Thursday is all about the local artists. Or at least it was until Gogol Bordello's gypsy-punk style stole the show on the main stage.
From Chris Biester's intimate folk set in the NoFi cabin to the D Rays' surf rock on the porch stage, local artists came to represent. One of Thursday's unknown gems was Biester's bluegrass cover of the Disney classic "The Bear Necessities" that had everyone in the sweaty lodge swaying and singing along.
Andrew Lampela, owner of Haffa's Records, said the must-see show was Athens natives The Makebelieves. The band certainly didn't disappoint as it closed the stage with a vicious attitude and high-octane instrumentals.
But it was still the main stage that drew the largest crowd for the night. Most festgoers didn't know the band Wild Belle when it arrived, but surely left with an appreciation for the group's blend of reggae and electronic music. Beautifully crafted saxophone solos were matched only by the sultry voice of lead singer Belle as she danced on stage.
Just when things seemed to be quieting down, drums erupted from the main stage as the odd characters that make up New York band Gogol Bordello came running out one by one. Accordions and someone dancing on stage dressed head-to-toe in a multicolored bird suit was nothing compared to lead singer Eugene Hütz's scruffy demeaner and bursting energy.
Hütz was able to produce that energy through gypsy chants that the crowd screamed back while bombarded by flood lights. The group ended with the single "Start Wearing Purple" before going into an encore performance, setting a high standard for tomorrow's acts.
wh092010@ohiou.edu
