Flying Lotus: A much needed sheltered performance was given by Los Angeles’ Flying Lotus. A mixture of genuine admirers as well as refugees from the storm were present for the experimental DJ’s set underneath the Queen of the Valley Tent.
Born Steve Ellison, the great-nephew of Alice Coltrane, Flying Lotus’s presence was a refreshing one. Never ceasing to bob exaggeratedly, never hiding a wide smile, the artist’s unpretentiousness did well to win over his audience.
Ellison’s live tracks were heavy and grooving, and his dialogue with the audience was right on point. After starting a track that used the beat from Snoop Dogg’s “What’s My Name,” he paused to say, “I’m from LA - I have to.”
see more photos of Flying Lotus here...
Q-Tip: After the rain finally subsided, Q-Tip took to the Bullet Stage. Former member of legendary East-Coast rap unit, A Tribe Called Quest, the seasoned rapper put on a theatrical and interactive performance.
His set list drew heavily on his past with Tribe. He played “Suck A Nigga,” which he dedicated to the absent Beastie Boys who were supposedly present in the studio when the track was cut. “Electric Relaxation,” “Scenario” and “Bonita Applebum” were also heard.
Q-Tip also spent a respectable portion of his set paying homage to the late Michael Jackson and J Dilla, humbly asking the crowd to put a finger in the air for each.
It was a fine display of hip hop renaissance, and everyone seemed pleased with the rapper’s recent comeback. Q-Tip was unassuming, but his confidence never faltered.
“Fuck what ya’ heard, we on fire tonight,” he exclaimed to the audience, heralding an end to his era of absence.
MSTRKRFT: At the evening’s damp end, MSTRKRFT performed a flashy set underneath the Queen Valley Tent.
A huge glammy light show played behind the group, as the festival’s “hipper” demographic gyrated in a thumping dance pit, where the duo’s simple beats were put to good use. “Bounce,” “VUVUVU,” and a Rye Rye cover were featured.
The set was solid, but it all seemed a little too reminiscent of a Philadelphia “Making Time” party. I’m pretty sure that I even saw someone taking party pictures. But hey, some people live for that sort of thing.
see more photos of MSTRKRFT...
All Points West...
Day 1
Day 2
Neko Case, Crystal Castles, and The Ting Tings
Day 3
MGMT, Lykki Li, The Black Keys, and Etienne de Crécy
Other Festivals...
