Opinion: Why Dave Chappelle was right to walk off stage due to rude crowd

It's nice to be nice people

On Aug. 29, 2013, comedian Dave Chappelle walked off the stage in Hartford, Connecticut after consistent noise, crowd chatter and outbursts disrupted the beginning of his set. Before walking off stage, Chappelle made sure to get his required twenty five minutes of stage time in, guaranteeing that he would be paid for the gig. To fill the time, Chappelle chatted with the audience, smoked cigarettes and read a book. Who's to blame for this incident? On social media, it's up for debate with some saying that the crowd was being rude and boisterous and others saying that it was just a normal crowd and Chappelle should have finished his set like a professional. It's a sorry state of affairs that we have come to expect a “normal” crowd to be disruptive and talk loudly to their friends while a performer is on stage. My opinion is that the crowd is to blame and I applaud Chappelle for standing up to the rudeness of the masses.

I recently experienced this “normal” crowd behavior at Mumford and Sons' Lollapalooza performance. The crowd was so loud that at one point Marcus Mumford actually had to tell them to “shut the fuck up for a minute” so they could play a quiet song. The technique worked and the chatter died down, but alas the bulk of the set was already ruined.

 

Besides being rude at shows, why do people feel the need to berate performers on the internet for not living up to their impossible standards? Nine Inch Nails have been catching a lot of criticism for their new upbeat track “Everything.” In a recent interview with Spin, Trent Reznor explained his slightly lighter approach to making music. “I'm happy with who I am now. I feel fortunate to be where I am. We tried arranging the new songs with loud guitars, and it sounded false. Instead, we approached those old emotions in new ways that are subtler, and I think just as powerful.” If Reznor were to go through the motions and give fans what they want, I'm sure he would still get complaints of “it sounds the same” or “they haven't evolved.” As a society, we hold artists to an impossible standard and we can't wait to knock them down.

In Jamie Kennedy's funny and thoughtful 2007 documentary “Heckler,” Tom Green speaks to this phenomenon. He explains that when he was making his show in Canada people would only write about him because they liked the show. Contrastingly, when he got on MTV, “people started sharpening their knives.” Throughout “Heckler,” Kennedy confronts some of his harshest critics, some of whom said that he should die for producing bad movies. You can see the critics squirm as Kennedy looks them in the eye. Hearing their cruel words being read out loud by the person they criticized, there is no denying that they went to far.

The anonymity of the internet or being in a large crowd, shouldn't give people free reign to be hateful to others who are creating music, comedy, films or any form of art. It takes great courage to put yourself out there as an artist. I don't think that anyone would appreciate being heckled, booed or mocked in their daily life, so why are they so free to dish it out? 

We can all help to change this by not giving attention to sensationalized stories that exploit artists in negative ways. We can think about performers as actual people, not just someone who entertains us. And when we purchase a ticket to see an artist perform, we can put away our cellphones, stop talking and give the artist, as well as our fellow crowd members, the courtesy of being quiet. There are more positive, thoughtful people in the world and we need to stay strong and not feed into the crowd mentality of being a self involved jerk. It shouldn't be difficult and I am hopeful that as a society we can change.

'New' music from Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney took to twitter last night to introduce the world to his new track "New."  The song will be featured on his upcoming album due out Oct. 15.  Sir Paul recruited heavy hitters Mark Ronson, Ethan Johns and Giles Martin in recent months to produce new material that will surely appear on the upcoming release.

What do you think of "New?' 

#whatsnew with Paul McCartney? Here's a 'New' song from his forthcoming new album out 14th / 15th October: http://t.co/nqjLkRleIl
— Paul McCartney (@PaulMcCartney) August 29, 2013

Review: Franz Ferdinand - 'Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions'

Franz Ferdinand do what they do best

 

 

“Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Actions” finds Franz Ferdinand right where they belong. Somewhere between pop, rock and dance, Alex Kapranos and company cheerfully bounce their way through this collection of pleasantly infectious songs. Franz Ferdinand are veteran musicians and their expertise shines with ease throughout “RTRWRA.”

