Treasure Island Festival Day 1 - Pictures, Review

Treasure Island is an ideal place for a music festival to take place, and the Treasure Island Festival's promoters make sure to make the most of it. We've been going to the fest since its inaugural year, and are always pleasantly surprised by what an awesomely streamlined operation it is. To get that many people onto an island, have a fantastically well organized music lineup, and then get them home again, well: it boggles the mind.

Saturday was an exceptional day for outdoor music, and as is tradition, it was the festival's more "dance" day, focusing heavily on DJ's and electronica. While that's unquestionably a little less "our bag", we still found a lot to enjoy, and found ourselves dancing away the afternoon and evening, awash in sun (and a little wind) throughout.

Four Tet

Four Tet is a DJ, and there's simply no other way to put it. Manning the decks in a hoody, Kieran Hebden put forth a set that was driven almost entirely from the decks, with the stage performance being limited to tweaks on mixers and laptops.

That being said, as the set continued, Hebden got noticeably invested in the set, and even started to crack a smile or two. The crowd was right with him, and loving every minute of it, as the bass lines thumped out a mid-afternoon dance anthem.

By the end of the set, everyone was on their feet, so much so that a few folks (including Green Man) made their way up above the crowd, inspiring enthusiasm from both Hebden and the crowd around them.

Kruder & Dorfmeister

Kruder & Dorfmeister are something of a nostalgia act for many, but that certainly didn't seem to inform their set on the main stage in any way, shape, or form. The duo delivered a set that was crackling with energy, and soundly supported by an amazing stage set and an energetic pair of vocalists.

The two did seem to be hiding behing the decks a little bit, but it really didn't phase us much - their set is one of the coolest we've seen in a long time, and did a really nice job at supporting their music in an energetic and exuberant way. Let's be honest: watching DJ's DJ isn't that exciting anyway, so why not give them a killer backdrop?

Whether or not their music has days-gone-by resonance for you, these guys know how to rock a crowd. Their presence at the fest was well conceived, and they did a fantastic job warming up the crowd as the sun began to fade into the evening sets.

LCD Soundsystem

We'll be frank with you: On Saturday, almost all of our attention was focused on LCD Soundsystem. We love the band, had heard positively glowing reports of their LA show the night before, and were completely ready for their set. And yet, we still weren't really prepared.

In short, James Murphy has somehow managed to take a project that is completely based around samples and beats, and turn it into one of the sickest rock bands you'll ever have the pleasure of seeing. On tour, LCD is a six person behemoth, and they realize the true potential of the record's tracks and beyond.

We don't want to make you too jealous, but let's put it this way: if you've only heard the records, you haven't truly heard this band. Their instrumentation is immaculate, their delivery is totally on point, and the songs break out of their mold in the most beautiful way. Our personal fave was a killer rendition of "All My Friends", but the set was so standout that it's peers were almost equal.

Never mind that Murphy has killer stage presence (in an all white suit, no less) - the band manages to take his strengths and build them even higher. The result is a set that explores new nooks and crannies at every turn, and leaves you wanting more, more, more. Needless to say, we danced the night away and then drifted out to the parking lot, in a quest to get some rest before day two arrived with the sun.

Many more pictures at the HAD Archive