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Mew at Off Festival 2010

Aug 08, 2010 By Laura Studarus Photography by Laura Studarus Tunng

Day two I managed to will away my jet lag. Good thing—Muchy, Tunng, Hey, Mew and The Radio Dept. demanded my full attention.

Muchy (Polish for flies) were quite endearing—if only because their pop rock reminded me of a long lost band from my high school days—that is, if I took Polish instead of French. Bonus points to their bass player who managed to rock both a pair of Buddy Holly glasses and shirtless chic.

On a side stage, I caught London fractured-folk outfit Tunng, a band that I had always been a dismissed as simply “sweet.” No longer. Live—while certainly sweet—Tunng packs a powerful punch. Showing off their offbeat humor (One song infamously includes the declaration “soup!”) they froze mid-song, striking poses to Billie Holiday. Even without their attention-catching antics, it was easily a standout set and more than reason to revisit their back catalogue.

Over at the main stage, popular Polish band Hey drew a sizable crowd. With a set lit by one of Poland’s most notable lighting directors (or so the rumor goes), it was a spectacle that matched the melodramatic songs. My hosts informed me that the band’s electronic elements are a recent addition, a brilliant move that complements their female lead singer’s ethereal vocals.

And then…there was Mew. A longtime favorite of Under the Radar staffers, it was quite a treat to see their first ever show in Poland. The band performed a trademark tight set, relying heavily on material from Frengers and And the Glass Handled Kites. Easily the best performers of the evening, the band appeared incredibly grateful for the opportunity, repeatedly thanking the audience. Closing out the set with “Comforting Sounds” proved to not be enough for their fans, so the band reemerged for a “Special/Zookeeper’s Boy” encore.

Since The Radio Dept. have yet to play my side of the world, I had been looking forward to catching their set. However, it was a bit unfortunate they took the stage after Mew’s blistering set. More unfortunate though, was the bass turned up to the point I had to flee the tent in order to retain a normal heartbeat. From the outside of the tent their melancholy songs took fire, a perfect soundtrack to the happy festivalgoers cool August night. (www.2010.off-festival.pl)