Primavera Sound Day Two: Dan Deacon, Shellac…
By Morelli
The end of day two of the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona comes to me almost as a surprise – somewhat like being awakened from a hypnotic trance. You can watch our video summary of day two. Here’s my written reconstruction of what happened:
First was Art Brut, an English and German indie punk rock group named after French painter Jean Dubuffet’s definition of outsider art. Lead vocalist Eddie Argos was keen to add more information to the stories told through his lyrics, such as past adventures in the Van Gogh Art Museum, and how he is no longer afraid of sex. In fact, he joked that most of the lyrics were about taking his clothes off. Drummer Mikey Breyer plays standing up, which might seem unconventional, but at least he’s not hidden behind any cymbals. He uses two high-hats, one open the other closed, to make up for his one-footed drumming style.
California-based Crystal Antlers ranged from screaming noise to mellow rock, and the band kept the stage in constant motion. This was mostly thanks to percussionist Damian Edwards and his enthusiastic bongo drumming and cymbal crashes; he really helped flesh out the rhythms of the band. I especially enjoyed it when they let loose their more chaotic facet.
LA band The Mae Shi succeeded in expanding their uplifting experience to the public, using a series of sing-along, jump up and down songs. It seemed like everyone was singing almost all the time, and on several occasions I was overcome with the sensation that everything was possible, and that they were encouraging me, and the rest of the audience, to be positive. In the “you can do it” spirit. I’m not sure how many members were actually performing, but I only saw three most of the time. Perhaps the remaining members were doing something in the background. The Mae Shi’s sound is composed of both acoustic and electronic elements, and each member took up various vocal and instrumental functions. Ultimately, the music was a manifestation of their playful nature, and an invitation into their world, free of worries.
Next was Fucked Up, an experimental punk hardcore band from Canada. Lead vocalist “Pink Eyes” hoisted onto his shoulders, and carried around some random person who had crawled onstage, and afterwards did a full-blown power slide before screaming into the microphone. No less than three guitarists contributed to the wall of sound. Their hardcore is non-traditional, and influenced by southern rock, much in the vein of modern band The Bronx.
The Dan Deacon Ensemble was my favorite act of the second day of Primavera Sound. More than ten musicians in white jumpsuits played a large number of instruments, including a few guitars, keyboards, a drumkit, percussion, xylophones, keyboards and Dan’s own electronic array. Even though there was practically an orchestra onstage, their performance only accounted for half the show. The frontman went out of his way to tell the crowd that they were part of the show, and involved everyone in crowd activities. For example, he told the audience to spread out, and then placed a guy dressed like a red circle in the center for everyone to follow his movements in an imitation game. It incorporated people sitting down and waving their hands, but since it was synchronized with music, the resulting effect was just plain awesome. The music was eclectic, using tribal rhythms, the diverse instruments and electonica to produce a brutal fusion of dance music and inexplicably melodic noise.
Chicago band Shellac has historic importance for the math rock genre, as lead guitarist Steve Albini has been asked to record many albums for bands. I thought their choice to play The End Of Radio was interesting, given the digital revolution and recent music industry crisis. To top the performance off, Albini and bassist Bob Weston, at running speed, removed Todd Trainer’s entire drumkit while he was still playing, which ended up with Trainer doggedly trying to smash the remaining crash cymbal before being dragged offstage.
It’s been quite a ride, and there’s still more to come! Check back to BeatCrave for upcoming video coverage of day two of the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona.
