Death From Above 1979 – One of the most perfectly average shows of the festival. They did absolutely nothing to ruin the show, but absolutely nothing to make it a great. They played their songs, which sounded very similar to album versions, then they left. There were no antics, and the energy level was somewhere between lethargic and slightly pumped. I’m not sure I understand the hype surrounding this band. Are they a huge draw only because no one thought they would get back together? I’m no hater, I enjoy their material, but I chose to skip ten minutes of their set to take in the view of the Gorge to the left of the stage. DFA, perfectly average.
Foo Fighters – I feel like I was telling everyone who would listen that the Foo Fighters would be one of the highlights of the weekend. And it was. [Open invitation for those who thought DFA was the greatest show ever, and hated the Foo Fighters to discontinue reading]. Dave Grohl’s stage presence is (fill in the blank cliché, I’m going with) “larger than life.” He didn’t need to scream on most songs, yet he did it anyway, almost bragging that his yelling skills are top tier.
Grohl asked the crowd who had seen them live before, and most of the pit screamed and raised their hands. He then asked how many saw them live on their first tour 15 years ago, aaaaand there were about four others screaming along with me. Yeah, now I feel old. Then I nearly lost my mind when they played “This is a Call,” off their debut album.
Before the Foos started, an enormous man wearing dark clothing and a pissed off expression was standing near me with an unlit cigarette in his hand. A patron offered him a light, to which he accepted while barely acknowledging the kind gesture. He was 6’7, 250+ pounds, sporting a Mohawk haircut. His appearance screamed, “don’t mess with me,” and when he bounced around when the music started, the crowd hustled to get out of his way. After a couple songs he became thirsty and reached for his drink. What was this beastly biker’s drink of choice? It was one of those pink slushy daiquiri drinks in the tall plastic cups (the pinkie may or may not have been extended while grasping the straw). Way to kill an almost flawless stereotype, princess.
Between the above average light show, Grohl screaming, a Bob Mould guest appearance, and extremely large men with girl drinks, there were many highlights. But THE highlight was drummer Taylor Hawkins. I have to make a basketball analogy to describe his skills. I’ve seen drummers labor through shows before, the power forward type, battling in the post, leaving the game exhausted and battered. Taylor is like the short and thin point guard who is so quick, he fools you with his first move, then makes three other moves while you are still reacting to his first while he drifts by you. He looks like he is floating, and his speed is effortless. On the walk home after the show, I had a short conversation with a guy staggering near me. “That drummer,” he said in amazement. Well put.
Wolf Parade – I was briefly upset when I realized they were closing with "California Dreamer," instead of "Kissing the Beehive," but it’s still one of their better tunes. While most of the band remained stoic (as rock stars do), guitarist Dan Boeckner seemed to really be enjoying himself, showing a huge smile throughout the performance. I wish that set would have been two hours, because it ended way too quick. Where is it written in the rules of festivals that bands get 30-45 minutes unless they are headliners? Wouldn’t giving extended sets to the bigger undercard draws create a bit of separation from the other festivals? This was supposed to be their last show ever (they added a second last show ever the following night in Vancouver), so 45 minutes felt like a disappointment.
Speaking of last show ever, how long do we wait until we see Wolf Parade reunite? I’ll just throw out my guess, and say spring 2014. We can make this happen quicker if everyone subscribes to my “Reunite Wolf Parade” initiative. All we need to do is stop supporting the boy's other musical endeavors. No buying their albums, no going to their shows, no purchasing their action figures. Eventually they will run out of money, and have to get back together. "Reunite Wolf Parade," starts now.
Pink Martini – Why were they on the lineup? This is a question even the band leader asked leading off the show, before making an announcement that literally made my festival. Their usual lead female vocalist had a vocal injury, so she was being replaced by Storm Large! I’m not sure many know who Storm Large is, but she is huge in Portland, both figuratively and literally (she is over 6 feet tall). I’m going to fall flat on my face describing her performance, so I’ll just say "sexy" is a word that had no definition before this day.
At the end of one song when she was standing in the back near the orchestra (a song she wasn’t leading) we made eye contact. I quickly looked away, then looked back and she was still staring me down. After looking away a second time, I thought, “wait a second, I’m not that shy, what am I doing?” So I stared her down. A couple seconds later, she smiled, mouthed the digits of her phone number to me, then broke the stare. What? Okay, the phone number part didn’t happen, but the rest is accurate. I know people always think they are making eye contact with the performers, so I’m probably full of (sh)it in some of your minds, but the pit area was barely half full, and I was a head higher than everyone standing near me, so it’s not unfathomable she would spot me in the crowd. When I tell this story at next year’s festival, there will be an open mouth kiss involved.
Bright Eyes – Every child under the age of 19 who wasn’t blazed out of their minds was in the pit for this show. So was the bald heavy-set guy in his mid 40s, who described his location to a friend on the phone by saying, “I’m at the only band that matters.” Bright Eyes fans really like Conor Oberst, like really really really like him. Before the show, and in between songs, people were talking endlessly about how great he is. It was rather disgusting, but not as disgusting as Conor hiding behind his hood for the first four songs. I know he is an emo god, but come on? The hood angered me to the point that I wanted to pull it off his head, mess up his hair, and maybe give him a wedgie for being so pretentious. All the Bright Eyes love mixed with the ultra sensitive showmanship made me cringe. Other than that, it was a surprisingly good show.
Robyn – Having caught part of her set at Coachella, I knew there was no way I was missing a second this time. Everything about Robyn makes me smile. If I’m having a rough afternoon, I play Robyn, bam, instant smile. She was acting a bit more lewd than than she was at Coachella, to the point that when she pulled out that banana, I wasn’t totally convinced she was just going to eat it.
Bassnectar – Glowpocalypse! Okay, it was crazy, it was great, but I have a slightly dissenting opinion on the glow stick war. The glow sticks hit flight during the first (bass) drop, and continued flying during each subsequent drop throughout the show. My complaint, the drops are also when the stage lights are at their brightest. It was cool seeing all the sticks flying through the air, but they looked more like pencils in the bright lights. What would have been spectacular is if the stage lights turned off during the drops. Too much to ask, I know.
Cold War Kids - Talk about boring. I saw this band in 2006, and wasn't too impressed. A couple years later, they reached radio, and "oh he's so cute," status, and they were everywhere. I was hanging out with some folks after a Cold War Kids show a couple years ago (a show I didn't attend), and they were beaming about how great it was. I kept asking them, "were they really that great, or was it that you have all of their songs memorized and don't go to live shows very often?" That is a bit snobby, but I got the answer at Sasquatch. I don't hate bands on principal, which is why I watched part of there set. I feel sorry for those who were there instead of at Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, which was a blast.
