Three Imaginary Girls - The Gorge

Photoessay: day three of Sasquatch! at the Gorge

imaginary victoria — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:27:46 +0000

Sunday morning's installment of the Sasquatch! music festival found us with smiling, weary eyes and happy tired feet from all the blissing-out (two posts' worth!), which worked out perfectly with the grey sky vibe and our first sets of the day. The alt.folk.traditional-yet-bizarre sounds of Cotton Jones began the trip for us on the small (Yeti) stage, and their sounds bled nicely into the warm, longing big-guitar melody of the Moondoggies on the Bigfoot stage. Bursts of sun came through just in time for the straightforward rock of Black Joe Lewis, who lifted us up perfectly to take on a dusk set from Gayngs and a mindmelting mainstage show from the Flaming Lips.

Photos below!

Photoessay: opening day(s) of Sasquatch! at the Gorge, part I

imaginary victoria — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:03:49 +0000

The opening bell at this year's Sasquatch! music festival was no slouch, and we've got the photos to prove it!

Mixed in with the obvious wins -- sunshine, scenery, and good friends -- we spent a little over three days on what we're quite sure was the best trip so far of 2011. Days one and two brought the local flavor in a big way, opening up Saturday morning with Seattle Rock Orchestra's Radiohead cover set on the Bigfoot stage, a one-two punch of pow from the Globes on the Yeti stage, and an early afternoon set from the Head and the Heart on the main stage. We broke out of our melancholy-tinged swoonfest for one of the best sets of the festival, Aloe Blacc -- who connected with the throngs of fans at the Bigfoot stage beautifully with his smooth brand of funky old-school soul and some bad-ass dance moves.

Just before the sun started to fade, we caught regional local Dan Mangan back over at the Yeti stage -- hailing from Vancouver, BC -- who brought his thoughtful, alt.indie.ponder-pop songwriting to an incredibly enthusiastic crowd. We're up to our elbows in his last release, Nice Nice Very Nice, as we speak type -- check out the pictures below!

Sasquatch 3-day passes now on sale (yes, already)

ChrisB — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:10:05 +0000

The big news over the weekend (if the Twitter feed of my local rock writer friends is to be believed) is that a) the Sasquatch Festival will once again be happening for the ninth time in nine years from Saturday, May 29 through Monday, May 31; b) 3-day passes are now sale for the discounted price of $170 and were as of Saturday morning (while the national unemployment rate dropped to 10.2% last week) and c) the recently-reunited Pavement is headlining (at least) one night.

The full lineup is set to be announced on February 16. Possibly NSFW video after the jump.

Sasquatch 2009 Wrap-Up: Day 3

Imaginary Shrie — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:50:29 +0000

24 May 2009

Sasquatch_2009.jpg

MONDAY

Oh Monday! Dear third day of camping, hair unwashed, everything I own smelling like sunscreen. After packing everything up post-haste we hoofed it to see one of the two early shows that day, the Heartless Bastards. I'd heard scattered ruminations about them but didn't know much and I'm patting myself on the back for checking them out. The Heartless Bastards are a Cincinnati-by-way-of-Texas band fronted by Erika Wennerstrom, whose soulful Patti Smith/Chrissie Hynde voice unites with the rough and tumble southern sound of her Austin band to form a rich and raucous kind of alt-country that is anything but boring.

Deerhoof was as solid, angular and spirited as when I'd seen them at a MUCH smaller venue. Satomi Matsuzaki, bass and vocals, is a little firecracker, seducing you with her sweetness and then crushing you with her ferocity. They easily frenzied the crowd, and sustained them with their hardworking display. Easily one of the most fun bands to see live.

Black Moth Super Rainbow was my last stop on this Sasquatch ride. I've gushed over Dandelion Gum and was highly anticipating their live show. They were as I expected: quirky, loud, ambient enough to be interesting and pop enough to be engaging. The closer you got to the stage the better it sounded, the more the hazy sweet-tart noise enveloped you. Their sound translates impeccably live and really created a mini dance party near the front of the stage.

And there you have it, my Sasquatch 2009 Wrap-Up. Done and DONE. See you next year!

*a little taste of Tunde & Co.

