Sasquatch! Music Festival 2013

Quadros 1: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Alt-J, The Lumineers, Father John Misty

2013-04-23T22:33:00.001-07:00

Before we kick off the Quadros series, a quick story about this year's Sasquatch wristbands. I have to be critical for the sake of anyone who stumbles upon this entry. A wristband is supposed to be a solid piece of cloth with some sort of lock/latch to attach it to your wrist. There should never be a seam inside the lock (a seam being a portion of the wristband where two pieces of cloth are sewn together). I'll trust a plastic lock to keep a $350 investment attached to my wrist for four days more than a tiny piece of thread attaching two portions of cloth.

Why is this relevant you might ask? Last year, that tiny piece of thread inside the lock of my wristband fell apart Saturday night during the walk back to the campground. Luckily, I was holding hands with a blog fan, and my wristband tickled her hand before plunging to earth. She thought it was a bug, and seconds later she is holding my unattached wristband. If it had hit the ground, I was going home two days early.

To the credit of the festival, getting the wristband replaced was relatively easy, but I still wasted over an hour of my Sunday morning doing so. It was only easy because I held the defective wristband showing them the seam which came apart. I don't think, "my wristband fell off, I don't know where it went," would have worked as well. So please, keep an eye on that seam near the lock throughout the weekend, because I don't want anyone getting screwed over by faulty wristband technology. Hopefully next year's wristbands won't be so cheaply manufactured.

Now, on to this beast of a series in which two loyal readers have frantically (ok, inquisitively) requested:

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

I don't need to tell you who this band is. Even your mom recognizes the song "Home," and I'm not one to make mom jokes (too often). They started out playing an act, that of a hippie rock band meant to capture the Volkswagen Bus riding free love style of the 60s and early 70s. It created a sound which is not only nostalgic, but catchy with the fist pumping anthems made popular by Arcade Fire. They are the reason Of Monsters and Men are so huge right now. Having caught the Zeros live a handful of times, they can be a blast. They were one of my favorite shows in 2010. I wrote a review you can read on the Cog here (back when I used to write live reviews).

I was convinced they would eventually reach Sasquatch headliner status until their second album was released, titled Here. It's much more mellow than their debut, without the catchy songs. It's like they are looking for musical integrity now that they are famous, but they became famous by having no musical integrity to begin with. Such irony.

Their early shows were analogous to performing after six shots of whiskey, but their recent shows have unfortunately been more like performing the morning after those shots. It is still great seeing such a large band perform, and everyone loves a trumpet live. I hope they bring their A game this year, because seeing a large group of musicians performing catchy songs on the Sasquatch main stage will be much more entertaining than watching a DJ with a play button pumping their fist. Maybe I'm just "jaded" because of my fond memories of their earlier shows. I believe this band leads the league in songs featured in commercials. I know of at least four commercials featuring their songs ("Home" twice, "Janglin" and "Om Nashi Me").

Suggested Tracks:

1. 40 Day Dream - Yeah, I know "Home" is their hit, but this is the song that gets me pumped up.
2. Janglin - I still pump my fist, "We want to feel ya, HEY!"
3. Home - Why not?
4. Om Nashi Me
5. Fiya Wata - I loved this song the first time I heard it live, and it's still one of my favorites.
6. Up From Below
7. Man On Fire

Alt-J

I like Alt-J a lot. They have one of the most unique sounds of an up-and-coming "indie" band. If you hear an Alt-J song, you don't confuse their sound with The Lumineers. It's distinct, and that is as nice as I'll be. I play the role of cheerleader when writing the Quadros, so I typically only write about the bands I think you should see at Sasquatch. However, unless there is a long line at the Honey Bucket, this is a band I just can't stand behind.

So what's the reason this post isn't full of praise exclusively? They bored me to near sleep at Coachella. The lead singer/guitar player looks like a better looking version of the FreeCreditReport.com guy, but seems to bask in his curly haired cuteness rather than show any signs of being entertaining or having fun. At least their drummer displayed some energy, but that is part of the job requirement. My favorite part of their set was when they went silent between songs, then played the opening note of the next song causing the crowd to cheer loudly. The crowd figured out a couple seconds later that they either don't like that song, or didn't realize how bored they were, and the cheering disappeared.

It's obvious Alt-J are hugely popular based on the enormity of their crowd at Coachella, so their wallets care very little about my opinion. If you are a fan of The Lumineers and have never listened to Alt-J, I highly suggest you ignore my suggested tracks below. One less Sasquatch conflict.

Suggested Tracks:

1. Breezeblocks - Such a fun song. Did you happen to notice the "hey" shout halfway through the song? Totally trying to be like The Lumineers.
2. Matilda - I wake up with this song stuck in my head. I'm not sure why. I don't think it's their best song, but it caught my ear.
3. Fitzpleasure - I'm pretty sure this song is just baby talk with a heavy bass-line.
4. Tessellate
5. Something Good - Fact: Any song with the lyrics "get high" is going to be a crowd favorite at a music festival.

The Lumineers

The Lumineers ya'll. They sound like fun, am I right? Millions of radio listeners and VH1 viewers can't be wrong, can they?

Seriously though, the Lumineers rise to fame occurred during my music black period (which ended a couple months ago), so I don't know anything about them. I don't listen to the radio, and I rarely get anything regarding modern music from TV. I heard they have a song called "Hey Ho." I bet they shout it out too? Isn't a folk-rock band shouting a song called "Hey Ho" like Skrillex playing a song called, "Womp, Womp?"

If you are one who dislikes The Lumineers because of their popularity, I'm telling you that you take yourself way too serious. It's also likely your friends don't like you as much as you think they do. I've listened to their self-titled debut album enough to form an opinion of only their music, and it's a positive one. They sound like a blast live. After the first several listens, I don't remember any "Hey Ho," but I do remember digging the heck out of the Submarine song. When I gave this record one more spin while writing this post, I'm reminded that I like pretty much every song. What is not to like except their popularity?

Suggested Tracks:

1. Submarines - SUBMARINE! SUBMARINE! SUBMARINE! Yes, I'll be the guy in the campground screaming SUBMARINE! all weekend.
2. Stubborn Love - Classic sing-a-long folk song. It doesn't even sound original (don't shoot me if it's a remake, I already warned you I know very little about this band)
3. Classy Girls
4. Dead Sea
5. Big Parade
6. Morning Song
7. Ho Hey - I barely recall this song from when I listed to this album last year. I can see how hearing it five times a day could be, um, taxing.

Father John Misty

After seeing his recent performance (also at Coachella), this is one act I will beg you not to skip. Father John Misty is the alter-ego of solo artist J. Tillman, who performed at Sasquatch in 2009. He is also the drummer for the now defunct Fleet Foxes. One reason I enjoyed the Fleet Foxes live so much is because of how entertaining their interaction with the crowd was, especially Josh Tillman. He is a naturally funny guy, full of improv jokes relevant to the situation. At Coachella, a festival filled with DJ's mixing other people's music, he made it a point to tell the audience he writes all of his songs, while poking fun at the EDM artists for their antics and lack of creativity. He danced around on stage like a male stripper, rolling around, screaming, and creating a enthusiastic energetic show.

One of my favorite albums of 2013 was his debut album, Fear Fun. It's full of love songs and has an alt-country sound, so it doesn't feel like it will translate well live. He's been in the industry long enough that he knows how to work it. He often added extra versus to his songs, so don't expect to hear only the album versions. I'm a sucker for different version of songs live. In one added verse at Coachella, he poked fun at his new name (Father John Misty) in the song "Every Man Needs a Companion." After the line "I never liked the name Joshua, I got tired of J," he screamed, "WHO WAS THAT GUY?" When his time ran out, he told the crowd he wanted to play one more song (something frowned upon at Coachella with their strict time limits), then said, "but first, I'm going to drink this beer." You'll laugh at least once per song, or your money back. I will pay to see Father John Misty every chance I get.

1. Nancy From Now On - This song has a very Hall & Oates early 80s vibe, even though the theme is very dirty.
2. Only Son of the Ladiesman
3. Now I'm Learning To Love The War - A song about science, logistics, and being relevant.
4. Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings
5 . Funtimes in Babylon
6 . Tee Pees 1-12 - The most country song on the album

As always, feel free to add any thoughts about these four acts, including disagreements, your favorite songs, or your impression of them live. I'll try to get Quadros 2 up next week.

Schedule Is Out

2013-04-09T11:12:00.002-07:00

If you don't see the schedule at the main Sasquatch home page (link to the right), check the same page on your phone.

Sasquatch! 2013 Is Officially Sold Out

2013-02-09T11:46:00.002-08:00

It appears the festival is already sold out, within an hour of the passes going on sale. That's the quickest sell-out I recall. It's not surprising, as mentioned in the previous post, "never underestimate the power of the radio." There's always a chance the website malfunctioned, so until you hear official word in a press release, it doesn't hurt to keep trying.

UPDATE: As noted in the comments section, Sasquatch! is officially sold out. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO BUY TICKETS FROM SCALPERS. Scalpers take advantage of people freaking out about not getting a ticket, so this is the worst time to attempt to purchase a pass on craigslist. Be patient. There are plenty of good people out there who are not looking to screw you over to make a couple bucks.

Sasquatch! 2013 Lineup Revealed

2013-02-06T10:54:00.000-08:00

Several good points made in the comments section, and I agree with almost everything said, good and bad.

First, the bad. The top nine billed acts are as unspectacular as any Sasquatch I've been to, and this will be my nineth. It's not unspectacular because the bands suck, they don't. It's unspectacular because most of the bands haven't been around very long, and have been actively touring. The only real "gets" are the Postal Service and Sigur Ros, but the Postal Service are going to be absolutely everywhere this year (including NW shows later this fall I'm sure), and Sigur Ros hit the NW last August.

I like the top nine bands, at least the ones I can listen to for three minutes without falling asleep, and several are great live. However, I wouldn't pay $50 to see any of them (again), and that's my only beef with the lineup. Would you believe the top nine acts collectively have 21 proper albums? "Now That Is What I Call Music" is up to Volume 45, and the Residents have put out 21 albums since this festival was born.

