Sasquatch 2016 Rumors:

Sasquatch! 2016 Lineup:

Florence And The Machine, The Cure, Disclosure, Major Lazer, Alabama Shakes, A$AP Rocky, Sufjan Stevens, M83, Grimes, Chet Faker, Leon Bridges, Jamie xx, Purity Ring, Tycho, Allen Stone, Mac DeMarco, Lord Huron, Kurt Vile, Big Grams, Nathaniel Rateliff And the Night Sweats, Rudimental, Caribou, X Ambassadors, Four Tet, Digable Planets, The Internet, Yo La Tengo, Yeasayer, Andra Day, BØRNS, Oh Wonder, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, M. Ward, Todd Terje, Ty Segall & The Muggers, Savages, Frightened Rabbit, Alina Baraz, Blind Pilot, Wolf Alice, Vince Staples, Marian Hill, Baauer, Saint Motel, Houndmouth, Baroness, Casey Veggies, Vic Mensa, Ibeyi, Matt Corby, Oddisee, Noah Gundersen, Wet, Chelsea Wolfe, Raury, Shamir, Julia Holter, Titus Andronicus, Telekinesis, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Beat Connection, Lany, Protomartyr, The Twilight Sad, Speedy Ortiz, Son Little, Shannon and the Clams, Tamaryn, Soak, La Luz, Kaleo, Kevin Garret, Bully, Autolux, Tacocat, Deep Sea Diver, Joseph, Hop Along, Baio, Marcus Marr, Hibou, Brothers From Another, John Mark Nelson, Briana Marela, Summer Cannibals, Bayonne, Isha Dhaaf, Sir the Baptist, Conner Youngblood, Oscar, Grace Love and the True Loves, Thunderpussy, Wimps, Mindie Lind, The Dip, Tangerine, Fauna Shade, Ruler, Dave B, Natasha Leggero, The Lucas Bros, Todd Barry, Moshe Kasher, Scharpling & Wurster, Lauren Lapkus, Dave Hill, Mark Normand

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Sasquatch 2011 Tickets On Sale Saturday, November 20th! Foo Fighters Headlining

Fourth Day Added:

Sasquatch! 2011 will include a fourth day, with the Foo Fighters headlining Friday's event. The official dates for Sasquatch! 2011 are Friday, May 27th through Monday, May 30th. The tenth anniversary will be the first time the festival will be four days. Keep in mind they have done a Friday show before, a half day in 2006 with the music starting at 4:00 p.m. There was no camping the night before. (Update: The campground will open Thursday, May 26th, at noon).

Tickets:

Tickets go on sale this Saturday, November 20th, at 10:00 a.m. PST. Four day passes available this weekend for $285, which includes camping (Premium camping and VIP parking will be available as an upgrade, $160 for premium camping, $80 for VIP parking). It won't be like last year when you bought a three day pass, and receive three single day tickets. This year, you get one four day pass, which upon arrival, is exchanged for a four day festival wristband. You obviously can't remove the wristband for the festival's duration. Single day tickets will be available Saturday, February 12th, 2011 for $79.50 per day.

Lineup:

Full lineup will be announced Monday, February 7th, which is a couple weeks earlier than past years. Mark your calenders.

Foo Fighters:

It's hard to believe Dave Grohl has been involved in meaningful rock music for 20 years, fifteen being with the Foo Fighters. What is the drummer for one of the biggest bands in the world supposed to do when the lead singer perishes? Pick up a guitar, play music, and move on. It's easy to say, "I don't like the Foo Fighters, I'd rather see (fill in the blank)." One of the great things about festivals is that you have the option to see a huge draw without having to pay their showcased fees. If you are already going to be there, why not check them out?

If you have listened to any radio over the last fifteen years, you might be surprised how many Foo Fighters songs you know. I can only name four or five off the top of my head, but having seen them a couple years ago, I know I recognized nearly every song they played. They had a stimulating light show, so if nothing else, there's that. Who doesn't remember the pop cultured, "Footos," or how sexy the drummer looks dressed in drag? With the formation of Them Crooked Vultures, and the Sunny Day Real Estate reunion, it's not like the market has been saturated with recent Foo Fighter shows (their last performance was over a year ago).

