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Culture Music

Panorama Recap: Highlights From The Festival

Panorama Stage, MGMT

Another NYC music festival has come and gone. This one was packed with excellent sets from some of music’s biggest names – Solange, Tame Impala, Nine Inch Nails and A Tribe Called Quest all treated us to performances on Panorama’s biggest stage, which featured stunning visuals displayed on a screen that stretched a whopping 170 feet. Local New York City restaurants, like Roberta’s, Eggloo and Salvation Taco, kept attendees full and satisfied throughout the three days of jamming. The elusive Frank Ocean also performed on Friday night one of only a handful of live shows since 2014. His performances are rare, but they give us just a glimpse into the breadth of his musical knack.

Frank Ocean‘s set tops our list of the best of Panorama, but his wasn’t the only impressive performance. Check out our full list of favorites below.

Frank Ocean

As mentioned above, Frank Ocean’s performances are rare, but they are a glorious treat. Instead of performing on the main stage, he performed his entire Friday night show on an extended leg that jutted straight out into the middle of the audience. Accompanied by the recently acclaimed instrumentalist (Sandy) Alex G on guitar, Frank Ocean made a festival crowd of thousands feel like an intimate gathering of friends at an indie show. He paced the skinny stage leg and performed hits like “Solo”and  “Nikes” from his 2016 record “Blonde.” While he was a bit soft-spoken when interacting with the audience, that did not diminish his mastery as a musician. His performance was gripping from start to finish.

Solange

Panorama Stage, Solange

Solange’s performance was without a doubt the most visually stunning of the festival. Reddish light bathed the stage as Solange and her troop of musicians, all appropriately clad in completely red or orange outfits, executed flawless choreography. While Solange is the definitely the master of her stage, the whole performance felt more like a shared story between herself, the musicians and the backup singers, rather than just a solo act. At two different points during the show, around 20 or 30 horn players also joined the magic on the stage.  Her set was full of hope and joy, and the Panorama stage and screen offered a sensational scape for her show. She performed older favorites like “Losing You” and “T.O.N.Y” as well as her newer songs like “Cranes in the Sky.”

Tame Impala

Tame Impala are the masterminds behind the 2015 revelation “Currents,”  one of three albums released by the Australian group, all of which were named “Best New Album” on Pitchfork. Few bands can boast such an achievement critically, but Tame Impala can, and without losing ground or losing themselves. Their Saturday night Panorama show was a spectacle, featuring psychedelic projections and acutely synthy beats. Their set, and their songs, were nothing short of musical perfection. They even performed a song from “Currents” for the first time ever live – “Love/Paranoia,” a treat for longtime fans.

Pinegrove

The subject of one of our Panorama previews (read the feature here), rock band Pinegrove gave an impassioned performance early Saturday on the main Panorama stage. Lead singer Evan Stephens Hall humbly and repeatedly thanked the audience for spending time at their set, one that needed no convincing for us to stick around for its entirety. Hall is a spirited lead singer, and Pinegrove lyrics are ardent in their storytelling. They’re a must-see for live shows, and thankfully they just announced another leg of their tour, so you still have many more chances to catch them on the road.

Mitski

Mitski, The Pavilion

While at first her music comes across as angsty, Mitski’s critically acclaimed songs are actually compilations of deep and moving stories. Some are indeed fraught with pain and anxiety, but the songwriter is a heroine of self-discovery and acceptance in the end. Her Saturday performance was passionate and dynamic. At one point during the set, Mitski took center stage to play a few songs alone, which encompassed some of her best moments musically. Her song “Your Best American Girl” is an honest sentiment describing her being torn between her immigrant heritage and wanting to be who others want her to be.

Future Islands

Future Islands, Panorama Stage

Future Islands lead singer Samuel Herring is a raucous romp on stage. He beats his chest, rolls on the floor and growls lyrics into the microphone. And it all makes for one of the most entertaining sets at Panorama this year. They released a new album this year called “The Far Field,” which is a telling name as that’s exactly where they are. Their music definitely swings somewhere stage left, but it’s wonderful in its uniqueness. They stand alone in the synth-pop genre because no one else sounds quite like them.

Tyler, The Creator

It’s only just August, but 2017 has already welcomed many of its best albums into the musical cosmos, one of which is thanks to Tyler, The Creator. “Flower Boy” was released last month and has seen rave reviews from both crisis and listeners. The rapper treated Panorama audiences to a lively performance on Friday evening. A vista of sunflowers served as background to his set. Only one other rapper joined him on stage, but they made use of the whole space. Tyler, The Creator is a performance pro and had the whole room jumping.