Most proper albums by the noxious nine:

6-Sigur Ros
4-Arctic Monkeys
2-Mumford & Sons
2-Vampire Weekend
2-Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
2-The xx
1-The Postal Service
1-Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
1-The Lumineers

Moving on to the best part of the lineup, the next two highest billed acts, Cake and Primus. Each band has also toured extensively in the last couple years, but are both worth the admission price. It's not often a festival features two musicians who are the best in the world at their chosen craft. Les Claypool is hands down the best bass player alive, and John McCrea playing the vibraslap has no equal. Primus is already the most exciting act on the lineup without their 3D doodad (there are three Ds in the word doodad) they've been hauling across the country since early 2012. One cautionary note, after seeing the Flaming Lips set in 2011, I'm not completely sold "Cake" being on the lineup is actually referring to the band.

After the top 11, most festivals start falling flat on their pony tails, while Adam Zacks continually delivers with up-and-comers, and/or bands who are outstanding live. This is what makes a music festival. More on this in the comings weeks when I start the Quadros series. This year, I plan to at least double the amount of Quadros I wrote last year.

There is a hidden genius in the construction of this lineup, and it goes like this. In order to make this easy to understand, I'll classify music listeners in the following five levels:

1. I don't listen to music because it sucks.
2. I like pop and/or country because silence sucks.
3. I listen to the alternative radio because hearing the same songs every 24 minutes sucks.
4. I'm a music hipster and the radio sucks.
5. I'm a music nerd and music hipsters suck.

Ideally, a festival lineup will have something for each level of music listeners. Now, let me throw out a couple names on the Sasquatch lineup. Mumford & Sons, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, The xx, Vampire Weekend, and Edward Sharp & The Magnetic Zeros. These acts appeal specifically to those level three music fans who listen to a lot of radio. These are gateway bands, designed to give the curious a reason to dive deeper into music nerdery if they choose to do the research, and this year's undercard is stacked and waiting. I envy those who are fans of these gateway bands who are attending Sasquatch for the first time. You'll be foaming at the mouth shortly, and your friends will no longer recognize you. This is why I wouldn't be surprised if the festival sells out quickly this year. Never underestimate the power of the radio.

It's not my favorite lineup, and Primus (or any form of Les Claypool) is my only can't miss when I usually have a handful of can't misses each year. I have a reason to be underwhelmed, but it's still going to be one of the greatest weekends of the year, and just being at the Gorge watching live music will make up for any lineup dissapointments. I really like a bunch of bands on the lineup, but I wouldn't fly across the country for this lineup. If the gateway bands mentioned earlier end up being the flash-in-the-pan 2009 Kings Of Leon, we'll be laughing about how awful this lineup is two years from now.

Post your reactions and opinions in the comments section.

Sasquatch! 2013 Confirmations/Rumors

2013-02-04T21:25:00.000-08:00

Sasquatch! 2013 Confirmations:

Ron Swanson

Sasquatch! 2013 Rumors:

Deadmau5, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Knife Party, DIIV, Disclosure, Atlas Genius, The xx, Cody ChesnuTT, Imagine Dragons, Mother Mother, Father John Misty, Vampire Weekend, Foals

Predictions For Sasquatch! 2013 (Top 50)

2013-01-27T17:40:00.001-08:00

These are my guesses based on some facts, some probability, and a lot of hunch/wishlist. It is not the actual lineup! For those who know how to count, you are correct, this isn't 50 acts. I'll add more in the next couple days. It's a rough draft, so changes will be made. Typically I avoid predicting comedians, so I'm not going to use Nick Offerman to pad my stats.

NOTE: Regarding Primavera, the festivals share acts every year. Yes, Primavera was a different weekend than Sasquatch last year, but it was the same weekend the previous years, and they still shared a handful of bands. If you've ever flown from the east coast to the west coast, you know with the time change, you land only a couple hours later. It's similar flying from Europe. Primavera also is a Thursday-Saturday festival, while Sasquatch is Friday-Monday. A band playing Thursday at Primavera could fly from Europe to Seattle, continue flying west, fly around the world back to Europe, then on to Seattle for a second time, and still make it in time for a Monday Sasquatch set.

Mumford & Sons / Deadmau5 / Sigur Ros / The Knife / Knife Party / Every Other Band Containing the Word Knife / The xx / Vampire Weekend / Postal Service / Bassnectar / Kendrick Lamar / Hot Chip / Yo La Tengo / Macklemore & Ryan Lewis / Arctic Monkeys / Built to Spill / Foals / Empire of the Sun / Beach House / Tame Impala / Tegan & Sara / Flying Lotus / Japandroids / Dinosaur Jr. / The Lumineers / Franz Ferdinand / Infected Mushroom / Amon Tobin / Father John Misty / Black Rebel Motorcycle Club / Portugal. The Man / Akron/Family / A DJ With a Neat Light Show / Solange / Surfer Blood / The Cults / Grimes / Menomena / Atlas Genius / Deerhoof / Disclosure / Dillon Francis / Imagine Dragons / Wild Nothing / Gold Panda / Theophilus London / DIIV / A Guy With A Mustache / Cody ChesnuTT / Blondfire / Seattle Rock Orchestra performing the songs of Mother Mother / Suuns / Mother Mother

Post your top 50 guesses in the comments, if you dare...

2013 Sasquatch Launch Party Monday, February 4th

2013-01-21T10:19:00.003-08:00

Built to Spill and Cody Chesnutt are set to perform. The Sasquatch! 2013 lineup will be announced. Don't assume everyone playing the Launch Party will be at the Gorge. History has shown not every act playing the Launch Party will be on the bill. There is still a decent chance Built To Spill and Cody ChesnuTT will be there

.

Sasquatch! 2012 Lineup

2012-10-20T00:00:00.002-07:00

Jack White, Beck, Bon Iver, Pretty Lights, Tenacious D, The Shins, Beirut, Girl Talk, The Roots, The Head & The Heart, Portlandia, Feist, Silversun Pickups, Metric, Explosions In The Sky, The Joy Formidable, Mogwai, Nero (DJ), M. Ward, John Reilly & Friends, Childish Gambino, St. Vincent, The Civil Wars, Jamey Johnson, Little Dragon, Tune-Yards, Wild Flag, Blind Pilot, Wolfgang Gartner, Beats Antique, Apparat, The Walkmen, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Mark Lanegan Band, Spiritualized, Blitzen Trapper, The Cave Singers, Shabazz Palaces, Fun., Grouplove, Tycho, SBTRKT, STRFKR, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Deer Tick, Alabama Shakes, Dum Dum Girls, The Helio Sequence, Kurt Vile, Cloud Cult, We Are Augustines, Ben Howard, Here We Go Magic, Zola Jesus, The War On Drugs, Shearwater, Cass McCombs, Active Child, Trampled By Turtles, Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, Araabmuzik, Star Slinger, L.A. Riots, Com Truise, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, I Break Horses, Walk The Moon, Dry The River, Allen Stone, Pickwick, Hey Marseilles, Gary Clark Jr., Purity Ring, Electric Guest, Yellow Ostrich, Nobody Beats The Drum, Coeur De Pirate, Lord Huron, Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, Beat Connection, The Sheepdogs, Hey Rosetta!, Said The Whale, Howlin Rain, Gardens & Villa, Felix Cartal, Craft Spells, Vintage Trouble, Poor Moon, Black Whales, Gold Leaves, Greylag, Awesome Tapes From Africa , Thee Satisfaction, Dyme Def, Fresh Espresso, The Physics, Sol, Metal Chocolates, Grynch, Spac3man, Don’t Talk To The Cops, Scribes, Fatal Lucciauno, Fly Moon Royalty, Katie Kate, Nick Kroll, Beardyman, Todd Barry

New Additions: Santigold, Of Monsters & Men, Graffiti6, Hospitality, Polica, Chelsea Peretti, Little People, James Murphy, HoneyHoney, Sean Wheeler & Zander Schloss, Reptar, The Staves, Damien Jurado, Chiddy Bang, James McCartney, Feed Me (with Teeth), Howard Kremer, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., ReignWolf, The Sights

Removed From Lineup: Imelda May, Anthony Jeselnik

Quadros 1: Jack White, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The Joy Formidable, Wild Flag

2012-05-21T21:52:00.004-07:00

I got one Quadros in before the festival. When you get married, have a child, get convicted of a felony, spend a couple months in prison, spend a couple months in rehab, lose your job, have your internet disconnected, and have to sell your Sasquatch tickets to afford paying $5.30 for a mocha to use the wi-fi at the local coffee shop, you'll understand why I couldn't write more this spring. None of this actually happened, but pretend it did for a second. I'll redeem myself next year.

Jack White:

We might as well start off with the top billed performer at the festival, the most well known rock god under the age of 40, and the reason the Black Keys are so gigantic. I have some serious history with the White Stripes, even though I was never a superfan. I remember the first time I heard the song "Seven Nation Army," I thought it would be the next "Smells Like Teen Spirit." I pictured children growing up idolizing this Guitar Hero and video games eventually capitalizing on his excellence. I pictured the guitar being so popular by 2009, a new genre of music called Electric Guitar Music (EGM for short) would be gigantic. There would be entire stages at major music festivals devoted to these EGM performers playing to crowds of chemically induced youngsters, complete with flashing lights, lasers, and video monitors. Everyone would be playing their air guitars, or inflatable replica guitars, and glowsticks would be everywhere. I was so close.

More history, seven years ago, I had convinced a group of friends to attend the Stripes Gorge show. Like many of you, I wasn't interested in attending shows by myself. My crew is excited, the local show sells out, then everyone bails. I couldn't afford to get to the Gorge solo, and I couldn't afford the scalper prices for the local show. It was that moment I decided I would never depend on others to accompany me to shows I want to see. Since then, I've seen almost every band I want to see, many of them by myself. I owe it all to my sketchy friends and the White Stripes.

Now that the White Stripes have call it quits, I probably won't get a chance to see them live. Although I subscribe to the theory that bands break up to make more money further down the road, I feel like this White Stripes break-up is for real. One reason, Meg has stage fright, but another is because Jack can play White Stripes songs on his own. Case in point, he is playing White Stripes songs on his current tour. I'm a bit surprised, I was expecting him to play only his new album and covers or extended jams. Doesn't it cheapen the White Stripes when he plays their tunes live? Then again, his solo album Blunderbuss is solid, and sounds just like a typical White Stripes album. I'm probably giving Meg White too much credit in that duo (I'm being nice).

