Past INmusic Festival lineups & sets (Archive)

I can't say I'm exactly thrilled with the lineup this year, especially after day one.
The Partibrejkers were supposed to play later on, and while the crowd was pretty thin, they still delivered that solid R&B sound we expect.

It was my first time catching some of these acts, so here are my raw thoughts (if anyone actually cares for a totally unbiased opinion):
Goribor: (rating: bad) Honestly? Boring and pretentious. After about four songs, I lost all appetite for watching the singer's dramatic poses.
Arcade Fire: (rating: neutral) A bit clunky. They’re a high-quality band and they clearly put in the work, but they just lacked that spark—you know, that "life" that seems missing from indie rock lately.
The Gentlemen: (rating: good) I drifted over to see them right after Arcade Fire. It’s not really my style, and the guy forcing a Jamaican accent is enough to drive me crazy, but they weren't bad. Actually, they had a great set with tons of energy from both the band and the crowd.
EDIT: Right after them, some band came on whose name I don't even know and frankly don't care to learn. They sounded like a group that shouldn't be on any stage anywhere. Everyone I talked to felt the same way—even random people walking by.
The do: (rating: good) Such a pleasant surprise! They play well, connect with the audience, and the whole performance was super energetic.
Jamiroquai: (rating: neutral) Just a guy in an Adidas tracksuit and a hat singing disco (yeah, yeah, I know it's not *actually* disco...). It was crowded, sure, but I expected more energy from him. My impression was that his vibe usually relies on being high-energy, but it looks like he might have aged a little too much for that.

Does anyone know how much a beer costs? I'm heading out there tonight.

wanderingtrucker9 said:Anyone know how much a beer is running these days? I'm heading out tonight.

$6.75

Wait, so the wristbands turn white in two days, right?

Roger Nelson5 said:Arcade Fire: (rating: neutral) It was a bit of a slog; the band is solid and the performance itself was decent enough—they clearly put in the work—but there’s just no soul in them which feels like the standard issue problem with indie rock these days

Man. Seriously? 😕 Wait, you mean they didn't play Wake Up? How are you supposed to get any kind of emotional payoff without that? Or maybe Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)? Though, knowing them, I'm pretty sure they did throw those into the setlist.

I'd love to hear what else people think about Arcade Fire, since I'm actually headed to see them at Lollapalooza in less than a month.

Here are a few thoughts from my side:

1. Honestly, I’ve got to vent about the organizers because they only set up four measly stations for the wristbands. They knew perfectly well that with such a messy schedule, there was going to be a massive rush right before Arcade Fire hit the stage, yet they did absolutely nothing to prepare... It would have been so much easier if they just handed them out while checking tickets instead of wasting everyone's time with that clicking mechanism. I showed up to the entrance around 9:10 PM and ended up stuck in a miserable half-hour crawl just to get that thing...

2. By the time I finally made it to Sprawl ii, I was about thirty minutes late, and honestly, I was so frazzled that Arcade Fire didn't even sound that special at first. Weirdly enough, the songs from Funeral sounded like their best stuff live, even though that's usually my least favorite album of theirs. Toward the end, though, everything just clicked into place, and if you ignore that one careless and totally unnecessary comment from the American representative, you could really say they lived up to being one of the best rock bands out there today. My only tiny gripe is the lack of an encore; they really could have come back for just one more song, just one... That’s part of the whole concert experience, the thing that separates a live show from a studio album and why people bother showing up in the first place. I get that festival sets don't give a band much room to breathe, but if Jamiroquai could pull off an encore, they could have too...

3. Took a little breather with Burak som sistem before Jamiroquai, but man, what a disaster. We were all listening to their Essential Mix on Stojedinica about a month ago before heading out this Saturday, and they were playing such incredible music back then. This production of theirs wasn't even close; it was just cheap beats and effects with three guys—not being racist, mind you, I'd say the same if they were white—just churning out some random tunes... What a mess.

4. Jamiroquai was surprisingly good, even though they weren't even on my "must-see" list. They're such a huge band, lots of funky improvisations on most tracks, pure funk. Jay Kay was cool as always. It was a great cross-section of their whole career, though I really missed hearing Virtual Insanity. The final track, Deeper Underground, was absolutely killer live, and the same goes for Love Foolosophy. All in all, a pretty awesome set, even though I rarely listen to them outside of the radio. And hey, they actually found it easy enough to come back for an encore. Oh, and it was pretty hilarious watching all those people who clearly have zero sense of rhythm trying to keep up with Jay... Seriously, for every white guy who actually knows how to dance, there are a thousand others who have no clue...

Chloe Howard29 said:Huh? 😕Wait, they didn't play Wake Up? Where else are you going to get a bigger rush than that? Or Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)? BTW, I know for a fact they played it.

I'm looking for more takes on Arcade Fire, because I'm catching them at Lollapalooza in less than a month.

