Pygmalion in review

Pygmalion has come a long way since its birth in 2005. XLR8R magazine out of San Francisco featured an article this year previewing the festival. Festival passes sold out, as did individual shows. Pygmalion showcases local and international artists, helping not only the local music scene but also helping national spectators see our vast musical offerings.

If you were unable to make it to the festival this year, we’ve brought you some of our highlights. There were, however, many other fantastic acts which we were not able to capture in photos or video. Please feel free to add your own favorites in the comment section.

Joel’s picks:

Mazes — Their debut disc has been in my rotation ever since it came out last spring. Their set was split about equally between tracks off of Mazes and half new stuff. The standout for me, as always, was “I Have Laid in the Darkness of Doubt,” but the new material was enjoyable as well.

World’s First Flying Machine — They just keep getting tighter, even as their sound checks get more and more complicated. This now-septet overflowed the stage at the Red Herring on Thursday night, and their enthusiasm was infectious. They instituted a no-sitting order for the audience, and as we crowded around the stage, they brought the goods.

My Dear Alan Andrews — Colin played with a full band, including electric guitar, bass, fiddle, and drums, and it really added a lot to his sound. There was a pleasant, ’70s folk-rock vibe that permeated through the Red Herring.

Everything at Channing-Murray — Wow, the sound was fantastic upstairs for You & Yourn, Hathaways, Good Night and Good Morning, and of course, Low. Nothing like a church setting for some quiet, ruminative music. It’s definitely a space that I hope sees more performances in the future.

Erin’s Picks:

Joe Pug – His vocals swooned through the crowd, and it was one of those shows that genuinely made the crowd feel great. Although he’s a solo artist, he was able to conquer Canopy’s main stage and gave an overall solid performace. I’m very much looking forward to see him here again.

The Books – Blown away. Their rhythmic montage visuals were meticulously crafted, and the instrumentation was phenomenal. Minus the fact that someone answered their cell phone behind me in the middle of their performance, I’d call it a perfect show.

Maserati – I’ve never seen such drumming in a live show. I almost missed this one, and I’m so thankful I didn’t. Their live show is incredibly more powerful than their recordings. Live shows, in my opinion, should be different than their counterparts, and in this case it was better almost ten-fold.