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Flaming Lips Setlist
Poliça Setlist
M Ward Setlist
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While there was no actual garden this year (the result of The Walker Art Center’s year-long outdoor renovations) this year’s annual Rock the Garden festival held at Boom Island near downtown Minneapolis, still provided more than its share of rocking.
The event is a co-share of The Walker Art Center and local public radio station 89.3 The Current and brings together a diverse and sometimes eclectic lineup of acts – with its temporary relocation to the island, another 4,000 people filled the sold-out crowd, and the festival was held on a single day with eight local and national acts playing two stages located on each end of the grounds.
Much of the “rocking” was done many of the 14,000 fans quickly moving from one of the island to the other, as the music was scheduled consecutively so that as one stage finished, the other stage would begin again.
The afternoon proved to be sweltering with lines at each of the water stations and security trying in the most innovative ways (swinging cold towels, turning bottles of water into mini-sprinklers) to keep the crowds cool.
Plague Vendor
West Hollywood’s Plague Vendor (singer Brandon Blaine, drummer Luke Perine, bassist Michael Perez, and guitarist Jay Rogers) was probably the loudest and hardcore band on the Rock the Garden bill. The explosive punk band made the most of their 30-min set, playing some tracks from their sophomore album Bloodsweat (Epitaph Records), including intro song ‘Anchor to Ankles’ (medley with ‘747’), followed by ‘ISUA’.
Taking advantage of large crowd, singer Brandon Blaine body surfed near the end of their set, which made it look like this wasn’t their first rodeo. Ripping off his shirt at the end of ‘Jezebel’, Blaine asked if they can squeeze in another song. “Four Minutes? Can we make this?”... suddenly the chords to ‘Chopper’ started to play and the band finished their set on time.
GRRRL PRTY
Local hip hop act Grrrl Prty played their last ever show at this year’s Rock the Garden. They ended their career on a high note, playing in front of thousands of fans, which is always how the group wanted to go out.
Starting their set with ‘Grrrl Anthem’, we have the three rappers Lizzo, Sophia Eris, and Manchita, trading vocals and rotating their center spotlight, over the music handled by DJ Shannon Blowtorch. They played all their favorites from their two EPs Bionik and Grrrl Prt Tnght, including ‘Clank Clank’, ‘Poppin'’, ‘Top Floor’, ‘Goooo’, ‘Can I Live’. Early single ‘Wegula’ was saved near the end of their set.
Grrrl Prty simply delivered their performance of a lifetime, without any technical difficulties or goofs. Based on all their bright smiles and perfect chemistry, you know that these girls will eventually reform... but for now, Grrrl Prty is no more, and it’s bittersweet.
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Missouri’s Nathaniel Rateliff and his band The Night Sweats (bassist Joseph Pope III, keyboards Mark Shusterman, drummer Patrick Meese, guitarist Luke Mossman, saxophonist Andy Wild, and trumpeter Wesley Watkins) were, strangely enough, the only soulful, funky, and R&B band on the bill.
As you know, the group was white hot with their radio hit song ‘S.O.B.’, taken from their debut self-titled 2015 Stax Records album, and with the “overnight success”, sold out the Turf Club and, more recently, as co-headliner at the sold-out Northrop Auditorium show with Lord Huron (31 May 2016). The truth is, we’ve always known this band was amazing, having seen them (with only a handful of people) and raving about them a year before they finally broke through to mainstream radio and television.
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats’ set was similar to the Northrop show, but dropping off a few songs to fit in their 30-min allotted time. As with any typical Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats shows, they were all about business, rarely talking between songs.
With new, unrecorded songs ‘The Intro’ and ‘I Did It’ making it on their regular live sets, we’re hoping that the band will be working on a sophomore album this year.
Hippo Campus
A highlight of the late afternoon was the fifty-minute set by the hottest local band of the moment, Hippo Campus, who wowed the many in the crowd who were there to see them play a danceable mix of familiar and some yet-to-be-released songs.
