ChordStrike

Sasquatch! 2010

Local writer Travis Hay and photographer Dave Lichterman covered Sasquatch! on behalf of ChordStrike this year. Wish you were there... (Heck, we wish we were there!)

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FRIDAY
The Sasquatch! Music Festival proved to be a monstrous beast of music during its three-day run. Throughout Memorial Day weekend, Sasquatch! featured more than 80 bands spread across three stages and a dance and comedy tent. Kicking off the summer concert season in the Pacific Northwest, the festival’s first day contained a grouping of buzz bands and established acts, making for a day of musical ecstasy. It was a theme that carried throughout the weekend. Set at the picturesque and remote Gorge Amphitheatre (about 150 miles east of Seattle), Sasquatch! boasted not only one of the most eclectic and indie-friendly lineups you'll find, it also took place in the most beautiful spot in the country to take in a show. The sundresses, sandals, and ponchos (the festival is known for having unpredictable weather) were in full effect.

America's perfect bar band, the Hold Steady, showed that they are also the perfect festival act. Craig Finn's story-songs helped create a rousing performance in the summer sun, filled with shout-along choruses and plenty of fists pumping in the air. As a performer Finn is like a rock n' roll Muppet, wildly gesturing, smiling, and laughing when not singing. His enthusiasm is infectious, which is what makes the Hold Steady such a fun band to watch live. Three songs--"Rock Problems," "Hurricane J," and "Barely Breathing"--from the recently released Heaven is Whenever, were peppered into the set and fit perfectly alongside Finn's other narrative tales about partying, religion, and rock n' roll lifestyle.

In the early evening, the action really picked up on the main stage, with the National (left) delivering an emotionally stirring set just before the sun went down. Songs from the critically acclaimed Boxer and this year's High Violet dictated the performance. Some of the material was sparse, while other songs carried a full sound punched up by horns that filled the Gorge. As a performer, singer Matt Berninger is so compelling that you practically feel the emotion. It made for an entertaining and highly engaging show.

Anyone who doubted the hype surrounding Vampire Weekend (below) should have seen how the nearly 20,000 people reacted to group's sunset performance. Thousands of people on top of the Gorge's hill jumped up and down while dancing to the likes of "Cousins," "A-Punk," and "Horchata." It was the biggest set and biggest response of the day.

While the National were stirring up emotions on the main stage, Nada Surf was closing down the activities on the solar-powered Bigfoot stage. The set was heavy on covers, several from their new album, the palindromic If I Had A Hi Fi. The Go-Betweens' “Love Goes On” and Kate Bush’s “Love and Anger” stood out, but the best selection came when Nada Surf turned Depeche Mode's “Enjoy the Silence” into a poppy love ballad.

The night was capped by My Morning Jacket's two-hour headlining set. Jim James and the rest of his band came blazing out of the gates with a hard-rock instrumental unlike anything in the MMJ canon, which led right into "One Big Holiday." From there "Dondante," "Off the Record," the short but extremely funky "Highly Suspicious," and about 15 others songs followed in a career-spanning set list. These touring warhorses are one of the best live rock bands in America, and their set was a fitting way to cap a day filled with a wide variety of music.

Brad, fronted by the soulful Shawn Smith (far left) and featuring Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard, morphed into the darker and heavier Satchel for two songs after Gossard left the stage. OK Go played a high-energy and hit-laden set. Power poppers Posies played a blissful set of unreleased songs, and Portugal. The Man’s psychedelic rock (left) and the excellent Afro-pop of Fool's Gold were two distinct styles of music that stood out.

Check out all of Dave's Friday photos.

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SATURDAY
Sasquatch!’s second day kicked off with a dance party on the main stage, led by the dual drumming assault of Caribou. The high noon set woke up the sleepy-headed campers that showed up early, its upbeat rhythms and tempos providing a great precursor to what would come later in the evening (hint: LCD Soundsystem).

Local Natives (right) filled the day’s quota in the soon-to-be-breakout-bands category. The quintet encompassed the entire musical vibe of the festival with a sound that is melodic, poppy, jangly, and jammy. In a festival forged around musical discoveries, Local Natives was the cream of the crop of the blog-friendly buzz bands.

Speaking of buzz bands, London’s XX (left) played dreamy, synthesized bedroom music and was one of the bright spots of the afternoon. The set could’ve been a disaster, given the music’s slow-burning leanings in such a large and expansive environment, but the material translated well, and the crowd was enamored by the music, singing and swaying along to every song.

