Recent Posts in Sasquatch

May 30, 2007

Sasquatch! 2007 | Sunday review in words & pics

The following review of Day 2 (May 27, 2007) of the 2007 Sasquatch! Festival in George, Washington is brought to you by Jerry Yeti exclusively for BrooklynVegan.com. If you're just joining us, you may want to start with Day 1.

Things kicked off at the Gorge on Sunday with a few more blankets, a nice spot on the terraced grass, and a sweet DJ set by Mix Master Mike. This was followed up by the hip hop duo Blackalicious. Both of these acts got the early attendees jumping. Blackalicious brought out their "Alphabet Aerobics" with its increasingly sped up delivery, but it was "Rhythm Sticks" that got people truly moving. If the ground wasn't on bedrock, the floor would have given way under all that impact.

All warmed up, Bad Brains was the only set on Sunday we were sure not going to miss. While we waited near the epicenter of anticipated mayhem, one of their most enthusiastic fans attempted to get others around him equally as stoked. He singled out a small guy that -as he informed him- was going to be propelled into the air. And sure enough, when the band appeared, he launched the poor kid into the unsuspecting crowd behind him. No, the bedrock below him did not give way. As the mosh pit grew in size, so did the size of the guys thrashing around in it. One giant of a man wore a Professional Slam Wresting shirt and bulldozed his way around. H.R. is a startling front man, appearing quite tranquil despite the tumult below - like a prophet amidst a storm. Dashingly dressed, if you had a video on mute, you would be baffled by the calm on stage, and the reaction below.

Unfortunately that was the last full set on the main stage before Polyphonic Spree had to cease for the blustery wind. It got cold within minutes, and sundown was still four hours away. While the crew re-prepped the stage to handle the winds, and let the worst of them pass, people migrated over to Tokyo Police Club at the Wookie. The Toronto band sensed they were playing for a much larger crowd, and they delivered. Their invigoration and charm very likely won over a few new fans.....

Continue reading "Sasquatch! 2007 | Sunday review in words & pics"

Posted by brooklynvegan at 10:07 AM | Comments (13)

May 29, 2007

Sasquatch! 2007 | Saturday review in words & pics

The following review of Day 1 (May 26, 2007) of the 2007 Sasquatch! Festival in George, Washington is brought to you by Jerry Yeti exclusively for BrooklynVegan.com

For the second consecutive year, strange natural phenomena have marred Sasquatch Festival. This year's mysterious force - Wind - cut short the Polyphonic Spree on Sunday, and silenced the music at the main stage for nearly three and a half hours. As the other stages continued onward, the remaining bands condensed their sets - Interpol so much so that they finished 10 minutes before scheduled. We didn't see all the bands we wanted to - probably the most saddened by the early start times of the Hold Steady and the Blow, but we took in a wider variety than expected.

Saturday was looking like it would be a Day of Duos kicking off with the Blow, but the Two Gallants immediately shattered that dream by becoming the Two-and-a-Half Gallants. That is, with the addition of a partial? third member. We had better luck with Portland's own Viva Voce, who stayed true to the coupling idea and brought some serious rock to the Yeti stage. Percussive, tight, and [as my scribbled handwriting noted] "They Rocked." Anita Robinson has some serious skills on the frets, as her husband does with the sticks. I had forgotten how catchy their album "Get Yr Blood Sucked Out" is. They stuck to most of its material as they finally finished the tour. Over at the main stage, Neko Case, lingerie model extraordinaire, was similarly focusing on songs off the her latest not-so-recent album and included her cover of Bob Dylan's "Buckets of Rain." Sporting some shades in a gesture that spited the clouds that would not, could not hail nor storm, her voice resonated strong enough to the sunstroke folks below.

We weren't the only ones fashionably late to the first day of the festival. Comedian and MC Aziz Ansari missed his flight the night before, but arrived at the Wookie stage right in time for Ghostland Observatory. Battling house music, Aziz got a few jokes off successfully before the crowd began to turn restless. Seattle crowds are pretty rough I guess. Sarah Silverman had even less luck at the main stage. Yikes.

As it turns out, Ghostland Observatory are a big deal in Seattle. Thanks to KEXP, the duo -a true one at that- became a mandatory experience and the attendance at the Wookie Stage showed. Always fashionable Aaron Behrens led us through an energy injected performance highlighted with "Sad Sad City," eventually blowing the power out on the entire stage. Of course they did. With that, things were starting to really get going. After all, Aziz had arrived....

