Kid Cudi brought swagger and energy to Day 2 of the Dave Matthews Band Caravan on Saturday, highlighting an impressive list of performers that also included Ben Folds and Liz Phair.
See also: Day 1 Review, DMB Caravan
As the only hip-hop artist on the bill for the three-day event on the lake at 83rd Street, Cudi might have had something to prove, and he was sharp from the get-go, repeatedly stressing how he was here to party and wanted his fans to party with him. He earned a big reaction when he played "All of the Lights," even though Cudi only sings two lines on the Kanye track.
Cudi's closing song "Pursuit of Happiness," was an electric moment, as thousands of attendees sang along and threw their hands in the air. The crowd was completely into Cudi's set, singing along with most tunes, even the ones from his early mixtape. The message to organizers was clear: If there is a next year of the DMB Caravan, include more hip-hop performers.
Liz Phair, now 44, has mellowed quite a bit from the angry rock chick she appeared to be on 1993's Exile in Guyville. Her fine Saturday performance included "Polyester Bride" and "Never Said," which both had a nice bounce. Phair ended with one of her best and most lyrically deep tunes, "F--- and Run."
Folds delivered a smart set that revealed the cheeky pianist's pop sensibility. His concert featured "Army," "You Don't Know Me," and a left-field cover of Ke$ha's "Sleazy," chosen, Folds explained, because it happened to be #1 on iTunes the day he and his band were deciding which cover song to learn for their 2011 tour.
Friday's DMB set was light on songs from Crash, but Saturday's show featured a big heaping, including a 1-2-3 punch near the end of the set of "Lie in Our Graves," "Too Much" and "Crash Into Me." The show kicked off with "#41," closed with "Two Step," and also featured "Proudest Monkey."
Violinist Boyd Tinsley dominated "Lie in Our Graves," offering a captivating several-minutes long solo. Sax player Jeff Coffin, who was noticeably off his game on Friday, redeemed himself with a phenomenal extended solo and climax during "Lying in the Hands of God."
Other DMB highlights from Saturday's Day 2 of the Caravan: A cover of Talking Heads' "Burning Down the House," with Dave growling the lyrics, the classic "Granny," and the always-popular "Crush."
Earlier in the afternoon, Dave joined Tim Reynolds for an acoustic performance, but that set was surprisingly dull, with little energy, even during the closer "Dancing Nancies." "Where Are You Going" and "So Damn Lucky" were among the too-slow numbers the duo played.
Much more entertaining was the set from Yonder Mountain String Band, who showed off their instrumental virtuosity while entertaining a smaller audience during the hottest part of the day.
Check out more of my Chicago live music articles.
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