Written by Tony Van Zeyl Tuesday, 02 June 2009 07:35
There were more than 80 acts spread out over three days, and I did my best to make it worth it. I saw 31 bands—and I have a few words on all of them.
The Gorge, Quincy, Wash.
Seeing a concert at the Gorge Amphitheater is one of life's most magical experiences. There is a huge lawn, and at the bottom of the lawn is a multi-tiered terrace with grass on each level for seating. Everything is general admission (at least for all of the shows I have attended there), and down in front of the stage is ample room for getting your groove thang shakin'.
And behind the main stage are the tan cliffs of Columbia River Gorge. Far below, the dark blue of the Columbia River is dotted with white wakes of motorboats, and an occasional multicolored sail from a windsurfer or sailboat. At sunset, the orange and red on the horizon is combined with a cool breeze, giving you a break from the daytime desert heat. Throw that in with the right music (The Decemberists and TV on the Radio were my sunset bands for 2009) and you have found paradise.
The eight-year-old Sasquatch Festival has more than one stage. Each year, concert organizers have played around with how large second and third stages are, and how they are laid out. This year, like just about every other concert in the United States, Live Nation took over (from House of Blues) and there were four stages: the Main Stage, a dance/comedy tent, a mid-sized stage (the Wookie Stage), and a smallish stage (the Yeti Stage).
THE ENVIRONMENT
The weather, especially out in the Washington desert (wait...Washington has a desert?!), can be unpredictable and harsh—and dealing with it can be its own saga. Past Sasquatch Festivals have seen delays and inconveniences generated by high winds, heavy rain, crushing heat, unseasonable cold, lightning and hail...though not all at the same time.
Weather.com predicted a rainlessly clear and consistent 60s lows and mid-85s highs for the whole weekend: in other words, perfect weather. It was hot, sure, but manageable with sunscreen, water and a hat. More water and more shade would have been nice (skip to the Venue section for more info on that). Cooler night temps were combated by a Pacific NW specialty: the reverse game of strip poker known as layering.
My favorite "weather" image of the weekend was on Saturday when, during Devotcha, the crowd erupted into spontaneous cheers as the shadows of a single line of clouds provided respite from the sun. These were the only clouds of the weekend, and the only break from the sun that anyone had, outside of nighttime or the Johnny on the Spots.
THE MUSIC
There were more than 80 acts spread out over three days, and I did my best to make it worth it. I saw 31 bands—and I have a few words on all of them. Feel free to skip around to find out if I saw one of your favorites and what I thought. Each section is in ABC order to make it easier to find.
Unexpectedly Awesome
Animal Collective (day 1, late afternoon, Main Stage): What makes this band great? Is it the beats? Well, yeah. They played a lot of songs from their new album, Merriweather Post Pavilion, but they also threw in a couple from Feels and Sung Tongs, too. Like the Decemberists (see below), they didn't pause between songs, they just kept going. New songs "Summertime Clothes" and "My Girls" got the biggest reaction, but they had the crowd shimmying throughout the set.
What else makes this band great? Is it is the harmonies? Well, yeah. It is not a straight up harmonizing, but they use effects to create a unique sound. And, like Bon Iver (see below), they know how to use the falsetto.
Another fun thing about Animal Collective is its evolution. Each album is a little different than the previous one. They seem a band that is here to stay. I thought they were quality with the release of their new album, but seeing them live I am truly convinced. They were able to fill the Gorge with their music, but I am really curious what they would be able to do to a smaller venue with more time.
Bon Iver (day 1, night, Wookie Stage): I was only able to catch the second half of this show because it conflicted with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (see below). I suspected that the mellow, understated acoustic music would translate into an intensity that the studio album didn't have. I love it when I'm right.
Justin Vernon (the brains behind the band) can really sing. Unlike Passion Pit (see below under "They could be SO much more"), he uses falsetto effectively, and not all the time. What was surprising was the use of two drummers. This music doesn't really need two drummers. However, it brings something very special to the table, especially when these understated songs crescendo into an intense climax. On "Skinny Love" there were three drummers banging out a sparse marching beat. He was also able to wrangle a sing-along out of the crowd for "Wolves" and it didn't feel forced...and it is not exactly a "sing-along" kind of song either.
