Bloc Party
Tabernacle – January 16, 2013
By Justin Lyons
Photos by Codi Glancy

London outfit Bloc Party hadn’t been back to Atlanta in more than five years and gave fans a little bit of everything on Wednesday night at Tabernacle. The foursome has experimented with their sound over the years and recently came off a hiatus that allowed members to release solo efforts. 2012’s Four was hailed as a return to the guitar-driven heights of the band’s breakthrough debut, Silent Alarm. Bloc Party’s live performance echoed the band’s nostalgic turn paced by heavy percussion and blistering guitar with minimal appearances by a keyboard.

Lead singer Kele Okereke and the fellas graced the stage backed by a curtain that glowed to match the mood of songs throughout the night. The artistic choice of hanging four complimentary colored squares above each musician was appropriate. Kele strolled out in a fresh, black Adidas hooded with a blindingly confident smile to greet Atlanta. Drummer Matt Tong chose either a humorous take on Southern attire or prepared for a sweaty night at the kit in going shirtless and sporting “jorts”.

New material interspersed with classics throughout the set and fit surprisingly well with Bloc Party’s arsenal of anthems. The band expertly kicked off the raucous show with thumping new cut “So He Begins To Lie” before Kele led the audience in chanting “we’ve got crosses on our eyes” for “Like Eating Glass”. Kele has such a unique voice, complimented by an accent and stage presence that makes nearly any phrase seem more passionate than it really is. The palpable build of “Song For Clay: Disappear” could only be matched with a quick segway to the slinking strumming of “Banquet”. Lead guitarist Russell Lissack was clearly focused on the task at hand with his eyes barely leaving his axe. Each lick managed to sound urgent and frenetic with his fingers moving like two arachnids on furious renditions of “Hunting For Witches” and “Trojan Horse”.

In what seemed like a premature encore, Kele and company informed fans that was just an intermission and the band had been taking it easy on the Atlanta crowd. Highlights of the remainder of the show included a surprising, but well-timed cover of Rihanna’s “We Found Love”. Dedicated to the beautiful ladies in the crowd, Kele incited a sing-along that expertly transitioned to Intimacy electronic-inspired hit “Flux”. The well executed encore had sounds to please everyone that spanned the band’s tenure. A Weekend In The City slowburner “Kreuzberg” set a laid back tone before most recent hit “Octopus” offered up the perfect call and response opportunity. In the end, there was only one track to end the night: “Helicopter”. The Silent Alarm standout was a post punk sprint and had fans screaming “are you hoping for a miracle” in unison.

Upon leaving the show, I was certain Bloc Party avoided much of the new material, but turns out Four fits in better with their catalog than previously thought. A live Bloc Party show is the only way to truly appreciate how many anthems the quartet has in their catalog. The intro to classic cut “This Modern Love” even led a nearby fan to remark “this is real Bloc Party” and much of the audience agreed in joining Kele’s yelp.

Bloc Party Set List
So He Begins to Lie
Like Eating Glass – Kele lead the audience in chanting “we’ve got crosses on our eyes”
Real Talk
Song for Clay (Disappear Here) w/(‘Kele – Tenderoni’ intro)
Banquet
Coliseum – one of the most bruising guitar tracks of the set, but left out the squeal of the album version
Day Four
Waiting for the 7.18
Leaf Skeleton
Trojan Horse
Positive Tension
This Modern Love
Intermission
Truth
Hunting for Witches
Ares
Flux (‘Rihanna – We Found Love’ intro)
Encore
Kreuzberg
Octopus
Helicopter

♡ PART 7: “HOW TO BE A HEARTBREAKER” ♡ | MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS from Atlantic Records UK on Vimeo.

