TV On The Radio @Prospect Park Bandshell, June 30th

Tonight headed over to the Prospect Park Bandshell for the free concert -- yay Brooklyn! I missed the opener, Voxtrot :( , since I didn't escape work soon enough, but made it in time for Matt Pond PA and then the headliner, TV On The Radio.

I am about to crash, so I'll write more later....here are some pics for now:

Now it's later. So I missed Voxtrot (rats) but got to Prospect Park before the second act, Matt Pond, PA, started. I found Whitney and her friends chilling on a blanket on the lawn so I hung with them for a bit. As Matt Pond, PA started up, Whitney, her friend and I headed over to grab some beer. While we were waiting in the slow moving line, I spotted Kyp Malone just standing on the lawn, casually chatting with someone. Nice.

So after I bought my $7 Bud Light, I used my Celebrate Brooklyn Friends Pass which allowed me access to the pit up front. Yeah, did you know for a measily $50 donation, you can have a reserved seat in the pit for virtually all the shows at the amazing Prospect Park Bandshell all summer? In the past, I'd have to worry about getting to the park early enough for a good spot with a buddy who could watch my seat whenever I got up. Now, with my pass, I can pass to and fro since the seats in the pit were more than enough for those who had access. Totally worth it. Especially when for any one concert, I might spend $50 easily to be up front.

Matt Pond, PA was your typical average indie band. The crowd got mildly interested for their last song -- I think it was on the OC?

While I was psyched to be in the second row, I was feeling a little lonely, so I convinced Wawa to abandon the Indie Twins, Heather and Julie2 (and some other dude) and join me in the pit. I loaned him my pass so that he too could get the magic bracelet. Woo hoo!

We ended up grabbing two seats 2nd row center. This was the fourth time he and I caught TVOTR together (the third was a few months earlier at Bowery). I think I can safely say for both me and Wawa that it was utterly amazing this time around. The lead singer, Tunde, was so hyper I couldn't get a clear shot of him. He was a constant whir of motion and sang with so much emotion. The larger stage also allowed additional musicians including members of Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra and backup singers to join them on stage.

They played a nice mix of songs from their first cd as well as ones from their upcoming release. And from start to end, they did not let up with the frenetic level of energy. I didn't even mind the fact that they skipped "Staring at the Sun."

Seeing TVOTR so closeup gave me the high that I so love from live music. My $50 was definitely well spent, even if I don't end up seeing any other show this summer.

Afterwards, Wawa and I met up with the rest of the crew and headed down 9th Street to a bar. Drunken hijinks ensued. I won't mention specifics, other than Wawa, Stevie Nicks, Gypsy dance. That is all.