The swaying turned to full-blown dancing when James Murphy and his band (a.k.a. LCD Soundsystem) managed to stir up the crowd with driving beats and plenty of cowbell. Highlights included the one-two punch of “Daft Punk is Playing at my House” and “Drunk Girls” from This is Happening, which was the most unstoppable dance force of the weekend.

While dancing was a dominant part of the day, the most anticipated set of the festival came from reunited influential indie rockers Pavement (right). The set was a bit sloppy and surprisingly started with “Cut Your Hair,” the band’s most well-known song. Later it got a bit messy, with a few botched intros to “Rattled by the Rush” (due to instrument troubles), but once Pavement got over the rough patches, they sounded great. Frontman Stephen Malkmus, who was celebrating a birthday, appeared to be annoyed by the minor hiccups, but the crowd didn’t seem to care much as the band played more than 20 songs from its catalog, including “In the Mouth of the Desert,” “Unfair,” “Two States,” and others.

Public Enemy (left) headlined the Bigfoot stage while UK electro icons Massive Attack (below right) headlined the main stage. The latter set was chill, moody, and relaxed, complete with a terrific light show that worked well under the Gorge’s canopy of stars. Public Enemy, on the other hand, brought the noise. Flavor Flav showed he is still hip hop’s reigning jester, while Chuck D held court with a nonstop assault of golden age hip-hop hits, heavy on material from It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band played a fantastic set of math rock with progressive leaning while filling in for City & Colour, which had to cancel due to singer Dallas Green's pneumonia. Tegan & Sara almost humorously introduced “Alligator” by beat-boxing. The Long Winters (right) played unreleased material and ended their set with a cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Touch of Grey.” And the humor of They Might Be Giants had thousands of people getting their geek on while singing and dancing along to “Istanbul (Not Constantinople).”

Check out all of Dave's Saturday photos.

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SUNDAY
Mother Nature made her presence known as the Sasquatch! Music Festival wound to a close Day with warm temperatures, a constant threat of showers, and--at the end of the day--a rainbow.

Throughout the day patches of light rain combined with spots of bright sunshine to create an interesting combination on what was the festival’s strongest day. The rainbow appeared during the summery sounds of the Zooey Deschanel / M. Ward combo, known as She & Him. It was the perfect accompaniment to Deschanel’s voice, which were the main attraction, but M. Ward nearly stole the show during a cover of “Rollover Beethoven.”

The Heavy (right) opened the main stage off with a mix of inspired British neo-soul, funk, and rock, engaging the Sasquatch! early risers with hits off of their latest album, The House the Dirt Built, closing off the set with "How You Like Me Now?". Having seen their performance earlier in the year before their explosive set on Late Night with David Letterman sent the quartet's careers into high gear, the addition of live horns added new dimensions to a fantastic set.

If Ben Bridwell’s constant smile was any indication, Band of Horses was the main stage act that had the most fun performing. His toothy grin was almost as enjoyable as the songs performed from Infinite Arms. Another band that was clearly having a blast was the Canadian indie supergroup New Pornographers, which features Neko Case, A.C. Newman, Dan Bejar, and others. It was impossible to not smile and sing along to the group’s catchy, upbeat songs.

MGMT (left) was the main course of the day, even though cult rockers Ween handled headlining duties. MGMT seemed in awe of the grandeur of the Gorge’s spectacular setting and amazed at the size of the crowd (they drew the most people of the festival), though they appeared strangely bored on stage. Vocalist Andrew VanWyngarden dedicated the Memorial Day set to fallen soldiers, started things off with “Pieces of What.” A few songs later, “Flash Delirium” began to work up the crowd, and when “Time to Pretend,” “Kids,” and “Electric Feel” finally came along, the dance party was in full force. Similar to Vampire Weekend’s Friday night set, MGMT showed they are capable of anchoring a major U.S. festival.

Sasquatch! wouldn’t have been a summer music festival without a good old-fashioned mosh pit, which is exactly what Vancouver, B.C., duo Japandroids (right) spurred on during the most intense set of the weekend. Prior to Japandroids’ set of thrashing, Canadian, post-garage rock, the deep-fried Southern rock of the Drive-By Truckers washed over the main stage crowd with a three-guitar assault. Patterson Hood’s storytelling skills were in fine form during the twisted “The Wig He Made Her Wear,” while guitarist Mike Cooley showed his skills as a frontman on “Get Downtown,” both from The Big To-Do, one of the Truckers' strongest records in years.

