Liars closed out Saturday night's Northside Festival show. (Photos copyright 2010, Steven P. Marsh)
The Northside Festival in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, seemed an odd affair. The music was presented on a small, chain-link-fence-enclosed patch of blacktop on the waterfront at the apex of Commercial and Dupont streets. It was a very unlikely looking place for a music venue.
Little Liars: Liars singer Angus Andrew's niece and nephew grooved vigorously to the noise rock.
But looks are often deceiving, and this festival, sponsored by L Magazine, proved no exception to that notion. The Saturday night show, only the second rock show ever hosted at the Newtown Barge Terminal Playground, as the site is officially named, featured Liars as headliners with Fucked Up and High Places as openers. It was fantastic. The only shame was that so few people came out for it. The venue appeared to be at half capacity at best, even if you counted the freeloaders who took in a virtually unobstructed view from just outside the venue’s fence.
The music was great. Although I went to hear Fucked Up, a Toronto band that is one of the most energetic punk units active today, I was pretty impressed by the other acts as well.
Liars kept the crowd entranced for a long set of noise rock with the vocal stylings of Angus Andrew.
Freeloaders: It was easy to see and hear the whole show without paying a dime.
But Fucked Up really blew the place up, with singer Damian Abraham’s crowd-hugging and can-smashing antics in addition to mind-blowingly fast and loud songs.
They say a picture’s worth 1,000 words. With Fucked Up, a picture’s worth twice that. So take in these visuals:
Fucked Up arrives onstage with Damian chewing up and spitting out pages of he Northside Festival program booklet.
Fucked Up on stage.
Damian crushes his first can of the night.
Damian tries a 40.
Click through to the jump for many more amazing photos of Fucked Up and the other opener, High Places.
Here's what happens when Northside hipsters try to mosh to Fucked Up.
Damian is full of joy.
Inappropriate touching: Fucked Up's Damian loves hugging members of his audience.
Damian steels himself for another can crush.
Touching more strangers.
Damian's down but definitely not out.
High Places kick off the show before dark.
High Places, a DIY collaborative duo of Robert Barber
Intensity: Robert Barber of High Places
Voices carry: Mary Pearson of High Places.
and Mary Pearson, who recently relocated to Los Angeles from Brooklyn, kicked things off shortly after 6:30 with a solid set of intriguing, beat-heavy indie rock. They’re next seen in NYC at the Whitney Museum this Friday with Tori Y Moi. Click here for more info.
Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone? 