Post by greggwalk on Sept 7, 2011 14:30:59 GMT -5
Don't see any reviews of the Labor Day washout Rest Fest in MD so I thought I'd share. First of all, I'm 45 and just moved to Alaska when BM's first album came out in 1992, so even though I loved it I never got to see them. I moved to San Diego, CA in 1998 and bought "Soup". It was the song "New Life," that I played over and over again when my first son was born that sold me on the band.
When my second son was born, I used to watched "Letters from a Porcupine" with my 3 year old son almost every night for a year while my newborn second son was going to bed. Then I bought "Nico" and the rest is history. If you are on this sight you know what I mean. But I've never seen them play. I thought I was close and had tickets for upstate NY in 2006 but as you all probably know that tour was cancelled.
So when my wife told me she bought tickets for the Rest Fest in MD, I really didn't believe her. It was a seven hour ride from where I live in NY and I don't really like festivals and really wasn't excited as I should have been. Long story short, we make the ride and unfortunately the forecast calls for rain. Lot's of it, getting worse at night and continuing all night for three days.
The festival was definitely poorly run and I can't believe they scored BM, especially as the band was coming right from the Metro and South America. There were some ok highlights of the festival but none worth mentioning. As the night wore on it started to rain. Supposedly there were 6000 tickets sold but people stopped coming when it began to rain. As it rained harder people started to leave. Then the craft and food booths left.
Finally it was poring so hard they had to cover the stage with tarps and squeegee the water off. I was a little worried lightening would start and they were going to cancel but luckily it didn't. The band was supposed to go on at 9pm but didn't make it until almost 10pm. By then almost everyone was gone, and I mean everyone. There were probably only 100 us of left.
There was a gate that separated the band from the crowd but Brad came out and had them open it up. Luckily I saw this happening and grabbed my wife and wound up leaning against the stage in front of Roger. The rest was awesome.
I thought the guys might have been bummed out by the turn out but I don't think so. They were smiling and joking and slapping each other on the backs even though the rain was blowing right on stage. This was their last gig of the tour so they definitely made the most of it. It was like hanging out with a bunch of buddies.
Here's the good news. They were left with 100 die hard fans who knew the words to every song. I think Travis held the mic out for us to sing almost as much as he sang himself. They played their whole set list, with encores and they rocked. I feel so grateful that I got to see them that I'm not embarrassed to say that I've cried many times just thinking about it.
The set list was about the same you see elsewhere. A highlight for me was the pusher. The only thing I was disappointed in was that there were no songs from the new album. But really the night went from being unbelievably dismal to one of the best concert experiences I've ever had. (And I've seen Neil Young solo acoustic at Red Rocks!)
Travis was perfect as a front man. Very personable, relaxed and it seemed to me a balance of his own person yet humble. I have a great picture of him standing right over me on the stage. It was so intimate and these guys know how to play together, it would be a shame if it didn't keep going.
I highlight for me is a picture I got with Chris before the show and getting to shake everyone's hand at the edge of the stage. For those of us that stayed to the end I want to thank the band for not holding back. I'd like to think the gig was so unique they'll remember it as fondly as me.
We'll that's about it. If anyone wants to see some pictures let me know. I'm off to buy tickets for Primus at the Palace Theatre in Albany for me and my 11 and 8 years old sons.
When my second son was born, I used to watched "Letters from a Porcupine" with my 3 year old son almost every night for a year while my newborn second son was going to bed. Then I bought "Nico" and the rest is history. If you are on this sight you know what I mean. But I've never seen them play. I thought I was close and had tickets for upstate NY in 2006 but as you all probably know that tour was cancelled.
So when my wife told me she bought tickets for the Rest Fest in MD, I really didn't believe her. It was a seven hour ride from where I live in NY and I don't really like festivals and really wasn't excited as I should have been. Long story short, we make the ride and unfortunately the forecast calls for rain. Lot's of it, getting worse at night and continuing all night for three days.
The festival was definitely poorly run and I can't believe they scored BM, especially as the band was coming right from the Metro and South America. There were some ok highlights of the festival but none worth mentioning. As the night wore on it started to rain. Supposedly there were 6000 tickets sold but people stopped coming when it began to rain. As it rained harder people started to leave. Then the craft and food booths left.
Finally it was poring so hard they had to cover the stage with tarps and squeegee the water off. I was a little worried lightening would start and they were going to cancel but luckily it didn't. The band was supposed to go on at 9pm but didn't make it until almost 10pm. By then almost everyone was gone, and I mean everyone. There were probably only 100 us of left.
There was a gate that separated the band from the crowd but Brad came out and had them open it up. Luckily I saw this happening and grabbed my wife and wound up leaning against the stage in front of Roger. The rest was awesome.
I thought the guys might have been bummed out by the turn out but I don't think so. They were smiling and joking and slapping each other on the backs even though the rain was blowing right on stage. This was their last gig of the tour so they definitely made the most of it. It was like hanging out with a bunch of buddies.
Here's the good news. They were left with 100 die hard fans who knew the words to every song. I think Travis held the mic out for us to sing almost as much as he sang himself. They played their whole set list, with encores and they rocked. I feel so grateful that I got to see them that I'm not embarrassed to say that I've cried many times just thinking about it.
The set list was about the same you see elsewhere. A highlight for me was the pusher. The only thing I was disappointed in was that there were no songs from the new album. But really the night went from being unbelievably dismal to one of the best concert experiences I've ever had. (And I've seen Neil Young solo acoustic at Red Rocks!)
Travis was perfect as a front man. Very personable, relaxed and it seemed to me a balance of his own person yet humble. I have a great picture of him standing right over me on the stage. It was so intimate and these guys know how to play together, it would be a shame if it didn't keep going.
I highlight for me is a picture I got with Chris before the show and getting to shake everyone's hand at the edge of the stage. For those of us that stayed to the end I want to thank the band for not holding back. I'd like to think the gig was so unique they'll remember it as fondly as me.
We'll that's about it. If anyone wants to see some pictures let me know. I'm off to buy tickets for Primus at the Palace Theatre in Albany for me and my 11 and 8 years old sons.