107.7 The End Summer Camp 2014
Marymoor Park, Redmond, WA
08.09.14
Seattle’s go-to alternative radio station, 107.7 The End, put on another great Summer Camp at Marymoor Park on Saturday. The all-day affair, which ran from about 1:00 to 10:00, saw a sold out audience and a generally amazing ambiance. The sun was shining, the music was killer, and all was right with the world as we sat on the green, green grass…
There were plenty of accommodations around the park, including an array of food trucks, lots of picnic tables, multiple beer and wine huts, and of course plenty of space to pick a spot and park your blanket. The stage area also had generous floor room, so one could enjoy the show up close and dance the evening away. 107.7 was also very accessible if anybody wished to stop by their tent and say hello. GregR, Pepper, Manley, and Zach, the friendly voices on the other end, introduced the bands throughout the night, in addition to some random chatter and comic relief. They’re all a bunch of lovable goofballs!
Supporting this year’s Summer Camp were Chaplin’s Bellevue Volkswagen, Xfinity, Kokanee, and the USMC. Check out this year’s lineup in the photos below and find out who performed a secret set for the Camp Fire Sing Along slot! And no, it was not GregR, thankfully.
Review by T. Monte
Photos by Sunny Martini
Phantogram
After an obligatory wait, the headliner for Summer Camp 2014 finally took the stage in screaming darkness. Moody and mysterious, Phantogram members Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel brought an absolute magic to the stage. Deep red lights backlit their shaded forms as they danced away to their mechanical madness. Technical difficulties plagued the first two songs, and in the fix, Carter told the mass they were here to “celebrate life and love and music.” Phantogram jammed for nearly an hour, playing a clutch of hits, including Fall In Love and Black Out Days. They capped off a day that, in all reality, couldn’t get much better.
Bleachers
As the sun grew dimmer, Bleachers took the stage in glorious, rock star fashion. They made the most of their time, striking a great balance of chatter, energy, and music. They wedged a cover of The Cranberries’ Dreams into their set list, predictably saving their hit I Wanna Get Better for last. Front man Jack Antonoff, also the guitarist of Fun, thanked 107.7 for hosting, adding that New York is void of having such an awesome radio station. As a child of the 80’s, Antonoff humorously told the crowd that, for anyone growing up in the 90’s, they were automatically friends. Parents with teenagers disregard.
Portugal. The Man (Camp Fire Sing Along)
This slot was billed as Camp Fire Sing Along. Luckily, it didn’t go down that way. After GregR convinced the audience to sit down and get comfy, Pepper called off the nightmare Kumbayah session before they both introduced surprise act Portugal. The Man. This band has quite a few ties to Seattle, and were already scheduled to play Marymoor the following evening. From my grassy spot, I saw folks leap off of their blankets like antelope, running to the stage in a frenzied panic. It was quite entertaining, and so was Portugal. The Man. They played a shorter set, pumping out, in order, Purple Yellow Red and Blue, All Your Light, Kilo (Ghostface Killah cover), and Evil Friends.
The Orwells
Do I have an hour to tell you about this band’s 30 minute set? Animated, hilarious, and explosive. Singer Mario Cuomo gave a fitting preface to their set: “We’ve been at home jacking off, playing with our girlfriends, watching movies, smoking doobies, but we’re baaaaack!” Running in and out of the crowd, Cuomo lamented the loss of his favorite sunglasses in the mayhem. Sorry dude. The Orwells pulled off an interlude of Build Me Up Buttercup, which was simultaneously funny and unsettling. As a package, their set was top notch. When a beer can flew in their direction, Cuomo gave this jab, summing up the collective thoughts on Seattle: “Why don’t you throw a hot cup of Seattle’s Best at me? Or how about a copy of Nevermind?” Touché.
SKATERS
Cranking it up to the next notch in what would be a very loud and amazing evening, SKATERS brought their rambunctious energy and impeccable humor to the Summer Camp stage. This group released their debut album Manhattan back in February, and, breaking from the norm, decided to play their in-your-face single Deadbolt in the third slot of eight songs. As the crowd jumped to and fro, singer Michael Ian Cummings, aka MIC, jokingly asked if there was anything he could get for them. “You guys doing alright? How about a latte?” (I don’t think this audience needs any more caffeine, MIC!) Before closing, they took the time to thank The End for being one of the first stations to play them. Rock on.
Bear Hands
What a great set. The sun was shining and the feet were moving. Bear Hands took hold of the stage and never let go, pulling the crowd out of their lunchtime lull with their catchy sound. Their sophomore album Distraction was released earlier this year to much acclaim, sending their single Giants into the alternative Top Ten. Bear Hands fed off of the energy from the crowd, which will hopefully keep them in good stead as they travel all over hell and creation this fall. Singer Dylan Rau parted with, “We love Seattle, we love you guys, have a great night!”
Wild Cub
Wild Cub brought their brand of alternative pop to the stage with a roar. Currently on tour, this band is finding a solid foundation in the states while also receiving great feedback in the UK. This group is based out of Nashville, after singer Keegan Dewitt decided that the hectic pace of a New York lifestyle didn’t allow him enough time to focus on his music. With a great cast, Wild Cub has churned out a debut album along with an album of remixes in a very short period of time. They wrapped up their Summer Camp set with their hit single Thunder Clatter.
Sir Sly
Taking the third seat was another L.A. band by the name of Sir Sly. Maybe you’ve heard of them? You have if you listen to The End. This band is rad. As we anxiously anticipate their debut album on September 16, their smash hit Gold has already found its way into infinite playlists. Singer Landon Jacobs was so pumped by the crowd that he took his first shot at crowd surfing as they played their last song, saying afterward, “thanks Seattle for being my first crowd surf ever!” This event has been well documented by photographers, and it was epic.
Bad Suns
L.A. Based Bad Suns is setting about on their fall tour, and, as a fairly young group, are running in to quite a whirlwind of excitement. Having released their debut album Language & Perspective only a few months ago, their album single Cardiac Arrest has found its way into rotation in radio stations across the country. People in Kansas are dying to see this band. They had great stage presence, as singer Christo Bowman had plenty of energy and upbeat chatter throughout their set. Bad Suns played eight songs, with their hit track in the seventh slot. I can’t wait to see these guys again.
THUMPERS
Trimming down their usual mass of friendly stage collaboration, THUMPERS duo Marcus Pepperell and John Hamson Jr. visit us from London, this time with just a few helping hands. “Normally, we have like 100 people in our band.” It’s all good, because they sounded amazing anyway, and they took the opening slot and ran away with it. Between songs, one guy in the audience shouted, “You’re the only reason I’m here today!” Awww. Somewhat speechless and super humbled, they continued to beat down the airwaves, ending their set with their hit Unkinder (A Tougher Love). “Clap your hands along, and all will be good, and we’ll all have ice cream!” Count me in, Pepperell.