Oh Monday! Dear third day of camping, hair unwashed, everything I own smelling like sunscreen. After packing everything up post-haste we hoofed it to see one of the two early shows that day, the Heartless Bastards. I'd heard scattered ruminations about them but didn't know much and I'm patting myself on the back for checking them out. The Heartless Bastards are a Cincinnati-by-way-of-Texas band fronted by Erika Wennerstrom, whose soulful Patti Smith/Chrissie Hynde voice unites with the rough and tumble southern sound of her Austin band to form a rich and raucous kind of alt-country that is anything but boring.

Sasquatch 2009 Wrap-Up: Day 2

Imaginary Shrie — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:25:37 +0000

24 May 2009

Sasquatch_2009.jpg

SUNDAY

I'm from Texas and all, but sitting on a rock in 85 degree heat with no shade, clouds or wind isn't my idea of completely awesome. Especially when after all that I walk back to the sticky hot tent to drink and then pass out in my sleeping bag, only to await the next day of the same. So that's my excuse for missing Calexico (but my amigo Sam caught them and wrote about it ). On with St. Vincent!

Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent, is a gem. She's cute, can write a ditty of a lyric and has the sweetest delivery. I also think she was amazed and incredibly appreciate of the large audience there to witness her set at Sasquatch. She seemed nervous and a tad unprepared, but her performance was anything but. I know her background is with Glenn Branca but I feel like that gets lost in her solo recordings. Her CDs make her sound like slightly grainy sweetness and light, but live her rocker alter-ego came out. She swayed and jerked her way through the more jarring songs while endearing herself to the crowd with her between-song banter and huge white sunglasses beaming happily outwards.

I've seen the Wrens twice before, and enjoyed them immensely, so I was really looking forward to their set, which is typically very high energy. The Wrens are a garage rock type of band. They drink a lot, wail on their guitars and hop around the stage like they aren't 40-somethings, which is exactly how it went down at the Gorge. The crowd was fairly thin for Sasquatch, and surprise surprise (!) they debuted two new songs! Lots of "we haven't been practicing" excuses (which is often admitted by them) and lots of good, dare I say old-fashioned, rock and roll.

TV On The Radio was my next appointment, and I knew they'd draw a whopper of a crowd. They played their less dancey, more introspective tracks around the first part of the set. It was going to be a hot and heavy set, so the slow transition was a welcome intro. Their sound was rawer, less fleshed out, than their records or their live performances at smaller indoor venues like the Showbox. I think the venue and space gave their sound an airiness that doesn't exist normally. Tunde Adebimpe was as animated as always, stiff-body stomping around the stage with conviction. "Young Liars" was a highlight, evoking much fist shaking and singing along.

Of Montreal doesn't put on a concert, they put on an honest-to-god SHOW. Their performance at Sasquatch wasn't much different. It was a little stripped down from the norm, instead of a jillion costume changes there were only a few, but they sounded phenomenal and the crowd loved them. "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse" firecrackered off first and jolted the crowd into a dancing fever. The visuals onscreen were terrific, at times depicting Kevin Barnes in an almost pop-star like light. And per the usual, Barnes was dressed like a sleazy 70s porn wannabe, teasing in a slinky shirt and bare-chested. Towards the end of the set Kevin Barnes introduced the next song, which was a cover of Prince's "Computer Blue", citing him as a major influence.

I had waited all day to see Jane's Addiction. I expected a lot, and I guess that was my first mistake, but nothing could save them from Perry Farrell's geriatric antics. Their songs were verbose with Navarro guitar solos only interrupted by Perry gyrating like an out-of-touch old man. It was surreal how old he seemed all of a sudden. Dave Navarro is a very skilled guitar player but neither that nor his boyish good looks could give Jane's Addiction what they needed to seem relevant.

Sasquatch 2009 Wrap-Up: Day 1

Imaginary Shrie — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:17:26 +0000

23 May 2009

Sasquatch_2009.jpg

Sasquatch was a doozy. I wrote a lil bit o' news about a few bands I saw each day via my check-in's for days 1, 2 and 3. There were people having sex during the Decemberists right out in front of {supreme being} and everyone, and I met a TON of Canadians "eh". I saw a kid wearing a fleece pajama jumpsuit all three days (shower? yeck) and my toes have never been as dirty as they were after three days of music and camping. Verdict: sunburned, dehydrated, jolly good time.

