Boasting an ultra-convenient trip onto the San Francisco Bay, the second annual Treasure Island Music Festival brought headliners Justice, TV on the Radio, Tegan and Sara and the Raconteurs for a long-winded two days.
Just as the national festival season gets longer and more dense, Treasure Island had its own stereotypical highlights: A Rihanna cover by Tegan and Sara, a way-too-loud set from France’s Justice with a wall of fake amplifiers and amusingly colorful costumes adorned by CSS and Goldfrapp.
Organized loosely by musical similarity – electronic-related acts on Saturday, Sept. 20 and indie rock on Sunday, Sept. 21 – the bill lost a little of the strength it had in its opening year in terms of impressive guests.
But what was lost in such regard, Another Planet Entertainment and Noise Pop compensated for with a games area, various festival “greening” measures and a newly introduced local artist campsite with interactive tents.
Probably the strength of this year’s festival was its sampling of local upcoming performers, many being Davis frequenters: Tegan and Sara, The Dodos, Port O’Brien, The Frail, The Morning Benders and Or, the Whale. All said performances were just as confident and energetic as bigger acts. Port O’Brien successfully engaged its audience at the Tunnel Stage during their set, providing makeshift percussion instruments and conducting sing-alongs to their tunes.
Compared to the recent first annual Outside Lands Festival in Golden Gate Park, Treasure Island functioned better due to restrictions on attendance and mobility to and from the grounds. The travel time to the Island from AT&T Park averaged 30 minutes and was entertaining at that. Bauer’s “Intelligent Transportation” buses showed Current Television shorts to orient festival goers as well as provoke some laughs with the short “Texting Your Way to Love,” viewable on their website current.com.
For a comprehensive recap of the festival, visit treasureislandfestival.com or Current TV’s website coverage.
– Text and photo by Nicole L. Browner