I've seen Jack White perform five times, and he commands the stage like few performers I've ever seen. At the first Dead Weather show I attended, he stepped down from the drums to play one guitar solo, and it literally sent chills through my spine. That solo is one of the highlights of my live music career, and a reason Jack White is number one on my list of can't misses this Sasquatch season. When have you witnessed a live performance that gave you chills? You are missing the highlight of the weekend if you skip him. I've often said, "I love Jack White like a little brother," but that might be an understatement.

Suggested Tracks: (All White Stripes songs unless otherwise noted)

1. Seven Nation Army
2. Carolina Drama (Raconteurs: Proof he can still write a compelling song lyrically)
3. Ball And Biscuit
4. The Union Fever (his bluesy scream is on display)
5. Fell In Love With A Girl (pretty sure this song is the reason for Neon Trees, Louie 13, and other pop/indie/electro band's popularity)
6. Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground
7. Icky Thump (before you laugh, listen to the sounds he emits from his guitar)
8. Broken Boy Soldier (Raconteurs)
9. I'm Slowly Turning Into You
10. I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother's Heart (He doesn't need a guitar, the piano works fine)

The Joy Formidable:

If I made a list of the top Sasquatch bands you need to see live, even if you are unfamiliar with their music, The Joy Formidable would be top ten. I caught them twice last year, and was willing to pay for round three in December, but the show sold out. This three piece rock band from across the pond can best be described as the female Foo Fighters. While dormant, the lead singer/guitar player is a tiny adorable lady, but she has the most intense (nearly psychotic) expressions when she gets going. Quite frankly, she scares me, and I'm nearly twice her size. She could easily parlay her intensity into a serial killer role in Hollywood. Thankfully, after each song, she flashes her easy going smile which lets me (and anyone else paying attention) exhale. The bassist and drummer are very animated as well, bringing a ton of energy to their set.

With only one alum and one EP so far, the Joy Formidable aren't loaded with outstanding tunes, but they rock out, which is something increasingly rare in the pop/indie music scene. They are a perfect festival band, because everyone will have a great time regardless of it they are a current fan. Blame me if you think their performance sucks.

Suggested Tracks:

1. Whirring (It's the one that gets stuck in my head)
2. Chapter 2
3. The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade
4. Cradle
5. Austere

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah:

The year was 2005. After living with over 40 roommates since High School, I was finally able to afford my own apartment near the action (downtown Portland). Okay, it was more like a 300 square foot studio in the basement of an apartment building, but you haven't lived until you've cooked on a stove while laying in bed. It was also the first time I could afford to buy albums, something I hadn't regularly done since BMG and Columbia House started recognizing my address. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's self-titled debut album was one my first purchases, an album I still listen to every couple weeks.
Fast forward two years, they release their long awaited follow up which frankly stunk. It was so bad, I won't even mention the album title for fear of people googling it, and finding this blog. They even tried to incorporate static distortion, like they were trying to make it sound awful. If I hadn't paid $13 for a physical copy of the album, I would have assumed it was an illegal download, because the sound quality was that bad. I understand it's art, but I don't have to like it just because it's art.

By the time their third album Hysterical dropped last year, I had forgotten this band existed in a current form. I finally gave it a chance, and it's actually pretty great. It's a pleasant album, which is a pharase I never thought I would associate with the band after hearing their second album. But enough about me, you probably want to hear something other than my "love, hate, like" relationship, so here goes it.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is an artsy indie rock band from New York who helped invent the hipster movement seven years ago. It is music you would expect to hear in the dressing room at Goodwill. If you ever meet someone with a french tickler and a scarf who claims to be a painter, ask him if he likes Alec Ounsworth's solo material better than with CYHSY, and you'll have an instant friend.

Alec is the lead singer, and has a high pitched yelpy voice which can be best explained as annoying. It's so annoying, if you played 52 seconds of any CYHSY song to someone wearing a Slayer shirt, there is a 89.1 % chance you will get punched in the face. That album voice is also tough to pull off live, which has caused me to leave a couple of their shows less than impressed. I can't tell you this show will be fantastic, or it's a can't miss, but I can say you might like their music. The voice is an instrument, so when a vocalist is unique, that shouldn't be a negative, right? I never get CYHSY confused with any other band. I have nostalgia on my side, so I'll be there. I'll be the one tossing glow sticks during the first drop.

Suggested Tracks:

1. Home On Ice
2. The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth
3. Details of the War
4. Let The Cool Goddess Rust Away
5. Same Mistake (from the new album)
6. Adam's Plane (from the new album)
7. Heavy Metal
8. Hysterical (from the new album)

Wild Flag:

All female NW super group featuring Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney/Portlandia), Mary Timony (Helium), Janet Weiss (Sleeter-Kinney, Quasi, The Jicks), and Rebecca Cole (Minders). Their debut self-titled album was one of the better releases of 2011. I would be lying if I said I follow all four parts of this conglomerate, but Janet Weiss has controlled the sticks for several of my most memorable shows. Carrie Brownstein has flare live, so at least she's trying. She's been around, and knows a leg kick here and there get people like me excited. I'm like a baby with a rattler shaking in its face, and her leg kick is that rattler.

Their song, "Boom" is one of my favorite songs of 2011, and is worth the price of admission. It is female punk at its best. In my opinion, "Boom" is as good as any Sleater-Kinney song (the hater comments section is now open for dissenting opinions). I caught most of their set at Coachella, only because I couldn't leave. They were that fun. For only having one album, they sure jam out on their hot tracks. I believe "hot tracks" are how the EGM kids refer to them?

Suggested Tracks:

1. Boom
2. Future Crimes
3. Short Version
4. Romance
5. Racehorse (as cheezy as the lyrics and theme are, they sure do jam out. Guitar/keyboards/vocals are all highlights)

The 2012 Schedule Has Been Released

2012-04-19T19:31:00.013-07:00

Yeah yeah, I'm a couple days late. I was knee deep in whiskey and Pepsi in the desert high fiving virtual Tupac when the schedule was announced, so I'm a couple days late. Since the main Sasquatch site always does their schedule in a strange linear sequence, I'm in the same boat as you. I can't see the obvious conflicts, because the bands aren't listed like a normal schedule. I spent 15 minutes unsuccessfully trying to find a side-by-side stage schedule on the Sasquatch Message Board, but no luck.

I'm working on it though. Hopefully I'll have a schedule posted here in the next couple days. If anyone wants to link their schedule in the comments section, it's much appreciated. The Coachella schedule didn't come out until the week of the festival, so we should at least be thankful we know Spiritualized will conflict with Tenacious D a full month before the festival. That conflict was expected, but it still makes me cry a bit (insert sad/crying emoticon).

Sasquatch 2012, Still Not Sold Out

2012-02-27T20:44:00.035-08:00

UPDATE: The festival finally sold out (4/5/12).

I've been waiting to post the Quadros series assuming the next newsworthy event would be Sasquatch selling out, but inexplicably it hasn't? How can Coachella sell out 130,000 weekend passes in two hours, yet Sasquatch can't sell 25,000 weekend passes in two weeks? Granted Coachella is a much bigger destination, and the second largest U.S. metro is 130 miles away, and it appeals more to the beautiful people who only care about seeing the headliners, a handful of buzz bands, and dancing to the same beat by the hottest knob twisters while ingesting popular science experiments, but aside from that, the Coachella lineup isn't THAT much better? The headliners and rarities at Coachella are a big deal, but Sasquatch has done well for itself this year comparatively speaking. So why isn't Sasquatch sold out?

I'm pretty good at predicting what makes sense for Sasquatch (business wise), which is why I get paid the big bucks here. Blogging is very lucrative you know, the reason I write two of them. However, I was incorrect when I guessed the festival would sell out the first day general passes went on sale. I need to regain my credibility, which is why I'll share with you the most logical reason the festival has yet to sell out. [drum roll] The festival capacity has been increased this year.

How would Sasquatch increase the capacity of a venue with strict land constraints? A popular suggestion over the last couple years has been to put a stage in the campground. If they kicked out the hundreds of campground attendees who don't have a festival pass, and replaced their wasted space with an official stage, what paying customer would be against the idea? With re-entry in the cards this year, it would allow the festival attendees to freely move between the main stages and the campground stage. Plus, there is already a confirmed fifth stage, the NW Hip-hop showcase otherwise known as the "Maine Stage." The Maine problems with this theory:

1. Why would a Fire Marshall increase the capacity of the main festival grounds because of a tiny stage in the campground no one will attend during the evening hours?
2. Having wristband holders freely wander between the campground and the main grounds will required increased security checkpoints, or increased campground security protecting the borders (and a big fence).
3. Who wants to walk 30+ minutes between stages?

As previously mentioned, land is at a premium, so it's difficult to convince the Fire Marshall to expand the capacity without expanding the area of the festival grounds, so let's explore the largest piece of land in the vacinity. The parking lot of course. That place is gigantic, and it's a short walk from the Wookie stage. They are practically giving away this large area to those who want to park (I've heard non-VIP parking is free). Who parks instead of camping at Sasquatch anyway? It shouldn't be allowed!

I like dreaming big, so I think a gigantic dance tent in the parking lot near the security entrance of yesteryear could increase the capacity of the grounds by 6,000 or more. Then they could move the Yeti stage to where the dance tent has been, throw the Maine stage in the food court where the Yeti was, and all would flow perfectly. They could still use the remaining area of the parking lot for VIPs, and sponsor shuttles to the nearest towns for those who used to park for free. Even if purchasing property for expansion in the immediate area isn't an option, there must be property in the surrounding areas available to divert excess campers and parked cars? After all, light sleepers, people in their forties, and pregnant women freely shuttle to the festival from the Wildhorse campground.

Eliminating the parking lot all together would free up enough land for two additional stages, and increase the festival capacity to nearly 45,000, which would give the festival more money to land the really big headliners and continue to sell out. Sasquatch could then compete with the giant festivals of the world, and make it the U.S. festival destination of choice.

I'm done dreaming big for now. Nothing this large can be in the works yet, but I refuse to believe there aren't at least a couple thousand extra passes available this year. They found a way to expand the capacity, even if the parking lot theory isn't the solution. They can easily make the dance tent much bigger, and squeeze the Maine Stage in unused space to increase the number of weekend passes without increasing the acres of land use. Maybe the solution is sending the Fire Marshall and guests on a month long all expenses paid vacation in exchange for a favorable number (wink wink)? Maybe I think this is a good idea because I know the Fire Marshall, and maybe I want a free vacation, but I'm not admitting to the former.