It's been four years since Franz Ferdinand released their last album, but that doesn't mean that the Scottish quartet have been relaxing. With coveted spots at Coachella in 2013 and Lollapalooza in 2012, Franz Ferdinand have been bringing their energy to live performances across the country and they were able to evoke that enthusiasm in “RTRWRA.” The album begins with “Right Action,” a melodic song with a funky bass line, compliments of Robert Hardy, that sets the mood for the rest of the album. Kapranos cleverly inserts humor into his lyrics as he sings, “This time, same as before/I'll love you forever.”

The album skips on, showing Franz Ferdinand's versatility with softer tracks like “The Universe Expanded” and “Treason! Animals,” but the band is at their best when incorporating clever metaphors over disco beats. “Stand on the Horizon” is a stellar track, taking its time to build into what is sure to become a dance anthem. Alex Kapranos masterfully controls his vocals manipulating them between powerful and at times wispy.

“RTRWRA” is exactly the kind of album you want from a band that has been rocking our worlds for the last ten years. It surprises us with new examples of patience and maturity, but consistently rocks for all of the reasons that we have grown to love Franz Ferdinand. “RTRWRA” is lively, toe tapping rock 'n' roll... plain and simple.

Funny Ladies of Comedy

We are amidst a golden age of comedy and women are at the forefront of the movement. These funny ladies are breaking down walls both on screen and off with their talent and tenacity. Head over to examiner to view the list of fiercely funny ladies and let us know who are your favorite women of comedy... Continue to Examiner.com

Kanye West performs at VMAs

Kanye West used the grand stage at the MTV Video Music Awards last night to make the debut performance of his song “Blood on the Leaves.” The song is dark and haunting as we hear the pain in West's voice, as well as the sampled voice of Nina Simone as she sings a cover of Billie Holiday's tragic “Strange Fruit.”

West performed almost entirely in silhouette in front of a single background of the photo “LynchingTree” by director Steve McQueen. Earlier on Sunday, West provided fans with a link to his website which explained that the tree in the photo was used for lynching and that he would be performing “Blood on the Leaves.”

Throughout the performance, West expertly used auto-tune to it's highest emotional potential. He built tension which escalated as he sang his side of an argument until the point of explosion when he screams, “We could have been somebody.” He flung his body around the stage in controlled chaos and fans couldn't look away.

Kanye West is continuously pushing the envelope and propelling popular music to be more than repetitive beats and catchy verses. He is one of the most interesting and engaging performers in any genre and no one can predict what he is going to do next.

Pearl Jam release video for 'Mind Your Manners'

This is a public service announcement from the office of Eddie Vedder

Photographer and film maker, Danny Clinch has directed the video for Pearl Jam's newest single "Mind Your Manners."  The video features PJ performing in front of a green screen alternating between classic found footage of bombs dropping and modern bold animation.  "Mind Your Manners" will be featured on Pearl Jam's upcoming album "Lightning Bolt," due out on Oct. 15.

Ben Affleck is Batman: Comedians React

Last night, it was announced that Ben Affleck would be playing Batman in the upcoming "Man of Steel" sequel.  We all know that Affleck has not had the best track record playing superheroes and his selection as the next caped crusader has caused some strong reactions.  Here's a look at some of the funniest comedians giving their take on the situation.

Ben Affleck is playing Batman. Everyone calm down. It's not like I announced that I was decreasing my Twitter output.
— Todd Barry (@toddbarry) August 23, 2013

I’d react to Ben Affleck getting an acting role but I’m still recovering from Beyonce’s haircut.
— Jim Gaffigan (@JimGaffigan) August 23, 2013

People who are mad about Ben Affleck being the new Batman get mad easily and should probably be on a watch list. Or at least a Swatch list.
— Doug Benson (@DougBenson) August 23, 2013

So my #AndrewDiceBatman campaign failed, it would seem. #hickorydickoryGotham
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) August 23, 2013

Ben Affleck seems like an odd choice till you realize Batman & Superman team up to fight Derek Jeter’s jockstrap.
— rob delaney (@robdelaney) August 23, 2013

You know who's very upset about Ben Affleck being cast as Batman? Syrian children killed by chemical weapons. #TalkAboutFirstWorldProblems
— God (@TheTweetOfGod) August 23, 2013

'Topics' Pocast

You can learn a lot from comedians

 

 

Comedians Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter address anything and everything with their podcast, “Topics”. This funny duo have previously collaborated on “The State”, “Stella”, “Michael and Michael Have Issues” and many other film and stage projects. With “Topics”, the 2 Michael's examine thoughtful issues like gender roles, power and propaganda and even time travel with sharp wit, intelligent humor, sincerity and sarcasm.