By Justin Lyons

Welsh singer, Marina Diamandis aka Marina & The Diamonds broke through in 2009 as a DIY, pop artist known for catchy hooks and commanding vocals. Her buzzworthy debut record The Family Jewels featured blog favorites “I’m A Robot” and “Mowgli Road” and gained major label attention. Her recent sophomore effort Electra Heart still showcased Diamandis’ ethereal vocals, but traded quirky pop for fully formed dance pop anthems and a retro alter ego. Production from top 40 heavy hitters like Stargate, Dr. Luke, Diplo, and Cirkut hoped to put Diamandis in the same arena as Britney, Katy and Rihanna, but failed to see commercial success of her idols. Fans at Center Stage don’t keep track of Sound Scan numbers though, as tickets were sold out for a night of power pop at the Midtown venue. Party starters Icona Pop warmed up the crowd with a simple table set up of DJ and sampling gear. Fans threw up “arm hearts” and bounced as the pulsing beats of “Ready For The Weekend” and “I Love It” shook the floor.

Diamindis’ stage was outfitted with retro patterned backdrop, bedroom lounge furniture, and an Electra Heart neon light appropriately emblazoned in pink. Marina’s four piece band took the stage just before she strolled out in fur wedges and a bridal veil. Her campy garb matched the tongue and cheek fun of pop anthem “Homewrecker”. She sported a form-fitted dress and various wardrobe pieces inspired by her obsession with beauty pageants and 50′s fashion. Marina’s retro character from Electra Heart accentuated her playful nature throughout the night. She sashayed around the stage to match the driving rhythm guitar of “Mowgli’s Road” and belted the saccharine-filled hook on the synth dance spectacle of “Bubble Gum Bitch”. Highlights of the night included Marina’s hiccup-styled vocals on her first hit “I Am Not A Robot” and the electronic-fueled dance track “Radioactive”.

While Marina hasn’t likely met all of her own pop milestones, it is doubtful she won’t eventually. She fully embraces the role of starlet and has a unique vocals that crush any of her pop peers. Marina’s confidence on stage and efforts to be lyrically more than your average pop star on glittering cuts like “Sex Yeah”, “Power and Control” and stepping behind the piano on “Teen Idle” should help her accomplish those feats soon.

Marina & The Diamonds Set List
Homewrecker
Oh No
Mowgli’s Road
Lies
I Am Not A Robot
The State of Dreaming
Power and Control
Bubble Gum Bitch
Starring Role
Obsession
Sex Yeah
Primadonna
Shampain
Hollywood
Radioactive
Fear and Loathing

Encore
Teen Idle
How To Be A Heartwrecker

Yeasayer’s five year progression from experimental rock musicians to R&B and electronic-based pop experts has been a welcome transformation.The Brooklyn four-piece’s most recent album Fragrant World expounds upon Odd Blood’s synthtronica leanings with late a ‘90’s urban influence that would make Pharrell and Timbaland proud. After three albums and extensive touring, the eclectic band’s stage presence and diverse sound was on full display at Tabernacle on Sunday night.

Fans had heightened expectations due to the postponement of Yeasayer’s previous Atlanta stop and easily filled the main floor after opening act Sinkane. The fellow Brooklyn rockers kicked off the night and made an instant impression on early attendees with the sort of psychedelic pop that jump-started Yeasayer’s career. Progressive guitar, keys and vocoder-based tracks, including blog favorite “Running”, had many nodding in approval.

The majority of Yeasayer’s dance ready set leaned on Fragrant World, but the band worked old favorites like “O.N.E.” into enhanced numbers with numerous synthesizers and sample machines. The stage was flanked by mirrored pentagons that acted as reflective surfaces and apt backdrop for the expansive light show. The shared lead vocal duties by Chris Keating and Anand Wilder were used to perfection highlighting each other’s vocal strengths. Wilder’s traditional vocals were best suited on new cut “Don’t Come Close” which transitioned perfectly into an anthemic rendition of “Madder Red”. Keating bounced around the stage with vigor and displayed his unique stage presence on the LCD Soundsystem-styled thump of “Demon Road” and jubilant set closer “Ambling Amp”.

Fans that attended Yeasayer’s last Atlanta show at Masquerade could probably guess the final songs of the night. Sunday evening proved the band’s growth and expanding number of tracks offered a few surprises. This encore continued with new upbeat cuts like “Fingers Never Bleed” and the addictive “Devil and the Deed” before Keating preached on “Tightrope” and finished with the guitar heavy burner “Folk Hero Schtick”. Whatever musical path Yeasayer takes next should surprise fans and only strengthen their next live performances.

