Day For Night Recap

We heard such great things about the inaugural Day for Night Fest that B. Gray and I just had to attend this year…that and Aphex Twin was playing. It was definitely a special experience, with far more highs than lows, thus rendering this year’s festival a success in our eyes.

You can follow below for our highlights. And stay tuned for more photos from B.

Photo galleries are up, Saturday and Saturday.

Best to get the boring negative aspects out of the way…and these were really minor in the long run. Bathrooms were limited, especially when one flooded on Sunday…but, adult diapers and we’re all going to be okay. The media area was closed on multiple occasions…and I’m not playing the spoiled media card…just could be more convenient for folks to drop photos and interviews in real quick. And for me, I could have used more indoor lighting…had I not been a little ill and partaking in festival beverages, could have been a lot more dangerous due to my clumsiness.

I know a few folks were bummed about traditional alcohol sales (which aren’t easy for festivals to get due to greasing the right TABC hand) and lack of VIP goodies. Now, combine that with the above, and you have some trivial festival nuances that could be tweaked. We all have to keep in mind that this is the festival’s second year…and even things like Coachella, ACL and Fun Fun Fun Fest have all had their growing pains.

Now on to my Saturday highlights. Lower Dens put on a really great set, though I’m always more inclined to throw in an extra musician when too much laptops are involved. Jesus and the Mary Chain were probably one of the better sounding acts of the weekend, playing mostly the hits…making this old guy revel in the joy of seeing one of his favorites. I also really enjoyed Odesza’s set…sure, it was mostly laptop fare, but they sold it far better than anyone else I personally witnessed. And of course, Aphex Twin. Now, R. James didn’t move much, and in fact, when cameras zoomed in, he was super focused on his work, but combined with the light show and the privilege of actually seeing him, one can’t complain…oh, and a 40 degree temperature drop and torrential rains in minutes was a touch of a bummer, but whatever, I saw Aphex Twin.

Saturday Bummer: Blood Orange. Don’t know if it’s the band’s setup, or just a poorly executed soundcheck, but it sounded awful. And, Dev is great live, always has been, but he seems less involved in the music than he did in some of his earlier acts.

Sunday Highlights: Nothing opened our day after a delicious meal at La Fisheria. For me, they helped balance out the line-up with just the perfect touch of noisey-gaze. Congrats also go to Austin act, SURVIVE. They had a huge audience, but one that is far more deserved than their Stranger Things accolades would have you believe…a really incredible set of tunes. Liars destroyed! It always amazes me how appreciated that band is in the media, yet people still haven’t caught on, entirely. Angus still provides one of the best live performances, and throwing in a few oldies made this rock n’ roll curmudgeon happy.

Sunday Bummer: No Blonde Redhead. Weather issues delayed their flight, and they couldn’t get in to Houston. A little more heads-up would have been nice, but again, no need to reflect upon growing pains.

All in all, the space itself, the relaxed attitude (even in frigid temperatures) and the added element of some really impressive art, makes me give the festival an A-. It was small enough to be comfortable, yet had enough variety to remind me that I don’t always have to have my amps turned up to 11.

We’ll have some big giant galleries and bonus notes from B. Gray, for real.