4Knots Fest 2013 in pics (Kurt Vile, The Men, Parquet Courts, Marnie Stern, The Babies, Fat Tony, White Lung & more)

July 1, 2013

photos by Amanda Hatfield; words by Andrew Sacher and Bill Pearis

Kurt Vile / Fat Tony / White Lung / the scene @ 4Knots 2013

“We’re not a daytime band, this is weird,” said Mish Way of White Lung during her band’s set at the third annual 4Knots Music Festival on the South Street Seaport on Saturday (6/29). It’s true that they’re better fit for smaller, darker spaces, but despite that comment, White Lung continue to prove how powerful they can be on any stage. Even a hot outdoor sunny one.

Other bands sounded great under the sun too (which burned off any threats of thunderstorms), like Hunters (who already seem to know how to do a festival show), Parquet Courts, who were noisier than I’d see them before, The Men, who delivered their ever-changing brand of punk with country jams running through their whole set, the garage-soul of Reigning Sound, and of course Kurt Vile, who’s arguably a better fit for an outdoor show than a dark venue. Kurt and his band (new drummer included) played an excellent set heavy on the first half of his new album, Wakin On A Pretty Daze, and revisited the past for live staples like a solo acoustic performance of “Peeping Tomboy” and the set-ending noise jam, “Freak Train.”

On the second stage, which was a more of a proper setup than last year’s more DIY feel, there was Heliotropes (laying down Sabbath-y riffs), Fat Tony (who rapped about Guinness beer), The Babies (terrific as always), and proggy hammer-on queen, Marnie Stern.

It was an all-around good-vibes day of free music. More pictures from 4Knots 2013 below…

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