Seeing The Dirty Projectors play small rooms only a few years back, I could have never guessed that come 2009, they'd be headlining a massive free concert at Williamsburg Waterfront. But last Sunday, they did just that, and the suddenly popular band had the new outdoor venue much more packed than a week earlier, with a very very long line forming outside the entrance.

Bitte Orca may very well be the best album of the year, but it's still a bit surprising to see just how big of a leap in popularity The Dirty Projectors have made.

Opening their performance with "Two Doves," a stunning Nico-esque tune sung by the equally beautiful Angel Deradoorian, The Dirty Projectors lived up to all of the hype. The set, which was a mix of cuts from Bitte Orca and Rise Above, was the best I've ever seen them play. Each member was on their mark, and the triple threat of female vocalists created a whirlwind of backing harmonies behind Longstreth's very unique voice and cutting guitar playing. The highlight of the set came with "Useful Chamber," a shape-shifting song that really displays the range of The Dirty Projectors talents.

If a mindblowing performance by Dirty Projectors wasn't enough, those who arrived early enough caught an unbelievable performance by California psych-rockers Crystal Antlers. The band was one of the most talked about bands during 2008's CMJ Marathon, and they've gotten bigger and better. Knowing a good opportunity when they see one, they played a ferociously energetic set for the large crowd.

Sandwiched inbetween the 2 energetic sets was the somewhat sleepy Magnolia Electric Co.. Jason Molina and company just weren't exciting enough to make an impact on the crowd who was waiting for The Dirty Projectors to take the stage.

Today's Pool Party promises to be a raucus one with Health, Black Lips and And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead all set to perform. And the looming rain storms may only add to the expected insanity.

The Dirty Projectors

Magnolia Electric Co.

Was getting wasted and being seen really your only intent for going in the first place?

Hidden behind the main stage at Siren Music Festival, a large contingent of hipper-than-thou music industry insiders managed to spend much of their day avoiding great performances by Built to Spill, Thee Oh Sees, A Place to Bury Strangers, and Frightened Rabbit.

While I hopped back and forth between the 2 stages for the long long day, I couldn't help but take notice of the always crowded VIP section. Even when indie music icon Frank Black took the stage with Grand Duchy, the free alcohol  remained too important to leave behind. VIP's and press had access to a special area right in front of the stage—"the best seats in the house"— and though that area was usually cluttered, it wasn't ever too congested and it always seemed to be the same bunch of us.

The music industry is a social network, and as most of my friends are members of the industry, it must be noted that some of those people I criticize here are my own friends. In their defense, I know some of the fools are really large music fans, but how do you go and let alcohol take priority over an epic performance by Built to Spill or Thee Oh Sees guitar-biting, spit-catching return to true rock and roll?

This all is nothing new. A lot of the time when you're at a show, the people talking in the back, or the guy text-messaging all night are members of the music industry, too cool to actually get themselves wrapped up in what's happening on stage. Sure, they may have seen a bunch of these bands before, but so have I, and still that Built to Spill performance had me completely stunned.

If you've lost that ability to enjoy live music anymore, then I feel sorry for you, because no matter how many shows I see every year, I never tire of it, and when the stars align for a great band the resulting performance is breathtaking.

Tiny Masters of Today: The youngest band I've ever seen. These three really shouldn't already be sharing a stage with people like Frank Black and Built To Spill, but they also don't deserve to be trashed like they were on Pitchfork. Give them a couple more years, and these kids could be garage rock stars.

Blue Van: Pretty generic anthemic cock rock that made me miss Diamond Nights.

Micachu & The Shapes: The first really good performance of the day. Poppy female-fronted British band with a unique electronic sound behind folk guitar and Mica's interesting voice.

Bear Hands: A Brooklyn band that prefers pounding out a good rock song in the vein of Jawbox.

Japandroids: TEnergetic guitar and drums duo played a strong set, but nothing comparing to the hype that surrounds them.

Thee Oh Sees: Set of the day. John Dwyer and co. played a very very short set, but every minute of it was as inspired as anything I've ever seen.

