Day 2 of Kalamazoo’s Audiotree festival drew even bigger crowds who cheered Grand Rapids’ Major Murphy plus Chicano Batman, Real Estate, REZN and headliner Father John Misty. Review, photos.
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On its second day, Audiotree Music Festival buzzed with excitement for highly anticipated sets by Father John Misty, Real Estate, Chicano Batman, Major Murphy and many others.
With Arcadia Creek Festival Place transformed into a fairy tale of musical enchantment, flannel-clad festivalgoers reveled in the cool weather and cooler musical performances.
Grand Rapids’ own Major Murphy performed early in the day on the main stage, a towering, state-of-the-art display of lights, projection screens and steel trusses.
“It was great. It was awesome. It’s really fun to play in environments like this … with people taking photos, and the video wall on the back. It’s awesome. It’s just a really cool opportunity,” said Jacob Bullard of Major Murphy.
“It’s just like a perfect day,” added Jacki Warren, also of Major Murphy. “It’s perfect weather. It’s beautiful. It’s inspiring to not play in a dark bar. It’s just a good vibe.”
Dressed in full formal wear, Chicano Batman took the stage Sunday afternoon for a groovy performance. The L.A. band jammed through entertaining originals that spanned surf, psychedelic and indie-rock, all with a tint of vintage soul. Frontman Bardo Martinez proved wildly entertaining, ripping through scorching organ solos, singing songs in both English and Spanish, and dancing around the stage.
FATHER JOHN MISTY UNCORKS FIERY ROCK SPECTACLE
As the sun set, popular Brooklyn-based band, Real Estate, launched into a dreamy set of chilled-out, spacious indie-rock. The collective’s laid-back set included groovy bass lines, smooth guitar solos and lush keyboards, making for an immersive experience.
Closing out the festival in epic fashion, Father John Misty’s Josh Tillman appeared like a kind of mysterious wizard, holding the entire crowd in a trance of his musical sorcery for an hour and half set.
The set began with “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings,” a fiery rock number with heavy drums and distorted guitar but with the sheen of Tillman’s smooth voice. Backed by a massive six-piece band featuring drums, bass, guitar, pedal steel guitar, harmonica, and a plethora of keyboards, Tillman had the freedom to lean into his usual stage antics.
The tall, charismatic frontman — with an affinity for wild (but polished) dance moves — kicked, shook, snapped, pranced and gyrated across every inch of the stage, much to the crowds euphoric applause.
Another highlight: “True Affection,” an ironically groovy electronic song about a longing for a world without the relational inhibitions of technology.
Closing the spectacle, the group launched into “Date Night,” a raucous showstopper that saw Tillman as a wild rock ‘n’ roller, sliding to his knees and screaming into the microphone (with effortless swagger) before returning to his mic stand and slamming it on stage as the last chord rang out.
PHOTO GALLERY NO. 1: Audiotree Day Two
Photos by Derek Ketchum
Photos by Kendra Kamp
Click here for a Local Spins recap and photo gallery from Day 1: Audiotree throttles up with Local Natives, Khruangbin, Michigander, Moss Jaw
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