There were several more memorable moments from Sasquatch!’s final day, making it difficult to narrow things down to just a few. The Seattle Rock Orchestra crammed more than 30 musicians on stage to play a wonderful set of Arcade Fire covers. Aussies Tame Impala proved to be well worth the buzz they’ve garnered, creating a Wolfmother-meets-Howlin' Rain / wall-of-psychedelic sound that rang throughout the festival grounds. On the other end of the Australian rock spectrum was the Temper Trap (below), a band with modern-rock radio written all over it.

By the time the 2010 incarnation of Sasquatch! was over, it was clear that the taste-making festival is a force to be reckoned with in the destination festival circuit. Excellent music was happening around every corner at one of the most beautiful concert settings in the country. Sasquatch! is well worth the trip, and if this year’s lineup of more than 80 bands was any indication of what’s to come in 2011, you’ll want to be there next year.

Check out all of Dave's Sunday photos.

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Dave Lichterman is a programmer by day and photographer by night. "Concert photography bridges the gap between my love of music and my love of photography," he explains, "whilst making up for my complete and utter lack of musical talent. Nothing compares to the thrill of seeing and capturing musicians performing their art." Check out more of Dave's photos @ http://www.flickr.com/lavid/.

Travis Hay is a Seattle-based writer who has been covering music in the Northwest for the past decade. He was a music critic at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and started the award-winning blog and website Ear Candy. His work has appeared in Sound Magazine, The Seattle Weekly, Crosscut.com, Three Imaginary Girls, and other print and online publications.

Pavement Reunite!

After years of rumors, seminal indie-rock band Pavement have finally confirmed they are to reunite. New York-based blog Brooklyn Vegan was first to declare these rumors were the real deal, and on Thursday guitarist Scott Kannberg (a.k.a. Spiral Stairs) confirmed the reunion in an interview with Rolling Stone. The first confirmed date is a Central Park, New York show on September 21 next year. Referring to frontman Stephen Malkmus, Kannberg said "Steve and I just had a conversation on the phone, and we’d never talked about it before at all. We’ve talked over the years, but the subject never came up. Then our agent asked us about these New York shows, so we went around to everybody in the band, and they said, ‘Yeah, the time is right If everybody’s ready to do it, then we’ll do it and see what happens.’ There was no real impetus — it just kind of happened naturally.” Pavement split up ten years ago after releasing five hugely influential albums. While never big sellers, their reputation has only grown in the years after they broke up, so their reunion shows are sure to be attended by big crowds. "There’s festivals and stuff that we’re talking to, like Coachella," Kannberg added. "After that, anything that happens in the future is in the future."

It's also been confirmed by Pavement's record label, Matador, on their blog.

"After years of speculation, the most important American band of the 1990’s is returning to the stage, with the lineup of Mark Ibold, Scott “Spiral Stairs” Kannberg, Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich and Steve West reuniting for dates around the world in 2010."

They also say that a pre-sale (password ZOWEE) for the Central Park show begins tomorrow. That's right, if you want to guarantee a ticket, you need to pre-pay a year in advance!

--Ally @ SoundUnwound

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We'll be posting a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike every week; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon. Follow us at twitter.com/soundunwound.

Capitol Hill Block Party '09

It's a beautiful afternoon here in Seattle, and the crowd is beginning to draw for Capitol Hill's annual music-packed Block Party. This year's big names include Built to Spill, the Jesus Lizard, and Deerhunter tonight with Sonic Youth, Gossip, and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart on Saturday, among many others, on three different stages over the next two days.

I started with a fast-paced, crowd-pleasing set from Seattle's own supergroup, Thee Sgt. Major III, featuring members of local legends Young Fresh Fellows, the Posies, and the Fastbacks, along with Chordstrike's own Leslie Beattie on vocals. What a great way to spend a Friday afternoon!

--Alan Wiley

Michael Jackson hits the Road

Coldplay's appearance at The Gorge, Saturday, July 11 featured a concert within a concert. At one point, the ever-working mega band belted from the main stage, up to this tiny platform at the beginning of the grass section. Tracked by two long-throw spot-lights they offered some unplugged goodies, including a rendition of Jackson's Billie Jean. The homage to the King of Pop was treated no differently, from most of the Coldplay super-hits and the audience sang along with gusto.

For a band that's done an unbroken stretch of 130+ shows, I have to admit they sounded very "there." At the end of one of the hottest days of the year, so far, I don't think anyone would argue if I gave the  MVP award to the sunset.  Truly spectacular, as it often is in this part of the world, adding another dimension to this brand of euphoric anthem rock.  Mother Nature did all the mind-altering that was needed. -- Hugo Munday

Best Classical Albums of 2009 - Stile Antico: Song of Songs

The last place in the world I would have expected a musical revolution to take place would have been renaissance vocal music. How many different ways can a group sing "Now is the Month of Maying"?  Beginning with The Deller Consort in 1948, we've enjoyed a usually high standard of vocal ensembles and since the 1970's the major universities and conservatories of the world have gestated a group of note every five years or so. Making things more unlikely, the newest kids on the block have arrived on the most well-beaten path for groups like this. Most are ex-choral scholars from Cambridge University.

