ATP have announced their initial batch of bands, for ATP New York in September. Renowned film maker Jim Jarmusch is now curating the Sunday. Keep your eyes peeled for more announcements soon over at the ATP website…
All Tomorrows Parties – a concept thought up by a British man with nothing but an idea and a want for good music. Chris Horgan decided that he was going to put on a festival, that included only bands that he himself liked – purely selfish, but incredibly genius. Who would have thought that ten years later, this idea would be reaching international stages and only getting bigger and better.
A Look Back at Last Year – ATP 2009
ATP New York, now in its second year, took place in Monticello New York, in the idyllic yet yesteryear like setting of the Catskills. Staged in a holiday resort that fifty years ago would have been buzzing with families, is now slightly reminiscent of something out of a David Lynch film crossed with The Shining. Somehow though, this managed to work without feeling like you were an extra in a horror film.
The most glorious and ingenious part of this festival, is that you don’t have to camp. There are beds, showers, and coffee for all. Why did no one think of this before? The resort came fully equipped with a swimming pool, tennis courts, a boating lake, a cinema with ATP decided films, and (my personal favourite) the Steve Albini curated games room. ATP’s original ethics remain even a decade later, with no corporate branding or sponsorship, no special areas, and definitely no VIP’s. In the three days I was there I walked past Nick Drake in the corridor, watched Animal Collective playing regular festival goers at table tennis, saw Wanye Coyne from the Flaming lips sauntering in a 70′s three piece suit (trying to blend in, but not quite succeeding – any wonder?); witnessed Steve Albini ordering from the fast food stand and also playing the pub quiz, and then Samuel Beam from Iron and Wine gave me his seat at the bar. What a gentleman. As opposed to major festivals, where this could possible mean mass crowding around said band members and a wrath of demented fans demanding signatures; there is an air of mutual respect from fans and musicians, who maintain this ATP etiquette.
Anyway, back to the music. Last year we had the My Bloody Valentine curated, heavily post rock flavored festival, while this year we have The Flaming Lips choosing their psychedelic idols. Here are some of my highlights.
Dirty three performed “Don’t look back”, playing the entirety of their album Ocean Songs. With good friend Nick Cave joining them on piano, their set was a visceral display of fast paced enigmatic post-rock, with front man Warren Ellis proving quite the comedian with lines such as “we’re not responsible for emo!”
A rare performance from Panda Bear demonstrated that Noah can quite easily cut it as a solo artist, standing alone with nothing but a backdrop of intense visuals and electronics alongside him. He performed his own take on a few Animal Collective songs, and successfully held the attention of the entire crowd on the main stage by himself. Quite unexpected from a character who shuns the mainstream limelight so actively.
The Boredoms performing Boardum nine. Nine drummers on stage, doing nothing but beating the hell out of their drum kits until the roadies had to dismantle them in order to get them off stage. Can you even imagine what nine drum kits in one room sounds like? This was definitely one of the most incredible performances I have ever been witness to.
Bradford Cox performing solo on the second stage, with nothing but a guitar and occasionally harmonica. Not only did he prove to be a man with songwriting talents beyond his years and a voice with Thom York like similarities, but he’s also an amateur comedian who provided one of the most hilarious sets of the festival. And he wore a visually intoxicating polka dot shirt that most grown men would be too scared to walk down the street in. Bradford later on established himself as an ATP fan favourite by hosting a late night sing-along to classics such as “Somewhere over the rainbow” and “Girls just wanna have fun” on the grand piano in the hotel foyer.
Words cannot begin to describe what incredible hosts ATP are. They continue to exceed their previous festivals year after year, with locations, artists and sumptuous extracurricular activities that music fans can only dream of. Quite simply, you’re spoilt beyond recognition by a veritable musical feast and you quite possibly will never want to go to a festival that is not run by ATP ever again. Seriously.
