Langerado Day 3 pt 2: I was almost killed before I saw REM

Posted by Brian Waters

Langerado :: 03.08 :: Big Cypress :: Florida

During a break in between band sets, I ventured over to the media tent to take down some quick notes. It was planned to be my break away from everything to upload pictures, charge my cell phone, and report back to Lightning 100. Again mother nature took wrath against the lonely intern with her mighty breathes of wind. Before anyone typing away on their laptops could notice, a gust of wind wrenched the four foot spikes from the ground and lifted half the tent into the air. As I go to hastily gather all my gear, I can hear the spikes flailing around colliding on the fence two feet in front of myself and more importantly my mac book. It reminded me of hearing The Heavy Pets the night before, but this time I was almost killed with spikes. The thought of being impaled by a four foot tent spike just before I saw R.E.M. in my mind would be considered a crime. The stage crew later took down the media tent to leave two couches, three tables, and an area to hold press coverage in the middle of an open field. The rest of the festival the press would spent all of it's time in the hot sun, watching shows just like everyone else.

So after my near death impaling with at the media tent the next show on coming up would be Dr. Dog at the Chickee Hut stage. Dr. Dog’s set of psychedelic rock was just what I needed to forget the amount of safe haven that had been destroyed. Possible being one of the best shows at Langerado, Dr. Dog kept convincing me to take more pictures of the band than any other. Scott McMicken swaps off on the mic with Toby Leaman on a good number of their songs which makes it a hard decision on whose vocals to enjoy more.

Missing the tail end of Dr. Dog set to support Nashvillian Ben Folds I walked up to a song that didn’t really fit his normal song tones. Who ever thought Ben Folds would have enough Compton influences as he covered "Bitches Ain’t Shit" by Dr. Dre. While watching Ben Folds it was apparent that there were an extra amount of beach balls on the left side of the audience. The wind that had already knocked over my tent twice today was also affecting the trajectory of the beach balls as well. I later noticed one eager fan jumped at the chance to grab a fallen beach ball to later launch it back into the crowd. The short fan jumped into the air to get the most velocity gained to her hit to have the wind return the favor with the ball gliding back to her to thump in the face. It made me laugh just as much as the Dre cover.

After seeing Thievery Corporation perform with a full band at the last Echo Project in Atlanta, doubts in my mind were stirring on how this show would compare. Thievery Corporation still had a good amount of members with them, but this time the set had a little more of a DJ influence on the overall sound of the music.

Langerado also offered live artist painting to artist as advertised in the Langerado itinerary. As the artist stroking to the rhythm of the music, the allusion that I could do the same given an ipod. Also while trying to get a better picture of the artist I hastily yanked by security out the photo pit before any mention that our time was up.

After Thievery Corporation set we were placed in a perfect place to view R.E.M. As Michael Stipe walked out supporting a green Obama shirt, he initiate the long over due show with "What’s the Frequency". Seconds after finishing the first song, Michael Stipe threw his Obama shirt to barely miss the audience. A kind photographer later threw the shirt to some fortunate fan. Even with the stage headed stage lights of the Everglades stage, Stipe during the song "Dive" put on a button up shirt and matching white jacket. Even the artist understood the chilling temperature as fans manage past it while watching R.E.M. though a mixture of frozen breath and cigarette smoke. During the R.E.M., I was standing with a group of people who were lucking to be listening to R.E.M. with one of their foremost vocal fans. Between each song, before the crowd could get done applauding, the drunken king of R.E.M. fans would shout out "Man on the Moon". With each holler his voice would slowly become raspier with fewer repetitions for the fans favorite song. Only he would know his real allegiance to the song. It could be to Andy Kaufman or mistakenly Jim Carey portraying Kaufman. My guess is that it was the only REM song he could remember the name to that is embedded into the chorus. All I asked for was for him for was to be quiet during "Losing My Religion". Ironically the super fan lost his voice by the time R.E.M. ended with "Man on the Moon", I almost felt bad.

After thinking that Man Man won the title of the most convincing band imitated a group of drunken pirate, I was able to witness a close second and possible separated at birth twin sister the Yard Dogs Road Show. Adding a 1930's traveling circus element to the show the Yard Dogs Road Show made the set feel like each song was an act. The band also reminded me of the junk yard gang from Fat Albert, but with an additional treat of three gorgeous burlesque type dancers instead of the large man in red. The Yard Dogs were the first band I have seen to have someone play an accordion during a tap solo while she was singing.

After being extremely distress about the last minute movement of Dan Deacon to a different stage due to daylight saving time, the Yard Dogs restored retracted my angry before I went to sleep to a peaceful night of no storms.