Day one of Super Fest showcased the established dance acts starting with the grungy Guidance Counselor who shared some new songs in their set illustrating their evolution from merely beats and synths to something much more.
Going well into the past, former Dandy Warhol Eric Hedford went in a new direction with his simple project Hedford Vachal. Although there was only a light crowd, Hedford and co. had bodies moving with their easy-to-follow patterns. Marius “Copy” Libman and punk duo Panther, meanwhile, took the crowd back a couple of years to a time when the Portland dance scene was either fully electro or fully punk.
But, the crowd had been buzzing all evening anticipating the return of seminal, tech-savvy duo YACHT. Since last performing in Portland over a year ago, Jona Bechtolt and Claire Evans had changed their live performance from a happy-go-lucky internet journey to a downright dance affair. Their recent signing to DFA Records was obvious as they’ve moved their sound to something more like the other artists on the label. Changing labels didn’t change their energy as both still possess the same flare that has put them on the international map (see picture below).
Before even stepping into Rotture on day two, it was apparent that the night’s show would serve as a glimpse into the future as the crowd, predominantly under 18, was there to see headliners Star-f-er. That future looks bright as Kill Rock Stars’ freshest band Explode Into Colors killed their set with a mix of tribal drums and audible screams that meshed into an excellent, danceable medley. Being less than a year old, they’ve transformed from a basement jam session into, conceivably, Portland’s next big thing.
Suffering from anticipation for the next band, experimental duo Nice Nice put on their first show in over two years to a less than excited crowd. What was amazing about Nice Nice is that most of their samples and loops were made on the spot; something that very few on the floor could appreciate. They suffered from being at the wrong place at the wrong time and it was terribly unfair. Literally, the second they cleared from the stage, people began pushing towards the front to get the best possible spot for Star-f-er, whose live shows seem to get a bigger draw every time they play.
And of course, they didn’t disappoint running the gamut of their discography, while making it clear that Portland dance music is becoming more electronic than anything else. In an overly aggressive crowd that chanted “one more song!” as soon as they walked off stage, the band was humbled, as they had never been asked to do an encore before. And it’s clear that they, and Super Fest, will have many encores to come.
What came out of the weekend was that Portland is gearing up to export one, two, or even three of its house show acts onto the national circuit. Our city has a band to appeal to every growing trend in the dance genre. Bands like YACHT shone the spotlight on Portland’s dance scene, but acts like Explode Into Colors and Star-f-er are about to make that light much, much brighter.
More pictures and notes from the weekend...
Atole (featuring Super Fest organizer Manny Reyes) brought the crowd on stage in an early celebration of their forthcoming album.
Advantageous crowd members trickled on stage during Star-f-er's headlining set Sunday night.
Miss the festival this weekend? Many of the acts are doing shows around town in the coming weeks: What's Up? and Guidance Counselor play July 4th at Holocene (with Dirty Projectors) and in the Brooklyn neighborhood, respectively. Explode Into Colors plays July 15th at Holocene. YACHT headlines the PDX Pop Now! Free Show outside City Hall July 16th.
(All photo credits to Geoff Nudelman)
