook.

Three day and VIP passes are priced at $215.00 and $850.00, respectively, and are now available via the festival’s website.

It what will be his first Canadian performance in a decade, Eminem will headline this year’s Osheaga, set for July 29-31 in Montreal’s Parc Jean-Drapeau. Other notable acts include Elvis Costello & The Imposters, Death Cab For Cutie, The Flaming Lips, who will perform The Soft Bulletin in its entirety, The Tragically Hip, the recently reunited Death From Above 1979, and Bright Eyes.

A slew of indie favorites are also confirmed, including Kid Cudi, Ratatat, Beirut, Crystal Castles, MSTRKRFT, The Mountain Goats, Fucked Up, White Lies, Eels, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Shad, Twin Shadow, Smith Westerns, PS I Love You, The Joy Formidable, Tokyo Police Club, Jamie xx, Sia, Braids, Mother Mother, and The Low Anthem.

Rounding out the bill are Bassnectar, City and Colour, Sam Roberts Band, Bran Van 3000, Yoav, The Sounds, Hey Rosetta!, Anna Calvi, Lights, Robot Koch, Shad, Manchester Orchestra, Jimmy Hunt, Galaxie, The Luyas, Elephant Stone, High Dials, Passwords, Jesuslesfilles, and Typhoon.

A limited number of early bird passes (priced at $197.50 CA) will go on sale beginning Friday, April 15th. After that allotment sells out, the price will rise to $217.50 CA. Early bird reserved seating passes will also be available for $349.50 CA, with the final price set at $369.50 CA.

The daily lineup will be announced on Tuesday, April 19th, and single day tickets go on sale Thursday, April 21st.

As in years past, Osheaga will proceed its stand alone festival with the concert series, Osheaga in the City, featuring bands and DJs in some of Montreal’s legendary club venues. These shows will be announced shortly.

If you’ve spent as much time around your computer in the last 12 months as the average American, than you have also most likely visited the oft-NSFW sensation Chatroulette. Now, London’s White Lies are maximizing the concept for their new video “Strangers” which debuted on their brand new site, weareallstrangers.com. If you like to maintain some level of privacy, and dignity, just watch the video below.

After the new single officially drops March 21st, White Lies will embark on a seven-date North American tour beginning May 17th at Boston’s Paradise Rock Club. The tour continues with stops in New York, D.C., Atlanta, Austin, and Houston, then wraps May 26th in Mexico City.

All of White Lies’ scheduled tour dates can be found below, with more U.S. dates expected to be announced as summer nears.

White Lies 2011 Tour Dates:
02/23 – Tourcoing, FR @ Le Grand Mix *
02/24 – Amsterdam, NL @ Heineken *
02/25 – Hamburg, DE @ Docks *
02/27 – Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller *
02/28 – Stockholm, SE @ Cirkus *
03/01 – Copenhagen, DK @ KB Hallen *
03/03 – Berlin, DE @ Columbiahalle *
03/05 – Warsaw, PL @ Stodola *
03/07 – Prague, CZ @ Lucerna Music Bar *
03/08 – Vienna, AT @ Gasometer *
03/09 – Munich, DE @ Tonhalle *
03/11 – Zurich, CH @ Komplex *
03/12 – Bologna, IT @ Estragon *
03/14 – Toulouse, FR @ Le Bikini *
03/15 – Barcelona, ES @ Sala Apolo *
03/16 – Madrid, ES @ Sala Heineken *
03/18 – Bordeaux, FR @ Rock School Barbey *
03/19 – Rennes, FR @ Ubu *
03/21 – Cologne, DE @ Live Music Hall *
03/22 – Paris, FR @ La Cigale *
03/23 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belguique *
03/24 – Luxembourg @ Den Atelier
04/04 – Shibuya, JP @ Duo Music Exchange
04/15 – Tampere, FI @ Pakkahoune
04/16 – Helsinki, FI @ The Circus
05/06-07 – Murcia, ES @ Estrella Levante SOS 4.8
05/17 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
05/19 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
05/20 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
05/21 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
05/24 – Austin, TX @ Antone’s
05/25 – Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s
05/26 – Mexico City, MX @ Vive Cuervo Salon
06/03-05 – Nürburgring & Nürnberg, DE @ Rock am Ring & Rock im Park
06/30-07/03 – Werchter, BE @ Rock Werchter
07/01-03 – Arras, FR @ Main Square Festival
07/06-09 – Lisbon, PT @ Optimus Alive!
07/08-10 – Kinross, UK @ T in the Park
07/13 – London, UK @ iTunes Festival

