Pemberton Festival - July 25-27/08

Written up a couple years after the fact...

Rather than camp, a few of us found some rooms to rent in a local's house.
The upside was the hot tub, and the bed to sleep in at the end of the long, dusty days.
The downside was they didn't tell us until we got there that they were having a family wedding in the backyard on one day and could we please be quiet. Oh!...and, no drinking in the house.
Ha ha ha. No, of course we won't!

Day 1 - July 25th: Interpol

Nine Inch Nails were the Day One headliner, but as we were tired and I've seen them before, we skipped it.

Interpol is a Post-Punk Revival favourite of mine and perhaps the main draw for me. Interpol were low-key, but I loved finally seeing them, despite Steve passing out mid-Evil due to dehydration/heat/perhaps other stuff. At least it made me realise how much I had come to like my new boyfriend. He was thankfully not completely broken, and thus useless to me!

Interpol

Interpol Setlist:
Pioneer to the Falls
Slow Hands
PDA
Narc
C'mere
No I in Threesome
The Lighthouse
Not Even Jail
Mammoth
Rest My Chemistry
Obstacle 1
Evil
Roland

Day 2 - July 26th: Tom Petty, Tragically Hip, Sam Roberts, Mates of State

Mates of State

Tom Petty was Day Two's headliner and we saw a few songs from way back from the stage, and decided to call it a day.

Mates of State were the first act of the day, and  a new discovery to me. An American Indie Pop duo composed of a husband and wife on drums and keyboards, respectively.

Next up was a Canadian act I started liking in 2003 with his song Hard Road, and album We Were Born in a Flame.

Sam Roberts

Sam Roberts' Setlist:
Love at the End of the World
Hard Road
Fixed to Ruin
Them Kids
Bridge to Nowhere
Up Sister
Brother Down
Mind Flood

Tragically Hip were fun to see live due to Gord Downey's spastic frontman act. Steve's more of a fan, but he introduced me to a couple of their songs I now like: Yer Not the Ocean and In View, both of which they played.

Tragically Hip

Tragically Hip Setlist:
Yer Not the Ocean
My Music at Work
Grace, Too
Ahead By a Century
In View
Gift Shop
Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)
World Container
Poets
Fully Completely
Bobcaygeon
Family Band
New Orleans is Sinking


Day 3 - July 27th: Coldplay, Death Cab for Cutie, The Airborne Toxic Event

Coldplay were the headliner of Day 3. I'd heard they were good live, but am suspicious of their huge popularity and the excess praise that may generate. No hype: they put on an energetic, fun, chatty show with great songs and a real connection to their audience. We stuck around for the whole set, but unfortunately I didn't get any usable photos, probably due to nightfall. The set was spread over different stages, which let more of the crowd see them up close. A nice touch.

Coldplay Setlist:
Life in Technicolour
Violet Hill
Clocks
In My Place
Viva La Vida
42
Fix You
Chinese Sleep Chant
God Put a Smile Upon Your Face
Speed of Sound
Yellow
Lost
The Scientist
Death Will Never Conquer
Encore:
Talk
Politik
Lovers in Japan
Death and All His Friends
The Escapist

The Airborne Toxic Event

Before Pemberton, I checked out all the unknown-to-me bands to see if there were any I wanted to check out live. The Airborne Toxic Event were my main discovery through Pemberton. They were good live, and I liked their songs. They went on my list to see in a club, which I did in early 2009.

The Airborne Toxic Event Setlist:
Papillon
Gasoline
Happiness is Overrated
This is Nowhere
Sometime Around Midnight
Wishing Well
Innocence

Along with Interpol, Death Cab For Cutie were a big draw for me to go to Pemberton. Also, like Interpol, they were very low-key. While I'm glad I saw both, I can't say either performance has me longing to see them again. This is the downside of festivals; they are energy black holes.

Death Cab For Cutie

Death Cab For Cutie Setlist:
Bixby Canyon Bridge
The New Year
Why You'd Want to Live Here
Crooked Teeth
Long Division
Title and Registration
I Will Possess Your Heart
Cath...
Soul Meets Body
The Sound of Settling
Transatlanticism