Set List
Blue Paper
Henrietta
2080
Longevity
O.N.E.
Don’t Come Close
Madder Red
Demon Road
Wait For Summer
Reagan’s Skeleton
Ambling Amp

Encore
Fingers Never Bleed
Devil and the Deed
Tightrope
Folk Hero Schtick

As one of the most successful independent acts of the 1990’s, Dispatch melded in folk, reggae fusion and jam rock and gained a fervent following along the way.  After a decade long hiatus Brad Corrigan, Chad Urmston and Pete Francis decided 10 years was much too long without new music.  The trio released an eponymous EP last summer that eased up on the reggae-influence and focused primarily on folk and Americana with the welcome addition of the banjo and ukelele.

These new musical elements are the framework of some of the best songs on Circles Around The Sun and coincide with the multi-instrumental nature of the band.  “Flag” inspires like past narrative-based songs such as “The General” and “Broken American”, but shines with a hypnotic ukelele.  Standouts “Get Ready Boy” and the title track pick up the pace with speedy banjo strings in folk fashion.

Aside from Americana influences, Dispatch deftly experiments with fusions of tribal drums and guitar distortion on “Sign Of The Times”.  “Not Messin” is characterized by a deep howling guitar and paced vocals, while “We Hold A Gun” utilizes progressive rock traits with a jam-ready beat and psychedelic vocal effects.  “Josaphine” excels as a bluesy melancholy affair with the trio harmonizing in tale of trying to find a lost love that would be a perfect festival closer. Surprisingly, the only moment Dispatch’s return album falters is when they rely on tropes of the early days.  “Feels So Good” is an earnest attempt at a slow burning reggae-tinged love song, but ends up sounds like a Zac Brown leftover.

Dispatch should please fans old and new with the typically expansive sounds of Circles Around The Sun.  The move to banjo-fueled Americana isn’t a stretch, adds to the band’s multi-genre repertoire and showcases just how diverse these multi-instrumentalists are.

Pre-order Dispatch’s Circles Around The Sun before August 21st and a $1 donation to Amplify Education will be included (Dispatch Music, Amazon, iTunes).  Be sure to catch Dispatch at the Fox Theatre on Friday, October 12th (tickets).

Hometown performances typically carry added pressure to deliver for friends, family and fans that have championed an artist’s cause from the start. When Donald Glover’s rap project Childish Gambino announced a March show at the Tabernacle, it wasn’t a surprise that the show quickly sold out. Unfortunately, a fractured foot would postpone the highly anticipated Atlanta show a few months. No one would fault the rising emcee if increased pressure would affect him, but Childish Gambino overcame early nerves/excitement and dispatched a fiery performance on Sunday night.

When Glover dressed in a blue-violet hoodie took the stage with band members in tow, fans were already jumping and ready to mimic his every move. A giant video screen served as a backdrop that visualized scenes appropriately themed to align with Childish Gambino’s debut album Camp. He kicked off the night greeting Atlanta fans with cinematic offerings “Outside” and “Firefly” in what sounded more like excited shouting than performing. After taking a moment to catch his breath, Glover proclaimed true Gambino fans would know his next cut as the intro to “Freaks and Geeks” was cued. Glover rapidly delivered every line with authority and dismissed any early jitters.

As the set moved on and the heat in the Tabernacle escalated, Glover quickly dropped his hoodie in favor of A Tribe Called Quest “Marauders” t-shirt that surely met the approval of hip-hop heads in the crowd. For the rest of the night, Glover was clearly more comfortable and performed everything from mixtape hits, new songs and favorites from Camp. Glover’s memorable bars from his remix of “Rolling In The Deep” were punctuated by each band member commanding a drumstick and hand claps by fans. While a live tuba would have been appreciated, the buzzing brass on “You See Me” amplified the energy of Glover and the crowd. Smirks and laughs were peppered throughout the crowd as each punchline and metaphor was displayed on the screen. Highlight of the night came when fans bounced to the Daft Punk-inspired bass line of “Heartbeat”. A beating pulse line on the screen above glowed red in sync with thundering bass while Childish Gambino interspersed rapping succinct bars with singing the moody hook.