If you still can't get over the Foo Fighters headlining a night, look at it this way. Yesterday we were speculating who the three headliners would be. Today, we are still speculating who the other three headliners will be. If you hate the Foo Fighters, you can catch another act on the back stage (there hasn't been an unopposed headliner the last couple years). Or you can do what you already had planned for Friday night, get drunk at the campground. You now have three options, where before you had one. It's a win win win situation.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Time To Start Talking About Sasquatch 2011

Is it too early to talk about Sasquatch 2011? Considering the Cure were announced as a 2008 headliner near Halloween of 2007, and Pavement was announced last year on November 7th, it's not too early. Here is what we know about the Sasquatch 2011 Music Festival.

Dates: While the dates are yet to be confirmed, you can bet it will be May 28th through the 30th, Memorial Day weekend (as usual). This will be the tenth anniversary, so it's unlikely they will reduce the festival to two days.

Tickets: Tickets went on sale last year with the Pavement announcement in early November, the first year tickets went on sale this early. They usually go on sale the weekend after the lineup is revealed, in February. The past few years, there have been three price levels, so it behooves you to buy early. Last year's festival sold out in record time, and unless they do away with headliners and cool bands all together, it will sell out early again.

Lineup: The lineup is usually announced the day after President's Day (President's Day being February 21st, 2011). This is the latest President's day will be for the next several years, so I wouldn't be surprised if they announce the lineup the week prior (it was the 15th last year).

Tenth Anniversary: It's no secret next year with be the tenth edition of the Sasquatch! Music Festival. In an interview with Consequence of Sound earlier this year, Adam Zacks said they have a couple surprises in store for this year's festival. What type of surprises might you ask? Radiohead or Pearl Jam headlining? A fourth day? A fifth stage/tent?

Speaking of Radiohead, we've also been discussing Guerrilla Candy's (Travis Hay) interview with Adams Zacks for a couple years now, the one where Zacks stated Bjork (who played in 2007) and Radiohead are basically his White Whales. Those who attended last year's festival can attest, the newly enclosed main stage reduces the amazing scenery we've grown to enjoy. Was it created to enhance the crowd's experience? No way. It was created to protect Neko Case from hail, to protect Spoon and Interpol from the wind, and to increase the likelihood bands with expensive light shows will consider attending. In no way does this mean Radiohead is rumored. It's more like the scene in Dumb and Dumber when Jim Carrey says, "so you're telling me there's a chance."

As for the Pearl Jam possibility, we will know more when Soundgarden eventually announces their reunion tour. They share the same drummer (Matt Cameron), so Soundgarden playing elsewhere in late May will suffocate that inclusion.

Big Name Possibilities: It's a bit early to be reading into tour schedules, so this rumor isn't holding buckets of water, but it still holds a couple pints. Interpol have been touring extensively, yet have skipped the Northwest all together? They are still touring through March, so adding a Seattle show will kill this rumor. It's Seattle or Sasquatch though, it makes zero sense skipping both. (EDIT: January Seattle show added).

The festival always caters to bands with NW ties. Getting at least two of the following local powerhouses seems like a safe bet; Death Cab For Cutie, Modest Mouse, the Decemberists, Fleet Foxes, and Spoon.

More Info:

All rumors and confirmations will be easy to find located at the top of this blog. Keep checking here for Sasquatch news, commentary, updates, and reviews. Check out the The Cog for poorly written reviews about possible Sasquatch bands. If you have any questions about the festival, the friendly people on the Sasquatch Message Board will be more than willing to assist. Let the Sasquatch 2011 discussions begin!

