Street Scene from My Eyes Part 2

As promised, here are some pictures and videos from Street Scene. I also wanted to give a brief review of some of the bands.

• Devendra Banhart: I only caught a bit of one of his songs before the show, and was not going to make it a point to see him perform. Good thing I ended up watching most of his show though, because it was one of my favorite from the two days.
• Band of Horses: I found a couple of their songs the day before and was excited to see them, and they did not disappoint at all. Make sure you check out this band.
• Matt & Kim: Such a fun band to watch. They really brought a ton of energy to the stage and we instantly liked them. A female drummer and a guy on the keyboard, they come together to create catchy songs and do it with their own style.
• Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band: One of my favorites. Folk inspired does not really get me too excited, but do not let that keep you away from Oberst. Rolling Stone named him the best song writer for a reason.
• Anya Marina: Only caught a portion of her set, but I did hear a cover of T.I.'s "Whatever you like". Not a song you would expect from the soft singing blonde, but I really enjoyed it.
• Cake: Although I enjoyed their music, there was a huge distraction because they were really angry with the sound guy for their stage. The negative vibe really took precedent over the actual music they were playing.
• Nortec Collective: Not a band I was really excited to see before we walked up to the stage, but it was a great show. An accordian, trumpet, tuba, and two guys mixing sound on stage made up the collective, but the sum of it all was better than the parts sound. I could not help but dance when I was listening. If you download a song make sure you play it with the sound and bass cranked up so you can experience it all.
• Modest Mouse: Have been a fan for a while, but I was a little disappointed they did not play some of the songs I love. I enjoy their music though, and it was still a good show.
• Black Eyed Peas: Favorite performance of all. There is so much more they brought to the stage than other bands. Headlining Day 1 has its advantages for sure, and they took full advantage. Each of the four is such a great performer in their own way. Fergie sang one of her own songs, and Will.I.Am even brought out his DJ table for a while. They played literally until the sound stage turned off their mic's. Amazing.
• Public Enemy: Great in the fact that I got to see Flava Flav. Never a big fan, but it was something special to see Flav take the stage.
• Busta Rhymes: Came on stage late, but brought some good energy for the half hour he was there.
• Of Montreal: So. Weird. I really cannot even remember what their music was like because it was so strange. There were people with gas masks and fat masked men on stage. I was looking forward to this band because of what I had heard beforehand, but I could just not get past it all.
• The Faint: I was so excited when I saw them of the list of bands performing, and the show was better than I could have even hoped for. They played all my favorite songs, new and old. Great music and awesome energy. There is something great about watching their keyboard player get into that gave it a boost as well.
• The Dead Weather: Jack White was running around the stage playing drums, singing and showing off his newest band. Only caught a portion of the set.
• The Knux: Did not know what to expect from them, but this was also a pleasant surprise because it was another of my favorites. It was rap with a twist I have not heard yet. The Knux are actual brothers, and they mix some good guitar sound with hard lyrics and great beats. They brought a bunch of people from the audience up on stage with them for their last song too, which got everyone really pumped.

Like I said in my last post, I really enjoyed this experience. Street Scene is a definite to do for any San Diegan.

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Street Scene from My Eyes Part 1

So this weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Street Scene all thanks to the tickets provided by Slacker Radio (http://www.slacker.com/). They are a free, personal, and portable radio station customized for each user based on their favorite music allowing you to find new artists and listen to your favorites at the same time.

If you are a San Diego local and have yet to go to Street Scene, you need to experience it. Big bands and lesser known bands alike play for two days making it an amazing musical event. The streets of downtown are filled with avid fans and curious newbies, while the sounds of at least three bands fill your ears. There were 5 stages, each showcasing a new band frequently. There was never a dull moment because you are able to listen to what you want to, rather than in a typical concert you are stuck listening to whoever is on the stage for that time. In between the bands that you wanted to hear, you are able to explore the numerous vendors, beer gardens, and food stands. Eclectic jewelry, hippie clothes, shoes, sunglasses, and more line the streets in between the stages.

I was able to see about 10 bands each day, give or take. Some of them I knew, (like Black Eyed Peas), while others I heard for the first time.

Here is a list of bands I was able to see:

• Shooter Jennings
• Devendra Banhart
• Band of Horses
• Matt & Kim
• Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band
• Anya Marina
• Cake
• Nortec Collective
• Modest Mouse
• Black Eyed Peas
• Public Enemy
• Busta Rhyme
• Of Montreal
• The Faint
• West Indian Girl
• Silverspun Pickups
• The Dead Weather
• The Knux

I have to say, I was able to have a pretty complete experience at Street Scene. I learned about new bands and I got to see some of my favorites. Probably one of my favorite things to do when I was there though was people watch. What a variety of people at Street Scene! And as it got later... people got more drunk so the weirdness increased!

Stay tuned for tomorrow's review of the bands and pictures. See which ones were my favorite from each day!

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