The itsy bitsy press trailer was anything but cush, so I kept my ass out and about amongst the common-folk gorging themselves on the sweet sweet sounds of Sasquatch. Here is what I heard:

SATURDAY

The Doves sound is produced. They aren't garage rock or ramshackled indie... they're anthemic and full. Swooping in and out of lyrics and instrumentation and their sound was abso-freaking-lutely perfect for the Gorge Ampitheatre. Beautiful, produced and consistent, the Doves soared (tee hee). A swift walk up that damned hill and over to the Wookie stage set me up for Passion Pit, who I've become slightly obsessed with over the coming weeks. Having garnered much attention as of late, Passion Pit commissioned a fairly large crowd for their set. All the half-clothedgirlies were screaming their heads off, and being in the back I couldn't tell why until I inspected a bit further. Michael Angelakos, the head honcho/lead singer, is one hell of a charismatic individual. Swishing his curly, not unlike Wayne Coyne , hair from side to side and swaggering his tight hipster-jean across the stage and back again was causing a fever to break out amongst the ladies (and a few men, admittedly). Angelakos' high notes and range seemed a bit stunted, like he was holding back in order to hit the notes, but his strutting ways and their quirk-pop sound invigorated the crowd.

King Khan & the Shrines are a spectacle. Adorned in a feather headdress, wooden staff, gold cape, and itty bitty satin shorts King Khan strutted onstage, hands held high to the heavens. One part George Clinton, one part southern soul preacher, and one BIG part balls-out freak, King Khan knows how to put on a show and have a blast. They ran through their songs like a train and antics onstage got a little wacky when one of the band members droppedpantaloons and shoved his junk from front to back, leaving it that way for the entirety of the song. This band will take you in their uterus, jumble you up crazy-style and rebirth you fresh and anew!

Completing the one-two punch of awesomeness, I experienced Animal Collective next. AC are one of my favorite bands of the last few years, of which I've hailed their greatness before. I was expecting nothing short of awe-inspiring and I got it. Visually, they were simple: guy on guitar, two guys whopping on keyboards/synths and the stunning Gorge backdrop behind. They sounded rougher, less honed live, but that didn't take away one iota of amazement. I witnessed several people initially appalled at AC's ambient ways turn a kinder light towards them later on in the set. This in itself was a treat. Preened jocks nodding their heads hard to baby sounds and hazy echoes, as expertly emitted by AC... unbelievable.

I'm admittedly not much of a fan of the Decemberists or the Yeah Yeah Yeah's, but saw them for my readers' sake mostly (my friends also wanted to see them). Aside from the couple sexin' it up on stage right during the Decemberists, the highlight of the show for me was when of their female members came up and belted out a few tunes. And man, did she belt. A personal opinion, but they'd be much more interesting if she was at the vocal helm more often. Slightly raucous with devastatingly beautiful vocals but slightly lackluster energy-wise, the Decemberists seemed to really pull an adoring audience.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs always struck me as being about show and fist-pumping energy more than musical complexity or engaging songwriting, and my experience seeing them live affirmed that. The crowd went absolutely bananas for them, and with Karen O. decked out in neon green tights and an electric-colored poncho, I can see why she'd draw a lot of attention. The vocals were almost incomprehensible from where I was sitting, but I commend them on their energy. They have the live performance thing down, and their fans count on that consistency.

Sasquatch was a doozy. I wrote a lil bit o' news about a few bands I saw each day via my check-in's for days 1, 2 and 3. There were people having sex during the Decemberists right out in front of {supreme being} and everyone, and I met a TON of Canadians "eh". I saw a kid wearing a fleece pajama jumpsuit all three days (shower? yeck) and my toes have never been as dirty as they were after three days of music and camping. Verdict: sunburned, dehydrated, jolly good time. The itsy bitsy press trailer was anything but cush, so I kept my ass out and about amongst the common-folk gorging themselves on the sweet sweet sounds of Sasquatch. Here is what I heard:

Sasquatch Day 3: Check-in

Imaginary Shrie — Tue, 26 May 2009 01:12:32 +0000

More details about my first ever Sasquatch experience (and the bands I saw there) coming in the next few days!

Sasquatch Day 2: Check-in

Imaginary Shrie — Sun, 24 May 2009 23:10:17 +0000

The heat and the glaring sun has been getting to me, so I ended up missing Calexico to stay longer at camp under the sweet shade.

