In total, Summerset 2016 was precisely everything it was expected to be; throngs of sweaty, exalted people all in one place to do exactly one thing – dance. One of the most special things about Summerset, and upon which they have built their reputation, is being a place open to all individuals to shout, scream, dance and laugh the weekend away. This year possessed no less of an inviting atmosphere, and as a media agent on behalf of WSUM 91.7fm, I was lucky enough to witness it all.
Arriving shortly after 2pm, I forced myself to hastily set up camp in order not to miss some of the very first acts of the festival. Practically jogging, I reached Porn and Chicken's set just as things were getting hot. When I say hot, imagine summertime, the smell of barbeque chicken, human sweat and banging music and you'll have a perfect idea of Porn and Chicken's set. It was the perfect energy boost after a long four hour drive from Madison to get my blood pumping for the rest of the weekend. The intensity of their show is only an echo of their weekly Chicago performances, but for the half hour I was there, my socks were definitely rocked. If you want to learn more about the band Porn and CHicken itself, check out our interview with them on WSUM's Soundcloud.
With my ears pounding and blood still pumping from Porn and Chicken's crazy set, I rushed to catch the tail end of one of my favorite bands at Summerset, Lewis Del Mar. True to form, Lewis Del Mar was center stage and playing with all their passion. Luckily, there was not much of a crowd so I was able to be right in front, close enough to see Danny Miller sweat as he and the band played off their new EP. With the crowd being so small, this show gave off an intimate feeling, one which the band capitalized on as they showed various fans in the crowd dancing as their background on stage.
Although I was only able to skirt by their set, the music from Madison band Oh My Love wafted its way past my ear, and to my delight, I saw the crowd entirely enjoying the times. Having recently released a new album, Oh My Love is on track to reimagine and remaster themselves as a up and coming new wave pop band. Their presence on stage shows just how much effort they put into their new work and the energy emanating from the stage certainly got the crowd excited too. If you want to learn more about Oh My Love, it just so happens that I was able to catch up with the duo for an interview, which you can find on WSUM's Soundcloud!
Towards the evening hours, as the rain began to drizzle, the music drew me towards the big top tent where Emancipator had just begun his set. Using the dusk to his advantage, Emancipator's music was an opportunity for the crowd to swing and sway to a more laid back, electronic vibes. Accompanied by a violin and a fantastic light show, Emancipator showcased a lot of new music, as well as old classics from his first couple albums. The mix of new and old music certainly enhanced the performance for me, and I'm sure the rest of the crowd as well (indicated by their cheers and raised hands duh).
A set that I did not expect to see, but fortunately wandered past, was Mija. Besides knowing that she was an emerging DJ with heavy hitting beats, I was impressed by how she finessed the transitions between songs, making her whole show seem like one completed mix. Later on at the afterparty was yet another chance for Mija to showcase her talent…by the way, she killed it.
The first day of Summerset culminated in Chance the Rapper's and the Social Experiment's performance on the main stage. Even before anyone in the crowd could see him, they all heard Chance's iconic “ahhhooh” (it translates poorly in written form) to which the crowd in its entirety echoed. From there, things only got better as Chance started the show off with a bang, making sure that both him and The Social Experiment were front and center. Playing from all of his recent releases, Chance most toted Acid Rap, but still evened out the performance with tracks from Coloring Book that ended the night on a high note.
Day Two:
Waking up, it was already clear that the weather had taken a turn. No longer were us festival goers to be treated with overcast skies and light drizzles. Instead, Saturday, along with amazing music, also brought such heat that during my walks around the festival grounds, it was not uncommon to spy whole groups cowering underneath canopies with bags of ice on their faces.
Nevertheless, Saturday greeted me like a kick in the face when I arrived to Flatbush Zombies. I figured that since it was only 5pm, people would still be hiding in the shade and hydrating. Instead, Flatbush Zombies had attracted a full crowd. Personally, I had never seen them live, despite the group coming through Madison multiple times, so I was unprepared for the rowdiness that ensued. Taking turns, each member took the stage to perform, each with their own energy and style. After a couple moshpits, bruised and battered, I looked around only to see everyone else still carrying on! This was easily one of my favorite shows of the festival.
