Friday, August 7, 2009

Just got back from seeing Bon Iver, Ben Folds and Fleet Foxes (and eating a gyro).

Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes are probably two of the most buzzed about indies from the last year or so. They're also two of the most chilled out, mellow bands on the festival's lineup.

Fleet Foxes were a treat, if only to hear their four-part harmonies flood out over the park. The group played their first song without instruments, just four voices playing off each other. They kept it pretty mellow until the last few songs, when they picked things up a bit.

Both Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver brought huge crowds to a stage that's set into a hill. If you didn't get there early enough, you were stuck on the crest of the hill where you could barely see the stage - if you could see it at all.

That brings up another point: If you want to get close to the stage for your favorite band, plan on getting to that stage well before they get onstage.

Ben Folds had a full band backing him up, different from when it was just him and a piano when I saw him a few years ago. He only played two Ben Folds Five songs ("Kate" and the set-closing "Army"). Most of his material was solo stuff and most of it his newest material.

Best moment of the set was when Folds did a cover of Dr. Dre's "B****** Ain't S***." The entire crowd sang along and Folds was laughing onstage.

As for the gyro, it was pretty tasty (in case you were wondering about that).

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