Larkfest 2009
A giant burrito with legs enjoys Larkfest.
We don't know if it was the weather or Moby or what, but it looked like there were more people than ever at Larkfest today. When we were there it you could barely move down the street. But no one seemed to mind much.
It was almost too crowded to get a good picture. Here are a few shots we got today. If you've got a few you want to share, pass them on.
"I will now turn you into a giant burrito..."
Moby
Dancing to Moby
The littlest Moby fan.
Pie in the face.
Pieface
Part of the sea of people.
Beware! The Other Head of Science.
Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo Banned
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Comments
L'shonah Tova to all my fellow Hebrews out there in AOA Land!
... said Erik on Sep 19, 2009 at 9:50 PM | link
Yeah, too bad the party turned in the middle of Moby's set. During Bell X1, everyone was super happy and okay with the person next to them. After Moby, for the first time in my life I felt unsafe in Albany. I've lived here for three years. Some guy essentially wanted to try on my hat. When I said no, and tried to keep walking, four of his friends essentially surrounded me and I had to literally push them out of the way after one grabbed my arm.
I've always been a defender of these events, and have attended them all since I've moved here. It's a shame drunk kids from SUNY had to get uppity.
... said Ellie on Sep 19, 2009 at 11:27 PM | link
Was it me or was Moby awful? He was too relaxed, people wanted to get down but he didn't deliver. Bell X1 was good though.
... said Save Pine Hills on Sep 20, 2009 at 1:05 AM | link
Louis from Sgt. Dunbar looks very Richie Tenebaum in his sweat band and sunglasses. The beard helps too.
... said MaryElise on Sep 20, 2009 at 2:01 AM | link
I will second the crowd. Holy madness! We got to listen to Moby from the patio of the Wine Bar & Bistro though, and that was pretty sweet.
... said Summer on Sep 20, 2009 at 11:37 AM | link
I watched Matt and Kim's set from my friend's apartment above Justin's. It was freakin awesome. The crowd surfing was so fun to watch. The band rocked, and kept saying how great Albany was. Kim even went crowd surfing! I don't regret skipping Moby.
... said Jessica R on Sep 20, 2009 at 3:57 PM | link
The Townsend Park stage was awesome! We camped out there most of the day. All in all the crowd was overwhelming and drunk. But the beat cops I talked to sounded like they had a plan. Hopefully those living downtown had a somewhat peaceful evening!
And I gotta say, I ran over to Bombers for lunch. I wasn't feeling any of the street vendors, and once I start dreaming of BBQ tofu, I really just need to do it. I walked in, waited maybe a minute to order, walked to the back (it was packed!) to wait, and my name was called! Seriously, less than 5 minutes and I had my wonderful tacos. They amazed me!
... said Melissa on Sep 20, 2009 at 5:05 PM | link
We got the hell outta town. Went to Vermont for the day and pretended that the whole thing--like Tulip Fest--never happened. We know these events are good for the city on the whole, but hate the crowds so we leave. We come back praying that nobody trashed our planters or peed on the steps. This year we got lucky. Other neighbors on Jay Street not so much.
... said BT on Sep 21, 2009 at 9:30 AM | link
I thought Moby was great! I haven't listened to his stuff in years, but it was happy to hear that he played all of his earlier hits that he's known for. They sounded great live. The crowd during Moby was ridiculous though.
ATTN Fire Marshal / APD: Just about every outdoor concert I've been to had barricades up between the pit/crowd area and the sidewalks/walking area. People who are in the sidewalk area are forced to keep moving and can only enter the crowd from the back, not wherever they feel like it. The people at the sides of the crowd were basically in an hour-long shoving match to keep the crowd separate from the people trying to just get by on the sidewalk. I felt bad seeing someone in a motorized wheelchair get sat on because there was absolutely no crowd control.
Other than that madness, the day was a lot of fun!
... said Paul on Sep 21, 2009 at 9:47 AM | link
Moby signed my album.
... said ethan on Sep 21, 2009 at 10:20 AM | link
I dug the musical diversity of the day. I saw We Are Jeneric on the Townsend Stage, and a local rapper (no idea who), who rocked on the Hometown Stage, then Ten Year Vamp, Company of Thieves, and Matt & Kim on the Madison Stage.
I did have some run ins with crowds, but mostly weaseled my way to spots where I had more than enough room to dance and was still within view of the bands. All in all, a good day.
... said Scott on Sep 21, 2009 at 10:45 AM | link
@Scott I believe you saw Rick Whispers - and wow his set was amazing!
He did this awesome hip-hop set with a live band. On a very loose level, take Sublime but toss it into now, and better on many levels. He was really awesome and so was his band. I was amazed.
... said Lola on Sep 21, 2009 at 11:22 AM | link
@ Lola - I saw the rapper @ Chestnut and lark, and it wasn't Rick Whispers, he was a local guy - had a drummer, not a full band - sort of in the Jay Z vein, it was fine until he started getting a little homophobic at the very end and dropped a couple of vulgarities. Mother Judge calmed things down though.
... said Mike Hotter on Sep 21, 2009 at 12:53 PM | link
@Mike Hotter That's unfortunate. It really is too bad when someone with talent turns it into targeted hate.
... said Lola on Sep 21, 2009 at 2:00 PM | link
Not to be a pill, but one of these year I'm going to not have to work and get to enjoy Larkfest- by leaving for the whole darn weekend. Revenue for the area aside, does anyone local see a benefit to having drunk hicks leaving chicken bones and beer cans everywhere?
... said Aaron on Sep 21, 2009 at 8:12 PM | link