After everything that’s been happening for the last, let’s say, forever, we all need a good reset. Honestly, anything he can do even the simplest thing men in black Erase recent memory is worth the money. That’s where the Re:SET concert series comes in, a traveling outdoor event that launched its inaugural “tour” in Los Angeles this weekend, June 2-4.
Meant to be a refreshed version of the festival format, the three-day bill is set to hit cities across the country like New Orleans, Chicago, New York, Atlanta, and more every weekend in June. The AEG-powered series doesn’t force tough decisions with conflicting set times or very short rest periods between sets. Headlining each night (LCD Soundsystem, boygenius, Steve Lacy) also had a pick of supporting trash by being able to stage his own bill, so the evenings weren’t so much about cohesiveness as it was about who the artists wanted to highlight in their allotted time. This led to some interesting billing and an exciting time during Re:SET’s first weekend.
Get tickets for the remaining stations through the event website.
Day 1: Steve’s Lacy – Softcore Served with a side of Steve’s
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Based on his lineup, Steve Lacy wanted to highlight softness and oomph. Fousheé’s inherent seduction offered something different from Toro Y Moi’s, but in the best of ways. Chaz Bear’s group has been an all around fun time – not just with his musical work, but with who he is as a person. His unrestrained spirit emanated into the crowd as easily as the voice from the speakers, bringing together many people of different backgrounds and styles.
“Too many details” had a quirky, color-shifting atmosphere that produced a pleasant calming effect (though it’s possible that the THC flowing throughout the air had something to do with it). The more energy he puts in, the more everyone will join him. His lyrical catchphrase, “I don’t give a damn,” tapped into “The Laws of the Universe” in the message of maximizing all good things as “ordinary fun.” Bear swayed on stage, cheekily throwing his flirtatious looks and winking at the audience. Everyone loved it.
After Flume covered “The Difference”, the final three songs were as Toro Y Magic. He gave blessings and salutations to the other artists on the bill (Lacey in particular, of course) as he made his way through Rose Quartz. As soon as “Freelance” arrived, an audience member put incense directly into that sweet Brookside soil and lit it, wrapping those nearby in the proper cleansing of the full moon rising in the sky.
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That moon quickly became yet another piece of theatrical decor, as if lighting technology scaffolded to the high sky and dropped that natural satellite into its place. As the air gets colder and the night darker, James Blake strives to open his sleepy eyes with a light show during Travis Scott’s rendition of “Mile High,” his voice echoing the refreshing tastes of wind and moist air. “I’ll take you from daylight to dusk to evening,” Blake yelled before going into Say What You Will.