The ensemble in question is Stile Antico and over the last few years they have broken into a different paradigm of performance for vocal groups of this sort.  Recently harmonia mundi released their third recording Song of Songs and they've just completed their US debut at the Boston Early Music Festival.

As the title suggests, this recording is a compilation of renaissance compositions using texts from the Song of Solomon, the biblical collection of love poetry, purportedly written by King Solomon to a Shulamite girl.

Many groups have fished in this pool before, but Stile Antico's repertoire choices and exquisite program notes (written by Matthew O'Donovan, one of the basses) draw a well delineated link between the surge in medieval popularity and the suitability of these texts for the purposes of the Marian 'cult' that portrayed the Virgin Mary as the representation of the church as a whole.

This album holds together as a concert and a concept better than any other attempt at this repertoire that I have heard (actually, all three of their albums do that) but Stile Antico really set themselves apart in the way in which they perform.  These musicians work without a conductor, which is common practice for chamber instrumentalists, but uncommon in a group of this size. Perilous as the concept might sound for a group of singers, I've never heard people present this repertoire with such a high level of commitment.

I'm currently mixing an interview with Carris Jones, one of the Altos in the group, that I'll post here, but far better than I can, Carris sums up the quantum shift the choice of no conductor makes in the collective consciousness of the group.

"It give us, most importantly, a direct communication with our audiences and it means that we cannot, any of us, go on what I would term "choral autopilot."  We're not conveying what one other person, i.e. a conductor, wants us to convey.  We're conveying a message what we have got together as a group, agreed corporately, rehearsed over many weeks and then put that practice into performance and it's a very different discipline to singing for a conductor."

I include a couple of samples so you can judge for yourself, but any of the tracks on the MP3 page show what this group is about.  Also their other releases, Music for Compline and Heavenly Harmonies offer the same exquisite ensemble and intelligent programming choices.  I know the group will be in New York in October, this year, but for a full breakdown of their concert itinerary I'd check their website.  This repertoire has never been more engaging. -- Hugo Munday

The Ben Harper & Relentless7 Sweepstakes

It's been a busy week for sweepstakes, but I almost forgot to mention the Ben Harper one. You've got just over 24 hours left to enter our Ben Harper & Relentless7 Sweepstakes. One winner will receive a trip for two to the Ben Harper & Relentless7 show in Denver, to be held at the Mile High Music Festival in on July 18. The trip includes round-trip coach airfare from a major airport near the winner’s residence; transportation to and from the airport and hotel; two nights accommodations; and two concert tickets. Enter to win by June 5.

     --Jason Kirk

5 Things I Will Remember About Sasquatch 2009

Now that I've finally recovered from three exhausting and thrilling days of sun, music, and elephant ears, here, in descending order, are the five things I will remember most about this year's Sasquatch Music Festival:

5) Finding out about Jay Bennett's death from Silversun Pickups' frontman, Brian Aubert, who dedicated a song to Bennett, adding, "may he rest in peace" --

I'm so utterly addicted to the interent/blogosphere that it was shocking to actually hear a breaking news item from a real live person, let alone a quasi-rock-star. It was a sad, strange moment.

4) Meeting one of my favorite singers, Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters/Sun Kil Moon), during the Bon Iver set --

I was on my way to go pull a friend away from the YYY's mainstage show when I spotted Kozelek in the crowd taking in the Bon Iver set. I shook his hand, told him how much I love his music (especially his album of acoustic AC/DC covers) and moved on. He seemed genuinely appreciative and I was thoroughly stoked.

3) St. Vincent --

After taking in this performance, my crush on St. Vincent's Annie Clark escalated from "slight" to "unhealthy." H-E-L-P!

2) Shearwater --

Shearwater was flat-out fantastic live. I liked 2008's Rook, but I wasn't expecting much when I meandered over to the Wookie stage to check out this Texas-based band, fronted by former Okkervil River member and bird-enthusiast Jonathan Meiburg. I won't go into the details, but if you like this band at all, don't miss them the next time they roll through town--they are the real deal.  