Chants of “Gambino” gave Glover quick reason to return to the stage for an encore performance draped with a sweat drenched towel and t-shirt sleeves rolled up. Sans the backing band, Childish Gambino expertly flowed and mock-scratched over the beat to hip-hop anthem “Rack City” before launching into new material from his soon to be released mixtape. While Camp’s tracks have a more universal appeal, much of the new tracks Glover worked out on stage had a guttery, bass heavy sound that delve deeper into hip-hop’s current low BPM trend. Anyone who wasn’t as familiar with new songs was easily pleased as Glover closed with the synth-tinged “Lights Turned On” and the entire building shook. Donald Glover proclaimed “I love you A-Town with all my heart” and apparently A-Town felt the same about their hometown hero.

After one listen to Bon Iver’s most recent self-titled album last Summer, it was quickly apparent that Justin Vernon had aspirations for being known for more than the lonely solitude of For Emma, Forever Ago. In the early days when Vernon began performing mostly solo, he passed lyric sheets to fans to help sing, but Grammy award winning album Bon Iver needed more than one man and a guitar to translate the expansive compositions in a live setting.

The Encore Park stage was filled with eight other performers and nearly all played a multitude of instruments. From french horn to violin and bass guitar, talent was everywhere. The show triumphantly began with “Perth” which was punctuated by dueling drummers and multiple horns. Vernon himself in a wrinkled cream-sickle button up swapped a variety of guitars, manned an electric organ and frequently crawled or tapped his bare feet on multiple pedals with a clear vision of the sound he wanted. Vernon’s vocals displayed a varied range throughout the night as well. The twinkling keys of “Minnesota, WI” included light use of a vocoder, while Vernon displayed a warbled falsetto on slow-burner “Flume” and a languid rendition of “Holocene”.

Aside from the vast number of band members the stage was filled with radiating lights. Steel above the stage was swathe in burnt brown material that after sunset acted as an illuminated canvas for the variety of bright backdrops. Saxophonist and touring member of Arcade Fire Colin Stetson stood out with a bass sax solo that expertly segued into “Blood Bank”. The uptempo and reverb heavy rendition was particularly poignant with the entire stage appropriately illuminated in crimson. Later, lighted poles at the base of the stage glowed as the piano chords set the tone for “Wash”, which Vernon introduced as “a song about surviving Winters in a bitter cold place”. Synth heavy album highlight “Beth/Rest” had the stage cast in a hazy blue and purple hue that matched the under the sea-like vocoder effects and exultant tone.

Vernon’s not so subtle Midwestern dialect charmed throughout the night as he engaged with the crowd between songs. His banter was light yet comical remarking “thanks dudes” and “thanks for listening” multiple times. “Skinny Love” kicked off a crowd sing-along as the band confidently gave the fan favorite an impressive alt country swing. Vernon’s humbleness from his early achievements seemed much more genuine than is often mocked in the press and Saturday Night Live. With such a commanding performance, Bon Iver should realize his continued success isn’t a fluke.

Bon Iver set list
Perth
Minnesota, WI
Brackett, WI
Flume
Holocene
The Stars in His Head (Colin Stetson sax solo)
Blood Bank
Hinnom, TX
Wash
Creature Fear
re: Stacks
Towers-shortened
Calgary
Beth/Rest
Encore:
Skinny Love
For Emma

By Justin Lyons

The third annual Hangout Music Festival started with an official kick off party last Thursday with multiple acts on two stages. One of the headliners of the event was electronic music duo Big Gigantic who returned for their second consecutive year on the beach. I was able to chat with Dominic Lallil (saxophone/production) and Jeremy Salken (drummer) about Hangout, the Colorado music scene, Electronic Dance Music and more.

Big Gigantic had the opportunity to kick off Hangout last night at the official pre-party, how was the overall response?

(Jeremy) It was great. I believe the late night ended up selling out and it was awesome. The crowd was super energetic and it had a great vibe.

How was your performance different than last year at Hangout? 

