Road Trip Show: Summerfest day1-2 (Milwaukee, WI)

Road trip show, Milwaukee, WI 

Summefest day 1: Lupé fiasco (not reviewed)

Venue: The Harley Davison Stage on the Summefest grounds. 

The reason Lupe Fiasco is going not reviewed is the same phenomenon that occurred last Summefest with Maroon 5.  The volume wasn’t adjusted right for the number of people at the show. I understand the dilemma of balancing popularity with respecting the other stages, however a simple sound check would have solved a lot of the problems.

But seriously, Summerfest, would it kill you to sound check? 


Summerfest day 2: The Foo Fighters and Silversun Pickups
Venue:

The Marcus Amphitheater (4/6): will always have a place in my heart as the crowning glory of the Summefest grounds where I spent a large chunk of my youth. All told she aged well, while the decade old sound system has all of the failings of an aging system-- Heavy bass and a week  mid-tone section—the  judicious use of screens and  the even distribution of speakers minimize the sound distortion making for a pleasurable experience even when you are well back (Due to miscommunications, I didn’t get tickets until later, which meant I was almost in the lawn).

The show:

Silversun Pickups (5/6): I’ve been itching to see Silversun Pickupsn live.  I am often skeptical of more ethereal vocal qualities translating to a live show.  The moment they started their set I realized I had nothing to fear.  Despite what it sounds like, Brian Aubert’s voice is not a falsetto. His speaking has a higher register and where his lower range sound is where he is modulating his voice. Live it is something to hear. Aubert is also incredibly articulate. Many bands don’t think to enunciate; with microphone distortion  this oftem makes the vocals sound slurred. There are few artists who cane clearly understood live, Silversun Pickups is one of them.

It was interesting to see a band that relies as heavily on the bass as Silversun Pickups does.  Even when it’s a band that has a front man who is the primary guitarist, most bands these days rely on lead guitar to propel the music forward.  In the case of Silversun Pickups, it feels as though Aubert acknowledged it is difficult to play and sing at the same time, but still enjoys doing lead guitar work, so the songs were composed  in such a way that the more intensive lead guitar work happens most when he is not singing. To accommodate this they have a phenomenal bassist who is talented enough to fill in where there isn’t a lead guitar.  To the casual listener, the sound is smooth and dynamic but doesn’t feel as chopped up as one that style risks being. 

Speaking of the bassist.  Nikki Monninger is a slip of a thing and soft spoken, and her body language is playful. (At one point during a particularly bouncy song she did what I can only call a hop step—like she was skipping in place) Her soft soprano voice serves to highlight Aubert’s already ethereal voice lending an otherworldly feel to their choruses.

And she plays a wicked bass.  

Then there’s the drum work, which is precise and technical without sounding over-rehearsed.

Overall these guys were killer on stage and a great show.

Foo Fighters (5/6): The Foo Fighters is one of the few bands I’ve seen live that  are not only still going after over twenty years but are still musically relevant (as opposed to the bands that are running off of nostalgia).  There  is something in how a band that seasoned comports themselves toward the crowd that you don’t see in even bands that are ten years old. There is a wonderful balance of both professionalism and well-deserved cockiness that comes with time.  David Grohl  is not only wonderfully talented and energetic, but  also  has a perfect report  with the fans. It feels as though he has learned to really gauge what the fans need and play to it.  Beyond simply being talented, Grohl has  both a strong presence and  the ability to share the spotlight.  Even after having been in the scene for as long as he has, he still took the time to introduce the  band as though they were new, encouraging them to show off their talents and praising them.  IN particular his dynamic with drummer Taylor Hawkins was both touching and entertaining. Hawlkins made the comment that the best thing about him was being best friends with David Grohl)

Aforementioned drummer is exceptionally talented in his own right, standing out in a six man group all of whom are exquisite musicians. 

It was also a real treat to hear some of their old songs (In addition to newer things),  I hadn’t heard “My Hero” in over  a decade and I’d be willing to wager I was not the only one in the crowd to share that sentiment.  There was something for every era of Foo Fighters fans.

A well done show.  It was a pleasure.