In other news, the Quadros series will begin shortly. For those new to this blog, I listen to a lot of music and go to a lot of live shows, so I have a lot to say about each of the bands on the lineup. Hopefully I be able to knock out ten or more Quadros before the festival starts, so stick around. Until then, if you have questions, comments, or other crazy theories, post them below.

Sasquatch 2012 Lineup Revealed

2012-02-02T22:24:00.001-08:00

First glance, outstanding lineup. It will rival 2010, and a sell out is imminent. Jack White and Beck were great surprises, and it's not a secret Tenacious D is the only band on my Sasquatch wish list every year. Even the undercard is filled with lesser known bands you will eventually dig. I wasn't one of the many getting wasted tonight in celebration, so this is a mostly sober opinion.

Bands the kids won't care about: The Mark Lanegan Band (one of the greatest voices in rock), Spiritualized, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, M. Ward. Expect tiny crowds.

Bands the kids care about (so I hear): Pretty Lights, Apparat, Tycho, Nero, Wolfgang Gartner. Expect gigantic crowds.

Acts who are outstanding live: Bon Iver, Joy Formidable, Beirut, Girl Talk, Tune-Yards, St. Vincent, Mogwai, Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside

Acts who are great on record (who I haven't seen live): The Civil Wars, The War On Drugs, The Head & The Heart, Little Dragon, The Cave Singers, SBTRKT, Kurt Vile

Tip of the hat to Adam Zacks. The undercard is slightly better than I expected, and Jack White/Beck is a duo any festival would be proud to land.

Sasquatch 2012 Rumors

2012-02-02T21:38:00.000-08:00

Wild Flag, The War On Drugs, WU LYF, Coeur de Pirate, The Physics, Girls, Bon Iver, M. Ward, Starfucker, Spiritualized, I Break Horses, Mogwai

Website Malfunction Confirms Multiple Acts

2012-01-29T20:41:00.000-08:00

The second biggest entertainment related malfunction of all-time? I fully intended to spend a couple hours writing paragraphs filled with Janet Jackson song titles and jokes until I realized two points. First, I'm the only Janet Jackson fan who reads this blog, so most wouldn't get it. Second, even though I do this "All For You," "What Have You Done For Me Lately?" See, I told you you wouldn't get it. Now I'm wondering if viewers even remember the Janet Jackson Wardrobe Malfunction? Don't google it at work.

So what happened? Shortly after noon last Saturday, a loyal Sasquatch Blog reader referring to him/herself as "anonymous" posted a link to the Sasquatch main(e) site's schedule page, which incorrectly showed names of bands on the Sasquatch lineup. Apparently, if you changed the numbers at the end of the link, it would reveal more bands. Later that afternoon, the news spread to the rest of the internet, and other interneters claim to have seen the following bands:

The Shins / Girl Talk / Beirut / St Vincent / Blitzen Trapper / Tune-Yards / Lana Del Rey / Apparat / Starfucker / Wolfgang Gartner / Active Child / Said the Whale / Black Whales / Araabmuzik / Star Slinger / Jamey Johnson / Grynch / Com Truise / Dyme Def / SPAC3MAN / Purity Ring / THEESatisfaction / Tycho / Fatal Lucciano / Fly Moon Royalty / Sol / Nobody Beats The Drum / Todd Barry / Rob Delaney / Pete Holmes

Is the list real, you bet. Is it 100% accurate, well, that's a different story. First, we are relying on random internet people to have accurately transcribed what they saw. This means, "Fly Moon Royalty," might actually be "Sky Poon Realty." That's probably a bad example, but you get the point. Second, acts cancel festivals all the time, so there is no guarantee a name or two who were on the lineup last week will still be there Thursday night. However, the collection of lesser known hip-hop acts and comedians, mixed with upper tier acts I am confident will be there (six of the biggest names were on my guess 50 already) makes this list way too credible to be fake. Plus, you know, it came from the official website.

This malfunction has also confirmed a fifth stage. Travis Hay recently wrote an article about it. Read it here.

Regarding my guess 50, I last updated it Thursday, January 26th. I won't update it again, since anyone can make a guess 50 now, and be 80% correct.

And speaking of the Jacksons, anyone anticipating a Michael Jackson, "Beat It," type showdown between SPAC3MAN (the hip-hop artist) and Spaceman (the lead singer of Spiritualized)?

Predictions For Sasquatch 2012 (Guess 50)

2012-01-17T19:00:00.000-08:00

The annual Sasquatch Blog Guess 50 is back a bit early this year. These are just my guesses based on some facts, some probability, a joke, and a lot of hunch. It is not the actual lineup!

Bon Iver, Deadmau5, Avett Brothers, MGMT, The Shins, Skrillex, At The Drive-In, Explosions in the Sky, Beirut, James Blake, Ghostland Observatory, Built to Spill, Girl Talk, Santigold, Yo La Tengo, St. Vincent, Pretty Lights, Low, Cage The Elephant, The Joy Formidable, The Head and the Heart, Portugal. The Man, Tune-Yards, M. Ward, Real Estate, Blitzen Trapper, Excision, Wild Flag, 12th Planet, The Civil Wars, Apparat, Girls, Akron/Family, Juniper, The Sheepdogs, WU LYF, The War On Drugs, Starfucker, Shearwater, Childish Gambino, EMA, Frank Turner, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Youth Lagoon, Alabama Shakes, Hey Rosetta, We Are Augustines, Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, The Parson Red Heads, The Physics, Couer de Pirate, Dragon Boy Suede, Seattle Rock Orchestra (performing the Beatles)

I quit updating this list a week before the lineup was announced, due to the website malfunction confirming multiple bands. Therefore I wasn't able to add a couple bands who appeared highly likely a couple days before the lineup was announced (Mogwai, Feist, I Break Horses, Spiritualized, etc.).

Lineup To Be Announced February 2nd

2012-01-09T15:27:00.001-08:00

The 2012 Sasquatch Launch Party will take place Thursday, February 2nd, at the Neptune in Seattle, WA. Performing will be Jose Gonzalez's side project Junip, Nada Surf's lead singer Matthew Caws (solo), and a band called the Physics. Jose Gonzalez is an amazing guitar player and Nada Surf is "Popular." I don't know much about the Physics, other than the energy of the crowd at their set must equal to the amount of people at the show multiplied by the square of the speed of light. It's nuclear fusion people, and it needs sunlight to function, which means the sun is now heavily rumored at Sasquatch 2012. Don't argue with science.

2012 Sasquatch Headliner Predictions

2011-12-12T21:04:00.000-08:00

"Where is our headliner?" As previously mentioned, just because they announced a headliner early the last two years, doesn't mean they will this year. Since tickets have been on sale for a couple weeks, the organizer now know how many people will attend Sasquatch regardless of the lineup or a headliner. That's pretty powerful information moving forward. Because there isn't much to talk about right now, and you are all getting the fever, I'll offer my 2012 Sasquatch headliner predictions, otherwise known as the likelihood the likeliest headliners will likely headline Sasquatch 2012. I did correctly predict the four headliners (and top subheadliner) last year before the lineup was announced, one being a band I predicted over a year before the festival (Wilco). Believe what you will, but my predictions are at least better than randomly throwing darts at a list of possibilities.

Bon Iver (83.2%) - A Sasquatch vet who has blown up recently. Singer/songwriters rarely reach headliner status with a couple good albums and fantastic live shows. They need to crossover into "popular" music to reach this lofty status. I don't care what anyone thinks about Bon Iver's lack of popularity, or how much any of you hate Kanye West. Fact is, Kanye West made Bon Iver a star by introducing him to a new crowd, the 19-23 year olds who spend a lot of time listening to the radio, and who make up half of the Sasquatch attendees. His most recent album spent time in the top 40, which shows how popular he is. I don't base my opinions on who I like, most of what you are reading is based on ticket sales. Bon Iver was recently selling out 3,000 capacity venues in a day. He's much bigger than you think, is still up and coming, and is my most likely choice for Sasquatch 2012 headliner. Sasquatch has recently landed the soon to be headliners at larger festivals, so this is a perfect match.

Deadmau5 (31.4%) - I'm not sure he'll ever stop touring, but he does have upcoming dates, including Europe in June, so he's available. He's about as much of a Sasquatch vet as there is, being a relative unknown in the dance tent in 2009, then playing the late night second stage slot in 2010. It seems like a natural progression to make headlining the main stage the next stop. He's already headlined Lollapalooza, although their split headliner formula made him more like a subheadliner. A real headlining gig which doesn't end at 10 p.m. has to be tempting. I predicted an EDM headlining act earlier this summer, and the mouse is the most likely. Plus, Sasquatch has had a mouse band on their lineup four years straight. The streak cannot end now.

Mumford & Sons (24.5%) - Another Sasquatch vet who has blown up recently, and that is an understatement. They went from playing the second stage at Sasquatch 2010 early in the day to selling out 1,500 capacity venues in minutes a couple months later. They were a sub/sub at Coachella 2011, had a huge crowd, and put on a solid show. They are now playing arenas, and are still gaining popularity. It's amazing to me a band with one album would blow up like this, but they have, and you are kidding yourself if you think they are not big enough to headline Sasquatch. They are not yet big enough to headline the biggest U.S. Festivals, so again, they fit the recent Sasquatch headliner trend.

Primus (15.4%) - They played the NW in 2010, but ended their 2011 tour in California without making it back up north. They have a couple shows in California at the end of the month, and shows in Europe in March/April. They've never played Sasquatch, so I'll give the Black Keys warning I offered earlier. The only reason their percentage is so low is because they really aren't big enough to headline Sasquatch. They might be huge in California, but they aren't a huge draw in the NW. It could happen, but a subheadliner slot on loud Friday seems more fitting.

Portishead (15.3%) - They played in Seattle this fall. Does this make them more likely or less likely to headline Sasquatch? In this case, much more likely. They rarely tour, and have a hell of a light/monitor show they obviously spent a lot of time and money on. It would look great on the main stage at Sasquatch, similar to Massive Attack's headlining set two years ago.

