GORILLA VS. BEAR 5 | DALLAS, TX | 7.31.15
photos/words by Andi Harman
Dallas is plagued with music festivals and day parties, but none inadvertently celebrate gender equality more than the criminally underrated Gorilla vs. Bear Festival. I’m fortunate enough to say that I have yet to miss one of these smartly orchestrated evenings at the Granada Theater. This past Friday, the local blog simultaneously celebrated the 10th year of its existence and the 5th year of the festival.
In 2012, a notorious freelancer wrote one of the most worthless concert reviews this city has known, referring to the event as a “Girlapalooza.” Thankfully, such brash criticisms had zero affect on GvB, but elicited a cosign-able lean in moment from former Dallas Observer music editor Audra Schroeder. This exchange will remain a highlight in the timeline of music journalism in Dallas.
Gorilla vs. Bear Fest’s penchant for female-driven music cascaded into this year’s line-up. Five of the seven acts were either female solo artists or female-fronted bands. The pinnacle of the evening came from direct headliner support Lower Dens, whose cogent execution and straightforward presentation felt like a solid landing after the precarious showings from the prior acts. The night ramped up to a dance party and disco ball light display from Jamie xx.
As the crowd spilled out from under Granada’s marquee, next door at Sundown, Young Ejecta’s Leanne Macomber was somewhere in the middle of her understated solo set. The sound engineer seemed flummoxed by her minimal set-up. Regardless of accompaniment, Macomber’s vocals walk a tightrope above inventive tracks, resulting in a chaotic elegance.
