Quadros 1: Wilco, Yeasayer, Alberta Cross, Twin Shadow

Between now and the festival, the only thing we have to talk about is the pending schedule, lineup adjustments, and the lineup itself. Rather than saying, "I like this band a lot," why not dive in depth into each band? Tonight starts the weekly feature, "Quadros," where I will tell you what I know about four bands, and give you a couple songs (or albums) to get you started if you are unfamiliar. Yes, I made up the word "Quadros." I'm not going to be suggesting obscure and rare tracks trying to prove an elitist grasp of music, just the better or catchier tunes. I'll be spending three plus hours listening to each act on the lineup, if I haven't already, so I'm not guessing here.

Not everyone visiting this site is an Internet nerd with hours a day available for listening to music, so this should help some of you get familiar with the lineup. I'll also tell you my experiences seeing these bands live, or the opinions of trusted friends if I haven't seen them. I'm not a youtuber, nor do I promote illegally downloading music, so I'll leave the research of my suggestions up to you. Feel free to agree, disagree, or provide additional song/album suggestions in the comments section, as well as providing your live experiences and opinions.


Wilco

It took me a while to get into Wilco too. I even skipped most of their set at Sasquatch 2005 for relaxation and shade (it was 98 degrees that year). I'm still kicking myself for that, because I have since become a huge Wilco fan, and seeing them live for the first (second) time in 2008 sold me. Nels Cline shreds on the guitar, and Tweedy is such a comedian addressing the crowd. They were number 13 on my top 20 shows of 2010. Most of why I like Wilco live is addressed there, so read it if you are curious.

If you are new to the band, you should start with the album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, which is generally accepted as their best. Personally, Summerteeth is my favorite. If you are going to Monday's show, check out both of those albums. My suggested tracks below are by no means the best Wilco songs, and will likely be ridiculed by devoted Wilco fans, but I feel it is a diverse start. They have a ton of material after all. "Wilco will love you baby."

Suggested Tracks:
1. War On War (their catchiest tune)
2. A Shot In The Arm
3. Casino Queen (a fun song)
4. Spiders (Kidsmoke) (the stoner jam)
5. Impossible Germany (listen to the guitar solo(s) at the end)
6. Passenger Side (you like road sodas?)
7. Hate It Here (a fun sad song about no longer having your lady around).


Yeasayer

Yeasayer is experimental rock with extensive harmonies. Truth be told, I think All Hour Cymbals was an outstanding album, and I think Odd Blood was way too much. It sounds like a completely different band. I tried really hard to add a couple Odd Blood track selections below, but my real top six would all be All Hours Cymbals songs. I saw Yeasayer live a couple years ago, and I thought it was a below average performance. The bass player mostly sang with a bass around his neck, and when he did play, I couldn't hear it (like it wasn't plugged in). The main lead singer appeared to be mimicking Avey Tare (of Animal Collective), so he didn't grab my attention either. Anand Wilder, the guitar/electronics dude, stole the show. I kept thinking, "he needs to form his own band." Their light show was minimal, and they had cheesy white bulbs placed ten feet off the ground throughout the stage which occasionally changed colors (very unoriginal).

To be fair, I've heard outstanding things about Yeasayer live, and I've been looking forward to seeing them a second time. Maybe I was having a bad day when I saw them the first time? They've been known to have visuals projected on a screen behind the band, which they didn't have when I saw them, so that would've created a much better experience. It appears they will be playing an evening set Sunday on the Bigfoot stage, so hopefully they bring their best, including those visuals.

Suggested Tracks:
1. Wait For The Wintertime
2. Sunrise
3. Rome (grooooovy beat)
4. Red Cave
5. Ambling Alp
6. 2080


Alberta Cross

Alberta Cross' 2007 debut EP, Thief and Heartbreaker, has five songs that could have made my top 20 for the year. Their lead singer looks and acts like a rock star, even if he sounds a bit like a choir girl. Their bluesy rock sound landed them on the Dave Matthews Band fall 2010 tour, opening with Ben Harper, so it's obvious some people like them. One would think that break would vault them to popularity, but that remains to be seen.

