The 9th annual Sasquatch! Music Festival took place over Memorial Day weekend bringing almost one hundred acts to The Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington. I was able to avoid the rain, not showering for three days, contact highs, camping and sadly fantastic music by only being able to attend the Monday portion of the festival. Having never been to Sasquatch or The Gorge Amphitheater I thought I'd share a few (hyperbole filled) observations from the day. Being only one man I wasn't able to cover it all, but hopefully this will help the uninitiated get a little taste of what its like at Sasquatch.
Even though reviews by nature are subjective, reviews of a music festival are even more so. So I'm not even going to try. There is so much going on that it is impossible for one person to cover everything (or even most). With close to 100 acts performing on four stages over the course of three days it is impossible to take it all in. Everyone who attends will have their own Sasquatch story. With so many different bands, DJs and comedians to choose from everyone fills up their dance cards in their own way. I was only able to attend the Monday portion, so my "Sophie's choices" weren't as difficult as others faced. (Saturday's match-up of The Hold Steady v. The National would have killed me). However, I did have to choose between: The Mountain Goats v. She & Him; Band of Horses v. Camera Obscura; Drive-By Truckers v. Fresh Espresso; MGMT v. New Pornographers v. Driving three hours in the rain to get home in time for work.
The Gorge truly is in the middle of nowhere. When you take the exit for the amphitheater you still have about six miles before you get to the spot. For those six miles my stomach housed butterflies in anticipation for a long, fun, music filled day. The lines to get in were horrendously long but I was riding a high because I didn't have to pay for parking! Standing in line I instantly felt old. My wife leaned over and said in my ear "I feel like a mom." There was more neon, feathers, body paint, and ironic sunglasses then I knew what to do with. I swear I saw more raccoon fur hats than at Disneyland's Frontierland. But even though I felt 42 and out of place almost everyone I encountered was very kind and relaxed. I remembered when I was in high school going to Warped Tours every year you had to always be on the lookout for a swinging fist. Not at Sasquatch, these people are like ironic hippies, they just want to dance and that's fine with me. When I finally made it through the gate I headed straight over to the Main stage to see in person what I have only seen in Pearl Jam concert videos. The view from the top of the amphitheater is really something to behold. The clouds seemed to go on forever and the stage looked like it was floating above the Colombia River. I was kind of bummed to see that this year they have put up a black tarp behind the stage. In years past spectators could look through the stage while watching their favorite band play. But even with the Hefty bag blocking some of the view the place is still breathtaking. While watching bands on the Main throughout the day I sometimes found myself taking for granted the magnificent setting and then it would hit me "wow, this place is gorgeous." By Monday the grounds were trashed and people were going on a few days without a shower but that didn't top the damn beauty of the place.
I was able to see full sets of Drive-By Truckers, Passion Pit, She & Him and Camera Obscura. I saw the first half of The Temper Trap and the last half of Phantogram's set. I caught the last couple songs of No Age and Band of Horses and the first few hits of Neon Indian. Not bad considering how behind schedule most of the acts were. So here in chronological order is my dance card.
The Temper Trap:
All I knew about these guys going in was that they sing the "Sweet Disposition" song that was everywhere last summer. I just assumed they were a Coldplay/U2 hybrid that I wouldn't be too interested in. I wasn't expecting much, just something to ease me into my first and only day at the festival. I was caught off guard by how engaging they were. It is not an easy feat to rock out at 1:50 p.m. on a Monday but these guys were impressive. They opened with "Fader" which I guess is a hit because everyone around me seemed to be singing along. The lead singer (I think, two other people also sang lead at times) Dougy Mandagi has an awesome falsetto and (dare I say) swagger that made it hard to take your eyes off him. Later they played "Fools" which people went nuts for. Their sound, for whatever reason, seemed to fit the stage and the setting well. I think it has to do with their U2ness scope that elevates each song to feel like a moment.
Songs like "Down River" and others sound tailor made for The Gorge. For a band who is just starting to make waves stateside they did not seem to be phased by the honor of playing the Main stage at Sasquatch! Last fall they were playing shows at the Crocodile in Seattle now they are rocking the Main. I bailed to see Phantogram before hearing their most popular song but as I was making the trek to the Yeti stage I could hear behind me people singing "Sweet Disposition" in unison.
