It was a weekend of firsts. Not only was it my first time wearing a poncho, it was also my first time catching Sonic Youth in action. Shocking, as I've loved them since age 12, carrying around my discman to and fro, Goo permanently glued inside the player.

The July 4th concert was one of several free River to River events, the big shebang in an otherwise stacked indie rock lineup. WFMU were also heavily involved in bringing the two bands to the Battery Park stage. First up were The Feelies, one of the first true indie rock bands who rose to prominence during the seventies and eighties. The band split long before most of us could enjoy their live show, but reunited for a limited time only for this joyous occasion, playing a solid 45 minute set.

Though the band's set was extremely pleasant, the Feelies seemed to have lost their shimmering, nervous edge that set them apart from the pack during their original run. Even otherwise tense numbers seemed to be a bit subdued, lost in a more jangly soundscape. Not that this made for a bad gig, it just wasn't quite what I expected, I suppose. The band did pick up energy as the show unfolded, but they lost me for good with a rather neutered cover of Wire's 'Outdoor Miner.'

The crowd was something else yesterday, a series of typical rude concert goers complete with a lack of energy and a high dose of entitlement, but any annoyances were made up for when Sonic Youth took to the stage and proceeded to destroy it. Even 20 years after their most experimental post-punk/no wave records, the band's edge still remained intact, complete with drumstick-bowed guitars, fuzzy freakouts, and a general chaotic atmosphere. Even as the rain trickled down, the band played their hearts out, offering up several choice cuts from their most classic of records.

Sure, the set was a bit Daydream Nation heavy for my liking, and they completely ignored both my personal favorite Sonic Youth record (Evol), as well as the album that hooked me on them all those years ago, but there were still a number of unexpected gems throughout their set, including 'Schizophrenia,' 'She Is Not Alone,' 'The World Looks Red,' and 'Drunken Butterfly,' which featured a delightful lyrical mishap on Kim Gordon's part, bringing the song to a screeching halt. "Not to make excuses, but I ripped the majority of those lyrics from Heart songs," she said after coming back for the first of two encores. I am always endeared when otherwise professional bands make a mistake. Of course, this moment was captured on film, so click below: