While Saturday of Capitol Hill Block Party 2012 offered the first full day of acts and near-perfect weather, it also happened to be the most crowded day I had ever seen in four years of attending Block Party. More about this and the overall festival experience can be found in our Thoughts on Block Party 2012. But check out some Saturday-specific photos and highlights. Friday and Sunday is coverage also online.

Lemolo: Full Review from Andrew Fontana

Reignwolf: Not having heard of Reignwolf before this weekend, it was a pleasant surprise to discover them at Block Party. I wouldn’t have otherwise heard of them aside from their KEXP Session in Barboza earlier in the day. What struck me with Reignwolf was their energy and gut-level rock presence at such an early hour. With many bands pulling the KEXP 2-for-1 shows (playing multiple sets) during the weekend, Reignwolf’s stood out for its passion and presence. Check em out.

Grimes: No stranger to buzz this year, Grimes’ decent hour main stage slot seemed fitting. With a minimal stage setup, she still kept the crowd well in-tact and, for the most part, dancing to her internet-era electronic Visions album which was released earlier this year. Not dissimilar to Porcelain Raft, Grimes captivated her audience as essentially a one person non-DJ act. “Oblivion” was an obvious hit as Claire danced around in her “Anarchy” shirt to a sardine-packed, eager crowd.

Major Laser: Saturday night’s main stage headling act of Major Laser signaled a seemingly new level of debauchery and crowd mania for CHBP. While I’m no stranger to the former, nor raucous late-night Major Laser sets, there was a certain aggressiveness in an already packed-beyond-bearable main stage crowd. I literally had four AoT contributors and/or friends use the word “aggressive” when describing the atmosphere near this show. Certainly, a rowdy crowd is to be expected from a group with female dancers doing Vajay-expo handstands on stage, and the group responsible for the “Pon De Floor” video. But overall, the crowd density and vibe demonstrated that Cost-Benefit Analysis do have a place in the music festival world. 

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