Phantogram:
Unfortunately, I only caught the last four songs of Phantogram's set. I was trying to be super-festival guy and see as many acts as possible. When that strategy epically failed (late start times, travel time from stage to stage, and basic crowd maneuvering) I decided I would rather see quality over quantity from then on. That being said, I'm so glad I was able to catch Phantogram if only for a bit. They played the Yeti stage which I guess is the smallest of the fest. I was pleased to see a pretty big crowd bopping their heads along to the duo's beats. I couldn't tell much of a difference between their live set and their debut album but that didn't seem to matter to anyone in attendance, they all seemed very into it. I overheard a couple of people talking about picking up their album after the show, which made me smile. After hearing a few songs it occurred to me that the Yeti stage was probably the best place for this particular band to play. I always picture their music playing in a small, smokey, sweaty club but this setup seemed to work very well. It also helps that Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel come across as two of the nicest people in the industry. Maybe it is a ruse (I doubt it) but these two seem without guile. When their set was over Josh thanked the crowd by telling us that being able to play here is a huge blessing for them and they won't soon forget it. I hope their positive vibes karmaticly grant them more album and ticket sales so these two can make music together for a long time.
Drive-By Truckers:Amidst an electro pop heavy lineup (remember I was only there Monday so no The Hold Steady or My morning Jacket fix for me) Drive-By Truckers brought the alt-country-rock/summer music festival feeling I was craving; you can only have so many sweets before you need a little salt. The big let down for me during their set was the weather issue. Already an overcast day, the weather took a turn for the worse almost immediately when the band began. TD-BT didn't let the weather get in the way of putting on a solid set. With such a deep back catalog they did a great job picking their setlist and gave all band members their time to shine. Shonna, Patterson and Matt shared vocals and just about everyone else had killer solos that really varied from the versions we've come familiar with on the albums; which is why we go see live shows, right? The guys and Shonna succeeded in bringing the jam band vibe to the Monday portion of the festival. About halfway through the weather gods smiled upon us just in time for one of my favorite songs of 2010. When "Birthday Boy" started I couldn't help but smile, right when Matt Cooley's voice kicks in I turned to my wife and told her that the 3 hour drive was worth it. This is a band I have followed for years now but have yet to see them live; they didn't disappoint. Well, they didn't disappoint me. After the TD-BT set I was waiting in line for the rest room and I overheard two neon and feather clad young men say (direct quote): "That last band sucked. Why are they here? They are probably the worst of the festival; you couldn't even dance to their music!" I wanted to say to them "These guys have been around for 14 years, put out at least 10 albums; they are very accomplished and deserve your respect. Who knows if half the bands here will be around 10 years from now? Besides, everyone around me danced, myself included." But I didn't say anything, I already felt too old. The Drive-By Truckers brought a balance to Monday that was needed.
One of the biggest shocks for me at Sasquatch was how old I felt. I kept looking around and we were in a sea of high-school-college-hippie-wannabes. I wore jeans and a button down top... I totally dressed like a mom. I should have come in my bikini top and short-shorts or peasant skirt! Oh yeah, don't forget the rose colored sun glasses.
Passion Pit: This year marked back to back Sasquatch appearances by the kids from Cambridge. Lead singer, Michael Angelakos, told the crowd that last year they were thrilled to play the fest on one of the smaller stages. After their set they watched huge bands play the Main stage and they dreamed that one day they would have the chance to play on one of music's great playgrounds.
Angelakos said that he never thought they would be playing for thousands on the Main stage exactly one year later. While PP's EP has been floating around for a couple years now, it was only May 18th of last year when their first full length album, Manners, dropped. PP managed to draw the biggest crowd of the day up to that point. People were dancing, singing along and just about everyone was smiling (if you've heard their music than you'll know it's almost impossible not to smile). Angelakos came across as a really engaging talent; none of his shtick felt forced. He performed the hell out of his set bouncing around the stage, jumping on and off speakers while still belting out his now signature high pitched squeal. Although I didn't keep track of their setlist exactly it's pretty fair to say that PP probably played every song from their album and EP. What I've admired about PP so far is their ability to make every song on their album sound like an all out hit. That consistency definitely carried through to their live performance. When one song would end and the next began the crowd about lost it; with people turning to each other shouting "this one's my favorite" after every song. Before playing "Sleepyhead" Angelakos asked the crowd to raise their arms in the air and wave their hands forward and backward to simulate moving water.
I was pretty close to the front and midway through the song I turned my head and was taken away by the massive ocean of people behind me. I saw rows and rows of people waving their arms in unison. To the left I saw a group of people on a slip and slide cruising down the hill waiving their arms as well. When I turned back to look at the band they seemed genuinely in the moment; soaking it all in. In a very short time, PP has evolved into a band modestly confident in their ability to put on a fantastic party. I heard talk that last years PP set left a lot to be desired, leaving some to believe that their sound is better suited for an album, not live. Well, they must have worked out whatever kinks existed because their second Sasquatch performance is one I will remember for a long time.
