Bluesfest 2009, Day 2
Date: July 9, 2009 Under the Red Sunlight Day two at Bluesfest was one of my most anticipated, with Iron & Wine headlining one of the side stages and a healthy undercard leading in to that performance. With the eclectic performances living up to my expectations and the weather staying fine (a rarity in this rainy summer), this proved to be a great day. I managed to arrive early enough to see Kyrie Kristmanson kick things off at the Blacksheep Stage. When I saw Kristmanson play three months prior at the source of that stage's name, the Blacksheep Inn, she had an upright bassist in tow; but on this evening she was unaccompanied. Even without support, though, Kristmanson was a fearless performer, trying her best to engage an audience consisting of a few dozen fans at the front and a good number of early arrivers, spread out over the hill and pavement. I'm sure that it's easier to coax a club crowd to sing along with "too hot to touch" or yell out "pow!" but the young singer got a solid reaction on the festival grounds. Following that performance, my attention shifted to the farthest side stage, where I parked for the night. I switched locales in time to hear the last few songs from Brothers Chaffey, who were lighting up the stage with their blend of roots rock, country, and boogie. The greatest impression that I got in my short exposure to the group was a sense of professionalism. The brothers in the band's title, Matthew and Curtis, were joined by a full cast, including the Texas Horns, making for a rich sound, with all of the players coordinating expertly. I can't speak for the early going but the group certainly knows how to swell to a big finish, nailing the set-closer and the resulting encore in thrilling fashion. The Bluesfest approach to blending musical styles saw the transition between the hard boogie of Brothers Chaffey and the quiet folk of Iron & Wine being made by Holy Fuck, who blend electronics with a live rhythm section for a dance-friendly vibe. I first saw Holy Fuck at Bluesfest three years prior; and I have to say that I was more dazzled by them in that debut. With the band set up in an inward-facing configuration, they are not the most visually engaging act. For the most part, the audience sees two players hunched over tables fiddling with various electronics, with a drummer and (admittedly fairly animated) bassist behind them. However, the music is what matters with Holy Fuck; and ultimately that did succeed. Even musically, I had some doubts in the early going, as the band did not seem to be fully connecting. However, the focus seemed to shift as the set went on, with the players finding more engaging grooves and then building to a more pounding and energetic finish. From my perspective, this sequencing introduced some welcome variety into the group's sound and led to a strong conclusion, even if it left me feeling like the performance was missing a little something at times. Overall, though, it was definitely a fun set. I have no reservations in my praise for Iron & Wine, the multipart moniker for Sam Beam, who was amazing with just his voice and acoustic guitar, while rocking a business casual outfit of slacks and a buttoned-down shirt. The only thing to go wrong in the headlining slot was Beam's microphone cutting out during his introduction, causing his praise for the opening acts to be met with mostly silence, with a few scattered grumbles, leading him to ask "what, you didn't like them?," a question only audible to those at the front. Whatever bad impression that may have made on Beam, there was no questioning the crowd's adoration for him, as the opening offerings of "The Trapeze Swinger" and "Woman King" were met with joyous reactions. A solo acoustic set can be a difficult gig but Beam had the crowd hanging on every hushed word and gentle note of songs such as "Naked As We Came" and "Upward Over the Mountains." With a setlist sampling from all of the Iron & Wine albums, as well as one new song, Beam was able to inject some variety into his music; while a rendition of "A History of Lovers" didn't have the full sound of the recorded collaboration with Calexico, it certainly had some kick. In general, though, this concert was a testament to the power of Beam's well-worn voice, engaging guitar work, and impressive command of the crowd. The last element was particular notable when the sound carried from Metric's louder main stage performance, leading Beam to compare the experience to being stopped at a red light, having a conversation about your day, only to have an Escalade pull up beside you with a booming stereo system. He continued to make references to that analogy while the sets overlapped, always getting a laugh from the audience. Beam also showed his ease by chatting about the sunset over the river (he was playing the best stage for this view) and poking fun at some of his own lyrics, in "Fever Dream." The set wrapped up on a high, with a sequence of "Jezebel," "Sodom, South Georgia" (my favourite of the night), and "Flightless Bird, American Mouth." Beam followed up that triumph with a one-song encore of his cover of The Postal Service's "Such Great Heights," another crowd-pleaser. Iron & Wine was one of the acts that I was most looking forward to seeing at Bluesfest; and the wonderful set that Sam Beam delivered in front of a great crowd on a pleasant summer night lived up to all that I had hoped. With Kyrie Kristmanson, Brothers Chaffey, and Holy Fuck all making strong marks as lead-ins, the 2009 edition of the festival continued its excellent start. Iron & Wine setlist Main Set
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