Continue reading "Sasquatch! 2007 | Saturday review in words & pics"

Posted by brooklynvegan at 1:10 PM | Comments (41)

May 28, 2007

Bjork @ Sasquatch 2007 (photos, reviews & setlist)

Our last concert in the first leg of the tour took place on Saturday night in the Gorge Amphitheatre, which is about two and a half hours’ drive from Seattle. It was great fun, I was unusually relaxed and Björk was marvellous. And the venue was so beautilful!

We didn’t go on stage until around midnight and as it takes about two and a half hours to drive to Seattle I wasn’t back in my hotel until 4am. And then I had to wake up at 6am to catch a plane to Boston.

From Boston I flew to Iceland, travelling with the brass girls and Mark Bell. I don’t know about them, but I have a horrible jet lag!

It is wonderful to be back. Unfortunately I won’t be here for long as Björk will be appearing on the Jools Holland show on June 5. But until then I rest my (suit)case! I will probably not be blogging until then. So all you wonderful people who have been reading the blog, see you in a week! [Jónas Sen - Volta Tour Blog]

DEREK REPORTS: Back from Sasquatch. I only attended the first day, and my main motivation in being there was to see Bjork. Quick summary:

• The Gorge is stunning. I'd never even imagined listening to such great music with a backdrop so fantastic. To my poor New Englander brain, it felt unreal.
• Sarah Silverman was completely useless. IMHO, she shouldn't even get paid for her presence there Saturday.
  
• Michael Showalter was entertaining and seemed much more comfortable with the MC role
  
• Electrelane have potential... the live show left me wanting, but I could definitely see a good producer helping form their sound into a damn good pop album.
• Viva Voce were intimate and beautiful on the side stage. Damn impressive to see the male half out there drumming while also playing bass to such lovely female vocals.
  
• Citizen Cope and The Long Winters completely failed to impress. It wasn't that they were bad. I just like live shows that have edge and energy. They had neither.
• MIA was well ... not there... apparently my friendly government found her form of music to be some sort of security risk.
  
• Manu Chao rocked the house. This is what I want in a live show. Energy! Dance white boy, dance!
  
• The Arcade Fire kept up the energy from Manu Chao, with their insane drummer, amazing vocals, and crazy musicians who seem to randomly swap instruments every other song.
  
• Bjork was amazing. She performed some reworks of older songs that really blew me away. The laser show was simple and clean, in the best of ways.

-Derek

And from Ryan, "Now onto the not-so-good: this will probably get me labeled as having "low-brow" musical tastes, but I just do not understand Bjork. Sure, there was a huge, lavish stage and equally visual costumes that featured a brass-section dressed like teletubbies, but the music just does not draw me in. Her songs were slow and boring. Speaking of which, Citizen Cope was clearly popular with the crowd but inspired me to try and take a nap. Finally, Grizzly Bear is nothing like its name implies - there are a lot of trippy sounds and strange lyrics that do not translate well to a festival setting (unless, of course, your festival includes a lot of funny smelling 'cigarettes')." [Keeping Up With The Nonericks]

Set list below.....

Continue reading "Bjork @ Sasquatch 2007 (photos, reviews & setlist)"

Posted by brooklynvegan at 1:59 PM | Comments (21)

Bad Brains @ Sasquatch 2007 (photo & review)

DOWNLOAD: Bad Brains - Big Take Over (MP3)

Bad Brains played an inspired set on the main stage, sailing from sultry dub reggae into raging hardcore as if the two were meant for each other. They’re the only band who could make that leap, and it’s great having them back. It was awesome hearing classic tracks like “Supertouch” and “Banned in DC” coming from the legendary quartet, played with a passion and ease that suggested they are very real and very glad to be here. HR stood unmoving at the mic, raising an occasional fist but mostly crooning and crowing as the band thrashed in the background. It was the only reggae-fied vibe at Sasquatch! this year and the sound fully suited the setting. [the stranger]

AND.....

Bad Brains added some dub, raggae and punk to the day. The influential band was high energy and high impact. I was told Members of System of A Down were video taping the performance. [seattlepi]

Previously
* BAD BRAINS NYC show on sale + 2nd Oregon show added
* BAD BRAINS on a boat, new album - BEASTIE BOYS too
* Beastie Boys pre-Sasquatch

Posted by brooklynvegan at 1:35 PM | Comments (4)

May 27, 2007

Sasquatch continues - Patrick Wolf & Grizzly Bear

DOWNLOAD: Grizzly Bear - Lullabye (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Patrick Wolf - Wind in the Wires (MP3)

Photos of Patrick Wolf & Grizzly Bear being silly backstage at Sasquatch 2007 courtesy of Nilina of Not On the Guest List.