* = w/ Crocodiles

Think of every adjective you know for contrived, and you’ve just about summed up White Lies’ Rituals. And it’s unfortunate, really, because their debut To Lose My Life was fantastic. Sure it was derivative, but when it comes to this genre (post-punk revival, whatever you want to call it), isn’t everything just completely derivative of Joy Division? Even the absolute best within the genre – Interpol, Bloc Party, (parts of) The Killers – are almost shameless re-imagination of Ian Curtis’s original work.

White Lies were no exception, but the hope was that they’d fall into the “greats” category and not fall by the wayside like so many before them. And things were looking good. To Lose My Life had powerful vocals, driving bass guitar, and catchy guitar riffs. Sure we’d heard it all before, but that didn’t necessarily make it any less enjoyable. I’ll take a good Joy Division wannabe over just about anything. Only problem is, there are very few good ones out there. White Lies were a possibility. They’d have to prove themselves with their sophomore album, and we’re sorry to report that they fell short of the mark.

The former NME darlings went bigger and consequently fell harder. Every track incorporates some form of half-cocked musicianship that was not on the last album. Turntable sound effects, electronic sampling, and brass and string arrangements all utilized for the first time ever, and they all comes across as painfully maladroit. Lead single “Bigger Than Us” is perhaps the most guilty of this, and is a five minute ride of seemingly unorganized sound with brief glimpses of themselves. They would’ve done much better sticking to their guns, however manufactured said guns may have been.

Lyrically, the album was on par with regular White Lies; brooding, ominous lyrics meant to accompany brooding, ominous music. On one of the better tracks on the album, “Streetlights”, the lyrics are unabashedly dour: “Hold tight for heartbreak/Buckle up for loneliness…Can anybody hear me?/Is anybody out there?/Not a soul in the streetlight…” So, considering that this is the norm for the genre, there is little complaint that can be made concerning the lyricism.

Even the musicianship isn’t bad when they remain in waters they’re accustomed to. “Bad Love” is perhaps the strongest album on the track, and the powerful drums and prominent guitar provide a perfect background for Harry McVeigh’s especially striking vocals as he sings with gusto “If I’m guilty of anything, it’s loving you too much/Only sometimes love means getting a little rough.” This track is a gem compared to the others, proving that White Lies do have it in them somewhere. They just chose not to use it.

They went big on this record (probably too big), taking a calculated risk with hopes of moving up in the world of music. And part of taking a risk means setting yourself up for possible failure. Unfortunately, failure was looming for White Lies. The majority of this album is a hodgepodge of sound that doesn’t seem to fit. There are brief glimpses of glory, but they are few and far between. Time will tell if White Lies become one of the derivative post-punk revival champs, but this album would indicate that we have just another lackluster Joy Division copycat.

Their successful 2009 debut To Lose My Life was bursting at its seams with huge choruses and wonderfully gloomy love songs and its follow-up, the just released Ritual, continues down that path with a ambitious set of synth-flecked arena-worthy anthems co-produced by the legendary Alan Moulder (Nine Inch Nails, the Smashing Pumpkins, the Killers). While many who took issue to the theatrical melancholy of their first record won’t exactly fall for Ritual, fans of the band will appreciate their evolution past some of the tired comparisons to their post-punk predecessors and contemporaries. And after witnessing the undeniably awesome live show the trio delivered to a packed house of 500 at one of Los Angeles’ best venues last night, it’s safe to say that the band is well on their way to great things.

Photo by Debi Del Grande

While waiting for the crowd to file in and get settled, the trio blasted the Troubadour with a little DJ set of sorts from the sound booth, playing their choice of spacey dubstep and drum ‘n’ bass. Opening act Giant Drag took the stage on time and introduced themselves but looked very uncomfortable right from the start. Singer/guitarist Annie Hardy’s uneasy dark humor and the band’s grungy songs didn’t go over well with the crowd, most of whom seemed anxious to see White Lies’ synth-pop. While they did throw in an interesting cover of Chris Isaak‘s “Wicked Game” (introduced by Hardy as a song she wrote when she was eight) and the fuzzed-out “My Dick Sux”, which featured a ton of feedback courtesy of recently added third member Dakota Floeter, the band was clearly on an off night. Aside from watching drummer/synth-man Micah Calabrese coolly take on the daunting task of playing the bass parts of the band’s songs on a Roland synth with one hand while pounding out the drum parts with the other, Giant Drag’s nine song set was—for the most part—a giant drag.