“Whoah, it is amazing to be home right now!” said singer Jake Luppen, surveying the massive crowd after a bouncy ‘Close to Gold’. A trio of new songs were played, ‘Baseball’, ‘Tuesday’ and ‘Conviction’, evidence of the work they’ve been doing on their first full-length (on Grand Jury Records), due out next year.
“This has been incredible…genuinely amazing!” Luppen gushed before the closing ‘Violet’ and the latest chapter for a still up-and-coming band that started playing to fourteen people, and were now playing to over 14,000.
M Ward
Portland’s M. Ward (Matthew Ward) was up next, with a full backing band consisting of Scott McCaughey (from The Young Fresh Fellows!), Mike Coykendall, and Adam Selzer (from Norfolk & Western).
While M. Ward just released his eighth solo studio album More Rain on Merge Records, he is probably best known for being in She & Him (with actress/singer Zooey Deschanel) and the supergroup Monsters of Folk (with My Morning Jacket’s Jim James and Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst & Mike Mogis). Of course, early on his set, Ward dropped his Monsters of Folk song, ‘Whole Lotta Losin'’.
It’s been a few years since Ward was last in Minneapolis, but you can tell he loves the city, previously calling it “a city of dreams” and before playing ‘Magic Trick’, he said it was “another day in paradise.”
New songs from More Rain, including the title track, ‘Little Baby’, and ‘Confession’ sounded very upbeat with the multilayered guitars. Hopefully this will mean that M. Ward will be returning to the Twin Cities for a future tour, especially since it’s rare to see She & Him (their last appearance in Minneapolis was in 2010) and Monsters of Folk (their last Minneapolis show was in 2009).
Poliça
Another local band-made good, Poliça, brought heavy beats, singer Channy Leaneagh’s layered vocals, and trademark dual drummers, to their passionate fifty-minute early evening set.
In support of the new United Crushers (on Mom+Pop Music), the band played a mix from all three of their studio albums and included a late set, appropriately angry cover of Crass’ ‘Shaved Women’.
Getting somewhat serious five songs in, Leaneagh dedicated the new album’s opener, ‘Summer Please’ to where she lives, calling out “a couple factories on this river pumping lead into the lungs and brains of the children of North Minneapolis”.
Even Leaneagh was feeling the effects of the hot sun beating down, “I’m too pale to be out here without a hat – who let the vampire out?” remarking, before a said hat, was eventually produced. The 1979 Crass cover was particularly jarring, played late with its strongly anarcho-feminist lyrics seethed by Leaneagh, and dark pulsing beats.
Calming down slightly, for the closing ‘Amongster’, the song was an appropriate ending choice, with its lyrics about parting and natural images juxtaposed with a dark vein.
Chance the Rapper
With a discography of no albums to his name (three official mixtapes and seven singles though), the biggest draw of the day was undoubtedly Chicago’s Chance the Rapper, who had throngs of people jamming the second stage for his fifty-five minute set.
Smiling and entering to the intro music of Lil’ Yachty’s ‘Minnesota’, he had the sweaty crowd in the palm of his hand from the opening ‘Everybody’s Something’, forward.
Latest mixtape Coloring Book debuted at Number 8 on the Billboard 200, and due to a recent rule change involving streaming, became the first album to ever chart as a result of strictly such. “I had no idea it would be this fun” he beamed and “I might just do a tour just in Minneapolis” he later said, impressed with the crowd that seemed to know every word.
‘No Problem’ (from Coloring Book) burned with crowd chanting and hands in the air, ‘Sunday Candy’ featuring Donnie Trumpet/Social Experiment had everyone swaying collectively, and the closing reflective ‘Angels’ with its lyric “City so great” could have easily described Minneapolis based on the fervent reception he and the band received.
The Flaming Lips
Ending the evening with its usual surreal, like-you-stepped-into-your-own-surprise-party set, Oklahoma’s The Flaming Lips began its 75 min. set with singer Wayne Coyne waxing poetic about playing some its first shows ever in 1984 at the 7Th Street Entry in town, as a few technical issues were ironed out.
