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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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