White Lies finally took the stage right around 10, opening with To Lose My Life‘s “A Place to Hide”, to raucous applause. Thanking the crowd and introducing themselves, they moved slickly into the new “Holy Ghost”, whose chorus’ smokey keys and moody atmospherics. While on record, the awkward chorus of “Maybe some day I could move like you/maybe some day I could scream like you” rings a bit hollow and a strange vocoded outro the song stretches at least a minute too long, the band’s tense delivery made “Holy Ghost” was one of the night’s highlights. Bassist Charles Cave kept the groove magnificently, seamlessly adding in synth-lines here and there, as he did on the New Wave-y intro to “Streetlights”. For the Ritual tour, White Lies expanded their lineup with the addition of an extra guitarist and keyboardist, filling out their sound a whole lot and allowing McVeigh to take dramatic pauses without interrupting the music’s flow, as it often did on their last stateside tour.

Photo by Debi Del Grande

While I had my doubts about how the new, more electronic material would translate on stage, the band delivered magnificently, capturing the grandeur of their songs, both new and old, while glossing over most of Ritual‘s dimmer points. Their at-times ridiculous lyrics seem to take on new life in their live form, turning into soaring choruses or edgy verses. Grins exchanged by the guys between songs betray a sense of humor that many critics somehow don’t manage to catch on to. It was hard to miss, for instance, the wide smirk on frontman Harry McVeigh’s face while he sang the particularly absurb chorus of “Bad Love” (“If I’m guilty of anything, it’s loving you too much/Honey, sometimes love means getting a little rough.”)

The band kept their onstage banter to a bare minimum, keeping the music going without any hitches at all. Drummer Jack Lawrence-Brown appeared positively expressionless for the length of White Lies’ set, silently thrashing at his drum kit, occasionally switching over to a set of electric drums on a few of the newer songs. White Lies played a brave mix of material from both albums, slightly favoring Ritual (which was only just released last week) over their older record; a choice that worked to surprising effect. If the mark of a great live band is their ability to captivate a crowd that’s unfamiliar with what they’re playing, White Lies did a fantastic job at the Troubadour. When they finally got around to playing fan-favorites “Death” and “Farewell to the Fairground”, the crowd responded with wild cheers and applause. After a massive crowd sing-along at the end of set closer “Bigger than Us”, the band said their goodbyes and promised to be back soon. And after a set like that, it’s pretty safe to say they won’t play a venue as intimate as the Troubadour the next time they’re in town.

Photography by Debi Del Grande

Setlist:
A Place to Hide
Holy Ghost
To Lose My Life
Peace & Quiet
E.S.T.
Strangers
Death
Is Love
Streetlights
Bad Love
Farewell to the Fairground
Encore:
Unfinished Business
Power & Glory
Bigger than Us

When the time finally comes for a Joy Division flick, the White Lies‘ frontman Harry McVeigh must be considered front runner to play Ian Curtis.The resemblance is uncanny, and along with bassist Charles Cave and drummer Jack Lawrence-Brown, the White Lies have developed a sound that possesses an unmistakable Joy Division influence.

With that comparison out of the way, White Lies record albums that are worth setting on repeat. Hell, we’ve had their sophomore release Ritual on our radar for months. So, after releasing the 11-track album just last week, they continued to make some noise stateside with an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno last night. Backed with a keyboardist and an additional guitar player, the fine-dressed lads delivered a powerful performance of the lead single “Bigger Than Us”. The track begins with McVeigh’s haunting vocals layered over a heavy, forceful drum beat, but as the band swells “Bigger Than Us” transforms into a dark post-punk anthem. I guess maybe it’s another one of the album cuts that “is a lot more uplifting” than their previous singles. Regardless, check out the clip above.

You can pick up your copy of Ritual now via Amazon. And if you happen to live on the east coast, White Lies still have a couple dates in your neck of the woods. Tickets can be purchased here. Just watch out for the snow!

