Thrival Innovation and Music Festival
Bakery Square
Pittsburgh, PA
September 13, 2014
Thrival Innovation and Music Festival is a celebration of Pittsburgh moving forward. The steel city is advancing from its old stigma and quickly becoming known as an inventive place to live, grow and work. It is a place that is home to a number of Universities and a place that embraces entrepreneurs. After a week of panels, roundtables and business showcases the week long event culminated in an impressive 2 day music festival.
Kicking off the evening were local rockers The Red Western and recently reunited 1,2,3. The three piece band Misterwives have been touring extensively this year and was their 2nd appearance in Pittsburgh in a week, having been at Stage AE, opening for Twenty One Pilots September 6. Minneapolis rockers Motion City Soundtrack led by founding members Joshua Cain and Justin Pierre were also on the bill.
Day 1 of the festival was capped off by hip hop legend Talib Kweli of Black Star fame. Kweli got the crowd moving with an interactive set. Equipped with two dj’s he busted out favorites “Get Em High” and “Get By.” Late in his set Kweli introduced Pittsburgh native Kendra Ross as the person who helped him write one of his best albums ever.
Matthew Houck of Phosphorescent slowed things down a bit with their set. This time around Houck was accompanied by his killer touring musicians. His voice was masterful, carrying through the crisp air that permeated Bakery Square. “Song for Zula,” and “Ride On/Right On,” highlighted their 1 hour set.
Introduced as “the best live band in the entire world,” Portugal. The Man took the Thrival stage donning Pittsburgh Pirates hats. With a face melting laser light show the group fittingly opened their set with Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2,” followed by “Purple, Yellow, Red and Blue.
Fans got a heavy dose of their latest album, “Evil Friends,” produced by Danger Mouse, including “Hip Hop Kids, “Atomic Man” and “Modern Jesus.” PTM also snuck in the cover “A Kilo,” by Ghostface Killah and “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” by Oasis.
“You got to support Pittsburgh, so we can support local entrepreneurs,” said a Thrival fest organizer. That quote in it self is the essence of Thrival Innovation and Music Festival.
Portugal. The Man
Phosphorescent
Talib Kweli
