Bluesfest 2009, Day 9
Date: July 16, 2009 Sharp and In the Know Day nine of Bluesfest started with a misfire, with Busta Rhymes following my late arrival with one of his own, paring my night to two disparate sets. However, M83 and Les Claypool each delivered as expected, salvaging the evening. I had hoped to catch most of Shout Out Out Out, but with a 6:00 kickoff, I only arrived in time to hear them hit the stomping conclusion of their early main stage showcase. Switching to the other main stage, I settled in for Busta Rhymes, who was due at 7:00. By 7:15, one of the radio announcers MCing the stage announced that Busta would be on in five or ten minutes. By 7:30, I was en route to the Blacksheep Stage with my supper in hand, getting ready for M83, with no sign of life on the main stage. From other accounts, I understand that Busta came on a full hour late, played for about twenty minutes, and made his biggest impression by skewing the schedule for the remaining acts. My Blacksheep Stage experience was much better, as M83 offered a short but effective set of dreamy electro-pop. Anthony Gonzalez, the man behind M83, handled guitar and electronics and was joined on stage by Morgan Kibby, who offered ethereal vocals from behind a keyboard and laptop, and Loic Maurin, who drummed behind a wall of Plexiglas. With Maurin and Kibby facing each other over their instruments and the sun ruling out any fancy light set-up, the show was not the most visually engaging. Nonetheless, letting the group's airy, synth-focused compositions wash over me as the sun set over the river made for a decidedly pleasant evening. M83 wrapped up with plenty of time for me to switch stages and secure a good vantage point for Les Claypool. In the end, my long lead-in time didn't shield me from a couple of morons showing up late and trying to push their way to the front after the music started, causing something of an altercation. That was my only really unenjoyable crowd experience of the festival, and it certainly soured what had been a great mood, but Claypool and his band did their part to override that distraction. This set had the dimmest lighting of any headlining slot that I caught, with Claypool and his crew shrouded in dark red or purple throughout the night. For those who could see, though, Claypool came out looking dapper in a suit, bowler hat, and goggles. He would go on to swap in a safari hat and masks during the set, while his backing band performed in tuxedos and bizarre masks of their own. Claypool made reference to his Bluesfest visit last year, remarking that he had been here with a different band ("I believe it was Van Halen"). Although he did include a rendition of "Southbound Pachyderm," this was a very different concert from that Primus affair, with material from Claypool's latest release, Of Friend and Fungi, and other sources. As expected, Claypool's playing was phenomenal, whether on electric bass, upright, or his one-stringed Whamola. The big surprise for me, having done no research going in, was the accompanying band, which could stay with Claypool step for step or take the lead when he left the space. With Sam Bass on cello, Paulo Baldi on drums, and Mike Dillon on percussion, the group had a very engaging sound, displaying tremendous talent without letting the intricate songs go off the rails. Seeing Dillon pound his vibraphone like a madman and locking in with Baldi on an extended drum sequence made for some of the most memorable moments of the concert, which is saying a lot in a show that saw Les Claypool don a monkey mask and hop about the stage in his best simian impression. The top-notch musicianship ensured that interest never waned in a set that stretched to within a few minutes of the 11:00 curfew. Although Busta Rhymes was a bust, an enjoyable performance by M83 and a wonderfully sprawling set from Les Claypool and his crack band salvaged day nine of the festival. M83 setlist Set
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