.
Finally, here is my report from the desert lands of Central Washington on what I can recall of Sasquatch.
We made our way across the mountains early Sturday morning in a borrowed Land Cruiser able to do a max 55 mph over the Pass, and into the arid climate where the Gorge was situated. After hastily setting up our camp site, we guzzled a couple beers and headed into the venue under a scorching sun. I'll probably repeat how hot it was several times... or look at the photos to see all the sun-fucked people. Unfortunately we didn't have enough time to drink massive amounts of beer before seeing U.S.E and Arcade Fire, but it probably worked to our advantage: we weren't hungover at 4 PM.
We rushed down to the main stage as U.S.E. was playing Nightshift. Not my favorite song, but the crowd was already dancing... pretty awesome for some tortuous weather and a noon timeslot. They followed with (I believe?) Open your Eyes, which made me happy. That was all that we saw of them, before they went off stage...only playing about 5-6 songs total in the half hour they were given. I kept closing my eyes imagining how awesome they were at Pianos during CMJ, and how drunk I had been. Not to be. There are currently about to tour the West coast with the Hold Steady, and we can only hope they come back east with them.
.
Next up was Bloc Party, and technical difficulties began as they would continue for other bands later on in different forms. Different bands reacted differently (no surprise). Bloc Party guitarist Russell Lissack's guitar was not sounding right to him (sounded fine to me), so after some fruitless tinkering, they played on. While Russell was providing the lick to the backbone of a certain song, the roadie came out and switched chords, which he finished doing just in time for the last note of the song. Classic.
.
Since we were in the very front, it was hard to tell how much of the crowd loved it, and we had a high benchmark from the Motherfucker Party in Febuary. Unfortunately I had not drunk enough and Bloc Party didn't wow me enough this time. I'll remember to drink more (red bull and vodka), before their next show in a couple weeks.
Angela and I were by now dehydrated (after one hour)... so we caught the tail end of Menomena, which amazed me for the little I saw of them, and we got food. We then lounged on the knoll at the Wookie Stage, and saw the Dears whom I had heard a lot about, but nothing by. They were solid, but I was wholly unfamiliar with them and they had a sound that I would need to know better. Luckily for me, I'll have that chance at Siren.
.
.
A.C. Newman followed and we almost nearly lost our hearing. From the knoll, the sound is great. Up in the front, the Wookie stage was LOUD. We quickly backed away to the middle to save our hearing for the rest of the day. There was a sizeable crowd watching, and A.C. mentioned that it was larger than when he played the Main Stage last year with the New Pornographers.
.
After being very impressed, we left early, now 3:30, to get back to the Main Stage for Arcade Fire.
.
.
.
.
Angela had to trust me on this one. She had been unmoved by "Funeral" and tossed the hype aside as only that. I on the otherhand had sincerely liked the album and had heard the reports from Coachella that not expect them to be on mark. Fortunately though, it was also their last show after extensive touring. They came out strong and went crazy. I can't say much except their performance alone tipped the day from being Good to being Great.
.
Madness on stage. After the opening, they calmed down a bit...lest they tear the whole stage down. Since I knew they were to play a short 45 minute set, I had expected them at any moment to finish and go off stage, leaving the crowd desperate for more. In fact, at one point I think everyone thought the show had come to a fitting conclusion. Just then, with the rhythm of the previous song carrying on, they bust into one more, and the crowd resumed motion.
.
.
.
Wilco was to take over from that. He came out looking so damn happy and never stopped. I had seen Wilco at Radio City Music Hall and was disappointed. This time, I know what type of performance to expect and was met with that plus more. Jeff Tweedy doesn't really "rock out"... it's more of a jam, more of a groove; but not like Phish or anything. My only complaint was that every song he played was off of either Yankee Foxtrot or Ghost is Born.
.
.
.
I am a big fan of Being There and the Mermaid Avenue Volumes. I love the new stuff, but that's no reason to forget everything you've done before. The crowd was pretty thin for Wilco too which surprised me. Perhaps they had needed a break after the lovefest of Arcade Fire.
.
.
A Picture of the Beverage Enforcement Team!
.
.
.
After standing for those sets at the main stage, me legs needed a break, and so we headed back to the Wookie to relax and catch Bobby Bare Jr. If you know me, you know I loooooveBobby Bare Jr.. Since I had just seen him at the Mercury Lounge three weeks ago, and already 3 times in 2005, I sat on the knoll and sang along from there.
.
.
.
Joanna Newsom was next and as I was trying to take pictures, she played Bridges and Balloons... damnit, I wish she played that later when I wasn't trying to figure out how to best photograph her. I We remained on the knoll and took in her harp and voice. It was the perfect interlude music and the temperature was finally starting to calm down from its blistering climax. The more more I listened to her, the more I started to really really like her. I am sure if I had stayed, by the end I would have been fully enamored.
.
.
.
.
.
As we made our way around the main stage, Kanye West was working his crowd with great gusto. Briefly, I had secound thoughts if I had chosen correctly with Joanna over Kanye. In the end, I realized I needed the rest: I couldn't possibly stand at the main stage from 3:45 to 10:00.
After being squashed by a horde, we got into the main pen in front of the stage. In fact, all day we had great luck getting as close to the stage as we wished. After Bloc Party, I chose to stay back a bit so I could watch the crowd dance as well.
.
.
.
.
Modest Mouse went on and the crowd went nuts. Had we been five feet closer, it would have been mayhem. Instead I danced just outside of that (but still in the main throng), and my energtic movement looked like a statue compared to the people in front. After two songs, Modest Mouse won me over for haveing the best show of the day.... and had it not been in the 10th hour of music that day, would have been the best show all year. They stunned me. I knew I loved their albums, but I also saw them on SNL and they stunk. I expected a mediocre performance backed by superbly written songs. Instead, those songs became redfined by their performance of them. Now whenever I'll listen to them on my iPod, I'll be brought back to Sasquatch. Do I regret selling my tickets to their Central Park show? A little. But I doubt it will equal to the "hometown" (they are from Issaquah, WA) reception they got Saturday. It is the kind of performance that will grow even more fondly as it ages.
I was exhausted. Back to the Wookie Stage to see Matisyahu. But I was not in the mood for Reggae. I was in the mood for food. Or sleep. But the concession lines were too long. We headed back to the main stage for the Pixies. Too tired to go back into the "Pen", we thought we'd find a nice spot on the terraced hill. Nope. No spots were to be found. When we finally found a bit of real estate to claim, we were very very far away. I laid down, stayed awake one song, and fell asleep. Angela woke me up saying "You don't get an award if you stay to the end." I agreed and we stood up to go as the Pixies played the opening of "I Bleed." We stayed for that and headed out.
Worn, sunburnt, cold, and hungry. But ecstatic. And still in awe.
.
. 
. 
.
