Concert Review:
The Best Things at Revelry 2014

WUD Music’s second annual Revelry Music Festival was a success. The annual event, in comparison to last year’s modest, testing-the-waters approach, featured both a bigger lineup and a more accommodating venue. With a main stage on Langdon Street and a side stage on the Terrace, Revelry offered a genre-spanning lineup that pleased fans of indie rock, EDM, hip hop, and more. While the early afternoon acts played to more intimate crowds, things took a turn around 6:30 PM when a multitude of kids piled in to catch headlining sets by G-Eazy, Waka Flocka Flame, and Dillon Francis.

Revelry is a promising addition to Madison’s vibrant music scene and, in anticipation of what the fest will bring next year, let’s look back at the best moments of Revelry 2014. 

Sky Ferreira’s awkwardness

It’s probably fair to say Sky Ferreira has more experience than the average 21-year-old. When she’s not modeling for Vogue and Redken or acting in indie movies, Ferreira focuses on her main interest: singin’ the sweet sweet jams. Night Time, My Time, Ferreira’s oft-postponed debut album, finally came out (to rave reviews) last year. The album showed Ferreira’s affection for mainstream pop, punky guitar rock, and synthy new wave. Co-produced by the wizard Ariel Rechstaid (Vampire Weekend, Usher, etc.), Night Time, My Time made Sky Ferreira one of indie pop’s TOTALLY hott, TOTALLY hip new acts.

Ferreira’s current live show is probably more cohesive than last year’s. Due to reoccurring vocal cord issues, Sky had to cancel big shows with Vampire Weekend and Smith Westerns. Fortunately, 2014 has been a seemingly healthier year and Sky has been able to play massive dates opening for Miley Cyrus in addition to headlining shows.

At Revelry on Saturday, Ferreira played a brief but punchy set that highlighted her strengths. When she wasn’t making awkward, mumbled banter between songs, Ferreira belted the more anthemic tracks from her discography (“You’re Not the One,” “Everything is Embarassing”). With help from her well-rehearsed, leather-clad band, Ferreira brought an energy that’s unseen in many 5 PM sets. Sky’s voice and pitch are admittedly weaker live than on record, but what she may occasionally lack in substance is made up for in style. Ferreira’s endearing nature, keen ear for influences, and uncompromising attitude are what will take her places. As I’ve said many times before, I am an expert and I know these things. 

The cops pausing Waka Flocka’s set

Atlanta rapper Waka Flocka Flame brought an unabashedly crowd-friendly vibe to Revelry’s main stage. Building off hits like “No Hands” and “Hard in the Paint,” Mr. Flocka Flame sure got the kids “turnt!” (™ Mountain Dew Corp. 2014). Waka’s lyrical abilities are limited at best ­— this is, after all, the man who at some point wrote down and proceeded to record, “Always on the fuckery, you fuck niggas never seem hot” — but he makes up for it (maybe?) with a likeable charisma.

Backed by his DJ, some friends, and a rad light show, Waka blasted through his older tracks and played some songs off his forthcoming album, Flockaveli 2. The newer tracks were less trap and more EDM-oriented than previous material and the crowd seemed to love it. In fact, the crowd reveled so hard that Madison’s finest had to intervene. As a result, we now know that seeing a cop and Waka Flocka Flame work together to tame a crowd is one of the more entertaining things possible. 

Caroline Smith’s voice

Fuse R&B, funk, and folk and you might end up with Caroline Smith. The Minneapolis-based singer/songwriter released her latest LP, Half About Being a Woman, last year and has spent the majority of this year touring the country. As a result, Caroline Smith and her group are in top-notch form. Smith is no stranger to Madison crowds — she’s recently played stellar Madtown sets opening for Charles Bradley and Dessa — and it was evident at the Terrace on Saturday night. The crowd swayed back and forth to Smith’s late night grooves, clapping effusively when she finished her tracks.

Though the band’s musicianship is a highlight of the live show, Smith’s voice is what shines most. Soulful but not over the top soulful, it’s… well, just awesome and you should listen to it. Caroline Smith is no stranger to the Madison area and you should be able to catch her sometime soon. But she may be playing to 1,000 people by that point.