The Decemberists (day 1, evening, Main stage): The Decemberists started out their career playing Victorian era stories about pirates, ghosts and lost love. Though their musical aesthetic remained, the stories soon took a turn for the more modern with songs like "16 Military Wives," "At the Bus Mall" and "The Sporting Life" from their album Picaresque. This is the Decemberists I love.
However, their last two albums—The Crane Wife and the newest The Hazards of Love—venture into prog-rock territory, with long jams, big guitars and convoluted stories. The Hazards of Love is a fairytale concept album with different roles sung by guest vocalists. I was not a fan of their new album at first, but their live performance made me rethink that.
For their appearance at Sasquatch, The Decemberists had two female guest singers playing the characters of The Queen and Margaret (don't ask, not important). They were both great singers (from My Brightest Diamond and Lavender Diamond, respectively).
As Animal Collective, the band did not stop between songs, and played the newest album in its entirety. The most cheers came when Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) came onstage to sing...and, wow, could she sing. Also impressive was "The Rake Song," a horrible story about a villain who kills all of his children. This was a surprisingly fantastic set...and in a moment of true rock show legend, something happened in the crowd that was One of the Craziest Things, I Ever Did See (see below for that story).
{mospagebreak}Side Note #1: One of the Craziest Things I Ever Did See
Let me warn those with delicate sensibilities, this story contains profanity and a graphic description of a sexual act. If you are offended by such things, skip this section (and stop being such a fun-hater).
During The Decemberists' song "The Wanting Comes in Waves," I noticed that many of the people in front of the stage were looking back and pointing to something up on a cliff next to the lawn. I looked back to see what everyone was looking at, but I couldn't locate it. I ignored it, and thought that maybe this was just one of those crazy "groupthink" kind of things. Then I saw people take out their cameras and begin taking pictures. Now I knew something was up.
Oh yeah, something was up all right. Off the lawn, on a rocky outcropping, were two people making out. Oh wait, not just making out, they were intertwined, totally nekkid and gettin' bizzee. The sun was bright, and while they were far away from where I was standing, there was no mistaking what was going on. Legs were up in the air, pelvises were thrusting, bodies were gyrating, and nothing was left to the imagination.
Meanwhile, the gawkers in front of the stage had caught the attention of the band. Remember, the band was playing The Hazards of Love, a tragic fairytale love story; this occurred during the song, "The Wanting Comes in Waves," the story about desire that is musically rhythmic, switching from harpsichord to guitar rock as it goes in waves; it has several climaxes, each followed by quiet.
Decemberists' frontman Colin Meloy looked up at the couple but kept playing. The Queen was singing her part, and it seemed pretty serendipitous to the Deed that was being done. As the music came to one of the major climaxes, security showed up; the couple began to get dressed as the song hit a quiet point, prompting a cheer from the crowd. Just as they left, the song hit the final climax and was over.
The guy behind me said "Oh my God! That was the most awesome example of music and fucking ever!" Indeed, drunk guy. Indeed.
Girl Talk (day 3, evening, Wookie Stage): When I first heard the music of Greg Gillis, aka Girl Talk, I was listening on my iPod and switching laundry from the washing machine to the dryer. I say this illustrate that I was in an extremely mundane environment. Nevertheless, when I heard "In a Big Country" mixed up with "Whoomp (dere it is!)," I laughed out loud and started dancing. Seeing this live? I was not thinking that this would be impressive. After all, it is just a guy on a laptop, right?
Well, right...it is just a guy on a laptop. Just one crazy-hyper guy on a laptop. This man was leaping up on top of a table, the speakers and into the crowd, shaking his fists and hips throughout his set.
But that was not all' the stage was packed with fans who got jiggy with their bad selves the whole set. Also entertaining to watch...but still not all there was. The crowd was the I had seen outside of the Main Stage, and everyone was part of the dance party. Crowd surfing erupted everywhere! People's hands waving around in the air just like they didn't care!
Girl Talk could have gotten away with this just playing some of the sonic tapestries from his albums, but instead he mixed many of the samples live, holding on to the fiddle from "Come on Eileen" or Blur's guitar riff from "Song 2" for longer than on the albums -- letting the crowd hear it, dance to it and sometimes sing to it. An impressive display. Because I want to forget about the Ben Harper set, I will consider this a fitting conclusion to the weekend.
