All Tomorrow’s Parties: Day Three Wrapup

Photo: Jason Bergman

First, a few more details on the festival’s most buzzed-about show. My Bloody Valentine really seem to be as fierce and put-together live as they ever were: Though their dreamy tunelets sometimes got lost in the mix, the guitar sound Sunday night was manicured, ferocious and otherworldly. Bob Mould and Patti Smith came out to see the show; in fact, Smith and Kevin Shields were milling around Kutsher’s Country Club together beforehand.


Photo: Jason Bergman

Sunday featured several other highlights, including two dissimilar-sounding East Coast acts: EPMD, a hip-hop duo that's been active for more than two decades, turned out a solid, boisterous set. Before launching into “Headbanger,” MC Eric Sermon said, “Here’s some childhood memories for all the underground ‘heads,” which could have described most of their show. Later, Yo La Tengo played to a full house, finishing with a ten-minute version of “Tried So Hard.” During the song, Ira Kaplan turned out some intense guitar squall, as if to give fans a taste of the friendly apocalypse of noise set to come later in the evening.


Photo: Jason Bergman

Some parting shots:

*Sunday appeared to be the most well-attended of ATP’s three days. (It was also the day where the male-to-female ratio shrunk a little, from about four-to-one to about three-to-one.) But though the rooms were packed during My Bloody Valentine and a few other shows, ATP always felt relaxed and comfortable: The grounds were never terribly crowded, getting around was easy and there were no sponsors or VIP areas.

*Props to All Tomorrow’s Parties and My Bloody Valentine for putting together a strong lineup. Can you ATP folks get Pavement to reunite and curate next year? Please? -- CHRISTIAN HOARD