Pitchfork: Cat Power

Tracy: I thought she sounded good, if a little soft. She’s kind of a nut job. But she was good, despite any perceived sound issues.

Jenn: She was calm tonight. I’m kinda reviewed out. It was good.

Carlos: I enjoyed it. It was probably my favorite of the bunch regardless of sound issues. Band was really good. Simple.

Duff: They should have upped the volume on her mike a little bit, the vocals were a little quiet. But she sounded really, really pretty. Very funky and bluesy. Odd grimaces on stage and good grief I was worried that crazy vein in her neck was going to burst!!! But I really loved her set, so glad I FINALLY got to see her after two failed attempts in the past. She seemed a little unsure of herself (apologized to the audience incessantly) but I thought it was a pretty great show. Crowd loved it and got super quiet and hush so you could actually hear the vocals…at least until the Yoko Ono soundchecking started interfering a little at the end.

Pitchfork: Clipse

Tracy: They’re cool. I like ’em.

Jenn: Good, but a little too hard[core rap] for me. They have good charisma.

Carlos: Good stage presence. Enjoying it. Good sound. Hadn’t heard them before.

Duff: These guys have the crowd going more than anyone else all day. They’re up up up, sassy and lots of fun! I say yay for Clipse!!

Pitchfork: Battles

Tracy: I wasn’t impressed. Thought it was like groove music in search of a groove: they just didn’t have any.

Jenn: Ten minutes and I was done. The drummer had a lot of energy and was very oddly interesting but not enough to hold my attention.

Carlos: I liked some of the stuff. It was interesting but maybe a little too…???… for me. A lot of noise. I just couldn’t get into the rhythm sometimes. The Abercrombie and Fitch-looking drummer looked so out of place with everyone else. But he was really into what he was doing and he’s really the reason I ended up staying.

Duff: Hated it. It sucked.

Pitchfork: Iron & Wine

Tracy: I liked them but I was sort of far away. They sounded good. Low key.

[far away, taking a rest]

Duff: Wow, you can hear these guys a LOT better than I expected to (about 8,000 times louder than Grizzly Bear!!).

Pitchfork: Fujiya & Miyagi

Jenn: Fun dancity. Best thing I’ve seen thus far.

Duff: A lot of fun, I just wish the sound was better on that stage. Really got a kick out of one silly dude in the audience so loving life and dancing his heart out. Some great samples, one sounded a lot like “Funkytown” to me. Would like to see these guys again at higher volume.

Pitchfork: Voxtrot

Jenn: Screw Voxtrot. Saw them at Webster Hall a couple weeks ago. They sound like Billy Joel singing current indie rock tropes. Lunch break for this little girl. The curry fries were good.

[the rest of us sitting far away, eating]

Tracy: They sound pretty good but like every other sort of skinny pants indie band that I’ve heard for the last five years. Very recognizable sound.

Carlos: They sound allright.

Duff: Bouncy and fun like a lighter “pop”-ier version of Kaiser Chiefs. Fun but nothing that distinctive.

Pitchfork: Califone

Tracy: I liked them, I would buy their record although I thought some of their sort of noodily experimental stuff was a little lame.

Jenn: Not really into this while psychedelic jam bandy thing that’s going on. A little bit of that is OK but the entire thing is a little much.

Carlos: My first time hearing them. I was surprised at how much I liked them. I would be curious to see how their music on CD sounds as opposed to live. Not sure I would like it as much.

Duff: If they cut the 10 minutes of electronic distortion out of each song, they would be really pretty and I would like them more. Maybe those parts sound better on the albums than they do live? Liked the country twang to the vocals.

Pitchfork: The Twilight Sad

Tracy: OK. Cute lead singer but a little dull.

Jenn: Meh. Rock-y but kindof boring. Even cute boys in cardigans and Scottish accents couldn’t save it.

Carlos: I guess it’s likeable. Sounds like something I’ve heard before.

Duff: Odd that the dude doesn’t lose his accent when he sings, as per the norm. They were OK but nothing special. It all sounded the same.

DVD: Hollywoodland.

If you liked Zodiac, you’ll probably like this as well. Unsolved crime from years ago, completely obsessed in-this-case private eye (in-that-case reporter) who winds up endangering the rest of his life with his need to figure out what happened.

Slow moving, with a constant intercut between the PI (Adrien Brody, usually creepy but very effective here!!) in the present and Reeves and Mannix (Affleck and Lane, both giving great performances!) in the past. Moody with strong subcurrents of regret on growing old, lost opportunities, mishandled relationships. Very noir-ish. (I wish they would have shot this in black & white!)

I particularly enjoyed Bob Hoskins and hello flashback Kathleen Robertson (Steve’s girlfriend “Claire” in the later seasons of 90210!!!).