Side Note #2: Girl Talk Is no Moby
During the Girl Talk set, there were people on stage shooting toilet paper into the air, creating some fun-looking chaos in an already chaotic scene. Then beach balls reading "GT" bounced around the crowd—and some blew away in the wind, en route to suffocate some small desert animal.
Jane's Addiction (day 2, night, Main Stage): I was surprised on a number of fronts here:
1. Dave Navarro is one of the premier guitarists in rock history.
2. I forgot how many of their songs I knew. Leading with "Three Days," they fired through songs from Ritual de lo Habitual and Nothing Shocking, with only a couple new songs. They hit all of their hits, including but not limited to: "Been Caught Stealing," "Mountain Song," "Ain't No Right" and "Stop." They closed with a sing-along of—you guessed it—"Jane Says."
3. Perry Ferrell = a complete and total crazy person. His banter was a little over the top, with the sexual and drug references sounding a little cliché. However, he is one athletic guy who knows how to work the crowd.
M.Ward (day 1, afternoon, Main Stage): When he played with a band, it met expectations: timeless singer-songwriter stuff played by a tight, talented band. What was surprising was watching him play the acoustic guitar without the band, which he did for a few songs in the middle of the set. I was confused how he was hitting the strings, his strumming hand moving quickly and rhythmically in ways that didn't look comfortable. This guy is a songwriter, but he is also a guitar guy, which you wouldn't necessarily know from his studio work. This man will be around for years to come.
St. Vincent (day 2, afternoon, Wookie Stage): This little elf of a woman has a mesmerizing guitar-playing style. Her music goes from melodic pop to guitar rock unexpectedly. She played tunes from her two albums, Actor and Marry Me. While it is fun to hear these songs live, it really is her guitar playing that you can't turn away from.
It appeared that she was stumbling as she was hitting the cherry red guitar. As mentioned in a couple different places (see below) there were a number of problems with the sound, so when I saw her spastically waving her arm around, I thought she was trying to get the sound guy's attention. But no, it was just her smacking the whammy bar on her guitar.
What I thought was a little disappointing was her backing band. They were fine musicians, but at one point she tried to lead the crowd in some rhythmic clapping. The crowd was not getting it—and the band was just standing there. Hellooo! Help a sista out!
{mospagebreak}I Meant to Do That...Good stuff...As Expected
DeVotchKa (day 1, afternoon, Main Stage): This eclectic band borrows music from around the world. With the reverb up on the vocals and a variety of different instruments (I am a sucker for a horn section in a "rock" band; what says rock 'n' roll more than a tuba, right?), DeVotchKais only getting better over the years and always worth your time.
Fleet Foxes (day 3, afternoon, Main Stage): These fellas from the Northwest were perfect for the late afternoon show, with the shadows getting a little longer and the blue sky overhead. The harmonies filled the venue, and they threw together my favorite songs for an impressive triple play of "White Winter Hymnal," "Ragged Wood" and "Your Protector."
Gogol Bordello (day 3, afternoon, Main Stage): Parts Borat and Iggy Pop, lead singer Eugene Hutz capers shirtless around stage with his guitar while the fiddle and accordion guys play and the drum ladies smack their drums. Except for Girl Talk (see above) I did not see anything resembling the dance party that went on during their set.
Of Montreal (day 2, evening, Wookie Stage): This psychedelic dance/rock band borrows heavily from the glam road that Bowie paved. The show seemed to be thematic to some degree, but I was not really sure what was supposed to be going on. There were pigs, gorillas, tigers, ninjas and other crazy people in costume parading around on stage. My friend, a huge Of Montreal fan, said that when he saw them play solo, all of those roles had a story of sorts that they were acting out. However, with the time limitations of a festival, they kept things moving and the story was lost on me. One crazy surprise was that Kevin Barnes felt the need to SMASH! his guitar at the end of the set. We're in a recession! Except for Girl Talk (see above), this was biggest crowd at one of the smaller stages that I saw.
TV on the Radio (day 2, evening, Main Stage): I have heard tell that this band has an impressive live show. That is very true. They are a little serious, but so is their music. Like Animal Collective (see above), they have some serious harmonies. Like The Decemberists, Animal Collective and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, their albums reflect an artistic evolution. Their path is most similar to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs: a couple of rocking albums followed by a dance-y one.