Archers of Loaf - One of the smallest crowds I saw all weekend, and they tore it up. The kids at Sasquatch could care less about reunion bands who last played when they were still pooping in their diapers. They want the (fill in the blank) terrible DJ bringing the bass. More on this later.
Das Racist - I heard so many terrible reviews of their recent performances, but they were absolutely killing it. The horn section from the Seattle Rock Orchestra really added the extra oomph, but they still sounded great lyrically. We probably witnessed their best performance to date, because I can see how they could give a half-hearted performance when the professionalism of the horn section isn't around. I wish I didn't leave early for...
The Flaming Lips - The biggest disappointment of the festival. Three words I never thought I would utter in regards to a Flaming Lips show, "I left early." They were billed as playing "The Soft Bulletin, and more." After I left, I heard they didn't even finish the album. When the music was actually playing, it was spectacular, but it started late, and Wayne decided to tell massively long stories between the songs. Imagine sitting down on the couch to watch your favorite movie. Now imagine watching that same movie on network television, commercials and all. You don't zone into it, the commercials ruin the mood. You end up wanting to do something else. And why did we really need a second birthday cake celebration for Sasquatch's big ten year celebration? Guess what, Sasquatch had a birthday last year, and the year before that, and they will have another birthday next year.
The argument can be made that I am the biggest Sasquatch cheerleader on the internet, but this was completely unacceptable. We deserve an apology for that monstrosity.
Modest Mouse - I put my credibility on the line a couple months ago, raving about how great they were the last time I saw them, and how great they would be at Sasquatch. They knew headlining a festival in the northwest is a big deal, and knew the crowd would be more appreciative hearing the older/rarer/classic-er songs rather than a set heavy with new material. The NW is filled with Modest Mouse die hards, more than any other region, so it made sense. They delivered. I rest my case. (High fives?)
Black Mountain - I can't wait to see them live again. They were phenomenal. If you still haven't heard of this band, check out my suggested tracks in the Quadros. You are missing out.
Guided By Voices - I was one of the 38 people enjoying the hell out of this set, but where was everyone else? I've never seen crowd surfing in such a small crowd, but the only reason it worked is because a guy grabbed the surfer by the waste, and ran around in mini circles with him on his shoulder. From a far, it must have looked like it was actual crowd surfing, but for the most part, they could have replicated that in an empty room.
For those who don't know, lead singer Robert Pollard is notorious for getting really drunk and talking smack about whatever comes to mind. The crowd is supposed to play along and get wasted as well. Cheers to the guy who snuck in a fifth of Makers Mark. One person in my crew was basically told to bend over and cough while getting checked by security at the entrance, so I'm not sure how an entire fifth made it in. It was nice you were willing to share with everyone around, and even nicer the security didn't see it. The security almost outnumbered those of us watching the show, so I'm not sure how they missed the bottle getting passed around. When Robert Pollard finally had enough tequila in his system, he made a statement about how shitty the previous band was (Chromeo), wondering why everyone left before GBV started. Again, more on this later (shaking head).
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - What a great performer she is. I was blown away by her stage presence, and since I grew up listening to jazz, I loved the backing band. Props to Patrick, the dude she called up on stage to dance with her. Even if some thought you suck at dancing, you still did it, in front of thousands of people no less. I thought you rocked it.
Rodrigo Y Gabriela - I hope those unfamiliar with this duo gave them a chance, because they so much fun live. Even though rain was in the forecast the entire weekend, this was the only set it actually rained at. It was nice seeing thousands rush for shelter while the duo spanked their guitars into oblivion. That was really cool. Props to the guy repeatedly sliding down the "dancing guy" hill on his belly during the end of their set. The kids were loving that.
!!! - One of the highlights of the weekend. I caught part of their set at Coachella, where they had more people on stage, but this performance was much better. I loved the lead singers dance moves, and how he jumped in the crowd multiple times. After he acted like an absolute madman, he ran back on stage, and pronounced, "you guys are crazy." Perfect.
One of the coolest things I saw at Sasquatch 2011 was the middle aged slightly overweight dude getting his freak on to the left of the sound stage. I was in a funk during the beginning of this set, working on a four day hangover, slowly wandering around trying to get my energy back, and he snapped me out of it. He was probably early 40s, bald, and appeared to be somewhat albino. He had his shirt unbuttoned showing off his not so small belly, and was seriously getting down. There were a couple young attractive women rushing to dance with him, and he was eating it up. After every song, he said something along the lines of, "this is the most I've ever danced," then tapped his heart like he was exhausted, and couldn't continue. Then the next song started, and he warped back into dancing queen. It was my favorite moment of the festival (except Storm Large, of course).
Wilco - What is better than a lightning storm in the distance leading up to a headlining performance at the Gorge? It was surreal. Then Wilco came on, and bored most of the naysayers out of the venue with their first six songs, which I'll admit bored me as well. I understand if you think Wilco is boring, I found them boring when I first started listening to them as well. I now understand how the Death Cab For Cutie fans defend them so passionately, who I personally find boring. You have to really like their music to realize how technically proficient and catchy they can be (no, there are no Cold War Kids comments allowed here, shut up).
After they scared off the riff raff, they show picked up steam. Nels Cline dominated the stage during "Impossible Germany" and Jeff Tweedy entertained the crowd in between songs, as usual. Dude is a comedian who happens to write great songs. My favorite part of the set was near the end, when Tweedy was almost hit in the face by a thrown glow stick. He then encouraged anyone who could hit him with a glow stick to try. Many were thrown, but not a single battleship was sunk. He was obviously miffed by the fist glow stick, so he was smack talking the crowd to keep it coming. Seriously though, why the hell would you ever throw something at a performer, especially a headliner at a major festival? Props to Tweedy for being a good sport. He later poked fun at the northwest crowd for having no aim, and comparing it to how terrible the Seattle Mariners pitchers are for the same reason. Gold.
Weather - I don't know about you all, but this was about as perfect as festival weather gets. Sure it got cold at night, really cold, I even had numb toes wandering through the campground. But the cold weather meant you were able to sleep in as long as you wanted, rather than getting heat stroke in your tent around 8 a.m. As I mentioned earlier, rain was in the forecast for the entire weekend, but it only rained once during festival hours. There were giant rain clouds surrounding the festival all weekend, but almost all of them passed right by.
