© Steve Mitchell / RumBum.com
Taking a mud bath at All Points West
All Points West 2009 was a memorable fest to be sure. There was rain, rain and more rain, which led to mud, which led to mud slipping and mud sliding. But before that, there was waiting. New Yorkers who had come over to Liberty State Park on the ferry were literally put in "holding" for hours until the gates at All Points West were opened.
But it was worth the wait. After a few cranky moments of trudging through the mud, festies shook off the rain, and the hours of waiting, and started to groove to the music. It had been the same on Friday night, with rain coming early that evening and turning the grounds at Liberty State Park to mud.
Saturday, things dried off and the sun came out. But what they'll remember about this fest is not the day of sun, but the days of rain, of the mud between their toes and caked on the back of their calves. Of turning a messy slip and fall into an intentional, childlike, romp in the mud.
Of course, Rum Bum was there to take it all in. We talked to bands, we talked to you. We got it all down on video and on paper. Stay tuned all week long for our set reviews and videos. And make sure to join us next week for the pinnacle of the summer - the Lollapalooza Music Festival live from Chicago's Grant Park.
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by Gabrielle Sierra on August 07, 2009 at 12:00PM
Coldplay closed out the All Points West Festival in style, giving the audience a light show, an encore, and a tip of the hat for enduring all the mud and rain.
The fans were in full frenetic force while waiting for ... More »
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by Gabrielle Sierra on August 07, 2009 at 11:40AM
The alternative rock band Elbow hails from Manchester UK. Lead vocalist and lyricist Guy Garvey, guitarist Mark Potter, keyboardist Craig Potter, bassist Pete Turner and drummer Richard Jupp brought their unique styling to APW ... More »
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by J.J. Colagrande on August 07, 2009 at 09:20AM
On Sunday, music fans waited hours to gain entrance to Liberty State Park, during which time it rained in torrents, creating mud and puddles where thousands would soon gather for the final day of All Points West. This didn't ... More »
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by Lauren Doyle on August 07, 2009 at 07:06AM
The Pharcyde has been busting rhymes for nearly two decades. In that time, they've garnered a long and tangled history and the respect and admiration of their peers despite that history, which includes drug use on behalf of ... More »
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by Lauren Doyle on August 06, 2009 at 03:31PM
The best musicians have a profound appreciation for music; and, especially, for the music that came before them. If that is the case, then Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, the sibling team from the UK, are pretty darned good. You ... More »
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by J.J. Colagrande on August 06, 2009 at 11:03AM
The Arctic Monkeys took the stage at five o'clock during a beautiful Saturday afternoon. The Manhattan skyline occupied the background as ferries, yachts and sailboats floated along the harbor directly next to the stage. ... More »
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by J.J. Colagrande on August 06, 2009 at 09:38AM
The amount of preparation and production involved in executing a smooth music festival involves more schematics than the average mind can process. One thing is definitely true, music festivals are about so much more than ... More »
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by J.J. Colagrande on August 06, 2009 at 08:26AM
Jay Z, a last minute replacement for the Beastie Boys, electrified the APW crowd from the moment he stepped on stage. The rapper started his 90-minute set in homage to the Beastie Boys with a cover of their hit "No Sleep till ... More »
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by Lauren Doyle on August 06, 2009 at 07:43AM
The only thing more fun than listening to Steel Train has got to be playing in the band. These guys look like they're having such genuine fun that they remind you of a couple of teenagers in a garage, living out their rock ... More »
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by Lauren Doyle on August 06, 2009 at 06:54AM
Black Gold is a synth-rock band from Brooklyn, NY that plays terrifically accessible pop. The kind of pop you loved as a teenager; the kind that still makes it to the radio. Which is not the say that Black Gold has made it ... More »
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by J.J. Colagrande on August 06, 2009 at 12:39AM
The rain fell in sheets during Vampire Weekend's 50-minute set. It fell on the band, the crowd, the security, cameramen, and technicians. It fell on the Statue of Liberty. It fell on Manhattan. It fell on the boroughs. It fell ... More »
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by Lauren Doyle on August 05, 2009 at 02:18PM
When you think of indie rock a certain darkness comes to mind. A certain rugged truth. Not so with the Postelles – they're too busy channeling the '50s with delightfully sincere pop-sensible tunes you could dance to, so long ... More »
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by Gabrielle Sierra on August 05, 2009 at 09:46AM
The National is a Brooklyn-based indie rock band formed in 1999 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Led by Matt Berninger (and his distinctive deep monotone voice,) the rest of the band is comprised of two pairs of brothers: Aaron and Bryce ... More »
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by Gabrielle Sierra on August 05, 2009 at 07:31AM
The NYC-based indie band Yeah Yeah Yeahs played APW's Blue Comet Stage on Friday at 7:30. They were the first band to play without the threat of and/or down pouring rain, so the air was electric with positive energy. ... More »
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by Lauren Doyle on August 04, 2009 at 02:31PM
Judah Friedlander lives his shtick. The slightly gross, trucker hat-wearing comedy writer on 30 Rock is a slightly gross trucker hat-wearing stand up comedian, is a slightly gross trucker hat-wearing guy? It's too hard to ... More »
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by Lauren Doyle on August 04, 2009 at 02:27PM
The Cool Kids could be a case study for how talent finds its way into the ether in the Internet age, when the only thing that matters less than a established music label is radio play. That's because The Cool Kids have done ... More »
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by Gabrielle Sierra on August 04, 2009 at 08:51AM
Despite being young, Ra Ra Riot is a band that comes with a history. Formed in 2006, the group began playing gigs around Syracuse before making an appearance at CMJ a mere six months after their formation. They went on to ... More »
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by Gabrielle Sierra on August 04, 2009 at 08:13AM
Fleet Foxes was one of the first bands to play at this year's All Points West, beginning their set at 3:35 Friday afternoon. Setting up their own instruments without much ceremony, it took me a few minutes to realize that these ... More »
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by Lauren Doyle on August 03, 2009 at 03:00PM
Fresh off of their appearance on David Letterman, Cage the Elephant made their way out to All Points West, where they played a terrific, high-energy show. It was just another day and just another fest for the band, who's ... More »
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by J.J. Colagrande on August 03, 2009 at 07:21AM
Day Three of All Points West was quite an adventure, to say the least. We woke up in our hotel rooms, tired, groggy, sore, but also eager, excited, and anxious. As we brewed coffee, we turned on the television to The Weather ... More »
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by Gabrielle Sierra on August 02, 2009 at 07:28AM
Day two of All Points West was ushered in by clear blue skies, much to the delight of all whom were attending. While I wasn’t over the moon about the Saturday line-up I got an early start in order to catch the White Rabbits at ... More »
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by Gabrielle Sierra on August 01, 2009 at 06:49AM
In the midst of a downpour while watching Ra Ra Riot I overheard a girl say “You know, its pretty impressive that we are all just standing out here.”
And as the wind picked up and my feet sunk ankle deep into ... More »
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by Sandra Silverstein on July 31, 2009 at 04:14AM
New Yorkers are often criticized for being moody or misanthropic, but if you look a little deeper, beyond the pessimism, eye rolls and snarls, you'll find a heck of a sense of humor. It's no wonder that All Points West Festival, ... More »
