All Points West Wrap-Up

Marjana Jaidi / August 03, 2009

Murphy’s Law took on a whole new meaning last weekend at All Points West. In spite of artist cancellations, inclement weather and mud, Goldenvoice put together a great overall experience.

The art, which turned out to be a series of sculptures around festival grounds, added another pleasant element to the festival. Centrally located, the Lucent Misting Oasis by The Do LaB was fashioned from hundreds of wood pallets. The DJ booth at the center of the structure drew quite a crowd and had a constant party going on through all three days. Many of the other pieces were interactive, providing alternative sitting areas and  sources of shade.

Despite the rain, Friday was definitely my favorite day and had us running from stage to stage. We started the day with Seasick Steve, then saw Ra Ra Riot on the way to Xavier Rudd, who we ran into backstage. Xavier’s unique set-up included three didgeridoos, a variety of percussion instruments, and several guitars. After Vampire Weekend and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, we caught some of Q-Tip’s set, which included a good balance of his original music and favorites by A Tribe Called Quest. We capped the night off with Jay-Z‘s stellar performance.

Saturday dawned bright and sunny, perfect festival weather. The Cool Kids got the day off to a strong start, followed by Arctic Monkeys whose upbeat riffs excited the sizable crowd that gathered for their set. After Gogol Bordello, we caught the end of Tokyo Police Club before Crystal Castles‘ maniacal performance. The crowd went nuts for Tool, where lead singer Maynard Keenan stripped down to his skivvies mid-set.

Lightning and rain delayed the start of the third day, forcing the cancellation of several of the early acts. I arrived just in time to catch La Roux’s performance, whose lead singer Elly Jackson was a delight to watch. Lykke Li and the Black Keys were outstanding as always, and Coldplay‘s set was absolutely phenomenal. We left just in time to catch MGMT’s last two songs, “Congratulations”, the title track of their new album, and of course, “Kids”. Finally, Etienne de Crecy’s stage set-up was like a tricked out version of Hollywood Squares, with the DJ booth as the center square. His gritty electro set was a great way to end the festival.

Check out photos from Day One, Day Two, and Day Three in our photo gallery.