Conclusion - As previously mentioned, the crowds for the reunion bands (Archers of Loaf, Guided By Voices) were so tiny, I am wondering out loud if they even fit at Sasquatch anymore? Last year's festival appealed to the music fans all across the nation, and many older folks flew in for their first taste of Sasquatch. This year, however, was all about the kids who live in the Pacific Northwest. It makes me sad knowing the festival will sell out just as easily if it was 80% EDM. Let's face it, the festival organizers have one goal, to sell as many tickets as possible. If that means less bands that appeal to the older folks, and more that appeal to the kids, that is what will eventually happen. I hope it doesn't, because I've always loved Sasquatch for its diversity. Knowing the Chromeo mainstage mid afternoon crowd was one of the biggest in recent history, it does beg the question, why are the bands the kids want to see stuck in the dance tent or on the back stages. This is why I believe there will be more EDM acts on the mainstage next year, and the Guided By Voices type will be relegated to the back stages. This also leads me to believe we will see our first EDM headliner at Sasquatch 2012. Times are a changing, and so is Sasquatch. We might never see the greatness of the 2010 lineup again.
Talk to you soon,
know ID yuh
knowidyuh@gmail.com
Read more from know ID yuh at The Cog.
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Saturday, August 27, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
2011 Lineup/Links
Friday, May 27th
Foo Fighters, Death From Above 1979, Against Me!, Biffy Clyro, Rival Schools, The Bronx, Bob Mould, Mariachi El Bronx, DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid
Saturday, May 28th
Death Cab For Cutie, Bright Eyes, Iron & Wine, Bassnectar, Robyn, Pink Martini, Wolf Parade, Local Natives, Matt & Kim, Trailer Park Boys, Sleigh Bells, The Thermals, Jenny & Johnny, The Head & The Heart, K-os, The Radio Dept., The Antlers, Sharon Van Etten, Aloe Blacc, The Secret Sisters, Wye Oak, J. Mascis, Tig Notaro, Alberta Cross, Seattle Rock Orchestra, Washed Out, Dan Mangan, The Globes, Rebecca Gates & The Consortium, Pepper Rabbit, DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid, Matt McCarthy, The Glitch Mob
Sunday, May 29th
Modest Mouse, The Flaming Lips, Flogging Molly, Cold War Kids, Ratatat, MSTRKRFT, Yeasayer, Beach House, Flying Lotus, Tokyo Police Club, Fitz & The Tantrums, Archers of Loaf, City and Colour, Reggie Watts, Gayngs, Tim Minchin, The Drums, S. Carey, Sam Roberts Band, The Moondoggies, Smith Westerns, Das Racist, Wheedle's Groove, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Typhoon, Gold Panda, Cotton Jones, Mad Rad, Basia Bulat, Other Lives, Talkdemonic, DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid, Hari Kondabolu,
Monday, May 30th
Wilco, The Decemberists, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Old 97s, Chromeo, Guided By Voices, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Deerhunter, Major Lazer, Skrillex, The Scott Aukerman & Paul F. Tompkins Show, !!!, Best Coast, Surfer Blood, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Bonobo (DJ Set), Young the Giant, Stornoway, Black Mountain, Noah & The Whale, Wavves, Givers, Twin Shadow, Foster the People, White Denim, Axis of Awesome, Jaill, White Arrows, Head Like A Kite, The Young Evils, DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid
Foo Fighters, Death From Above 1979, Against Me!, Biffy Clyro, Rival Schools, The Bronx, Bob Mould, Mariachi El Bronx, DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid
Saturday, May 28th
Death Cab For Cutie, Bright Eyes, Iron & Wine, Bassnectar, Robyn, Pink Martini, Wolf Parade, Local Natives, Matt & Kim, Trailer Park Boys, Sleigh Bells, The Thermals, Jenny & Johnny, The Head & The Heart, K-os, The Radio Dept., The Antlers, Sharon Van Etten, Aloe Blacc, The Secret Sisters, Wye Oak, J. Mascis, Tig Notaro, Alberta Cross, Seattle Rock Orchestra, Washed Out, Dan Mangan, The Globes, Rebecca Gates & The Consortium, Pepper Rabbit, DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid, Matt McCarthy, The Glitch Mob
Sunday, May 29th
Modest Mouse, The Flaming Lips, Flogging Molly, Cold War Kids, Ratatat, MSTRKRFT, Yeasayer, Beach House, Flying Lotus, Tokyo Police Club, Fitz & The Tantrums, Archers of Loaf, City and Colour, Reggie Watts, Gayngs, Tim Minchin, The Drums, S. Carey, Sam Roberts Band, The Moondoggies, Smith Westerns, Das Racist, Wheedle's Groove, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Typhoon, Gold Panda, Cotton Jones, Mad Rad, Basia Bulat, Other Lives, Talkdemonic, DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid, Hari Kondabolu,
Monday, May 30th
Wilco, The Decemberists, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Old 97s, Chromeo, Guided By Voices, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Deerhunter, Major Lazer, Skrillex, The Scott Aukerman & Paul F. Tompkins Show, !!!, Best Coast, Surfer Blood, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Bonobo (DJ Set), Young the Giant, Stornoway, Black Mountain, Noah & The Whale, Wavves, Givers, Twin Shadow, Foster the People, White Denim, Axis of Awesome, Jaill, White Arrows, Head Like A Kite, The Young Evils, DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid
Friday, May 20, 2011
Quadros 8: Sleigh Bells, Skrillex, The Antlers, Talkdemonic
Sleigh Bells
So what did it take to make the Quadros cut? It’s pretty simple, I have to like the act’s music. The more positive things I can write about, the better chance they will end up here. Sure, I’ve added a couple bands I’m not too thrilled with, just because I knew their material well, but as we’re counting down the days until the festival, there are several bands I really enjoy who I haven’t written about yet.
Enter Sleigh Bells, who created one of my favorite albums from last year, Treats. You’ve probably already heard it, and formed an opinion of the band, but at least you can agree/disagree with the ordering of my suggested tracks. If you haven’t heard Treats, you must lead a very busy life. The best part about this album is the unique sound. Who else sounds like Sleigh Bells? The album has so far held up over time, meaning a lot of my favorites from 2010 have already been forgotten, yet I still find time to listen to Treats occasionally.
So what’s their live performance like? First off, it’s hard to imagine a woman with a mic, and a man with a guitar, can pull off all the different sounds you hear on the album, because, well, they can’t. One good thing about this fact, it’s (nearly) impossible for the show to be a true train wreck, since so much of the music is prerecorded. Wouldn’t it be cool to see five or six musicians on stage recreating the album live? While I didn’t care for their performance last fall, I still appreciated hearing their music being played so darn loud. I’m getting amped to see them again. And since the question was asked 43 times on the Sasquatch Message Board, Sleigh Bells set time is so short because Treats is their only album, and is 32 minutes long.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Crown on the Ground
2. Infinity Guitars
3. Rill Rill
4. Tell ‘Em
5. Treats
6. Straight A’S
Skrillex
I caught Skrillex at Coachella last month, and wrote four paragraphs in my Day 1 Coachella review, which can be read here. I doubt you’ll see Korn, and the light show in the Banana Shack will be elementary compared to the insanity of the Sahara at Coachella, but it should be a fun show.