This week marks the final episode of the first season of “Topics”. Black and Showalter used this momentous occasion to examine the nature of love. There are many kinds of love. Brotherly love, parent to a child and the love of an idea are a few that came up, but most of the show was dedicated to the greatest love of all... self love. Black and Showalter debated the best ways to achieved self love, with Showalter claiming that the correct method to love yourself is by being a good person and being honest and forthright. Black agreed, but went on to say that “It also doesn't hurt to have a six pack.” Black further went on to explain that he has an amazing six pack and it makes him feel good to look at it. Showalter played devils advocate for awhile but ultimately poked a hole in Black's theory when he explained that Black's abs look weird and make people uncomfortable.

So what did we learn. We learned that there are many kinds of love, but none more important than loving yourself. Self love is difficult to achieve because even if you do a thousand crunches everyday, all it takes is for one person to say that you should spend more time on your legs for self doubt to come pouring back in. “Topics” is taking a break for awhile but you can hear all of the episodes from season one at iTunes.

Interview: Nikhil Korula discusses his influences and his success as an indie artist

Los Angeles musician Nikhil Korula and his band, the aptly titled Nikhil Korula band, have had great success in their music career. Without the help of a label, they have played major music festivals, released 6 albums and collaborated with members of Dave Matthews Band. I had the opportunity to speak with Nikhil about his background, making it as an independent artist and recreating a live sound in the studio.

Tell me a little bit about how you fuse different styles into your sound.

I started singing when I was a kid in church choir when I was five years old and from that I was asked to be in the Los Angeles Children's Chorus. The group was just starting and I was the youngest founding member. Through that I started singing classical music, freedom marches, gospel hymns and contemporary modern pieces. So I had gotten a lot of experience in that group and it was something that I really enjoyed. By the time I got to college, I was still doing a lot of music and I was traveling a lot, which was influential in learning different rhythms and a lot of different stuff you can do. I want to create a sound where instead of having to travel somewhere to get it, we can bring that sound to people from all of the travels that I and the other guys in the band have had.

When did you know that you were going to be a musician?

The funny thing is I think it chose me long before I knew that I was going to choose it. I had been singing since I was five, but I still didn't think of it like a proper career because I wasn't really focusing on that. I sang opera with Placido Domingo. I sang at the Grammy awards and recorded with Luther Vandross, but singing was just a normal thing all throughout my youth. As I got older, I started singing in a high school jazz choir just to keep singing because it's something that I love to do. I really didn't understand that music had chosen me until I was a freshman at USC and I got accepted in the school of music for opera, but even that wasn't the sign. It was living with all jazz musicians by chance. That was the biggest sign for me. It was like, “Wait a minute.” What are the chances that an apartment is full of music majors by chance. It hasn't happened before and it hasn't happened since. They put me in this room with all of these musicians and it made me think, “maybe this is meant to be”.

Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails have released albums independently, but they had the backing of a studio in the early stages of their career. How do you make it as a true indie artist?

I noticed a lot of bands do that and it's cool that they do that, but to me it's kind of like you've spat in the face of those who made you. That's not really that indie to me. To me, indie is completely trying to break down walls on your own. Bands like that want to make it look like they're heroes but it's really financially motivated. They are getting screwed by these deals, but at the same time they will never understand what it's like to fund a tour on your own dime, when you don't know where the money is going to come from or how many people are going to come to your show. We've been doing things on our own from the beginning, competing for spots against major labels and we're getting them. It really comes down to the music for me. I feel like the way that music is marketed from the labels, someone who doesn't have that much experience or even talent, can be marketed really heavily and could be really successful. We basically cracked every venue around us and we just kept pushing, “What's the next big venue? What's the next big festival? What's the next big stage that we need to reach?” I think there's no better way to do it than that because when you put yourself up against a band that has been marketed for years, the proof is in the pudding when you get on the stage.

Have you run into any trouble booking venues without being associated with a label?

