San Francisco – Sunday at Treasure Island 2015 started out much sunnier than the previous day, but the wind was constantly blowing throughout the day. It was a much stronger breeze than Saturday’s, so much so that I could’ve sworn I felt the mushy foundation of the man-made island buckle a little with each push of the incoming tide, though it was probably just my imagination. Regardless of the weather, my top priority was the music (as it always is), and so I set off on my quest for aural stimulation, and caught a bunch of great sets by these up-and-comers:
Viet Cong
Canada’s Viet Cong has had quite a year. Their debut LP caught the attention of critics and music fans alike; they completed a world tour, and staved off attacks surrounding their controversial name (which they have very respectfully and diplomatically decided to change, though they have not yet chosen a new one). Still, the foursome from Calgary—featuring two members of the now-defunct band Women: vocalist/guitarist Matt Flegel and drummer Mike Wallace—took the time to visit our little festival in the bay. They graced the Tunnel Stage as its first band of the day, playing five of the seven tracks from their self-titled debut, kicking off with perhaps the most energetic track off the LP, “Silhouettes.” From there, the rest of the set felt almost like a slow descent into madness, as Fliegel’s bleak and gritty vocals navigated a maze of post-punk arrangements, starting with the thumping sound of “Bunker Buster,” an elongated, droning live rendition of “March of Progress” and the wailing tones of “Continental Shelf.” Somewhat appropriately, the set ended with the album’s closing track “Death” which, on the album, is already the longest song at a whopping eleven minutes, and yet they were able to draw it out even longer with extended, Swans-like thrashes and bangs, so thunderous I swore I could hear the sound bouncing off the Transamerica Pyramid across the bay. Either that or tinnitus is starting to set in.
Ex Hex
D.C.-based punk rock trio Ex Hex continued the theme of loud and rowdy music on the Tunnel Stage soon after Viet Cong. The threesome—made up of drummer Laura Harris, bassist/vocalist Betsy Wright, and 90s rock veteran Mary Timony (former member of Autoclave, Helium)— released their debut LP Rips almost exactly one year ago, and what better a way to celebrate an anniversary than to play a gorgeous music festival to a crowd of eager fans? Ex Hex’s sound has been likened to everything from Joan Jett to various riot grrrl acts, which isn’t surprising at all as Timony has shared the stage with two of the three members of perhaps one of the most notable riot grrrl acts—Sleater-Kinney—when she was a member of Wild Flag with Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss a few years ago. Still, Ex Hex’s sound has many unique qualities that were generously revealed during the band’s eleven-song set. Songs like “How You Got That Girl,” “Hot and Cold.” “Radio On,” “Beast” and “New Kid” (dedicated to the band’s various family members who were in the audience) were a perfect match for the sunny, breezy weather of the afternoon, as was “Don’t Wanna Lose,” the album’s punchy, spirited lead single. Only one song could be designated as somewhat of a ‘slow jam,’ which is the album’s last track “Outro,” which the band played second-to-last before blasting us off once again with “Everywhere.” Not only was the audience having the time of their life, but it was obvious the band was as well, which is always a treat to witness and just makes the whole experience that much more special.
Lower Dens
Baltimore quartet Lower Dens also played the Tunnel Stage, taming things a little bit with their softer brand of Annie Lennox-inspired indie pop. Lead singer Jana Hunter’s vocals are delicate but powerful, and add a dreamy mist to the band’s swirling arrangements that mix percussion, bass, guitar, and chiming keys and synths. Much of Lower Dens’ mid-afternoon set was spent parading songs from their third, most recent album Escape From Evil (released this past March), which saw the band take a step in a more electronic direction, as demonstrated in synth-heavy songs like “Your Heart Still Beating,” the appropriately titled “Electric Current,” and lead single “To Die in L.A.” Other songs played from the album rely more on 80s-style electric guitar, such as “Quo Vadis” and the heartfelt “Ondine.” All of the songs were brightened with Hunter’s smooth, crisp vocals, even during the subtle closing song “Brains” (from their second LP, 2012’s Nootropics), the grand conclusion of which seemed to command the whipping bay winds to cease, if only for just a moment.
Father John Misty
Josh Tillman—aka Father John Misty—is one hell of a performer. He’s had plenty of practice, as a former member of Fleet Foxes and a touring musician for several other artists, but it’s as Father John Misty that he truly shines on the stage. Tillman is made for live music; he is very talented vocalist and makes great use of the space he is given, whether he’s jumping up on top of a drum set or straddling the front barrier and nabbing someone’s iPhone to sing directly into its camera. Tillman has only released two albums as FJM—2012’s Fear Fun and this year’s I Love You Honeybear—but already he has made a name for himself and his brand of sarcastic yet provocative folk-inspired rock. Most of his set was focused on material from Honeybear, the only two older songs being “Only Son of the Ladies Man” and the dark, harrowing “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings.” Honeybear features a softer side of Misty (most of the album is basically a love letter to his wife Emma), as evidenced in his performances of the title track “I Love You Honeybear” (which started the set, as well as the album), funky throwback “True Affection,” cheeky ballad “When You’re Smiling and Astride Me,” and wedding anthem “Chateau Lobby #4 (in C for Two Virgins).” Things also took a turn towards a more contemplative tone with “Strange Encounter” and the ‘sarcastic meta-ballad’ (his words) “Bored in the USA” before ultimately closing out with the thrashing, manic “The Ideal Husband,” his incomparable energy and powerful vocals bleeding into the audience like some sort of drug, intoxicating the crowd to a state of raucous bliss.
CHVRCHES
Glasgow’s fabulously vibrant CHVRCHES were the penultimate set on the Bridge Stage this year, and they did not disappoint. Having just released their excellent sophomore LP, Every Open Eye, last month, they seemed to be in a celebratory mood as they shared a number of the new album’s tracks with the packed audience. The trio kicked things off with the album’s opener, the swirling, booming “Never Ending Circles,” and continued for the next hour with a slew of other new songs, including the massive “Keep You On My Side,” perky tune “Make Them Gold,” “Bury It,” “Clearest Blue,” and the album’s lead single, “Leave A Trace.” We were also treated to some older favorites from their 2013 debut The Bones of What You Believe, such as “We Sink,” “Gun,” and “Recover.” Occasionally the fiercely adorable lead singer—Lauren Mayberry—would break between songs to chat very familiarly to the audience, as if she was catching up with an old friend; everyone adored the way she compared the brisk fog rolling in to her native Scotland and how she and her band mates were finally free of the “curse of San Francisco” (they had to cancel an appearance at last year’s Outside Lands Festival due to travel issues). They closed their set with the very first single they released, “The Mother We Share,” which of course had everyone in earshot singing at the top of their lungs, like one big (drunk) happy family.
As always, Treasure Island was an absolute pleasure to attend. And while other more seasoned acts like The National and Jose Gonzalez were wonderful to watch, I find that the newer acts bring something more to the table. Not only do they seem to be more grateful for each and every person that comes to see their set, they also might feel like they have something to prove. It’s almost as if they’re fighting for our affection—which, to be fair, they kind of are—and so they almost always bring their A-game. Treasure Island is not the most well known festival by any means (and I’m totally fine with that), and thus not overwhelmingly crowded, and so a much more intimate and nurturing environment is curated there. The artists love it, the attendees love it, and even the staff seems to love it. The island itself might be artificial and full of irradiated buildings (and not much else), but the experiences I’ve had there are real, and that’s what keeps bringing me back.
Photos and video by Corey Bell
Corey Bell
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