Detroit hustles harder, even when the going gets… wet. Despite a veritable tempest Saturday evening that threatened to dampen the spirits of even the most seasoned music enthusiasts, the third annual Mo Pop Festival was a success for the city and the event’s organizers. It also made for a weekend of melodies and memories for attendees, who were treated to a diverse array of homegrown crafts and cuisine while enjoying the pleasant tunes of an indie-leaning roster.
After having spent its first two years at Freedom Hill Amphitheatre in Sterling Heights, Mo Pop moved this summer to West Riverfront Park in Downtown Detroit, and it also expanded from a single-day event to two full days of music and more. Even with the last-minute cancellation of Passion Pit — one of the top-billed acts — and the inclement weather, the lineup alone added something unexpected to the city’s festival circuit, which already included events dedicated to jazz, electronic, and country music.
Among the well-known national names — from Modest Mouse to Chromeo — were hometown heroes such as Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas, whose set drew from their entire repertoire, including last year’s excellent Secret Evil. When they closed out with a cover of Le Tigre’s “Deceptacon,” it felt like a torch had been passed from one riot grrrl to another.
It was a cover that the former frontman of The Killers opened with, and a Detroit one at that. The White Stripes’ blistering “Fell in Love with a Girl” rewarded the crowd who stuck it out through the deluge Saturday night. Apparently, late July showers bring Brandon Flowers; unfortunately, they also did a number on Chromeo’s equipment. The Canadian duo were forced to switch things up and do a DJ set, but consummate performers that they were, managed to turn something out that redefined getting turned up.
The late afternoons of Mo Pop were dominated by what’s been termed “silent-majority” rock — a slew of groups that have followed in the wake of Mumford & Sons and Foster the People, and whose crowd-pleasing hooks, radio-ready rhythms, and easy-going charms made them a natural fit for a festival like this one. Acts like James Bay, Atlas Genius, The Front Bottoms, and Saint Motel were the perfect palate cleanser between the more niche sets from earlier in the day and the bigger bands who’d play later.
Biggest of all were Modest Mouse, whose nearly 90-minute set on Sunday night almost made up for a half-hour delay. Their set spanned mostly the last fifteen years of their discography, with Isaac Brock delving into quite a bit of stage banter. It wasn’t entirely unwelcome, though, as this convivial mood spread through the crowd and summed up what had been a weekend full of ups and downs.
But for each of those two days that went from high to low and back again, one act stood above the rest, and they couldn’t be more different. On Saturday, Nashville’s Natalie Prass brought her slow-burning stories of love and heartbreak to life with the force and conviction of someone who’d lived much longer than her 29 years. The following day, the physical raindrops may have ended, but that didn’t put a stop to Canadian band Viet Cong’s post-punk pummel. In a tightly choreographed 30-minute set, they delivered a punishing and visceral performance that hit the right notes for anyone starved for something more than the admittedly delicious dishes being served nearby.
Maybe that was the best part of Mo Pop, then. Everywhere you looked there was some new sight to take in, a new morsel of food to taste, or a new friend to be made. And just like the oft-repeated adage about Michigan weather, if you waited just a bit, there would be a change in the musical wares, and you would find some new sound to grab your ear. Ultimately, Mo Pop won over our hearts, too.
Photos of Natalie Prass, Coasts, Iron & Wine, Brandon Flowers, and Chromeo courtesy of Mo Pop Festival. All other photos by Nick Kassab for Detroit Music Magazine.