At long last, darkness came and with it came one of the best performances of the festival – Grimes. Since I have only recently become familiar with her music, I was unsure of what to expect when it came time for her performance. Curious, I fought my way to the front so as to not miss a thing, and when the time came, I was glad I stood my ground. Grimes is a multitalented, self-taught artist, one who took her passion and flew with it. From the moment she leaped onto the stage, I could tell it was something special. Grimes took the mike as if she had been born with it in her hand, surprising me with the clarity of her vocals despite the heavy synth beats. Not only did Grimes sing, she also finessed the keyboard wonderfully all the while still stomping her foot to the beat. In terms of a purely entertaining and well done show, Grimes took the cup for this year at Summerset.
Day Three:
Everyone that has been to a multi-day camping/music festival knows that by the third sunrise, it is a act of will to rise again and put on your dancing shoes. For anyone that has yet to experience Summerset, or any other music festival for that matter, I'll just say that it is totally worth it despite the previous late nights.
Sunday, while the shortest of the three days, certainly did not skimp on the music lineup. My first endeavor sought to check out a band I had heard of, but personally never seen or listened to before. Thus, arriving at Sunsquabi, I was pleasantly surprised to see an arrangement of various instruments, such as a sax and trumpet, accompanying the DJ stand. As the set kicked off, I was immediately reminded of the Floozies in the sense that Sunsquabi's sole purpose was to jam until they could jam no more. The entire experience was made all the more enjoyable as I looked around to see practically every individual in the tent also gettin' down – I even spied a couple geriatric looking folks who looked to be doing a little jig in the back.
The next act I passed through was that of Milwaukee native Webster X. Situated in the Saloon tent, a smaller, more personal venue, I saw Webster X taking full advantage of the cozy atmosphere by interacting with the crowd as much as possible. Webster X's raps follow suit of fellow rap artists Kendrick Lamar and Chance the Rapper, as the topics addressed step outside the realm of drinking and drugs to confront social issues prevalent in Milwaukee, as well as the country in terms of racial prejudice and injustice. Combined with the intimate space he was performing in, Webster X's delivery was impressive.
Yet another artist I had only heard of, Marshmello was the next performance I saw. As I crested the hill leading into the main stage area, it was clear that I had made the right decision to attend, since the entire space in front of the stage was already packed. Masked and mysterious, Marshmello wasted no time in blasting the bass. Immediately I noticed that the crowd had a higher level of excitement than normal for the typical 7pm performance, leading me to confirm my hypothesis that Marshmello's reputation proceeded him. Even in the back of the crowd I felt the enthusiasm and ecstasy ubiquitously present.
After exhausting myself at Marshmello, my troop and I mustered ourselves to make our way to the Big Top in order to catch Gramatik. I'll say now that it was a hard decision between seeing Gramatik or Logic, but either way it was a win. Arriving at Gramatik's set about halfway through, what first interested me was the cascade of lights from the stage. Known for a stunning light show that accompanies his music, Gramatik did not disappoint and as the sky grew darker the lights only became more enchanting. Acoustically, I found that Gramatik's music resonated in the stage area rather well, which helped accent the various instrumental samples he often uses.
The last and final performance of Summerset 2016 was Skrillex. By now we have all become familiar with his music, as Skrillex consistently adapts his mixes to accommodate the progression in popular music to a more pop oriented state. That said, Skrillex did not mince any beats and without a doubt went heavy on the bass when playing his more electronic music. Impressive to say the least, I enjoy the fact that Skrillex does not confine himself to only one genre of music, instead toying with several to create a unique show that can cater to a large audience.
In conclusion, Summerset 2016 proved to be just as fulfilling as expected. The entire festival was well run, with lines being minimally annoying and security as efficacious as possible. Camping was, of course, rough and muddy at times, but not to the discontent of anyone I saw. In fact, the main reason I enjoy music festivals is that everyone, sans those still hungover from the night before, is there to have a good time regardless of their lives outside of the festival. In a purely Dionysian mentality, music proves to be the true catalyst that can still elevate everyone to a higher plain.
