SoCo Music Experience: Madison, Wis.

Festivus

[Above: The Roots]

Arriving at Willow Island in Madison, Wis. in the early afternoon, you could already smell the good times brewing. The crowd began to swell in size as the student body found its way to the festival grounds after the Badger football game that ended a few hours earlier. Madison is the epitome of a small-market music community that benefits from such outdoor extravagances, which, thanks to Southern Comfort and nice weather, make for one great day of live music.

The appeal of the festival for those attending was the ability to see some big names that have somewhat overlooked the city in recent years. It had been some time since The Roots performed in the city and the last time the Black Keys rolled through town they were supporting their 2004 release Rubber Factory.

[Above: GZA]

[Above: The Selfish Gene]

Hip-Hop fans got up and close with GZA who used the opportunity to lure Wu-Tang Clan fans with select cuts from his latest, Pro-Tools. Madison-bred The Selfish Gene proved itself a venerable live act, boasting the honor of being asked back for the second year in a row. A raw mixture of its Pavement-esque rock 'n' roll prepared the crowd for the raucous opening chords of the Black Keys.

[Above: The Black Keys]

Sometimes bands use tours to force feed new material to their devoted audience. Others seize the opportunity to provide fan-favorites with select cuts from a recent release. The Black Keys followed the later formula in delivering a set spanning their entire catalog, including Thickfreakness favorites like “Set You Fee” and “Have Love Will Travel.” Of course, Attack & Release material received some love as well, with Dan Auerbach rocking a vintage Flying V and drummer Patrick Carney destroying his kit. In an hour’s time, The Black Keys delivered the rock 'n' roll goods, leaving little energy left in the sizable crowd before The Roots began their set.

[Above: The Roots]

The Roots are a band that I can’t put my finger on lately. At times, their sets are just as much (if not more) jam-band-oriented than a hip-hop performance, and last night was one of those nights. MC Black Thought has taken somewhat of a secondary position behind the likes of guitarist Captain Kirk Douglas who, along with always present ?uestlove, teased Led Zeppelin and brought out the extended jam sessions. Much as the crowd seemed to dig it, I would much rather have sat back and enjoyed some more focus on Black Thought. The encore reckoned back to The Roots radio-friendly days with a performance of “The Seed” sans vocals from the enigmatic Cody ChesnuTT.

For a free festival, the SoCo Music Experience succeeded in providing a great opportunity for music fans to gather together for some high-quality entertainment. Who knows what the future holds for this traveling festival circuit, but two years in a row they’ve managed to hold down a day's worth of good times.

The SoCo Music Experience continues this Saturday, Sept. 13 in Albany, N.Y. at Altamont Fairgrounds with performances by Justice, MGMT, The Whigs and many more.

Ryan Matteson blogs regularly at Muzzle of Bees.