(Dominic) Its been a year so a little different. The crowd was just awesome last night and it was great way to kick off the weekend. Everyone had a great time and it was cool to have our own headlining set, that was the main difference. Last year was super fun, we had a great afternoon set and then we had a late night with Pretty Lights that was great.

Nocturnal is your most recent release. What has been the feedback from fans on the album?

(Dominic) Awesome response. We’ve had great feedback. Still riding that and playing a lot of music off the album and we just put out another remix a few days ago. We’re gonna continue that trend all summer with a lot of different sounds. Some heavier stuff without saxophone and some with saxophone. We’ll put out more remixes this summer and put together another album in the next year.

Continue Reading…

You both are from Colorado and there are a lot of great acts from the state making diverse music. Jam bands, electronic acts like you and Pretty Lights and indie acts like Tennis. How does that diversity influence your sound?

(Jeremy) I think that adds to the community vibe with what everyone puts out. Its great to have all these different influences and everything flows from each other. You always hear someone put out something new and interesting. The Colorado scene in general has great camaraderie with everyone and trying to set the bar as high as possible.

Being from Colorado, how big of a milestone is headlining a show at Red Rocks later this Summer?

(Dominic) Huge milestone. We are calling it “Rowdy Town” and doing everything big like a mini-festival. We have some great support acts and the biggest production we’ve ever done as a home-town show. It’s a huge milestone and a step, but we’ll keep moving and hopefully play Red Rocks every year.

The two of you are very collaborative in nature. You recently did a remix with Adventure Club and have worked with Umphrey’s McGee in the past. Any chance we’ll see you on stage with Umphrey’s tonight?

(Dominic) We were just hanging with those guys last night. I don’t think tonight we’ll be up there, they haven’t asked, but we’re always down.

(Jeremy) Something soon though. Any festivals in the next month…something might go down.

Big Gigantic is booked at a ton of festivals this summer. How does the Red Rocks show rank against playing Bonnaroo?

(Dominic) Huge. It’s another really big show. It’s Bonnaroo.

I feel like every band that plays the Thursday show at Bonnaroo really blows up after that.

(Dominic) Shit, I hope you’re right. I want you to be right. We’re bringing our whole production and going all out for Bonnaroo. If you know anyone that is asking “should I go Thursday?”, they should just go. Its going to be a fun night.

Are you looking forward to any other artists at Hangout?

(Dominic) We’ll be here all weekend and we’re looking forward to 40 acts or so.
(Jeremy) It’s cool because some acts that we’ve never seen like Jack White and the Chili Peppers are here, but a lot of our homies are around also. String Cheese, who we’ve known for years is playing. There is really a great family vibe here.

There were some EDM acts at Hangout last year, but this year there are even more. Counter.Point was just announced in Atlanta. Electronic music has blown up at festivals across the country as well. What do you think that growth is attributed to?

(Jeremy) Kids love it right now. It’s what people are listening to, but the music is growing so fast. The music has become a lot more melodic in the past year or two, whereas before it was mostly rhythmic. The scene is growing, Skrillex winning the Grammy was huge and brought more attention to it. There is this organic way that the music has grown and we just want to be part of it.

(Dominic)It happens with all genres where the music has a big moment and people wonder if its here to stay. The funk/jam music scene went through the same thing 10 years ago. When that music turned the corner, there was no looking back and people 10 years ago probably didn’t think it was going to last. Its all about the kids, the community and how everyone is coming together. We are just honored to put our footprint in it, in any way.

I know everyone in Atlanta is looking forward to your set at the first year of Counter.Point Music Festival.

(Jeremy) We’re really looking forward to that. I wish we could hang all weekend, but we’ll be at Red Rocks that weekend.

(Dominic) I honestly feel like Atlanta deserves something like Counter.Point because there is so much love for music in the city. There aren’t really a lot of festivals and the support for music in Atlanta and Athens is insane.

Big Freedia & The Divas – Xbox Stage – 12:45-1:45
Musically, I wouldn’t say Big Freedia offers more than strip club anthems, but the live show was one to remember. Big Freedia’s bass heavy bounce music act featured underground hits like “Azz Everywhere” and “Gin In My System”. While Freedia shouted commands at the audience, her crew of booty dancers made early Sunday look like what I imagine Magic City is like on a Saturday night.