Sasquatch Day 1: Check-in

Imaginary Shrie — Sun, 24 May 2009 05:14:21 +0000

I'm going to act like Gaslight Anthem didn't happen and the Doves were the first band I saw...

Big bad Sasquatch 2009 preview

Imaginary Shrie — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:25:56 +0000

Sasquatch 2009 is a mere two days away. Go see bands all three days, cheer your head off, drink some beer and/or smoke a joint. Get dirty campin' toes and sweat through your forehead bandanna (or brave kilt-lifting style winds like in 2007). Come back harried and skip out on work Tuesday. Recount every last moment, with positive embellishments, to anyone fool enough not to attend. Buy the tshirt and flaunt the shit out of it.

Here is your big bad SASQUATCH 2009 PREVIEW.

If you like hip-hop...

Jon Harthun — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:27:42 +0000

...then holy mother of God I've got a tour for you.

Free tickets to Sasquatch: How big is your stomach?

Tim Hanken — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:26:40 +0000

I don't know a lot of details as to how an event of this magnitude will go down, but I do know that there are some free tickets at play, most likely for lucky guy or gal who can funnel massive amounts of sugar and pastry down their gullets at an incredible rate.

Sasquatch schedule is out

ChrisB — Wed, 07 May 2008 01:57:25 +0000

We've all been drooling over the lineup for the Sasquatch Festival and now, finally, those going can now start contemplating the tough decisions of who you're going see and who you're going to skip. Unless science can somehow find a way that we can all be in multiple places at once in less than three weeks, here's what you've got to work with:

Grand Hallway added to Sasquatch lineup

imaginary dana — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:41:19 +0000

As if the lineup at Sasquatch 2008 could get any better, local Seattle dreamy orchestral band Grand Hallway have just announced that they're joining M.I.A., Death Cab, R.E.M., and about a zillion other fantastic bands at the Gorge this Memorial Day Weekend.

Sasquatch schedule information

Andrew Boe — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 22:31:45 +0000

Day by day line up announced

Download Festival 2007, with Modest Mouse, Incubus, Nada Surf, Arthur & Yu, more

imaginary chona — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:22:13 +0000

25 Aug 2007

download07aug.jpg

Download Festival 2007 at the Gorge in George, WA was a full-on packed event, with an eclectic mix of indie bands and loads of meet and greets too.

Check out a bit of the fun with a photo journal of the day. In no particular order, TIG brings you...

Modest Mouse

Modest Mouse shook up the main stage right on schedule about 9:30 Saturday night. Most striking to me (besides the realization that Modest Mouse actually exists… you get that kind of feeling after listening to a band for years before seeing them live) was Isaac Brock’s newly developed resemblance to Elliott Smith.

Despite the mass exodus of undoubtedly intoxicated college kids after the Incubus set, the anticipation of Modest Mouse’s set was palpable in the “treading-thin-ice-of-natural-disaster” eastern Washington air. Isaac Brock and company kicked the well responsive crowd into an extensive and joyous sing along/dance-off from square one. Nobody left this set disappointed or unsatisfied.

Incubus

Incubus heartthrob, Brandon Boyd, was welcomed to the stage by throngs of giddy girls. Much fist-thrusting and head-banging ensued through much of this Calabasas indigenous band. Radio hits and various other fan favorites such as “Drive” were performed, much to the glee of the young and shining audience.

Arthur and Yu

A fellow photog friend at KEXP professed his “massive crush” on Yu of Seattle band Arthur and Yu early in the afternoon before their set. Arthur, with his could-be lumberjack good looks, and Yu, with her brazenly tattooed arms, rocked the Plaza Stage audience, which included Kathy and Hutch of the Thermals (more on them coming soon).

Nada Surf

Barsuk all-stars, Nada Surf, enjoyed long lines at their Plaza side stage meet and greet. Even I, after saying hi to Matthew (MASSIVE CRUSH), swapping a couple words, and getting a peck on the cheek, could hardly contain myself as I walked away with what I was sure to be the most ridiculous grin and thin semblance of composore.

