Doheny Days: Day One - Doheny State Beach - September 8, 2012

Jay Blakesberg

Jane's Addiction

Doheny Days--Day One
Doheny State Beach
September 8, 2012

See Also:
*Milo Greene Made Their First Full-Length Film With Zero Movie Making Experience
*Wayne Coyne Says 2013 is the Year of the Flaming Lips
*Jane's Addiction and the Flaming Lips to Headline Doheny Days

There's a bittersweet taste that accompanies the end of festival season. For the avid, flip flop-wearing, face painted summer ticket buyer, it means that your mission to conquer all of SoCal's thermometer-bursting bacchanals is finally over. But in the case of Doheny Days, the festival gods truly decided to save the best for last. Back for the second year after a six-year hiatus, this beach-side soiree managed to pack major marquee headliners into a mid-sized atmosphere free from a lot of typical clusterfuck that accompanies any show involving multiple days and more than a dozen bands. Wandering between three stages populated by howling beach folk in breezy outfits and all pedigrees of graphic t-shirts and sunglasses, each show represented its own slice of appeal that, despite a few minor hazards and gaffes here and there, made for a solid celebration of summer's last gasp. Here's a list of sights and sounds from the first day.
Best Beard: The White Buffalo

His dudeness

 While there were plenty of examples of majestic facial on stage during Doheny Days, if you didn't get there early, chances are you missed one of the burliest beards on the bill. Despite his cool demeanor, we're willing to bet that The White Buffalo (aka Jake Smith) was hot as hell carrying around his trademark bristles during his 1:15 p.m. set at the Sailor Jerry Stage. Helping concert goers settle in with his rustic, soul-bearing Americana, Smith and company were a solid opener for a day of rock-n-roll bombast. By the way, anybody think he looks a little bit like the Dude in the Big Labowski in this photo?

Best Use of Belly Dancing: Beats Antique

Jay Blakesberg

Beats Antique

You could argue that the moody, bass-heavy tribal fusion of Beats Antique deserved a sunset time slot. The music and stage show of this Oakland trio just sounds better in the dark. But they rose to the occasion, delivering a set to match the blazing heat mid afternoon at the Sailor Jerry Stage that included various vignettes of middle eastern hip shaking courtesy of member Zoe Jakes who graced the stage in billowing robes, an Eyes Wide Shut mask and face paint. At one point she came out with another dancer to really raise the stakes, whirling and gyrating to the excitement of a beer-swilling crowd. She made the art of undulating in time with David Satori and Tommy Cappel's melodic electro sound (which managed to incorporate a banjo) look pretty damn good.