Indeed, this year's Virgin Mobile Festival was totally free, and Richard Branson's attempt to "put a smile on people's faces" totally worked. Aside from those grumbling about the long lines for admission, because everybody loves complaining about something. The day featured sets from a reunited Blink-182, Weezer, Wale, and made for some fantastic scheduling when Chuck D and Flavor Flav's set gave way to the National's. (Said Berninger: "We do the same sort of thing as Public Enemy.") Being free meant abundant branding at every turn, but there were attractions to divert attention from corporate slogans by way of vaudevillian psychics, street performers, and the traveling hipster roadshow that is a Girl Talk set. Here are some sights of the scene at Merriweather Post Pavilion, most by Graeme Fleigenheimer.