It’s the first of six teasers, and you’ll probably just be confused, but here we are. Filmed in Mexico and set to “Bigger Than Us”, the new single you may have already heard, the clip involves a middle-aged American Indian (head full of feathers and everything) picking up garbage off a dirty city street. This is interspersed with footage of the band, of course, because it’s all part of the message, presumably.

Hopefully White Lies can continue where Kanye’s G.O.O.D. Fridays left off and release a teaser every week until the album comes out next month, January 18th, via Geffen/Fiction Records. 

The scene in particular is where they’ve got Elliot (played now by a random child actor lip-synching to vocalist Harry McVeigh) in the medical tent watching as they resuscitate E.T. (played now by a gigantic candy bar that we want so, so badly.)  Sadly, things take a turn for the worst when a little girl emerges from the candy, thus ending its brave fight for life. No awesome bike scene in this one, though, but there is a bit of telekinesis before Elliott (random child actor) kisses the candy bar (little girl). He’s probably just trying to get to that sweet, sweet chocolate her face is still covered in.

Check out the clip below. Ritual is scheduled to hit stores January 18th via Ficiton Records.

“It’s a lot more uplifting,” said singer Harry McVeigh to the BBC. “It’s more about love than anything else. We haven’t radically changed direction. They’re just quite uplifting songs. There are a few surprises on the record actually.”

The frontman also mentioned that his favorite song on the upcoming record is “Peace and Quiet”: “It was one of those songs that we made quite near the end of the record. It’s just quite musical,” he said. “And you can really hear how much we’ve progressed from our first album with that song. It’s quite complex.”

When it comes to complex arrangements, having Alan Moulder (Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumkins) in your corner definitely helps. The producer will add his unique brand of alternative music to the group’s haunting tunes.

The first single from the album, “Bigger Than Us”, will ring in the new year a little late on January 3rd. Some live performances of the new songs, including the lead single, have already found themselves online. If you want to hear more though, they’ll likely perform many new tracks on their forthcoming world tour, set to begin November 16th in Edinburgh. No North American dates included yet, but we’ll let you know when they are.

Ritual Tracklist
01. Is Love?
02. Strangers
03. Streetlights
04. Bigger Than Us
05. Peace & Quiet
06. Holy Ghost
07. Turn the Bells
08. Power & The Glory
09. Bad Love
10. Come Down

White Lies 2010 Tour Dates:
11/16 – Edinburgh, UK @ Picture House
11/22 – London, UK @ York Hall
11/30 – Ljubljana, SI @ Kino Siska
12/01 – Zagreb, HR @ Tvornica Kulture
12/02 – Belgrade, SP @ Studentski Kulturni Centar
12/04 – Skopje, MK @ Taksirat Festival
12/08 – Santiago, CL @ Teatro Italia
12/08 – San Paolo, BR @ Unique Hotel
12/15 – London, UK @ Xfm’s Winterwonderland at Brixton Academy

According to bassist Charles Cave, the unexpected success of their debut album has given the band a bit more room for experimentation on their new album. Is this beginning to sound reminiscent of another recent sophomore folly? However, even if White Lies don’t seemed concerned about breaking further into the mainstream, the as-of-yet to be titled album is coming with one major asset: Alan Moulder. Moulder, one of the best producers of this or any generation, has worked with artists ranging from The Jesus and Mary Chain to How to Destroy Angels.

Aside from a January 17th release date, little is known about the album’s “official” details. That said, thanks to a string of recent live performances, including an appearance at V Festival, expect the tracks “Holy Ghost”, “The Power And The Glory”,”Bigger Than Us”, “Is Love?”,”Streetlights”, and “Come Down” to appear on the release. You can find live videos for two of the aforementioned songs below.

“Holy Ghost”

“Bigger Than Us”

Austin prides itself on being a cultural oasis in a massive and diverse state, and ACL has long attempted to translate that into its lineup. This year might be the first time it achieved that. With big names of today’s indie scenes, radio staples, and classic acts, ACL offered something for everyone this year. And to top it off, festival organizers pushed the dates back to avoid conflicting with the University of Texas’ football schedule and to ease the pain of the state’s unrivaled heat. As a result, we ended up with a unique fall festival that felt a little misplaced (thanks to erratic weather) but ultimately refreshing.

