DFest 2009 Recap : Day 1

The first day of DFest 2009 was an exhausting and sweaty mess. And I enjoyed every bit of it.

6pm - Other Lives @ Poseidon Stage

Photo: Michael Cooper

Playing a breathtakingly lush set in the blistering July sun, Other Lives did not disappoint. Sounding as crisp as ever, frontman Jesse Tabish might sound even better live than on record. The Stillwater band is one of the most consistently great live bands in Oklahoma. If you haven't seen them live, you're hurting no one but yourself.

In the crowd: members of Colourmusic and The Uglysuit.

6:30pm - Ptiaradactyl @ Joe Mamma's Pizza

Photo: Jeremy Charles

Tulsa art rock freaks Ptiaradactyl was one band that really interested me heading into this year. Playing to a nicely-sized crowd in an always-weird restaurant situation, the band was very loud and very raw. Band members wore dinosaur masks and shrieked intermittently throughout the set.

In the crowd: members of The Nghiems, Rainbows Are Free, Eric and the Adams and Ithica.

7pm - 8Bit Cynics @ Blue Dome Diner

Photo: Jeremy Charles

Lawton hip-hop duo 8Bit Cynics was the must-see show at 7pm. Dewey Binns (who free-styled frequently) and saevio.is.dead ran through some of their best tracks, including my favorite "You Ain't That Pretty" - which includes a Dashboard Confessional sample. Binns showed great showmanship and lyrical rhymes, cementing his spot among the best MCs in the region. Binns also gave yours truly the first shout-out of the night, which will always earn some OKRock points.

In the crowd: X-Cal, Kawnar, Navigator and members of Eric and the Adams and Sydewayz Productions.

8pm - Stevedore @ Electric Circus

Stevedore is synth-pop rock brought to you by the sibling duo of Jeff and Molly Richardson. Jeff was all over the stage, breaking out a good hair sweat while rocking out to 80s-inspired goodness. Halfway through the set, a girl leaned over to me and said, "They sound like Nine Inch Nails and that band that did the Blue Monday song" - which I'm sure she thought was originally by Orgy. The Tulsa duo also unveiled a couple cover songs by Elliott the Letter Ostrich ("They say I'm no good for you, that I'm in it for the blood…but they're just playa hatin'") and Aqueduct ("Who wants to rock with the Aqueduct?")

In the crowd: members of Callupsie, Unwed Sailor and Mayola.

9pm - Unwed Sailor @ Electric Circus

For what seems to be an ever-rotating lineup, Unwed Sailor is, surprisingly, a very tight instrumental rock band. The Tulsa-based group built up swelling sounds for a relaxed, yet high-energy noise-pop set. If you're a movie exec looking to duplicate the success Friday Night Lights had with the music of Explosions in the Sky, look no further than Unwed Sailor.

In the crowd: Jacob Abello and members of Stevedore, Pretty Black Chains, Mayola, Gentle Ghost, Callupsie and The Nghiems.

9:30pm - Crocodile @ IDL Ballroom

Photo: Jeremy Charles

Oklahoma City electro-influenced pop-rock trio Crocodile put on a solid show for the 120+ fans in attendance. Derek Brown (fresh off playing with The Flaming Lips at the Pitchfork Music Festival) and wife Raechel alternated vocal, guitar and keyboard duties throughout their set, as they unveiled new material (to me, anyways) as well as a cover of Ozzy Osbourne's "Paranoid".

In the crowd: members of The Boom Bang, Mayola, Colourmusic, Callupsie, Gentle Ghost and The Nghiems.

10:30pm - Gogol Bordello @ Triton Stage

Photo: Jeremy Charles

After braving a long line to get into the Triton stage area, I was greeted with the European gypsy punk sounds of Gogol Bordello. The band's infectious energy, as well as their distinctive use of violin and accordion sounds turned downtown Tulsa into a street dance party. You couldn't help but put a smile on your face during their performance.

In the crowd: Sherree Chamberlain, Jacob Abello and members of Colourmusic and 8Bit Cynics.

11pm - Callupsie @ Electric Circus

Photo: Michael Cooper

Straying away from their usual intense live show in favor of new material, Callupsie still proved themselves to be a fierce musical machine. The band eased into their set, feeding the crowd's anticipation with their dramatic layered sounds. Make no mistake, this is one of the best bands Tulsa has produced in the last decade.

In the crowd: Erin Austin and members of The Uglysuit, Gentle Ghost, Stevedore, Ithica, Pretty Black Chains, Unwed Sailor and Van Risseghem.

12am - Rainbows Are Free @ Flytrap Music Hall

The Flytrap is an awkwardly huge venue on the far edge of the DFest venue layout. I walked for what seemed like ages to catch Norman psychedelic band Rainbows Are Free. Screams of "Brandon Kistler!" from band members, as they looked for their lead singer, signaled the start of the set. After Kistler and his primal scream joined the band on stage, the band unleashed their throbbing hard rock upon the crowd.

In the crowd: members of Vangough.

12:30am - Ghosts @ Joe Mamma's Pizza

Photo: Jeremy Charles

In the best story of DFest 2009, a photo of Ghosts vocalist / guitarist Garrett Weindorf occupied his usual place on stage, surrounded by candles and placed next to a silent guitar and amp. Suffering broken bones and bruises in a recent scooter accident, Weindorf was still unable to play guitar by the time DFest rolled around. Not wanting to cancel, remaining members Matt Miner and Al Pagano (dressed in Dharma Initiative jumpsuits) soldiered on with their Elton John Rocketman-era space rock, sharing duties on guitar, bass, drums and keyboards. Weindorf also joined the band to sing a few songs. All this helped make their show one of the most enjoyable ones of the whole festival.

In the crowd: members of Crocodile and Ithica.