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By: Greg Caruso & Jon Claffey
Street Scene :: 09.19.08 & 09.20.08 :: East Village & Petco Park :: San Diego, CA
 Street Scene 2008 :: Street Scene® |
As usual in Southern California at this time of year, the weather could not be more perfect as we stood in line to get into Street Scene 2008. Being herded into the sectioned off quarter of the Gaslamp district in San Diego, the crowd around us was simply abuzz with delightful anticipation of a stellar lineup, which included bands and acts from all genres. This was the first year back to a "street" for the scene since 2003. Since then, it'd been shuffled to the parking lots of Petco Park and Qualcomm Stadium, respectively. Last year, the fest moved 20 miles away from the streets to Coors Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, CA. There, it had poor attendance numbers not only due to the move, but a less than stellar lineup. Thankfully, one year short of Street Scene's 25th Anniversary, the crowd once again gathered in the streets of San Diego with anticipation of rejuvenation.
Friday, 09.19.08
MGMT - 5:45-6:30 - Zarabanda Stage
Directly ahead of us, MGMT was already brining their "Electric Feel" to not only the crowd inside, but to all of us outside. Walking slowly and singing along on our way through the entrance, it was made apparent that the massive crowd that was drawn to Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser's band was the cause of the bottleneck into the fest. Their psychedelically washed indie anthems have been all over the radio this summer, and it's no wonder everyone was eating them up. Seeing their songs live had the mob going nuts up front, all the way to the back outside the gates to the ticket line. MGMT finished up their set with "Kids." (GC)
Michael Franti & Spearhead - 6:40-7:40 - Fulano Stage
The remainder of the afternoon's light began to diminish as Michael Franti & Spearhead hit the Fulano Stage. A crowd immediately began to swell up the area in front. The word Fulano is the mirror to Fulana, both meaning "someone" in Spanish slang (Fulano = "boy" and Fulana = "girl"). To say that Franti is a consummate performer is a given. To say that Spearhead is kick-ass is without question. The thing is, though, is that it seems that their sets don't vary much (word has it that his show at House of Blues that evening was a duplicate to the afternoon). Aside from that, the energy was high as they played "Pass the Dutchie" and "Jamrock" in Spearhead fashion. Others featured within their set were "I Got Love For You," which sounded amazing and had everyone jumping around, and "Yell Fire," which brought his set to a fever pitch. (GC)
Diplo - 7:15-8:15 - Casbah Stage
 Street Scene '08 from myspace.com/streetscene |
Diplo is a DJ's DJ. He simply works his shit into frenetic danceable beats. Spinning off of vinyl, he mashed up his beats with snippets of artists you not only know, but some you would love to find out about. Throughout his non-stop set, recognized artists were Hot Chip, M.I.A., Santogold, Nirvana, Lil' Wayne, Pharcyde, and AC/DC. The crowd was full of maniacally happy people dancing out of control. So much so that it was one of the very few times where the Casbah Stages' crowd spilled out onto the street. The Casbah Stage was directly next to one of the many beer garden areas. Inside, there was a separate crowd going nuts to Diplo, except with their drinks already in hand. (GC)
New Pornographers - 7:15-8:15 - Zarabanda Stage
It was time to catch a few songs from The New Pornographers. Hailing from Vancouver, they're another one of those "super group" type acts that have multiple members who are in other bands. Most notably is Dan Bejar (Destroyer) and Neko Case, who has had quite a successful alt-country solo career. Although Case doesn't tour with them extensively, it doesn't take away from the band's performances too much when she's missing. They all manage their songs in perfect poppy style. "Mass Romantic" was the highlight of our short stay, but as we left Zarabanda back to Diplo, the Porno's launched into E.L.O.'s "Don't Bring Me Down." It had us quickly turn our heels to help them finish up. Nailing it down, it goes to show that you never know what you could be missing at a festival. (GC)