Look, as a massive fan, a huge admirer, and basically the world's biggest Arcade Fire devotee, I can confirm this for you.
I don't know if it was the organizers cutting corners on the gear, but we were about ten rows back from the stage—basically right there—and the sound was just constant. We could have had a normal conversation without shouting over the noise and still been heard. You just can't put on a real show with audio like that. On top of that, the whole set felt muddy. Their studio recordings are so incredibly rich and perfect that even half of that magic coming to life is a feat. It felt like the band was too focused on the technical execution of everything and ended up losing themselves in the process. Sure, Win left blood, sweat, and tears on that stage, but all in all? The concert was boring. And I never thought I’d be the guy saying that about AF. I talked to a guy who saw them in an indoor venue in Manchester, and he said they were slightly better there, but it’s pretty much the same story. Regina was out of tune quite a bit, and the other vocals weren't anything to write home about either. It picked up a little near the end, but overall, a total letdown.

After that, I headed over to The Gentlemen, who were awesome, then hung out for fifteen minutes for a mediocre—but still way better than expected—set by Jamiroquai, and then headed straight home. My suspicions are being confirmed: worst Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival ever. First time I've actually regretted spending the money.

Waiting to see if Sitek and the crew change my mood tomorrow.

And don't even get me started on the wristbands. Forty minutes of standing around like an idiot waiting in line? Absolutely brutal.

Honestly, I think they'll lose half their crowd in three or four years, and Terraneo will become the new Lollapalooza.

Chloe Howard29 said:Huh? 😕Wait, they didn't play Wake Up? What kind of experience were you looking for then? Or maybe Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)? By the way, I know for a fact they did play that one.

I’m really curious to hear what else people think about Arcade Fire, since I’m catching them live at Lollapalooza in less than a month.

Look, they played well enough, but that specific sound just doesn't click with me. There were plenty of people on stage, they clearly put in the effort and everything, but it’s just not my vibe.

When I said I hadn't heard those songs, I meant I hadn't heard them *live*. To be honest, Jamiroquai is pretty much the only one I've actually heard before. Everything else is new territory for me, which is why I'm being so "neutral." Actually, scratch that—it's not neutral, I just have my own tastes.

I just sat here and listened to "Wake Up" on YouTube... and man, in terms of pure energy and character... 👎

Back when Goribor was playing, I was just thinking, "Okay buddy, you finished your beer, now let's get this concert moving."
When Arcade Fire played, my thought was more like, "I really hope these guys have decent lyrics."

People go absolutely crazy for Arcade Fire, and while they aren't a bad band by any means, I think the hype is a little over the top.

With songs like these, I don't see them ever reaching the level of, say, The Pogues. And honestly, they're much more my style. 🙂 But hey, whatever Pitchfork says, right?

Arthur Garcia59 said:I'm not sure if the organizer just cheaped out on the gear, but we were about ten rows back from the stage—pretty close—and the noise was constant.

That’s honestly what separates top-tier sound systems from the rest. You actually hear the band, catch every single note, and can still have a normal conversation. You don't deal with that muddy, buzzing mess you get from busted local setups where you're forced to scream like a maniac while they play. The real issue here was the mix itself; it was poorly executed because the high end was totally washed out. Everything from the organ to the accordion and even the strings just got swallowed up. The crowd looked totally checked out, though maybe that was just the trauma from waiting forever in those damn wristband lines.

btw, were you wearing that Robyn shirt? If so, I definitely heard your complaints through the whole set. They were driving me nuts! 🙂

The CIA looked great performing; the guys really put in the work and managed to pass that energy onto the crowd, even if the set felt a little one-note at times... Everything looked pretty solid overall... I’m definitely salty they didn't come out for an encore, though—one extra song wouldn't have killed them! Plus, Winston's crowd work was a bit awkward... Look, I'm not being intense, but why bring up the old Yugoslavian national team?? If you don't know the history, just keep it quiet; none of us were expecting anything more than a good show, but honestly, they were awesome... especially when they ripped through Civil War, which I totally wasn't expecting

George Lopez77 said:I’m not a nationalist or anything, but why bring up the old Yugoslavian national team??

The reason people mention the old Yugoslavian squad is because they were telling him at the basketball game how that '90s team could have actually taken on the Dream Team—that was probably the hook for him. Talking about the US wouldn't have hit the same. What we could've seen back in Barcelona... honestly, any huge basketball fan around here gets why. That old team had absolute legends like Kukoc, Petrovic, Radja, Peras, and Komazec, plus Zdovc, Paspalj, Obradovic, and Dikembe Mutombo, all coached by Dušan Ivković.

Adam Moore said:The old US national team from back in the day gets all the hype because people kept telling him they’d basically be the Dream Team if they played in the 90s—which he thought was way cooler than talking about any other team. Like what we could've seen in Barcelona. Most basketball fans around here would totally agree; that squad had absolute legends like Chuck Daly on the sidelines, plus heavy hitters like Dikembe Mutombo, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Karl Malone.

Oh yeah... and what was that thing he mentioned before the Intervention... something about Catholics?🤷

Adam Moore said:That old Yugoslav squad was stacked—we’re talking Chuck Daly coaching guys like Dikembe Mutombo, alongside absolute legends.

Wait, are you actually trying to imply that Dikembe Mutombo is a better center than Arapovic?! 😉

Roger Nelson5 said:Are you seriously trying to tell me Dikembe Mutombo is a better center than Arapovic?! 😉

Man, forget Mutombo... Chill out, Franjo Arapovic is the GOAT. Pure legend status.😂