Suggested Tracks:
1/2. Do Da Oliphant (into) ---> With Your Friends
3. Reptile’s Theme (from Mortal Kombat)
4. Rock ‘N’ Roll
5. My Name Is Skrillex
6. Fucking Die 2 (I really enjoy a good love song)
7. Kill Everybody (sexy, seductive)
The Antlers
The Antlers are an indie rock band from Brooklyn. They burst on the scene following the strength of their 2009 album, Hospice, which received critical acclaim. I don’t really know anything about this band, but I know once Hospice caught my ear after about three listens, I wanted to hear it every morning for two weeks. I saw them live, before I became obsessed with Hospice, but they didn’t keep my attention. Maybe it was the most spectacularly beautiful performance of their career, but after Phantogram got my dancing shoes twitching, the Antlers didn’t match my mood.
Their songs are pretty mellow, actually, very depressing is a better description. The phrase “hospice” doesn’t exactly conjure up swell thoughts. You won’t pass crowds of people blaring the Antlers in the campground while shotgunning beers, and Foo Fighters fans need not apply. If you walk by their performance, you might not even want to stay. If their music has clicked with you though, you’re going to appreciate the slightly smaller crowd, and the beauty theses songs can offer. Their new album Burst Apart is as lovely as Hospice.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Sylvia
2. Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out
3. Two
4. Parentheses
5. No Widows
6. The Universe Is Going To Catch You
7. Bear
8. Putting The Dog To Sleep
Talkdemonic
Talkdemonic is a duo with a cute chick playing the viola, and her dad who mostly plays the drums. What? Okay, that was a joke, it's not really her dad on the drums, He might not be that much older than her either. Speaking of jokes, I caught the National a couple times last fall, the
second of which, Talkdemonic was an opener. Front man for the National, Matt Berninger, is pretty much a character, so he cracks a lot of jokes. Bands are basically required to thank their
opening band(s), and talk about how much they like hanging out with them and touring with them, and that sort of thing. So when one of the guitar players was thanking the openers, Matt followed it up with, "except Talkdemonic," joking about how much they don't get along. The thank yous came up again near the end of show, and again Matt pointed out, "except Talkdemonic." It was pretty obvious he was joking, but even more obvious to me because he used the same crack against a different opener the night before in Seattle. Hopefully they have a sense of humor.
Truth is, outside of their friends and family, I'm one of the biggest Talkdemonic fans attending the festival. I actually own three of their albums. Yeah, they have that many. There are no vocals, so it's just whatever they can play live on top of studio recorded material. It's great music to work to, lyrics being occasionally distracting. If you happen to catch their set at Sasquatch, tell the old dude I'm sorry.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Hillside Monarch
2. Ending The Orange Glow
3. Manhattan '81
4. Black Wood Crimson
5. Bering
So what did it take to make the Quadros cut? It’s pretty simple, I have to like the act’s music. The more positive things I can write about, the better chance they will end up here. Sure, I’ve added a couple bands I’m not too thrilled with, just because I knew their material well, but as we’re counting down the days until the festival, there are several bands I really enjoy who I haven’t written about yet.
Enter Sleigh Bells, who created one of my favorite albums from last year, Treats. You’ve probably already heard it, and formed an opinion of the band, but at least you can agree/disagree with the ordering of my suggested tracks. If you haven’t heard Treats, you must lead a very busy life. The best part about this album is the unique sound. Who else sounds like Sleigh Bells? The album has so far held up over time, meaning a lot of my favorites from 2010 have already been forgotten, yet I still find time to listen to Treats occasionally.
So what’s their live performance like? First off, it’s hard to imagine a woman with a mic, and a man with a guitar, can pull off all the different sounds you hear on the album, because, well, they can’t. One good thing about this fact, it’s (nearly) impossible for the show to be a true train wreck, since so much of the music is prerecorded. Wouldn’t it be cool to see five or six musicians on stage recreating the album live? While I didn’t care for their performance last fall, I still appreciated hearing their music being played so darn loud. I’m getting amped to see them again. And since the question was asked 43 times on the Sasquatch Message Board, Sleigh Bells set time is so short because Treats is their only album, and is 32 minutes long.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Crown on the Ground
2. Infinity Guitars
3. Rill Rill
4. Tell ‘Em
5. Treats
6. Straight A’S
Skrillex
I caught Skrillex at Coachella last month, and wrote four paragraphs in my Day 1 Coachella review, which can be read here. I doubt you’ll see Korn, and the light show in the Banana Shack will be elementary compared to the insanity of the Sahara at Coachella, but it should be a fun show.
Suggested Tracks:
1/2. Do Da Oliphant (into) ---> With Your Friends
3. Reptile’s Theme (from Mortal Kombat)
4. Rock ‘N’ Roll
5. My Name Is Skrillex
6. Fucking Die 2 (I really enjoy a good love song)
7. Kill Everybody (sexy, seductive)
The Antlers
The Antlers are an indie rock band from Brooklyn. They burst on the scene following the strength of their 2009 album, Hospice, which received critical acclaim. I don’t really know anything about this band, but I know once Hospice caught my ear after about three listens, I wanted to hear it every morning for two weeks. I saw them live, before I became obsessed with Hospice, but they didn’t keep my attention. Maybe it was the most spectacularly beautiful performance of their career, but after Phantogram got my dancing shoes twitching, the Antlers didn’t match my mood.
Their songs are pretty mellow, actually, very depressing is a better description. The phrase “hospice” doesn’t exactly conjure up swell thoughts. You won’t pass crowds of people blaring the Antlers in the campground while shotgunning beers, and Foo Fighters fans need not apply. If you walk by their performance, you might not even want to stay. If their music has clicked with you though, you’re going to appreciate the slightly smaller crowd, and the beauty theses songs can offer. Their new album Burst Apart is as lovely as Hospice.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Sylvia
2. Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out
3. Two
4. Parentheses
5. No Widows
6. The Universe Is Going To Catch You
7. Bear
8. Putting The Dog To Sleep
Talkdemonic
Talkdemonic is a duo with a cute chick playing the viola, and her dad who mostly plays the drums. What? Okay, that was a joke, it's not really her dad on the drums, He might not be that much older than her either. Speaking of jokes, I caught the National a couple times last fall, the
second of which, Talkdemonic was an opener. Front man for the National, Matt Berninger, is pretty much a character, so he cracks a lot of jokes. Bands are basically required to thank their
opening band(s), and talk about how much they like hanging out with them and touring with them, and that sort of thing. So when one of the guitar players was thanking the openers, Matt followed it up with, "except Talkdemonic," joking about how much they don't get along. The thank yous came up again near the end of show, and again Matt pointed out, "except Talkdemonic." It was pretty obvious he was joking, but even more obvious to me because he used the same crack against a different opener the night before in Seattle. Hopefully they have a sense of humor.