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Sunday, October 10, 2010

2010 Lineup/Links

Saturday, May 29th

My Morning Jacket / Vampire Weekend / The National / Deadmau5 / Broken Social Scene / OK Go / Brad / The Hold Steady / Miike Snow / Z-Trip / Brother Ali / Minus The Bear / WHY? / The Very Best / Portugal. The Man / Mumford & Sons / The Lonely Forest / Nurses / The Middle East / Patrick Watson / Morning Teleportation / Laura Marling / Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros / Fool's Gold / Garfunkel & Oates / Dam-Funk / Shabazz Palaces / Moshe Kasher / The Posies / Brent Weinback / Patton Oswalt / Dawes / Nada Surf

Sunday, May 30th

Massive Attack / Pavement / LCD Soundsystem / Tegan and Sara / Kid Cudi / Dirty Projectors / The xx / The Long Winters / Simian Mobile Disco / Midlake / Girls / Vetiver / The Tallest Man On Earth / YACHT / Booka Shade / Caribou / Avi Buffalo / Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band / Cymbals Eat Guitars / A-Trak / Fruit Bats / tUnE-yArDs / Local Natives / Freelance Whales / Jets Overhead / Rob Riggle / Mike Birbiglia / Rory Scovel / Luke Burbank / They Might Be Giants / Martina Topley-Bird / Dinosaur Feathers / Public Enemy

Monday, May 31st

Ween / MGMT / Band of Horses / She & Him / Passion Pit / The New Pornographers / Drive-By Truckers / Boys Noize / Camera Obscura / The Temper Trap / Dr. Dog / Neon Indian / No Age / The Mountain Goats / Phantogram / Quasi / Japandroids / Mayer Hawthorne & The County / Fresh Espresso / Hudson Mohawke / Telekinesis / Past Lives / Tame Impala / Craig Robinson / Todd Barry / Jaguar Love / Shadow Shadow Shade / Hannibal Buress / The Heavy / Bobcat Goldthwait / Seattle Rock Orchestra

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Sasquatch! 2010 (It's Over, Nooooooo)

Cancellations:

First up, a couple late cancellations to update you on. Riding their success of the "Party in the USA" remix, Yes Giantess had to cancel because their early day Yeti slot no longer matched their popularity. They were replaced by Tame Impala, who I heard several attendees rave about. Langhorne Slim canceled due to flight delays. His early slot was left open, because everyone with a guitar, amp, and bongos in general camping was still asleep at noon. Mt. St. Helen's Vietnam Band were a late add to replace City and Colour, who cancelled due to an illness. Props to Mt. St. Helen's Vietnam band for arriving on such late notice.


Saturday:

Portugal. the Man - Lots of energy. Great David Bowie cover.

Edward Sharpe - That was a huge crowd at the Bigfoot. There were more people talking about, singing, or playing Edward Sharpe at the campground than any other act on the lineup. Despite the large crowd, it was obvious many hadn't heard the songs, and the pump your fist parts were either off or missed by many. Jade's voice is so powerful live. In what became a theme for the weekend, the sound was up and down on the solar stage.

Broken Social Scene - Despite the Primavera jet lag, this was probably my favorite set of the weekend. They had the trumpet player from Edward Sharpe a horn player from the National join them for a couple songs. They've had guest play with them each time I've seen them live, and Kevin Drew stated, "It's all about band unity," after thanking the guests. Meet me in the Basement was immediately my favorite song on the newest album, and they played it as the finale. It helps that they ended the last 45 seconds of the song three times, just to get people jumping up and down again. That was a party.

Why? - Dance move of the weekend. If you saw it, you'll know what I'm talking about. They had serious sound issues, so they started 10 minutes late, while occasionally making fun of the sound guy. Part of their sound issue may have been Miike Snow on the Bigfoot Stage nearing the end of their set. Miike Snow was loud, and the wind was blowing toward Why?

The Very Best - Loved the dancing girls getting down on each side of the stage in almost perfect unison. It was much more of a hip-hip show than an electronic show, but either way, the crowd was going nuts. They cut the sound during the chorus of "Julie" so the crowd could sing the line. That worked well. No Ezra Koenig guest appearance. To the best of my knowledge, they dubbed his part (he may have been hiding somewhere on stage, I'm not sure).