Frightened Rabbit: Another heart-stopping performance by this Scottish band

Future of the Left: Most heavy-hitting performance of the day

Grand Duchy: Pretty disappointing for a Frank Black project, yet still good

A Place to Bury Strangers: As good as I've seen them musically. The sonic assault was turned all the way up.

The Raveonettes: The Jesus & Mary Chain-influenced Danish rockers weren't at their best, but were still pretty amazing

Built to Spill: Those guitars snaked through each other creating an epic whirlwind that engulfed us all, peaking on "Carry the Zero."

When I went to the first ever JellyNYC Pool Party at McCarren Pool, I immediately wanted to spend every Sunday there for the rest of the summer of 06 as well as all summers that would follow, and I pretty much did just that. There was something really special about the space as a summer concert venue, despite the lack of grass. Those 3 summers at the graffiti-covered McCarren Pool were just as much about the atmosphere as the music, maybe even more so, and organizers JellyNYC knew that. The first couple weeks, there were people trying to get others to play dodgeball, and by the end of the year there were lines of people wanting to play, and some even dressed for it. The slip n slide was a hit also, but the main activity was simply people-watching. The music lineups were always solid with the hottest indie rock acts, reaching its peak in 2008 with a performance by MGMT that left the pool more packed than ever. And then, just as fast as it became the hottest summer hangout in Brooklyn, the city decided to finally return the pool to its' original role as a water-filled oasis for the neighborhood, and JellyNYC and the indie music fans of Brooklyn were left to find a new place to spend their summer Sundays.

Finding a space that big is hard, but JellyNYC was able to convince the city to allow them to use the Williamsburg Waterfront, located on North 8th, and a new era was born. Just about the only stretch of land over near the water there that hasn't been overtaken by the construction of luxury condos, the Williamsburg Waterfront a much larger space than McCarren Pool, which is a huge plus after having many of last year's Pool Parties reach capacity last year, having hundreds of people turned away.

The view: It'd be close to impossible to find a more perfect view than the view of the Manhattan Skyline that acts as the backdrop to the stage.

Grass: It's not like Central Park's Rumsey Playfield or the Prospect Park Bandshell, but there is some grass to relax on, which didn't exist as all at McCarren Pool.

Breeze: When it gets hot in New York City, standing on hot concrete all day can be brutal, and McCarren Pool definitely got really hot. The Waterfront will undoubtedly get hot on those sweltering days in August, so the breeze coming off the river will act as a nice relief to the heat.

Beer: The complaints have begun about the fenced off section for drinking. It definitely sucks not being able sit on the grass and relax with a drink, but those are the rules of our city parks.

Capacity: If yesterday was any indication, then people shouldn't have to worry as much about getting in as they had to last year. The space is huge. The Girl Talk show will be the first true test of just how many people can get in, and how comfortable it'll be when at capacity.

Sports and other activities: Dodgeball is still alive and well, though the viewing area around the dodgeball court is nowhere near as large or comfortable as it was at McCarren Pool. There's a basketball court, which is a new addition to the pool parties, which I can't imagine ever becoming anywhere near as popular as dodgeball. The slip'n'slide is gone and will be sorely missed, while the less-enticing wading pools have seemingly replaced them.

Music: Though they're not nearly as eclectic as the lineups at other NYC summer outdoor music havens, there are plenty of acts worth seeing, including Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear, ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead and Del tha Funky Homosapien.

The sun: The main complaint I've heard is that with the light of the sun coming from behind the stage, it was at its most blinding when headliner Mission of Burma was on stage, making it hard for many to watch the band. This is definitely a problem that needs a solution. While the Pool Parties are seen by many as a place to hang out on a summer Sunday afternoon, most of the people are still there to see the bands.

The people: There seemed to be far less random neighborhood people soaking in the sun this past Sunday than at the McCarren Pool shows, but that could be credited to the location being more off the beaten path, the newness of the events, and most likely the growing gentrification of the area. That said, there was still plenty of great people-watching to be done. Young, attractive women were all over the place, wearing short shorts, and often very little else. Much of the space was filled with the typical irony-loving, too hip for anyone type of Williamsburg crowd that has all too often turned the neighborhood I call home into a sad sad joke.