Spoon - 8:35-9:35 - Fulano Stage
Spoon hit the stage to "Cherry Bomb" like they haven't missed a beat since being off the road for a month. With horn players in tow, Britt Daniels and his crew played an excellent mix of new and old to Street Scene's largest crowd of the day, at that point. The addition of horns to their now extended tour has worked wonders for the band; their sound is so much more full and punchy. Newer songs like "Don't You Evah" and "The Underdog" got everyone hopping and singing, while older favorites like "The Beast the Dragon Adored" and "My Mathematical Mind," with all of their distorted panache, rocked our pants off. The diversity in Spoons' sound is really quite engaging. At one moment they could be playing one of their more radio friendly hits such as "I Summon You," only to turn it around and play "The Ghost of You Lingers," replete with extended, shivering guitar sounds drenching the crowd in their dark, sinister vibes. This being their second year in a row at Street Scene, they proved that there really isn't enough Spoon to go around. (GC)
TV On The Radio - 7:45-8:30 - Fulana Stage
Cat Power - 8:45-9:45 - Zarabanda Stage
Devotchka - 9:20-10:00 - Casbah Stage
 Street Scene 2008 :: Street Scene® |
Catching only bits of each, Devotchka was the most impressive of the three acts. Their different brand of "gypsy" melodies truly works well together. Aside from their sound, it was extremely cool to see the inside of a tuba decorated with lights on the inside made to look like a rose. TV On The Radio sounded extremely good. They even had some Antibalas horns up there with them on some songs, but they just couldn't rip us away from Diplo. Cat Power has the most amazing voice, but having seen her perform before we weren't too broken up about missing her. The one song we did catch, however, was drowned out within the mix and you couldn't hear her vocals. (GC)
Justice - 9:40-10:40 - Fulana Stage
At first no one knew what to do, nor did they really know what to expect. As the first sounds of "Genesis" boomed over the crowd it was simply "ON." Street Scene was about to turn into a dance party whether it liked it or not. Justices' cross was illuminated; kids started running, jumping and grooving - all and all, losing their shit. The French DJ auteurs mix-mashed through their repertoire non-stop. When the out of place lyrics of "D.A.N.C.E." started being mixed in with "Phantom," there was a deafening roar. Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay know exactly how to mess with a crowd by dissecting their own tracks. To say that Justice could be a bit much for the uninitiated might just be true, especially given the nature of a track like "Stress," which very much deserves its name. It's a barrage of sounds and lights with such furious speed and changes that it's almost like an explosion going off in your head. They did bring it down, though, with the track "We Are Your Friends" remixed by themselves via Simian Mobile Disco. Starting off slow and building speed, with the crowd chanting along to the name, the boys built it up to a frenzy of sounds. After some brief waves and bows, Justice got back behind the decks one last time to send us off with a quick encore of sounds. To say that they were the high point of the day would be a gross understatement. (GC)
Beck - 10:45-12:00 - Fulano Stage
 Street Scene 2008 by Douglas Heine |
Still reeling from Justices' hot set, and sweaty as all get out, most of the crowd started heading over to Fulano to get a good spot for Beck. It was the perfect time to get a beer and just sit in the garden close to the stage screen and wait. All of a sudden we heard, emanating from Fulana, the opening chords of "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond. Practically everyone was singing along to the "hands touching hands" and "bum bum bums." It was a real treat.
