via//chicago

Intonation Festival 2005 Wrap-Up Part 2
and now let's take a look at the bands from the second day of Intonation...

Day 2 - Sunday:
Thunderbirds Are Now!: to be honest, i didn't catch much of this set as i was late arriving to the park and was getting settled in. but what i was able to hear left me feeling the same way as i did when i heard Justamustache, very uninspired.

Dungen: this was one of the biggest surprises for me over the course of the two days, as the boys from Sweden put on one hell of a set. they really seemed to be enjoying themselves and it really came across in the performance. Ta Det Lugnt is an astonishing album full of brilliant psych influenced rock so i was expecting a good show, i just wasn't expecting to be blown away all over again. i got a little nervous when the lead singer pulled out a flute, but all of my worst Jethro Tull fears were quickly laid to rest.

Xiu Xiu: i was a little nervous about this set, being not at all sure how Jamie Stewart's manic performances would translate to an outdoor stage in the sunshine. not to worry, as Jamie left the more hushed moments behind and spent his time making a more frantic noise. "Pox" was an especially inspired song, as Jamie wrenched and wrestled with the cacophony behind him. you'd never expect so much noise to come from just two people on a stage.

Out Hud: i've never really been able to get into Out Hud as much as i have !!!, so i wasn't as intent on pushing my way to the front for this set. from where i ended up, it sounded like i should have put forth more effort. i was bouncing my head and tapping my toes from across the part, part of me really wanting to ignore the nearly 100 degree temperatures and start dancing my ass off. luckily i remember just in time that i can't dance and saved myself (and probably many others) the embarassment.

The Hold Steady: just... wow. without a doubt this was one of my two favorite performances of the weekend. i've been slowly falling more and more in love with this band over the past several months, but seeing Craig Finn and company live made one thing very clear - this is my new favorite band. the band kicked things off with "Hornets! Hornets!" and tore thier way through songs off both albums, "Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night" and "Most People Are DJs" being two of my personal favorites. do yourself a favor and check this band out live, you will not be disappointed. you could always check them out on Conan tonight or Carson Daly tomorrow night, but i don't think it'll be quite the same.

Andrew Bird: so this was one of the biggest draws of the weekend apparently, as the buzz for this guy was positively enormous. i'm not sure just how the hype surrounding Andrew has gotten quite so big, but he sure drew the crowds. personally, i'm just not feeling him that much. he's a terrific musician and a wonderful composer, but something about him just leaves me a little flat. kinda reminds me of a more talented, less annoying Jack Johnson.

Deerhoof: this is another one of those bands that i just don't get the hype for, seems like the type of things that many other bands have done earlier and better. they didn't sound awful, but i wasn't really impressed by the set either.

The Wrens: after the last two lackluster sets, i was looking forward to something to get me excited again - and The Wrens delivered plus some. i'd only listened to The Meadowlands a handful of times so i'm wasn't a huge fan of the band going in to the festival, but i certainly walked away from that performance a believer. "She Sends Kisses" was a personal highlight, but pretty much the entire set was phenomenal.

Les Savy Fav: remember when i said the Hold Steady gave one of my two favorite performances of the weekend? i hope so, since it was like three paragraphs ago. anyway, i didn't think that one could possibly be topped by any of the remaining bands on the bill. Les Savy Fav proved me wrong, very dead-fucking-wrong. Tim Harrington was on fire from the get-go - tossing sponges into the crowd, stripping to his black skivvies, enticing the crowd to sit down on the grass, donning an aluminum foil crown, and even dousing his genitalia with a 312 (Chicago brewed "urban" ale, good stuff from Goose Island). oh yeah, and the music kicked major ass as well. "The Sweat Descends" and "We'll Make A Lover Out of You" being just two of the especially tasty jams. forget about everything you've been hearing about The Go! Team's performance, this was the true memorable gem of the Festival.

The Decemberists: much like Andrew Bird, i hadn't realized that this band was pulling in such a huge amount of fans. it makes complete sense, but i wasn't aware that they had been able to penetrate the mainstream as much as they apparently have. this was a solid choice to end the weekend with, sending the fans out on a lighter tone after the frenetic energy of Les Savy Fav. Petra Haden has been an excellent addition to the band's live show, adding another very talented layer to the sound. it wasn't a particularly amazing set, but enjoyable enough to send everyone home happy.

again, many thanks to everyone who helped put this Festival together, and here's looking forward to Intonation 2006. tomorrow i'll finish up with the promised general thoughts and my dream line-up for next year's festival.