The bars in the Mission must have been reminiscent of an old ghost town Oct. 17th night, as its ever-reliable crowd of flannel and leather jacket-donning patrons had other plans—Day 1 of the Treasure Island Music Festival in San Francisco. We had heard that Saturday was completely sold-out, and we didn’t have to look much further than the line of kids wearing the telltale decorated mesh stockings, hoodies (you know the ones I’m talking about) and Ray Bans to figure out why.
Noise Pop Industries and Another Planet Entertainment planned this one out right—their two carefully crafted lineups ensured crowds and atmospheres as different as night and day, and Saturday was one for the hipster set. While aboard the luxurious (and free!) shuttle bus transporting us to the island, a friend remarked that she felt like she was on her way to hipster summer camp. We later discovered that this was a remarkably spot-on description of the environment and vibe of the whole day. The energy on the bus was palpable as a guy in the back started chanting and riling up his fellow campers. But, really, it’s hard not to get excited about a day with acts ranging from Murs and The Streets, to the Brazilian Girls and MGMT. Even the sun came out to play, a rare occurrence for the perpetually grey SF skies.
Aylin Zafar
Entrance into the festival was quick and painless, setting the tone for the entire weekend in terms of organization. Festivals can be a grueling experience—from lines for drinks and food, appropriate places to rest, and the dreaded bathroom situation. However, everything was rather effortless—the lines for the “Isle of Port-A-Potties” (keeping with this year’s pirate theme) moved swiftly, drink lines aplenty, loads of open spots on the green field to lay out your blanket and picnic, and even an entire area with inflatable cushions to relax and rest after dancing to the last set. Even the decision of picking which acts to see on the two stages was a piece of cake—you didn’t have to make one at all. In a smart move, the festival alternated between the main stage and side stage, effectively eliminating any issues of having to choose between two bands you paid to see.
There was something for everyone—if the current band didn’t interest you, you could head on over to the carnival set-up for a free fortune reading, learn about recycling at one of the booths promoting various “green” themes, or watch some of the Bay Area’s finest graffiti artists at work on the live mural wall, presented by Pacific Art Collective.
Robot attacks get dir-tay.
Of course, the real reason 10,000 people came out to this mysterious and often overlooked island was for the music. The lineup built in energy as it moved from more indie-dance outfits to d’n’b and house bangers.
There’s been quite a bit of buzz surrounding Passion Pit this past year, and the indie scene’s leaning in the electronic direction has shaped things nicely for these Boston fellows to make a grand entrance. They started things off with “Make Light,” and singer Michael Angelakos brought all the energy and gusto you would hope to see in a live show, but his vocals seemed to be lacking as he had some problems with his characteristic falsetto. The crowds didn’t mind, however, as “Sleepyhead” turned the swaying crowd into a jumping pit of madness (some girls were trying to make a mosh pit happen, while others stared in confusion…since when was Passion Pit the soundtrack to a mosh session?).
Aylin Zafar
The real highlight of the day’s acts, rather unexpectedly, turned out to be Mike Skinner’s set. Otherwise known as The Streets, the rapper from Birmingham, England turned out an extremely interactive set, gabbing with the audience in between songs and trying to get people to take their clothes off. At one point, Skinner stopped and stared at the audience in all seriousness.
“The reason you’re not willing to get naked…is because you don’t know all the other people. I get it,” he said. “I want you all to look at someone of the opposite sex…that you don’t know,” Skinner challenged the hesitant crowd. “Look at them, and tell them that you love them. Tell them!” Later, he ordered the entire Treasure Island crowd to get down on the floor (we’re not entirely sure why) until his cue. Skinner continued to order people down, calling out those who were still standing (“Only the ugly people are standing up!”), until nearly everyone was kneeling in anticipation for the big moment; the pulsing beats erupted, Skinner stage-dived into the crowd, and the crowd was ONE. Miracle-worker, that Skinner; The Streets set wasn’t so much a show as it was a personal experience. His characteristic lazy rapping style lending itself to an air of comfort and ease, making him instantly relatable, no doubt capturing the hearts (and attention) of the females in the crowd.
Brazilian Girls upped the sexual tension with Sabina Sciubba’s overtly sensual getup of a mesh bodysuit and giant heart cutout. The crowd was pumped as the Girls moved through their eclectic range of material, including “Sexy Asshole.” While the set was good, a group of interpretive dancers gathering near the fence at the side of the stage was even more enthralling. Don’t worry, we got some footage for you—check the video below.
Treasure Island Festival: Day One from URB Magazine on Vimeo.
Aylin Zafar
Girl Talk was Girl Talk—the crowd got sweaty and manic as Gregg Gillis was up to his usual antics, along with some new material. MSTRKRFT continued the dance party on the main stage with Justice’s “D.A.N.C.E.,” a nod to the French masters who rocked the island last year. The set left something to be desired, however. Alternating between high, intense bangers and oddly mellow numbers, the set wasn’t very cohesive. They did close with a remix of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which turned into a huge sing-along and was an ode to the late DJ A.M. (rest his soul) who would frequently spin the song in his sets.
photo by Stephen Loh
Stephen Loh
Aylin Zafar
MGMT finished things off, the beautiful San Francisco skyline serving as the perfect backdrop for the night. They announced, rather cryptically, that it would be the last time in awhile that they would be playing together, so they decided to play their album all the way through from start to finish. The band should be dropping their sophomore effort sometime next year, so it seems like a rather strange statement, but perhaps it was their own personal goodbye to the material that put them on the map. After the band got through “Kids,” much of the crowd took it as their cue to beat the lines back to mainland as Hipster Camp wound down on the island. Riding the shuttle bus back, we stared out the window at the beautiful, lit-up SF skyline while resting our weary feet; the feeling really was just like coming home from camp: the festival was fun as hell and we caught some great sets, but we were happy to be able to go back to our own warm beds.
Stephen Loh
Stephen Loh
Stephen Loh
Leave A Comment!