Once going, the band opened with ‘Race for the Prize’ complete with confetti everywhere, balloons bouncing over the crowd, and strange costumed dancers onstage. ‘Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1’ was next, followed by a giant, taped together balloon that said “F*#k Yeah Minneapolis” getting flung into the crowd, then Coyne in his duct-taped pants donning a lighted cape then climbing to sing on the shoulders of a bulky Chewbacca.
A nine-year old named Matt in the front row had ‘Happy Birthday’ sung to him (…though it really wasn’t his birthday) and though ‘Pompeii am Götterdämmerung’ is usually dedicated to our ”fellow cosmic warriors”, they’ve been playing it lately amid purple lighting in the honor of Prince.
‘Waiting for Superman’ led into their David Bowie cover of ‘Space Oddity’, complete with Coyne crowdsurfing as the boy in the bubble in his transparent inflatable hamster ball.
Emerging from that, ‘The W.A.N.D.’ brought the show’s tempo up again before the band ended their set and the festival evening, with its tender ‘Do You Realize?’ , expounding on how he understood that some people had come to the show just to “escape from their profound sadness”.
Seeing the smiles on so many faces, Coyne called it a “perfect night to be optimistic” and even after eight hours in the heat and sun, no one else thought otherwise.
The event is a co-share of The Walker Art Center and local public radio station 89.3 The Current and brings together a diverse and sometimes eclectic lineup of acts – with its temporary relocation to the island, another 4,000 people filled the sold-out crowd, and the festival was held on a single day with eight local and national acts playing two stages located on each end of the grounds.
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Fans |
The afternoon proved to be sweltering with lines at each of the water stations and security trying in the most innovative ways (swinging cold towels, turning bottles of water into mini-sprinklers) to keep the crowds cool.
Plague Vendor
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Plague Vendor |
Taking advantage of large crowd, singer Brandon Blaine body surfed near the end of their set, which made it look like this wasn’t their first rodeo. Ripping off his shirt at the end of ‘Jezebel’, Blaine asked if they can squeeze in another song. “Four Minutes? Can we make this?”... suddenly the chords to ‘Chopper’ started to play and the band finished their set on time.
GRRRL PRTY
|
Grrrl Prty |
Starting their set with ‘Grrrl Anthem’, we have the three rappers Lizzo, Sophia Eris, and Manchita, trading vocals and rotating their center spotlight, over the music handled by DJ Shannon Blowtorch. They played all their favorites from their two EPs Bionik and Grrrl Prt Tnght, including ‘Clank Clank’, ‘Poppin'’, ‘Top Floor’, ‘Goooo’, ‘Can I Live’. Early single ‘Wegula’ was saved near the end of their set.
Grrrl Prty simply delivered their performance of a lifetime, without any technical difficulties or goofs. Based on all their bright smiles and perfect chemistry, you know that these girls will eventually reform... but for now, Grrrl Prty is no more, and it’s bittersweet.
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
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Nathaniel Rateliff |
As you know, the group was white hot with their radio hit song ‘S.O.B.’, taken from their debut self-titled 2015 Stax Records album, and with the “overnight success”, sold out the Turf Club and, more recently, as co-headliner at the sold-out Northrop Auditorium show with Lord Huron (31 May 2016). The truth is, we’ve always known this band was amazing, having seen them (with only a handful of people) and raving about them a year before they finally broke through to mainstream radio and television.
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats’ set was similar to the Northrop show, but dropping off a few songs to fit in their 30-min allotted time. As with any typical Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats shows, they were all about business, rarely talking between songs.
With new, unrecorded songs ‘The Intro’ and ‘I Did It’ making it on their regular live sets, we’re hoping that the band will be working on a sophomore album this year.
Hippo Campus
|
Hippo Campus |
“Whoah, it is amazing to be home right now!” said singer Jake Luppen, surveying the massive crowd after a bouncy ‘Close to Gold’. A trio of new songs were played, ‘Baseball’, ‘Tuesday’ and ‘Conviction’, evidence of the work they’ve been doing on their first full-length (on Grand Jury Records), due out next year.
“This has been incredible…genuinely amazing!” Luppen gushed before the closing ‘Violet’ and the latest chapter for a still up-and-coming band that started playing to fourteen people, and were now playing to over 14,000.
