All Points West: What You'll See, What You'll Get
All photos by Abbey Braden.
Goldenvoice's grand experiment with bringing an indie-leaning outdoor summer festival to the one metropolitan area that doesn't really need one kicked off yesterday. Before the band shots, we're going to lay out what to expect from the day and the space and hopefully give you some last minute tips before you think about heading out today, tomorrow, or next year (if there is one).
As far as settings go, visually, you can't deny a space that combines grass and clear views of both NYC's skyline and Lady Liberty's noble, shapely behind. But first you have to get there. Brandon, Abbey, and I took the ferry yesterday afternoon. If you didn't buy your ride before via Ticketmaster, it was a $30 fare roundtrip (cash only), followed by a 50 minute wait in line for a boat...
... another 10 minutes docked, a 10 minute ride, and a 10 minute walk to the grounds from where we landed in Jersey. (Brandon and I calculated two hours from when we met at the Bedford L stop to when we actually walked through the festival gates.) You could also take the light rail, but then you won't get views like this:
We've been hearing there are some alternate, untapped routes though so ... share.
Once on the grounds prepare to have a great time, as long as you don't need to get drunk to have a great time. Each 21+ drinking bracelet comes with 5 tabs. Don't remove them; the bartenders do that (or else it's useless). Those aren't free drinks. Those are the only 5 drinks you can buy that day. Bands, fans in the trenches, it doesn't matter -- five and you're out. Also, last call is at 8:30 (aka headliner's first song). So if you need to be drunk to enjoy Animal Collective or whatever, I suggest dressing up in your finest Low Tolerance today (or packing some hooch of your own). But of course, here's a list of official DOs and DON'Ts:
When it comes to field navigability and sound, the APW crew hit it right. Three stages, each angled toward the water and away from one another, successfully avoiding sound bleed issues while still being no more than a five minute walk from one mainstage to another. Even though the stage names are a little nerdy (Blue Comet, Bullet, and Queen Of The Valley), we can't all be Bonnaroo (What? That?), and at least APW isn't Lolla (only so many times you can say "the MySpace Stage is killing it today" without feeling the pain of 1,000 emos).
The food options are no worse than they are at Lolla (which is probably The Worst): you've got your signs reading "Rita's Water Ice," "Famous Dave's BBQ," and my personal favorite, "Chinese Food," because as you know Chinese Food is a brand unto itself. As for field extras: There's a DJ area bumping dance music with fixtures reminiscent of those found at Coachella (makes sense), a smoker's lounge (probably giving out free American Spirits to those 21+), and other such tents with diversionary activities, best used to avoid rain if it comes.
There were people in balloon suits and people on stilts, but overall the fest operated at an oddly low energy level yesterday. The early day showers might have been part of the problem; with the overcast skies, the barren fields, and the rain during one of Mates Of States' sadder songs, things were unavoidably depressing. The sun helped things later. (So did Girl talk.)
Most of my friends treated yesterday as "a dressed up Radiohead concert" and planned to come toward the evening. So despite the low numbers through the day, I figured the field at the Blue Comet stage still would be too small for a band that had fans camping out all day and stretching across Grant Park just six days ago. But put it this way: We ate dinner at 8:15, walked up and leaned on the fence in front of the jumbotron for Radiohead at 8:20. Maybe the rain and ferry scared people away, maybe the two nights of Radiohead spread the draw, maybe there just weren't enough powerhouse bands, or maybe people realized that most of 'em could be seen in small rooms in the NYC area in the weeks leading up, or the weeks after.
Let's see how Saturday goes. But if you have a ticket, make sure to go. You can treat it as a dressed up Radiohead show too, if you want. The band was stunning (pics tk), played an 8 song encore, and you'll never find a field more ripe for a front row Radiohead experience, no matter when you get there. We're pulling the band shots together, so for now have a look at what it was like to float on a ferry, walk to and around the grounds, and take in the fixtures, all courtesy of the lens of Abbey Braden.
Posted at 12:14 PM by amrit in Concert
Tags: All Points West
"only so many times you can say "the MySpace Stage is killing it today" without feeling the pain of 1,000 emos"
hahahaha
Score = 1
I know APW is in Stereogum's backyard, but for it's first year out, it's sounds like it's getting quite the regaling. Giddy excitement? Sure. NYC self-love? Yep.
Score = 1
Jersey City really isn't hard to get to, it can just be annoying because of the limited transit. Taking the PATH to exchange would have been much faster. Then you could take the light rail (and news, the view is the same from the pier in jersey city). If you wanted to the avoid the light rail, you could walk from exchange or take the PATH to grove st. and walk. The walk is pretty healthy, but you could have avoided the long ferry and light rail lines. The ferry can only take 100+ people at a time, which means you have to wait much longer than the train - also you're paying a lot more.
Score = 0
you describe it well. i was there both friday & saturday and found that the whole thing was organized quite well.
Score = 0
Top 10 Reasons Why All Points Sucked Ass:
10.Lines...lines...lines
9. Seriously, a smokers tent?
8. A chicken coop to drink your beer
7. Bracelets with 5 beer ration tags
6. Feeling claustraphobic too many times just to get in
5. 40 minutes to pee
4. State Troopers roaming the crowds
3. Budweiser only
2. water $4
1. $102.40
Score = -3
Sarah your half wrong.
1) You could smoke wherever you wanted to (anything you wanted to)
2) I dont know how you felt claustrophobic in a giant open field
3) There were almost as many porter potties as people
4) State troopers didnt do shit
5) Budweiser is king
Score = 3
6-10) and Radiohead was beyond ridiculous...making up for any negatives
Score = 0
Top 10 Reasons Why All Points Kicked Ass:
10. Again - Amazing views of lower manhattan all weekend, ellis island and the green lady
9. All stages could be reached within 5 minutes
8. Less beer = less trouble - super laid back as far as festivals go.
7. stellar performance from Andrew Bird, Forro in the Dark, Animal Collective, The new Pornographers, The Roots, Trey Anastasio and a double dose of Radiohead
6. State Troopers may have been in the house but I never saw them hastle folks
5.The 5 beer deally kept the dickwad factor down and made for one of the most laidback crowds and besides the flask fit nicely in most pockets.
4. Metric's Emily Haines shimmering in her gold suit gave lady lib a run for her money
3. even staurday there was plenty of room if you needed it.
2. water = free with bottle
1. 102.40 = Radiohead +
Underworld
The New Pornographers
Michael Franti & Spearhead
The Go! Team
Girl Talk
CSS
Duffy
Forro in the Dark
Little Brother
Andrew Bird
Grizzly Bear
Mates of State
The Duke Spirit
Lowry
Score = 0
There was another ferry - the New York Water Taxi - that no one seemed to know about as we got right on it both coming and going and it wasn't very crowded. It cost $7 one way and I don't think it let you off any farther from the concert than either of the other options. It was not listed on the website, so they obviously wanted to scam as much cash from the poor fans as possible.
Score = 0