My Morning Jacket - One of the highlights of the festival. Their 15 (or so) minute version of "Dodante" was mesmerizing. There were people standing around me who didn't know the band well, and they were also in awe. Near the end of their set (which was just over two hours), they played "Highly Suspicious," which you either love or hate. The last time I saw them, this song had the crowd jumping. This night however, most of the crowd was standing still. That's when I turned around and noticed the front rows on the hill were empty, and floor crowd was sparse. It was dark, so I couldn't tell if there were still people further back on the hill, but upon leaving, my guess was no. Maybe they would've played a longer set if people were still there. It was extremely cold that night though (outside of the pit that is).


Sunday:

Cymbals Eat Guitars - This guy abuses the strings on his guitar more than any indie rock musician I've witnessed. I felt like I was watching a thrash metal show. He even yanked the strings out of his guitar at the end of the show. It's too bad the crowd was small, and uninterested.

Kid Cudi - Huge crowd, all dancing, very enjoyable. I couldn't tell how many people were on the hill, but the floor was more crowded than MGMT. He said he was going to play a three song set in the crowd, until he realized it would be a bit rough getting in and out, so he just sang part of a song on the floor near the crowd. I loved the Anthrax tee shirt, until I noticed the back of his shirt said, "Anthrax, NOT." He posed to show this off at the end of a couple songs. I'm not sure if this was making fun of Anthrax, or if that's the way Anthrax originally designed the tee. Any Anthrax fans out there?

Pavement - It was sloppy, but endearing, like when your girlfriend drinks one too many glasses of wine, and can't stop laughing, even after falling down. It doesn't matter if Malkmus can come off as being rude live, he is entertaining, and his banter is always welcome. He pretended he was still in Spain (at Primavera), which I'm sure some didn't like, but he also gave his local shout outs to the Tri-City folks as well. Malkmus made this a one man show early on, eager to show everyone else was a backing band he picked up off the street. He even tried to help his band mate tune his (edit:bass) guitar, for what seemed like way too long. So what if they hate each other, it was a fun show. I couldn't leave, just because I thought I might miss an actual fight on stage, or Malkmus doing something insanely memorable. He was already swinging his guitar around after each song, looking like he was going to smash it on the ground. Happy birthday Malkmus.

Public Enemy - They played "It Takes a Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back," again, but stated it was there first time performing it in the NW, so that's fair. Chuck D and Flava Flav both sounded great lyrically, which was surprising. The backing sound was a bit of an issue (the Bigfoot Solar Stage again). Chuck D sure knows how to piss people off. It's cool with me if you want to drop racial slurs, while talking about Arizona, Sarah Palin, and Nazi Germany, I'm not going to take things too literal, I'll wait for the next song. I'm not sure others had the same thoughts, as many near the back left shaking their heads each time he ranted. It's Chuck D, he's always been politically charged, you don't have to agree to kick it. They're not called Public Enemy because they want you to like them.

Massive Attack - I'm not sure if the hill was crowded (again), but the floor was empty. I was 20 feet outside the main pit, and was able to sit down and still see the show. There was literally no one in front of me or behind me. That same area was not accessible during MGMT, Vampire Weekend, Kid Cudi, and LCD Soundsystem.


Monday:

Dr. Dog - I'm not sure if the crowd was calmly watching the show, or if they didn't enjoy it. There were only a few of us pumping our fists and dancing around. I kept looking around at the weather during this set, and saw some nasty clouds to the east which reminded me a bit of the 2006 hail storm clouds. When the wind briefly blew my direction, I was convinced there was going to be another weather catastrophe (which never happened).

Japandroids - Rock stars. Their gear was apparently left in Spain, so they had to borrow equipment. It's safe to say that didn't hold them back.

Mountain Goats - I was amazed at the energy and stage presence in the short time I was at this show. Now I see why people say they are can't miss live. So much more strength than the mellowness of their albums would dictate.