Everybody used to tell us if you represent yourself, you're going to have a problem. Actually, I know people who have been on major labels and they haven't done as much as we have been able to accomplish independently. The one thing I do notice is there is a leniency to give someone who is on a major label an opportunity over a band that's doing it themselves. At the end of the day it comes down to, can the band play and perform in the way that you wanted them to. If a band can do that, you'll be asked back. That's part of the reason we started being asked back to play Bonnaroo and Summerfest. They get input from fans and from the crew saying, “This band is outta sight, we've got to have them back.” We've been getting opportunities not just by hard work, but really how it's received by the audience. That's it. I know a lot of bands get fans through different ways, but we get fans because of what we do.

I think especially at festivals, the crowds are much more responsive to bands through their talent rather than through marketing.

A great thing is that fans see that. Our fans have been loyal to us for years. They keep buying records. They keep coming back to shows. They are the ones who have pushed us up and we still know that we have a long way to go, but it's amazing to see how passionate people can be about music and our fans make a difference when they tell someone about what we do.

With all that being said, would you like to work with a major label?

That's a really difficult and delicate question. On one side, I love that I can make music in the studio and release it to fans the way I want it to be. The second thing is when you work with a label, sometimes they are going to want to weigh in on how a mix or a song should be. They give input when they may not have the background in music where they really understand what they are asking. The guys I trust are the guys that I'm making music with, the guys I'm working in the studio with. That's who's opinions I will ask. I'm not really interested in working with people who don't have that kind of musical background, so it's very delicate because I love making music and being able to release it to the fans right away, but there are advantages with a label. They can market it way easier and with much more of a powerhouse than we can. But sometimes, they will pick up an artist really fast and then spit them out just as fast and we're still here. I don't know if our band is something that a label would want to keep for as long as we've been around.

What's next for the Nikhil Korula Band?

We will start touring heavily in October and we are working on a music video. I can't say too much about it, but it's going to be pretty extraordinary. It's going to be shot on the Santa Monica pier and we have a lot of great people involved with it so it should be cool.

You can pick up Nikhil's new EP, featuring Butch Taylor and Jeff Coffin from Dave Matthews Band, “The Solo Sessions” at iTunes.

For more information about how Nikhil collaborated with Butch Taylor and Jeff Coffin, head over to examiner.com.

Bonnaroo 2014 Dates Announced

Let the headliner speculation begin!

 

The Bonnaroo 2014 dates have been announced! Mark your calendars for June 12-15 for the annual pilgrimage to the farm. Now that we know the schedule, it's time to speculate on potential headliners.

Friday Night – The Black Keys

The Black Keys have a long history with Bonnaroo playing in tents, late night sets and taking the main stage in 2011. The following year they became everyone's favorite band with their hugely successful album “El Camino”, which lead to headlining spots at Coachella and Lollapalooza later that year. With a new album in the works and an ever growing fan base, The Black Keys would be a perfect Friday Night headliner. 

Saturday Night – Prince

Bonnaroo has proven that they are willing to pay big bucks for huge headliners like Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen, so why not Prince? The Purple One has been touring frequently in 2013 and recently surprised fans by joining twitter. Prince is one of the most versatile musicians and captivating performers currently on the scene. He's also a bit of a wild card which adds a level of excitement. Will he bring out a special guest? Will he be late? Might he perform a surprise late night set? One thing is for sure, making Prince a headliner in 2014 would give Bonnaroo a “wow factor” that can't be topped. Unless of course Coachella gets David Bowie.

Sunday Night – Neil Young

Last year, Bonnaroo relaxed their rule of closing the fest with a jam band instead opting for a popular band that moderately jams, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. While Bonnaroo traditionalists missed the Sunday Night jam, the sold out (and more mainstream) crowd loved rockin' out to familiar hits. Neil Young is the perfect artist for these two groups to meet in the middle. Old school fans have been routing for Neil to return to the farm since his headlining spot back in 2003 and the more casual fan can enjoy a set full of career spanning hits like “Rockin' in the Free World” and “Ohio”. Not a bad way to end the best weekend of the year.

Who do you think will headline Bonnaroo in 2014?

