I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: August 3, 2023] Livingston

Back in 2015 and 2016 I went to headline (ie not free) shows at Musikfest.  The Flaming Lips! and Avett Brothers.  Since then, there hasn’t been a single headline artist I’ve wanted to see at Musikfest.  They have REALLY drifted into the country realm and it’s kind of sad.

So I was intrigued when it was announced that AJR was a headliner.  AJR is one of those bands that gets played on one of the radio stations that I listen to.  I thought that I knew a half a dozen AJR songs and I found them insanely catchy but not cloying.  What I especially liked was their use of weird sounds.  So I figured I grab a ticket.   And I managed to get one in the first five rows (which is pretty good since the show did sell out).

Originally their show was set for Friday the 4th, but it was moved to Thursday the 3rd. And  that worked out great because that was preview night at Musikfest.  In other words, Friday night would be a zoo.  While Thursday night was like a petting zoo.

I had friends who were going to the show and they arrive literally as I was leaving the house.  They got a great parking space and said the line to get in was a little long.  I arrived at 6:45 (Livingston was supposed to go on at 7) and the line was so long, that I walked into the seating area at 7:25.  Musikfest, do better!

I hadn’t heard of Livingston. In fact, I hadn’t even heard that there was an opening act until a few weeks ago (glad there was).  Livingston is a TikTok star from Texas.

He should not be confused with the British band of the same name (who I had never heard of).  [from Wikipedia]

Livingston is a rock band originally formed in London in 2002. The band is composed of Beukes Willemse, Jakob Nebel, Chris van Niekerk, Phil Magee and Jan Siekmann. Livingston have released two albums with the third album Animal due for release in autumn 2014. The band’s breakthrough came with their first album “Sign Language” and the commercial success of the single’s “Broken” and “Go” in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

This singer is Sloane Livingston.  I could hear his bass while I was outside.  I couldn’t really hear him.  As I got closer I saw that he was in a sleeveless shirt and was kind of rapping or something.  The music was way too loud and his rapping was way too lame.  I walked up to my seat and I think someone may have been in it, so I just moved to another seat until his set was finished.

I have very little memory of the event except that he said that his ability to do this in front of us meant that dreams to come true and that AJR has apparently had him open for them a few times.

If he becomes huge, I’ll be able to say I ignored him when he opened for AJR.