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Photo Recap: Detour Festival - Downtown - Los Angeles, CA

With last year's neon epidemic subsiding, LA Weekly's Detour Festival took on a notably different look and sound than the dance-crazed iteration of yesteryear. While the crowd still skewed more towards the tween demographic than the average fest, a majority of this year's youth dawned black Mars Volta shirts and Converse, as opposed to luminescent Nikes and stunna shades. Matt Costa's endearing mix of indie folk and pop melodies fit the affair's earnest vibe perfectly. With the refreshing fall weather in his corner, the Huntington Beach native captivated the audience with a handful of cuts off his 2008 offering, Unfamiliar Faces, including fan favorites "Cigarette Eyes" and "Mr. Pitiful."


Matt Costa | by Greg Starnes


Matt Costa | by Greg Starnes


Matt Costa | by Greg Starnes


Matt Costa | by Greg Starnes

Though 2008's Detour donned a rockier aesthetic, Hercules and Love Affair brought enough disco-funk to move even the drabbest Volta fan's feet. Mastermind Andy Butler's DJ background was apparent throughout the set as the band adeptly grooved through nearly an hour of original hits and covers without a break to catch their breath. Beguiling songstress Nomi Ruiz entranced the audience with her vocals on "You Belong" and added a sultry side to the standout track "Blind" in the wake of Antony's absence. The party hit its apex when the disco-revivalists dropped an infectious rendition of "Don't Fear the Reaper," complete with retro-dance cadence and vintage synth buzz.


Hercules and Love Affair | by Greg Starnes


Hercules and Love Affair | by Greg Starnes


Hercules and Love Affair | by Greg Starnes


Hercules and Love Affair | by Greg Starnes


Cut Copy | by Greg Starnes

—The ARTISTdirect Staff
10.06.08