Truth is, outside of their friends and family, I'm one of the biggest Talkdemonic fans attending the festival. I actually own three of their albums. Yeah, they have that many. There are no vocals, so it's just whatever they can play live on top of studio recorded material. It's great music to work to, lyrics being occasionally distracting. If you happen to catch their set at Sasquatch, tell the old dude I'm sorry.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Hillside Monarch
2. Ending The Orange Glow
3. Manhattan '81
4. Black Wood Crimson
5. Bering
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Quadros 7: Modest Mouse, Beach House, Black Mountain, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
Modest Mouse
The band I've seen live the most. If you are an Internet nerd, you know Modest Mouse is a gigantic hit or miss live, and it usually had to do with Isaac Brock's level of energy/sanity. I saw their Portland residency in the fall of 2009, and every show was outstanding. The band went from a wall of anxiety to a group of professional musicians playing stellar music. One of my friends was so impressed, he accidentally included one of their 2009 shows in his top ten shows of 2010. He's old, poor guy.
I've seen Modest Mouse at their worst as well. In fact, every festival show I've seen of theirs has been awful to average. I've said in the past they don't care about the festival shows, but really care about their fans who pay $30 to see them locally. I think finally headlining Sasquatch will be different. I'm giving my personal guarantee that Modest Mouse will put on a hell of a show. Those of you skipping their set are going to miss something great.
If you are new to the band, I have one question, who are you? There are two schools of thought when it comes to Modest Mouse's music. There is the, "they used to be so good before they sold out," and the, "who is this band I've never heard of before the song Float On?" If you stray away from what is popular, the album you want to check out first is The Moon and Antarctica. If you are new to the band, and wear cologne, you want to check out Good News For People Who Love Bad News. They are both great in their own ways, but if you are undecided about which profile you fit, definitely go with The Moon and Antarctica first. One of the greatest qualities of Modest Mouse that still holds true to this day is they have an original sound. No one sounds like Modest Mouse.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes
2. Float On (haha, die hards now hate me for including this near the top, and by the way, get over yourself, it's a great song)
3. 3rd Planet
4. Never Ending Math Equation
5. Gravity Rides Everything
6. All Nite Diner
7. Dramamine
8. Paper Thin Walls
9. Ocean Breathes Salty
10. I Came As A Rat
11. Spitting Venom (they have closed with this song many times in the last couple years. They obviously like it)
12. King Rat (this song kind of sucks, but no other band can create a song sounding like this. It's also a blast live)
Beach House
Do you want to know what gets me excited? As I write this, I get to listen to Teen Dream to pick my favorite tracks. It was one of my top five albums from last year. It gets me as excited as listening to Kanye West's latest, and I'm a huge Kanye fan. I like to give every album five listens before I form an opinion, because it usually takes that long before the catchy/impressive stick out, but I recognized virtually every song on Teen Dream after three listens. It is pure pop gold, and anyone who doesn't list in their top 20 albums for 2010 either hates pop music, won't listen to it, or has terrible taste in music.
If you want a comparison, the lead singer sounds a lot like Stevie Nicks. It's nice they landed a main stage spot on the Sasquatch lineup, since they were victims of sound issues at Sasquatch 2009. Not only was the sound at the Yeti Stage a recurring issue, but the wind was blowing perfectly from the main stage where the Silversun Pickups were playing. At one point, I could hear Silversun more than Beach House. So sad. They are back though, and I'm glad I get the chance to see them with the beauty of the Gorge in the background. You won't be dancing, and you'll probably prefer this show from the hill, but it will be Gorge-ous.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Zebra
2. Norway
3. Take Care (if you want to sing me this song when I'm under the weather, I might fall in love)
4. Walk in the Park
5. Wedding Bells
6. Used To Be
7. Silver Soul
8. Apple Orchard
9. Gila
Black Mountain
A friend turned me onto Black Mountain a couple years ago. I was working when I first listened to them, so I wasn't giving the album my full undivided attention, but I formed an opinion based on the general sound. The email I sent him read something like this, "It sounds like a dude started a metal band that couldn't hit it big, then he started dating a chick who wants to sing in a band. She then convinces him that they need to add her and become more indie, because that's what is popular these days, but the rest of the band doesn't like her and is revolting." For those who know the band, this statement is probably funny for its inaccuracy, but there is an underlying truth to it. The band has metal-like tendencies, but are very much indie-rock. It's like if you crossed Arcade Fire with Type O Negative, but a lot less excruciating.
Black Mountain hails from Vancouver, so all the Canadians who read this will be stoked. Sasquatch will be my first time seeing them, and I'm pretty darn excited. They are in my top ten even. I hope no one is keeping track of how many top ten acts I have, because it's probably close to eighteen.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Tyrants
2. Stormy High
3. Don't Run Our Hearts Around
4. Faulty Times
5. The Hair Song
6. Druganaut
7. Old Fangs
8. Wilderness Heart
9. Stay Free
Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears
If you happen to catch this band, I believe they will be one your top ten highlights of the festival. I'm not really into their recorded material, but they are so much fun live. Therefore, I'll keep the suggested tracks short. Everything you need to know about this band live I stated in my review of their recent Portland show.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Get Yo Shit
2. Gunpowder
3. Big Booty Woman
4. Bitch, I Love You
The band I've seen live the most. If you are an Internet nerd, you know Modest Mouse is a gigantic hit or miss live, and it usually had to do with Isaac Brock's level of energy/sanity. I saw their Portland residency in the fall of 2009, and every show was outstanding. The band went from a wall of anxiety to a group of professional musicians playing stellar music. One of my friends was so impressed, he accidentally included one of their 2009 shows in his top ten shows of 2010. He's old, poor guy.
I've seen Modest Mouse at their worst as well. In fact, every festival show I've seen of theirs has been awful to average. I've said in the past they don't care about the festival shows, but really care about their fans who pay $30 to see them locally. I think finally headlining Sasquatch will be different. I'm giving my personal guarantee that Modest Mouse will put on a hell of a show. Those of you skipping their set are going to miss something great.
