Walking onto the festival grounds a bit before noon on Friday, I was, to be honest, surprised at how few people were in attendance. After sauntering around the grounds a bit, it was time for the first band, The Static Jacks, to hit the stage.

Having listened to a few of their songs online the day before, I was expecting a decent set of standard rock fare, but the band blew me away with amazing stage presence. If I hadn’t known how small the crowd was, I would have guessed that they were performing for a sold-out arena.

The Postelles and The Ettes followed up with 2 solid sets, and then Lissy Trulie played a great set and engaged the audience phenomenally.

Chairlift played an awesome mix of electronic music that resonated across the festival grounds. I could even hear them from the bathroom trailer (had to mention the bathrooms; AC and hardwood flooring as well as running water, all in a trailer. My god, it was great).

This was my second time seeing Best Coast live, and they put on a great set. I enjoyed the sold-out show at Stony Brook this past fall semester a bit more, as the crowd at the festival on Friday was a bit tame, but Bethany was ready to go. It was easy to tell that she was cutting loose a bit and enjoying the Hamptons and the festival atmosphere as she sipped wine throughout the set.

As it approached the time for the headlining act, Patti Smith, to go on, the festival grounds began to fill with middle-aged stoners and Southampton socialites.

When Patti Smith took the stage, the crowd surged to life and sang along, danced and head-bobbed for the remainder of her long set. The band performed a few covers, such as a Neil Young tune and the classic “Gloria,” originally by Van Morrison.

All in all, the first day of the festival was a sign of good things to come and made me optimistic for the following day’s performances.

Check back soon for a review of the music of day two of the festival.