wolf like me – Kat Goes To Shows

(i) lineup

1a. TV On The Radio
2b. Gorillaz
3c. M.I.A.

(1a) (TV On The Radio’s) setlist

Young Liars
Lazerray
Golden Age
Happy Idiot
Could You
Winter
Wolf Like Me
Trouble
Province
DLZ
Staring at the Sun

(1b) highlights

even though I’ve seen TV on the Radio before, this was the first time I was really able to be in the front and engage with the band.
not too long ago, I feel like TV on the Radio was everyone’s indie darling for all time, but I really do think they’ve progressively become more underrated. we need more TV on the Radio.
how good is “Wolf Like Me”? it is so, so good.

(1c) lowlights

the sound wasn’t super fantastic – not sure who to blame for that.

(1d) overall thoughts

In a super-stripped down set, TV on the Radio took the stage just before sunset at the Meadows Music Festival. Tunde Adebimpe’s beautiful voice, on-stage energy, and ability to just get lost in himself ironically made me connect more to his performance than many other that day.

Bottom line: Everyone needs to see TV On The Radio if only because they’re cool as hell, don’t really care what you think about what they’re doing, and mostly just want to have fun in a disaffected punk way that manages to feel cool and not at all douchey.

(2a) (Gorillaz’s) setlist

M1 A1
Last Living Souls
Saturnz Barz
Tomorrow Comes Today
Rhinestone Eyes
Sleeping Powder
On Melancholy Hill
Busted and Blue
El Manana
Let Me Out (with Pusha T)
Dirty Harry (with Bootie Brown)
Strobelite (with Peven Everett)
Andromeda (with D.R.A.M.)
Sex Murder Party (with Jamie Principle)
Garage Palace (with Little Simz)
Feel Good Inc. (with De La Soul)
We Got The Power (with Camille Bethomier and D.R.A.M.)

Encore:

Stylo (with Mos Def and Peven Everett)
Clint Eastwood (with Del the Funky Homosapien)

(2b) highlights

Gorillaz!!!!! literally how iconic are Gorillaz, I have no words
The last 7 or 8 songs were basically perfect. I’ll admit that we showed up late to this set and ONLY saw the last 7 or 8 songs in order to catch M.I.A., but hot damn, so much fun.
What is there to say about Damon Albarn that hasn’t already been said other than he’s cool ass dad who came out literally wearing sweats and a slightly baggy stripped street. I mean….perfection. What a guy.
there aren’t enough words to describe the feeling hearing “Feel Good Inc” and “Clint Eastwood” live. yeah, it’s basic af to reflect on those particular tracks but man, talk about songs that truly capture the perfectly unique moment that was my middle school experience. is that weird? it’s true.

(2c) lowlights

like I said, we only saw the last half of this set because someone who runs Meadows’ booking decided to double-book M.I.A. and Gorillaz despite the fact that they obviously have crossover audiences. lowkey that person should get a new job title.

(2d) overall thoughts

I feel like there’s truly no other group out in the world quite like Gorillaz. Damon Albarn – the man, the myth, the legend behind Blur – manages time and time again to not only take musical collaboration to another level, but still surprises me with every new release. Even though Humanz wasn’t a flawless record and not quite as strong as their previous work, you still can’t help but respect the boundaries they cross.

Bottom line: Gorillaz’s live performance takes things to the next level. With a combination of cool visuals, live collaborations that don’t touch any other any other group, and wide-ranging deep cuts and beloved singles, Gorillaz cannot be missed. True headliners to the core, I hope I won’t have to wait over a decade to see these guys again.

(3a) (M.I.A.’s) setlist

Borders
Go Off
Pull Up The People
Bamboo Banga
Freedun
20 Dollar
Bucky Done Gun
Bring the Noize
XR2
Born Free

Encore:

Galang
Finally
P.O.W.A.
Ali R U OK?
Bad Girls
Fly Pirate
Paper Planes

(3b) highlights

M.I.A!!!!!! Holy shit!!!! What a QUEEN.
there are probably only 4 or 5 people on the entirety on planet earth cooler than M.I.A. and two of them are Han Solo and Indiana Jones, which is not only just Harrison Ford but obviously men that don’t exist – so, what my midnight stupor is trying to say is that M.I.A. is fucking COOL. like, people don’t get it. she oozes perfection. she’s basically my Beyonce is what I’m saying.
did you know that M.I.A. is not only a mother but 42 years old. she’s 42. like. okay.
her outfit, stage set-up, and general energy were so badass, I couldn’t even handle it.
my soul transcended during “Paper Planes,” the end
I could write a 25-page thesis on why “Bad Girls” is the sexiest music video of all time. M.I.A. didn’t play the video or anything, but it’s almost impossible for me to disassociate it from the song itself, and goddamn it was so hot.
M.I.A. brought a dude up wearing some of her merch and thousands of people basically watched this guy twerk up a storm and it was incredible.
my best friend and roommate is also brown like Maya and this show was actually on her birthday and she’s worshipped her forever, so basically watching her watch the show was pretty incredible.
I feel like I took great photos during her set, which was awesome.

(3c) lowlights

she showed up a little late, which is fine because M.I.A. is a queen and I would wait for her until the end of the earth.

(3d) overall thoughts

There’s truly nothing I could say about M.I.A., her incredible vitality to not only brown culture, refugees, general musicianship and artistry, and women, that hasn’t already been said. So I won’t even try. All I can really say is that artists like M.I.A. matter for so many reasons. Maya Arulpragasam represents pretty much every aspect of minority culture from her gender, religion, age, culture, taste, citizenship, and countless others, and seeing her in her element perform for a crowd of thousands was legendary.

Bottom line: Getting to see M.I.A. wasn’t only one of the highlights of 2017, but a highlight of my adult life. Seeing such a strong, independent, fully realized woman, mother, and artist create and perform something so distinctly her was inspiring, uplifting, and truly earth-shattering for me.