Happy Birthday Larry Graham

Larry Graham turns 67 today

Happy 67th Birthday Larry Graham!!!!  Larry Graham has changed the face of American music by inventing the slap bass technique or as he calls it, "Thumpin' and Pluckin'".  Graham has worked extensively as a solo artist, as well as with Graham Central Station and Sly & the Family Stone.  Let's take a moment to honor this pioneer of funk by watching Prince join Graham on stage for a performance of "Thank You".  In other new, Prince joined twitter today!

Nine Inch Nails release new single 'Copy A'

Trent has fun with an arpeggiator

Nine Inch Nails have released "Copy A", the second single off of their upcoming release "Hesitation Marks".  "Copy A" is loud, dark and full, exactly the kind of hypnotic beat driven music that we have come to expect from Trent Reznor.  "Hesitation Marks" will be released September 3rd, 2013.

 

Spike Jonze Trailer: "Her" features Aphex Twin and Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Can I buy the soundtrack please

Spike Jonze's new trailer for his upcoming movie "Her", starring Joachim Phoenix, begins with what is quite possibly the most beautiful song ever written, "Avril 14th" by Aphex Twin.  As the trailer continues and a lonely Phoenix falls in love with his personalized operating system, "Skeletons" by the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs kicks in.  As if there wasn't enough beautiful and heart wrenching music in "Her", Arcade Fire will also be contributing music to the film.  "Her" will be closing the New York Film Festival in October and it will be released theatrically in November.

Daft Punk cancel Colbert appearence

The Robots did not "descend from the bus"

Daft Punk cancelled their appearance on The Colbert Report last night due to an exclusivity contract with MTV, who is owned by Viacom, who also owns Comedy Central where the Colbert Report airs.  You would think something could be worked out between this network family, but alas it could not.  Stephen Colbert shared a "funky" email from MTV about the situation.

Colbert further elaborated on the situation stating, “You see, we booked Click and Clack over here about a month ago,” Colbert said on Tuesday’s Report. “Well, apparently, Daft Punk are going to make a surprise appearance on the MTV Video Music Awards. Don’t tell anybody, because fun fact: No one told me until two o’ clock yesterday.”

Making the best of a bad situation, Colbert continued on with Colbchella by playing Daft Punk's infectious hit "Get Lucky" and dancing with Jeff "The Dude" Bridges , Matt Damon and Bryan Cranston amongst others.   Watch the hilarious video below and learn the newest dance craze, The Colbert Shuffle.

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Video Archive

The Best of Lollapalooza 2013

In 2013, Lollapalooza has solidified itself as a festival for the masses. Large crowds swarmed Chicago's Grant Park to catch a glimpse and a listen of some of the most popular bands in music today. Here's a look back at the best that Lollapalooza 2013 had to offer.

Best Twindie Rock – Tegan and Sara

This one was close, but the Quinn sisters of Tegan and Sara have pulled out a victory over the brothers Dessner from The National. Tegan and Sara had one of the biggest afternoon sets all weekend and the crowd was there to dance. “Closer” and “Goodbye, Goodbye” kept fans moving while the older hits like “Back In Your Head” and “Where Does the Good Go” became sing-a-longs. Tegan commented on the beautiful weather and how happy they were to be wearing jackets, teasing Sara that she couldn't handle the heat the last time they played Lolla back in 2005. It's that kind of pop music combined with sibling rivalry that made Tegan and Sara the best Twindie Rock act at the fest.

Best Sing-a-long – Mumford & Sons

Mumford & Sons set closer “The Cave” had fans singing and dancing to the most optimistic and triumphant song to hit top 40 radio since Journey's “Don't Stop Believin'”. Everywhere you looked fans were fully in the moment. People were jumping around with friends, embracing loved ones, and staring up at the stage transfixed. This was the moment that everyone was waiting for and it lived up to all expectations.

Best Crowd Pleaser – 2 Chainz

Halfway through Vampire Weekend's set, packs of festies started clearing out, all of them mumbling excitedly the same 2 wordz... 2 Chainz. Fans that made their way over to the Grove Stage had the time of their lives chanting along with 2 Chainz as he flew through hit after hit including “Birthday Song” and “I'm Different”. 2 Chainz may not be the best performer, using a backing track and a hype man, but it doesn't matter. He writes fun music that drunk suburban kids love and the man knows how to keep a party moving. Even hours later as the festival came to a close and fans poured out onto the streets of Chicago, the hordes continued to rave about how much fun they had at the 2 Chainz set.

