NY Times Siren Fest

[sherih]

Excellent Clint Soundbite.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/19/arts/music/19SIRE.html

A call out to all the photographers there, please post your MOB shots and link the fans up.

Sorry. that link requires you to register. Here's the pertinent quotation. Was amused that Times writer chose the same quotation that I noted on my messageboard when I posted at like 3:00 AM after the show. That Clint certainly has a memorable turn of phrase.

NY TIMES - ROCK REVIEW | SIREN MUSIC FESTIVAL
Old-Fashioned Rock 'n' Roller Coaster for Indie Fans

"We are the oldest, most naïve people in Coney Island," said Clint Conley as
he snapped a between-songs picture of the crowd. Mr. Conley's band, Mission
of Burma, formed in 1979, split up four years later, then reunited in 2001.
Mission of Burma played one of the day's most infectious sets, joyful and
unabashedly nostalgic; when Mr. Conley roared the words to "That's How I
Escaped My Certain Fate," from 1982, he seemed to be having more fun than
just about anyone else.

[hstencil]

was anybody else as disappointed as I was with the sound on the "Stillwell Ave. Stage" (as alluded to on another thread)? I mean, Burma played a blistering set, but the sound was muddy, not very loud, and quite often there were no audible harmony vocals in the mix despite the fact that you could see bandmembers singing them. It kinda sucked that, once we found a parking spot, we could hear the super-anemic Blonde Redhead from dozens of blocks away, but it was difficult to hear Burma from certain points in the designated listening area in front of the stage.

Oh well, at least I got to see Puttin' On the Ritz play in the Atlantic Ocean.

[9000]

the sound on surf avenue was abysmal. i was standing by the sound board for the ponys and fiery furnances and was completely underwhelmed (by the sound, not the bands).

i actually thought that the sound was louder and more audible at the stillwell stage, although i didn't stay long enough to catch any of the sets over there.

hard to gripe about a free show and all, but thumbs down to the two stage set-up and the sound.

perhaps the issues had to do with the bloomberg quality of life crappola.

[hstencil]

hmm, well we could hear Blonde Redhead almost to Schnell and Avenue Z (where we parked, yikes), whereas I couldn't hear Burma too well past the rock climbing wall thingy.

[9000]

perhaps they cranked things up on surf ave over the course of the day. oh well.

[sherih]

I can't believe that my thread has devolved into a continuous sound system attack. Points are well taken, but can there be no celebration of sand, surf and Burma? I'd really like to hear from one of the myriad phtographers with promises to post some of their shots. I didn't take my good camera with me because I didn't know what to expect and hold out little hope for my results.

[TheSadDebaser]

Re: Burma - I loved it, despite the circumstances they were presented in.

Re: Siren's Sound - It's always horrible. Burma's sound was the best I've heard there (not that I've really witnessed a lot of performances there.) I guess Modest Mouse's sound last year was good. But it's usually pretty awful. I'm sure this has to do with Roger's hearing.

[9000]

Originally posted by sherih
I can't believe that my thread has devolved into a continuous sound system attack. Points are well taken, but can there be no celebration of sand, surf and Burma? I'd really like to hear from one of the myriad phtographers with promises to post some of their shots. I didn't take my good camera with me because I didn't know what to expect and hold out little hope for my results.

obviously, you haven't spent much time here.

here's a suggestion: google. numerous blogs have already posted pictures.

[hstencil]

nobody's attacking Burma for the bad sound. I certainly don't think it was their fault. And I don't see how "Roger Miller's bad hearing" is to blame, either.

[Patrick]

It's all good, people. I certainly don't think it was anywhere near a classic Burma show (people who were right up front tell me otherwise), but I still enjoyed it 100%.

It was really weird being able to hear all the lyrics so clearly since the guitar was so inaudible where I was standing.

Btw, Jesper, who was more mobile than I was, claimed it that is sounded pretty good right up front, but best all the way back at Surf Avenue. Chacun à son goût, right?

Patrick

[hstencil]

whoa. Jesper's got ears of steel. I couldn't hear them halfway back to Surf.

[sherih]

I must say that I was amazed that the actual Village Voice review article from the 19th didn't mention Burma at all. Therefore I can't bring myself to post it.

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/07-20-2004/0002213827&EDATE=

And I'm still doing a call out for pictures. You know I can google with the rest of them and certainly have, including a straight image search. Perhaps I've missed something. But if you have links to these numerous blogs with pictures of MOB at Siren fest, pleast post. I guess I can only hope that when the Voice uploads event photos for 2004 there will be lots of Burma. But considering the mass of folks with well out of my price range Nikons and Canons I would hope for Burma Burma everywhere.

[9000]

http://therealjanelle.typepad.com/the_real_janelle/2004/07/siren_music_fes.html

[sherih]

thanks. Great Siren Fest shots. Main Stage? But alas, no Burma. Really was too bad that they were playing opposite Blonde Redhead.

[TheSadDebaser]

Originally posted by hstencil
nobody's attacking Burma for the bad sound. I certainly don't think it was their fault. And I don't see how "Roger Miller's bad hearing" is to blame, either.

Uh, I said they had the best sound and that Roger Miller's hearing problems were probably the reason. Because they couldn't play as loudly as the other bands.

At least I assumed that was the case.

Also: that's so idiotic that they weren't in the Village Voice's article.

[hstencil]

ah, well it was this that threw me:

But it's usually pretty awful. I'm sure this has to do with Roger's hearing.

[TheSadDebaser]

I guess I could see how that was worded poorly, but wouldn't I have to be pretty crazy to blame all of Siren Festival's problems on Roger Miller?

[hstencil]

this is the internet. Weirder theories have been posited.

[sherih]

A picture of Clint and some appropriate outrage about second/staging Burma. but I must say from what I hear that the vibe hanging in the back-area of the Stillwell stage was much better than the crowded insanity down the boardwalk.

http://www.gawker.com/topic/the-2004-siren-music-festival-in-coney-island-017853.php

No photos, but a unique reason for remembering "That's When I Reach for My Revolver."

http://www.dirtbikeannie.com/dansdill.html