This tight band knows how to squeeze intensity out of their instruments. Playing songs from all three albums, they often crafted unique arrangements...for example, turning "Method" from mostly a cappella with a couple beats to a beat heavy dance tune without a lot of harmonizing. It was great hearing two of the greatest modern rock tunes live -- "Wolf Like Me" and "Standing in the Sun." They gave "Sun" more punch than their studio version, which builds but never explodes; the live version was heavier on the bass drum and guitars, and ended their set with an exclamation point.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs (day 1, evening, Main Stage): It is said that Karen O is the quintessential front person; now that I have seen their live show, I totally agree. She chats it up with the crowd, wails and croons, and interacts with the band. The most surprising thing was watching how much fun the band was having; I think Ms. O. and the drummer were smiling throughout the whole set. The guitarist, Nick Zinner, was all bidniss, and was a great straight man to Karen's antics.
They fired through new songs, and some oldies. I left as they played a quiet version of "Maps" (see Venue section for more on that) to check out the second half of Bon Iver (see above).
Who Was That?
One of the best parts of a festival is coming away with something you had never heard before. Here is mine...
The Pica Beats (day 3, afternoon, Yeti Stage): This five-piece band has some nice male/female harmonies, which I am always pleased to hear. They reminded me of the Submarines a little bit (see below, 15 more shows in 15 words or less), or maybe Mates of State. However, they would go into some tribal territory at times, with all of the band members getting rhythmic and chanting. Also, some samples got me wiggling. The nasal vocals reminded me of Kevin Barnes from Of Montreal or Jeff Magnum from Neutral Milk Hotel. This band was obviously having fun, which also wins points with me.
They Could Be So Much More...
Passion Pit (day 1, afternoon, Wookie Stage): This was the first band that I saw for the weekend, and I got there just in time. Or so I thought. They were having some sound problem with the two smaller stages sometimes, causing some delays (see Venue section for more info about that).
Before I dis on this band, let me tell you that I was obsessed with them for at least a month before the fest; my expectations, therefore, were pretty high. Passion Pit is a very young band from Boston (just barely legal to drink), and their rise to be a "buzz band" has been quick (garnering lots of attention after releasing the EP Chunk of Change last spring). This rise almost always comes with a price, especially for a young band. They are looking for their "voice," and from where I was sitting, the expression was quite is literal.
The lead singer often uses a falsetto, which can work pretty well in the studio but is a little tricky onstage. I found it be grating and forced after a few songs; his normal range works better. Also, their studio material features a children's choir on some songs. It would be cool to have something like that live, or at least a sample of it.
I loved about half of the songs here (if I looked past the sound problems which plagued them throughout their shortened set). Their disco pop/new wave-y sounds and big hooks do get me dancing. Some of their songs, however, are a little too sugary. Regardless, Passion Pit is a band with potential; I am looking forward to hearing what more they have to offer.
Ben Harper and the Relentless7 (day 3, night, Main Stage): Several years ago, I loved Ben Harper. His former band, the Innocent Criminals, had two drummers and a bouncer-looking, beefy bassist. His current band, the Relentless7, are a bunch of indie-rock, yuppie-looking guys. I still love Ben Harper; his guitar work and voice are still great. However, these new songs are not there. They played almost all new material, except for a couple covers—a Led Zepplin cover that worked, and "Under Pressure" which didn't (more falsetto killing a song). I kept waiting for Harper to step out from the band and play acoustically (something I have seen him do in live shows previously), but he didn'tThere were a couple songs that had a nice thumping dance beat, but generally I felt like I should have gone back to camp for an early night.