Photos courtesy of Panorama NYC

 

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Culture Music

Pinegrove Frontman Talks Panorama Fest and Songwriting

In the world exists a staggering amount of love songs. Yet within that abundance, very few modern songs are about non-romantic love. There’s a gap where the music about familial love, platonic love and friendships should be. Pinegrove‘s frontman Evan Stephens Hall noticed this inconsistency too.

“I didn’t have any songs I could listen to that could comfort me about topics like that, so I made them myself,” Hall said.

Pinegrove’s 2016 album “Cardinal” is bookended by two such songs: “Old Friends” and “New Friends,” yet the themes of brotherly love are laced throughout the record.

Following their 2015 compilation “Everything so Far,” the band, consisting of Hall, Zack Levine, Nick Levine, Sam Skinner, Nandi Rose Plunkett, David Mitchell, Josh Marre and Adan Carlo, released “Cardinal” last year to the tune of praise from some of music’s harshest critics.

NPR Music offered up a fitting description for Pinegrove and their musings on friendship and love, calling them “fresh and scrappy at the same time.” Pitchfork said the detailed record deeply focuses on one of the most important aspects of life: “how to make our friendships really matter.”

Riding this wave of success, Pinegrove’s been gaining fans and gaining ground. Now they’re set to play at Panorama Music Festival at Randall’s Island Park on Saturday, July 29, another opportunity for the group to enrapture a new audience, and maybe even initiate the wave.

“People are always so down to do the wave,” Hall said of music festival audiences. “But also I think there’s more a sense that we are playing to persuade some people. I like the challenge of trying to persuade someone that we’re worth checking out until the end of the song, and then persuading them to check out the next song and just measure by measure making it interesting enough for them and emotional enough for them to say ‘Oh I should stay here’ instead of checking out any of the bands they could be listening to instead.”

This opportunity cost is, for many Pinegrove fans, of no concern. The band’s current tour, which includes cities in the U.S., Canada and the U.K., has fans making the trip to see Pinegrove perform at headlining shows and festivals alike, and they linger for the whole set, too.

Much of Pinegrove’s appeal is due to their approachable lyrics and sublime songwriting. While their music has pleased both listeners and critics, the first person Hall must please is himself. At the core of the songwriting process is his own little shindig, but as listeners, we’ve all secured invitations.

“It’s exciting to have a wider listenership than ever before, but it doesn’t really change the process,” Hall said. “These songs have been really helpful to me and they’ve become an irreplaceable part of my emotional process. They’re a universe I’ve created for myself, but everybody’s invited.”

While it’s personal for Hall, he takes a simple approach to songwriting.

“I think inherently it’s a process of simplifying the complex experience it is to be human,” he said. “It’s my philosophy that the more direct the better. And even though we might be trying to explore some sort of complex emotional moods or positions or even just ideas, I try to leave out any extraneous substance.”

Hall studied literature and English in college, which has given him extra insight into language and perhaps inspired the conversational tone of “Cardinal.”

“Studying literature helped me realize that there are melodies in dialogue and when we talk to each other we also sing to each other,” Hall said.

The band is currently recording a new album in an old house outside of rural Hudson, New York. Expect a lot natural and integrated sounds on their next work. They also just finished collaborating on a compilation of Green Day covers, all the proceeds of which will be donated to an environmental advocacy group.

“We’re going to put it out when September ends,” Hall joked.

Aside their projects as a band, the musicians who make up Pinegrove are busy in their own right as well. They push each other forward creatively and professionally.

“There are certainly a lot of contemporaries, not least of all my band members who are writing incredible songs and I find myself listening to them almost the most and being inspired by them,” Hall said. “It pushes me to do better.”

For passes to Panorama, visit the festival’s site. For Pinegrove’s tour schedule, visit their Facebook page. 

Categories
Music

Our Top Ten from the 2017 Panorama Lineup

Photo courtesy of Tame Impala.

Another month, another hot New York City music festival. In June we were treated to the fantastic lineup at Governors Ball, and a number of smaller festivals, like Celebrate Brooklyn! and September’s The Meadows Music & Arts Festival are on the rise too.

Now, it’s time for Panorama Music Festival at Randall’s Island Park. The festival’s second year rings in the last weekend of July with the promise of an unparalleled lineup with something for every taste. Headliners include Frank Ocean, Solange and A Tribe Called Quest, all of which are must-see sets. But there’s so much more beyond the bold print names at the top of the poster. We’ve lined up the artists we’re most excited to see at the end of the month.