MGMT- I've never seen this many people jumping up and down during "Kids." I literally spent the first minute of the song starring at the hill in awe. What a lame crowd otherwise though.

Ween - Another highlight. I'm not a giant Ween fan, but had a blast in the pit. The crowd was full of Ween-heads, and it felt like there was going to be a huge group hug after the show. They played all of their classics, but the beats were sped up on most of their slower songs, so a lot of their songs sounded different than on album. Is it just that they don't look like rock stars? Gene (edit: Dean) Ween rips on the guitar .


Late Night Stage:

The late night stage was a real hit this year, mostly because the crowds at the headliners were so small. With huge headlining draws the last couple years, 75% (or more) of the festival was leaving at roughly the same time, with the crowd getting bottle necked next to the Bigfoot stage, leading to a 25 minute walk back to the campground comprised entirely of baby steps and staggering people running into each other. The saving grace was how small the headliner crowds were. Edward Sharpe and the xx had crowds as big as Booka Shade and Deadmau5. Each late night act played near 1am, so that is a good sign that any noise ordnance wasn't strictly enforced.


Weather:

As far as perfect festival weather goes, this was nearly that. I'm sure the people who live in much warmer climates would prefer last year's upper 80s weather, but that is darn hot for us who reside in the NW. It was mostly cloudy each day, slightly above room temperature, with a slight breeze throughout the day, and occasional sprinkles. It only really rained once, and that was in the middle of the night. Even when the sprinkles hit, it rarely lasted more than a couple minutes. I found it slightly amusing people would rush to put on their rain gear and pull out their umbrellas when the sky was mostly filled with sun.


Until Next Year.....:


In closing, I heard a woman talking about how mad she was with another attendee on the way back to camp one night. I also had someone make an outwardly sarcastic angry comment to me which I mistook for a joke, causing me to reply with a smile and laughter. That was it. Out of all the conversations I overheard, people I spoke with, and debauchery I witnessed, those were the only two negative memories out of hundreds. Even the guy with the freshly broken leg getting towed back to the campground in a wagon was playfully making fun of others for walking so slow. It is really tough to explain how different the camaraderie at Sasquatch is from other concerts, and other festivals. If you replace all of the luxuries we are used to on a daily basis with a field full of music fans looking to party and have a good time at one of the most beautiful places in the United States, it's really tough to beat.

With all of the travelers who attended this year, the word is getting out. I could have saved myself a lot of time by saying, "This festival sucks, do not ever attend," and all of the Sasquatch veterans would secretly smile.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Sasquatch! Campground Beer Drinking Game

Not that you need an excuse to drink at the Sasquatch! Campground, but here is the "Often Debatable Semi-Official Sasquatch 2010 Campground Drinking Game" (all rights reserved).


Drink one if.... (dedicated to our northern friends)
- You hear someone refer to themselves as Canadian.
- You hear someone talking about hockey. This would have been huge had the Habs made it to the finals.
- The phrase "washroom" is used to refer to a honey bucket (which is hilarious).
- You witness the game of beersbee.
- You hear someone talking about how they've never listened to one of the headliners.
- You see a Canadian flag (bonus drink if it's in tattoo form).
- You hear "Canadian" used to describe a band.
- You see the honey bucket cleaners (in tribute). It is usually a highlight of the day, especially for the ladies.


Drink two if....
- You see a stupid clever tee shirt that actually makes you laugh.
- You see people dancing on top of an RV or truck.
- Dancing Man or the Decemberists Sex Scene is mentioned.
- You see someone taking a picture of themselves. If you are attracted to the person, offer to take the picture for them. I shouldn't have to tell you this.
- Someone tries to sell you something you don't want. "Hey man, check out this cheerios necklace I made."
- You hear a song/album that makes you think, "OMG, I love this song/album, I haven't heard this in years." You'll know it when you hear it.
- You see someone fall down. Take a bonus drink if they fall down with someone else, and laugh out loud because of it.
- You have to ask someone their name for the fourth time.
- You hear MGMT's hit single Kids.


