Firstly, James Murphy is a rock god. LCD Soundsystem was phenomenal tonight and all my objective journalistic ethics have been shed and all I can do is gush. Taking the stage at 8:30, LCD brought the energy and never let it down, even on tamer songs like "Someone Great" the entirety of Union Park was rapt. Murphy has such a keen knack for dynamics and showmanship, regardless of a concert-goers knowledge of LCD, his concert was a non-stop dance fest. Honestly, this was one of the best live performances I've attended.
Other highlights of the day included Wolf Parade doing a great mix of songs from their new album Expo 86 and their first record, Apologies to the Queen Mary. Songs like, This Heart's On Fire got the crown rolling and the toggling vocals of Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner made for an entertaining set.
Panda Bear made for a bit of a snooze pre-LCD. Starting off with a whole lot of ambient bed time music, Noah Lennox anesthesized his captive audience before playing any songs with energy. I would say drugs would be a prerequisite for enjoyment of this show.
I also caught a bit of the Smith Westerns and all of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, both of which were good sets, save for the scorching heat and buzz of the festival going on around me.
I'm so amped for tomorrow-I'm hoping to be as emphatic about all the bands I see as I am about LCD Soundsystem still, 2 hours post-concert.
Filed under: Concert Listings
Tags: music, music festival, pitchfork, pitchfork music festival
