Review: I Am Festival 2010

(We Are Scientists)

This was the 5th-annual I Am Festival, and even though I only went to one other, I'm willing to say this was the best one yet. Lots of really good bands, an extended event area, more vendors than last year and beautiful weather made this I Am Fest much better than last year's. And every year, it's been free. The Brooklyn-based We Are Scientists made for a great ending to the night with lots of indie dance rock tunes. Really good news: Manic Productions is bringing We Are Scientists back to Connecticut on Oct. 9 at Daniel Street in Milford. More information here: http://manicproductions.org/shows/455


(Mates of State)

I actually mostly went to I Am Fest this year because of Mates of State, who were amazing as usual, playing lots of their catchy pop tunes and filling in with heartfelt covers of Tom Waits' "Long Way Home" and Daniel Johnston's "True Love Will Find You in the End." Some songs included extra members with a guitar and trumpet, others were just the duo and at the end, with two songs left, they threw in some mixed beats for "Laura," a Girls cover, then "My Only Offer."


(O'Death)

O'Death was really good. I hadn't really listened to much of their stuff before the show, but they had one of those sets that had to convert new fans. Because they performed later in the day, the crowd was really filling in. According to the I Am Fest Facebook event page, O'Death was the first band to confirm, and this was their first show back in Connecticut after a hiatus. I'm glad they're back together because they rock. Really cool indie folk rock sound.


(The Hempsteadys)

Other band I was able to catch after I got there at 4 were The Hempsteadys (a big group playing some cool, reggae-ska), Fake Babies, Darlings (very true for their name, they had some nice, catchy but still raw, garage-sounding pop) and Eula (a neat band from Milford with steady surfer riffs and punk/noise sound).

Here's what I have of set lists for the two main acts.

We Are Scientists:
(Didn't catch the first song because I forgot I was keeping track. Please let me know if I missed anything else!)
Impatience
I Don't Bite
Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt
Rules Don't Stop
This Scene is Dead
Inaction
Chick Lit
Pittsburgh
It's a Hit
The Great Escape
Ambition
Jack & Ginger
After Hours

Mates of State:
Re-Arrange Us
Get Better
True Love Will Find You in the End (Daniel Johnston Cover)
Whiner's Bio
Think Long
You Are Free
Long Way Home (Tom Waits Cover)
For the Actor
At Least I Have You
Now
Ha Ha
Laura (Girls Cover)
My Only Offer

I Am Fest tomorrow!

(Photo I took of Mates of State performing at All Points West in 2008)

Just sharing my excitement for I Am Festival tomorrow and updating this post with the schedule. If you haven't heard about it yet, I Am Fest is a free concert happening tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 11) on the New London Waterfront Park featuring We Are Scientists, Mates of State, O'Death, Darlings, Eula, and lots more bands.

This is the 5th annual I Am Festival, and the organizers have made this a really amazing event. Last year I saw Deerhoof, Free Energy and The Drums, and in past years, when I hadn't gone, they brought Girl Talk and Matt & Kim. "A production of the New London Music Festival with generous support from the Frank Loomis Palmer Fund, the City of New London, Kitchings Productions, DNLA and New London Main Street," according to the event flier, I Am Fest is free, which is the best part.

Parking is available in the municipal lots once you get near the waterfront.

The schedule below is copied and pasted from the I Am Fest Facebook event page. For more information, go here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=116435945078036

MAIN STAGE
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9:30 We Are Scientists
8:00 Mates of State
6:40 O’Death
5:30 Darlings
4:15 The Hempsteadys
3:00 Gone For Good
1:30 Llama Tsunami & The Without Helmet

SECOND STAGE
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7:20 The Stepkids
6:10 Straight To VHS
5:00 Fake Babies
3:45 Eula
2:15 MiniBoone
12:45 The Facelifters

GREEN & GOLDEN DJ STAGE
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DJ sets by The Swagger Jackers, Rob Guess, Frank Lo Chumzilla, EULA, DJ Sir Round Sound and Zo Fresh! With a special "Stoopid Animals" performance by Chumzilla!

September: The month of choices! (I Am Festival with We Are Scientists and Mates of State and Wolf Den Shows with They Might Be Giants)

Now that I'm officially a law student, I really have to budget my concerts - because of both time and money constraints. As luck would have it, there are some great (even free) deals going down in September (not including Lady Gaga in Hartford on Sept. 16, which I'm really excited about). Also as luck would have it, some would be on the same days.

I will start with Saturday, Sept. 11, the date of I Am Festival in New London and The Zombies at Mohegan Sun. Both are free.


(Photo of We Are Scientists from their Myspace page.)

I Am Festival just announced on Facebook this afternoon that We Are Scientists are headlining. This is after the already pretty sweet lineup of Mates of State, O'Death, Darlings and Fake Babies. The flier says that there will be "many more" bands playing, and if past I Am Fests were any indication, I kind of figured this one would be pretty good. I'll admit that I was a little on the fence before, though, because choosing between The Zombies, with some of my favorite songs, and Mates of State, one of my favorite bands, was a tough choice. But add in more bands and the awesome setting that I Am Fest is, I'm going with I Am Fest. Last year we saw Deerhoof, Free Energy and The Drums - for free! I can't believe how much Free Energy has blown up over the past year, so that show was a steal. I'm still kicking myself for missing Girl Talk and Matt & Kim performances at an earlier I Am Fest. I'm not sure where I was then.

Anyway, I Am Festival happens Saturday, Sept. 11 at the Waterfront Park in New London. There's municipal parking in the area, and the stage is right on the waterfront, which makes it really cool. It looks like they're still updating the lineup and adding more info, so check out their Facebook page for more info. I'll update my blog as soon as I can when I find out more.

And still, if you're closer to Mohegan Sun and a bigger Zombies fan, I say go check out the show. It's free. There are actually a number of not-too-shabby free shows in the Wolf Den coming up, including Fuel on Friday, Sept. 3 and Augustana on Sept. 5. Check out the schedule here: http://mohegansun.com/entertainment/wolfden.html?page=1&. And that brings me to the next conundrum that I've worked out recently.


(Photo of They Might Be Giants from their Myspace Page.)

They Might Be Giants are playing a free fan appreciation show at the Wolf Den on Sept. 25. The show starts at 8, but the Wolf Den website suggests arriving early because seating is limited. Also, the show is 21+.

I've decided I'm definitely going to be there, but I have to note that I wasn't exactly sure about going because it's the same night as REO Speedwagon playing at the Durham Fair. REO Speedwagon's not free because fair admission is $15, but it's a pretty good deal when you figure that's the cost of local agricultural fair admission in general, sometimes not even including big headliners. Plus, I love the Durham fair for all its deep-fried treats and lime rickeys and wanted to go to the fair anyway. I might still go during the weekend, but listening to more They Might Be Giants, I decided that show would be a lot of fun. Also, my boyfriend pointed out that there will be fewer occasions to see They Might Be Giants for free than REO Speedwagon for $15. But if you're an REO Speedwagon fan and able to make the fair, definitely go. Here's the info for that show and the fair: http://www.durhamfair.com/ShowsHeadliners.html