M Ward
|
M Ward |
While M. Ward just released his eighth solo studio album More Rain on Merge Records, he is probably best known for being in She & Him (with actress/singer Zooey Deschanel) and the supergroup Monsters of Folk (with My Morning Jacket’s Jim James and Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst & Mike Mogis). Of course, early on his set, Ward dropped his Monsters of Folk song, ‘Whole Lotta Losin'’.
It’s been a few years since Ward was last in Minneapolis, but you can tell he loves the city, previously calling it “a city of dreams” and before playing ‘Magic Trick’, he said it was “another day in paradise.”
New songs from More Rain, including the title track, ‘Little Baby’, and ‘Confession’ sounded very upbeat with the multilayered guitars. Hopefully this will mean that M. Ward will be returning to the Twin Cities for a future tour, especially since it’s rare to see She & Him (their last appearance in Minneapolis was in 2010) and Monsters of Folk (their last Minneapolis show was in 2009).
Poliça
|
Poliça |
In support of the new United Crushers (on Mom+Pop Music), the band played a mix from all three of their studio albums and included a late set, appropriately angry cover of Crass’ ‘Shaved Women’.
Getting somewhat serious five songs in, Leaneagh dedicated the new album’s opener, ‘Summer Please’ to where she lives, calling out “a couple factories on this river pumping lead into the lungs and brains of the children of North Minneapolis”.
Even Leaneagh was feeling the effects of the hot sun beating down, “I’m too pale to be out here without a hat – who let the vampire out?” remarking, before a said hat, was eventually produced. The 1979 Crass cover was particularly jarring, played late with its strongly anarcho-feminist lyrics seethed by Leaneagh, and dark pulsing beats.
Calming down slightly, for the closing ‘Amongster’, the song was an appropriate ending choice, with its lyrics about parting and natural images juxtaposed with a dark vein.
Chance the Rapper
|
Chance the Rapper |
Smiling and entering to the intro music of Lil’ Yachty’s ‘Minnesota’, he had the sweaty crowd in the palm of his hand from the opening ‘Everybody’s Something’, forward.
Latest mixtape Coloring Book debuted at Number 8 on the Billboard 200, and due to a recent rule change involving streaming, became the first album to ever chart as a result of strictly such. “I had no idea it would be this fun” he beamed and “I might just do a tour just in Minneapolis” he later said, impressed with the crowd that seemed to know every word.
‘No Problem’ (from Coloring Book) burned with crowd chanting and hands in the air, ‘Sunday Candy’ featuring Donnie Trumpet/Social Experiment had everyone swaying collectively, and the closing reflective ‘Angels’ with its lyric “City so great” could have easily described Minneapolis based on the fervent reception he and the band received.
The Flaming Lips
Ending the evening with its usual surreal, like-you-stepped-into-your-own-surprise-party set, Oklahoma’s The Flaming Lips began its 75 min. set with singer Wayne Coyne waxing poetic about playing some its first shows ever in 1984 at the 7Th Street Entry in town, as a few technical issues were ironed out.
|
Wayne Coyne on Chewbacca |
A nine-year old named Matt in the front row had ‘Happy Birthday’ sung to him (…though it really wasn’t his birthday) and though ‘Pompeii am Götterdämmerung’ is usually dedicated to our ”fellow cosmic warriors”, they’ve been playing it lately amid purple lighting in the honor of Prince.
‘Waiting for Superman’ led into their David Bowie cover of ‘Space Oddity’, complete with Coyne crowdsurfing as the boy in the bubble in his transparent inflatable hamster ball.
Emerging from that, ‘The W.A.N.D.’ brought the show’s tempo up again before the band ended their set and the festival evening, with its tender ‘Do You Realize?’ , expounding on how he understood that some people had come to the show just to “escape from their profound sadness”.
Seeing the smiles on so many faces, Coyne called it a “perfect night to be optimistic” and even after eight hours in the heat and sun, no one else thought otherwise.
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The Flaming Lips at Rock the Garden, Boom Island (18 June 2016) |
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