Fun Fun Fun Fest Live Shot: Quicksand

Quicksand’s early-evening set underscored one prime raison d’être for FFF’s existence: the reunion of acts sign-posting the festival founders’ childhoods. The NYC guitar rock quartet and its old-school hardcore pedigree left behind a pair of influential platters in its brief career, including the landmark Slip.

Despite its long absence until last year, Quicksand hit the stage tight and action-ready, singer Walter Schreifels bouncing before he even reached the microphone. That enthusiasm made up for a sound mix that drowned out his deliberately strained singing. Then again, his half-shouted vocals and the heart-on-sleeve emotions ain’t the point.

A Quicksand show remains the unleashing of a sonic thunderstorm seeded by Schreifels and partner Tom Capone’s six-string dynamics, along with the busy thrum of bassist Sergio Vega, on loan from his current employer the Deftones.

This particular set unfolded its charms on jagged opener “Omission” and never wavered. Schreifels' axe provided more punctuation than riffs; Capone carried the load not only for rhythm and lead, but also spacey intermissions and subtle fills. Yet individual responsibility mattered less than impact, and given the healthy crowd’s passionate response to the guitar storms, that impact was heavy.

The angry grunge of “Fazer,” heavy prog riffs of “Lie and Wait,” and punky bash and crash of “Divorce” would’ve reduced a lesser stage to rubble, with the dissonant chords of “Dine Alone” chopping the debris into dust. At the end, Quicksand blasted off with “Thorn in My Side,” leaving behind tired musicians, ringing ears, and a satiated crowd of faith-keepers.

No word on what the FFF Fest bookers thought.

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