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Deep Banana Blackout
Funk rock band Deep Banana Blackout was the first to take the stage on Saturday, the first of the two day Sound On Sound 2023 Festival, starting their set as concert-goers were still trickling in late due to the three hour weather delay. Despite the sparse early crowd, lead vocalist Jen Durkin was undeterred, twirling onstage with her tambourine, full of contagious energy. “Thank you all for braving the elements,” Durkin said mid-performance, gesturing to the clouds lingering overhead and tapping her feet as the band continued to play a funky beat. Throughout their performance, the band’s longtime chemistry was clear; they often faced each other and interacted as they performed, letting the crowd bear witness to their seemingly effortless collaborative music-making.
Lord Huron
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Lord Huron entered the stage in a cloud of smoke and maintained an ethereal presence throughout their set. With soaring high notes against the pulsing drum beats, founding member and lead singer Ben Schneider captivated the audience as the indie rock band began their set with one of their popular hits, “Meet Me in the Woods.” Every member of the band was engaged with their instruments, with minimal talking between songs. Schneider showed off his especially memorable dance moves as he flailed around the stage with leaps and exaggerated head movements, even as he donned a skeleton mask for a few songs. The highlight of the set, though, came as the band played their biggest hit, “The Night We Met,” while the sun set across Seaside Park. “This song’s good for making out,” Schneider said, grinning while he introduced the piece. As they played, dusk fell and the audience swayed together, enthralled as Lord Huron played their final few pieces.
Trey Anastasio Band
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Trey Anastasio, Lead guitarist of rock band Phish , brought a renewed energy to Sound on Sound with his self-named band as they took the stage. With danceable music and impressive technical skills on their instruments, the rock band’s harmonies elicited audience cheers from the moment they hit the stage. Anastasio addressed the energized crowd, dedicating the performance to “our brother, our friend James Casey” — the band’s saxophonist who died last August. “This is our first show since James passed on and we love him very much and he’s with us tonight,” Anastasio said. Throughout the performance, Anastasio projected the joyful calmness of a musician who has long refined his craft, clearly enjoying the beautiful music-making of his band.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
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As the Saturday night headliners, the Red Hot Chili Peppers met the crowd’s high expectations, bursting onto the stage with an electrifying energy. Encouraged by engaging stage movement and particularly memorable jumps by bassist Flea, the crowd was soon headbanging with fervor to their favorite hits like “Californication.” In one notable moment, the band slowed down and played “Soul to Squeeze,” a song that brought a much needed temporary shift in energy. The crowd rested, swaying together in a moment of collective immersion in the music. In this moment, each audience member felt like part of an extended family, albeit one that indulges together in the controlled chaos of a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert.
—Staff writer Stella A. Gilbert can be reached at stella.gilbert@thecrimson.com.