Drink three if....
- You see someone taking way too long to set up their tent. If you are taking way too long to set up your own tent, pound a beer, start over, and thank me later.
- Someone asks you for directions. If they are obviously lost, but not asking for directions, offer them a beer. They'll need it.
- You see a shirtless man who is a bit too overweight to be shirtless. If the offender is female, refer to the drink five tier.
- You hear the phrase, "I can't believe how drunk I am?" or something very similar. If this occurs before noon, start drinking.
- You see a tent blow away.
- You witness a Frisbee or football hitting a stranger's car, followed by the thrower laughing hysterically while offering an unsympathetic apology.
- The hail storm is mentioned.
- You meet a fan of City & Colour. Give them a hug, and take three drinks of their hard lemonade instead.
- You fall down.


Drink four if....
- You witness someone vomiting. Then offer them a beer. They'll have some catching up to do.
- You hear the phrase, "That show changed my life" or a similar comment. Life changing event is key here though.
- You see someone doing a headstand (just seeing if I can coerce people into performing tricks for the sake of getting their neighbors drunk).
- You hear the pronunciation Dead-mau-five
- You see someone light a cigarette backwards.
- You witness someone blaring death metal. Their attempts at showing everyone how different they are should not be ignored. Offer them a beer, only toss the beer to them overhand with heavy force when they are not looking.


Drink five if....
- You hear two people arguing who are both wrong.
- You see nudity. Take an additional drink for every picture you intend to post online.
- It hails again or snows (you might need to drink more to cope with it).
- A Kia owner is blaring, "How You Like Me Now."


Shotgun/pound a full beer if....
- You meet someone from a different continent who came to the the states specifically for Sasquatch. Have your neighbors join you, because that's just cool.


Disclaimer: For entertainment purposes only. None of this actually happens at the campground. The Sasquatch Blog recommends that you drink responsibly and do everything possible to ensure a good time is had by all. Do not, I repeat, do not attempt to actually follow this drinking game, because the presence of MGMT's song "Kids" alone will get you way too drunk to appreciate what the campground and festival has to offer. Please do not throw anything at anyone. Women who are pregnant and/or nursing should not consume alcoholic beverages. The legal drinking age in the United States is 21. It is not permitted to make fun of 19 and 20 year old Canadians because of this. Have a great weekend!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Tallest Man On Earth Live Review

Mission Theater, Portland
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

Not a surprise to anyone, but the guy is not extremely tall. This was way too evident since the venue is a movie theater, and the stage is only raised two feet. When he first started playing, I could barely see his face, and thought he was sitting in a chair. After he wandered around stage, it was clear no one could actually see his guitar unless they were stage front. It still sounded great.

Not that any of us debate Sasquatch acts are not allowed to play Seattle near Sasquatch, but after the first song, a female fan lamented about having to drive from Seattle to see the show. He immediately responded that he wasn't allowed to play in Seattle because he is playing Sasquatch. So there's that. For all you Portlanders, he stated he would be back in September, which is when MusicFestNW is held, so if there aren't any strong MusicFestNW rumors floating around, this is a big one.

The highlight of the show, and the highlight of his repertoire, is the song "Love Is All." He prefaced the song by saying it would be the highlight, and was noticeably perturbed after the song because the crowd wasn't completely silent. I agree, it's crap when such a beautiful song is nearly ruined by chatters and gigglers. He even busted out the electric guitar for this gem. He also played the electric guitar on the next song, a cover called Graceland, by some dude whose name escapes me.

If you have never listened to the Tallest Man On Earth, it won't take you more than one song to realize what he is all about, he is just a guy playing guitar and singing (albeit with a unique vocal style). By the time the gigglers near the back realized there was no drummer, bass, electronics, and cheerleaders, they left to blare Nickleback sing a longs in their Subaru Outbacks. The awesomeness of the show increased exponentially then, and the place was literally dead silent for the last few songs.