Sigur Ros (8.2%) - Sigur Ros might be active in 2012, which is why they are included here. They fit the sub-headliner mold of the biggest festivals, which is about right for a Sasquatch headliner. Bands want to be headliners. If Sigur Ros has to choose between a headliner set at Sasquatch, or a subheadliner set at a different large festival, Sasquatch would be more lucrative and attractive. I don't think they will be on the lineup, but as far as, "wow, I never thought they would be there," bands go, Sigur Ros would surprise me the least. Yes, I just said the most likely of the least likely. That's still something.

Skrillex (7.7%) - Like him or not, he is gigantic these days, and has a pretty amazing light show in tote. He is touring through June of 2012 with a giant gap in May, so he is also available. Remember when he used to open for Deadmau5? Wouldn't that be an interesting headliner/sub. EDM Friday anyone?

Red Hot Chili Peppers (3.6%) - RHCP will be everyone in 2012. They have also announced tour dates excluding the NW. Headliners year to year can be a small pool to choose from. It's not like every band big enough to headline is available every year. The Peppers will play major festivals in the United States and Europe. With the chances of them headlining Coachella appearing less likely, that only makes their chances of headlining Sasquatch more likely. They are the Foo Fighters of last year, and will help guarantee another sell out in 2012. Remember Jane's Addiction's first U.S. festival headlining set was Sasquatch, even though Perry Farrell founded Lollapalooza, and often plays Coachella in some form. Sasquatch isn't too small for the Hots. UPDATE: Recently recent tour dates put the Peppers in the midwest during Sasquatch with dates booked on three of the four days of the festival. They drop from a 30.1% chance.

Black Keys (1.4%) - They have been the most obvious choice since the conclusion of Sasquatch 2011. They finally reached the masses with the crossover success of their 2010 album Brothers. They also aren't big enough to headline the biggest festivals, but the pending success of their newest album released last week should change that. The Black Keys are on the verge of being the biggest non-Legend rock band in the world. Their possibility is strengthened by the fact they recently announced tour dates with the NW missing. Knowing the Sasquatch headliners are likely aleady booked, 2012 is the best chance Sasquatch has to land them. However, the only reason I don't think they are a lock is because they have been rumored every year recently, but are never on the lineup. Some bands are less likely because of behind the scene interactions we don't know about. Sasquatch is practically run by Ticketmaster, so there are a lot of reasons huge bands would turn their nose. UPDATE: Recently released NW tour dates indicates the Black Keys are highly unlikely. They drop from a 68.2% chance.

Radiohead (1.3%) - I discussed the Radiohead possibilities last month. They are on tour next spring, and still have no NW dates. I still give them a 1/10 chance of being there, which is much higher than I have ever given them, and likely much higher than I will ever get them. If you're going to blow a huge chunk of change on the Red Hots, why not up the ante and get Radiohead instead? UPDATE: Recently released NW tour dates indicates Radiohead is highly unlikely. They drop from a 9.6% chance.

Pearl Jam (0.1%) - As mentioned in the comments section, Pearl Jam is back. They have a couple festival gigs booked in Europe in June, so there is no reason to believe they won't be ready for Sasquatch. Is this finally the year for Pearl Jam? Probably not. I'll keep wishing. Again, if you're going to spend the bank on the Hot Chilies, why not pay more for Pearl Jam instead? UPDATE: I created the dots last night, but didn't connect them until this morning. Pearl Jam hates Ticketmaster. They've been involved in a lawsuit in the past. Since Ticketmaster is tight with Livenation (who runs Sasquatch) you'll probably never see them on the lineup. I'm downgrading them from a 4.3% chance to a 0.1% chance.

Fleet Foxes (0.1%) - The are only rated so low because they are the perfect subheadliner for Bon Iver (or Mumford & Sons). Their Sasquatch probability is much higher, but I'm not convinced they are headliner status unless a large chunk of the budget is spent on Radiohead or Pearl Jam. They have the local love, and have played the festival twice, so that might push them over the edge. UPDATE: Per Robin Pecknold's twitter, the band has no upcoming shows booked. They drop from a 14.1% chance.

If you agree, or think other headliner predictions are missing, let me know in the comments section. If you think my predictions are synonymous to a Sasquatch campground honey bucket which hasn't been emptied in four days, you are welcome to state that as well.

Sasquatch 2012 Four Day Passes On Sale This Friday

2011-11-21T09:57:00.000-08:00

Presale Sasquatch 2012 four day passes go on sale Friday, November 25th, at 10:00 a.m. The presale ends at the stroke of midnight as 2011 comes to a close. General tickets go on sale Saturday, February 11th (2012) at 10:00 a.m., so expect the lineup to be announced Sunday, February 5th. The four day pass will cost $290. As mentioned in the previous post, the festival will take place May 25th to May 28th.

Sasquatch 2012 Season Is Underway

2011-11-01T20:39:00.000-07:00

Alright, Halloween has come and gone, November is here, and that means Sasquatch season has officially started.

Dates: The dates have yet to be confirmed, but the festival always takes place over Memorial Day Weekend. The fourth day was a let down last year, so it's 50/50 it will be back. We can safely say the festival will be held at least May 26th to 28th. UPDATE: The festival will again be four days in 2012, and will include re-entry for wristband holders. Dates will be May 25th to May 29th.

Tickets: Last year tickets went on sale November 20th, two days after the Foo Fighters were announced as a headliner. The previous year, tickets went on sale November 7th, when Pavement was announced as a (sort of) headliner. Massive Attack ended up headlining that day. Previous years, tickets went on sale after the lineup was announced in late February. Even when the Cure were announced as the 2008 headliner near Halloween the previous year, tickets didn't go on sale early.

Lineup: The lineup was announced February 7th last year. In previous years, it was announced the day after Presidents Day, which is February 20th next year. If you put a squirt gun to my head, I would bet my dryness the lineup will be announced in February 2012.

Headliners: While Sasquatch used to rely on giant headliners and a below average undercard, the recent trend has been picking headliners who aren't big enough to headline the biggest festivals in the States (aside from the Foo Fighters), giving the subheadliner type of bands their name in lights. I see the 2012 headliners going one of two directions.

Scenario 1: Bands who can sell (+/-) 6,000 tickets headlining each night. The most likely would be The Black Keys, Sigur Ros, Bon Iver, Portishead, MGMT, Mumford & Sons, Skrillex, and Cake.

Scenario 2: One gigantic headliner, with the other headliners being bands who could sell (+/-) 3,000 tickets, then not selling single day passes. Under this scenario, there would be one giant headliner, with the others being bands like Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, Vampire Weekend, Primus, Foster The People, and Justice. If you want to see the huge draw, you have to buy a full festival pass, which would guarantee the off days will sell at the same rate.

I think the second scenario is the way to go next year, so here is where we talk about Radiohead and Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam is working on a new album, which makes it likely they will tour after it's released. It's doubtful, but possible. Radiohead is touring next spring, and are a favorite of Adam Zacks based on Guerilla Candy's interview several years ago. Radiohead will play a NW show next year, and played the White River Amphitheater last time through, which isn't that neat of a venue. They could play there again, pick a giant arena, or play the Gorge. Festivals make a lot more money than individual shows, so paying Radiohead or Pearl Jam roughly the same amount they would make playing their own show at the Gorge makes sense for both sides. Radiohead/Pearl Jam would reach an audience they otherwise wouldn't at their own show, and the festival will make more money on the off days forcing more people to pay to attend. The underdog "huge draw" would be the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Sell Out?: No, I mean will tickets for the festival sell out. Sorry for the confusion. Many feel Sasquatch 2012 will sell out regardless of the lineup. I disagree. Yes, the festival sold out early again this year, but those crafty folks at Ticketmaster kept a handful of passes on their sister site, TicketsNow, which is basically them scalping their own tickets for increased profit. When those tickets didn't sell out, they put the passes back on sale for regular price on their main site a couple weeks before the festival. Those paying attention could have bought a four day pass for nearly $100 less than face value, because the market was saturated with more tickets than people wanting to change their holiday plans. Conclusion, the festival will need a much better lineup, or a giant headliner to guarantee a sell out in 2012.

11th Anniversary: Guess what? Sasquatch is celebrating another birthday this year. Who wants birthday cake?

Rumors/Confirmations: These will be updated at the top of this blog, so it's easy to find. We'll only have a couple in the next month, but they should start rolling in rather frequently starting in mid December.

Who do you think will headline Sasquatch 2012? Do you think there will be a giant headliner? Post your early predictions in the comments below.

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Sasquatch 2011 Review

2011-08-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

Death From Above 1979 – One of the most perfectly average shows of the festival. They did absolutely nothing to ruin the show, but absolutely nothing to make it a great. They played their songs, which sounded very similar to album versions, then they left. There were no antics, and the energy level was somewhere between lethargic and slightly pumped. I’m not sure I understand the hype surrounding this band. Are they a huge draw only because no one thought they would get back together? I’m no hater, I enjoy their material, but I chose to skip ten minutes of their set to take in the view of the Gorge to the left of the stage. DFA, perfectly average.

Foo Fighters – I feel like I was telling everyone who would listen that the Foo Fighters would be one of the highlights of the weekend. And it was. [Open invitation for those who thought DFA was the greatest show ever, and hated the Foo Fighters to discontinue reading]. Dave Grohl’s stage presence is (fill in the blank cliché, I’m going with) “larger than life.” He didn’t need to scream on most songs, yet he did it anyway, almost bragging that his yelling skills are top tier.

Grohl asked the crowd who had seen them live before, and most of the pit screamed and raised their hands. He then asked how many saw them live on their first tour 15 years ago, aaaaand there were about four others screaming along with me. Yeah, now I feel old. Then I nearly lost my mind when they played “This is a Call,” off their debut album.

Before the Foos started, an enormous man wearing dark clothing and a pissed off expression was standing near me with an unlit cigarette in his hand. A patron offered him a light, to which he accepted while barely acknowledging the kind gesture. He was 6’7, 250+ pounds, sporting a Mohawk haircut. His appearance screamed, “don’t mess with me,” and when he bounced around when the music started, the crowd hustled to get out of his way. After a couple songs he became thirsty and reached for his drink. What was this beastly biker’s drink of choice? It was one of those pink slushy daiquiri drinks in the tall plastic cups (the pinkie may or may not have been extended while grasping the straw). Way to kill an almost flawless stereotype, princess.

