Been there...

[SaggyBalls]

Just got back from the gorge.

I must say I am impressed with the venue, but of the event I'd have appreciated a few things:

All rules about what is not allowed to be posted on signage and online beforehand to plan as I missed at least one full set of music after walking my girlfriend's hula hoops back to the car and walking back to the show. It was no in-out of course.

Affordable food. $5 hot dogs? $10 beers? what the fuck?

The beastie boys stretching out their instrumental tracks to actually put their money where theie mouth is when they say 'we got the f-f-funk' How hard it it to stretch tunes out to get folks to dance and stop less between songs??

is it really that hard to figure out dynamics when you're seen as a world class act?

and totally unrelated to the venue or promoters or artists...smoothly running interstates and borders. I was easily caught up for 45 at the border and 2 hours in a 5 mile line of traffic with no sign of an accident. Missed the Slip and Ozomatli

oh yeah...and the stupid lot trash that woke us up arguing about how some guy's wife gave him bad vibes by taking photos around him when he was high on acid around his kids and then have an argment with a fellow traveller bout how she's been a bitch to him for giving hom bad vibes about being high around his kid.

I really would've appreciated a loud conversation about what his trip was like or how great of a poop he'd had an hour earlier - as that would probably have been an endearing story that I could easily relate to - rather than the shit that came out of his mouth. He was swearing and cursing enough for his kid to really learn how to say 'horse shit' quite well. it was almost cute.

Aside from that, those few really minor details, I had a great time. the crowd was hip AND heady, enough sexy young girls in bathing suits skipping around to make me look around and get distracted by the beautiful venue (it was the gorge for crying out loud - stunning) while hearing the 3 sets of music I really hd been looking forward to for ages.

The beastie Boys concert I'd been wanting to see for 12 years (they played as a band with money mark on keys) They played a huge range of tunes - nothing off licensed to ill or Paul's Boutique but they pulled off a hot egg raid on mojo, a couple of new tunes (that they were quite humble about being new...strange to see AD Rock coy about music) and some sweet funk.

Bjork. big band, pipe organ, electronics galore, tiiiiiiiiight drummer, mad costumed brass, black lights, lasers, pyrotechnics, and the cutest, sweetest most lovely presence on a big stage I'd ever seen. Much of the crowd on the grass left soon after she got onstage. It was intense down closer to the band.

Arcade fire - Easily the best set of music I've seen in years...I didn't have as much FUN as at most shows I'd been to in the past 5 years but I can only name a handful of artists that have impressed me as much. Sparse music played flawlessly with conviction and expression.

The secondary percussion wasn't in the mix but was on the screens. It was distracting to see people smash cymbals and drums visibly hard and not hear it at all - but I could at least see the energy those folks have and what they put into their music.

I guess this performance made a real believer of thousands of concertgoers, myself included Everyone was right, playing together, working together, supporting oneanother paying attention to oneanother, everyone paying attention but for place and strength - not a cue.

I was truly impressed and I only saw a fraction of what was to be seen.

I entirely recommend the acts I saw and venue to anyone that can make it.

[StoneMtn]

I'm glad you made it to the Gorge Rob; my favourite venue anywhere (except maybe Bonfire, actually, but for different reasons).