Best Alternative to the Headliners – Cat Power

Cat Power had the misfortune of being scheduled up against powerhouses Phoenix and The Cure. Chan Marshall, the woman behind the cat, took advantage of the situation and turned the Grove Stage into an intimate smokey lounge, making her set one of the most special of the entire weekend. Fans that decided against the headliners were treated to a setlist that focused on Cat Power's brilliant 2012 album “Sun”. In one of the classiest moves of the weekend, Marshall ended the set by throwing roses out to the crowd of adoring fans. Hopefully next time Lollapalooza books an act as interesting as Cat Power, they provide her a conflict free set time worthy of her talent.

Best Comeback – Nine Inch Nails

It's been four long years since Trent Reznor retired Nine Inch Nails and five years since their last headlining performance at Lollapalooza, but with a new interactive light show and new material Reznor proved that he is still one of the best in the game. Each song in the Lollapalooza setlist evolved as instruments and light structures were added to the stage. NIN started the set with new material, but soon enough they blasted through classic tracks like “Terrible Lie” and “Closer”. It's been 24 years since the release of “Pretty Hate Machine” and those songs sound just as menacing and current today as they did when they were first released. 

Best Show Stealer – This Guy

Vampire Weekend were halfway through their set when a rogue fan took pole dancing to a new level. This dare devil climbed up a light pole and provoked the crowd to turn their attention away from the stage and begin chants of “Jump, Jump”. When the young man finally slid down the pole and back into the crowd, fans cheered for his valiant stunt and turned their attention back to Vampire Weekend.

Best Dance Party – Hot Chip

Happiness is a Hot Chip concert. Everyone there wants to be there. It is one of the most positive experiences that a fan can hope to have at Lollapalooza. From the moment the band took the stage, everyone was dancing with old friends and new, as Hot Chip played through hits like “Over & Over” and “Ready For the Floor”. Besides providing a great dance party, Hot Chip are amazing musicians. They alternate between instruments integrating synths and drum machines with guitars and even steel drums. As Hot Chip ended the song “I Feel Better”, their set came to a close. Fans had huge smiles on their faces as they walked away, the only disappointment being that the set was too short.

Best of the Fest – The Killers

Against all odds The Killers over took the popularity of Mumford & Sons and the legacy of The Cure to become the best set of Lollapalooza 2013. Singer, Brandon Flowers had a huge smile on his face as they started the set with their mega-hit “Mr. Brightside”. The hits kept coming, with The Killers putting on a real rock show with talent and humility. It was refreshing to see a younger band giving it their all and proving that they are worth that status of headliner. Their songs have depth and heart, making them timeless. It is going to be really exciting to watch The Killers mature as individuals and as a band.

Mumford and Sons play Lollapalooza

The band impresses as the crowd disappoints

 

 

As soon as The Lumineers finished up their last song on the Lakeshore Stage Saturday night, Mumford & Sons began their headlining set with the powerful and beautiful song “Babel” off of their album of the same name. What should have been an incredible 3 hours of music from the two best indie folk rock acts in decades, became a setting for the crowd to talk. You could barely even hear the Lumineers over the gabby chatter boxes and while Mumford and Sons were louder, that just encouraged the crowd to shout so their friends could hear them over that pesky background music. “Not to get all Andy Rooney on you”, but come on Chicago, you're better than this.

This headlining set at Lollapalooza was Mumford & Sons first show since bassist Ted Dwayne survived his emergency brain surgery, which forced the band to cancel several shows including the Bonnaroo Music Festival. Mumford acknowledged this by declaring, “Ted's Alive, yes!” Keyboardist Ben Lovett and banjo player Winston Marshall applauded along with the crowd and Dwayne appeared to be blushing from the attention

 

When Mumford & Sons played their hits, “Little Lion Man” and set closer “The Cave”, the crowd became energized and attentive. These all too brief interludes were what the entire show should have been. The crowd singing and dancing as a collective whole while Marcus Mumford strums his guitar like it's his only mission in life while participating in impossibly good harmonies with the rest of the band. The sole cover in the set was a beautiful, acoustic rendition of Bruce Springsteen's “I'm On Fire”, in which the entire band surrounded one microphone and softly sang the love song. Bassist Ted Dwayne’s back-up vocals were especially moving. The only reason fans could hear this magical moment was because before the song, Marcus Mumford announced to the crowd that they were going to do something quiet and special. “It requires that we all shut the fuck up for a minute,” he instructed in a charming, but effective way.