Later in the afternoon, the Seattle favorites rocked the masses with their awe-inspiring set. They played old favorites like "Blizzard of ’77" and "Hi-Speed Soul" and many more, including songs from their next album, scheduled for release in January of 2008. Though I’m certainly no stranger to Nada Surf live shows (Saturday was my sixth time seeing those lovely fellows live), the magic their songs possess never wear out.

The Presidents of the United States of America

These punky, middle aged white dudes from Seattle packed some punch! The antics of The Presidents of the USA certainly garnered much thrill and excitement from the crowd as they did the photographers. This set was a blast! Total melee, and I’m finding more and more how much I adore my job of shooting these kinds of bands.

First, it was beach balls, moshers, and flying keyboard stands at Capitol Hill... now it's beer/water/x liquid sloshing, and random massages from audience members. Even getting a can of Pabst to the face earlier in during the set was mildly... frickin’ awesome. I almost tripped over a kneeling photographer twice during the set, and was trampled by countless security guards through the trajectory of the set trying to keep the seemingly rabid fans at bay. MEDIA VIOLENCE, I’m telling you! Worrying about crowd surfers falling on my head at any moment definitely made my job more excitable. The Presidents had most definitely awakened from their five year slumber and not a soul in the audience must have doubted their indelible presence.

The Thermals

The Thermals bravely fielded questions posed at the Plaza side stage before their set. I think that if Kathy and Hutch dated, it would be the absolutely cutest rock pairing ever. {ed note: Chona, you're right, and I'm pretty sure they already have! ~igDana} The chemistry between the band members was salient throughout their whole set as the avidly screaming fans (the front row largely consisting of “DUDE I LOVE THIS BAND” college guys with their girlfriends) sang their approval. The Thermals put on one of the most energetic punk rock shows I've seen. These guys are big, but I feel they’re gaining more and more rock star momentum every time I see them.

All in all, Download Festival 2007 was a hugely successful day for me, and I know I'm not the only one. To see all photos from the event, check out the complete Flickr photo set.

A photo journey through Download Festival 2007, featuring Modest Mouse, the Thermals, Nada Surf, Arthur & Yu, and more.

Tonight's Recommended Show: Willie Nelson's Fourth of July Picnic

ChrisB — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 18:27:42 +0000

Willie Nelson helped found Farm Aid in 1985 and has raised millions of dollars to help farmers from losing their homes, invested in his own line of biodiesel (called BioWillie and which his own tour bus uses), headlined a concert that raised over $100,000 for victims of the 2004 tsunami, and has spoken out against animal cruelty and for peace. To me, that is far more patriotic and inspirational than empty lip service and an infinite number of yellow magnets on the trunks of minivans.

Sasquatch 2007: Notes from the Yeti Stage

elle — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:40:13 +0000

26 May 2007

sasquatch07jun2.jpg

When I headed over to the smallest stage of the Sasquatch! music festival, the "Yeti" stage, to catch The Blow's set, all the knowledge of the duo I came armed with was that they're fronted by one woman. I had heard of them, but I didn't know their aesthetic or set-up. I was really surprised by the group's performance. While I came away with mixed feelings about whether I had enjoyed their set or not, I must say I have much respect for singer Khaela Maricich.

As the rest of us dance around like nerds in the privacy of our bedroom, she is courageous enough to do it on stage. And while we all might not have the best vocals while dancing around, Maricich definitely has fantastic vocal range. Her songs are easy to relate to, with topics about falling in love with one-night stands, break ups, and never hearing back from that amazing boy you hung out with once. The everyday familiarity of her lyrics, plus the catchy synth-beats produced and played by accomplice Jona Bechtolt, prove to draw a rabid following, as the crowd was filled with many dancing girls singing along, and erupted into cheers after each song. Although I'm not personally into performers just pushing play on their laptops, their music was very poppy and fun. What really stood out about Ms. Maricich's performance more than her quirky dancing and great singing ability, was her in-between stories. Before each song, she shared a short memory about what the lyrics were about, all of which were very humorous; if she decided to leave music, Khaela should definitely consider stand-up comedy.

Later on in the day, I headed back over to the Yeti stage to catch Mirah's set. After being misled into watching a set of children's songs instead of Mirah's own repertoire a few weeks back, I was definitely looking forward to her Sasquatch! performance. However, I would again leave unsatisfied, although not by Mirah's own doing. The lovely Portlander put on a wonderful set, with her own full band as back up. She played all the fan favorites and charmed the crowd with talk about the beautiful Gorge and sunset.

