Festival Review: Meadows Fest Day 1
Meadows Fest was this past weekend, and yes it was AN EVENT! For all its ups and downs, The Weeknd’s 38the cancellation and Kanye’s “non-concert” performance, it did what a festival should…. make memories, Yet, before I review the eventful Day 2, let’s talk up the cooler, calmer, collected Day1!
Getting to Meadows Fest was an exciting mix of claustrophobia, as the only access point is the 7 train. Being stuffed in a train cart will a bunch of Kanye fans will teach you about humanity, and how to start a cheer. Yet, as I got out the train and saw the hoards of youth going Citi Field like it was the Promised Land, my hype levels reached new hype levels. On Day 1, Meadows Fest was actually very organized and clear, which made the lineup of artists enjoyable. Here are my favorites of Day 1!
Bas (Fiends) #DREAMVILLE!
Bas set was 1pm, i,e, one of the firsts to start the festival, and frankly a perfect choice. He is a firecracker on stage, and made it a point to every festival-goer that Meadows was the spot be lit off LIFE! His energy was so off-the- charts, I am not surprised that he jumped and shook his head throughout his whole performance as if the music was his puppeteer. I love witnessing an artist that is in love with his music, and lets it move him as if he was his own humble fan.
Fiends later did a few tracks with J. Cole that literally made the crowd lose their mind like Oprah had offered each of them a car. Yet, I was more impressed with Bassy’s ability to spit a fiery verse with fluidity that made his song seems as if it were done in one breathe, i.e THE BREATHE OF YOUR LIFE. Moreover, he was the only artist to offer free merchandise to his fans. He threw his sweatshirts and t-shirts to the crowd, which was a giant welcome for me, as some other artists… whom will not be mentioned…. THE WEEKND.. threw their cancellations. Still, talent and generosity are big to me, which makes Bassy HUGE in my eyes! He won my heart!
Post-Malone
Post-Malone is something else. He was so blatantly high and proud of it. If Bas asked everyone to get lit on life, Malone asked everyone to get lit on weed. His performance was fine. He talked about death and depression a lot, which kind of took me out a minute. For me, when someone mentions their sadness and loss, I want to say stop the music and discuss how to heal their pain. For Malone, it was just an introduction to a beat drop.
Chromeo
Chromeo was extremely good. They were soooooo fun! Their funkadelic electronica had the crowd going, and stirred in them a much needed second-wind. For the most part the first day of Meadows Fest was pretty chill in line-up with sprinkles of sets that gave you a party-vibe. Yet, Chromeo served the party in a platter, and gave such a rambunctious performance that I know they walked out with a new set of fans and people “itunesing” for their CD.
Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley
I had so much fun with Damian. The crowd was so open to him. Moreover, I found him to be a marvel of a spirit. He, like Bas, is into his music, and his backup singers could not stop dancing #hard to his beats #lovethem. Moreover, his dreads are so long and heavy, you will walk away in awe at his ability to jump 25 feet in the air. I say that with ALL respect. This man has set a standard in the dread game #religiouspurpose. You definitely felt his love and admiration for both his dad and Rastafarianism. My only question for the audience is…. How many of them ACTUALLY knew his lyrics?….. Cuz I heard a lot of mumbling. Hmmm?
Grimes
Grimes was …. another something else. I really like Grimes because she is eccentric. She has manifested herself as an artist that is not a “pop dream” but a “pop nightmare”. She yells into the microphone like a rage maniac, and then prances around the stage as if she had the energy of a 10,000 person army. Watching her will leave you in awe, in part, because you cannot box her beyond the fact that she is different, and her music induces a state of deranged euphoria.
J. Cole
J. Cole was phenomenal at Meadows Fest, and I am sad to hear that is not performing for awhile. The amount of heart he gives to his audience, and respect for the stage, enlightened me, especially since Meadows Fest was plagued by abandonment issues lol. Words fail to describe the amount of light he exudes as he reforms, and while he discusses his struggles and doubts over whether he would ever make it to such a point of fame and success, after seeing his performance, I understood his rise. People like him both deserve and determined to be heard. #madloveforJCole
Honestly, I was mad that the Weeknd cancelled for SNL, especially because his fans were at Meadows. People went to see him, and the fact that he said “I will make it up to New York”, felt null to the fact that he will not make it up to the people that paid for him on that day. Money is not easy to come by, and as I waited on the line to enter Meadows Fest, I heard my fellow festival-goers talking about how they gave up their checks and rationed their food just to come to this event and see him. Hence, it really bothered my that their love for him was not corresponded with anything but indifference. I find it disrespectful for them, and I felt it double after the Kanye non-concert. which I will get into in my next review of Day 2!
My review of Day 2!
