Day two picked up with a mighty gust — but it was more dirt squalls than anything. Despite killer sets from shoegaze soloist Active Child and experimental pop band Purity Ring, the early vibe in the sandbox was mostly flat. Perhaps it was the annoyance of breathing through bandana masks or how vast the park was for an indie festival, but the lackluster crowd appeared hard to please.
Still, artists managed to get the crowd moving.
Saturday’s lineup was a definite win on all four stages (Hot Snakes, Dan Deacon, Neon Indian, Major Lazer).
However, with Spoon headlining and Lykke Li and M83 and solid acts including the Joy Formidable, Ra Ra Riot and Girls opening, orange stage was the place to be. The main stage included a celebratory set from Tuareg band Tinariwen, who got a standing ovation even from actor Ryan Gosling, to a performance complete with feathers and neon paint from tUnE-yArDs.
Spoon snapped out of their streak of subpar hometown performances, playing fan favorites like “I Turn My Camera On.” The band managed to shine even after following amazing euro stars M83 and Lykke Li.
The dreamy new wave French band M83 effortlessly rocked the shore with their early hits, including “Kim and Jessie,” “Teen Angst,” “Run Into Flowers” and “We Own Sky,” setting the muted ambiance of the evening with their soft lyrics and spellbinding guitar numbers, and then awaking the crowd with their hot single, “Midnight City.”
After a 20-minute late start that got the audience antsy, the mystic Swedish pop princess Lykke Li topped the festival with billowing black drapes, a megaphone and lots of lust. Performing most of her hits, including “Dance, Dance, Dance,” “I Follow Rivers” and “Jerome,” Lykke Li gave more than “Little Bits.”