The National – Winner – Brooklyn former lo-fi, baritone based rock band reach the big time after 14 years of slogging through it but there is a question they need to answer: do they deserve to be there? At Barclay Center on Wednesday night, the National offered a resounding answer: yes they do, loudness does not always signify fury and simply a willingness to bring the screens, keep the lights on, and play for 18,000 fans proves the band are where they should. That they did it well was an added plus.
Loser – Governor’s Ball Day One -Look, if you are having a music festival in the middle of July and you get three days of rain, well, stuff, happens and those are the risks you take. But if you get 64 degrees and rain at the kick off of June, well, why are you having the damn festival SIX WEEKS EARLY?? I mean, really, all that hard work setting up the damn Fest and then have it too early. A multi million dollar act of stupidity. The night ended without the top two performers, Pretty Lights and Kings Of Leon, and day one was awful from one end to the other despite the musicians best efforts.