I spent so much time listening to the Thief and Hearbreaker, I actually had to force myself to quit listening to it. I can't think of another album/EP I can say this about, I was that obsessed. It still has their greatest songs, a couple of which appeared on their first full length album, Broken Side of Time. Having seen them live a couple times, I can say they are very tight. They sound pretty much like their albums, which is a compliment in this case, but they do put a spin on a couple of their bigger songs. "Old Man Chicago" is classic.

Suggested Tracks:
1. Old Man Chicago (great great song, I prefer the EP version)
2. The Thief & The Heartbreaker
3. I've Known For Long
4. Rise From The Shadows (they typically end their shows with this chant-a-long)
5. Devil's All You've Ever Had
6. Low Man
7. Atx (much more rockin' than their EP)


Twin Shadow

I mistakenly assumed Twin Shadow was a dance act when I first read about him last fall. There are some good beats on his album Forget, but it doesn't make me want to dance. It's more like 80's new wave music than dance music. If 80's new wave makes you dance, that's cool. I keep thinking of Depeche Mode whenever I listen to Twin Shadow. Depeche Mode doesn't make me dance though. I've heard very few testimonies on what his live shows are like, so listen to the suggested tracks, and see if he fits your likings.

1. For Now (by far the best)
2. When We're Dancing
3. Slow
4. Shooting Holes At The Moon

How About That Lineup, Eh?

We have plenty of time to digest the lineup over the next couple months, so I'll start by giving my opinion on the top tier, and discuss another couple highlights. Feel free to give your opinion on the lineup (or your opinion on my opinion) in the comments section.

Top Tier: At first glance, this is the only disappointment of the lineup. 2010 was too good to be true, and the headliners (Massive Attack, Ween, My Morning Jacket) were three of the best shows I saw all year. Those headliners, along with Pavement and a stacked undercard, is why so many people living outside of the Pacific NW chose to make Sasquatch 2010 their first. It's also why the festival sold out in record time. That was last year though, so comparing this year's lineup isn't exactly fair. If we must compare the two, this year we get a fourth day to hang out with our friends at one of the biggest/friendliest parties on the planet, discussion over.

It's a bit of a shame Arcade Fire isn't on the lineup. Word is they were in discussions, but something happened at the last minute. Whatever happened occurred within the last two weeks, so the lineup probably looks much different than expected. Does that mean we can expect a giant addition, not really, especially since the festival might be sold out by the time you read this. It would suggest there is some extra money laying around. Death From Above 1979 might have gathered that extra cash, since a month ago, no one knew they were getting back together, and they are a HUGE addition (they weren't on the original poster).

I'm completely down with Wilco, they are a huge draw in the NW, and the Flaming Lips playing the Soft Bulletin is gigantic. I follow the music scene pretty close, and I don't recall the last time they did this album live. It is one of my favorite albums of all time. I'm one of those people who have seen the Lips enough times to think, "maybe I don't need to see them again." I've seen them indoors and outdoors, during daylight and while dark, with the UFO and without, with the hamster ball and without, with naked women on stage and without, but I never thought I'd have a chance to see the Soft Bulletin live. That is THE highlight.

Death Cab For Cutie isn't really my bag, but they also have a huge following in the NW, and the dance tent lineup this year is stacked. Relatively smaller headliners isn't that big of a deal when you have other grand alternatives. I'm somewhat disappointed I've missed so many EDM acts the past two years, because I've spent so much time on the main stage. I've seen some below average Modest Mouse shows (the band I've seen live the most), but the last time I caught them 18 months ago, it was pretty great. And the Foo Fighters might be the second most entertaining main stage act of the weekend (behind the Flaming Lips). I've written much about the Foos on this blog already.

Other highlights include Wolf Parade's first ever last show ever, Rodrigo Y Gabriella (I'm not sure why more people aren't talking about this), Bassnectar, Guided By Voices, Archers of Loaf, and an undercard stacked as usual. Speaking of Guided By Voices, they have not played too many shows since their recent reunion, but I was lucky enough to catch one of them last fall, and wrote a review. It's a fair assessment of what you might expect. I should warn you, I'm very PG-13 on this blog, but I can get a bit adult oriented on the Cog. You'll see what I mean reading the intro of this review. Read it here.

Much more to come over the next couple weeks. I've seen many of the bands on the lineup live, or listened to them extensively, so I have a lot of opinions. In time, I'll see if I can get a mini review of every act on the lineup. However, sometimes it's just really tough to say anything good about certain acts.

What do you think about the lineup?

