Words by: Jeffrey Terich | Images by: Candice Eley

Street Scene :: 08.28.09 – 08.29.09 :: Downtown San Diego – East Village :: San Diego, CA

Street Scene 2009

Street Scene is far from the largest music festival in Southern California – that honor easily goes to Coachella – but it’s most certainly one of the biggest music festivals of its kind, not just on the West Coast, but in the entire country. Marking its 25th year, Street Scene celebrated its anniversary in 2009 much the same way it began, by lining up a diverse array of bands on five stages plunked down into the middle of Downtown San Diego’s East Village neighborhood. Though San Diego may not have quite the awe-inspiring skyline of Chicago or New York City, the lights of the city and the glow of the nearby clock tower make an atmospheric halo for the festival. And unlike Chicago or New York City, San Diego promises about a zero percent chance of rainstorms in August.

In spite of the unique and visually dazzling atmosphere of Street Scene, it bears asking why the festival should take place in the hottest month in a town where winter weather is actually pretty damn comfortable. Perhaps there’s just something more appealing to the hedonist in all of us about a music festival that happens during the summertime. Clothes come off, dancing comes natural and the beer tastes that much sweeter. And despite each day starting off with a long, slow punishment by a merciless sun, Street Scene provided one big, colorful, rocking way for many of San Diego’s residents and visitors to close out the summer.

Having once attended Street Scene in 2003 to see Wilco, the one image that burned deepest into my memory was that of a longhaired man rocking out with a turkey leg in his hand. This year’s fest seemed a bit more youth oriented, however, as the lineup of talent ranged from local noise punks Wavves to pop superstars the Black Eyed Peas. Tasting flights of micro-brewed beers and falafel sandwiches, girls in naughty schoolgirl outfits and absurd headgear from “The Radd Hatter” all provided their own entertainment to those who dared indulge themselves, and the musical lineup made 2009 one of the best years in the festival’s history. And with so many stages to hit up over two nights trying to hear it all may not have been possible, but the exhausting task of trying to come close sure was fun.

Friday, 08.28

Extra Golden :: 5:00-5:40 p.m. :: Casbah Stage

Gustav Ejstes – Dungen :: Street Scene 2009

Extra Golden, an indie rock band gone global, comprises three American boys and two Kenyan natives, and their cross-pollinated world beat rock seemed the ideal way to kick off the hot evening. The fact that the group’s guitarist even announced, “We’re Extra Golden from the United States and Kenya,” spoke volumes about the blend of sounds the group cooked up on the Casbah Stage. With their upbeat, yet intricate Afro-rock jams, Extra Golden was absolutely vibrant and appeared as if they were having the time of their lives, an enthusiasm that was absolutely infectious. Their singer frequently busted out his own air guitar moves while the other musicians were in mid-jam, and truth be told, it was hard not to follow his lead.

Dungen :: 5:30-6:15 p.m. :: Green Stage

Dungen, a group that often sounds colossal on record, came off a bit understated onstage, hidden behind golden locks of hair and sunglasses. Still, once frontman Gustav Ejstes announced, “We are Dungen… Swedish music,” they launched into an energetic set peppered with wild, noisy instrumentals and psychedelic pop tunes from their past three albums. In particular, “Festival” from Ta Det Lugnt sounded magnificent, Ejstes’ acoustic guitar strums providing a clean, crisp counterpart to the effects-laden madness of much of their set. Still, the band seemed to express some mild frustration, as Ejstes lamented, “It’s hard to play quiet when there’s so much music out there,” while the band’s folky rock did battle with booming bass from nearby stages.

Devendra Banhart :: 5:50-6:35 p.m. :: Fulana Stage

Brent Hinds – Mastodon :: Street Scene 09

When bearded freak-folkie Devendra Banhart took the stage, he immediately took a seat to plink out a thumb piano rendition of “Little Yellow Spider,” and that folding chair was exactly where he would spend the entire set, due to a cracked rib. He apologized, though he was still able to pull off a set of great songs, both new and old, ranging from his silly Bar Mitzvah doo-wop love song “Shabop Shalom” to his Santana-esque banger “Carmencita.” Between songs he showed off his homemade Modest Mouse t-shirt and demanded, “We need some Astroturf up in this motherfucker,” as a cushion against the hard blacktop ground. While the Bay Area singer-songwriter certainly sounded great and maintained a humorous and charismatic stage presence, it would have been ideal to have seen him… you know… move. But that’s not necessarily his fault – happy healing Devendra!