I have seen hundreds, if not thousands of shows in my day and the more accessible and popular the band, the worse the talking becomes. The new phenomenon that Mumford and Son's set presented was that people wanted to talk, but they also wanted to be close to the band. They wanted to take photos of themselves with the stage in the background and hop up onto their boyfriend's shoulders so that they could bask in the glory of being seen. Perhaps real music geeks who actually want to hear the show just aren't compatible with the general population that indulge in radio friendly hits. Maybe people are getting ruder and more self involved. Or maybe, I was just in the wrong place and I should have went to go see “The Postal Service” with a crowd who actually wants to experience the show. 

Full Setlist

1. Babel
2. Little Lion Man
3. Whispers in the Dark
4. Winter Winds
5. Holland Road
6. Below My Feet
7. Timshel
8. I Will Wait
9. Lover of the Light
10. Thistle & Weeds
11. Ghosts That We Knew
12. Hopeless Wanderer
13. Roll Away Your Stone
14. Awake My Soul
15. Dust Bowl Dance
     
    Encore:
16. Lovers' Eyes
17. I'm on Fire
    (Bruce Springsteen cover)
18. The Cave

The Killers perform at Lollapalooza

The Las Vegas boys know how to put on a show!

The Killers set up the sold out Lollapalooza crowd for a hit filled, high energy show when they kicked off their headlining set with their mega-hit “Mr. Brightside”, off their debut album “Hot Fuzz”. The crowd erupted into a dance party that continued throughout the show, making The Killers set at Lollapalooza one of the most fun in years. Equally as impressive as the bands ability to command a crowd was their sheer musicianship. Drummer, Ronnie Vannucci Jr., proved that he is a serious heavy hitter, anchoring the fast paced set as guitarist, Dave Keuning, shredded in an exquisite way that we haven't seen since the early nineties.

Past influences could be detected throughout the night as The Killers plowed through a number of covers. First up was “I Think We're Alone Now”, Flowers noting that pop star Tiffany stole the song from Tommy James & the Shondell's announcing that, “We're here to take it back.” Later in the set, The Killers put their spin on the old standard, “My Kind of Town”, infusing the Sinatra classic with modern sports references and of course, a shout out to Lollapalooza. The greatest moment of the past co-mingling with the present was when Bernard Sumner of New Order joined the headliners on stage for “Shadowplay”, a cover of New Order's predecessor Joy Division. Singer, Brandon Flowers, seemed genuinely in awe of playing with Sumner and the crowd reveled in the moment.

Brandon Flowers subscribes to the Bruce Springsteen school of showmanship, leaving it all on the stage and having a great time doing it. Flowers sounded fantastic and had the crowd in the palm of his hand, leading them in chants of “I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier” during “All These Things That I've Done” and making sure that everyone brought their dancing shoes for “From Here On Out” off of their 2012 album, “Battle Born”. As the night came to a close, Flowers playfully taunted the crowd asking, “Did we forget to play anything?” After hearing a single, very telling, guitar note, the crowd broke out into applause and joined Flowers in a sing-a-long of “When You Were Young”, bringing the night to a euphoric end.

With their second headlining set at Lollapalooza, The Killers have solidified their status as modern rock gods. Their songs excel at storytelling and have a depth that most bands don't dare to explore. With their keen hit-making ability, The Killers are going to have a long, rich career that like a fine wine will get even better with time.

Full Setlist

Mr. Brightside

Spaceman

The Way It Was

Smile Like You Mean It

Bling (Confession of a King)

(with 'Human' piano intro)

Shadowplay

(Joy Division cover) (with Bernard Sumner)

Miss Atomic Bomb

Human

Somebody Told Me

I Think We're Alone Now

(Tommy James & the Shondells cover)

For Reasons Unknown

From Here On Out

A Dustland Fairytale

My Kind of Town

(Frank Sinatra cover) 

Read My Mind

Runaways

All These Things That I've Done

When You Were Young