4knots Festival in pics (Archers of Loaf, The Drums, Crocodiles, Bleached, Hospitality, Nick Waterhouse and more)

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photos by Amanda Hatfield and Chris La Putt; words by Bill Pearis

Archers of Loaf / Crocodiles / the scene at 4Knots 2012

Even though the fire that broke out on the deck at the South Street Seaport Mall was certainly the most memorable act of the day, the Village Voice 4Knots Festival was a fine time at South Street Seaport, loaded with good performances amid the smoke and oppressive humidity. There was a big crowd for this second year of the fest, much bigger than last year, and though there wasn't a headliner the size of, say, Steve Malkmus or M.I.A. or Spoon (like they had at Siren in years past), that seemed by design in these post-Drake years. I like every band that played the main stage.

Well, I don't know anything about the first two bands who played the main stage -- The Smiling Lies and Fast Years -- who played before I got there at 1PM and seemed to be on by contractual obligation. Nick Waterhouse made a good, friendly primer for the day with his vintage, baritone sax-fueled '60s soul and R&B, looking dapper in a white oxford shirt that had to have been hot on stage. I prefer him in a tiny sweaty club to a big outdoor fest (I can say that about most bands) but he had the sweaty part down.

Bleached were up next and while we've yet to get an album from these girls, the crowd seemed to know most of their set of hook-laden poppy, punky, curled-lip songs. Hospitality were up next -- almost exactly a year ago they played to about 60 people at the Fulton Stall Market across the street from the Seaport, and they've come a long way since. Most of the crowd was bobbing along to much of their Merge debut... at least till the fire cut their set short.

After the smoke cleared it was Crocodiles whose new album Endless Flowers finds them branching out of strict JAMC love into brighter, poppier corners. They were probably the most animated band of the day with Brandon Welchez definitely playing up the rock frontman gig to the hilt. Crocodiles also inspired the only crowd surfing I saw on Saturday (but I might have missed some).

Speaking of animated, The Drums were up next. Once known for their Bring It On as an indie rock band, tambourine-tossing fabulousness, they are now a real live rock band with little in the way of backing tracks. While I think their most recent album was pretty good, and they sounded tight, they are a little on the subdued side live these days, or at least have been the last two times I've seen them. I think I liked them better live when they mostly pretended to play their instruments.

I was wondering if a lot of the crowd might leave after The Drums' set but, nope, everyone stuck around for recently-reformed '90s indie rock royalty Archers of Loaf. I'll admit I was never the biggest fan -- that was my college roommate, who seemed to get mail-order daily from TeenBeet, Merge and Simple Machines while I scoured import racks for Ride and Blur EPs -- but I certainly absorbed a lot through osmosis and the hit-filled set ("Web in Front," "Wrong," "Plumb") was even recognizable to this casual Archers listener. My friend Chris, a giant Archers fan, dubbed their performance "awesome."

Meanwhile on the Skipper's stage, we got mischievous Montreal band Doldrums, the twangy retro rock of Devin, punk-ish rockers Team Spirit (featuring Ayad of Passion Pit) and Delicate Steve whose set was also cut short due to the fire. And the afterparty went down in Beekman Beer Garden where things got wild during Black Lips' set.

More pictures from 4Knots are below...

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The Smiling Lies

The Smiling Lies (Amanda)

The Smiling Lies

Fast Years (Chris)

Fast Years

Fast Years (Amanda)

Fast Years

Doldrums (Chris)

Doldrums

Doldrums (Amanda)

Doldrums

Nick Waterhouse (Chris)

Nick Waterhouse

Nick Waterhouse (Amanda)

Nick Waterhouse

Devin (Chris)

Devin

Devin (Amanda)

Devin

Bleached (Chris)

Bleached

Bleached (Amanda)

Bleached

Team Spirit (Chris)

Team Spirit

Team Spirit (Amanda)

Team Spirit

Hospitality (Chris)

Hospitality

Hospitality (Amanda)

Hospitality

Fire on the Pier

Delicate Steve (Chris)

Delicate Steve

Delicate Steve (Amanda)

Delicate Steve

Crocodiles (Chris)

Crocodiles

Crocodiles (Amanda)

Crocodiles

The Drums (Chris)

The Drums

The Drums (Amanda)

The Drums

Archers of Loaf (Chris)

Archers of Loaf

Archers of Loaf (Amanda)

Archers of Loaf

Tags: 4Knots Music Festival, Archers of Loaf, Bleached, Brandon Welchez, Crocodiles, Delicate Steve, Devin, Doldrums, Fast Years, Hospitality, Nick Waterhouse, South Street Seaport, Team Spirit, The Drums, The Smiling Lies

posted at 2:59 PM on July 16, 2012 in music | pictures | Comments (49)

Comments (49)

It's over. Music is over.