Michael Franti & Spearhead – Hangout Main Stage – 2:45-3:45
As one of the few acts to make an appearance at all three years of Hangout, Michael Franti is essentially the “unofficial” mayor of Gulf Shores. Franti’s music embodies the precise culture festival organizers hope to provide in a laid back mindset that promotes positivity and fun. Franti had a permanent smile as he performed beach ready reggae hits like “The Sound of Sunshine” and his biggest hit “Say Hey (I Love You)”. He even let other artists in on the fun as Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros leader Alex Ebert and Alabama’s own Kristy Lee joined for a group song. With the amount of dancing that happened in the sand on Sunday, most would agree if Michael Franti returned to Hangout every year.

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros – Hangout Main Stage – 5:00-6:30
13 musicians is a lot of people on stage for any act, but Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros manage to make it look effortless and artful. Frontman Alex Ebert may have looked like a ‘70’s drifter, but he played the part of live wire band leader as he jump-started the set leaping into the crowd in Sunday’s best performance. The crooner bounced around the stage and perched on speakers as he belted hits like “40 Day Dream” and incited a Hangout sing-along for “Janglin’”. For the most part, other members of the band seemed to feed off Eberts antics, smiling watching the lead singer interact with fans and jamming to instructed piano solos. The new tracks from Here (including “Man On Fire” and “That’s What’s Up”) were sure-fire hits that were a great showcase of Jade Castrino’s talents and had fans dancing in the white sand. The only flaw in the chemistry of the indie standouts was the clear annoyance Jade had for Alex. She seemed to avoid Ebert any time he floated by, but they seemed to reconcile as he briefly set up the band’s biggest hit “Home” and detailed Jade’s pitch of the now famous first line “Alabama, Arkansas”. He recalled that he wasn’t sure what the song would be, but Alabama sure felt like “home” at Hangout.

G. Love & the Special Sauce/Dave Matthews Band – Letting Go Stage/Hangout Main Stage – 6:30-8:00/8:00-11:00pm
Much of Hangout had filtered out by the time G. Love and Dave Matthews Band played their respective sets. The former was the last act to play on the concrete based Letting Go Stage and G. Love leisurely rapped fan favorites with a touch of blues rock. Many patrons reminisced about the high school nostalgia of “Baby’s Got Sauce” and shuffled their way to the final show of the night. An all Kings of Leon playlist of songs boomed from the speakers before Dave Matthews took the stage and made a few fans speculate that the TN act might headline next year. In the meantime, Dave Matthews opened the final show of the weekend with slow starters “Big Eyed Fish” and “Don’t Drink The Water”. The hushed beginning allowed a heavily inebriated fellow the opportunity to shout “Dave” multiple times before the leader of the band took a turn at the piano and sped things up for “Mercy”. The close connection that the drunken fan felt towards Dave Matthews Band is similar to the bond many people throughout the weekend mentioned about Hangout. Though 35,000 attendees is still a large crowd, being in an ideal beach location within a close proximity to most stages has made Hangout a “VIP” event, even if you can’t afford actual VIP. Now if Hangout can only put together the stellar lineup from 2011 together again, even more festival goers will be championing the Hangout Music Festival experience.

Hangout Music Festival must have made a concerted effort of getting fans to the grounds earlier than previous years. Day two of the weekend continued the trend in scheduling quality, overlapping sets of Athens, GA’s Futurebirds, the head-nodding EDM of Archnemesis and indie poppers Givers. Luckily, if walking on the sand wasn’t your ideal mode of transportation, Hangout shuttles and promotional rides from Chevrolet were available to get to the festival faster. Hangout’s much maligned shuttle service was completely overhauled from 2011 with a new, experienced provider. The improvements included safer, fenced waiting areas, quicker access to buses with more drivers readily available and Krispy Kreme donuts on the evening ride home. Who would complain about that?