Friday, October 2nd:

The scene at Zilker Park on Friday was disconcerting for two reasons. First, the sun was shining but in a pleasant, early autumn kind of way-drastically different than the typical scorching way Texas sun tends to be. Second, the park was covered with grass! In past years, much of Zilker Park was closer to a sea of dirty than a fluffy, grassy park. Over the past year, Austin was busy getting new grass planted, and it paid off. The park looked gorgeous and it was Crayola green as far as the eye could see.

On the Xbox 360 stage, New York’s The Walkmen were greeted by an enthusiastic and surprisingly large crowd (for being midday Friday) as they launched into “On the River”, a standout track from last year’s stellar You & Me. Dressed in conservative button-up shirts and dark pants, all five members looked like they were on their way to a business casual lunch meeting, not an outdoor music festival. Yet, as soon as vocalist Hamilton Leithauser let out his smooth vocals (which sound like a more polished and palatable Bob Dylan), he transformed the sunny field into a moody club. The band held the audience’s attention without an elaborate lighting system seeing as the sun was shining and without much interaction. Aside from the occasional addition of a tight trumpet quartet who augmented certain tracks, the band pounded out song after song from its catalog. Leithauser stood next in the center of the stage, gripped the microphone in his hand, and squeezed his eyes shut while forcing the words from his mouth. Their 60-minute set was a lesson that strong music is enough to entertain a field of festival goers.

Next up was French band and 2009 darlings Phoenix on the AMD stage. The audience for Phoenix was so large it spilled over into the Xbox 360 portion of the field, proving both that Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix has garnered the band quite a few new fans and that festival organizers could have easily put the band in a later slot. Although Phoenix included a few older tracks in the set, the strongest tracks came from their latest release. “Lisztomania”, “1901″, and “Fences” sounded as crisp as they do in the studio, but frontman Thomas Mars brought a new energy to each track. He claimed that it was the largest audience they had ever played for, and true or not, it wasn’t hard to imagine that the band will continue to play to audiences numbering tens of thousands for the foreseeable future. You could easily spot listeners relaxing in the far back of the lawn who were casually listening at the set’s beginning but wound up dancing (poorly) midway through the set. The appeal of Phoenix’s addictive but inoffensive pop made for a perfect way to wave off the setting sun.

Phoenix was also a fitting segue from the grim sounds of The Walkmen to the dance party of Bassnectar across the park on the Dell stage. Bassnectar, often referred to as a “project” rather than as a “band”, brought much-needed energy to the first day of the festival. Although ACL thrives on its diversity and tends to skew less rock and dance than other major festivals, it’s nice to have some unbridled dance parties here and there. Bassnectar spun an absurdly diverse mix of tracks, including Rob Zombie, Blur, Prodigy, and Madison Avenue. It was as if your iTunes Genius had a stroke and just sputtered out whatever songs it came across, but they blended together with ease. At times the tunes were slowed down or buried under bass that actually made it difficult to dance to. The artistry of sliding from one track to the other became apparent when, 15 minutes into the set, I was less fascinated with the fact that we’d gone from reggae to “Breathe” and more focused on how effective the contrast between the two was. Still, the majority of the set was an excuse to watch some trippy visuals and pretend no one was watching you dance poorly with thousands of your closest friends.

One of the weekend’s strongest sets was Andrew Bird‘s twilight performance on the Dell stage. Opening with “Masterswarm” and running through tracks from several of his albums, he was equal parts classical musician and rock star. How often do you hear people shriek “I love you!” when a guy picks up a violin and begins to whistle? As the sun disappeared and the stage lights blanketed the stage, he ran through some of his most notable songs (“Fake Palindromes” and “A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left”), but the night belonged to numbers from this year’s Noble Beast. The back-to-back combo of “Not a Robot But a Ghost” and “Anonanimal” was stunning for several reasons. The musicianship of Bird and his band, most notably percussionist Martin Dosh, is something to behold. Both tracks are beautifully crafted on the record, but on stage they are tweaked with additional loops (of vocals, hand claps, and whistles) and extended violin solos. Although Bird doesn’t have the name recognition to headline a night, he has the showmanship to do it, and judging by the shrieks (and chorus of “Ohmygodthisguyisamazing!”) of people around me, he has the fanatic fan base to eventually get him there.

Saturday, October 3rd:

Saturday was not Friday in any way, shape, or form. The sun was nowhere to be found, the temperature was at least degrees cooler for most of the day, and the rain was everywhere. What started as a steady drizzle became a downpour that even hundreds of acres of grass couldn’t soak up. So the sunglasses came off and the rain ponchos came on.

