Ah, my first Siren Festival. And my first trip to Coney Island. Yes, I've lived in New York City for over five years now, and I've never made the trip. I usually seemed to be somewhere else in the dead heat of July (thanks to a wonderful thing called summer vacation, that I now miss). So I arrived off the subway with childlike excitement, gazing wide-eyed at the roller coasters and beach in front of me. But we had bands to see, and little time to stroll, so with a VIP bracelet in hands (mucho thanks Aaron), we headed to the "main stage" for Twilight Sad.
Pat and I checked out the Scottish band a few months ago at Knitting Factory and although I left completely deaf, it was a brilliant show for a band I knew very little about at the time. Since then they've received a significant amount of buzz, including a coveted spot at this year's Pitchfork fest, which know means its solid gold for the young band. I only had time to catch a little bit of their set this time around, but sometime tells me it wont be the last. The intensity emoted from the lead singer's stares and vocals can be a bit intense at times. Even with the sun beating down and the Cyclone riding by, I was totally entranced.
But, of course, it was off to see my favorites: the White Rabbits. In what could be considered stalking tendencies I never miss a show by this band. It's an excuse for me to feel totally giddy while checking out my top album of the year live. Luckily, their shows never get old as they tend to throw in a few newbies and covers along the way. This time, they played the incredible "Sea Of Rum" that worked perfectly in its surroundings. Dressed in adorable preppy beach attire, those six boys have yet to disappoint me live.
From there, my wonderful boyfriend decided it was a good idea for me to go on the Cyclone for the first time. Now don't get me wrong, I love rollercoasters. But those rickity wooden ones always leave me with a headache, and a bit shell-shocked. This time was no different as I left the ride thinking I had had a near death experience, with my neck and head in pain. Obviously, I needed a drink.
We headed on over to check out Lavender Diamond whose album I quite enjoy, but was a bit taken a back by their live show. Perhaps it's just a bit too odd for my liking, but the lead singer kinda creeped me out in a very unnatural way. I don't think she made much sense, maybe out of nerves, but her in-between banter caused a lot of "huhs" and "whats." However the songs sounded pretty stellar and I was surprised at how many people were into it. Maybe it was just me, after all.
So we decided to check out the Noisettes, who I had never really heard much about, but Pat explained a bit and it sounded cool to me. Definitely the surprise of the day, as the band put on a tight set that was, by definition, rock and roll. The lead singer was enigmatic with her poofy hair and rowdy attire. At one point the drummer disappeared from the stage, and left the band (and us) in confusion. Luckily he came back and the set continued. I imagine this band would be pretty crazy in an enclosed venue. Will have to keep note of when they come back.
It was a tough decision for me to choose between We Are Scientists and Matt and Kim. Damn you Village Voice for putting two fun local bands on at the same time. But since I had seen WAS a half a dozen times and M&K only once, we headed back to the other stage and boy was I glad. I needed a bit of an energy boost by this time and this duo was the perfect medicine. I really don't think a band could be more adorable both musically and personally. Apparently Kim was super nervous before getting to the fest, but it didn't show. The same ruckus ensued and they nailed every song. Too bad all the die-hard fans were behind the barrier. For the first time in my life I wanted to be in the middle of a crazy mosh pit.
After that, I was pretty exhausted. I listened to Voxtrot while lounging on the grassy knoll behind them and moseyed on over to catch a bit of MIA. I then realized I looked like a lobster (whoops, forgot the sunscreen) and decided to head on home to avoid any chance of serious damage. All in all, a really fun time for my first trip over there. Next time, I'll pass on the Cyclone.
For more pictures from the day, clickity-click over to flickr.
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