Beck took the stage to "Loser," a fitting choice seeing how wild the crowd got for it. Dressed in a grunge look that was too reminiscent of the '90s, Beck wasn't really playing it up as he has in the past. His band seemed pretty into it, but for him it seemed like he was really just going through the motions. "Nausea" and "Girl" were up next, and it was nice to see that he was keeping his set on such an even keel. It was no surprise to see him run through a bunch of his newer tracks next, which really are quite good live. Forgoing the puppets this year, the stage backdrop was a mixture of older looking images that were somehow manipulated. For "Devil's Haircut" there was a man fixing up his suit sporadically. During "Chemtrails" it was a bunch of people shuffling about and looking outwards towards us. Other songs had the usual tripped-out fare interspersed with crowd shots that were all pretty cool but nothing too special, particularly coming from a visionary like Beck. (GC)
Antibalas - 10:30-11:45 - Casbah Stage
Before the evening's end, and definitely getting bored of making fun of Beck looking like he got Botox, we headed to Antibalas as the perfect way to end the evening. Strolling up to the half packed Casbah Stage, we were greeted to the smooth sounds of Afrobeat. The band was right in the middle of "Rat Race" and was purely tearing it up. After dedicating the next song to John McCain and Sarah Palin, the band launched into "War Hero," a horn and conga drenched morsel that hammered away at the state of our government. It was the perfect way to send the crowd off not only dancing but also thinking. (GC)
Continue reading for Saturday coverage...
Saturday, September 20
The Mother Hips - 4:50-5:50 - Zarabanda Stage
 West Indian Girl :: Street Scene 2008 by Douglas Heine |
Returning to the festival on Saturday, things seemed to have calmed down quite a bit. Lines were shorter and stages were less packed. The Mother Hips was the first stop, and they were well on their way, jamming it up for a smaller than usual crowd for the Zarabanda Stage. Good things do come in small packages though because this group was definitely feeling what the Hips were dishing out. (GC)
Spiritualized - 5:10-5:55 - Fulano Stage
Our festival crew had never seen this band before. Jason Pierce, the lead singer and only constant member of the band, wore a Roky Erickson t-shirt and that was enough to grant a fair look-see. With its five-piece, guitar/guitar/bass setup and two backup singers, Spiritualized has a big sound. The lyrics from "Soul On Fire" off the new album, Songs in A&E, provided a good introspection into what this band is all about: "You were born on a black day/ Shot through with starlight/ And all the angels singing/ Just about got it right." (JC)
Cold War Kids - 6:00-6:40 - Fulana Stage
Sometimes a brilliant album causes problems. Such was the case with the Cold War Kids' set at Street Scene. Every song off of their first album, Robbers & Cowards, shined as usual with these guys, but their new songs off Loyalty to Loyalty, released to the general public three days after this performance, still need to gain the energy and importance of the classics from their debut. The majority of the set consisted of new tunes and it remains to be seen whether the new material can grow in a live setting. "Against Privacy" opened the set and failed to set the pace for one of the most heralded acts on Saturday. "Something Is Not Right With Me" and "Welcome to the Occupation" picked things up, but one doesn't get the feeling these songs will resonate with the fans as much as the majority of Robbers & Cowards. Nevertheless, the crowd enjoyed themselves, and was replete with the obligatory hot indie girls catching views off the tops of boyfriend shoulders. Highlights included "Vacation," "Hang Me Up To Dry" and "Hospital Beds." The question that lingers is whether the Cold War Kids have hit the sophomore slump or if there just hasn't been enough time to digest their latest effort. (JC)
Del Tha Funky Homosapien - 6:15-7:00 - Zarabanda Stage
 Cold War Kids :: Street Scene 2008 by Douglas Heine |
It's always nice to switch things up, and Del Tha Funky Homosapien was the first opportunity to get some hip-hop into the SD mix. As Ice Cube's cousin proclaimed to the crowd, "For those of you who haven't heard of me, you can go ahead and feel me right now." It worked for a little bit. "Virus," a favorite from his Deltron 3030 days, let the malcontents know a party was starting. Things really started to crank when Del broke down "Foot Down" and "Thank Youse," which brought big ups from the crowd. Being a proven festival scene at this point, the change of pace Del was bringing had worn off and it was time to move on. (JC)
The Hives - 6:45-7:30 - Fulano Stage
If Day Two seemed to lack energy at all, The Hives were all one needed to remedy the situation. Despite battling a fever of "1,500 degrees," singer Pelle Almqvist and his band brought more energy to the street than all of Saturday's bands combined. With their brand of garage punk rock, The Hives managed to come off like equal parts Stooges (their onstage antics) and The Sex Pistols (their Johnny Rotten look-a-like guitarist). Shredding through hits like "Hate to Say I Told You So" and "Walk Idiot Walk," the band was hell-bent on putting on the best show possible. From climbing to the top of the stage scaffolding, playing in the crowd and even freezing like mannequins mid-song for thirty seconds, The Hives were a riot in the best way possible. (GC)
Ghostland Observatory - 7:30-8:30 - Zarabanda Stage
 The Hives :: Street Scene 2008 by Douglas Heine |
Lights, camera, action! The slow sets were officially over for the day and it was time to feel the power of Ghostland Observatory. The official Street Scene handout quoted Aaron Behrens on his constantly worn sunglasses, "They hide my superpowers. It's so my eyes won't burn you when I take them off." And who were we to disagree after an hour of unadulterated electro-shredding? If one thinks The Black Keys are the super-duo of blues-based rock, then Ghostland Observatory are the super-duo of electronic-based rock. With drummer-producer and overall mad alchemist of the Midi, Thomas Turner in tow, the duo beat the audience to a pulp with their driving beats and perfectly timed riffs with a consistency that's astonishing.
