"I may have been born yesterday, sir, but I stayed up all night!" - El-P

(after a tirade about the bullshit military recruiters feed high school kids while trying to convince them to join up. Duncan would have liked that, and it felt like he was nearby during El-P's set.)

So much is different this year. We're a foursome - Travers, Becky, Sudhir, and I. There weren't enough programs and maps and there aren't enough port-o-potties and we're in the furthest possible campsite. But we're seasoned veterans by now, and hopefully well prepared.

We started off Friday with Lily Allen, who was adorable and drunk off jagermeister and forgot the words to a song about her little brother Alfie. But I found her thoroughly enjoyable anyway. She's tremendously pop-sounding, but with a nice undercurrent of sarcasm.

Afterward it was time to head to Tool and work our way near-ish to the front of the crowd, which thankfully wasn't scary (by the end of this weekend I think I was completely cured of my crowd-claustrophobia). Sudhir took off to the very front to take part in the mosh pit, but I was perfectly content where we were (even if I was too short to actually see the band and thus missed out on Tom Morello playing the guitar with his mouth!). Nevertheless, my ears fully appreciated what my eyes couldn't quite see.

We all met back up at the tree by the beer tent (an excellent and reliable meeting place used repeatedly in case of separation all weekend) to rest a bit and indulge in some Magic Hat (mmmm...Number 9!) before checking out the firey artwork of Such N Such, the aforementioned set by El-P, and just a few songs from DJ Shadow, then the long trek back to camp.

Part II...sometime. Mom is visiting for the week, so you may have to be patient (as will I).