If you are new to the band, I have one question, who are you? There are two schools of thought when it comes to Modest Mouse's music. There is the, "they used to be so good before they sold out," and the, "who is this band I've never heard of before the song Float On?" If you stray away from what is popular, the album you want to check out first is The Moon and Antarctica. If you are new to the band, and wear cologne, you want to check out Good News For People Who Love Bad News. They are both great in their own ways, but if you are undecided about which profile you fit, definitely go with The Moon and Antarctica first. One of the greatest qualities of Modest Mouse that still holds true to this day is they have an original sound. No one sounds like Modest Mouse.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes
2. Float On (haha, die hards now hate me for including this near the top, and by the way, get over yourself, it's a great song)
3. 3rd Planet
4. Never Ending Math Equation
5. Gravity Rides Everything
6. All Nite Diner
7. Dramamine
8. Paper Thin Walls
9. Ocean Breathes Salty
10. I Came As A Rat
11. Spitting Venom (they have closed with this song many times in the last couple years. They obviously like it)
12. King Rat (this song kind of sucks, but no other band can create a song sounding like this. It's also a blast live)
Beach House
Do you want to know what gets me excited? As I write this, I get to listen to Teen Dream to pick my favorite tracks. It was one of my top five albums from last year. It gets me as excited as listening to Kanye West's latest, and I'm a huge Kanye fan. I like to give every album five listens before I form an opinion, because it usually takes that long before the catchy/impressive stick out, but I recognized virtually every song on Teen Dream after three listens. It is pure pop gold, and anyone who doesn't list in their top 20 albums for 2010 either hates pop music, won't listen to it, or has terrible taste in music.
If you want a comparison, the lead singer sounds a lot like Stevie Nicks. It's nice they landed a main stage spot on the Sasquatch lineup, since they were victims of sound issues at Sasquatch 2009. Not only was the sound at the Yeti Stage a recurring issue, but the wind was blowing perfectly from the main stage where the Silversun Pickups were playing. At one point, I could hear Silversun more than Beach House. So sad. They are back though, and I'm glad I get the chance to see them with the beauty of the Gorge in the background. You won't be dancing, and you'll probably prefer this show from the hill, but it will be Gorge-ous.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Zebra
2. Norway
3. Take Care (if you want to sing me this song when I'm under the weather, I might fall in love)
4. Walk in the Park
5. Wedding Bells
6. Used To Be
7. Silver Soul
8. Apple Orchard
9. Gila
Black Mountain
A friend turned me onto Black Mountain a couple years ago. I was working when I first listened to them, so I wasn't giving the album my full undivided attention, but I formed an opinion based on the general sound. The email I sent him read something like this, "It sounds like a dude started a metal band that couldn't hit it big, then he started dating a chick who wants to sing in a band. She then convinces him that they need to add her and become more indie, because that's what is popular these days, but the rest of the band doesn't like her and is revolting." For those who know the band, this statement is probably funny for its inaccuracy, but there is an underlying truth to it. The band has metal-like tendencies, but are very much indie-rock. It's like if you crossed Arcade Fire with Type O Negative, but a lot less excruciating.
Black Mountain hails from Vancouver, so all the Canadians who read this will be stoked. Sasquatch will be my first time seeing them, and I'm pretty darn excited. They are in my top ten even. I hope no one is keeping track of how many top ten acts I have, because it's probably close to eighteen.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Tyrants
2. Stormy High
3. Don't Run Our Hearts Around
4. Faulty Times
5. The Hair Song
6. Druganaut
7. Old Fangs
8. Wilderness Heart
9. Stay Free
Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears
If you happen to catch this band, I believe they will be one your top ten highlights of the festival. I'm not really into their recorded material, but they are so much fun live. Therefore, I'll keep the suggested tracks short. Everything you need to know about this band live I stated in my review of their recent Portland show.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Get Yo Shit
2. Gunpowder
3. Big Booty Woman
4. Bitch, I Love You
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Quadros 6: Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Robyn, Archers of Loaf, Mariachi El Bronx
Rodrigo Y Gabriela
It surprises me when people say things like, "I hate that band." I can't say I hate any band who hasn't personally done me wrong, and that includes those who create music making me want to tie the noose tight and pull. Okay, to be fair, maybe I hate Owl City?
When discussing bands you "hate," the band least likely to show up on any list is Rodrigo Y Gabriela, yet no one seems to be excited for their return to Sasquatch? You can't say, "I don't like their voices," because neither of them sing. You can't say, "They are too loud," because it's two acoustic guitars. You can't say, "They are too soft," because their style is influenced by metal music, including Metallica and Slayer. You can't say, "they are ugly," because they are an attractive duo (and yes, Gabriela's accent might have made me weak in the knees once or twice). What is not to like about them?
Gabriela is rhythm guitar/rhythm section. She uses her hands to slap the guitar creating the percussion background in between doing her (often cross handed) finger pickings. Rodrigo is the lead guitar, but also joins in on the guitar slapping occasionally. How many acoustic guitarists have you seen tune the sound their guitar makes while tapping it? Maybe the only fair criticism I've heard is that they aren't real flamenco, but a bastardized form of flamenco which they basically invented. So maybe flamenco traditionalist have a reason to "hate" Rodrigo Y Gabriela, but I don't suspect there will be too many flamenco traditionalist attending Sasquatch.
The only thing that scares me away from Rodrigo Y Gabriella's live shows is the $40 ticket price, which is half the cost of your Sasquatch day pass. So I'm not trying to talk you into spending your gas money to catch their show, but if you are already there, I highly recommend strolling by, even if only for a song or two. You'll want to stay. Plus, they are doing the film score for the new Pirates of the Caribbean film, with the soundtrack scheduled to be released as early as next week. Don't you like Johnny Depp? I didn't even mention how Gabriela broke a string at Sasquatch 08, followed by a expletive, and a comparison to a Spinal Tap moment (so cute), while Rodrigo instinctively wowed the crowd with an amazing solo while she had her string fixed, which took way longer than expected. It was one of the highlights of the festival.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Hunuman (keep in mind this is two acoustic guitars. You can really get the difference between the rhythm of Gabriella and the lead of Rodrigo here)
2. Orion (Metallica cover)
3. Santo Domingo
4. Tamacun
5. Buster Voodoo
6. Diablo Rojo
7. Ixtapa
8. Savitri
9. Stairway To Heaven (Peter Frampton cover)
Robyn
I'll admit, I avoided Robyn for way too long. Everything I've heard about her made me think she is right up my alley, but I never gave her a chance until she landed on the Sasquatch lineup. She makes me feel like a teenager, a teenage girl at that. Ok, that was meant to get a laugh out of those who know me. Her music hits me like Madonna hit me when I was a kid. Yes, I'm admitting that too.
