35 Conferette - Day 1
3/10/11 - Denton, TX
Yesterday was the first day of 8 full days of music for, starting at Denton’s 35 Conferette. The Conferette is in it’s 3rd year. For the first time, they offered day stages downtown, and then the party moved to the local bars and clubs until late in the evening. There were some technical difficulties on the second stage, so the music started with OK Sweetheart on the main stage. Their set was patient and heartfelt. They had a pretty sparse crowd for the early afternoon show, but the band was well-received to the few who could make it out. Though they set didn’t really stand out particularly, their soft and gentle folk set a great tone for further acts to play after them on the same stage.
I shifted over the 2nd stage to catch a couple songs from Sundress. This band has really matured since I caught them last year at NX35. Sundress combine pop and psychadelic rock beautifully, creating an eerie tone to the growing crowd. Their sound could be even bigger, so it’s probably a good experience for them to get out of small bars and clubs to explore a bigger, outdoor space. All in all, it was really nice to catch these rising locals.
The first major highlight came from Dentonite Sarah Jaffe. Sarah had a really significant 2010, supporting her first major release with shows across the country. She’s an artist that truly appeciates coming home, creating an intimate vibe with the crowd through her banter between songs. The set was highlighted by at least 1/2 of the songs being new material which will hopefully be released as an EP this year. The electronic pop tone she added to her sound is a major win. This suits her voice and style perfectly, and at the same time is completely unexpected as compared to her earlier work. She gave an opportunity for her dedicated fanbase to sing along as well, with extended versions of “Clementine” and “Vulnerable” featured in the set.
On the opposite side of the festival, White Denim delivered a set equally heavy on new material. They are a band that wasn’t on my radar through listening prior to the show, but were incredibly impressive and the most interesting band I caught on day 1. They were a ton of hats, incorporating influences as wide ranging as Zeppelin, Rush, and Radiohead. They are at times garage rock, and other melodic pop. Their best song had even a little alt country in it. It was a dense experience, and I could have listened to them for even longer. They extended and jammed out most of the songs to great results as well, another unexpected treat.
After a dinner break, I waited at the main stage for the queen of the night to arrive. Mavis Staples will be a set that will be remembered long after the Conferette ends by all in attendance. The living legend delivered a soulful and personable set, often bantering with the audience. This back-and-forth created a wonderful moment of Mavis being invited in the Denton culture through the offering of a “Keep Denton Beard” T-shirt. She must have had a pleasant experience in town for the last 24 hours, as she mentioned countlessly her intentions to return as soon as she can. Her music was heavily steeped in traditional gospel, but there was a nice pop/blues edge provided by her top-notch band, especially the guitarist and male backup singer. Also of note was the powerful yet tender version of the Tweedy penned “You Are Not Alone” in the middle of her set. After a surprisingly groovy and poignant instrumental break, Mavis really brought down the house with a very extended version of I’ll Take You There, which the crowd completely ate up. Unbelievable set.
My night shifted for the next few hours to Dan’s Silverleaf, featuring standout sets from Monahans, Doug Burr, and Seryn. Monahans brought a great rock/pop energy as expected, but they sounded especially clean and vibrant on this night. The crowd was loving it. It was a great way to transition for the spirited Mavis set to the minimal yet powerful folk stylings of Doug Burr. Leaning heavily on the O Ye Devastator album, Doug brought a great mix of quiet acoustic gems with some alt country inspired material with help from the Monahans rhythm section. I’ve seen Doug perform a couple of times in the last year, but some newer fans mentioned how blown away they were by his voice and couldn’t wait to catch him again. His songs need to reach a wider audience, they are very mature and accessible. The night closed out with a set by Seryn, always a highlight. They played solely material from their 2011 debut release with a ton of vigor and soul. Their sound has matured throughout the last year. They really seem like a polished band, but maintain their manic energy and instrument swapping mid-song. Their percussion was especially on point tonight, drawing in hooting and hollering after every build up they dropped throughout the night. Seryn is a special band, hands down, so if you are in the DFW area and have yet to catch a show, you’re really doing yourself a disservice.
As with any festival, timing can be a hinderance, so I only caught no more than the last five minutes of Cut Chemist. From the buzz that was flowing out of Hailey’s late Thursday night, it seemed to be a major highlight of the night. All in all, a very successful day. I’m looking forward to keeping the vibe with sets by Dr. Dog, Mr. Heavenly, and Lost in the Trees high on the anticipation list tonight.
