BDMCers Go All-In
The second annual All In Festival occurred in Indianapolis this year on September 9th & 10th. Read on for two members’ honest thoughts from the festival.
Tenacious D
Who knew Jack Black was in a band?
As pumped as I was to see Jack Black live, I had not heard much of Tenacious D before this festival and was unsure of what I was getting into. This set was an energetic mix of comedy and music, with lots of fun props used throughout to keep it interesting. This set was a party the whole time and a lot of fun.
Behind the stage, there was a giant inflatable demon. Alongside the inflatable demon was a pyro setup that wasn’t working most of the show – leading to incessant comedic bickering between the performers and the pyro technician.
The back-and-forth of the different personalities on stage was a big part of the experience. Throughout the show there were dramatic showings, such as a giant metal robot that showed up on stage, seemingly shocking the performers, before performing a song with them.
This show was all over the place with a very fun energy. I was psyched to see an appearance by the Sax-a-Boom, a well-known instrument of Tenacious D. Overall, this show was a lot of fun and blew my expectations away.
Trey Anastasio & Classic TAB
Although Phish, the band Trey plays guitar for, piqued my interest when mentioned in jam band discussions with other club members a long time ago, nothing could get me quite on that train like this concert! We started seated for his four-person set but could not help but walk on down to the GA crowd by the third song. The crowd shared the same nature as the Grateful Dead’s dancing bears. Everyone seemed to create their own choreography to the psychedelic groove! My body was movin’, and it would be an understatement to say my mind was blown. I am now convinced I must go to every Trey/Phish concert that comes my way! Oh, well.
Cory Wong
Cory Wong seems to be the artist that my friends were most interested in hearing. I saw him live a few years ago and it was incredible. Cory absolutely killed it and is worth seeing if you ever get the chance. Overall, this was a very groovy and fun set that you couldn’t help but enjoy.
Trombone Shorty
Getting to see Trombone Shorty in this venue was such a treat. The last time I saw him, the venue fell short with the audio mixing, and it was a real bummer. Trombone Shorty was all over the place this show, with incredible energy and stage presence. This set was incredibly groovy and got everyone moving around feeling the energy.
Umphrey’s McGee Led Zeppelin Dreamset
I have been a big Umphrey’s fan for years and have seen them live more times than I can count. This was the first Umphrey’s show I had seen this year, and it was one to remember. Umphrey’s drummer, Kris Myers, had been out for a few weeks due to an arm injury, and Jason Bonham, the son of John Bonham, had been filling in in the meantime. This pairing boded well with the All-In dream sets, a cross genre blending with all-star artists playing Led Zeppelin hits with their own flair and personalities thrown into the mix. Umphrey’s held it down with an incredibly tight jam and incredible vocals. Despite the powerful musicality of Umphrey’s, their shows are light shows with music. This lighting adds a whole new dimension to their music. Umphrey’s lighting designer, Ben Factor, sets the bar high and is the king of jam-band lighting. This show had an indescribably powerful energy and is among the best live Umphreys shows I have seen.
Andy Frasco & The U.N.
We managed to go up on the bleachers where nobody sat, high above the crowd, for this one. From our bird’s eye view, the crowd’s energy was beyond exciting. Andy had them strutting soul trains, circling in the hora, and kneeling to the ground for suspense. Most of his songs were a conglomeration of funk-rock covers. His guitarist was serving serious 70s Led Zeppelin energy. Andy himself was more of a Gustavo Dudamel conduct-the-crowd-passionately kind of guy. Everyone was hooked on the big band sound and followed his every move. Boy, did this group DANCE! I loved that the band used every chance to get everyone involved in the movement, including themselves. Dare I say this was my favorite set of the night to watch… A feast for the ears and the eyes! Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.