Heartless Bastards – Letting Go Stage – 2:15-3:15
Much like my experience with Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes during Friday’s set, you could hear conversations in the crowd during Heartless Bastards afternoon set like “wait, she is the singer?”. Erika Wennerstrom, the lead vocalist for the Cincinatti, OH based rock band, sports long blonde locks and is rail thin which isn’t what people expect when they hear her bellow on cuts like “Searching For A Ghost”. You could sense a general haze from the previous late night throughout much of the crowd at the Letting Go stage, but the four-piece expertly rolled out hits like “Got To Have Rock ‘n Roll” and “Low Low Low”. The howling guitar and thumping drum of “The Mountain” was a more than adequate introduction for the next Hangout Main Stage act, Gary Clark Jr..

Gary Clark Jr. – Hangout Main Stage – 3:15-4:30
A late schedule change caused one of the most talked about decisions of the weekend as Skrillex was moved to the same Saturday set time as buzzing blues rocker Gary Clark Jr.. Mr. Clark Jr. was the primary “must see” act for me at Hangout so my decision was easily justified as he delivered a pounding set without a cloud in the sky. Sporting a black fedora, dark sunglasses, dark jeans and ocean blue t-shirt, Clark gave off the vibe of the coolest man at the festival with the most clothing. While he only has an EP and album released so far, Clark mustered a full set that flew by with a particularly uptempo rendition of “Don’t Owe You A Thing” and a grinding performance of fan favorite “Bright Lights”. The set only slowed to showcase the Austin, Texas based act’s range on falsetto slowburner “Please Come Home”, a faithful tribute to BB King’s “3 O’Clock Blues”and Clark’s gleaming white smile.

Dispatch – Hangout Main Stage – 5:15-6:30
Crowds had grown particularly large by the end of the day, so we camped out on the left side at the Hangout Main stage for Dispatch. Hangout was one of the first festivals of many the band has lined up in 2012. Singer Chad Urmston thanked fans for their continued support and mentioned how odd it is performing to a crowd with so little clothing. After reuniting last summer, the jam veterans showcased a tight set mixed with old hits like “Bang Bang” and “Two Coins” and new songs destined to be set list staples. As promised, the band brought in a banjo wielding musician to add flair to classics and made “Broken American” from last year’s Dispatch EP even more attention grabbing. Other highlights included a brief, but welcome sun soaked cover of “Mrs. Robinson” and set closer “The General” had fans singing in unison as Dispatch put their stamp on a successful Hangout appearance.

Flogging Molly – Letting Go Stage – 7:00-8:30
The Irish tour junkies of Flogging Molly always bring a rowdy affair to every performance and their Hangout set might have been the most raucous of the day. It was nearly impossible not to stomp and chant along as the 7-piece outfit commanded the crowd with the only accordion I witnessed all weekend. In between hard-driving Gaelic-inspired tracks like “Requiem For A Dying Song” and “Drunken Lullabies”, lead singer Dave King gave his typical comedic stage banter covering topics like Ireland’s football accomplishments and leaving his homeland. Flogging Molly even tried their hand at a political anthem on “The Power’s Out” which was particularly fitting given economic times.

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Hangout Main Stage – 9:00-11:00
Attendance for Jack White was sizable, but the crowd Red Hot Chili Peppers drew was massive. By the time the newly reunited Cali act kicked off the Saturday evening set with “Monarchy of Roses” and anthem “Can’t Stop”, beachgoers were lined up all the way to the Sky Bar. Unfortunately those in the back likely had trouble hearing Anthony Kiedis and company play everything from “Suck My Kiss” to classic “Under The Bridge”. A self-proclaimed Nashville producer mentioned to me that the sound board need to “crank up the volume” and I would have to agree. Despite the audio deficiencies, Red Hot Chili Peppers brought enough energy as Kiedis belted out newer tracks like “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie” and “Californication” throughout the cool Gulf-side night. The headliners must have got the memo that Hangout specializes in jam acts in drawing out “Higher Ground” and extending set closer “Give It Away” into a progression-filled punctuation on the night .

