Saturday was full of tougher decisions than day one, not the least of which was Interpol vs. Muse vs. staying dry. Grant Park got its drizzle on during The Hold Steady; by the time Spoon took the MySpace stage, it was full-on downpour. Britt reminded us how to pronounce GaGaGaGaGa (like a machine gun!) and the genius of LCD’s Friday set (“awesome”!). For many of our media friends, the day’s biggest disappointment was CSS‘s last minute cancellation. For Stereogum, it was getting shut out of the Muse photopit. (Post ‘em if you ya got ‘em.) Bellamy & Co’s light show looked great from any vantage, though, especially during an epic “Time Is Running Out” and Nina Simone cover “Feeling Good.” Alas, we missed Interpol. Did you choose them over Muse? Explain yourself.
Karen O took home the Gummy for Best Dressed. Alien denmother Perry Farrell introduced the rockers, then Karen appeared in a Corgan-y black and white zigzag cape, masking an even stranger leather bondage getup with curiously placed zippers and, um, hair-skirt? And her legs were wrapped in tefillin. Or something. Taking notes, Cold War Kids?
Speaking of blogrock, we caught up with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah‘s Sargent twins, asking Lee and Tyler to out-silly our (non-existent) snapshots of comic genius Regina Spektor. Good sports, those two. The blond fellow on their left is Clap sound man Iain White. Forgot to ask: What’s Tom Hanks REALLY like?
And no festival is complete without our favorite merry band of beer swillers. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from seeing the Hold Steady umpteen times in the past year, it’s that these guys live for the stage. That means Craig’s gonna clutch his hair and lose his shit to the opening riff of “Stuck Between Stations” each time like it’s never been played before, while Franz and Galen smile, wave, and mug like it’s the first time they’ve actually had fans at a set — and in turn, the frontrow kids were freaking like they had never seen the band before (a teen yelling “This is the greatest day of my life! I’m gonna see THE HOLD STEADY!”). We got everything from the Boys And Girls… standouts (“Massive Nights,” “Chips Ahoy,” “Party Pit,” “You Can Make Him Like You”) to “Cattle And The Creeping Things,” and as always, THS killed.
Today: Los Campesinos!, !!!, and My Morning Jacket with an orchestra! Last exclamation point ours for emphasis. Oh and that band Pearl something everybody keeps mentioning. Keep meaning to Wiki them.
Too many photos after the jump, most by Abbey Braden for Stereogum.
I’M FROM BARCELONA
SILVERCHAIR
COLD WAR KIDS
CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH HARMONIZE
ROKY ERICKSON
THE HOLD STEADY
REGINA SPEKTOR
YEAH YEAH YEAHS
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whaaaaat who chooses Muse over Interpol??
I would choose muse over Interpol. Interpol is great But Muse is amazing.
Did Elizabeth Elmore join The Hold Steady for that song she sings on, on the album?
I saw Interpol at Coachella. Meh. They’re better suited for smaller venues. I’d have picked Muse too.
muse V interpol – surely there isn’t even a choice!
Karen O always does interesting things… God love her.
im with dirty harry. who even considers muse over interpol…have you HEARD muse!??!
^ yeah…that’s why we all chose muse! not to mention their insane live show. not to mention matt bellamy’s light-up paino and guitar solos, songs called Stockholm Syndrome and Hysteria and Starlight…
i don’t regret chosing muse, but i wish i would have not bothered to be in the pit; i was crushed by teenage boys. i think i’m getting to old for that shit, plus i couldn’t see matt that well. Matt was interviewed on Q101 saying how Paul Banks came up to him and said he really loved their newest album. Matt said he replied, “I havent heard yours but i’m sure it’s great, cheers.”
btw, Karen O is my hero.
Stating the obvious, but Karen O looks sexy as hell in that top photo. Nice.
Doesn’t say a lot for Matt Bellamy’s taste not to have even heard Our Love To Admire.
I would probably choose a sandwich over Muse, U2, Kiss, a fireworks show or Star Wars, they’re all basically the same principle.
No Elizabeth Elmore with the Hold Steady, as “Chillout Tent” was not in the set. Still, a killer set.
Maybe I’m not hip enough, but I think Karen O is ridiculously unattractive.
Regina Spektor, however, is a cute as a button.
Granted I also find YYY’s music pretty craptastic as well. I’m not very cool.
You know the best part of The Hold Steady shows? When Finn closes out with Killer Parties, and talks about how much joy the band has on stage, just doing their thing. It’s really true; and the joy is absolutely infectious to anyone watching. What a great band. I’m envious.