Between the above average light show, Grohl screaming, a Bob Mould guest appearance, and extremely large men with girl drinks, there were many highlights. But THE highlight was drummer Taylor Hawkins. I have to make a basketball analogy to describe his skills. I’ve seen drummers labor through shows before, the power forward type, battling in the post, leaving the game exhausted and battered. Taylor is like the short and thin point guard who is so quick, he fools you with his first move, then makes three other moves while you are still reacting to his first while he drifts by you. He looks like he is floating, and his speed is effortless. On the walk home after the show, I had a short conversation with a guy staggering near me. “That drummer,” he said in amazement. Well put.

Wolf Parade – I was briefly upset when I realized they were closing with "California Dreamer," instead of "Kissing the Beehive," but it’s still one of their better tunes. While most of the band remained stoic (as rock stars do), guitarist Dan Boeckner seemed to really be enjoying himself, showing a huge smile throughout the performance. I wish that set would have been two hours, because it ended way too quick. Where is it written in the rules of festivals that bands get 30-45 minutes unless they are headliners? Wouldn’t giving extended sets to the bigger undercard draws create a bit of separation from the other festivals? This was supposed to be their last show ever (they added a second last show ever the following night in Vancouver), so 45 minutes felt like a disappointment.

Speaking of last show ever, how long do we wait until we see Wolf Parade reunite? I’ll just throw out my guess, and say spring 2014. We can make this happen quicker if everyone subscribes to my “Reunite Wolf Parade” initiative. All we need to do is stop supporting the boy's other musical endeavors. No buying their albums, no going to their shows, no purchasing their action figures. Eventually they will run out of money, and have to get back together. "Reunite Wolf Parade," starts now.

Pink Martini – Why were they on the lineup? This is a question even the band leader asked leading off the show, before making an announcement that literally made my festival. Their usual lead female vocalist had a vocal injury, so she was being replaced by Storm Large! I’m not sure many know who Storm Large is, but she is huge in Portland, both figuratively and literally (she is over 6 feet tall). I’m going to fall flat on my face describing her performance, so I’ll just say "sexy" is a word that had no definition before this day.

At the end of one song when she was standing in the back near the orchestra (a song she wasn’t leading) we made eye contact. I quickly looked away, then looked back and she was still staring me down. After looking away a second time, I thought, “wait a second, I’m not that shy, what am I doing?” So I stared her down. A couple seconds later, she smiled, mouthed the digits of her phone number to me, then broke the stare. What? Okay, the phone number part didn’t happen, but the rest is accurate. I know people always think they are making eye contact with the performers, so I’m probably full of (sh)it in some of your minds, but the pit area was barely half full, and I was a head higher than everyone standing near me, so it’s not unfathomable she would spot me in the crowd. When I tell this story at next year’s festival, there will be an open mouth kiss involved.

Bright Eyes – Every child under the age of 19 who wasn’t blazed out of their minds was in the pit for this show. So was the bald heavy-set guy in his mid 40s, who described his location to a friend on the phone by saying, “I’m at the only band that matters.” Bright Eyes fans really like Conor Oberst, like really really really like him. Before the show, and in between songs, people were talking endlessly about how great he is. It was rather disgusting, but not as disgusting as Conor hiding behind his hood for the first four songs. I know he is an emo god, but come on? The hood angered me to the point that I wanted to pull it off his head, mess up his hair, and maybe give him a wedgie for being so pretentious. All the Bright Eyes love mixed with the ultra sensitive showmanship made me cringe. Other than that, it was a surprisingly good show.

Robyn – Having caught part of her set at Coachella, I knew there was no way I was missing a second this time. Everything about Robyn makes me smile. If I’m having a rough afternoon, I play Robyn, bam, instant smile. She was acting a bit more lewd than than she was at Coachella, to the point that when she pulled out that banana, I wasn’t totally convinced she was just going to eat it.

Bassnectar – Glowpocalypse! Okay, it was crazy, it was great, but I have a slightly dissenting opinion on the glow stick war. The glow sticks hit flight during the first (bass) drop, and continued flying during each subsequent drop throughout the show. My complaint, the drops are also when the stage lights are at their brightest. It was cool seeing all the sticks flying through the air, but they looked more like pencils in the bright lights. What would have been spectacular is if the stage lights turned off during the drops. Too much to ask, I know.

Cold War Kids - Talk about boring. I saw this band in 2006, and wasn't too impressed. A couple years later, they reached radio, and "oh he's so cute," status, and they were everywhere. I was hanging out with some folks after a Cold War Kids show a couple years ago (a show I didn't attend), and they were beaming about how great it was. I kept asking them, "were they really that great, or was it that you have all of their songs memorized and don't go to live shows very often?" That is a bit snobby, but I got the answer at Sasquatch. I don't hate bands on principal, which is why I watched part of there set. I feel sorry for those who were there instead of at Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, which was a blast.

Archers of Loaf - One of the smallest crowds I saw all weekend, and they tore it up. The kids at Sasquatch could care less about reunion bands who last played when they were still pooping in their diapers. They want the (fill in the blank) terrible DJ bringing the bass. More on this later.

Das Racist - I heard so many terrible reviews of their recent performances, but they were absolutely killing it. The horn section from the Seattle Rock Orchestra really added the extra oomph, but they still sounded great lyrically. We probably witnessed their best performance to date, because I can see how they could give a half-hearted performance when the professionalism of the horn section isn't around. I wish I didn't leave early for...

The Flaming Lips - The biggest disappointment of the festival. Three words I never thought I would utter in regards to a Flaming Lips show, "I left early." They were billed as playing "The Soft Bulletin, and more." After I left, I heard they didn't even finish the album. When the music was actually playing, it was spectacular, but it started late, and Wayne decided to tell massively long stories between the songs. Imagine sitting down on the couch to watch your favorite movie. Now imagine watching that same movie on network television, commercials and all. You don't zone into it, the commercials ruin the mood. You end up wanting to do something else. And why did we really need a second birthday cake celebration for Sasquatch's big ten year celebration? Guess what, Sasquatch had a birthday last year, and the year before that, and they will have another birthday next year.

The argument can be made that I am the biggest Sasquatch cheerleader on the internet, but this was completely unacceptable. We deserve an apology for that monstrosity.

Modest Mouse - I put my credibility on the line a couple months ago, raving about how great they were the last time I saw them, and how great they would be at Sasquatch. They knew headlining a festival in the northwest is a big deal, and knew the crowd would be more appreciative hearing the older/rarer/classic-er songs rather than a set heavy with new material. The NW is filled with Modest Mouse die hards, more than any other region, so it made sense. They delivered. I rest my case. (High fives?)

Black Mountain - I can't wait to see them live again. They were phenomenal. If you still haven't heard of this band, check out my suggested tracks in the Quadros. You are missing out.

Guided By Voices - I was one of the 38 people enjoying the hell out of this set, but where was everyone else? I've never seen crowd surfing in such a small crowd, but the only reason it worked is because a guy grabbed the surfer by the waste, and ran around in mini circles with him on his shoulder. From a far, it must have looked like it was actual crowd surfing, but for the most part, they could have replicated that in an empty room.

For those who don't know, lead singer Robert Pollard is notorious for getting really drunk and talking smack about whatever comes to mind. The crowd is supposed to play along and get wasted as well. Cheers to the guy who snuck in a fifth of Makers Mark. One person in my crew was basically told to bend over and cough while getting checked by security at the entrance, so I'm not sure how an entire fifth made it in. It was nice you were willing to share with everyone around, and even nicer the security didn't see it. The security almost outnumbered those of us watching the show, so I'm not sure how they missed the bottle getting passed around. When Robert Pollard finally had enough tequila in his system, he made a statement about how shitty the previous band was (Chromeo), wondering why everyone left before GBV started. Again, more on this later (shaking head).

Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - What a great performer she is. I was blown away by her stage presence, and since I grew up listening to jazz, I loved the backing band. Props to Patrick, the dude she called up on stage to dance with her. Even if some thought you suck at dancing, you still did it, in front of thousands of people no less. I thought you rocked it.

Rodrigo Y Gabriela - I hope those unfamiliar with this duo gave them a chance, because they so much fun live. Even though rain was in the forecast the entire weekend, this was the only set it actually rained at. It was nice seeing thousands rush for shelter while the duo spanked their guitars into oblivion. That was really cool. Props to the guy repeatedly sliding down the "dancing guy" hill on his belly during the end of their set. The kids were loving that.

!!! - One of the highlights of the weekend. I caught part of their set at Coachella, where they had more people on stage, but this performance was much better. I loved the lead singers dance moves, and how he jumped in the crowd multiple times. After he acted like an absolute madman, he ran back on stage, and pronounced, "you guys are crazy." Perfect.

One of the coolest things I saw at Sasquatch 2011 was the middle aged slightly overweight dude getting his freak on to the left of the sound stage. I was in a funk during the beginning of this set, working on a four day hangover, slowly wandering around trying to get my energy back, and he snapped me out of it. He was probably early 40s, bald, and appeared to be somewhat albino. He had his shirt unbuttoned showing off his not so small belly, and was seriously getting down. There were a couple young attractive women rushing to dance with him, and he was eating it up. After every song, he said something along the lines of, "this is the most I've ever danced," then tapped his heart like he was exhausted, and couldn't continue. Then the next song started, and he warped back into dancing queen. It was my favorite moment of the festival (except Storm Large, of course).

Wilco - What is better than a lightning storm in the distance leading up to a headlining performance at the Gorge? It was surreal. Then Wilco came on, and bored most of the naysayers out of the venue with their first six songs, which I'll admit bored me as well. I understand if you think Wilco is boring, I found them boring when I first started listening to them as well. I now understand how the Death Cab For Cutie fans defend them so passionately, who I personally find boring. You have to really like their music to realize how technically proficient and catchy they can be (no, there are no Cold War Kids comments allowed here, shut up).

After they scared off the riff raff, they show picked up steam. Nels Cline dominated the stage during "Impossible Germany" and Jeff Tweedy entertained the crowd in between songs, as usual. Dude is a comedian who happens to write great songs. My favorite part of the set was near the end, when Tweedy was almost hit in the face by a thrown glow stick. He then encouraged anyone who could hit him with a glow stick to try. Many were thrown, but not a single battleship was sunk. He was obviously miffed by the fist glow stick, so he was smack talking the crowd to keep it coming. Seriously though, why the hell would you ever throw something at a performer, especially a headliner at a major festival? Props to Tweedy for being a good sport. He later poked fun at the northwest crowd for having no aim, and comparing it to how terrible the Seattle Mariners pitchers are for the same reason. Gold.