Jemina Pearl: Backed by 3 dudes, the former frontwoman of Be Your Own Pet had the right amount of energy to attempt to take command of the large crowd, but their set just seemed totally uninspired.

Ponytail: People either love or hate this band, but it's hard to argue that their live performances aren't fun. Watching Ponytail play is like sucking down 20 pixie sticks—a total sugar rush of musical hyperactivity. They seemed a perfect fit for a bright sunny day.

Fucked Up: How this hardcore band has gained such attention and success from the indie world baffles me. Labeled as an arty breed of hardcore, they are really just a pretty solid hardcore band—nothing really arty about their sound. Maybe the attention comes from having a heavily-obese-and-in-your-face vocalist, but he's nowhere near as cleverly entertaining as Brooklyn's own Tim Harrington.

Mission of Burma: A great choice to open the first ever Williamsburg Waterfront Pool Party, Mission of Burma is no flavor-of-the-month hip indie band, they are legends who made for a real treat for true music fans. Their heavily influential, angular rock was a reminder that rock music can be both intelligent as well as have balls. Classic cuts such as "This is not a Photograph" and "That's When I Reach for my Revolver" may have gotten the strongest reactions from the crowd, but as with the rest of their post-reunion material, the new songs they played was just as good as anything they've ever done. Mission of Burma is the rare reunited band whose post reunion live performances and recordings are even close to comparable to the work of their heyday. Thank you JellyNYC for making them the first headliner of the 2009 season.

No space is perfect, and as everyone has begun to assess the pros and cons of the new space, there are two things no one can deny—it's good to see JellyNYC continuing on with their Pool Parties after losing McCarren Pool, and free summer concerts are one of the biggest perks of living in New York City.

I'll continue to spend my Sundays at the Waterfront, along with a few thousand other music lovers, because JellyNYC still throws the best parties of the summer.

Mission of Burma

 Fucked Up

Ponytail

Jemina Pearl

Mid-set, Phoenix singer Thomas Mars laid down down on the carpeted floor of the stage at Music Hall of Williamsburg, with his head resting on the monitor.

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I'm a loner, a loser, a music geek, and a lonely soul. I often go to concerts to fill up the gaps between work and sleep, so not to be alone with my overactive psychological mind that has the tendency of breaking me down to pieces and attempting to bury me in a combined state of boredom and melancholy.

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In late 2008 Holly Miranda launched a solo career that seemed to quickly rise to the same level as her band The Jealous Girlfriends, if not higher. While Holly has been playing and catching the attention of The New York Times, the other two thirds of The Jealous Girlfriends have been working on a new band named New Numbers. Sure, it's a boring name, but the music that Josh Abbott and Mike Fadem are creating is as good as anything they did with The Jealous Girlfriends, despite the lack of Miranda's sweet voice.

If you don't believe me, then you can find out for yourself, because the band is offering their Islands EP online for free download here. The title track is a really excellent rocker with a great shoegaze guitar howl.

If you like it, make a donation to the band.

Stricken with manic depression and lost in a haze of allergy drowse, for a week and a half, I've been a drag, in a serious rut. As with many people, the music I listen to reflects my moods, and most of my recent hours have been spent drifting off to the sounds of Red House Painters. Mark Kozelek's slow, dreary acoustic tunes may or may enhance the feeling of melancholy, but they are also there to connect with and accompany me down the hole, providing a dim light to an otherwise black abyss.

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By the time, singer Frode Strømstads introduced "Norman Bleik" as the next song, it was more than clear that Norway's I Was a King is heavily influenced by Teenage Fanclub. And how could you blame them really? Norman Blake and co. have written some of the best songs of the last two decades. As I Was A King's homage to Teenage Fanclub "Norman Bleik" was a good one. They seemed to get the sound just right, and it was possibly the best song of their set on Sunday night at Union Hall.

At first glance,the set list looked pretty long, but that was put in perspective by the brevity of the songs. Short songs were one of the defining qualities of another of the band's greatest influences, Guided By Voices.

I Was a King wears their influences on their sleeves, and Guided by Voices and Teenage Fanclub are a good foundation for any new band. The Norwegian's don't quite have that special something of either of those 90s rock icons, but with the foundation built, they have the potential for really good things in the future.