Future Islands

Photo courtesy of Future Islands. 

This Baltimore, Maryland based band is enjoying a wave of success following the April release of their fifth album “The Far Field.” Fresh off sets at Coachella and Glastonbury, they’re storming through festival season with fans following steadily in the wake. Songs like “Aladdin” and “Ran” are shining hits from their latest album, and their song “Seasons (Waiting On You)” was named one of the best songs of 2014 by Pitchfork. Known for their entertaining live performances, Future Islands is sure to be a Panorama treat.

Mitski


Photo courtesy of Bandcamp

Mitsuki Miyawaki, a Japanese-American singer-songwriter, is having a good year. Following the release of her 2016 record “Puberty 2,” she received praise from across the critical board. She sings, in a beautifully personal way, about young adulthood, anxiety and feeling like an outcast. Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly and NPR Music have all offered their praises, her single “Your Best American Girl” making it to NPR’s list of the best 100 songs of 2016.

Pinegrove


Photo courtesy of Pinegrove 

This band has also been at the top of its game this past year, having been acclaimed by the rounds of musical critics. Last year they released “Cardinal,” a lovable eight-song record that’s as much of a rock album as it is refined. Most noticeable are their songs about friendship, like the album bookends “Old Friends” and “New Friends.” During their live performances, they playfully interact with the audience and support all-around good feelings. A smile from the lead singer and writer Evan Stephen Hall’s face is sure to leave you smiling as well at Panorama.

Solange

Photo courtesy of Solange Knowles 

You know her sister, and you probably know her, too. With Beyoncé as kin, it could seem like Solange would be always living in the shadow. But she’s doing anything but. Solange Knowles has been a fierce force in the R&B world since the 2000s, but her 2016 record, “A Seat at the Table” is something special. She bends genres and defies expectations, as she is sure to do the same at her Panorama set this year. Don’t forget to listen to the hit “Cranes in the Sky” before you go.

Glass Animals

Photo courtesy of Glass Animals

Sometimes being a human is tricky. We have emotions and intelligence – we’re not like other animals. Here’s a guide for the ups and downs: “How To Be A Human Being,” Glass Animals’ 2016 album. The indie group is known for superb mixings of pop, rock and synth sounds. On their most recent release they tackle an array of sounds and feelings with songs like “Life Itself,” “Youth” and “The Other Side of Paradise.” Their set is sure to be a colorful one.

Tame Impala

Photo courtesy of Tame Impala

Australia’s Tame Impala is the quintessential psychedelic pop band of the 2010s. Their 2015 album “Currents” is nothing short of musical mastery, as coined by leagues of critics and listeners. Tame Impala is seamless in their blending of sounds, genres and lyrics, and seeing them live is sure to be a spectacle. Get ready to check this one off your concert bucket list.

Noname

Photo courtesy of Noname

Fatimah Warner, or as she’s known by her stage name  – Noname – is a rapper from Chicago. She first gained fame when she appeared on Chance the Rapper’s “Acid Rap,” and you’ve heard her recently on his latest album “Coloring Book.” She’s featured in “Finish Line / Drown,” the joyful penultimate anthem on Chance’s uber popular album. She got her start doing poetry at open mic nights in Chicago, and now she’s taking the Panorama stage.

Angel Olsen

Photo courtesy of Angel Olsen

Angel Olsen is yet another star of 2016. Her record “MY WOMAN” soared to the top of critical listings, and now she’s touring the album. Olsen got her start performing St. Louis coffee shops as a teenager before collaborating with other artists and ultimately breaking into a solo career. She croons soft indie folk ballads, but they burst with feeling.

6LACK

Photo courtesy of LoveRenaissance

This Atlanta rapper is on the rise. His debut album “FREE 6LACK” was released just late last year, but he’s already hit the Billboard Top 40 and made a name for himself in the realms of rap and R&B. His single “PRBLMS” has over 60 million streams on Spotify.

Spoon

Photo courtesy of Spoon

Spoon are veterans of the indie rock genre, and they’re still putting out fresh music. Just this year they released “Hot Thoughts” which included the single “Can I Sit Next To You,” which was remixed by LCD Soundsystem’s Tyler Pope. If you know them from their “They Want My Soul” days, or if you’re new to the scene, Spoon is still sure to serve up something great at Panorama. Maybe they’ll even blow a “New York Kiss” out into the crowd.