I will also remember this performance for a long time, I wasn't a big fan of Passion Pit before I saw them at Sasquatch. The lead singer has a unique voice and I tend to be little snobby when it comes to singing. It's hard for me to get past certain imperfections vocally but after hearing and seeing Angelakos live I became a fan! The energy and pure joy I saw all around me was infectious. I can't get enough of Passion Pit!
People watching was great during this set too!
She & Him is the main reason why I agreed to go to Sasquatch with Ben. I LOVE She & Him. I love their retro sound, I love their doo wop harmonies, I love that Zooey Deschanel writes the lyrics to all their original songs, I love that M. Ward writes all the music, I love Zooey's tambourine, I love M. Ward's shades... I love, I love, I love... :-)
She & Him:
Few people are as polarizing in the "indie world" as Zooey Deschanel, but I don't get it. The girl can sing, play the piano (and ukulele) and write a catchy song… and oh yeah she can act. The thing about ZD is that if she wasn't an actress breaking Joseph Gordon-Levitt's heart in the movies I really think she would have been a singer song writer anyway.
We are just lucky that we live in a world where we can have both Zooeys. I did not know what to expect when I waited for She & Him to come out and play on the Main; I just knew I wanted to be close to the stage. For those familiar with their work, seeing them perform on a giant stage in front of 20,000+ people doesn't come to mind. I wasn't sure they were going to be able to pull off the Main. I was I wrong. From the first song M. Ward and ZD proved that their little side project is more than just frothy kitsch. They were accompanied by a full back up band which elevated their sound from intimate to (I'm going to say it) rocking. There second to last song was a rendition of Chuck Berry's "Roll over Beethoven" that was incredibly impressive and impossible not to dance to. They also played a few songs from M's solo work. "Magic Trick" from Post-War was a nice surprise. It was one of the few times of the set where M sang lead and it reminded me just how cool he is. It's been known for awhile now in my circle that I've been crushing on ZD for sometime but I think my crush is bleeding into M. Ward territory.
He has such a unique voice that seems very out of place in 2010. I guess that is why he and ZD pair so well together; they sound like two old souls. Now as for ZD, if possible she is cuter in person than on the silver screen. She bounced around the set with her tambourine like a girl rocking out privately in front of her mirror. There is an awkwardness and sincerity (who knows maybe she's acting but I choose to think otherwise) to her performance that is very endearing to watch. To top it off from where I was standing I could see her husband (DCFC's Ben Gibbard) in the wings staring at her with a giant grin on his face, often clapping along to the songs. I was doing the same thing.
Taking a break with a GIANT strawberry limeade.
Ben waiting for Camera Obscura to start.
Camera Obscura:
I made the executive decision to opt out of seeing Band of Horses (they play Seattle like three times a year) in favor of catching my native land's Camera Obscura. I've been a fan for awhile but haven't seen them live until now. Whenever I see them on TV it never ceases to amaze me how eclectic a group of people Camera Obsucra is. That thought continues seeing them in person. They look as if someone cast a net in a Scottish countryside and formed a band with the people caught. And I love it. In the current lineup of CO you have: two "older", bearded bigger guys on guitar/bass, a drummer that looks like a college professor, a lead singer who looks like a librarian, a feisty looking pianist and a trumpeter who looks twelve. This rag-tag bunch all seem to fit together in that they all seem so different. Their quiet, 60s pop sound was the perfect come down from all the anxiety that comes with attending a music festival. Towards the end of the set (I think during "Let's Get Out Of This Country") a rainbow appeared as if on que; it was too perfect. My favorite was when they played "Swans" off last year's album. My wife's favorite was "James" which was even prettier live. Lead singer Tracyanne Campbell was on the verge of losing her voice but you couldn't tell until she informed us near the end. She spoke for the band in saying that they feel at home at Sasquatch because the overcast, wet weather reminded them of home in Glasgow. From where I was standing I could see the backing band from She & Him backstage nodding along to the band and I thought perhaps we would be treated to a collab, but no dice.
I would have loved to stay for MGMT but rumors (now confirmed) that they will be playing the Capitol Hill Block Party this summer made me feel less guilty about heading home an act early. My Monday experience at Sasquatch was one for the books and I hope I can find the time in my schedule to do the whole thing someday.