Going back to "Love Is All", this song obviously means a lot to him, and he implied it was written about an ex-wife. Twenty years from now, this song will still be one of the highlights of his catalog, so do him a favor and try to remain silent when he plays it at Sasquatch, even if you have to deal with sound bleed from the Yeti Stage. Then again, it's a moot point trying to ask a festival crowd to remain silent.

It would be easy to imagine a man singing such "sad songs" (as he referred to them), to be equally sad/serious in between songs, but he was actually hilarious, cracking jokes, and replying to the crowds comments with quick wit. The Natasha Bedingfield cover dedicated to the opening band the Nurses was another highlight. The lyrics to this song repeat the phrase, "I love you." Picture a spoof of Marilyn Monroe singing Happy Birthday to JFK, because it was cool, but funny as hell.

Not only would I recommend you catching his set at Sasquatch, but you should get to visually see him, since the Wookie/Bigfoot stage will be raised much higher than two feet. By the end of his set, he will truly seem like the Tallest Man (in your eyes, babe).


Set List: 10:11 to 11:22
1. The Wild Hunt
2. Thousand Ways
3. I Won't Be Found
4. The Gardner
5. Love is All
6. Graceland (Boyz II Men cover)
7. Pistol Dreams
8. Where Do My Bluebirds Fly
9. You're Going Back
10. Troubles Will Be Gone
11. These Words (Natasha Bedingfield cover, a tribute to the opening band the Nurses)
12. Burden of Tomorrow
13. King of Spain

Encore:
14. This Wind
15. New Song (he said he wrote it at the beginning of the tour)

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Phantogram Live Review

Doug Fir, Portland
Monday, May 3rd, 2010

It's not rude to stare when you are watching a performer on stage, right?

When the two piece band first took the stage, I was already intrigued by Sarah Barthel's appearance, and her burst of energy on the first song added to her persona. When she pointed near me early in the set, I got a little light headed and weak in the knees. However, she must have been pointing at a guy standing near me, who promptly passed out. Props to the crowd for immediately rushing to his aid, and getting help. He was up soon after he fell, and was able to walk out of the venue with help, so hopefully he is alright.

I'm not a big fan of the "play button" bands push to get things started, but there is a lot going on musically on Phantogram's album, which would be impossible to pull off live with just two people. Therefore, their songs sounded a lot like the album version, but they did have more energy than I expected, and a couple electro jams near the end of the songs. Call me old fashion, drummers need work.

For a show that wasn't sold out, the place was crowded, and they were the opening band, so they are rising. I won't be the first, or 12th, or 154th person to state this, but this band is going to be big, and it's not just the beats that stick to the back of your brain after the third listen. They both sing well, play well, and look well, and that's a pretty tough combo to beat.

They held the crowd's attention, which is always a plus, except for the couple with no volume control talking about their Facebook pages near the back of the venue. I realize a concert is a social experience for many, so standing around listening to a band play music might bore you, but I could name about 82 better places to talk about your Facebook page other than a concert; coffee shops, restrooms, the break room at work, church, or easily the best place to talk about it, $@#*ing Facebook! I'm not going to be that guy who shooshes you at a show, then shakes his head in sarcastic disappointment, so I'll just rant about it instead on a blog.

I originally attended this show to cross Phantogram off my schedule and avoid Monday conflicts. But, I'm definitely catching their set again, and I apologize if this sounds like a massive crush (wiping the drool from my chin). Having seen them in a dark small club, a midday festival setting seems more intriguing. I dare you to walk by their set without wanting to stay. Hearing the synth on "You Are The Ocean" blasting through the aisles of cardboard pizza, confused patrons staring at their schedules, and $10 beer stands is something I already day dream about as a defining Sasquatch moment. And if you are one of those confused patrons, just stick around.

Set List (9:19 to 9:56):
1. As Far As I Can See
2. Let Me Go
3. Mouthful Of Diamonds
4. Running From the Cops
5. You Are The Ocean
6. Make A Fist (Bonus track from their vinyl)
7. When I'm Small