On the Xbox 360 stage, The Airborne Toxic Event‘s brand of straight forward rock proved a worthy antidote for the rain. The five-piece band embraces a simple guitar-plus-drums approach to making succinct tunes, but it also dabbles in a little glam rock that brings to mind Franz Ferdinand with more testosterone (and looser pants). Aside from a sound mix that sometimes muddied the guitars and highlighted the bass too much, The Airborne Toxic Event sounded like a well polished group of musicians who have honed their skills while touring heavily for their self-titled LP over the last year. At no time were the songs too polished. They retained enough edge to make them interesting without sounding like an excuse to make a guitar screech.

On the Livestrong headliner stage at the opposite end of the park, Citizen Cope was a polar opposite of Airborne.  Cope, aka Clarence Greenwood, wasn’t a letdown so much as he was simply pleasant. His brand of soft rock makes for enjoyable music to put on as background music or while reclining at a music festival. Had the ground not been so soggy, the latter might’ve made the perfect choice. Instead, his calm stage presence and enjoyable repertoire made for a nice way to pass an hour but didn’t hold my attention. The chatty audience seemed to be feeling the same.

At the nearby Dell stage, Bon Iver proved quiet and introspective didn’t have to mean boring, even in a festival. Perhaps it was the grey skies and unexpected chill forcing everyone to huddle for warmth, but Justin Vernon and company’s indie folk enraptured the large crowd. Vernon wasn’t afraid to let the quiet introspection of “Creature Fear” do the talking. Still, he took risks and turned the soft rhythm of “Skinny Love” into a more aggressive number that somehow felt even more heartfelt and passionate than the acoustic version on For Emma, Forever Ago.

Afterward, The Zac Brown Band gave Austin a shot of fiddle-heavy country on the Austin Ventures stage. After playing much-hyped sets at other festivals this year, Zac Brown and his band of able musicians turned its corner of Zilker Park into a true country party. The band’s lyrics have a direct style that some critics use to dismiss country as lazy songwriting, but these naysayers are missing out The words mix with the Georgia band’s authentic southern twang to create a powerful listening experience. Even in the middle of a muddy, cool park, their faithful cover of “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” made the audience feel like it was transported back to the sunny, blistering ACLs of years past.

As the evening sky darkened (even more than it had been for most of the day), The Decemberists took to the Dell stage to perform the entirety of this year’s The Hazards of Love. Was the move risky? Yes. Was it successfully? Absolutely. Fans hoping to hear classics from previous albums probably felt disappointed, but they couldn’t have walked away from the set displeased. The Decemberists, which temporarily includes guest players Shara Worden and Becky Stark, were decked out in costumes representing the characters of the rock opera that is the latest album. The songs didn’t stray much from the studio versions except they were often just harder. The drums, the vocals, the guitars-all stronger and louder. The centerpiece of the set was the combination of “The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid” and “The Rake’s Song”. In the former, Worden came from the back of the stage to the front to play the wicked queen and the audience howled every time she opened her mouth and let her operatic voice soar. During the latter song, as frontman Colin Meloy listed the ways he murdered his children, the audience raised its fists to cheer along with the chorus of “All right! All right! All right!” Set against a dark sky with red lights and drizzle, the scene was poetic and haunting.

The night’s big headliner was Dave Matthews Band on the Livestrong stage, and it was a unique experience. Having seen the group several times, I knew they are a reliably strong live band, but I wasn’t sure how the act and its devotees would mesh with ACL’s crowd. Rather, I didn’t know if DMB devotees, which tend to skew a bit frat-tastic, could peacefully coexist with the often bohemian vibe that usually permeates ACL. Everyone got along, but it was definitely different than the typical DMB show. Fanatics were definitely in the crowd, but overall it was a subdued audience that cheered mostly for the radio hits (“Ants Marching” and “Don’t Drink the Water”). Newer and equally strong tracks “Seven” and “You Might Die Trying” received enthusiastic applause but failed to get the singalongs I’ve seen happen at other shows. Nonetheless, the band wisely played to its strengths and chose songs that highlighted its lyrics and musicianship and didn’t cater solely to radio fans (e.g. no “Crash Into Me”).

