There is nothing more exhilarating then the long ride down to Sasquatch! Music Festival. As a Canadian concert and music enthusiast, it is just a hop and a skip over the border down to the festival. The drive takes you through the musically influenced city of Seattle, down into the depths of Washington state’s vast acres of untouched forest. Slowly, one by one, as if picked away by the hands of a giant, the trees begin to fade away and you find yourself driving through a vast desert. There is nothing around you for miles but unrelenting rolling yellow hills interspersed with windmills until... finally, you reach the breathtaking and unmistakably beautiful Gorge Amphitheatre; Home of the Sasquatch.
The Gorge Amphitheatre is absolutely stunning. If you haven't experienced the sublime setting firsthand, you need to do just that. This is one of my all-time favourite music venues, and words truly can’t describe it.
This year I discovered a lot of new artists at Sasquatch! for whom I expect to see great things from in the near future. The festival also rekindled my love of some of my favourite past artists. Some of the headliners this year included (in no particular order): Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Alt-J, The Lumineers, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Sigur Rós, and The xx.
This was my first time seeing Mumford & Sons live. This past year they have had far too much airplay. However, seeing them live was an absolute experience. They put their heart and soul into their performance and completely captured the attention of the thousands of fans watching the Main Stage. Not to mention the finale when they were joined on stage by the members of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, in which they played a rendition of Fleetwood Mac's 'The Chain.' This was by far one of the highlights of the festival.
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I caught Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros not only on the main stage, but also with 49 other lucky fans in the intimate fifty-person-limit acoustic tent. I don’t usually get goose bumps but both Edward Sharp and Mumford blew me out of the water. Kudos, guys.
The Lumineers, The xx, and Macklemore also put on fantastic sets, leaving the crowd wanting more. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis should win best set design and wardrobe. They spared no expense; there were lights and fireworks, all complemented by a large entourage of singers on stage.
Moving on from the headliners, the best part about a large music festival is getting introduced to new music. I am positive that some of the bands that I had the pleasure to see will quickly become international sensations. I would see each of them again in an instant (in no particular order): Chvrches, Deep Sea Diver, Imagine Dragons, Tame Impala, Wild Belle, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and Shovels & Rope.
Chvrches, an all Scottish synth-pop group led by Lauren Mayberry, played the Bigfoot Stage. Playing Sasquatch for the first time without the release of their debut Album, 'The Bones of What You Believe,' is quite remarkable. (To be released in September 2013.)
Wilde Belle, led by siblings Elliot and sexy Natalie Bergman, appeal to anyone with a love for funky, groovy, get-up-and-want-to-dance type of music. Please be sure to check out their début album 'Isles,' released in March of this year.
Last, but certainly not least, I got the opportunity to see and interview a down-to-earth and very talented American folk duo from Charleston, South Carolina: Shovels & Rope. The band is composed of husband and wife team Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst. It was unfortunate that their set coincided with Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. However, I ran between the two stages and got to see them perform live. They have so much energy, chemistry and passion on-stage, it is hard to believe they aren't bigger than they already are. With over two hundred performances and counting this year, try to see them if you can, and please buy their new album 'O` Be Joyful.' To all the other artists that I didn't get a chance to talk about, thanks for playing this year’s Sasquatch! Music Festival; it was one crazy weekend.
Until next year Sasquatch! I cannot wait for my next adventure down to the Gorge!
Photography/Article written by Craig Fleisch