In the meantime, Maine continues its invasion of True/False unabated. The Toughcats, after landing a slot there last year, played at least nine gigs throughout the weekend, including two of the festival's biggest parties ("Reality Bites," a local food reception, and "Busker's Last Stand," a raucous roundelay of bands in a theater lobby) and pre-screening sets before the final two films at Columbia's largest venue, the Missouri Theater, which holds around 1200 people. "This is the biggest audience we've ever played for," banjoist Colin Gulley said before the sets. "We're going to keep coming back until they kick us out." Courtney's friendly relationship with the festival founders — this was his third year at True/False — all but guarantees the Maine-Missouri partnership will continue; this year, Paul Sturtz told Courtney he's "basically got carte blanche as far as recommending music goes." (Up next year: Samuel James!)
"Instead of trying to make a better festival," Courtney quipped, "we're just going to infiltrate it and steal it ... a hostile takeover."
Christopher Gray can be reached at cgray@thephoenix.com.
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