1) Bon Iver --

Closing out the first night of the festival on the Wookie stage, Bon Iver came off less like a new-kid-on-the-indie-singer-song-writer-block and more like an elder statesman showing all the wannabes how it's done. The sun had just set when Justin Vernon and co. took the stage, the waning light and surreal landscape of the Gorge providing the perfect backdrop to Vernon's sad, rousing melodies. Even Mos Def, who I spotted checking out the set from stage-side, was bobbing up and down to "Skinny Love." 

Oh, 'Squatch, I miss you already.      

Sasquatch! 2009: We Were There

In case you wisely spent the holiday weekend out of doors and flushed your RSS reader once you returned to the office today, we encourage you to take a look at our coverage of the 2009 Sasquatch! Music Festival:

• A playlist featuring songs by the performing musicians
• Our arrival and a moderately embarrassing picture of Alan Wiley
• Doves and a picture of a very handsome gentleman
• Gaslight Anthem, A.A. Bondy, and Blind Pilot
• Passion Pit, Dent May and his Magnificent Ukulele, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band
• Animal Collective, marijuana, and sweaty topless dudes
• Mos Def and Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• Getting ready for day two and a clip of Maya Rudolph singing "Amazing Sasquatch"
• Alan's favorite discovery, a band called Point Juncture, WA
• Tom Morello and Boots Riley's Street Sweeper Social Club
• The Walkmen, TV on the Radio, M83, the Dodos, Of Montreal, and a terrible picture of a very handsome gentleman that will eventually cause serious revenge to be exacted on Alan Wiley
• Fences and Aziz Ansari
• Heartless Bastards
• Black Moth Super Rainbow, Grizzly Bear, Horse Feathers, and Santigold
• Bishop Allen, Blitzen Trapper, the Dutchess and the Duke

See you next year, 'squatch.

-- Jeff Reguilon

Sasquatch! 2009: Bishop Allen, Blitzen Trapper, The Dutchess and the Duke

Bishop Allen:

Bishop Allen played a short set of peppy, collegiate indie pop. If McSweeney's had a record label, this is the kind of music they would release. The band had tons of energy, which was infectious and much needed mid-afternoon on the last day of a three-day festival. They also win for having a marimba on stage.

Blitzen Trapper:

If you're one of those people who loves classic rock radio and feels like there's no good new music, Blitzen Trapper, who sounded like they were playing the 1973 edition of Sasquatch!, might change your mind. This is another band that was probably just slightly too big to play a sidestage.

The Dutchess and the Duke:

Speaking of bands who wear their classic rock influences on their sleeves, the Dutchess and the Duke sound like a slightly twangier version of the Rolling Stones circa "Mother's Little Helper." They make a lot of noise considering their only percussion is a tambourine and a floor tom.

-- Jeff Reguilon

Sasquatch! 2009: Grizzly Bear, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Horse Feathers, Santigold

Another amazing, sunny day here at Sasquatch! I've coated myself with the highest SPF sunscreen I could procure and set off running. Here's a sampling of some of the acts I've caught so far:

Grizzly Bear:

My first band of the day was Grizzly Bear, who played through the majority of their new new album Veckatimest, which they'll unleash on the world starting tomorrow, along with some old favorites like Yellow House's majestic single, "The Knife." It was a great, mellow way to lull the crowd back into the last day.

Black Moth Super Rainbow:

The smooth and psychedelic sounds of Black Moth Super Rainbow up on the Wookie Stage had a similar impact on the crowd there. I feel like their albums can be a bit meanderery, unstructured, and noisy, but this live set was beautiful--swimming in vocoders, analog synths, and bliss.

Horse Feathers:

I only caught a couple songs of Horse Feathers' set on the Yeti Stage, but enjoyed what I heard--acoustic strings, including cello, viola, banjo, and acoustic guitars that completed the mellow vibe blanketing the festival from every corner.

Santigold:

Here's where the tempo's picking up. Santigold had the crowd throwing their arms in the air with her mixture of world beat's driving rhythms and new wave pop's sleek synths and structure. The audience was all over this, especially when she played her hit single "L.E.S. Artistes."

Alright--I'm off to check out more bands, and will report back later

--Alan Wiley

Sasquatch! 2009: Heartless Bastards

I'm a big fan of Heartless Bastards' debut, Stairs and Elevators--particularly the song, "New Resolution," but I haven't really kept up with them since. Seeing their performance this afternoon made me regret this and decide to give their other records a spin as soon as possible. The crowd was sparse, making the show as intimate as  one on a stage this large could possibly be. It seemed like a really awesome backyard barbeque, minus some ribs and plus a few unfortunate back tattoos on the guests. Erika Wennerstrom has a voice that is incongruous with her appearance, though, it would be incongruous with anything that wasn't at least half wolf. Her soulful yowl is muscular and it filled up the Gorge. The small crowd who arrived early enough to catch the Heartless Bastards were fortunate enough to see one of the festival's better performances.