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 3:12 PM

Pretty impressive. An inanimate object committed self immolation in protest of bland music.

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 3:14 PM

^What does immolation mean?

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 3:15 PM

Archers were great but that bass player has to go. He belongs in Motley Crue with those stage moves.

Posted by JT | July 16, 2012 3:24 PM

3:14 writes for his HS newspaper and loves working on the yearbook.

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 3:39 PM

The Archers of Loaf owned

Posted by The Fartist | July 16, 2012 3:39 PM

3:39 is trendy.

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 4:11 PM

This CAN'T be comfortable
http://www.brooklynvegan.com/img/music/nickwaterhouse/4knots/16.jpg

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 4:23 PM

Archers of the Butthurt

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 4:35 PM

bv hire a fucking photo editor!!!

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 4:52 PM

Archers of Loaf get the BEST DRESSED AWARD! This will piss off many of the other bands that spent the night before feverishly searching for the perfect outfit to "wow" the audience. I must admit the guy from Team Spirit really nailed the Raper at the Beach look. He takes a close 2nd place to Archers.

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 4:53 PM

Surprised more of you aren't talking about this guy:

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/img/music/devin/4knots2/9.jpg

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 4:57 PM

Archers killed the set, Team Spirit was also the best of the day bands...

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 4:59 PM

Damn that singer from Fast Years looks like Jeff Tweedy's younger less intelligent half brother Teff Jweedy. Also nice Ibanez Sound Gear bass, girl in Bleached.

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 5:08 PM

Archers of Loaf we so awesome It started a 2nd fire..in my heart!

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 5:12 PM

Your college roommate sounds pretty cool, Bill P. Can you introduce me?

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 5:14 PM

Jacques de Molay

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 5:15 PM

Can't believe you could even focus on what bass a fox like that is playing, 5:08. You either have a vagina or must be a real gearhead.

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 5:16 PM

God I don't think I've ever in my life seen a WORSE lineup.

I'd love to see how many people would have shown up if they had to pay for this. Geez New Yorkers are so pathetic they'd eat a piece of dog turd if it was free!

and 4:59 nice street team work for the weak Team Spirit!

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 5:19 PM

I have, 5:19. It's called Catalpa. And believe it or not, people are paying for it.

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 5:20 PM

I really wish the lead singer from drums would pull up his pants... I mean... show a little class why dont ya!!!

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 5:22 PM

4:23 HA! He just makes me dizzy!

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 5:24 PM

Second the photo editor comment. This one is awesome though... http://www.brooklynvegan.com/img/music/hospitality/4knots/18.jpg

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 5:26 PM

@4:57 I know, right? Who days that fat fuck think he's laughing at? Doesn't he know that will be him in about ten more years? What a loser. And his stupid friends too!

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 5:29 PM

Those Fast Years guys look like total fags.

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 5:32 PM

I still remember what it felt like to really love the state of independent music. That feeling is all but gone now though.

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 5:50 PM

bv always disses archers in every post. desperate writers?

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 7:04 PM

The IPods would have made this a graet lineup -- tons of diversity from track to track!

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 7:47 PM

Not usually a fan of the commments that appear in multiple posts but 7:47 made me legit laugh.

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 8:05 PM

8:05, you're a bigger idiot than 7:47.

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 8:10 PM

Not usually a fan of the commments that appear in multiple posts but 7:47 made me legit laugh.

I'll play along... so you frequent this section but have never heard that joke before or you have heard it before but it still makes you laugh ? just seeing if you thought this through

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 9:38 PM

7:47 That joke was cute

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 10:04 PM

Amazing how some posters willingly confuse wit with just being annoying.

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 10:31 PM

clean your fucking sensors, you assholes.

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 10:50 PM

IPads > archers of loaf

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 11:32 PM

delicate men

Posted by Anonymous | July 16, 2012 11:36 PM

what the hell kind of roster is this? not one band i'd venture to see, but looks like the entire student body of NYU was in attendance.