Combined with lasers bouncing all over the place (from the stage, not Behrens eyes), the pair worked mainly off of 2006's Paparazzi Lightning. With smoke shrouding them for most of the set, it was a perfect compliment not only to the lasers but also the bizarre nature of the band and their eccentricities - Tuner wears a cape and Behrens has his signature shades, tight clothes and pigtails. With hits like "Sad Sad City" and "Piano Man," the band outshines a lot of their competition these days. Ghostland Observatory is a band that needs to be kept under a watchful eye. (GC)
The National - 9:25-10:25 - Fulana Stage
"Thank you, we're The Black Crowes," joked The National's singer Matt Berninger to a rather large crowd, making light of the fact, of course, of the Crowes' unfortunate cancellation of five California dates due an illness. Though the Crowes couldn't make it, the scene still had The National, and they were thankful for that. The critical indie darlings out of Brooklyn have made quite a name for themselves over the last few years. Their past two LPs, Alligator and Boxer, were named Album of the Year on many best lists in '05 and '07. Like Spoon the previous day, The National brought additions to their live show, namely three wind players including a trumpet, trombone and bassoon. These players added a lot to newer songs like "Fake Empire" and "Brainy." Berninger, dressed in a dark blazer and glasses, and his crew touched on favorites like "Secret Meeting," "All the Wine" and "Abel" off Alligator, where Berninger hit spastic peaks, screaming, "My mind's not right" at the tail-end over and over again. (GC)
Sound Tribe Sector 9 - 10:30-12:00 - Zarabanda Stage
 STS9 :: Street Scene 2008 by Douglas Heine |
On the heels of their new album, Peaceblaster, the boys of STS9 took the stage ready to give fans a 90-minute dose of their much-heralded live electronic sound. As always, it seems like STS9 is making changes to their sound - shaping, tightening and tuning - yet still staying true to their mind-bending nature. The new songs that were brought out like "Peaceblaster '08" and "Peaceblaster '68" showed that STS9 is drawing in much more rock flavored element these days.
Though the evening was peppered with newer songs, it's not to say that STS9 has done away with any signature cuts since "EHM," "Rent" and "Tooth" flowed around the new songs and their set seemed very cohesive and together. Seeing that this was still a festival, and playing more of a side stage, their overall setup seemed a bit light, but that didn't deter the diehard fans from showing all the love they could for the guys. (GC)
All and all, Street Scene 2008 went off this year in grand fashion. The beer lines may have been too long for some, and certain sound problems may have made some fans and artists a bit peeved, but hopefully all of that will be addressed next year. Seeing The Black Crowes bow out was definitely sad for some, but for the few Lego hatted fans that were milling about, Devo was a welcome substitute. The food was great and the weather perfect. Seeing amazing acts, along with tons of happy people dancing in the streets, is always a great time.
JamBase | Southern California
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