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Monday, Mar 22, 2010
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| Ten acts worth a trip to the Gorge and Sasquatch Festival | ||
| by Albert Rodriguez -
SGN A&E Writer Sasquatch Music Festival May 24-26 - all day The Gorge Amphitheatre $76.50 per day The lineup for this weekend's Sasquatch Music Festival isn't as strong as the roster for Pemberton, Bonnaroo, Austin City Limits, or Coachella fests - yet it's still worthy of carpooling with friends to Eastern Washington and busting out that early summer tan. The Gorge, two hours from Seattle, will see the usual college brats and dreadlocked neo-hippies show up for dozens of national touring acts performing on four stages, plus a newly added comedy tent. This late in the ballgame, vacancy at nearby motels is scare, so be prepared to camp if you're going multiple days. Pack your own munchies because the on-premise food is barely edible and the lines are ridiculously long. Lastly, I suggest taking warm sweaters and blankets because the temperature drops dramatically in the evening. That said, here are 10 acts to ponder making the drive to Sasquatch for. Death Cab for Cutie Sunday, Main Stage, 8:15 p.m. Multi Grammy-nominated Death Cab for Cutie just released Narrow Stairs, a superb and moodier follow-up to 2005's Plans. Hopefully, they'll mix in somber pieces with more upbeat fare such as "Sound of Settling," "Soul Meets Body," and "The New Year." Frontman Ben Gibbard is an icon for the urban nerd, a 30-something with oversized glasses and a wardrobe that suggests garage sale vs. retail chain. We love these guys for putting Seattle on the map post-Nirvana, and their Gay hipster fan base should turn out at The Gorge to support them. Matt Costa Monday, Main Stage, 1:05 p.m. Monday brunch with Matt Costa and a backdrop of the Columbia River? Sounds good to me. The Southern California native is a popular choice amongst indie pop followers, creating songs that are catchy, witty, bubbly, and so darn wonderful. Listen for "Sunshine," "Sweet Thursday," "Mr. Pitiful," and his best cut "Behind the Moon." Costa is our feature artist interview for Sasquatch this year, see "The Music Lounge" to learn more about him. M.I.A. Saturday, Main Stage, 6:50 p.m. The minute I heard M.I.A.'s "Bucky Done Gun" in 2006, I was hooked. The Sri Lankan-born dancehall princess is a hit with the Gay boys, and she knows it, and they'll hopefully rush to the main stage when she jumps on it Saturday evening. I'm not a fan of her bobbed hair, so hopefully she'll glue some extensions onto it and look dazzling. The pit will go wild when she does "Jimmy." Modest Mouse Saturday, Main Stage, 8:15 p.m. Indie powerhouse Modest Mouse, based out of Issaquah though mostly residing in Oregon, is currently touring with R.E.M. and they'll open for them again on Sasquatch's first of three days. With the exception of last year's disco-rock single "Dashboard," the six-piece (Johnny Marr is a full-time member now) has pretty much stuck to its atmospheric, underground sound. Listen for "The World at Large," "Float On," and "Ocean Breathes Salty," and honk if you think Isaac Brock is hot. R.E.M. Saturday, Main Stage, 10 p.m. Rock veterans R.E.M, a trio these days with Michael Stipe, Mike Mills and longtime Seattle resident Peter Buck, went back to basics on their new album Accelerate. But it's hits like "Losing My Religion," "Orange Crush" and "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" that everyone really wants to hear. Stipe will be his flamboyant self, guitars will be loud, a touring drummer will round out the once-quartet, and they'll probably sound as tight as ever. The Blakes Sunday, Yeti Stage, 5:25 p.m. Seattle's best recording artist sans a major label contract (and they like it that way) is The Blakes, and it's a downright shame they weren't put on the main stage where they belong. Siblings Garnet and Snow Keim, who once scraped up enough dough for a McDonald's lunch, and bandmate Bob Husak, sold out premier venues in Europe this spring with The Kills and The Gossip. If you don't start bouncing to "Two Times," see a doctor about a pulse. The Cure Sunday, Main Stage, 10 p.m. Goth-punk legends The Cure are sure to draw an all-black attired crowd, with matching eyebrows if we're lucky, when they close down the fort on Sunday night. Their set list could roll out pop-wave classics like "The Love Cats," "Boys Don't Cry," "Just Like Heaven," and my personal favorite "Why Can't I Be You?" Lead singer Robert Smith will either look like a leftover Halloween prop or something from a circus roadshow, though he'll sound incredible. The Hives Monday, Main Stage, 2:10 p.m. Sweden's fashion-forward rockers The Hives are all about fun; just scroll through their song titles that includes "Abra Cadaver" and "You Dress Up for Armageddon." Howlin' Pelle Almqvist, the quintet's front and center, will be all over that stage - looking dapper, of course. The group's newest effort, The Black and White Album, is loaded with goodies sure to be played at Sasquatch and they'll certainly reach back to 2004's Tyrannosaurus Hives and '00's Veni Vidi Vicious. The Kooks Sunday, Wookie Stage, 7:15 p.m. The world has fallen head over heels for UK quartets, one of them being The Kooks. I must admit, the foursome's single "Always Where I Need to Be" is a must for the summer barbeque and lead singer Luke Pritchard has creeped himself into my daydreams, so call me a Kook convert. The group looks to be a solid contender for a Mercury Music Prize nomination in November and I expect Brit Award nods will follow. On the Wookie Stage, they'll kick it into high gear. White Rabbits Sunday, Wookie Stage, 3:40 p.m. Making their Sasquatch debut is Brooklyn sextet White Rabbits, a dynamite ska-rock-punk-jazzy-everything under the sink kind of band. The Wookie Stage, wherever it's at, doesn't do them justice because they're as talented as their same-day fellow main stage performers. Not sure what they'll sound like outdoors, but if it's anything close to their November concert at Neumos - well then, add some rubber to those flip-flops because "While We Go Dancing" will get you moving. |
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