Free Press Summer Fest

Summer Fest blazes on in new location with sizzling performances by R. Kelly and St. Vincent

Free Press Summer Fest has come a long way from its humble beginnings in 2009, with this year's seventh annual festival drawing some of the most exciting names in music. With six stages, dozens of impressive artists and thousands of Houstonians in attendance, the first day proved that the city's favorite music festival is ever-evolving and continues to bring summertime fun.

Last-minute Venue Change

The epic flood that recently shook Houston definitely threw a wrench in the works for Summer Fest organizers after the event's usual grounds at Eleanor Tinsley Park were submerged in more than 30 feet of water. With hardly any time to find a new location, the Mayor's Office of Special Events stepped in and helped relocate the massive festival to the Yellow Lot at NRG Park.

Even during the most brutally hot parts of the day, attendees managed to tough it out and spirits stayed high throughout the entire day of incredible performances.

Virtually everyone I spoke with had their reservations about the move, most significantly with the fact that most of the festival would be situated on asphalt in the midst of sweltering summer weather.

Yes, it was hot. Very hot. Thankfully, though, the blistering sun was shrouded by clouds for much of the day, providing a level of relative comfort for which all were thankful. Even during the most brutally hot parts of the day, attendees managed to tough it out and spirits stayed high throughout the entire day of incredible performances.

RL Grime

At only 24 years old, Los Angeles-born RL Grime has already made his mark as one of the top electronic music producers in the world. His set on the Neptune Stage drew a crowd that extended far past the stage's boundaries and proved to be one of the most memorable performances of the day.

Rapid-fire beats and hip-hop production are hallmarks of Grime's style, leading frenzied fans to dance incessantly in spite of the oppressive afternoon heat. Performances of stand-out tracks like "Tell Me," "Scylla" and "Infinite Daps" (which he co-produced with up-and-coming producer Baauer) perfectly showcased the musical stylings that have quickly propelled him to fame.

Peaches

Canadian-born Peaches showcased her unique combination of often hyper-sexualized lyrics and incredibly high-powered electronic beats in her performance on one of the smaller stages, which ultimately allowed for a more intimate feel to the set, unlike many others at the festival. The 46-year-old artist bounded across the stage, performing hits like "Boys Wanna Be Her," "I Feel Cream" and "Mommy Complex" in front of a crowd that seemed to know every lyric.

During the intense hour-long set, Peaches sprayed champagne on the audience, changed costumes a half dozen times and even walked on top of the frenetic crowd, providing a concert experience that few will ever forget.

St. Vincent

Singer-songstress St. Vincent — also known as Annie Clark — wowed crowds on Saturday night with an incredible performance that truly showcased her incredible range and impressive talent. The combination of her powerful lyrics, arresting vocals and complex rhythms along with Clark's diminutive stature and unassuming femininity served as a reminder as to why she's one of the most interesting and respected artists of her time.

The huge audience assembled in front of the Mars Stage was rapt with attention with every strum of Clark's guitar during her high-powered performance, which included numerous songs from her 2014 self-titled release — one that reached No. 12 on the Billboard Top 200 — including the hauntingly beautiful "Birth in Reverse" and the darkly upbeat ballad "Digital Witness."

R. Kelly

In the wake of a petition to remove him from this year's Summer Fest lineup due to accusations that he was sexually involved with underage girls, R. Kelly maintains the dubious honor of being the most controversial artist to appear at the annual festival. In spite of pressure to cancel his performance, organizers kept the "King of R&B" as one of the event's headliners.

Kelly arguably drew the largest crowd of the day to one of Saturday night's two final performances, one which got everyone dancing from the jump when he started with the chart-topping hit "Ignition (Remix)." Whether he performed slower R&B jams ("My Story," "Bump N' Grind") or bass heavy dance tracks ("Fiesta Fiesta"), the entire crowd was palpably ecstatic throughout the entire set.

R Kelly gets some great backup during his peformance.

Photo by © Michelle Watson CatchLightGroup.como

R Kelly gets some great backup during his peformance.

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Movie Review

New Superman movie forges into the future while honoring the past

Photo by Jessica Miglio

David Corenswet in Superman.

When the character of Superman was invented in 1938, it was perhaps easier to see the world in good and bad terms. Fascism was already on the rise in Germany under Adolf Hitler, and the idea of an all-powerful superhero who stood up for people in need was a welcome one. In the nearly 90 years since, though, the world and the character have undergone multiple evolutions, and the thought of someone who is purely good is often met with cynicism or worse.

The new Superman, written and directed by James Gunn, puts the superhero (or metahuman, as the film calls him and similar creatures) squarely in the midst of the modern world, with geopolitical conflicts, mega-corporations, and social media all combining to make the altruism of Superman/Clark Kent (David Corenswet) questionable. That skepticism even extends to his coworker/girlfriend Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), whose knowledge of his exploits puts her in a tricky position personally and professionally.

Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) is out to dominate the world and take down Superman, with his eponymous corporation and vast group of underlings dedicated to doing both. Superman is generally a one-man fighting crew, but he’s occasionally aided by a group calling themselves the Justice Gang, comprised of heroes many have never heard of like Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), a version of Green Lantern; Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), a flying metahuman; and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi), who knows all kinds of technology.

One of the best things about this new version of Superman is that it mostly dispenses with introductions, putting the audience in a world where Superman is already a well-known quantity who’s adored by many and hated by some. Gunn has used his new position as co-CEO of DC Studios to honor the past of the hero and take him into the future. With the 1978 John Williams theme song echoing throughout and Corenswet giving off Christopher Reeve vibes, it’s clear Gunn wants audiences to feel nostalgia while still getting something new.

He also appears to want viewers to fight against the negativity that the modern world can bring. The plot involves manipulation of the public, usually at the hands of Luthor, through bombastic talk shows, political theater, and social media, the latter of which — in a great joke — comes to involve hundreds of typing monkeys. The film could be read as a rebuttal of many real-world ills as, despite Luthor’s machinations, many choose to continue to believe in the goodness of Superman.

There is a lot going on in the film, but somehow it never comes off as overly complicated. Superman’s relationship with Lois Lane and Luthor’s attempts at taking him down are given the most prominence, with everything else supporting those two main things. The Justice Gang is a fun addition, with Mr. Terrific becoming the breakout hero of the group. The addition of the (CGI) dog Krypto provides levity, poignant moments, and unexpectedly great action scenes. The only part that gets somewhat short shrift is the crew of The Daily Planet, with everyone besides Lois and Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) getting little more than face time.

Being the new Superman is a lot to live up to, but Corenswet is completely up to the job. He, like Reeve, plays the character as someone who is earnest but not naive, a quality that comes through even when he’s in the middle of fight scenes. Brosnahan is also fantastic, providing a nice balance to the relationship while also proving the character’s own worth. Hoult makes for a great new version of Luthor, and Gathegi nearly makes the case that Mr. Terrific should get a starring film of his own.

Just as he did with the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, Gunn has shown that success can be found through making characters people want to see. Not everyone in this Superman will be familiar to viewers, but in the end a group of people working together toward a goal that serves the common good is one worth watching and cheering for.

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Superman is now playing in theaters.

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