Weather - I don't know about you all, but this was about as perfect as festival weather gets. Sure it got cold at night, really cold, I even had numb toes wandering through the campground. But the cold weather meant you were able to sleep in as long as you wanted, rather than getting heat stroke in your tent around 8 a.m. As I mentioned earlier, rain was in the forecast for the entire weekend, but it only rained once during festival hours. There were giant rain clouds surrounding the festival all weekend, but almost all of them passed right by.

Conclusion - As previously mentioned, the crowds for the reunion bands (Archers of Loaf, Guided By Voices) were so tiny, I am wondering out loud if they even fit at Sasquatch anymore? Last year's festival appealed to the music fans all across the nation, and many older folks flew in for their first taste of Sasquatch. This year, however, was all about the kids who live in the Pacific Northwest. It makes me sad knowing the festival will sell out just as easily if it was 80% EDM. Let's face it, the festival organizers have one goal, to sell as many tickets as possible. If that means less bands that appeal to the older folks, and more that appeal to the kids, that is what will eventually happen. I hope it doesn't, because I've always loved Sasquatch for its diversity. Knowing the Chromeo mainstage mid afternoon crowd was one of the biggest in recent history, it does beg the question, why are the bands the kids want to see stuck in the dance tent or on the back stages. This is why I believe there will be more EDM acts on the mainstage next year, and the Guided By Voices type will be relegated to the back stages. This also leads me to believe we will see our first EDM headliner at Sasquatch 2012. Times are a changing, and so is Sasquatch. We might never see the greatness of the 2010 lineup again.

Talk to you soon,
know ID yuh
knowidyuh@gmail.com
Read more from know ID yuh at The Cog.
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2011 Lineup/Links

2011-06-25T12:42:00.001-07:00

Friday, May 27th

Foo Fighters, Death From Above 1979, Against Me!, Biffy Clyro, Rival Schools, The Bronx, Bob Mould, Mariachi El Bronx, DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid

Saturday, May 28th

Death Cab For Cutie, Bright Eyes, Iron & Wine, Bassnectar, Robyn, Pink Martini, Wolf Parade, Local Natives, Matt & Kim, Trailer Park Boys, Sleigh Bells, The Thermals, Jenny & Johnny, The Head & The Heart, K-os, The Radio Dept., The Antlers, Sharon Van Etten, Aloe Blacc, The Secret Sisters, Wye Oak, J. Mascis, Tig Notaro, Alberta Cross, Seattle Rock Orchestra, Washed Out, Dan Mangan, The Globes, Rebecca Gates & The Consortium, Pepper Rabbit, DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid, Matt McCarthy, The Glitch Mob

Sunday, May 29th

Modest Mouse, The Flaming Lips, Flogging Molly, Cold War Kids, Ratatat, MSTRKRFT, Yeasayer, Beach House, Flying Lotus, Tokyo Police Club, Fitz & The Tantrums, Archers of Loaf, City and Colour, Reggie Watts, Gayngs, Tim Minchin, The Drums, S. Carey, Sam Roberts Band, The Moondoggies, Smith Westerns, Das Racist, Wheedle's Groove, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Typhoon, Gold Panda, Cotton Jones, Mad Rad, Basia Bulat, Other Lives, Talkdemonic, DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid, Hari Kondabolu,

Monday, May 30th

Wilco, The Decemberists, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Old 97s, Chromeo, Guided By Voices, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Deerhunter, Major Lazer, Skrillex, The Scott Aukerman & Paul F. Tompkins Show, !!!, Best Coast, Surfer Blood, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Bonobo (DJ Set), Young the Giant, Stornoway, Black Mountain, Noah & The Whale, Wavves, Givers, Twin Shadow, Foster the People, White Denim, Axis of Awesome, Jaill, White Arrows, Head Like A Kite, The Young Evils, DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid

Quadros 8: Sleigh Bells, Skrillex, The Antlers, Talkdemonic

2011-05-20T16:11:00.000-07:00

Sleigh Bells

So what did it take to make the Quadros cut? It’s pretty simple, I have to like the act’s music. The more positive things I can write about, the better chance they will end up here. Sure, I’ve added a couple bands I’m not too thrilled with, just because I knew their material well, but as we’re counting down the days until the festival, there are several bands I really enjoy who I haven’t written about yet.

Enter Sleigh Bells, who created one of my favorite albums from last year, Treats. You’ve probably already heard it, and formed an opinion of the band, but at least you can agree/disagree with the ordering of my suggested tracks. If you haven’t heard Treats, you must lead a very busy life. The best part about this album is the unique sound. Who else sounds like Sleigh Bells? The album has so far held up over time, meaning a lot of my favorites from 2010 have already been forgotten, yet I still find time to listen to Treats occasionally.

So what’s their live performance like? First off, it’s hard to imagine a woman with a mic, and a man with a guitar, can pull off all the different sounds you hear on the album, because, well, they can’t. One good thing about this fact, it’s (nearly) impossible for the show to be a true train wreck, since so much of the music is prerecorded. Wouldn’t it be cool to see five or six musicians on stage recreating the album live? While I didn’t care for their performance last fall, I still appreciated hearing their music being played so darn loud. I’m getting amped to see them again. And since the question was asked 43 times on the Sasquatch Message Board, Sleigh Bells set time is so short because Treats is their only album, and is 32 minutes long.

Suggested Tracks:
1. Crown on the Ground
2. Infinity Guitars
3. Rill Rill
4. Tell ‘Em
5. Treats
6. Straight A’S

Skrillex

I caught Skrillex at Coachella last month, and wrote four paragraphs in my Day 1 Coachella review, which can be read here. I doubt you’ll see Korn, and the light show in the Banana Shack will be elementary compared to the insanity of the Sahara at Coachella, but it should be a fun show.

Suggested Tracks:
1/2. Do Da Oliphant (into) ---> With Your Friends
3. Reptile’s Theme (from Mortal Kombat)
4. Rock ‘N’ Roll
5. My Name Is Skrillex
6. Fucking Die 2 (I really enjoy a good love song)
7. Kill Everybody (sexy, seductive)

The Antlers

The Antlers are an indie rock band from Brooklyn. They burst on the scene following the strength of their 2009 album, Hospice, which received critical acclaim. I don’t really know anything about this band, but I know once Hospice caught my ear after about three listens, I wanted to hear it every morning for two weeks. I saw them live, before I became obsessed with Hospice, but they didn’t keep my attention. Maybe it was the most spectacularly beautiful performance of their career, but after Phantogram got my dancing shoes twitching, the Antlers didn’t match my mood.

Their songs are pretty mellow, actually, very depressing is a better description. The phrase “hospice” doesn’t exactly conjure up swell thoughts. You won’t pass crowds of people blaring the Antlers in the campground while shotgunning beers, and Foo Fighters fans need not apply. If you walk by their performance, you might not even want to stay. If their music has clicked with you though, you’re going to appreciate the slightly smaller crowd, and the beauty theses songs can offer. Their new album Burst Apart is as lovely as Hospice.

Suggested Tracks:
1. Sylvia
2. Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out
3. Two
4. Parentheses
5. No Widows
6. The Universe Is Going To Catch You
7. Bear
8. Putting The Dog To Sleep

Talkdemonic

Talkdemonic is a duo with a cute chick playing the viola, and her dad who mostly plays the drums. What? Okay, that was a joke, it's not really her dad on the drums, He might not be that much older than her either. Speaking of jokes, I caught the National a couple times last fall, the
second of which, Talkdemonic was an opener. Front man for the National, Matt Berninger, is pretty much a character, so he cracks a lot of jokes. Bands are basically required to thank their
opening band(s), and talk about how much they like hanging out with them and touring with them, and that sort of thing. So when one of the guitar players was thanking the openers, Matt followed it up with, "except Talkdemonic," joking about how much they don't get along. The thank yous came up again near the end of show, and again Matt pointed out, "except Talkdemonic." It was pretty obvious he was joking, but even more obvious to me because he used the same crack against a different opener the night before in Seattle. Hopefully they have a sense of humor.

Truth is, outside of their friends and family, I'm one of the biggest Talkdemonic fans attending the festival. I actually own three of their albums. Yeah, they have that many. There are no vocals, so it's just whatever they can play live on top of studio recorded material. It's great music to work to, lyrics being occasionally distracting. If you happen to catch their set at Sasquatch, tell the old dude I'm sorry.

Suggested Tracks:
1. Hillside Monarch
2. Ending The Orange Glow
3. Manhattan '81
4. Black Wood Crimson
5. Bering

Quadros 7: Modest Mouse, Beach House, Black Mountain, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears

2011-05-17T20:01:00.000-07:00

Modest Mouse

The band I've seen live the most. If you are an Internet nerd, you know Modest Mouse is a gigantic hit or miss live, and it usually had to do with Isaac Brock's level of energy/sanity. I saw their Portland residency in the fall of 2009, and every show was outstanding. The band went from a wall of anxiety to a group of professional musicians playing stellar music. One of my friends was so impressed, he accidentally included one of their 2009 shows in his top ten shows of 2010. He's old, poor guy.

I've seen Modest Mouse at their worst as well. In fact, every festival show I've seen of theirs has been awful to average. I've said in the past they don't care about the festival shows, but really care about their fans who pay $30 to see them locally. I think finally headlining Sasquatch will be different. I'm giving my personal guarantee that Modest Mouse will put on a hell of a show. Those of you skipping their set are going to miss something great.

If you are new to the band, I have one question, who are you? There are two schools of thought when it comes to Modest Mouse's music. There is the, "they used to be so good before they sold out," and the, "who is this band I've never heard of before the song Float On?" If you stray away from what is popular, the album you want to check out first is The Moon and Antarctica. If you are new to the band, and wear cologne, you want to check out Good News For People Who Love Bad News. They are both great in their own ways, but if you are undecided about which profile you fit, definitely go with The Moon and Antarctica first. One of the greatest qualities of Modest Mouse that still holds true to this day is they have an original sound. No one sounds like Modest Mouse.