Previously
* NEKO CASE made it through a set @ Sasquatch 2007 + BEASTIE BOYS
* VIDEO: Grizzly Bear on the beach @ ATP
* Patrick Wolf to still perform, or something

Posted by brooklynvegan at 5:28 PM | Comments (26)

May 26, 2007

NEKO CASE made it through a set @ Sasquatch 2007 + BEASTIE BOYS

DOWNLOAD: The Beastie Boys - Now Get Busy (MP3)

Reports from the 2007 Sasquatch Festival in Gorge, Washington are starting to filter in. One such report involves alt-country's corset queen Neko Case

"I'm going to see if I can make it through an entire set this year," Neko Case said when she began at 3:40 p.m. Last year, Case's Sasquatch! set was plagued by hail; this year, she got lots of sunlight, which didn't prevent her from playing Bob Dylan's "Buckets of Rain." Case's largely acoustic performance was a good mid-day balm. [Seattle Times]

The picture above has been described like this:

Beastie Boy Ad Rock looks cool while playing the guitar during an intimate show at the Crocodile Cafe Friday night. The concert was a warm up show for the group's two sets at the Sasquatch! Music Festival in George during Memorial Day Weekend. Photo by Travis Hay

According to the setlist, the Beasties didn't play all instrumental. More photos of the Boys HERE.

It should also be noted that both comedians Aziz Ansari & Sarah Silverman arrived (VERY) late to the festival. That in turn left two of the three stages un-hosted for most, or all, of the first day. Michael Showalter was spotted doing his job though.

Stay tuned right here for more reports from Sasquatch 2007 - including those from the yeti himself.

Posted by brooklynvegan at 10:55 PM | Comments (6)

May 24, 2007

MIA, Sasquatch Festival, YETI & Merc tonight

Handsome Furs are not playing Mercury Lounge tonight (May 24) due to VISA problems (which sucks), but Love As Laughter and TK Webb & The Visions will still go on (10pm).

M.I.A. is also having VISA problems again which in turn will not allow her to make her scheduled appearance at the Sasquatch Festival this weekend, BUT Jerry Yeti (not to be confused with the Sasquatch Yeti Stage) will once again be on hand to give us the non-MIA blow by blow. Perhaps he will check out The Long Winters who will be there to entertain us in her place.

Those with epilepsy should stay away from M.I.A.'s homepage. Those going to Lollapalooza should still expect to see M.I.A. there at this point.

Posted by brooklynvegan at 2:08 PM | Comments (0)

February 20, 2007

2007 Sasquatch! Music Festival lineup

A VIEW FROM SASQUATCH! 2006 (MORE)

This is definitely the festival I want to go to:

Sasquatch! Music Festival is pleased to announce the official line up for their 6th annual event to be held over Memorial Day Weekend on Saturday, May 26th and Sunday, May 27th at the breathtaking Gorge Amphitheatre. The Festival features over 50 artists on 3 stages. Tickets for the festival go on-sale Saturday, March 3rd at 10:00 am. On-site camping for the festival is available for Friday, May 25th through Sunday, May 27th and reservations can be made upon ticket purchase.

Saturday, May 26th:
Bjork
The Arcade Fire
Manu Chao Radio Bemba Sound System
M.I.A.
Citizen Cope
Neko Case
The Hold Steady
Grizzly Bear
Ghostland Observatory
Electrelane
Two Gallants
The Slip
Loney, Dear
Aqueduct
The Thermals
Viva Voce
The Blow
Gabriel Teodros

Sunday, May 27th:
Beastie Boys
Interpol
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Spoon
Bad Brains
Ozomatli
Dandy Warhols
The Black Angels
Mirah
Tokyo Police Club
Money Mark
St. Vincent
Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter
Smoosh
Common Market
Helio Sequence
Minus The Bear