Sasquatch! 2009: Fences, Aziz Ansari

Fences:

About a year ago at a fancy sit-down venue in Seattle, I saw Fences, which, at the time, was just Chris Mansfield and a drummer. Mansfield faced away from the audience and the two of them turned out these impossibly melancholy songs at a super-slow tempo, magnifying the sadness to the point where it was inescapable. It was music that seemed to be both created and meant to be listened to alone in the dark.

Now, with a full band, a Fences show is a completely different experience. The songs move more swiftly than before without losing any of their emotional heft. Instead, the quicker pace adds a layer of subtlety, making the music more real, round, and relatable. Standing in front of me, the coolest nine-year-old in the world made the observation that they sound like Bright Eyes, which is an astute judgment for a fourth grader, though Mansfield's voice is certainly stronger than Conor Oberst's and his songs are more streamlined.

Fences are currently not signed to a label, but I don't anticipate that will last long. This is powerful music.

Aziz Ansari:

Though Sasquatch! has featured a bunch of great comedians, I hadn't ventured into the comedy tent until this year. Maybe it was Aziz Ansari's role in Parks and Recreation, or the popularity of Human Giant, or maybe it was just the right time to escape the sun, but there were a ridiculous amount of people trying to get in to see this dude. The entire tent was packed and there were still several rows of people spilling outside of it at every opening. Those who got close enough to hear caught Ansari keeping it on the music tip, telling stories about Kanye West and R. Kelly which I will not repeat out of respect for comedy and general public safety. I wanted to stick around to catch Zach Galifianakis, but fire hazard-based anxiety and ready availability of other shows prompted me to hightail it the f-word out of there as soon as I could, though not before I caught some comedy Ansari wrote for a character he's playing in Judd Apatow's forthcoming Funny People.

-- Jeff Reguilon

Sasquatch 2009: Day 2 Wrap-Up

Ok, so I realize this didn't exactly hit the presses anytime yesterday, but really--a lot happened, and we didn't want to miss anything, and by the time the day was done, I literally passed out with my laptop on my stomach trying to write it all up, so please forgive me. I caught pieces of incredible sets by the Walkmen, Fences, the Avett Brothers, TV on the Radio, the Dodos, Nine Inch Nails, M83, Natile Portman's Shaved Head, and Of Montreal. Here are some highlights:

The Walkmen:

The crowd was excited to see the Walkmen, who debuted several new songs during their set, but it was their hits from their three albums that really got everyone riled up and jumping around. With the sun blasting full-tilt, the east coast favorites delivered. It was at this point that I realized I was so hungry that I had to pause for a food break. One $8 5-inch pizza and another $8 foot-long "colossal dog" later, I was ready for more music.

TV on the Radio:

I got the feeling that this band was one of the reasons a lot of people came to the festival in general, and you could see why. Their catchy melodies, coupled with their complex harmonies and unique songs made for a memorable set, that the sardine-stacked main stage crowd ate up like so many cinnamon coated elephant ears.

M83:

Jeff and I discussed it, and it was unanimous. M83 wins the sexiest band at Sasquatch award (Jeff adds, "There wasn't a lot of competition.").  Performing as a 3 piece, they, along with the crowd, challenged the heat and setting sun with thier cool, chilled-out, synth-driven songs, that felt like a wash of cool water over everyone. That, and they both looked incredibly sexy.

The Dodos:

 

Though I didn't catch their whole set (they played at the same time as M83), these guys were relentless. The drummer's physicality was tangible, and the fans were cheering for encores after they were finished.

Of Montreal:

Somehow, Jeff and I ended up on stage with Of Montreal. It all happened kind of fast, but we were asked to "act" as part of their set. We were supposed to be tourists being led on a guided tour by a guy in a naked suit with a tiger head. Then we were supposed to be frozen in fright, at which point we were posed by a guy in drag who came in carrying another naked suit tiger headed guy, this one bloodied. There were karate moves, glitter, and then we left the stage. A very odd experience that seems like it could only happen during an Of Montreal show. Here's Jeff right before we went on stage (sorry, Jeff!):

 

and here's a shot I took while on stage--we were actually supposed to take pictures, being tourists and all.

 

I ended the evening with a little bit of Natalie Portman's Shaved Head and then caught the tail end of Nine Inch Nails' set. He ended with "Head Like A Hole," one of his first singles from Pretty Hate Machine, and it was pretty great.

