Today’s beginning Bender’s festivities began with Felsen who shredded, followed by the Brokenmusicbox and then Incan Abraham.
Then at Public Works was DJ Nickodemus who made some groovy live creations and remixed tracks with the help of audience participation. Then Kash Gains of YAKfilms showcased turf dancing from East Oakland and his accompanying dancers demonstrated some great break moves.
Royal Baths started things off promptly at 8 o’clock at the Regency Grand Ballroom, playing songs about “Damaged Girls” to a crowd of bridge and tunnel alt tweens. Then Hunx and His Punx played it possibly the straightest I had ever seen (albeit with leopard print leggings) and used the apron of the stage as a run way to sing his heart about “Lover’s Lane” and people who “Don’t Like Rock and Roll.”
Then came the onslaught of les enfants terrible. Wavves took the stage while the intro to Marilyn Manson’s “The Beautiful People” played over the P.A. Wavves weed grinders were signed and thrown into the audience, while beach balls, inflatable green aliens and a banner reading “bluntz after show” was thrown on stage (only later to be used as a cape for Nathan “King of the Beach” Williams). Then the better half Best Coast played amid Bethany’s gripes over set list items, fusses over playing two songs that sounded “alike” back to back, and complaints about smoking too much dank. In the end, it was Royal Baths and Hunx and his Punx, neither band in need of a wet nurse, who were the true headliners.