***More acts to be announced!***

Previously
* Sasquatch! 2006 | Sunday review in words & pics
* Clap Your Hands Say Yeah @ Sasquatch! 2006 | pics
* Beck @ Sasquatch! 2006 | pics
* Sasquatch! 2006 | Saturday review in words & pics
* Band of Horses @ Sasquatch! 2006 | pics
* Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks @ Sasquatch! 2006 | pics
* Jamie Lidell didn't shave @ Sasquatch! 2006 | pics
* Arctic Monkeys' new bassist @ Sasquatch! 2006 | pic
* CYHSY's drummer in GNR sweatshirt @ Sasquatch! 2006 | pic
* Neko Case, before & during the hail @ Sasquatch! 2006 | pics

Posted by brooklynvegan at 1:07 PM | Comments (31)

June 7, 2006

The Bouncing Souls @ Knitting Factory, NYC (5th of 6) | pics

DOWNLOAD: Joe Lies (MP3)

The Bouncing Souls haven't aged a bit and they still have the ability to put on one of the best live shows around. No stage antics - just good music that fans love, love enough to go completely nuts while its being performed. In fact, vocalist Greg Attonito barely needs to move at all. He's like the Frank Sinatra of the punk scene, calmly, and effortlessly, belting out songs that have the crowd thrashing around at the speed of light. This was especially evident when they played a cover of the Misfit's "Mommy can I go out and kill tonight". "We never played this before", he said, "and I don't know why - it's so easy". Chaos ensued.

This was the fifth (6/5/6) of six special sold-out shows at Knitting Factory in NYC leading up to 6/6/6, the release date of their new album.

Continue reading "The Bouncing Souls @ Knitting Factory, NYC (5th of 6) | pics"

Posted by brooklynvegan at 1:45 PM | Comments (3)

June 1, 2006

Sasquatch! 2006 | Sunday review in words & pics

The following review of Day 3 (May 28, 2006) of the 2006 Sasquatch! Festival in George, Washington is brought to you by Jerry Yeti exclusively for BrooklynVegan.com

A VIEW FROM SASQUATCH!

"There's nothing that makes us feel more like a sissy," Ben Gibbard admitted Sunday night, "than playing after Queens of the Stone Age." Indeed. While we missed the first half of that classic clash of genre, we could only imagine what the organizers were thinking. It wasn't the first odd segue of the day, but for the most part everything else flowed like the Columbia River. Naturally, the Arctic Monkeys should always open for the Decemberists.

Still moist from the day before [read that however you wish], Sunday began with a noon performance by Jamie Lidell, giving us a good reason to chug some Bloody Marys and haul over to the stages early. The ground around the Wookie stage was doomed to be a muddy mess, but squishy socks get dismissed in the presence of the charismatic Lidell. Having missed his recent NYC gigs, I had assumed he's a typical DJ, spinning beats and turning knobs to produce electronic music. Little did I realize that each of those sonic elements -the blips, scratches, and bass beats- are all produced with his mouth, all mixed in with some skat and soulful melodies. The percussive result got us stomping in the mud like a bunch of yeti.

PRETTY GIRLS MAKE GRAVES @ SASQUATCH! 2006

We swung by the Main Stage to check in on Pretty Girls Make Graves playing to an appreciative hometown crowd. Their keyboard player was painfully cute, and possibly the second hottest all weekend [Number One? see Damien Jurado's cellist]. At the same time Chad VanGaalen started off his performance weak but resurrected it fittingly with "Clinically Dead."

NADA SURF @ SASQUATCH! 2006

Nada Surf on the other hand kicked things off strong with "Popular" the only song I knew for sure they sang. Teenage girls were in strong force and we felt certain we'd be rolling our eyes as they swooned around us. [One girl even had them circled on her schedule with a heart]. Instead of dippy teen-rock, Matthew Caws lead us through an array of disarmingly well-crafted pop songs. Caws choreographed the crowd to sway back and forth for "On the Inside," [Ah-hah! Another one I know!] which would have been hokey, if it wasn't such a damn good song. Always looking hip was bassist Daniel Lorca continually smoking his cigarette in complete ignorance –or perhaps defiance- of the festival's sponsor "Tobacco Smokes You."

ARCTIC MONKEYS @ SASQUATCH! 2006

In the interim, the teens packed it in as snuggly as a cartoon of Marlboros for the next act. Such eager energetic acne-ed youth could only mean one thing: Arctic Monkeys. The A'Monks appeared, played through a few disastrously good songs, the crowd responded by going apeshit all around us. Alex Turner informed the cord this was their first outdoor gig ever and thanked us *twice* for making it a good one. That's the biggest complement you'll ever get out of him. Crowd surfing was rampant, with as many as five being hoisted up at one time.

