You know the obnoxious person who says “You had to be there, man”? Well, Dive hates to be trite, but really – you had to be there, man.
Day one of Hopscotch has already lived up to the plethora of hype the festival’s been receiving since its announcement several months ago. With a line-up that’s consolidated some of the best local and national bands in existence, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by an overcrowded schedule, and Dive wasn’t any exception to this phenomenon.
Still, despite the frenzy of talent and buzz, we managed to catch several incredible shows. First on the agenda was Carrboro’s Old Bricks at Busy Bee. The Grip Tapes artist’s set was an ideal start to a busy night – mellow, laid-back grooves that fused ’70s Bob Dylan and contemporary folk-pop.
After that, an unsuccessful attempt to bypass the crowds for Cults and Best Coast resulted in a return to Busy Bee, where local act Goner wowed with its intricate keys and unexpected vocal pairings. The crowd grew more dense as Pattern is Movement’s set got closer.
By the opening song, the bar was incredibly congested, but Pattern is Movement’s contemplative, exploratory set quieted the growing crowd. Patrons were perched on the bar and crammed in every corner of the small venue, but the focus remained on the Philadephia-based group’s daring compositions and pristine vocals.
Ocean at Kings was blood-thirty murder music, plain and simple. There were a few technical problems, some of which might have contributed to a cleared-out crowd, but despite the glitches, the Portland, ME band stunned with dense and relentless instrumentals.
Future Islands at Berkeley Café was the glow-stick filled highlight of Thursday night. The venue was packed with enthusiastic, vocal, dancing fans. The dim, neon lighting augmented the pulsing beat of the band’s songs, and frontman Samuel Herring led the group with swagger and charisma.
After a late evening of dance-worthy music, we caught the tail end of Hammer No More the Finger’s Busy Bee set. It was an intimate gathering, primarily based of Hammer fans, but the Durham group was incredible nonetheless, playing an energetic, high-intensity show.
Saturday’s day parties proved equally enthralling – the Troika Music Festival show, where Dive caught Bellafea and the Beast, was a great example of the diversity and talent that comprises the local music scene.
That’s all for now – check back tomorrow for another update on all the mayhem. In the mean time, hit up our twitter @dthdiversions or get in touch with Dive via facebook. See you in Raleigh!
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