NO FAN IS AN ISLAND
But 15,000 is certainly a start.
It’s been a long and fruitful festival season for us here in 2010, and officially capping us off is the Treasure Island Music and Arts festival. This year marked the fourth installment in the TI series, and it proved just as lovely, just as topical and just as emblematic of the state of music as it’s predecessors. Situated romantically on a man-made island between San Francisco and the East Bay, Treasure Island offers an easy-going schedule, panoramic views, convenient transportation, friendly staff and all the necessities that add up to perhaps the least stressful experience any music festival can offer. The lineup invariably provides a look at some of the most influential artists around, while the schedule ensures that no band will go overlooked, regardless of your level of involvement in the festival. With the San Francisco skyline as their backdrop, performers and fans alike revel in a naturally beautiful environment that is perfectly conducive to both watching and playing music. Quite simply, nobody has a bad set on Treasure Island.
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NO FAN IS AN ISLAND pt. II
DAY TWO
We emerged listlessly from our sleep, squinting out the window only to find thick grey clouds and rain. The previous night’s lack of moderation contributed to our slow start as well; ears, limbs and brains were all casualties. Fortunately, Treasure Island is expertly designed to accommodate today’s festival rat, so that he may dance and engage in chemical revelry the first night, and recover in swaying, audible comfort the next. The rain stopped by the time we arrived, but the day was unmistakably marked by low, colorless skies, which meant muted rain jackets and umbrellas being hoisted from the crowd instead of glow sticks and neon candy kids running around.
The clouds proved impenetrable even for the pop-folk stylings of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward, who attempted to get everyone’s hands out of their pockets and clapping, but to only minimal success. As far as I can tell, She & Him is a band that is predicated on a few things: 1960s pop-folk covers, sunny weather, and Zooey Deschanel’s wide-eyed sex appeal. Well, two outta three ain’t bad. And then there’s M. Ward, sandwiched between Zooey’s marginal level of musicianship and three tambourinists. This year marked his first return to Treasure Island since it’s inaugural year, and sadly he played it beardless. Take my Ward for it, man, you were better off with the beard.
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The clouds proved impenetrable even for the pop-folk stylings of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward, who attempted to get everyone’s hands out of their pockets and clapping, but to only minimal success. As far as I can tell, She & Him is a band that is predicated on a few things: 1960s pop-folk covers, sunny weather, and Zooey Deschanel’s wide-eyed sex appeal. Well, two outta three ain’t bad. And then there’s M. Ward, sandwiched between Zooey’s marginal level of musicianship and three tambourinists. This year marked his first return to Treasure Island since it’s inaugural year, and sadly he played it beardless. Take my Ward for it, man, you were better off with the beard.