Robyn was apparently a pretty big pop star in the 90s. I don't recall, I was listening to Phish. But her comeback includes some seriously catchy electro beats. You could delete her voice, and several of her songs would hold their own as instrumentals (but why would you want to delete such a voice). I caught about fifteen minutes of her set at Coachella, and it was a blast. She has a ton of energy on stage, jumping and skipping around, breaking into the workout video type calorie burning dancing that neither you or I can pull off. I'm looking forward to catching more of her set this time. A word to any of the dudes/bros reading this, put your masculinity aside for a second, check out the tracks listed below, and get ready to dance awkwardly.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Dancing On My Own
2. With Every Heartbeat
3. Indestructible
4. Hang With Me
5. Fembot (maybe one of her most popular, but no 16 year-old connection with this one)
6. Love Kills
7. Criminal Intent
8. Show Me Love
9. Don't Fucking Tell Me What To Do
10. In My Eyes
11. Time Machine
12. U Should Know Better (just cuz I like Snoop Dogg, fo shizzle)
Archers of Loaf
One thing that makes Coachella such a respected festival is the reunion bands. It seems like they get bands to reunite just for the festival. Sasquatch doesn't get that, "wow, that band is getting back together?" If you want to get technical, Jane's Addiction's first reunion festival was Sasquatch, and Pavement was announced at Sasquatch before Coachella, but everyone knew those two bands were getting back together. When the Sasquatch lineup was announced, most outside of North Carolina had no idea Archers of Loaf were reuniting.
Archers of Loaf would be best described as indie rock, but they have a much heavier punk influence than what is known as indie rock these days. My introduction to this band was their final studio album, White Trash Heroes. The trio of songs "Slick Tracks And Bright Lights," "One Slight Wrong Move," and "Bang On A Dead Drum" (which they allegedly switched instruments for fun) shows how diverse that album is. The first of said trio is a sensitive singer/songwriter tune, the second is a straight up great rock song, the third is an experience in vocal noise and slide guitar. I love White Trash Heroes, so if you want an album suggestion instead of track suggestions, start there.
My favorite part about the schedule announcement is Archers of Loaf not conflicting with the Flaming Lips (it looked as though they might). They have played one reunion show so far, have one scheduled for the week before Sasquatch, then play their third show in 12 years at Sasquatch. It's a pretty big deal. I won't miss a note of this set.
Suggested Tracks:
1. One Slight Wrong Move
2. Wrong
3. Web in Front
4. Bacteria (six minute up and down song)
5. Revenge
6. Power Walker (I had to include this for comedy purposes)
7. Slick Tracks And Bright Lights
8. What Did You Expect?
9. Slow Worm
10. Quinn Beast (this song is pretty cheesy, but somehow caught my ear every time I heard it)
11. Sick File (Nice and short punk song)
12. Backwash
Mariachi El Bronx
One thing I love about music festivals is getting to see so many different styles of music in one weekend. You don't have to see every singer/songwriter, or every indie rock band, or every electronic act. You can mix it up and see music you wouldn't normally pay for (or headliners you wouldn't normally pay for like the Foo Fighters). This is the reason I made a point to catch Mariachi El Bronx at Coachella recently. I've never seen a Mariachi band live outside of the ghetto version played at local restaurants. You know what, it was awesome. Granted, they were first up on a side stage early in the day, and I was basically laying in the grass wishing my life would end, but they entertained.
If you haven't already heard, this band is basically an experiment/side project of the band "The Bronx," who are playing the same night. So a hardcore band decided to tune it down and make a Mariachi album. The biggest travesty about music fans these days is the lack of diversity, so hopefully they turned a couple hardcore fans onto a new genre? I didn't get close enough at their Coachella set to see if their collars were covering up neck tatoos, or if their festive hats were covering up mohawks. Thus, I am anxiously waiting to get up close for this.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Quinceniera
2. Cell Mates
3. Silver or Lead
4. Sleepwalking
5. My Love
It surprises me when people say things like, "I hate that band." I can't say I hate any band who hasn't personally done me wrong, and that includes those who create music making me want to tie the noose tight and pull. Okay, to be fair, maybe I hate Owl City?
When discussing bands you "hate," the band least likely to show up on any list is Rodrigo Y Gabriela, yet no one seems to be excited for their return to Sasquatch? You can't say, "I don't like their voices," because neither of them sing. You can't say, "They are too loud," because it's two acoustic guitars. You can't say, "They are too soft," because their style is influenced by metal music, including Metallica and Slayer. You can't say, "they are ugly," because they are an attractive duo (and yes, Gabriela's accent might have made me weak in the knees once or twice). What is not to like about them?
Gabriela is rhythm guitar/rhythm section. She uses her hands to slap the guitar creating the percussion background in between doing her (often cross handed) finger pickings. Rodrigo is the lead guitar, but also joins in on the guitar slapping occasionally. How many acoustic guitarists have you seen tune the sound their guitar makes while tapping it? Maybe the only fair criticism I've heard is that they aren't real flamenco, but a bastardized form of flamenco which they basically invented. So maybe flamenco traditionalist have a reason to "hate" Rodrigo Y Gabriela, but I don't suspect there will be too many flamenco traditionalist attending Sasquatch.
The only thing that scares me away from Rodrigo Y Gabriella's live shows is the $40 ticket price, which is half the cost of your Sasquatch day pass. So I'm not trying to talk you into spending your gas money to catch their show, but if you are already there, I highly recommend strolling by, even if only for a song or two. You'll want to stay. Plus, they are doing the film score for the new Pirates of the Caribbean film, with the soundtrack scheduled to be released as early as next week. Don't you like Johnny Depp? I didn't even mention how Gabriela broke a string at Sasquatch 08, followed by a expletive, and a comparison to a Spinal Tap moment (so cute), while Rodrigo instinctively wowed the crowd with an amazing solo while she had her string fixed, which took way longer than expected. It was one of the highlights of the festival.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Hunuman (keep in mind this is two acoustic guitars. You can really get the difference between the rhythm of Gabriella and the lead of Rodrigo here)
2. Orion (Metallica cover)
3. Santo Domingo
4. Tamacun
5. Buster Voodoo
6. Diablo Rojo
7. Ixtapa
8. Savitri
9. Stairway To Heaven (Peter Frampton cover)
Robyn
I'll admit, I avoided Robyn for way too long. Everything I've heard about her made me think she is right up my alley, but I never gave her a chance until she landed on the Sasquatch lineup. She makes me feel like a teenager, a teenage girl at that. Ok, that was meant to get a laugh out of those who know me. Her music hits me like Madonna hit me when I was a kid. Yes, I'm admitting that too.