ARCTIC MONKEYS @ SASQUATCH! 2006

With perfect timing, a few rain drops fell during the finale of "A Certain Romance," and we retreated to the back to watch Colin Meloy lead the Decemberists through a delightful show. Average par if you know the Decemberists, but for those who didn't they were a highlight. No surprise there. It was nice to finally hear "July, July!" and sing along with a bunch of ecstatically drunk North Westerners who knew every single lyric. I had to phonetically fake a few, due to my limited vocabulary, but I don't think anyone caught on.

WE ARE SCIENTISTS @ SASQUATCH! 2006

We Are Scientists started their set while Meloy was finishing up, and the magic of the Gorge made it one of their best yet; just one of numerous defining performances all weekend. W.A.S. brought their catchy rock that we have yet to tire of, and some ad-lib banter that was tired before it was spoken, only getting dumber and dumber and dumber. They crack themselves up though, and as long as they are having a blast, it's not to yourself.

MATISYAHU @ SASQUATCH! 2006

Matisyahu seemed to be on everyone's shortlist the Top Five acts to see all weekend. I don't love Matis, but I love that other people love him. From the view from above, he was working the crowd like none all weekend, only comparable to the way Kanye West worked us last year. When a rainbow appeared, he gave us some puzzling theology about Noah and the Ark of the Covenant: something about giving God a second chance when he screws up. And all this time I thought that was *his* job. Oh well. He got the audience grooving to his message and that's all that counts.

DAMIEN JURADO @ SASQUATCH! 2006

Back at the Wookie, Damien Jurado played after We Are Scientists and before Clap Your Hands, a spot originally meant for those Arctic Monkeys. Jurado called it a Rock-Damien Sandwich. "We're kind of mellow if you hadn't noticed," he quipped after a particularly somber number. "A Rock-Damien sandwich? That's some good bread." the cute cellist remarked. While they might not have been the ideal band to play an outdoor festival, it was a welcome change of pace. We were entranced in the slow soft melodies. "Lottery" and "Ohio" were both excellent, as well as closing number, a superb [new?] one with the cellist singing into a small megaphone.

DAMIEN JURADO'S CELLIST @ SASQUATCH! 2006

With the audience now tranquilized, the calm didn't last long as Clap Your Hands Say Yeah floored it. From the first notes onward, Alec Ousnworth was in control in spectacular fashion. Instead of duplicating their recordings on the stage, they play around with the arrangements -adding intros, extending outros- so that while we've all outplayed the songs, they still sound fresh. Furthermore, Ounsworth couldn't hold still; anyone who said he lack presence needs to take another look. The crowd up front sang danced like there was tomorrow, realizing that –oh shit- there was no tomorrow.

We've heard from many that the sound further back for CYHSY was abysmal, so perspectives may vary. From where I stood, it was the most fun show of the weekend. With that, Sasquatch was as complete as it could be.

We moseyed over to the main stage to hang out on the hill for Death Cab, certain they would be worth missing based on past shows, only to realize too late that they too were playing one of their best shows we've yet to experience. Ben Gibbard never looked more at ease than on stage Sunday night in front of 20,000 fans. Maybe it was the Northwest hometown crowd; whatever it was, they didn't play like sissies.

A VIEW FROM SASQUATCH!

Beck closed out the weekend, giving us a fitting send-off with live puppeteers mimicking move-for-move the band's actions, complete with synchronized strumming. When two bears came out to rap and wrestle [don't even ask], two teddy bears mirrored the fight on the puppet stage. The band played percussion around a dinner table, but it was hard to tell exactly what was going on; the cameras were continually trained on the puppets playing percussion on their own faux dinner table, with obviously much less accuracy. For the encore, the opening bars of "Loser" got the entire Gorge in a frenzy, followed by the realization that it sounded too perfect, too much like the album. It was. The puppet lip-synced along but Beck never joined in. Shortly thereafter Beck apologized for covering a song already performed that weekend and then played the Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize."

After some confusion after a awkward pause following the encore, hinting at a second one, the festival was complete... until next year. Maybe we'll have the Les Savy Fav open for Joanna Newsom. Oh please oh please oh please.

Previously
Sasquatch! 2006 | Saturday review in words & pics
Arctic Monkeys' new bassist @ Sasquatch! 2006 | pic
Neko Case, before & during the hail @ Sasquatch! 2006 | pics
Sasquatch! | Hailstorm stops Neko, Trent Reznor bald

Posted by brooklynvegan at 3:19 AM | Comments (13)