I arrived at the Gorge around noon on Sunday. In fact, I think it was exactly noon, because I’d missed the first half of Wavves set (because for some reason they put them on the main stage at 11:30 a.m.). So Portland natives Typhoon began my lineup for the day, and to an epic degree. Typhoon consisted of everything from electric guitar, a mini brass section, and a prominent cello, and I loved it. Their set was so good (and not just for noon) that I caught their acoustic EndSession* around two hours later.
*Local radio station 107.7 The End was hosting acoustic sets throughout the day in a small tent that people had to win a game to get access to. I don’t really know how, I just knew that I would be hitting up Fitz and the Tantrums’ set in there later as well.
Typhoon was one of the best of the day at the Bigfoot stage, but the Yeti stage delivered exceptionally well on Sunday. Just to name a few – Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, local “hipster-hop” (they made it up) group Mad Rad, and Das Racist all lit up that stage, one leaving a bit of carnage, but I’ll get to that in a minute.
A few other bands played great sets, and are definitely worth mentioning. Funk group Wheedle’s Groove was a little out of their element, but it was a breath of fresh fun air early in the afternoon. Seattle folk group the Moondoggies put on a lovely set, tailored perfectly to the overwhelmingly local crowd. One of the many Canadian acts that weekend, The Sam Roberts band, also on the Bigfoot stage, played a sleek set of easy and radio-friendly indie rock.
Speaking of Canadians – I don’t know why more Canadian musicians get wide recognition in the U.S. I like to consider myself a bit of a music geek, and I had never heard of Sam Roberts, and he and his band has won Juno Awards since 2004. It just makes me very glad that Sasquatch can offer than bridge over our northern border, metaphorically speaking. I can assure you that no other festival around has that many Canadian bands, and I welcome it. Have you ever met a rude Canadian? I haven’t.
Before the awesome evening of Yeti stage antics, I set myself up in the EndSession for Fitz and the Tantrums, because I’d only caught a glimpse of their main stage set. Honestly, I avoided the main stage most of the time. But Fitz and the Tantrums delivered spectacularly in that small setting. I’d heard good things from several friends, and I wasn’t disappointed. With such an odd mix of characters on stage, you wouldn’t think that the music would mix, but it’s like maple and bacon – it just tastes good. The funky stage presence of Michael Fitzpatrick and the soul that Noelle Scaggs brings makes Fitz and the Tantrums definitely not a band to miss. Thankfully, they’ll be back in the northwest in September for Bumbershoot.
I’m going to sound like a terrible person, but I’d never listened to Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears before Sasquatch, and now I want to see them again and again. While the set was obnoxiously late (which was still a theme on all the stages), it was worth the wait. It was a mix of soul and rock and pure energy that made filled that relatively small space in front of the Yeti stage. Personally I think they should have played in the Bigfoot stage with how big their performance was. At one point, someone from the crowd threw a roll of toilet paper in the air. Then another. And another. And soon it was an all-out TP frenzy. From what I heard, someone broke into the port-a-potty with all the extra toilet paper in it and went crazy. I’d hate to be anyone who had to clean all that up.
After Black Joe Lewis was Mad Rad, who is some hard to describe that I can just give you what they call themselves – “hipster-hop.” It’s hip-hop, with electro, and indie rock, and obscene lyrics, and maniacal stage performance, and I could keep going, but that might just confuse you. They are truly a band to be seen live, rather than heard on record, and I highly recommend staying out of the front of the crowd, unless you’re into being thrashed about. Mad Rad’s name is self-explanatory. They’re mad (as in crazy) but also rad.
Das Racist was on directly after Mad Rad, and the mood was still frantic and awesome at that point, and Das Racist fed off that energy from the crowd and it made for quite an interesting set. I’m not sure if the guys of Das Racist were at all drunk, but they were holding cans of beer and seemed really relaxed on stage. No matter, as they put on an entertaining show for another huge crowd.
I think they should have just switched all the Yeti/Bigfoot acts in the afternoon, because the crowd was much more receptive of the bands at Yeti, and Das Racist was no different. I don’t even like hip-hop, and they were one of my favorite sets of the whole festival.
As the sun started to set over the Gorge, the Flaming Lips took the main stage to their usual over-the-top theatrics, giant bubble and all. Sadly, I only stayed for about 15 minutes of their set because of scheduling, but from what I heard, the Flaming Lips only played about 8 or 9 songs in their hour set. I won’t pass judgment, since I wasn’t there, but that just seems weird.
The Bigfoot stage finally started to heat up after dark, with Yeasayer and Ratatat bringing out all the crazy hipsters. Neither band disappointed, except for the horrible scheduling. Both Yeasayer and Ratatat used wicked on-stage light shows to up the amp of their set, and both filled their hour with fantastic versions of some their greatest tracks. Ratatat even had an entire song with repeated creepy bird images on projectors behind then. I wasn’t even on drugs and it was trippy.
Sunday rocked. Hands down. Would I go as far as saying that it was the best day? Hmm. You haven’t even heard about Monday yet.
Foo Fighters on Friday at Sasquatch