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2011 Confirmations/Rumors

Confirmations:

Foo Fighters, Das Racist

Rumors:

Wolf Parade, Twin Shadow, Chromeo, Foster the People, Cold War Kids, Wye Oak, Matt & Kim, Best Coast, Wavves, Sharon Van Etten, Bright Eyes, Fitz and the Tantrums, Sleigh Bells, Yeasayer

Predictions For Sasquatch 2011 (Guess 50)

Okay, these are just my guesses based on some facts, some probability, a joke, and a lot of hunch/wishlist. It is not, I repeat is not, the actual lineup!

Foo Fighters / Wilco / Death Cab For Cutie / Decemberists / Lil' Wayne / Queens of the Stone Age / Modest Mouse / Cake / Bright Eyes / Ghostland Observatory / Cold War Kids / Empire of the Sun / Kid Sister / Wolf Parade / Janelle Monae / Yeasayer / Atmosphere / Flying Lotus / Chromeo / Iron & Wine / The Go! Team / Sleigh Bells / Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings / Menomena / Matt & Kim / Scissor Sisters / Black Mountain / Twilight Singers / Delta Spirit / Mister Heavenly / The Morning Benders / Matthew Dear / Twin Shadow / Best Coast / Das Racist / Starfucker / Foster The People / Wavves / Wild Flag / Horse Feathers / Viva Voce / The Head & The Heart / The Builders & the Butchers / Mad Rad / Mimicking Birds / Moondoggies / Sharon Van Etten / Wye Oak / Fitz & the Tantrums / CSS

Post your guesses in the comments, if you dare...

Lineup To Be Unveiled In Less Than Two Weeks!

More information about the Sasquatch Launch Party is available on the official Sasquatch Site. Todd Barry will host the event. He is funny, and not in the "ironic what the hell is this guy talking about," way, more like, "actual laugh out loud funny." Portland post-punk rockers, the Thermals will also be on the bill. Seattle hip-hop group Mad Rad will open. They are also funny. Shoot, the formerly confirmed Das Racist are funny too. This sounds like a comedic evening (don't LOL at the lineup, however). Tough draw being the same night as the Superbowl.

The show is free, but entrance is based on how early you arrive. If you want to buy a phone, or insurance, or some chips, it might help your cause. The Launch Party is sponsored.

Sasquatch! 2011 Lineup To Be Released February 6th, At The Second Annual Launch Party

According to Seattle Weekly, the 2011 Sasquatch! Launch Party will take place at Showbox at the Market in Seattle, Sunday, February 6th, where the initial lineup will be unveiled. Also thanks to dildon on the Sasquatch Message Board who pointed out Das Racist will be playing the event, according to the Sasquatch Launch Party Myspace. What appears to have gone unnoticed by the online community is that Das Racist has also confirmed via Myspace they will be playing the actual festival as well, Sunday, May 29th.

By pointing this out, I may be upsetting the twelve of us Sasquatch regulars fanatical about Das Racist, but I am extremely excited they will be on the lineup. They top my short list of up-and-coming acts I need to see live. A lot of you dislike hip hop already, so I don't feel I'm shortchanging the die-hards who want to be on the rail for their performance. I'll speculate a closing set on the Yeti Stage, similar to the slot Why? played last year. Das Racist is playing Primavera the same weekend (May 26th, according to their Myspace), so I wouldn't expect an early show.

New Year's Hype Machine, Sasquatch 2011

Happy New Year everyone. The last couple weeks have been pretty slow for music news in general, but that is common this time of year. Most of the music industry shuts down during the Holidays.

Last year at this time, we had two confirmations, and three rumors, so we're way ahead this year. With only one month before the lineup is announced (yes, it's only a month away), the rumors should be hot and heavy the next couple weeks. The first full work week in January is when Sasquatch season usually starts. We have a month to speculate about the impending lineup, a month to talk about the released lineup, a month to talk about adds/cancellations, a month to speculate on schedule conflicts, then a month to plan our trip.

Let's take a look at the stronger possibilities:

Confirmed:

Foo Fighters: They are rather fantastic live, so skip them if you must. Chances are, any act playing opposite the Foos can been seen locally for under $15, while the Foos will cost a small fortune. I've already seen them a couple times, but I won't miss them at Sasquatch.

