It has been a crazy summer in NYC with it raining seemingly every day. And so, fittingly this past weekend’s All Points West music festival was not spared by mother nature. All of the rain led to some cancellations, and also some seriously smelly mud. My buddy Josh was kind enough to extend an invitation to Sunday’s activities and we rallied at about 4pm, hit the ferry and made our way to beautiful Jersey City, New Jersey.
It felt a little odd to be breaking out my LL Bean boots and wool socks in the summer, but they were just what the doctor ordered to keep my feet dry. Just like Lieutenant Dan says “There is one item of G.I. gear that can be the difference between a live grunt and a dead grunt socks. Cushioned sole, O.D. green. Try and keep your feet dry. When we’re out humpin’, I want you boys to remember to change your socks whenever we stop”
I was lucky enough to get on the Bullet stage for MGMT and The Black Keys sets. The Black Keys never disappoint live (so much damn sound for just two dudes) and I have to say the MGMT performance was really good. Much better than seeing them at Prospect Park a few weeks back. It was crazy awesome to see the crowd going nuts for an encore (see video below).
All in all it was a fun day and worth dealing with the mud. I don’t think APW is the best run show in the world and I would have liked to have been there on Friday (Jay-Z, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vampire Weekend…) if it didn’t rain, but any chance I get to see The Black Keys I am there, rain or shine.
MGMT
The Black Keys doing their thing. Fog machine was fucking up the photo quality here…
The main stage. Note the mud pool…
View of Lower Manhattan…
More mud…
What kind of LL Bean boots?
These guys.
friday was amazing! and i was wearing flip flops…
Friday ate my sneakers. Terrible stuff.
para festivales de verano , recomiendo unas hunters boots colgadas de cuello
Disagreed on MGMT, I wasn’t thrilled with their performance. Their stage presence was basically not present, and they just didn’t seem like they wanted to be there. I’m glad i skipped the encore to check out etienne de crecy, that was an amazing stage.
In total agreement on Black Keys though, best performance of the day. Amazing energy and what a sound.
MW, missed you there! Had a great time on Friday. Spent most of it by the fence in the beer garden closest to main stage with a bunch of Irish folks pounding the Bud and sips of warm whiskey from flasks. Where else can you do that and see perform in succession: Fleet Foxes, (run over to see Ra Ra Riots), then the National, Vamp Weekend, YYYs then Jigga Man? By the time Hova came on, we were well buzzed and screaming the lyrics to each song. Awesome. The rain didn’t bring us down. One of the best days of music i have experienced. People who complain about the rain should really try going to an English Festival. Almost GUARANTEED to chuck it down and people just frickin deal with it and have fun somehow. But even with pomised free admission to one of other two days, couldnt muster up the energy after Fri.
I was there just for Coldplay. My friend gave me his tickets from Friday. The smell was awful. Good times though.
heard MGMT is friggin awesome live…too bad the weather was a little shoddy. mud fun for everyone! love the new layout by the way.
You’re still lucky. The Black Keys rock, even in the mud.
I’m at Lollapalooza tomorrow, rain in the morning, but 90 degrees in the afternoon. Not really boot weather…