After what was one of the tougher work weeks in recent memory, I was in dire need of unwinding at a concert. I hadn’t been to one in a while and I was debating on checking out Anamanaguchi, who were playing at Irving Plaza last Friday. I probably would have, but earlier in the week a buddy of mine sent me a text message, asking if I wanted to see the Yeah Yeah Yeahs performing the Great GoogaMooga festival in Brooklyn. It was a relative no-brainer: seeing a great band at what should be a great festival? Sign me up!
Due to my short attention span, getting into Brooklyn proved to be a bit of a challenge. As opposed to hopping the train headed for Newark Penn Station I found myself in New York Penn Station. Same difference, right? The accidental detour proved to be a blessing in disguise. I was running late en route to the subway, but I did catch a performance by The Meetles, Based in New York City, the band plays some pretty fun covers of classic rock songs from the 60’s & 70’s. Had I not already been running late I would’ve stayed longer, but it was a pleasant stop along the journey.
At long last I made it to Great GoogaMooga–or so I thought. Traversing Prospect Park was quite daunting, at least for one as out of shape as I am. The entrance to the park was located near the subway, but the trek to the festival grounds was enough to make the Fellowship of the Ring collapse–and I wasn’t even being chased by any Nazgul. Winded and drenched in sweat, I finally met up with my friend and I was all set to see Karen O shake Brooklyn to it’s very core.
The sun was setting and the festival wasn’t the most well-lit place. To even get a slight glimpse of the stage meant having to tip-toe through a minefield covered in blankets. In the end, we arrived on time so it didn’t matter. Not having seen the Yeah Yeah Yeahs I was really looking forward to their set. As expected, they started off with their recent single “Sacrilege,” complete with the the essential gospel choir. Most of their set relied on the band’s more recognizable songs like “Gold Lion” and “Zero.” During the latter song a guy in front of me turned to his friend and asked, “Is this one of their hits?” That was almost as funny as the other fellow concertgoer who seemed visibly (and audibly) angry that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs played “Maps,” their most popular single. The crowd is singing along to this emotionally-charged song and one curmudgeon felt the need to kill the vibe.
With the exception of “Maps” and “Heads Will Roll,” there didn’t seem to be much energy from the good folks at GoogaMooga. Granted, we were stationed pretty far from the stage so perhaps the front rows told a different story. Despite the distance from said stage, the sound was pretty crisp and clear. There was some mild distortion in sound, but that’s to be expected when the wind’s blowing during an outdoor concert. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs played a great set, but two factors marred what could’ve been a flawless show: First, I would’ve liked to have heard some of the band’s deeper tracks, especially from their debut Fever To Tell like “Y Control” or “Black Tongue.” I don’t mean to come off as “that guy” who bemoans a setlist when not enough attention is payed to earlier material, but I feel that those first two albums would’ve certainly gotten a better reception.
Second, the set was rather brief, or at least felt as such. I could see if another band was coming on to perform, but they were the Friday headliners. At the end of the set, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs walked off the stage and presumably would return for the encore. The good news was the band did manage to return. The bad news? They only played “Date With The Night” then split again for the last time. That would’ve been a great opportunity to really go all-out, but I guess I could say I got to see them live. Hopefully the next venue will they play will be much more intimate.
At the very least, I got to gaze upon this awesome food stand, which alone was well worth the price of admission.
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