Rumors of All Tomorrow’s Parties’ demise, it appears, have been at least somewhat exaggerated. The festival’s well-publicized financial problems, along with its move from Asbury Park to a location on the Lower East Side that goes by the name of “Basketball City,” raised speculations that this year’s event wouldn’t live up to past glories. But while the location was definitely a downgrade from the Jersey boardwalk, and a couple of late line-up switches meant we missed out on seeing Chavez and an acoustic Lee Ranaldo set, this year’s festival remained a thoroughly enjoyable weekend. Flavorpill’s ace photographer Leila Morrissey was in attendance — check out a gallery of highlights after the jump.
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
Early festival highlight: horrified Frank Ocean fans cowering around the perimeter of the main stage during Lightning Bolt’s typically coruscating set on Friday night.
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
People complaining about this year’s line-up, consider this: where else do you get to see Philip Glass a) collaborate with Tyondai Braxton and b) play half an hour before Frank Ocean?
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
Tyondai Braxton was clearly delighted to be on stage with Glass, too, grinning to the crowd and returning for several bows at the conclusion of the duo’s half-hour set.
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
The man of the moment: Frank Ocean played to a shrieking crowd on Friday night, many of whom had bought tickets specifically to see him. Excellent business move, ATP.
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
Festival mainstays Dirty Three were an early highlight on Saturday, with Warren Ellis’ between-song banter as idiosyncratically amusing as ever.
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
It’s kinda unusual to see The Dirtbombs in the daylight, but they slew the outdoor stage on Saturday afternoon, drawing a crowd of fascinated onlookers on the other side of the cyclone fence that cordoned off the festival site from the street outside.
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
Happily, Mark Lanegan appeared inside under cover of darkness, and rattled through a set that drew heavily on his recent album Blues Funeral. The highlight, though, was Greg Dulli joining him on stage for a rollicking “Methamphetamine Blues.”
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
And speaking of Dulli, the festival curator played an epic 90-minute set on Saturday night with The Afghan Whigs.
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
Sunday afternoon paparazzi shot: that’s Tim Harrington of Les Savy Fav!
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
While it wasn’t Asbury Park, the new festival site was really quite pleasant and spacious. We’ll be interested to see if ATP returns here next year.
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
Hey, even the toilets weren’t terrible!
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
Montreal art-folk band Braids played early to a bleary-eyed crowd on Sunday afternoon.
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
Despite starting without a bass player, Lee Ranaldo played an excellent set that included a storming cover of Neil Young’s “Revolution Blues” (and an admonition to most of the crowd for not being at his recent Occupy Wall Street benefit).
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
Thee Oh Sees blew away any remaining Sunday afternoon cobwebs, and gave Flavorpill a headache. Bless them.
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
It turns out that the aforementioned Tim Harrington was at the festival to introduce re-formed DC post-punk band and Les Savy Fav spiritual forebears The Make-Up, who have clearly lost none of their frenetic energy in the 12 years since they went their separate ways.
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
Sundown on Sunday: ATP’s traditional cinema attraction relocated to a boat called the Queen of Hearts moored on the East River. Discovery of the weekend: it’s really, really trippy watching a movie on a boat (especially if the movie in question is Koyanisqaatsi.)
Photo credit: Leila Morrissey
But if we’re gonna pick one highlight from the weekend, it’s hard to go past this: an epic two-hour Godspeed You! Black Emperor set. Our ears are still ringing, but it was totally worth it.