Mastodon :: 7:00-8:00 p.m. :: Zarabanda Stage

The sole metal band performing at this year’s festival, Mastodon brought some much needed fire and muscle to Street Scene. Guitarist Brent Hinds looked considerably more out of it than his three bandmates, possibly due to a green leafy substance (just speculating…), but still managed not to flub a single note during their epic, monstrous hour-long set. Continuing the precedent set on earlier tour dates, Mastodon ripped through the entirety of their new album Crack the Skye. I’ll admit, it would have been cool to hear an older favorite such as “Blood and Thunder” or “March of the Fire Ants,” but that’s no slight against the group’s performance, which was sufficiently badass. In particular, the Southern rock leaning single “Divinations,” which saw the formation of the first mosh pit of the evening. In the interest of self-preservation, I chose not to partake of the chaotic human blender before me, but I can certainly appreciate the enthusiasm, if not the bruises. Just next to the band, on the right side of the stage, sat two young children, no older than five-years-old, watching with giant headphones on, next to what I assume was their mother. Something tells me those kids are going to turn out all right.

Deerhunter :: 8:15-9:00 p.m. :: Casbah Stage

Atlanta, GA’s Deerhunter proved to be one of the most welcome surprises at the fest this year, not because they aren’t an incredible band, but rather that their noisy indie rock seems far better suited to a small, dark club than to a festival stage. And yet, their Street Scene set was much more impressive than the last time I had caught the band. Singer and guitarist Bradford Cox seemed much more at ease onstage, and the group’s musicianship was simultaneously tight and fluid. Poor sound and some unplanned squalls of feedback did keep the set from being perfect, but that didn’t stop Deerhunter from burning through some amazing versions of tracks like rhythmic rocker “Cryptograms” or the bluesy, psychedelic “Saved by Old Times.” During the set, people in the crowd were treated to a visit by what appeared to be some kind of swamp monster. The band didn’t seem to notice, which may be all for the best.

Modest Mouse :: 9:40-10:40 p.m. :: Fulana Stage

Calexico :: Street Scene 2009

The overwhelming size of Modest Mouse’s crowd was a testament to just how far the Washington band has come in their nearly 15-year career. And unlike Cake‘s nearby performance of hit after hit (ranging from “Rock ‘n’ Roll Lifestyle” to “The Distance”), Modest Mouse stuck primarily to deeper album cuts, save for the two singles “Paper Thin Walls” and “Dashboard.” What was most notable about their set was how tight and professional it sounded. These are two words that few would have associated with the band in the ’90s, but as they transitioned seamlessly from rockers to ballads, switching from guitars to accordion, violins to banjo and bowed bass, they showed off a versatility and craftsmanship more than a decade in the making. Frontman Isaac Brock still howled like a madman, of course, but for all of their fractured glory, Modest Mouse revealed the sound of a group that had their shit together.

Calexico :: 10:30-11:45 p.m. :: Casbah Stage

Faced with the choice of the spectacle of the Black Eyed Peas or the Southwestern sonic bliss of Calexico, I opted, without hesitation, for the latter. Getting retarded and lovely lady lumps are all fine and good, but Calexico’s brand of dusty, spaghetti western Americana is something special and altogether unique. Their performance, much like their consistently broad and consistently good albums, ran a wide gamut, from energetic and cinematic single “Crystal Frontier” to Morricone-meets-mariachi instrumental “Minas de Cobre” to the vibrant, brassy “Across the Wire.” The true standouts, however, were the pair of songs they performed with fellow Tucsonian, flamenco singer Salvador Duran, whose Spanish vocals were so operatic and powerful they brought the group’s music to a dramatic new level. Though it may not have been the most bombastic or flashy performance of the day, it was clearly one of the best, and a great close to a long and sweltering first day.

Continue reading for Saturday’s coverage of Street Scene…

Saturday, 08.29

Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears:: 4:30-5:05 p.m. :: Fulana Stage

Black Joe Lewis :: Street Scene 2009

One of the most unfortunate aspects of being one of the earliest festival performers is that sometimes the overbearing heat can drive crowds away from your set, thus making shade your greatest competition. That said, hot as it was Saturday afternoon, Austin, Texas’ Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears were much hotter. Like a more comfortable looking James Brown, Lewis commanded the stage with fire and finesse, leading a band of well-coordinated musicians clad in white shirts and black pants. One garage soul stomper transitioned into another before Lewis prefaced “Get Yo Shit” by saying, “A lot of people ask me what song I hate playing the most. It’s actually the song that people ask to hear the most.” He didn’t look like he minded all that much.

Ra Ra Riot:: 5:10-5:45 p.m. :: Fulano Stage

Syracuse, NY chamber pop outfit Ra Ra Riot ran the risk of being swallowed whole by the overwhelming size of the Fulano Stage, but pulled off a hell of a performance regardless, churning out their catchy, elegant pop tunes with passion and a smile. Kicking off the show by declaring, “We’re here to pahhhh-tayyy,” the sextet played a half-hour set comprising songs from 2008′s The Rhumb Line, maintaining their exuberance throughout. Their cellist, of all people, appeared to be grooving the whole time, which is probably just as hard as it sounds.