The two hour set limit also made for an unusual show that was sans encore. The group thrives on transforming five-minute pop songs into ten-minute jams, complete with violin solos and bass/drum showdowns. As a result, the band seemed constrained knowing it couldn’t stretch its set to two-and-a-half or three hours. Nonetheless, the band was in top form. Matthews’ raspy voice sounded surprisingly fresh considering the group was winding down a lengthy tour. On a cover of Talking Heads’ “Burning Down the House”, Matthews delivered an assertive vocal performance that was stronger than anything he’s done on record since 1998. Bassist Stefan Lessard and drummer Carter Beauford often stole the show, as was most evident on the epic “Two Step”, which closed the set. The song ended with an intense jam session, relying mostly on Beauford’s intense skills. It was a welcome, fiery end to an otherwise cold autumn day.

Sunday, October 4th:

Sunday was supposed to involve flash floods, and everyone was dressed to brave another wet day. Instead, the sun was almost to its previous cruel Texas levels at times and other times it was hidden behind clouds, but the rain never came. However, Saturday’s downpour left its mark and you couldn’t see a speck of the beautiful green grass. Instead, the ground was brown. Inches of mud covered all of Zilker Park. Most people tossed aside their shoes and embraced the fact that footwear or not, you were going to be encased in mud over your feet and even up to your ankles at times.

Therefore, the unabashedly fun set by The B-52s on the AMD stage was a fitting way to embrace the last day of the festival. 30 years into their career, the band has not only retained its irreverent attitude and love for new wave-meets-pop, it’s also retained great vocals. While Fred Schneider’s monotone talking doesn’t require much effort (and his overall stage presence is equally stoic), Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson scream and coo like it’s the 1980s again. Both donning cerulean dresses and standing in front of a black-and-white psychedelic backdrop, Wilson and Pierson played sex kittens for the huge crowd. Although they included the biggest hits (“Roam”, “Love Shack”, “Rock Lobster”), all which still had surprising energy, the best moments were from the tracks that weren’t such global blockbusters. In “Give Me Back My Man” Wilson sounded venomous enough to teach today’s rockers a thing or two about delivering a line. Classic track “Planet Clair” sounded like The Dirty Projects on speed. Aside from being a fun set, it was also a great reminder that the band was innovative in its early careers and many of those songs really do stand the test of time, which is something worth noting at music festivals, where you know many acts won’t be around in two or three years, much less decades.

England Rockers White Lies stormed the Xbox 360 set with enough confidence to convince you they were the day’s headliners. Their midday performance drew a hearty crowd that seemed to know every word of the band’s debut album. They faithfully reproduced To Lose My Life and even brought some extra swagger. Perhaps the best proof of their bravado was their decision to cover Portishead’s “The Rip”, widely considered one of the best songs of 2008. They turned the haunting melody into a slow burner that erupted into a full-on rocker. Their 45-minute set felt like the work of seasoned pros.

Passion Pit‘s set on the same stage later that afternoon had less confidence, but that added to its charm. Although the sound mix was shaky, and Michael Angelakos’ shaky voice is an acquired taste, Passion Pit were playing to devotees. With only one album and one EP under its belt, the group has become 2009′s MGMT-a synthpop act that writes really good songs that you can’t get out of your head. From the sorrow-yet-danceable “I’ve Got Your Number” to the chant-worthy “Little Things”, the band only needed to show up to get a hoard of fans jumping up and down. Fortunately, the band not only showed up, they decided to have fun. Compared to their set at Lollapalooza two months ago, you can assume Angelakos and company are learning how to work a stage. At no time did it feel like they were going through the motions or intimidated to be playing to such a huge crowd. Their interaction between each other was often more playful than anything they directed at the audience, which suggested they’re just now learning how to have fun while performing live, but they always sounded just as fun as you wanted them to be.

The Dead Weather rocked the Livestrong stage with more ferocity than even the excellent Horehound suggested they could. Lead vocalist Alison Mosshart paced back and forth on the stage as if she were waiting to jump off and punch a fan or two. Her strong voice and enchanting presence made it easy to forget that, uh, Jack White’s back there on drums. That is until they let loose on “Treat Me Like Your Mother” and turned a brief but intense rock track into an extended jam that sounded like it could’ve been its own EP. Part of the band’s charm on record is how pristine the band sounds even through its mess of guitars and fuzzy vocals. Live the whole act had the potential to become a noisy mess. Instead, it was a tour de force that proved this is more than just a throwaway side project for any of its members.

