Hideout Block Party

[insideoutoflove]

 

anyone around these parts going? im wondering what its gonna be like after it got so blown out last year..2 years ago it was tiiiiiiny, and then last year it turned into a real legit 'music fest'. i know they dropped the thing with the metro this year (anyone know why that is?) so they struggled getting bands, but the lineup aint too bad. by the way, if anyone's interested in a 2 day pass, PM me

[dannygutters]

The rumours I heard were that the metro had planned on doing something with the smashing pumpkins for the 25th anniversary / Hideout block party show. When they realized the demand for the 'reunited' pumpkins, the metro pulled out of the block party. Realistically, the block party would have been much too small a venue for a pumpkins show, but it did kind of force the hideout to scramble to put this lineup together. I'd love to see the frames the're great, and andrew bird is good, but the rest of the lineup i'm pretty meh about so I'm not going this year.

 

Also, I really really dislike Dan Deacon.

Last years touch and go block party was pretty great tho.

[ZenLunatic]

I'm going Saturday. I really like The Frames, them alone are huge for me. Cant wait! Then Wilco on Wednesday.

[hummingBERG]

The lineup is pretty hot. Andrew Bird is amazing among several other acts. I am going to try and make it.

[LouieB]

I was there last night and will be there again today, since I am volunteering. Maybe it was my lousy day at work or maybe it was simply that none of the acts last night were all that exciting or maybe I have just been to too many events of late; but being there wasn't that thrilling for me. I enjoyed the Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, but the band was hassling the crowd for being too quiet. The 1900s seemed okay and Bloc Party was good up close (but I was in front of the speakers...), but stopped being as good as I moved back and the evening wore on.

 

Look for me at the front door this afternoon. I buy beer, but probably won't drink tonight since I have been drinking alot lately.

 

LouieB

[WaronWar]

Wish I could be there.

[LouieB]

Saw a few VCers and other Wilco related folks, but this event mirrored Pitchfork in demographics (not a bad thing...) and was mobbed on Saturday also. I worked the door for four hours and actually a large number of people seemed to have come for the first time simply to see the Frames. I didn't get an upclose look at anyone until the Frames who put on a great show, with their usual quoting of other songs among theirs (including a Wilco tribute). Andrew Bird blew the place out as the closer.

 

For reports on Art Brut (who seemed to be irritating me from a distance from for the second time which included last years Pitchfork), Mucca Passa, (who seemed fun), Dan Deacon (who seemed really LOUD), hopefully someone here will chime in on them. I got to see alot of wrists. After that I stood through the two headlines despite some very sore legs.

 

LouieB

[Preferred B]

Lou tore my ticket!

 

I enjoyed all the acts I saw (I only went on Saturday) though I didn't enjoy Andrew Bird's set as much as I usually do. I'm seeing him again next week at the WI Union Theatre, which should be good. I have some photos here.

[hacienda]

I'll bite--and I have a request for pictures (at the end).

 

I skipped the Block Party on Friday (saw Akron/Family at the AV-aerie instead), but had a great time there on Saturday. It was my first Block Party and I'd agree with Lou that it generally had Pitchfork atmosphere, but the crowd seemed a bit older (average age in the 30s instead of 20s); at least that's the way it looked from my camp by the kids area near the back fence--I wasn't inspecting wrists all day. Of course, all of the 312 beer and advertising helped give it the Pitchfork feel too.

 

I got there just before O'Death and thought they were a lot of fun--I would check them out at a club. Dan Deacon was loud and not really my thing--I spent that time collecting a $20 gas card by failing a breathalyzer at the KIA both--but some of my friends thought his set was the highlight of the day.

 

There were some fun and random acts: marching band, choir, a fake Art Brut that included Sally Timms and Jon Langford. After that, I, also like Lou, I found Art Brut to be a little fun, but mostly annoying for the second time--having seen them at Pitchfork as well. It seems like I should like them, but they just don't work for me.

 

Biggest disappointment? The Frames were a bit of a snoozer. I know that I was just waiting for Andrew Bird and they weren't bad, just boring. I didn't get the appeal and I don't know why they didn't slot Art Brut as the co-headliner.

 

There were, however, lots of young women who disagreed--including my friend, and here's the request. She was actually pulled up on stage to sing the duet with the Frames guy and was just thrilled about it. I could put it this way: she feels for him like many here feel about Neko--he's her imaginary dream boyfriend--even though she's married. The kicker: I, and the rest of the group I was there with, completely missed it. We were in the back enjoying Harvest Ale and bitching about how boring the set was. So, if any of you intrepid ViaChicagoers were there and took pictures, I would be forever in your debt if you could post (or PM me) an image her on stage.

 

As for Andrew Bird, he really did blow the place out. I'd seen him before, but he put on a fantastic show this weekend. Most of the songs were from the last two albums and he did his usual reframing and reinterpreting. The singing/whistling/playing/looping was spot on and the crowd was really into it. It made the rest of the day feel like a long opening act.

 

All in all, it was a great day in the industrial park.

[hacienda]

Holy crap. Brianne posted while I was typing and she included the picture I was looking for. Here it is. My friend is the one in the middle.

 

 

Thank you!

[Dr. Steve Brule]

If by "blow the place out" for Andrew Bird you mean most of the people left, then you would be right.

[LouieB]

Lou tore my ticket!

I did? Wow, I don't remember this at all. For awhile we were all backed up and mostly all I saw was tickets and wrists. Sorry about that.

 

 

If by "blow the place out" for Andrew Bird you mean most of the people left, then you would be right.

When things were backed up at the doors I began asking some of the folks coming in if they were there to see The Frames or Andrew Bird and most answered The Frames. In fact there were many folks there that clearly were somewhat older and Frames fans only. I was not surprised when many left before Bird, but there were still thousands there. I enjoyed both sets and would not have wanted Art Brut as one of the headliners. I am new to the Frames and enjoyed them but clearly they are a bit of a phenomenon at the moment and will undoubtedly fall back to earth at some point. They have played the Hideout as a regular inside group. As with most musicians, their stuff becomes sort of formulaic after awhile. The cute romantic story followed by a heart wrenching chorus and some sort of musical quote from someone else. All is pretty good and sort of old school. Andrew let loose with some pretty good violin at points, but seems more stuck on guitar as usual. Either way I enjoyed both. I wish I had seen a few of the earlier acts including Dan Deacon, but duty called. The only band I wish I had seen more of was the 1900s on Friday. Mucca Paza (however it is spelled) sounded reasonably interesting and I would have liked to have. I find it facinating that we have run through so many musical genres that we are back to brass band/marching band music. John Phillip Souza and other marching bands were some of America's first recording stars, so I guess it figures.

 

Honestly I sort of wish this entire event were more low key. It is true that the age of the audience was a tad higher than at Pitchfork (more old timers like me were at the Hideout), but I do yearn for the days when this was a much smaller event and had less folks showing up for the scene. Well that is not quite accurate, since I too show up for the scene, I just wish the scene was smaller.

 

LouieB