{mospagebreak}15 More Shows...in 15 Words or Less
Mike Watt and the Missingmen: An old punk still rocks the bass
Street Sweeper Social Club: Tom Morello = guitar god; plus great MIA cover
The Walkmen: Clean cut looking guys and their surprisingly melodic indie rock
Calexico: Tex-mex music that goes all over the sonic map
Mount St. Helen's Vietnam Band: More falsetto rock over interesting beats
The Murder City Devils: An angry singer makes everyone uncomfortable
Horse Feathers: Americana roots music with strings (cello, violin, guitar) and the occasional smack of a drum
The Avett Brothers: What happens when the "punk rock" aesthetic is used to make "country" or "bluegrass" roots music
The Submarines: Boy/girl duo, smiling and singing about heartbreak
Grizzly Bear: Interesting vocals and arrangements from this experimental band that doesn't fit into any genre
School of Seven Belles: A synth-trio with soaring female harmonies
Santigold: Soulful hooks, musicianship and choreography with the backup singers
Heartless Bastards: Female vocalist channeling Robert Plant and Janis Joplin with a solid backing band
The Knux: Old-school hip-hop minus the glorification of violence or misogyny plus real instruments
Nine Inch Nails: Mixing old and new stuff from Trent, who can still put on quite a show
Side Note #3: What's With the Smoke?
During Nine Inch Nails' set, the smoke machine was fired up. It hadn't occurred to me until that moment how silly and pointless a smoke machine really is. The sun had not yet gone down, so the smoke that occasionally billowed from the stage looked pretty ridiculous.
If Only I Could Teleport and Travel Through Time...
I would not have missed Blind Pilot, Blitzen Trapper, BLK JKS, Crystal Castles, Doves, The Duchess and the Duke, King Kahn and the Shrines, Monotonix, Mos Def, Natalie Portman's Shaved Head, Ra Ra Riot, Sun Kil Moon and The Wrens.
VENUE/SERVICE
Let me wrap this up with a word about the Gorge Amphitheatre and Sasquatch Festival. I love seeing concerts at this venue, but there is always something that drives me nuts. Some detail that seems to fly in the face of common decency and common sense. First off, let's talk cost. We are out in the middle of desert and we are not allowed to leave the concert or the campground (with car) once we enter. While I understand the security and logistical reasons for this, it is also problematic.
$5 for a water bottle. Limited water filling stations. No shady areas, like they had in years past. No, actually, there were shady areas, but only for those who purchased VIP tickets. Throughout the weekend, those areas were an underutilized waste of space. This is the desert, people. Don't make money off my need to survive. Provide me with the basics, and then charge me for comfort. At one point, when there was a huge line for water (which was also the sink to wash your hands), I heard someone laugh and say "Oh look, silver lining. Automatic towel dispensers." Good one, mystery girl.
As with any outdoor concert/festival, there are going to be problems with the sound and space. One of the smaller stages (the Wookie Stage) seemed to have consistent problems. The main stage had excellent sound; the Dance Tent was cramped and hard to enjoy.
What was impressive, though, were the big screens and the cameras on the artist. This was top-notch camera work done by people who actually seemed to know the music. They zoomed in for close-ups on the performers at the right times and, except for one or two acts, were consistently good throughout the fest. It was a little strange sometimes, because even though we would be close enough to see the band, we would find ourselves looking at the screen rather than the live musicians.
And, of course, there are some folks who really take their power over their corner of the world and rule it with an iron fist. These are the folks who skipped the customer service training that Live Nation was offering. The hall monitors or parking enforcement officers. I'm gonna skip a crazy story about those people; instead, here is a story about the way these people should act.
As I made my way to see Bon Iver from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the band had just begun a very quiet, acoustic version of "Maps." I stopped and sat on a brick wall to listen. There were several folks sitting on this wall, which stretched for about 30 to 40 feet, and very few walking around.
Two security guards interrupted the song's quiet brilliance, asking people to move, saying this was a walkway, not a place to sit. As people started moving, one woman said, "No, I am not going to move. There is no one walking around here, and I have been sitting here for the past hour. I am not blocking anyone. Please let me listen to the rest of this song." The security man asked her to move again, and she just repeated—word for word—what she had said before. She said this pleasantly, in a very non-confrontational, polite way—as if she were saying "Please, pass the milk please."
This woman must either be a Jedi or a middle school teacher, because the security man moved along. And when he moved along, he didn't ask anyone else to move. Instead, he seemed to be chatting amiably with the folks sitting there. Wow. You don't love me like I love you, security guy and Jedi woman, because you don't know me. But, you leave me with hope for humanity. | Tony Van Zeyl
Photos by Christopher Nelson and Sean Pecknold, courtesy Sasquatch! Music Festival