Robyn was apparently a pretty big pop star in the 90s. I don't recall, I was listening to Phish. But her comeback includes some seriously catchy electro beats. You could delete her voice, and several of her songs would hold their own as instrumentals (but why would you want to delete such a voice). I caught about fifteen minutes of her set at Coachella, and it was a blast. She has a ton of energy on stage, jumping and skipping around, breaking into the workout video type calorie burning dancing that neither you or I can pull off. I'm looking forward to catching more of her set this time. A word to any of the dudes/bros reading this, put your masculinity aside for a second, check out the tracks listed below, and get ready to dance awkwardly.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Dancing On My Own
2. With Every Heartbeat
3. Indestructible
4. Hang With Me
5. Fembot (maybe one of her most popular, but no 16 year-old connection with this one)
6. Love Kills
7. Criminal Intent
8. Show Me Love
9. Don't Fucking Tell Me What To Do
10. In My Eyes
11. Time Machine
12. U Should Know Better (just cuz I like Snoop Dogg, fo shizzle)
Archers of Loaf
One thing that makes Coachella such a respected festival is the reunion bands. It seems like they get bands to reunite just for the festival. Sasquatch doesn't get that, "wow, that band is getting back together?" If you want to get technical, Jane's Addiction's first reunion festival was Sasquatch, and Pavement was announced at Sasquatch before Coachella, but everyone knew those two bands were getting back together. When the Sasquatch lineup was announced, most outside of North Carolina had no idea Archers of Loaf were reuniting.
Archers of Loaf would be best described as indie rock, but they have a much heavier punk influence than what is known as indie rock these days. My introduction to this band was their final studio album, White Trash Heroes. The trio of songs "Slick Tracks And Bright Lights," "One Slight Wrong Move," and "Bang On A Dead Drum" (which they allegedly switched instruments for fun) shows how diverse that album is. The first of said trio is a sensitive singer/songwriter tune, the second is a straight up great rock song, the third is an experience in vocal noise and slide guitar. I love White Trash Heroes, so if you want an album suggestion instead of track suggestions, start there.
My favorite part about the schedule announcement is Archers of Loaf not conflicting with the Flaming Lips (it looked as though they might). They have played one reunion show so far, have one scheduled for the week before Sasquatch, then play their third show in 12 years at Sasquatch. It's a pretty big deal. I won't miss a note of this set.
Suggested Tracks:
1. One Slight Wrong Move
2. Wrong
3. Web in Front
4. Bacteria (six minute up and down song)
5. Revenge
6. Power Walker (I had to include this for comedy purposes)
7. Slick Tracks And Bright Lights
8. What Did You Expect?
9. Slow Worm
10. Quinn Beast (this song is pretty cheesy, but somehow caught my ear every time I heard it)
11. Sick File (Nice and short punk song)
12. Backwash
Mariachi El Bronx
One thing I love about music festivals is getting to see so many different styles of music in one weekend. You don't have to see every singer/songwriter, or every indie rock band, or every electronic act. You can mix it up and see music you wouldn't normally pay for (or headliners you wouldn't normally pay for like the Foo Fighters). This is the reason I made a point to catch Mariachi El Bronx at Coachella recently. I've never seen a Mariachi band live outside of the ghetto version played at local restaurants. You know what, it was awesome. Granted, they were first up on a side stage early in the day, and I was basically laying in the grass wishing my life would end, but they entertained.
If you haven't already heard, this band is basically an experiment/side project of the band "The Bronx," who are playing the same night. So a hardcore band decided to tune it down and make a Mariachi album. The biggest travesty about music fans these days is the lack of diversity, so hopefully they turned a couple hardcore fans onto a new genre? I didn't get close enough at their Coachella set to see if their collars were covering up neck tatoos, or if their festive hats were covering up mohawks. Thus, I am anxiously waiting to get up close for this.
Suggested Tracks:
1. Quinceniera
2. Cell Mates
3. Silver or Lead
4. Sleepwalking
5. My Love
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
Additions/Subtractions, and Lineup Changes
May 2nd: DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid knows somebody, I mean was added to Friday, to complete the four day sweep. S. Carey was moved from Monday to Sunday.
April 25th: Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears added to Sunday, replacing the Villagers (Live review of Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears recent Portland show here).
April 24th: Mariachi El Bronx added to Friday
April 4th: The Glitch Mob added to Saturday, replacing CSS
March 23rd: Typhoon added to Sunday
March 15th: Matt McCarthy (comedian) added to Saturday
March 14th: Seattle Rock Orchestra (performing Radiohead) added to Saturday. I'm calling it right now, the lineup for Sasquatch 2012 will feature Seattle Rock Orchestra performing Pearl Jam.
March 9th: Bob Mould added to Friday
March 4th: Biffy Clyro added to Friday
March 3rd: The Scott Aukerman & Paul F. Tompkins Show added to Monday
March 2nd: Wavves added to Monday
March 1st: Hari Kondabolu (Comedian) added to Sunday
February 16th: MSTRKRFT and Major Lazer switched days
February 15th: DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid added to Saturday, Sunday, and Monday
February 11th: Givers added to Monday
February 8th: J. Mascis added to Saturday, Head Like A Kite added to Monday
February 7th: Death From Above 1979, Tokyo Police Club (Neither were on the original poster)
April 25th: Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears added to Sunday, replacing the Villagers (Live review of Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears recent Portland show here).
April 24th: Mariachi El Bronx added to Friday
April 4th: The Glitch Mob added to Saturday, replacing CSS
March 23rd: Typhoon added to Sunday
March 15th: Matt McCarthy (comedian) added to Saturday
March 14th: Seattle Rock Orchestra (performing Radiohead) added to Saturday. I'm calling it right now, the lineup for Sasquatch 2012 will feature Seattle Rock Orchestra performing Pearl Jam.
March 9th: Bob Mould added to Friday
March 4th: Biffy Clyro added to Friday
March 3rd: The Scott Aukerman & Paul F. Tompkins Show added to Monday
March 2nd: Wavves added to Monday
March 1st: Hari Kondabolu (Comedian) added to Sunday
February 16th: MSTRKRFT and Major Lazer switched days
February 15th: DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid added to Saturday, Sunday, and Monday
February 11th: Givers added to Monday
February 8th: J. Mascis added to Saturday, Head Like A Kite added to Monday
February 7th: Death From Above 1979, Tokyo Police Club (Neither were on the original poster)
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