After seeing the lineup of Sasquatch this year I almost wanted to ditch that whole “photographer” gig and just go as a fan. A fan of so many bands throwing down at the festival that I wanted to stay and watch each act to the end (a luxury not given to those who have 50 bands to cover and only the first 10-15 minutes or so of each performance to shoot). Their songs had penetrated my most often selected playlists and had often sound-tracked my long days editing content at Amazon or bike rides through Venice and since the move, Seattle. Obviously my love for my craft led me to the right decision. Packing my camera gear, Hilary, a tent, and some basic supplies we headed out across the state to hit what I consider to be the greatest music venue I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
We arrived at the festival only to find out that the campground area of the
Gorge had filled to capacity (something about overbooking the festival by some 1500 people) and we were to be camped in a parking lot close to the entrance. We drove out over the long bladed grass, parked and began setting up camp. It was game time, in the next 4 days we would cover 50 unique and dynamic groups across 4 stages at the edge of some of the most beautiful scenery one could ask for.
Petite Chloe Chaidez flit around the venue saying hello to friends in her hometown as if they had come to see her high school play or ballet recital. Quite to the contrary, with her band she was about to rock the house. Charging the stage with full energy, she opened the set with a cover of Joy Divisions “Transmission” and while it’s quite a risk to cover such a well-loved band, Kitten pulled it off with ease.
With each song, Chloe danced the stage into submission, commanding attention of the whole room. As young as she is, her demeanor was dark and brooding, flinging herself like a broken doll. She rocked “Japanese Eyes” and then my favorite new track from her upcoming full length “Apples and Cigarettes” (I’d like to think per my request). It was the only song in the set that she slowed down to catch her breath and it was sensational. She flashed through “Kill the Light” from the Sunday School EP, a new one “Hot Rod,” a personal favorite “Johnny Johnny Johnny,” and another newer one “Catholic Boys,” among other tracks. She closed with “Kitten with a Whip” from the EP. She barely stop for a second, whirring and writhing around the stage. The performance was spectacular, fascinating, and made everyone observing pine for more of this great band.
If you haven’t gotten to see them live yet, they’ll be on the road all summer (tour dates below). Also, if you haven’t read it yet, I had a great interview with Chloe just a few days earlier.
A few weeks ago I had a pleasantly surprised to find an amazing band playing at Redwood when just grabbing a drink with a friend. As I saw them assembling their gear, I became more and more curious of the mystery band. A whole stage full of instruments that could belong to 10 bluegrass band players, Seryn finally took the stage. Their dynamics were amazing, building a complete soundcape with every instrument and vocal part intertwining intricately. It’s as if Freelance Whales decided to make a Mumford and Sons record with Greg Laswell as the front man (and it could not have been a better combination). I was so in awe of them live that I was completely fixated and harassed them the next day for a copy of their recent record This Is Where We Are. Although the record isn’t as visceral and tangible as their live show, both are supreme. I decided to ask Nathan and Chelsea of the Denton band a few questions…
Listen to “We Will All Be Changed” by Seryn:
S: So first off, I saw your guys’ set at Redwoods in Los Angeles and your live show is pretty spectacular and dynamic. Was a great introduction to the band. Had you played Los Angeles before?
Nathan: Thanks so much! Glad you made it out. We have never played in LA before, so it was a great first night there.
S: Did you get to do anything exciting while you were in town? Do any sightseeing?
Nathan: We spent a few hours down in Huntington Beach. We don’t really have Pacific Oceans in Texas, so it was a must.
S: You guys have been touring almost non-stop all year, including a highly-praised stint at SXSW in Austin. Is it taxing to be on the road so much or do you love it? And what have been some of the highlights? (more…)
It would be easy, having been a fan of The Honorary Title, to spend a whole review comparing Jarrod Gorbel’s solo material to his old work as part of the band. I will do my best to refrain.
Jarrod Gorbel’s work as a solo artist is not far from his previous project, except with a folky twang. The stage set-up included a violinist and back-up vocalist Abby and keyboard player Dustin. Gorbel’s voice fills a room and soars with all it’s imperfections, pleading each word in songs like “Desperate Hands” and “Miserable Without You.” Always a trademark of Gorbel, his voice was perfection in every imperfection and every wavering note last week at The Troubadour in Los Angeles. “Miserable Without You” was a great rendition of his song from his recent EP Bruises From Your Bad Dreams named from a line in the song. I liked Abby’s voice and her violin skills were fantastic.
