Detroit’s Mo Pop rocks through heat, technical issues for screaming good Day 2 spectacle

The riverfront festival’s second day saw diverse, intense sets by M83, Matt and Kim, Father John Misty, Shakey Graves and The Head and the Heart to close things out in triumphant fashion. Review, photos.

 

SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTO GALLERIES

Amid Detroit’s muscular skyline with Windsor’s nearby luminescence reflecting off of the Detroit River, Mo Pop Festival 2016 celebrated its iridescent grand finale, a majestic set by pop-rock superstars M83.

The French band blasted out its international hits, “Midnight City,” “Do it, Try it” and “Go!” with a variety of instruments, including electric and analog synths, stadium-volume drums, saxophone, double-necked bass and a kaleidoscope of lush vocals.

Each wildly energetic band member stood spread out across the massive stage enamored in decadent, pulsing lights, leaving thousands of fans — enthralled in the lush soundscape and dazzling colorful beams — mesmerized by the spectacle, letting the beautiful, temporary musical utopia swirl around them.

“Oh my gosh, it’s the most amazing experience ever,” said fan Kim McDonough, of Auburn Hills, who excitedly recounted her weekend at Mo Pop. “This is one of the best festivals I’ve ever gone to. It’s amazing — the people, the variety, the music and everybody is so awesome. I love it, I absolutely love it. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Earlier in the day, ominous clouds held back rain for the better part of the afternoon, which saw exuberating performances from Lewis Del Mar, Raury, Banners, Kaleo, Nothing but Thieves, Shakey Graves, Mac Demarco, Father John Misty, Matt and Kim, The Head and the Heart and M83, each set bouncing back and forth between the Grande Stage and Fender Stage.

Amid thick heat and humidity, the festival experienced a series of sound feedback issues and apparent power outages, but artists and fans alike pushed through the minor hindrances to once again create a truly spectacular Detroit music festival.

FATHER JOHN MISTY PREACHES; SHAKEY GRAVES, MATT & KIM GET WILD

• Shakey Graves, a soulful songwriter with a grungy folk-rock sound who’s known for passionate and energetic performances, took the stage in the midday sun. With a full backing band poised behind his tanktop-draped shoulders, the Austin artist delved into an intense firestorm of his signature, distorted finger-picking guitar. Cheers ensued as he reamed on his hollow-body guitar with no small amount of swagger leading to the full-band intro of “The Perfect Parts,” a track from his most recent release, “And the War Came.” Fans belted along with every word while “Mr. Shakey Graves,” as he introduced himself, utilized every nuance of his strained, gravely tenor.

The group eased into the staccato, slow-burning, “Pansy Waltz,” before the band left the stage, leaving Shakey Graves alone on stage to unleash his captivating one-man-band set for which he’s known — something which proved to be just as energetic without accompanying musicians. With his guitar and a suitcase-fashioned bass drum connected to a foot pedal, the now sweat-drenched performer stomped and bobbed his way through the solo set, before his band returned to finish out the wild performance.

• The day’s most unusual yet strikingly beautiful performance came in the form of a solo set by indie-folk’s sarcastic, satirical and beloved artist, Father John Misty. Known for his diva-like persona on stage — backhandedly berating fans who display poor concert etiquette and prancing around in a dancing, hip-gyrating fashion — the bearded, long-haired songwriter stood alone onstage with only his guitar and throughout the set imparted the essence of utmost sincerity (with some sass and sarcasm).

Draped in loose clothing, his partly unbuttoned shirt flowing in the wind, he opened the set with a mellowed-out rendition of “I Love You, Honeybear,” a grandiose track on the album of the same name. Following close behind was “I’m Writing a Novel,” an upbeat, folky tale of an adventurous and introspective acid trip. And in an almost magical moment, the controversial songwriter turned metro Detroit into an environment as intimate as a candle-lit living room, performing the passionate acoustic ballad, “Holy Sh-t,” for a completely hushed audience.

Father John Misty still found room between songs for plenty of sarcasm and verbal abuse of the audience, which was welcomed with swooning applause. While bantering back and forth with a fan who complimented his beard, Father John Misty seemed to return the compliment by telling the man he also had a very nice beard — before pointing his finger toward him and saying “F— you” into the mic.

Then came a five-minute monologue addressing the depravity of the world’s current entertainment culture.

“There are ways we entertain ourselves that are monstrous, that we don’t have perspective on, and I think we really need to regain some perspective on what should be and what can be entertainment,” he said, “and try to be conscious of the ways in which we’re viewing things as if they were entertainment, and things that end up becoming really passive and we become powerless because we interact with it like it’s entertainment. And I just feel like I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about that a little bit.”

He also performed a new song, but first pleaded with fans to refrain from recording or posting the song on the Internet. “If that ends up on the Internet tomorrow, I’m never f—ing coming back to Michigan again,” he said afterward, then added in a sincere tone, “But thank you, this was great.”

• Folk-rock’s The Head and the Heart later took the same stage, crafting a layered Americana set with popular tracks both new and old. “Lost in My Mind” saw the sea of fans singing every phrase, while the mellow groove of “Let’s Be Still” inspired swaying in the sun.

• Dance-pop duo Matt and Kim fought through numerous technical issues on stage, due to what was said to have been a power outage to the Grande Stage. Their bright and shimmery music was juxtaposed by vulgar and X-rated stage banter, as well as a plethora of blow-up props of the same persuasion. Only a few moments into the set, Matt Johnson’s keyboard stopped working and took nearly 15 minutes to fix. Meanwhile, the duo filled the time by leading an “epic dance party.” Eventually, the issue was resolved, and the band ended with the wild, hyper-energetic set they’ve become known for, pumping up the crowd to an extraordinary degree.

It was the sort of never-say-die exuberance that propelled Mo Pop 2016.

“Even when all the power went out, they came through it and they stuck through it and it was like they didn’t even lose power,” McDonough gushed. “I loved it. I absolutely loved it.”

Check out Local Spins’ coverage and photos from Day 1 of Mo Pop 2016 here.

PHOTO GALLERY 1: Mo Pop Festival Day 2 photos by Anthony Norkus

PHOTO GALLERY 2: Mo Pop Festival Day 2 photos courtesy of Mo Pop Festival
Copyright 2016, Spins on Music LLC