Back on Xbox 360, Girl Talk (aka Greg Michael Gillis) scrolled his motto “I’m not a DJ” across the screens and then launched into an hour-long dance party. With dozens of fans dancing onstage behind him, Gillis demanded the audience jump, wave, and sing its way through his mix of rock, dance, and rap tracks. It’s hard to pinpoint any single moment that stood out. DJ or not, Gillis knows how to make thousands of fans who have been outside for three days in temperamental weather find some untapped energy.

No sooner had Gillis’ party stopped than Pearl Jam began its headlining slot on the Livestrong stage. Tearing through “Why Go?” and “Corduroy”, Pearl Jam proved why it’s still a band worth paying attention to 20 years into its career. Although it hasn’t been a radio mainstay for over a decade, Pearl Jam knows how to access the part of music fans’ brains that want to pound their fists in the air and profess something. Anything.

Photo by Karen Loria (via Pearl Jam).

As someone who wasn’t lucky enough to see the band perform live before, I wasn’t certain what to expect: Would the band be painfully beyond its prime? Were the devotees hyping up the band and setting an unrealistic standard? No and no. Eddie Vedder sounds as good as he ever did, and as a whole the band clicks the way you wish all rock acts did. No showboating or rock clichés. When Vedder crawls on the ground or hangs on to the microphone, he looks like he’s experiencing the songs for the first time. When they closed the first encore with “Alive”, a song they must’ve performed hundreds of times by now, each member sold it as if they still had something to prove. The audience, which was huge because the band was playing unopposed, sang along with more enthusiasm than any other band I saw all weekend. Although I felt a tinge of jealousy that I was too young to see the band on its early tours, when they were ushering in a new era of music, I was glad to see them now. As adults who have grown as musicians and had more life experiences, their words had more gravitas than they did 15 years ago.

When they were joined by fellow ACL performer Ben Harper on “Red Mosquito”, they seemed delighted to be sharing the stage with another artist, even though they’re frequent collaborators. They then went into the blazing “Do the Evolution”, which raised the energy level even higher. Little did we know that energy would be matched by the final encore set. First, surprise guest (and Lollapalooza organizer) Perry Farrell joined the band to cover Jane’s Addiction’s “Mountain Song”, which sounded even better than Jane’s Addiction’s performance of it at Lollapalooza. The band then ended the show with their usual cover of Neil Young’ “Rockin’ in The Free World”. It was an obvious thesis for the band and the weekend, and it could’ve come off as cheesy-especially when Vedder left the stage to get into the audience and slide around in the mud. Instead it felt like an authentic way to end the weekend. Earlier in the set, Vedder said that he was told the band hadn’t been to Austin in 15 years, and he wasn’t sure what they had been thinking. After the band walked off stage, I think most of Zilker Park was wondering the same thing.

Thousands of fans then streamed out of the park-or mud pit-filtered through the city in the cool October breeze. People were covered in mud and many flip-flops were left orphaned throughout the park.  It felt like the last day of a summer vacation, when you don’t want to leave the beach and go back to reality. Although this year’s later dates meant the festival was officially taking place in autumn, the whole experience acted as an official bookend to the summer festival season.

Additional photography by Karen Loria (via Pearl Jam).

Of course, aside from all the NME fun, all three bands have a slew of other engagements in the coming weeks. In addition to to supporting Snow Patrol on its upcoming U.K. tour, White Lies will also head over to Indio, California for an appearance at this year’s Coachella Music Festival as will Friendly Fires, which will be busy with their own European tour before heading over to the states. As for The Soft Tack? After finishing a few dates in the U.S., the band will head across the Atlantic to hang with the Black Lips and Breeders. All three bands will also be making their way to Austin in March for this year’s South by Southwest.

NME Presents 2009 Tour Dates:
03/24 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
03/25 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
03/26 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
03/27 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
03/30 – Montreal, QC @ Les Saints
03/31 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Place
04/01 – Ann Arbor, MI @ Blind Pig
04/02 – Indianapolis, IN @ Radio Radio
04/03 – Chicago, IL @ Double Door
04/04 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club
04/07 – Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s
04/08 – Vancouver, BC @ Richard’s on Richards
04/09 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
04/11 – San Francisco, CA @ Slims