The highly-anticipated performance by Coldplay at the inaugural Pemberton Festival north of Whistler, B.C., had to be anticipated for just a little longer on Sunday, as extreme traffic delays on the highway finally had an impact on the performances. American funk/hip hop/alt-rock band N.E.R.D. arrived late for their show – minus three of their five musicians – and took the stage 35 minutes late, putting the rest of the mainstage schedule off-balance for the remainder of the day.
Coldplay, it must be said, was worth the wait. The headliners – and the driving force behind the festival – put on a powerful show. Frontman Chris Martin exhibited more than his typical enthusiasm and what seemed like genuine appreciation that people came to the remote festival and stuck around long enough to hear his band, which took to the stage at 10:20 pm on Sunday night.
“You braved hours of traffic and rain – all to take a chance on a new festival,” he said, adding that the consensus was that the event has been “a great success.”
Too bad for distractions during Coldplay’s set: people departing in an attempt to avoid another long journey home, the slow-moving traffic visible behind the stage, the ever-present bass coming out of the B-Live tent across the field (particularly annoying during what should have been a Coldplay highlight: a short set on a tiny stage that included an acoustic version of The Scientist).
But overall, it was a strong show, with highlights that included Clocks, In My Place, and everybody singing along to Yellow.
Coldplay was preceded by an extraordinary performance by Jay-Z. For just over an hour, the New York hip hop star had the place in a tizzy – fans waving their arms in tribute and bouncing like crazy (the temporary wooden floor I was standing on felt positively trampolinesque). Some female fans showed their appreciation by flashing the crowd on the giant video screens – to great approval.
Jay-Z’s urban lyrics set against the silhouette of the darkening mountains as he sampled everyone from Amy Winehouse to the cast of the musical Annie, was something to experience. Even he seemed impressed.
As the show wrapped up, like a teacher handing out gold stars at the end of class, Jay-Z sent some shout-outs to audience members whose enthusiasm he had noticed. “You in the yellow t-shirt,” he pointed to a fan. “And you, baby girl.”
An unlikely highlight from earlier in the day was a stunning two-song collaboration between Dj Dopey and 16 members of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. As the VSO played The Verve’s Bittersweet Symphony, Dj Dopey ruled the turntable, and scenes from The Shining flashed on the screens behind the stage. The crowd in the B-Live tent ate it up. Future VSO subscription holders? Perhaps.
On unlikely combinations, the American Hasidic reggae almost-star Matisyahu closed out the smaller Lillooet stage with a spiritually-inspired performance that went with the gorgeous setting (at least the part of the show I managed to catch; there were scheduling conflicts with Dj Dopey and Death Cab for Cutie). In beard, yarmulke and side-curls, Matisyahu didn’t exactly look the Pemberton Festival part, but with musical talent like his, he fit right in.
N.E.R.D. – late though they were – got the crowd going with a high-energy, infectious performance. Okay, so they thought they were in Vancouver at first, and Pharrell Williams uttered the f-word more times than one could count, but their energy was almost unparalleled on Sunday (and then Jay-Z came along).
Wish I could say the same for Seattle’s Death Cab for Cutie. Perhaps it was festival fatigue setting in, but they just didn’t do it for me – or the crowd. After N.E.R.D. – and Dj Dopey – the performance simply felt lacklustre. Too bad, because they’ve got a lot to offer.
Highlight of the final day: a crowd crazy in love with Jay-Z.
Low point: the backlog caused by earlier traffic delays meant Coldplay didn’t wrap up their set until 11:40. And then, festival fans set out for what would no doubt be another long journey home.
