Monolith Festial 2009: Girl Talk & Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Despite constant drizzle and wet socks, Saturday night offered some of the best energy of the entire festival.

The main stage filled with rain-soaked dancers for Girl Talk's set. I may never understand how Gregg Gillis can make me dance to Fergie but I think I love him for it. Also! Is the official Girl Talk Tivo set to record the Disney Channel? How else would he be thinking about Pilot's 70s classic "Magic"? This man blends the musical superego and the id over and over again until you forget you don't really "appreciate" Journey and find yourself singing along at full volume.

After we all caught our breath and swept away the confetti, Karen O and company took the stage, starting their set with one of my favorites from the most recent LP, "Runaway". Mid-way through their 16 songs of awesomeness, the YYYs played "Date with the Night" and I need to be perfectly clear that not 24 hours prior I had demanded of the universe that I hear the lyrics "we're sweatin' in the winter" live. Thank you, universe.

Encore "Y Control" cemented their place in my heart as one of the best live bands working today. The visuals of Karen O in couture striking kabuki poses across the stage while Nick Zinner and his hair represent the stoic side of punk are a spectacle worthy of your ticket dollars.

And while we're talking about the silent Mr. Zinner allow me to postulate a long-simmering theory... a lot of people, a lot of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' most fervent fans especially, and I include myself here, embrace Karen O's lyrics, loudness, broad smile and sexual lyrics. Her guttural groans and moans remind me of Prince, a decidedly womanly barbaric yawp. And yet. Consider this: without Zinner's guitar there is no Yeah Yeah Yeahs. His shrieking strings cut past the vocals, the grunts, the synth to get down to the true bump and grind that makes rock and roll great. Almost a call and response of the loins, her lyrics, his guitar. That is all.

Please enjoy more photos below...

Monolith Day One: the small warm stages and the cold rainy ones

Saturday started off chilly, with me hurrying to don leggings before the sweet strains of Stars of Track and Field. (p.s. is it just me or do these guys sound like they should be on the soundtrack for a CW show?)

Also playing in the cozy warm basement of Red Rocks: Antlers. They sounded ah-mazing. Too bad it was too packed to see them, but I've vowed to spend more time with their album after hearing the live show.

Then we were off to see Frightened Rabbit on the main stage. These Scots delivered the songs we wanted to hear, plaintively and somewhat plainly. I love this band, but they're a bit tentative for a venue like Red Rocks. More shows, more songs, and they'll be ready to bring the crowd to their feet.

Next up, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down. Again, I love this band and I love Thao's energy and her giant guitar and her cowboy boots, but the drizzle and the chill and the giant stage brought her down a bit. This set did not exude the same joie d'vivre as the one I saw from her at Sasquatch in 2008. The folks exuding during these main stage sets were the delightful troupe of Grand Teton National Park workers - shout out to that Wyoming drive!

At this point, my rain-soaked body required food, shelter, and a glass of wine, causing me to miss Pains of Being Pure at Heart, one of my most anticipated acts of the day. Sheesh, how can a librarian/ music fan not love a song like Young Adult Friction? Next time, PoBPaH, next time.

Replenished with string cheese and hooch, we made our way back out into the rain to see The Walkmen. Dang these guys always sound good. The Rat remains a modern classic. Their set, their black and gray outfits, the mist over Red Rocks, all delivered the indie rock goods. They left the Wyoming fans craving digital watches and sexy gloom.

As for the big guns on Saturday night, Girl Talk and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, more to come... and more photos from Day One below.