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Fun Fun Fun Fest 2014

Who we truly are, not what others may say of us, or what can be viewed or listened to on some kind of recording, but the most honest representation of ourselves, can only be experienced firsthand—in real life. The same goes for artists and music. This is a thought that I’ve always entertained, but I never really understood how it translates to live music until this past weekend at Fun Fun Fun Fest. First off, I think it should be noted that the lineup of the entire festival was amazing, but Sunday, specifically at the Orange Stage, was utterly perfect; at least for me. Foxygen, Yo La Tengo, and Neutral Milk Hotel all in one day. How could you beat that? While I had high expectations of what each band would sound like, these expectations were fulfilled on a much different level. Before the headliners, This Will Destroy You had everyone in an emotional state as they played epic song after another. The local band is of the post rock genre and very much like Explosions in the Sky. If you’re not familiar with post rock, it’s that kind of instrumental rock that encapsulates all the struggles of life in a sort of orchestral fashion that makes you want to either climb Mt. Everest or lie down and cry. I understand there are a lot of people out there who prefer much lighter, fun music with lyrics, but venturing into this band and music would be worth it. The next notable performance was Foxygen. I saw them two ACLs ago, and they put on a very interesting performance. It was full of laughter at their tripped-out conversations and bizarre screaming. This time it was equally interesting, but with a different twist. Instead of being humorous and weird, it was almost frightening. Sam, the lead vocalist, ran onto the stage in nothing but a suit jacket (which later came off) and black skinny jeans. The duration of the show he fell, shouted, kicked, convulsed, and moved in inhuman ways. When he ran by the pit and physically grabbed me for a split second, I was never at such a loss of words than I was then. If you were to listen to either of their last two major albums, you would not have expected such a spectacle. Soon after sunset, Yo La Tengo took the Orange Stage and started off with hits like “Autumn Sweater” and the newer “Ohm.” But halfway through the show, Georgia Hubley, James McNew, and Ira Kaplan settled into a crazy long session of pure guitar and bass solos that were almost completely improvisation. I knew the band was talented, but the way the members handled their instruments was extremely impressive. Kaplan in specific did things with his guitar that I have never seen done before and it was amazing. It was as if he was simultaneously making love and battling in war with it. Once again, YLT was not quite what you would expect from listening to their recorded work. And finally, the time had come for the band that everyone in the audience was the most anxious for. I wasn’t familiar with the bands between Foxygen, Yo La Tengo, and Neutral Milk Hotel, but that was actually nice to have a sort of a break between so much goodness. NMH asked for everyone to put away their phones and not take any photos or videos, and literally everyone that I saw respected that. It’s hard to be intimate and private in a festival setting, but with the willing cooperation of the audience, it was done. After seeing NMH, I completely understand why they don’t want any photos or videos of them taken. The emotion and joy felt during the show could never be conveyed through a camera lens. Jeff Mangum, Julian, Scott, and Jeremy were so genuine in their performance and held nothing back. I don’t think I need to, or should, say much about the actual show, but I’ll just say that seeing people crying tears of joy in the audience wasn’t a surprise. Singing along in a crowd of strangers to songs that are best friends to every single person in their own beautiful, unique ways was an unforgettable experience. On that Sunday, I think I gained a more solid understanding of what the magic of live music is all about. Listening to albums and songs in your bedroom is one thing, but being in the same space as the artist, where you’re close enough to feel each other’s energy, is another. Recorded albums are like what the bands want the public to think of them as, like the clothes that we wear to school every day. But when a band of true quality plays live, it’s like those clothes are stripped away and their naked, untamed, and honest selves are exposed and you are joined in a mutual celebration of music, life, and humanity.