Jeff and I both just couldn't take it anymore, so we left before Jane's Addiction took the stage, but could hear the beginnings of their set while we looked for my car in the sea of vehicles parked in the adjoining field. Today is a new day, and we'll try to bring you updates throughout the day.

--Alan Wiley

Sasquatch! 2009: Street Sweeper Social Club

Street Sweeper Social Club's stated message is to:

1) Feed the poor
2) Fight the power
3) Rock the [EXPLETIVE DELETED] out

Respectable things, sure, and when delivering a radical message, it's always good to deliver them with a spoonful of sugar. Thing is, the sound of Tom Morello's guitar is like a bug zapper for bros, who are more or less only interested in #3. By making that reckless, sweeping generalization, alls I'm saying is that's a lot of sugar for this particular message; so much so that it probably would have been entirely obscured had Morello not stopped the show to lay out the aforementioned three-point plan.

During that show stoppage, Boots asked everyone in the audience to lift their phones in the air. I half-expected him to tell everyone to smash 'em, but, instead, he took advantage of a captive audience to add a bunch of contacts to the band's marketing list in a brilliantly crass way.

He and Morello asked everyone to text a certain number to find out how to feed the poor in their area, to get some free music, and to get access to an afterparty. This is definitely better and mostly more noble than the things you usually get in exchange for an email address or a cell phone number, but if they don't also use the information they collect from that text message to market to fans about tour dates and new releases, I'll be shocked. Sadly, because of patchy cell coverage in the area (i.e. anyone who uses AT&T or has an iPhone is almost completely sans-connectivity), this probably wasn't as successful as it could have been.

That said, Morello's guitar playing is bonkers in a great way, and Street Sweeper Social Club got the still-sparse early afternoon crowd moving. To answer the inevitable question, Boots Riley is a much better and more interesting rapper than Zach de la Rocha, making this semi-supergroup perhaps more interesting than any potential Rage reunion would be.

-- Jeff Reguilon

Sasquatch! 2009: Point Juncture, WA

So far, Portland, Oregon's oddly named Point Juncture, WA has been my favorite band I've seen at the festival so far. I'd never heard their music until our car ride on the way up, and I'm really glad I took the time to see their whole set. Thier set was on the Yeti Stage, the smallest at Sasquatch, and was comparitively sparsely attended. This means that I was easily able to come right to the front of the stage--what a treat! These four talented multi-instrumentalists switched around their instruments, ranging from standard guitars, keys, drums, and bass to bells, trumpet and various percussion, on nearly every song, and successfully brought together elements of such loved bands as Stereolab, Sonic Youth, and Yo La Tengo into a sound that was distinct, pretty, noisy, and well polished. They said they were just wrapping up five weeks of touring, so catch them next time they hit the road, you won't be disappointed. As soon as I get home, I'm buying everything I can find by them, and if this discovery alone were the only thing to come of this adventure, it would be well worth it. Yay for finding awesome new bands!

--Alan Wiley

Sasquatch! 2009: Day Two

We're back at the Gorge for another day of Sasquatching it up. It'll be difficult to top last night's Bon Iver show, which, despite a disappointingly common late start, seemed to please the crowd more than any performance I caught yesterday. With two drummers (one of whom occasionally drummed whilst playing bass), a handful of keyboards, and a seemingly constantly e-bowed lead guitar, the arrangements shifted between barely-there atmospherics and absolute cacophony. "The Wolves (Parts I and II)" moved from one to the other, with the audience singing along sweetly at first, then ultimately absolutely wailing while the percurssionists nearly murdered their instruments. Another highlight: when Justin Vernon whipped out a beautiful antique-looking archtop guitar for "Skinny Love."

Today, I'm looking forward to catching St. Vincent, John Vanderslice, Fences, and, actually a really solid comedy lineup featuring a Jon Benjamin/Todd Barry collaboration, Aziz Ansari, and the splendidly bearded Zach Galifianakis.

And now, something Sasquatch-related to get our day off right:



-- Jeff Reguilon

Sasquatch! 2009: Mos Def, Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Mos Def ruled the Wookie stage Saturday evening, rhyming over a variety of beats to an enthusiastic, capacity crowd. We were lucky enough to get on the side of the stage with him, and it was great seeing such a dynamic performer so close up. The audience threw fists in the air, sang along, and had a great time. As cool as it was, I left his performance a little early in order to catch the Yeah Yeah Yeahs performance on the main stage, while Jeff stayed behind.  He'll possibly chime in later with a more in-depth assesment of the performance.