Suggested Tracks:

1. Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes
2. Float On (haha, die hards now hate me for including this near the top, and by the way, get over yourself, it's a great song)
3. 3rd Planet
4. Never Ending Math Equation
5. Gravity Rides Everything
6. All Nite Diner
7. Dramamine
8. Paper Thin Walls
9. Ocean Breathes Salty
10. I Came As A Rat
11. Spitting Venom (they have closed with this song many times in the last couple years. They obviously like it)
12. King Rat (this song kind of sucks, but no other band can create a song sounding like this. It's also a blast live)

Beach House

Do you want to know what gets me excited? As I write this, I get to listen to Teen Dream to pick my favorite tracks. It was one of my top five albums from last year. It gets me as excited as listening to Kanye West's latest, and I'm a huge Kanye fan. I like to give every album five listens before I form an opinion, because it usually takes that long before the catchy/impressive stick out, but I recognized virtually every song on Teen Dream after three listens. It is pure pop gold, and anyone who doesn't list in their top 20 albums for 2010 either hates pop music, won't listen to it, or has terrible taste in music.

If you want a comparison, the lead singer sounds a lot like Stevie Nicks. It's nice they landed a main stage spot on the Sasquatch lineup, since they were victims of sound issues at Sasquatch 2009. Not only was the sound at the Yeti Stage a recurring issue, but the wind was blowing perfectly from the main stage where the Silversun Pickups were playing. At one point, I could hear Silversun more than Beach House. So sad. They are back though, and I'm glad I get the chance to see them with the beauty of the Gorge in the background. You won't be dancing, and you'll probably prefer this show from the hill, but it will be Gorge-ous.

Suggested Tracks:

1. Zebra
2. Norway
3. Take Care (if you want to sing me this song when I'm under the weather, I might fall in love)
4. Walk in the Park
5. Wedding Bells
6. Used To Be
7. Silver Soul
8. Apple Orchard
9. Gila

Black Mountain

A friend turned me onto Black Mountain a couple years ago. I was working when I first listened to them, so I wasn't giving the album my full undivided attention, but I formed an opinion based on the general sound. The email I sent him read something like this, "It sounds like a dude started a metal band that couldn't hit it big, then he started dating a chick who wants to sing in a band. She then convinces him that they need to add her and become more indie, because that's what is popular these days, but the rest of the band doesn't like her and is revolting." For those who know the band, this statement is probably funny for its inaccuracy, but there is an underlying truth to it. The band has metal-like tendencies, but are very much indie-rock. It's like if you crossed Arcade Fire with Type O Negative, but a lot less excruciating.

Black Mountain hails from Vancouver, so all the Canadians who read this will be stoked. Sasquatch will be my first time seeing them, and I'm pretty darn excited. They are in my top ten even. I hope no one is keeping track of how many top ten acts I have, because it's probably close to eighteen.

Suggested Tracks:

1. Tyrants
2. Stormy High
3. Don't Run Our Hearts Around
4. Faulty Times
5. The Hair Song
6. Druganaut
7. Old Fangs
8. Wilderness Heart
9. Stay Free

Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears

If you happen to catch this band, I believe they will be one your top ten highlights of the festival. I'm not really into their recorded material, but they are so much fun live. Therefore, I'll keep the suggested tracks short. Everything you need to know about this band live I stated in my review of their recent Portland show.

Suggested Tracks:

1. Get Yo Shit
2. Gunpowder
3. Big Booty Woman
4. Bitch, I Love You

Quadros 6: Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Robyn, Archers of Loaf, Mariachi El Bronx

2011-05-11T19:53:00.000-07:00

Rodrigo Y Gabriela

It surprises me when people say things like, "I hate that band." I can't say I hate any band who hasn't personally done me wrong, and that includes those who create music making me want to tie the noose tight and pull. Okay, to be fair, maybe I hate Owl City?

When discussing bands you "hate," the band least likely to show up on any list is Rodrigo Y Gabriela, yet no one seems to be excited for their return to Sasquatch? You can't say, "I don't like their voices," because neither of them sing. You can't say, "They are too loud," because it's two acoustic guitars. You can't say, "They are too soft," because their style is influenced by metal music, including Metallica and Slayer. You can't say, "they are ugly," because they are an attractive duo (and yes, Gabriela's accent might have made me weak in the knees once or twice). What is not to like about them?

Gabriela is rhythm guitar/rhythm section. She uses her hands to slap the guitar creating the percussion background in between doing her (often cross handed) finger pickings. Rodrigo is the lead guitar, but also joins in on the guitar slapping occasionally. How many acoustic guitarists have you seen tune the sound their guitar makes while tapping it? Maybe the only fair criticism I've heard is that they aren't real flamenco, but a bastardized form of flamenco which they basically invented. So maybe flamenco traditionalist have a reason to "hate" Rodrigo Y Gabriela, but I don't suspect there will be too many flamenco traditionalist attending Sasquatch.

The only thing that scares me away from Rodrigo Y Gabriella's live shows is the $40 ticket price, which is half the cost of your Sasquatch day pass. So I'm not trying to talk you into spending your gas money to catch their show, but if you are already there, I highly recommend strolling by, even if only for a song or two. You'll want to stay. Plus, they are doing the film score for the new Pirates of the Caribbean film, with the soundtrack scheduled to be released as early as next week. Don't you like Johnny Depp? I didn't even mention how Gabriela broke a string at Sasquatch 08, followed by a expletive, and a comparison to a Spinal Tap moment (so cute), while Rodrigo instinctively wowed the crowd with an amazing solo while she had her string fixed, which took way longer than expected. It was one of the highlights of the festival.

Suggested Tracks:

1. Hunuman (keep in mind this is two acoustic guitars. You can really get the difference between the rhythm of Gabriella and the lead of Rodrigo here)
2. Orion (Metallica cover)
3. Santo Domingo
4. Tamacun
5. Buster Voodoo
6. Diablo Rojo
7. Ixtapa
8. Savitri
9. Stairway To Heaven (Peter Frampton cover)

Robyn

I'll admit, I avoided Robyn for way too long. Everything I've heard about her made me think she is right up my alley, but I never gave her a chance until she landed on the Sasquatch lineup. She makes me feel like a teenager, a teenage girl at that. Ok, that was meant to get a laugh out of those who know me. Her music hits me like Madonna hit me when I was a kid. Yes, I'm admitting that too.

Robyn was apparently a pretty big pop star in the 90s. I don't recall, I was listening to Phish. But her comeback includes some seriously catchy electro beats. You could delete her voice, and several of her songs would hold their own as instrumentals (but why would you want to delete such a voice). I caught about fifteen minutes of her set at Coachella, and it was a blast. She has a ton of energy on stage, jumping and skipping around, breaking into the workout video type calorie burning dancing that neither you or I can pull off. I'm looking forward to catching more of her set this time. A word to any of the dudes/bros reading this, put your masculinity aside for a second, check out the tracks listed below, and get ready to dance awkwardly.

Suggested Tracks:

1. Dancing On My Own
2. With Every Heartbeat
3. Indestructible
4. Hang With Me
5. Fembot (maybe one of her most popular, but no 16 year-old connection with this one)
6. Love Kills
7. Criminal Intent
8. Show Me Love
9. Don't Fucking Tell Me What To Do
10. In My Eyes
11. Time Machine
12. U Should Know Better (just cuz I like Snoop Dogg, fo shizzle)

Archers of Loaf

One thing that makes Coachella such a respected festival is the reunion bands. It seems like they get bands to reunite just for the festival. Sasquatch doesn't get that, "wow, that band is getting back together?" If you want to get technical, Jane's Addiction's first reunion festival was Sasquatch, and Pavement was announced at Sasquatch before Coachella, but everyone knew those two bands were getting back together. When the Sasquatch lineup was announced, most outside of North Carolina had no idea Archers of Loaf were reuniting.

Archers of Loaf would be best described as indie rock, but they have a much heavier punk influence than what is known as indie rock these days. My introduction to this band was their final studio album, White Trash Heroes. The trio of songs "Slick Tracks And Bright Lights," "One Slight Wrong Move," and "Bang On A Dead Drum" (which they allegedly switched instruments for fun) shows how diverse that album is. The first of said trio is a sensitive singer/songwriter tune, the second is a straight up great rock song, the third is an experience in vocal noise and slide guitar. I love White Trash Heroes, so if you want an album suggestion instead of track suggestions, start there.

My favorite part about the schedule announcement is Archers of Loaf not conflicting with the Flaming Lips (it looked as though they might). They have played one reunion show so far, have one scheduled for the week before Sasquatch, then play their third show in 12 years at Sasquatch. It's a pretty big deal. I won't miss a note of this set.

Suggested Tracks:

1. One Slight Wrong Move
2. Wrong
3. Web in Front
4. Bacteria (six minute up and down song)
5. Revenge
6. Power Walker (I had to include this for comedy purposes)
7. Slick Tracks And Bright Lights
8. What Did You Expect?
9. Slow Worm
10. Quinn Beast (this song is pretty cheesy, but somehow caught my ear every time I heard it)
11. Sick File (Nice and short punk song)
12. Backwash

Mariachi El Bronx

One thing I love about music festivals is getting to see so many different styles of music in one weekend. You don't have to see every singer/songwriter, or every indie rock band, or every electronic act. You can mix it up and see music you wouldn't normally pay for (or headliners you wouldn't normally pay for like the Foo Fighters). This is the reason I made a point to catch Mariachi El Bronx at Coachella recently. I've never seen a Mariachi band live outside of the ghetto version played at local restaurants. You know what, it was awesome. Granted, they were first up on a side stage early in the day, and I was basically laying in the grass wishing my life would end, but they entertained.

If you haven't already heard, this band is basically an experiment/side project of the band "The Bronx," who are playing the same night. So a hardcore band decided to tune it down and make a Mariachi album. The biggest travesty about music fans these days is the lack of diversity, so hopefully they turned a couple hardcore fans onto a new genre? I didn't get close enough at their Coachella set to see if their collars were covering up neck tatoos, or if their festive hats were covering up mohawks. Thus, I am anxiously waiting to get up close for this.

Suggested Tracks:

1. Quinceniera
2. Cell Mates
3. Silver or Lead
4. Sleepwalking
5. My Love

Schedule Has Been Released

2011-05-03T11:27:00.001-07:00

http://sasquatchfestival.com/schedule

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