Black Angels and Best Coast at Kanrocksas
The Black Angels | Best Coast
Photo by Kiernan Maletsky
Ad Astra | Stagesaurus Rex
Welcome to Day Two, where I regret to inform you the heat absolutely must be the first thing mentioned. People cower in the thin lines of shade, in the few places there is shade to be had, or stand on the brittle grass and drip sweat. I kicked off my afternoon much as I left last night, with recreational drug enthusiasts Black Angels and Best Coast.
The Black Angles, playing the stage at the track's turn, are a good fit for a speedway -- it is the sound of a roaring engine. The bands whir and chop lost little out in the field. This is my first show at this stage. The layout of this thing encourages wandering from the Main Stage to Stagesaurus Rex, but it takes a little purpose to make your way over to Ad Astra.
Muse must have a truly gigantic production, because the Main Stage, site of six shows on Friday, will remain silent for all but two time slots on the final day of the festival. Girl Talk is the other one. Regardless, this dramatically changes the migration of the crowd, which scatters after each set.
Photo by Kiernan Maletsky
Best Coast deigned to play us some surft tunes drowned in feedback and disinterest. Bethany Cosentino told us that it was a good festival. "You guys are lucky," she said. And then, later, like an amazingly inept anthropologist, she explained how she'd be ornery if she came to a festival and it was this hot out. The point being, of course, that she isn't one of us. But we can dish it, too: The shirtless dude behind me spent the majority of the set heckling his own glancing analysis ("Where's your cat?" then, ignored, he tried with, "Snacks the cat!").
The band played a new song, which we are told is called "When I Wake Up." Same song, different verse: I want to talk to you, but you're asleep, and that makes me feel weird and sad. Doo-woop.
Hopefully some of this Flaming Lips confetti will somehow survive the cleanup and wind up drifting around the Speedway during the next NASCAR race. Photo by Kiernan Maletsky
A friend who camped is in high spirits but a bit worn out. Apparently it was a little lawless in the campground last night. For my part: I cruised into the city without hitting so much as a logjam in the parking lot, which is probably not what the festival's organizers had in mind, attendance-wise.
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