Bonnaroo Thursday Report (June 11, 2009)

Let me begin by saying that Manchester, Tennesse, nestled in the verdant mountains between Nashville and Chatanooga, is the place to be for anyone remotely interested in some of the greatest acts, world-wide, as well as some of the most innovative and talented musicians who are just now making ripples on the scene. I’ve coordinated my daily schedule as best I can to catch as much good music as humanly possible, although the nature of the beast simply makes it so that it’s impossible to see it all. Between navigating throngs of music enthusiasts, supine hippies, and torrentially rainy thunderstorms, here’s a synopsis of sets (some of which were viewed in less than their entirety) and subsequent thoughts on the shows. 

Hockey

While getting acquainted with the festival grounds, I was drawn to one tent in particular in large part because of a good-looking KORG synthesizer set up (which should give you some idea of what gets me going these days, musically speaking). The setup belonged to the virtually unknown Hockey, a Portland-based quintet who, within minutes of taking the stage had surpassed my expectations of an early-Thursday act. Lead singer Benjamin Grubin demanded the stage with sass but had the pipes to back it up, calling to mind the showmanship of (dare I say?) a young Freddie Mercury. The surrounding players proved adept as well, as Hockey energetically pumped through warm, funky grooves and explosive choruses. 

There were a few occasions during which Grubin showcased his proclivity for the percussive, when he’d hop up next to drummer Anthony Stassi and thump counter-rhythms on toms and cymbals using mallets. The band also had fun at their own expense, referencing their own obscurity by prefacing one tune with, “Here’s a song nobody knows.” Despite the few kinks that emerging bands must work out such as drumstick drops and a perhaps ill-advised foray into folk, Hockey was a fresh, impressive new act who raised some eyebrows from the lucky few of us who stumbled into their tent.

The Knux/People Under The Stairs

I wasn’t familiar with The Knux until I overheard their beats bumping and their audience rocking from across the way. As I made my way toward the stage, I became more engaged with every step as the intricacy of beats and accompanying bangs and squeals began to sound like some of those great Outkast creations. By the time I arrived, the duo from New Orleans had finished the song that drew me in and had moved onto a darker, heavier number that sounded like a permutation of Linkin Park if there were more emphasis on the hip-hop side of things. It was a fun act to stumble upon at Bonnaroo, even if it’s not one I’d necessarily jump at in Boston. 

On my way over to stake my claim of muddy ground at Passion Pit, I passed People Under The Stairs, who were unleashing a less aggressive style of rap that seemed to me slightly more becoming. The rappers never left the pocket; every syllable and plosive consonant hit where it was supposed to, resulting in the end goal of any rap concert: hands in the air, waving like folks just didn’t care. As I returned to my original trajectory, Thes One assured us that though his last hook involved the making and taking of money, that “It ain’t about money, it’s about art.” He repeated the line for emphasis, with a tone rich with sincerity that had me nodding my head as I sauntered onward.

Passion Pit

Before I go forward I feel I should mention that Passion Pit’s debut album, Manners, has basically been my crack of the past month or so. In that month, I watched their last.fm fans jump from 14 to roughly 120,000. So apparently I’m not alone. Likewise, I was far from alone in the mud pit in front of the stage, into which hundreds trudged to gauge if the glorious fusion of singable rock and danceable pop could translate in a live performance. In short: hell yes it did. Michael Angelakos, Indie rock’s newest golden boy, together with his crew brought the 80s back in style with fat synth and creative samples, his wailing tenor piercing the electro-poppy soundscape. 

Not only did Passion Pit’s performance eschew lulls, it also provided brilliant moments during which bouncing in earthy muck seemed like the only option. One such moment was a collective audience fist-pumping on the chorus of “Make Light,” when the band first kicked the dance party into high gear. Later, we proved a formidable substitute for the children’s voices during the chorus of “Little Secrets” through the spirited chanting of “higher and higher.” The other standout of the set was “Sleepyhead,” as Angelakos borrowed a page from the hip-hop community in raising a vocal hook an octave, to layer, as he does so well, the contemporary with the best of decades past.

Bonnaroo review to your liking? You'll sweat:

True Roo: Bonnaroo Friday Report (June 12, 2009)

The Knux - Waterloo Records (SXSW 2009; March 21)

Passion Pit + Paper Route - Middle East Downstairs (Cambridge, MA; Feb. 6, 2009)

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