Muse was amazing, poor Interpol. They are great live, but can’t hold a candle to the power of a Muse show, especially in an outdoor setting.
And evidently you weren’t the only ones shut out at Muse. Pitchfork had two pictures up and they were from farther back then where I was.
What, no comments about I’m From Barcelona?! I thought they were fantastic. I truly felt the love, for reals. People who saw both them and Polyphonic said PS seemed “fake” while IFB was the real deal. So fun.
Highlights – I’m From Barcelona, Sam Roberts Band, The Hold Steady, Spoon and Muse.
OVERRATED – Cold War Kids…total yawn fest.
Looks like Stereogum is finally headed the way of Pitchfork, style over substance. Music vs. Interpol and picking Muse, a bad Radiohead imitation. Blech.
I LIKE INTERPOL BUT COME ON U REALLY CANT SAY THEY ARE ORIGINAL…EVER HEARD OF A BAND CALLED JOY DIVISION?
Joy Division is/was boring as shit. Interpol is better, stop with the comparisons.
They put Muse and Interpol against each other? now THAT is bad planning. Both would have been my top 5 reasons to go to the fest, if i went. Interpol is actually really good live but not sure how they would be outdoors. Muse…we’ll have to see tonight at MSG…damn. i’m glad i didn’t have to make that decision.
Karen O looks like a tranny here. I don’t see it.
for a while, i thought that shot of Karen was actually Kevin Barnes from.. er.. Of Montreal.
Anybody ever watch that muse performance at glastonbury ’05? Anybod ever seen them live? it’s a no-brainer, Interpol is good, but if i want a modern take on the Joy Division sound I’m going to listen to the first Editors cd
Give me Muse live over Interpol any day. If I wanted to hear mindless droning I’d befriend an air conditioner. – CBG
“Muse, a bad Radiohead imitation”
since when does Muse sound ANYTHING like Radiohead? did someone mislabel your itunes list? what a cruel prank.
“Muse, a bad Radiohead imitation”
How original.
i think interpol are one of the most over-rated recent bands. i mean, they’re ok, but muse are a way better band. its not even close.
and yeah, i’ve never thought much of karen-o before but that pic is making me excited…
LISTEN TO CITIZEN ERASED, MUSEPOUPONS!
First: Muse are OK. Radiohead rip-off? Maybe… in that both of them are sort of U2 rip-offs (if you really wanna go down that road).
Interpol? Does anyone but teenage ‘emo’ kids (if that word still applies these days) listen to that garbage? Really? I think the Joy Division comments are relevant. I mean Joy Division isn’t THAT great to listen to, but for their time it was fairly unique. You have to look at it in context. The modern context for Interpol 25 years later just makes them annoying.
And The Cold War Kids? Worst live band I have ever seen. That single is KIND of catchy, but their act BLOWS. Horrifying. Whoever said ‘total yawn fest’ nailed it.
And I have to admit, Karen O. is pretty hot.
in Matt Bellamy’s defense, the thing about not hearing Our Love to Admire, is that it’s been out a month. Black Holes and Revelations has been out a year. I like Interpol but I never would have chosen them over Muse after seeing Muse in concert before (and hearing mixed reviews of Interpol’s show, particularly in a large outdoor setting). I wasn’t disappointed.
i chose interpol over muse because i had hoped to fly back to nyc and see muse tonight. but i was on the official stereogum plane (hello!), which was officially late.
i made the wrong decision.
Karen O dresses like Dandi Wind. Or is it the other way around?
I chose Interpol over Muse ONLY because I saw Muse tonight at the Garden. Both shows were most excellent, dudes.
Let’s see. Ok. Karen O picture, yes, right click, yes, Save Image to Desktop. Right. Carry on.
I really like both Muse and Interpol and have seen both of them live but Muse is the far superior live band. This was my third time seeing Muse and they don’t disappoint. Also, Muse is just a much better festival band than Interpol. Having said that i can’t wait to see Interpol in a smaller venue this fall.
Yeah Yeah Yeah’s completely blew me away. Karen O is freaking amazing. Can’t wait till they play Chi-town again.
Also, Interpol played in Chicago like 3-4 times in the last 2 years, we never get Muse. No contest.
Muse? Interpol? Listen to yourselves! How can you go on about this shit? Buy an Erase Errata album and shut the F up.
whats with all the shit talking about all these bands…it was an amazing show and an amazing weekend all the way around….muse and interpol are both great bands….i chose interpol and the set was awsome
heterosexual MAN here weighing in on the karen o hotness factor, the girl is CANDY! she’s wonderfully well formed and i get happy in my pants when i watch her flail that tight fit body of hers all over the floor.