Alabama Shakes – Chevrolet Stage – 2:15-3:15
My first show of the weekend was an apt start to the third edition of the Hangout Music Festival. Brittany Howard and the rest of the Alabama Shakes made sure their home state was well represented offering sun soaked renditions of tracks from their debut album, Boys & Girls. Howard sported a translucent emerald beach visor as she belted hits like “Hold On” and what should be Hangout’s new anthem, “Hang Loose”. The early afternoon set drew one of the largest day crowds with nearly as many fans lined up in the sand as The Black Keys’ show from a year prior.

Yelawolf/Dawes – Xbox Stage/Letting Go Stage – 3:15-4:30/4:30-6:00
Two acts that couldn’t have had more contrasting styles were up next, AL native Yelawolf and rock band Dawes. As one of the few hip-hop acts of the weekend, Yela touched on his own grimy cuts from Trunk Musik and recent Shady Records’ release Radioactive, but also dipped into recognizable hip-hop landmarks (“Brass Monkey”). While Yela often shouted commands and generic drug-related fodder, Dawes used their set to show off their growing catalog of nostalgic Cali rock. From my vantage point, Taylor Goldstein looked a lot like Mark Ruffalo as he and the band breezily ran through hits like “When My Time Comes” and “A Little Bit Of Everything”.

Paul Oakenfold – Xbox Stage – 6:00-7:30
The first big electronic artist of the weekend got fans acquainted with the newly reworked tent stage. The Xbox stage was pushed North of Beach Blvd and seemed reasonably larger than the year prior. The actual tent was lifted 7 feet or so off the ground, which allowed the sea breeze to move throughout the crowd and newly planted sod was much more comfortable than 2011′s parking lot location. As for the show, Paul Oakenfold kept the crowd moving and dancing in circles with a blend of Euro-house as glowing blondes danced on the giant video screens behind the DJ booth. Daytime electronic dance shows are a tough slot at any festival, but Oakenfold kept the audience intrigued as they chanted to remixes of headliners Jack White and Red Hot Chili Peppers. A quick live collaboration with Allen Stone fell flat, but the veteran DJ recovered in playing a song that didn’t need a remix by closing the afternoon with Calvin Harris’ “Feel So Close”.

Umphrey’s McGee – Letting Go Stage – 7:30-9:30
The 7:30pm time slot seemed to suit Midwestern jam band Umphrey’s McGee much better in their second appearance at Hangout. The overwhelming lines for tickets last year hindered many from catching the road warriors early Friday set in 2011. With wristbands mailed in advance, there was no reason to miss two hours worth of melodic jams that showcased the act’s diverse sound. Much of the set featured the band’s sixth album Death By Stereo, but Umphrey’s doesn’t typically stick to the script and displayed a range of progressions that extended nearly all tracks into a funky celebration. “Miami Virtue” sounded particularly emphatic with a sly drum and guitar build that was accentuated by the band’s glowing light show and the nearby spinning ferris wheel.

Jack White – Hangout Main Stage – 9:30-11:00
While some may have questioned Jack White as a headliner when the Hangout lineup was announced, the fervor surrounding his first solo album Blunderbuss should have put any doubts to rest. White’s set blistered through 90 minutes and two separate backing bands featuring The Buzzards, the all male band, and The Peacocks, the all female band. If the rumored “set list free” tour was a challenge for the musicians, they certainly didn’t show it as they deftly transitioned from hit after hit. While the first set kicked off greatly with thumping The White Stripes’ classics “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground” and “Black Math” and The Dead Weathers’ “Cut Like A Buffalo”, momentum greatly picked up with The Peacocks. Whether it was the the thicker crowd, lady majority musicians or stronger set list, Hangout attendees were much more responsive to the second hour of the Jack White show. The latter half started with less bruising guitar and percussion and more acoustic and steel guitar as White performed popular duets like current hit “Love Interruption” and The White Stripes’ “We’re Going To Be Friends”. White and the Peacocks didn’t slow the tempo for long though as revelers jumped up from the sand for “Sixteen Saltines” and a few hits from The Raconteurs. White and company appropriately closed with a reverb heavy rendition of “Seven Nation Army” with fans shouting to the hook as fireworks erupted overhead.