The YYYs captivated their audience and brought a ferocious energy to a crowd that was tiring as quickly as the sun was setting (the sunset here at The Gorge is amazing). They played every song I wanted to hear, and I was more than satisfied to spend the twilight listening to songs like "Zero" and "Maps." It was truly a beautiful night, but I have to admit--the early morning, long drive, hot sun, and relentless lineup have taken their toll on me, and I'm certainly ready for a good night's sleep, and am relatively certain that I'll konk out pretty quickly as soon as I get back to the hotel tonight. After all, like the rest of this crowd, I've gotta get up and do it all again tomorrow! See you then!

--Alan Wiley

Sasquatch! 2009: Animal Collective, Tons & Tons of Sweaty People

The crowd was anxious to see internet band of the year®, Animal Collective play their set on the main stage, but had to wait an extra 15 minutes while the band's many electronic gadgets were properly set up, but once the music started, everyone went wild. Funny smoke began pouring out of the crowd from seemingly everywhere, which complimented the psychedelic big screen video. I couldn't deal with it, and had to bail from the middle of the crowd. The humanity was too thick, the smoke too heavy, and the sweat too pungent. I enjoyed the rest of thier set from afar, and they didn't disappoint.

I like the sunshine and music, but sometimes the sheer number of people is overwhelming. Here's an example of the number of people:

 

Off to go catch more bands!

--Alan Wiley

Sasquatch! 2009: Passion Pit, Dent May, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band

And now, we bring you some awesome bands playing mid-day.

Passion Pit:

YOU GUYS, CAN YOU GET A CONTACT HIGH IF PEOPLE AROUND YOU ARE DOING ECSTASY? I GOT A LIL' TINGLY WHEN I WAS WATCHING THE PASSION PITS AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE AWESOME AND NOT BECAUSE OF SOME SORT OF AIRBORNE CONTAGIOUS FORM OF E HIGHNESS.

Seriously, though, Passion Pit overcame an unsteady start and a too-long set-up process to move an overgrown crowd. Maybe they're not quite established enough to play the main stage, but there were definitely too many people packed in around the middle stage for dancing to be comfortable. Still, the audience yelled and clapped along as the band sounded solid pumping songs they admitted to having played maybe only four times in front of an audience. So good.

Dent May and His Maginficent Ukulele:

Dent May kind of looks like a Will Forte character, but the crooning over his Uke works. The Morrissey comparisons are inevitable, but the swaying harmonies remind me of Southern California old school cruising music. I'd be surprised if he wasn't at least familiar with Malo's "Suavecito." Peppering songs with wit and humor is tricky business, but Dent May is able to pull it off without seeming like everything's a joke. This was a highly enjoyable set.

Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band:

We love Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, but I was a little nervous to see them play a festival gig. Part of what makes them awesome is their complicated song structure, playfulness with time signatures, and their use of dynamics, all of which can be off-putting for an audience mostly consisting of people who've never heard of this band. Thankfully, the nervousness was not necessary as the band immediately engaged the crowd. Heads bobbed and hands clapped. "Going on a Hunt," and the set-closing "Albatross, Albatross, Albatross" were highlights.

For the record, other things that make Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band awesome: sweet riffage, custom-made tambourine-on-stick thingies, and a super-talented teenage drummer. See also: roughly a billionty other things. Also, they popped drum hits mid-song by throwing tennis balls off a tom-tom. Rad.

-- Jeff Reguilon

Sasquatch! 2009: Gaslight Anthem, AA Bondy, Blind Pilot

One of the best things about Sasquatch! is the ease with which we can move from stage to stage. I was able to catch a bit of these three shows:

The Gaslight Anthem:

Their punked-up Springsteen steez is easily more energetic than anything else happening this early in the festival. This is a lot of emotion to take before most people have secured drinking bracelets.

A.A. Bondy:

Driving in, Alan and I agreed A.A. Bondy would have been a great fit for the early morning hangover recovery set the way J. Tillman of Fleet Foxes soothed everyone last year. Bondy laid down some dusty, gentle southern sounds to a handful of quasi-hippies who looked on mildly stunned. He was good, but it looks like this was a day early.

Blind Pilot:

Blind Pilot are a 7,873 piece band (rough estimate-- I have trouble counting past four). They're one of several bands giving Sasquatch! a distinctly folkier flavor this year and, given the setting, this is probably a good shift. Good weather and an incredible view of the cliffs around the Columbia river lend themselves much more nicely to gentle strums than aggro riffs; at least during the daytime, anyway. People unashamedly yelped along in the first few rows of the crowd. We need more of that.

-- Jeff Reguilon