Wolf Parade: In a recent online interview, guitarist Dan Boeckner confirmed the band will be playing Sasquatch. A lot can happen between now and the festival, deals fall through, people get sick, bands cancel, but barring issues, Wolf Parade will be there. Read my review of their recent Portland show here.

Rumored:

Arcade Fire: Sasquatch appeals to Canadians more than any other U.S. Festival. Arcade Fire (who is Canadian if you are new to the band) played Sasquatch as rookies in 2005, and as sub headliners in 2007, so a headliner appearance is overdue. They are playing European Festivals this summer, and heavily rumored to play Coachella, so their musical pulse will be active during Memorial Day. Plus, many of us have attended shows at the Gorge before, and we know it is the best venue in the nation. By the same token, returning acts probably think playing at the Gorge is special.

As for the rumor floating around the Internet that Portishead will be opening for Arcade Fire at festivals this summer, I wouldn't get your hopes up for Sasquatch. Portishead recently made a statement they will not be in the U.S. until this fall, so that hurts their Sasquatch chances immensely.

Best Coast: The name Best Coast refers to the West Coast being the superior of the two, right? Settle down East Coast folks, I didn't name the band. Because of this rumor, I'm predicting other West Coast bands will be on the lineup.

Chromeo: They played a DJ set in 2009, which was a bit of a headscratcher. They later said they hoped they would be back playing their regular show. They were not on the lineup last year, and are still touring in support of their latest album, Business Casual.

Cold War Kids: New album expected near the end of January, and a supporting tour has been announced. Look for them to be making the festival rounds this year, with a return trip to Sasquatch (they were last there in 2008). They opened for Death Cab For Cutie near the end of the previous decade, so this might be hint? Also, One of Janelle Monae's best songs is called, "Cold War," so maybe she'll be there too?

Last year, the Sasquatch crowd exploded more during MGMT's song "Kids," than any single song I've witnessed at Sasquatch. There were even people jumping up and down in Dancing Man's Corner. From that point on, I've been convinced either the Cold War Kids or Kid 'n Play will be at Sasquatch 2011.

Cut Copy: Flying from Australia to Europe/The U.S. and back is not like jumping over a puddle. If they are going to play some shows in the United States, they might as well stick around for a couple months. They are playing the Ultra festival in Miami in late March. If they end up on Coachella's lineup (which could be announced as early as next week), that would increase the likelihood they might stick around to play Saqsquatch. They will be supporting a new album (out in February), so a spring tour with festival dates is already likely.

Foster The People: I have no idea who this is. From the day this rumor surfaced on the Coachella board, I thought it was made up to generate free hype for a friend's band. But hey, I don't know much about the music scene in L.A., and there are bands on the lineup every year that I've never heard of. We can call them this year's Shadow Shadow Shade.

Matt & Kim: Confirmed through twitter. I'm not sure exactly who that Twitter belongs to, but it's still up, and I don't hear anyone denying it. Since 2008, the festival has been at least three days, and has resulted in a peculiar trend; two different persons connected with a variation of the word "and" in their band name appear on the lineup.

2010: She & Him, Tegan and Sara
2009: Arthur & Yu, Dutchess & the Duke
2008: Tegan and Sara, Rodrigo Y Gabriela

Who might be the second? Iron & Wine and Toro Y Moi are each one guy. There is no "and" between Daft and Punk, so that's not going to happen. Guesses?

Twin Shadow: This is straight up 80s music. While M83 also had an 80s sound, they combined it with a modern electronic sound, but I don't hear anything modern in Twin Shadow. I hear Depeche Mode, and although I came up with that comparison on my own, googling "Twin Shadow sounds like Depeche Mode," yields about sixteen million results. That's why his album Forget narrowly missed my top 50 albums of 2010 on the Cog. He is playing Primavera the same weekend, so if he does make the Sasquatch lineup, hopefully there are no signs of fatigue/jet lag.

Wavves: Last year, I jokingly predicted Wavves would be on the lineup because Vetiver was confirmed, and they led the league in Vs. Maybe I have psychic abilities in predicting bands who will be on the lineup the following year? Don't expect Velvet Underground, but what about Viva Voce? They even have 50% more Vs.

If you have any tips, thoughts, likes, dislikes, corrections, or you just want to point out how terrible you think my sense of humor is, include any insight in the comments section below.