Friday :: Monolith kicks off in hot style
I survived Monolith, but I might not survive this subsequent week. Sad but true. It’s been a brutal one. For now, let’s talk about all the fun we had in the halcyon days of yore (okay 3 days ago) and the excellent variety of music that rocked Colorado this past weekend.
The Second Annual Monolith Festival started with a bang, a clatter, some violins and paintings on easels — and lots of really good tunes. Friday night at the Bluebird was the official kickoff party for all the folks coming from far and wide, including my blogger friends at My Old Kentucky Blog, Gorilla vs Bear, You Ain’t No Picasso, Muzzle of Bees, and Between Love and Like. Thanks to the unique naming preferences of bloggers, that sentence looks like a randomly generated collection of nouns.
The air was electric with anticipation when the Young Coyotes took the stage, in a bit of a coming-out party (there were some folks from labels in attendance to see them, something they deserve every bit of). Several friends that I ran into kept asking me if I knew who this band was and how good they were. Their propulsive melodies and massive percussion started the festival off right. As I recently wrote for the Colorado Music Buzz, “Young Coyotes play earnestly and with joyful abandon, and that’s something that will always be worth hearing.”
Momentary Drowning – Young Coyotes
I unfortunately missed the set by Seattle duo The Dutchess and The Duke in the middle of the evening (mmm I wandered off) but the final act on the bill was riveting: the epic multisensory performance of Cloud Cult.
It was an experience unlike any other show I’ve been at. I have always been fascinated by the visual arts and the vibrancy of the brushstroke, the choice of colors — so I was left amazed by the creation of art springing fertile from the music as it was performed. The music was dramatic, ethereal, and powerful. Some of the songs were sung with one shoe off and one shoe on. We’re not sure why.
Chain Reaction – Cloud Cult
Name: Heather Browne
Excellent piece, as always Heather! Would love to know what’s up with the shoe – please update if you find out. Best of luck with your week. Cheers.
Beaner — September 18, 2008 @ 11:19 am
Oh no..please tell me you didn’t miss Jukebox the Ghost..
(from another attendee)…
“Again, people who came early were treated to some of the best performances of the festival. Washington, D.C.’s Jukebox the Ghost was my first show of the day and it set a high bar for the rest of the festival, cruising as they did through an infectious set of grandiose piano-driven pop. For a 1:00 crowd, it was a packed and energetic room.”
Laurie — September 20, 2008 @ 10:24 am