Gorbel seems to be in constant apology with lyrics pegging him the victim and the villain in alternating songs. However, it’s his puppy dog eyes and sweet vocals that make you forgive him every time, connecting you to him and begging him for more.
Listen to “Miserable Without You” featuring Nicole Atkins:
If you haven’t gotten “Bruises From Your Bad Dreams” yet, it’s worth far more than the $5 it’ll cost you on iTunes.
To be completely honest, I did not know what to expect from the Sleigh Bells. I was worried that picking Sleigh Bells over Death Cab for Cutie would haunt my memories of Sasquatch 2011 forever. The Banana Shack was full to capacity and after a thirty-minute wait because of technical difficulties, the lights turned off and Derek Miller began blasting guitar riffs of “Iron Man” that energized the youthful crowd. Lead singer Alexis Krauss would help Miller with her dynamic vocals and her ability to hypnotize the body and force it to dance. Within the first three songs of their set, I could not help but to dance and fall in love with this noise pop duo. The combination of Miller and Krauss with the light show and Sasquatch crowd was perfect. “Crown on the Ground” is still ringing in my head and I hope it never leaves.
The Antlers by Ernest A. Jasmin (weeklyvolcano.com)
One performance I thought was one of the best-kept secrets at Sasquatch was The Antlers. While the majority people where at Iron & Wine, I stuck around the Bigfoot Stage to see what this Brooklyn indie rock group had to offer.
The Antlers brought the heat with incredible instrumentals especially from Darby Cicci on the keyboards. The organ-like sounds flowed perfectly with Peter Silberman’s vocals creating the perfect mood. The set was a great way to start the night performances. Performing their single “Two” for their final song was the cherry on top of the sundae for me. Overall, I loved every second of the Antlers’ set.
At the start of the set, the Banana Shack was only halfway filled. By the time he finished, there was a crowd cheering outside of the tent. Flying Lotus was by far the most surprising performance of the weekend. Producer Steve Ellison smiled the entire set as he was breaking down experimental, downtempo beats heightening the crowd’s energy. Flying Lotus laid down the law by playing tracks off his albums Los Angeles and Cosmogramma, but got everyone dancing and singing when he playing Tyler, The Creator’s smash hit “Goblin” and Prodigy’s “Return of the Mack”. What I liked most about Fly Lo’s set was that it was not predictable and every song was transitioned perfectly. Flying Lotus’ sixty minute masterpiece exceeded my expectations and turned out to be one of if not the best set at Sasquatch.
Listen to “Carpet Carpet Carpet “07 Rough Loop mix2″:
When a performer walks onto a stage wearing a white flared jumpsuit and a red boa about their neck, you aren’t quite sure what to expect. However, the real intrigue began after the music started to play. Unable to pigeonhole Head Like a Kite into a genre, I will describe it as: Funk/Hip-Hop/Electronica/Indie/Rock/Pop. The leader of this curious small symphony of sounds, Seattle native Dave Einmo commanded the audience’s attention. Known for sampling his own instrumentals into layers of different harmonies, his performance is often described as magical. This was no exception. With special guests including Tilson and a dancing panda, the afternoon lull quickly turned into a dance party, fog machine and all.
This particular show had been over ten years in the making for me, ever since the debut of Swagger in 2000. In the years since, for some reason or another, I have missed seeing Flogging Molly. Not that I haven’t had my chances, this band spends the majority of their time on tour amidst their fans. Throughout the years they have evolved from more than an old world Celtic/punk fusion; with their more recent album Float they finally have brought a sense of harmony as well as maturity to the music.
Speaking of peace in Ireland and the world, their political messages both in the music and displayed through the images on either side of the stage were poignant and powerful. I soaked in my view from the main floor of both the stage and Gorge below, shoulder to shoulder with throngs of excited fans; the air was electric. Irish flags waved proudly, and with happy determination this band proved how much they truly love the music and fans. Performing their recent single “Don’t Shut ‘Em Down”, they addressed the widespread unemployment, ever advocates of the working class. In the decade since their beginning, the force behind this enigmatic family of musicians has only increased. With a growing fan base and an ever-evolving sound, Flogging Molly continues to provoke thought and action through their music. Worth the wait, the time passed much too fast…. and in a blink of an eye I found myself anticipating future shows, hoping it wouldn’t be another ten years.