Los Campesinos! :: 5:40-6:30 p.m. :: Casbah Stage

Of Montreal :: Street Scene 2009

Before spunky Welsh indie rockers shouted out the opening count-off of first song “Broken Heartbeats Sound Like Breakbeats,” frontman Gareth Campesinos leapt off of the photo pit barrier and into the crowd, where he yelped amongst the giddy members of the audience. This was merely the beginning of what would turn out to be one of the most dramatic and emotional showcases of the weekend, as it was the group’s final performance with keyboardist Aleksandra Campesinos!, who is leaving the band to pursue her studies, as was announced in a MySpace post. In tribute to her, the other six members of the band wore t-shirts with her face on them as they plowed through amazing renditions of “Miserabilia,” “Death to Los Campesinos!,” “My Year in Lists” and “You! Me! Dancing!” Before the end of the set, Gareth raised his beer in a toast to “best… fucking… friends” before closing out a set that found Aleksandra choking up and hugging her bandmates as it came to a close. In spite of whatever cynicism one may have had coming into the fest, it was hard not to find that moment genuinely touching.

Of Montreal:: 7:00-8:00 p.m. :: Fulano Stage

Thanks to Public Enemy, whose set ran long (not that Flavor Flav’s crowd encouragement chants weren’t entertaining), Of Montreal’s set started a good 20 minutes late, and not without some major technical difficulties. At first the band’s sound was way too quiet, then they became plagued by a horrendous buzzing noise, but sure enough, by their third song, “Bunny Ain’t No Kind of Rider,” the flamboyant Athens, GA glam-psych-pop outfit finally overcame their digital grievances and followed through with 45 minutes of stunning rock theatrics. Musically, the group was jubilant and heavy on danceable beats, with electro-pop tracks like “Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse,” “The Party’s Crashing Us” and “A Sentence of Sorts In Kongsvinger” making up the bulk of the set. Yet the group’s sensory stimulation wasn’t merely limited to screeching synthesizers and costume changes; much of their set included strange performance art that included, among other things, a gas mask gift exchange, dressing Death in papal garb and a man in a tiger mask beckoning for applause. One gentleman walking away after the end of the performance said it best: “Well, that was a mindfuck.”

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists:: 8:00-8:45 p.m. :: Green Stage

Dean Spunt – No Age :: Street Scene 2009

“All the other bands sucked today. You better kick ass!” shouted one grumpy, fifty-something man in a hat, before Ted Leo & The Pharmacists managed to play a single note. Leo, always a charismatic and funny stage presence when not hammering out blistering punk-pop melodies, responded in kind, “What is this, a health care town hall…DAD?!” And in an instant, the band managed to erase any cynicism that may have existed beforehand as they launched into an intense take of “Little Dawn.” Proving to be one of the most economical bands at this year’s fest, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists crammed an album’s worth of songs into their relatively brief set, offering a smattering of songs from their three most recent albums, including fan favorite “Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone?” TLRX also played a good half dozen new songs, all of which were much more punk sounding than anything else they played, which kept the energy at an all-time high, leading up to their Thin Lizzy-esque closer “Walking to Do.”

No Age :: 9:15-10:00 p.m. :: Casbah Stage

With one of the quickest set-up times at Street Scene, Los Angeles noise-punk duo No Age effectively made up for any lateness on the part of the artists that preceded them. During their brief soundcheck, guitarist Randy Randall asked, “Is everyone drunk yet? You’ve got four minutes to get there before we start.” Once they did roar into Nouns standout “Sleeper Hold,” liquid inebriation certainly would have been replaced by the euphoria felt after hearing their woozy, yet intense set. Like many of their peers, No Age played a few new songs, but singles like “Eraser” and “Every Artist Needs a Tragedy” were the highlights that really brought the house down.

M.I.A. :: 11:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m. :: Fulano Stage

M.I.A. :: Street Scene 2009

Having taken the headlining spot briefly occupied by The Beastie Boys before Adam Yauch’s bout with cancer forced them to cancel, M.I.A. more than lived up to the expectations that inevitably come with being the last big artist to close out the festival. The London-based singer/rapper even paid tribute to the legendary NYC hip-hop group by doing live mash-ups, spitting the lyrics of “$10″ over the music from “Intergalactic,” and doing likewise with her lyrics to “Bird Flu” over “Sabotage.” Of the many big, elaborate stage productions of the weekend, M.I.A.’s was definitely the most visually spectacular, with Third World film clips spliced into flashy 8-bit backdrops, spastic dancers in blue suits and white Chuck Taylors, and even some pyrotechnics during the last series of gunshot samples in “Paper Planes.” She, too, debuted a new song, a furious ripper titled “Born Free” built on a sample from Suicide’s “Ghost Rider.” Her backup dancers, for reasons unbeknownst to this writer, strapped on some guitars they didn’t play during this track, which seemed silly at best, pointless at worst. Questionable choreography aside, M.I.A. closed out the festival, quite literally, with a bang.

Continue reading for more images of Street Scene 2009…

Dungen

Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears

Mastodon

Mastodon fans

Modest Mouse

Calexico

Extra Golden

Ra Ra Riot

Devendra Banhart

Deerhunter

Of Montreal

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

No Age

M.I.A.

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