Thee Oh Sees knocked it out and reminded us all who the rightful headliners were, followed by the always amazing Weekend who only become more sonic and thrilling by the day. The Antlers catered their nervous hipness to their fans while Warpaint were fun, palatable and had some fun rhythmic moments.
Then there is ladder aspiring St. Vincent who's voice sounded nice between some wailing electric axe blasts. Don't know why homegirl doesn't play with an Ampeg or Marshall stack but she can play mean guitar within an elaborate production approach. When hearing her live you really just sway to the oscillating beat donks while Annie occaisionally shreds when she's not singing about the petty trials of being a pampered debutant singing about “Dilletante(s).”
Wild Beasts were as wild as expected, while Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks were misinterpretted by a few artists speaking off the record backstage as a Doobies or Allman Bros reunion. The Head and the Heart kept it sentimental, Beach House had the Teen Dream romanticism in full festival gear and the Friendly Fires started the dance party at the Tunnel Stage. Explosions in the Sky played a stoney, sleep-inducing set that went on for about a solid hour before The Hold Steady brought all the first world angst for you to wring your fists in cathartic rage along with. Death Cab was Ben Gibbard-great; but we feel proud that our Bay Area artists Thee Oh Sees and Weekend stole the lazy Sunday for us.
