NJ music festival All Points West keeps getting better
Pat Taylor
Issue date: 9/1/09 Section: Arts & Society
After the White Rabbits come two forgettable performances by Cage the Elephant, and Cool Kids, but was saved by the Arctic Monkeys, who treated the crowd to new songs off of their new album Humbug. Cornerstone was particularly impressive, as was Fluorescent Adolescent, but the boys from England didn't produce classics such as When The Sun Goes Down, Mardy Bum or A Certain Romance.
After the Arctic Monkeys, Saturday closed with a trio of interesting performances. Gogol Bordello, a group of self proclaimed gypsies, took it up a notch after the Arctic Monkeys, and My Bloody Valentine kept it rocking up until Tool. Although Tool only played a nine song set, they blew away the crowd with visual aides and a powerful performance.
Sunday started off on the wrong foot, with All Points West keeping it's gates closed due to weather, causing some performances to be canceled, including Gaslight Anthem. Things started to pick up when Silversun Pickups took the stage, and continued on through Echo and the Bunnymen, the great British 80's band responsible for the song Killing Moon.
If there was one thing wrong with the weekend, it was the fact that Coldplay and MGMT were scheduled to play at the same time. Coldplay, of course, took the main stage, but MGMT was off to the side, leaving me wondering why All Points West didn't just put MGMT ahead of Coldplay on the main stage. Anyway, I was in a conundrum over who to see, but being a Coldplay veteran I decided that MGMT was probably the best route to go.
In arguably the second best performance of the weekend, MGMT managed to play all the hits off of Oracular Spectacular and some new songs off of their upcoming sophomore album, Congratulations. Of Moons, Birds, and Monsters was fantastic live, especially during the hippie-inspired, guitar driven solo at the end. Of course, no MGMT set would be complete without Time to Pretend, Electric Feel and Kids, far and away the biggest hit of the summer. After the final note of Kids, the crowd rushed over to the end of Coldplay in time to hear three songs, including Death and All His Friends and The Scientist.
While rain tormented the crowd for two days, spirits were high and the energy was contagious. If you ever get the chance to go to All Points West, I suggest you take it. It won't disappoint.
After the Arctic Monkeys, Saturday closed with a trio of interesting performances. Gogol Bordello, a group of self proclaimed gypsies, took it up a notch after the Arctic Monkeys, and My Bloody Valentine kept it rocking up until Tool. Although Tool only played a nine song set, they blew away the crowd with visual aides and a powerful performance.
Sunday started off on the wrong foot, with All Points West keeping it's gates closed due to weather, causing some performances to be canceled, including Gaslight Anthem. Things started to pick up when Silversun Pickups took the stage, and continued on through Echo and the Bunnymen, the great British 80's band responsible for the song Killing Moon.
If there was one thing wrong with the weekend, it was the fact that Coldplay and MGMT were scheduled to play at the same time. Coldplay, of course, took the main stage, but MGMT was off to the side, leaving me wondering why All Points West didn't just put MGMT ahead of Coldplay on the main stage. Anyway, I was in a conundrum over who to see, but being a Coldplay veteran I decided that MGMT was probably the best route to go.
In arguably the second best performance of the weekend, MGMT managed to play all the hits off of Oracular Spectacular and some new songs off of their upcoming sophomore album, Congratulations. Of Moons, Birds, and Monsters was fantastic live, especially during the hippie-inspired, guitar driven solo at the end. Of course, no MGMT set would be complete without Time to Pretend, Electric Feel and Kids, far and away the biggest hit of the summer. After the final note of Kids, the crowd rushed over to the end of Coldplay in time to hear three songs, including Death and All His Friends and The Scientist.
While rain tormented the crowd for two days, spirits were high and the energy was contagious. If you ever get the chance to go to All Points West, I suggest you take it. It won't disappoint.
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