The sixth day of Bluesfest proved to be a wild one depending on which stage you were at. Before the clean cut alt-rock of The Killers took the stage later that evening, festival goers were treated to some hip-hop and electronica.
Pennsylvania quartet The Districts, after Tyler, the Creator delivered a set that could only be described as out of control was a bit of a culture change.
Despite their age, they seem to be an act wise beyond their years musically, serving up gritty folk rock that translates much better in a live setting than on any recording. Frontman Rob Grote comes up a lot in conversation about the act, and with good reason. The raw passion in his voice drove the energy levels of the band to new heights as he moved about the stage wildly.
Abandoning plans of attending college only a week before signing to Fat Possum records, the relatively small audience stood largely impressed by the band’s display. Edgy, compelling fare from a band who seems to be on the cusp of growing much larger.
Shifting back to the Claridge Stage for some more hip-hop, Cypress Hill stopped by to deliver some old school fare to the older crowd of hip-hop heads who stood less familiar with the earlier Odd Future set. Demanding the crowd “smoke a pound with us, shoot another round with us” on opener “Get ‘Em Up,” it didn’t take long for an ever-present haze to form over the audience.
The emcee duo of B-Real and Sen Dog wouldn’t have had it any other way, rhyming and demonstrating their love of herb through rolling out classic staples such as “Insane in the Brain,” “Hits from the Bong,” and “How I Could Just Kill A Man.” The two were also accompanied by percussionist Eric Bobo and DJ Julio G getting an extended look behind the drum kit and turntables, respectively.
Another evening at Bluesfest meant discovering the live performance of another gem on the Blacksheep Stage. Tucked away in the corner this evening was Phantogram, a New York electronic rock duo that left the audience enraptured with their airy vocals, thunderous beats, and layers of keyboards.
Running through a series of cuts from the 2014 record Voices, the chemistry between duo Sarah Barthel (vocalist/keys) and Josh Carter (vocals/guitars/beats) was apparent, recreating their unique sonics for the live setting in expert fashion.
An element of visual art dominated the performance, with the group providing a spectacular light show considering the size of the stage. It included a moment that saw Barthel don a shiny robe creating the effect of a living disco ball, shining out into the audience. An excellent side stage performance that shouldn’t have been missed.
