The Treefort Journal, Part Two

Giant squid at TV On the Radio

More strange puppets at TV On the Radio

Over spring break, I attended Boise's Treefort Music Fest for the first time ever. Since its inception in 2012, I have either been busy with theater productions or out of town. My husband, Dan, and I decided this would be the year . . . before we completely lost our "cool" factor.

Actually, I don't know that I ever had much of a "cool" factor but maybe staying out all night listening to indie bands upped my street cred a little.

Here is part two of my "Insights from a Not-So-Hip, Late Thirty-Something Elementary Music Teacher."

FOR THE FIRST INSTALLMENT: Check out The Treefort Journal, Part One.

3/27/15 (Friday)
My husband, Dan, and I attend Storyfort again and listen to Jeff Chu talk about bias and empathy in writing.

Then Dan, the software engineer, drags me to Hackfort, where we are offered free snacks and coffee. (Aspiring writers have to pay a dollar for the coffee at Storyfort.)

At Hackfort, Emily Wells, one of the main stage musicians, gives a presentation on the technology of her one-woman orchestra and talks about being influenced by the minimalists, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass. She also quotes John Cage. In the end, I gave to admit to my computer geek husband that Hackfort has a broader appeal than I originally thought.

Emily Wells talks about music and technology

ARTISTS WE SAW (On the Main Stage):

Finn Riggins: Treefort Music Fest founder Eric Gilbert acts as frontman for this local band.

Slam Dunk: Well, kind of, we listen from the parking lot while we are eating. (I have to eat, or I get mean.)

The Donkeys: This band's song, "Excelsior Lady" was featured on Lost! (Remember, fellow fans, Geronimo Jackson?)

The Donkeys from San Diego

Built to Spill: Perfect headliner for the first night of the main stage. Someone spills beer on me while attempting to dance during this set. Trust me, so many puns have already run through my mind.

This is when Dan says, "Why are we always stuck by the dorks?"

Yes, concert goers, Dan and I will judge you.

Built to Spill from Boise

Random Canyon Growlers: (at Pengilly's): I've heard these guys in various incarnations at the Farmers' Market, and I love them. But seriously, if I can't physically move, saying, "Excuse me," and trying to push me over is not your best strategy. It's not like I can wave a magic wand and make a path appear when I'm already in the middle of a human sandwich.

This is what Dan and I call "The Sad Festival" picture, following a long day and night of rock 'n' roll.

3/28/15 (Saturday)

Dan and I are getting up later and later, and our bodies feel like they have been run through the ringer. Standing for hours on end at rock concerts is way more physically tiring than a marathon. (Don't challenge me on that, please. It's meant to be hyperbole.)

We take a walking tour and learn some more about historic downtown buildings in relation to Boise's music scene. Our tour guide said he saw someone puking the night before. We had heard reports about someone puking up front at one of the concerts, but all I could smell was weed.

The week before, one dispatcher from SXSW mentioned that he had listened to seventy-six bands. I don't think I'll top that by the end of the weekend.

In a festival setting like Treefort, it's cool to see band members you've seen perform just hanging out at shows with us commoners.

We also attend a Poetry Slam to get our literary fix before we start our evening of rock music.

ARTISTS WE SAW:
Deep Creeps: Hardcore punk, more Dan's scene than mine. Nothing like screaming in the middle of the afternoon. One of the band members banters, "It's all about fun." We time a couple of the songs. They last about fifty seconds. It is old school punk, after all.

Dan enjoying (I guess) hardcore punk

Posse: The drummer looks like a young Tim McElrath, but they are more shoegaze than melodic punk.

Foxygen (at the Main Stage): It is Foxygen's farewell tour, even though they are only in their twenties. But after this performance, I can see where exhaustion might be an issue. My notes read, "The Doors, with eye shadow," but they are much more than that. I also write down, "Crazy explosion of energy, frenetic."

Here's the thing: The lead singer, Sam France, goes through something like three mics, and the sound guys do not look happy. France drops the mic, puts it down his pants, slings it over his shoulder, and then wonders why it is popping and crackling after just a few minutes.

I kind of like watching the crazy antics, and the music is pretty fun too.

But Dan says, after the musical tornado is over, "I don't know if I sound too much like a dad, but someone needs to tell him, 'If you break your toys, you don't get a new one.' I mean, those microphones are not cheap."

Foxygen

Foxygen, playing with the mic again

Alex Cameron: Everything's a little dance-y tonight.

Exhausted Thirty-Something Festival Attendee

3/29/15 (Sunday)
We start our day at the Film Fest where we view a short and a feature-length film.

"Final Day Selfie" at the Main Stage

ARTISTS WE SAW:

Pond People: We catch the end of this Boise rock band.

Sego (at the Main Stage): This band has only been around a year. Reminiscent of Beck at times, but not always.

Revolt, Revolt: This Boise rock band is joined on stage by a classical singer at the end of the set. The bouncer says he likes my freckles, so now I know. I don't look very rock 'n' roll (sigh).

Emily Wells (at the Main Stage): Ostinato-based music (we Orff teachers love that).

Nostalghia (at the Main Stage): This industrial-sounding band filled in at the last minute when BADBADNOTGOOD had to cancel. Powerful female performance.

TV On the Radio: This group is amazing. The giant Treefort squids parade through the audience during this performance, along with inflatable elephants and microphones. However, Dan places me right in the middle of the crowd in the hopes that it will help me (five-foot-two, remember) see. So . . . I end up in something resembling a mosh pit. Luckily, I escape unscathed. I think I will choose my own vantage points from now on.

TV On the Radio

Hollow Wood: A young Boise band that has gained some notoriety in the indie scene.

As Dan says, "That lead singer already has the rock 'n' roll frontman charisma."

Umm . . . I just realized how totally old that sounds.

For my Wednesday/Thursday experience (because, believe me, I was there all five days), be sure to check out The Treefort Journal, Part One.

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