The only thing I felt could have been better was closing song, "Cold Cold Water." On CD, it's an epic, theatrical crescendo, but during this performance it was half as long, lacking the climatic instrumental interlude. Otherwise, Mirah performed wonderfully, as expected.

The stage and venue was the downfall of the show. The sound crew poorly mixed her vocals, to the point where horrible feedback occurred throughout the set. Somehow, perhaps by not muting the extra mics when not in use, the crowd was picked up so that you could hear talking projected through the speakers in-between and even during songs. The talk consisted of, "Who is this? What stage is this? Is this that chick Mirah?" and other various loud conversations by people who obviously were not fans. Between an incompetent sound guy and inconsiderate festival goers, a perfect opportunity to catch a great local fixture in an amazing outdoor setting turned into an almost unbearable event.

Between an incompetent sound guy and inconsiderate festival goers, a perfect opportunity to catch a great local fixture in an amazing outdoor setting turned into an almost unbearable event.

Sasquatch 2007: Beastie Boys

Tim Hanken — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 13:55:37 +0000

27 May 2007

beastie_sasquatch07.jpg

When the Beastie Boys and Bjork were announced as headliners for this year's Sasquatch festival, I reacted with collective “ehh”. I had grown up with the Beasties; I can remember singing “Brass Monkey” in the back of the school bus on field trips. I was with them all the way to Ill Communication then I drifted away and generally lost interest in the four years that passed before they released Hello Nasty. That being said, I was excited to see them if for no other reason than nostalgia and the fact that they’ve been such an influential force in music.

Surviving Sunday at Sasquatch (say that five times fast) was a matter of endurance. Polyphonic Spree were blown off the main stage by high winds and as the main stage stood quiet, many concert goers had had enough of the cold and the wind and headed for the exits. When the lights finally went out on the stage signifying the Beastie’s arrival, the crowd roared in appreciation. Soon Mike D was on the mic letting everyone know that they were going to warm it up and “burn this motherfucker down” and as they jumped into “Gratitude," it was like they were saying thanks to the crowd for braving the cold. All three of the Beasties were sharply dressed, Mike D looking like a young Bob Dylan in a tight blue suit, Ad Rock sporting a black suit with a red sweater, Ray Charles sunglasses and a fedora that made him look like Joe Pesci in Goodfellas, and MCA in an olive suit that would have been up to code for a high school history teacher. The fancy duds didn’t stop Ad Rock or Mike D from running side to side across the stage as they tore through “Body Movin’” and “Sure Shot” back to back. The energy that the Beasties brought to the stage was incredible, especially considering the frigid weather.

Further on in the set Ad Rock took the time to dedicate “Something’s Got to Give” to our current political leaders. Although the King Ad Rock wishes for "peace amongst the races", something tells me our folks in Washington are more the “Rhymin’ and Stealin’” type, or at least stealing anyway. As the show moved along I soon realized that I am a bigger Beasties fan than I gave myself credit for, as I knew just about every song they played. They weren’t just playing their recent tunes or tracks of the new instrumental album The Mix Up; they went back into the catalog for classics like “Pass the Mic” and the set closer “So What’Cha Want."

After a brief intermission the boys returned with a vengeance for a four-song encore that began with “Intergalactic” and ended with “Sabotage” and everybody had the opportunity to shout out all of there frustrations from the weekend — the ten dollar beers, the cold, and the delays — and sing along with Ad Rock Wwwwwwhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

Seeing the Beastie Boys live made me realize how good they really are. I think I had taken them for granted as I moved away from their music. Their artistic progression from a screaming punk band to the pioneers of rap rock to their newest manifestation as an instrumental trio is amazing in and of itself, but the thing that really brought it home for me is how they left everything they had out there on that cold windy stage. Even if they didn’t play “Girls” or “Fight for Your Right” for all my comrades on the bus.

Soon Mike D was on the mic letting everyone know that they were going to warm it up and “burn this motherfucker down” and as they jumped into “Gratitude," it was like they were saying thanks to the crowd for braving the cold.

Sasquatch 2007: Viva Voce

Tim Hanken — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 06:06:39 +0000

26 May 2007

vivavoce_sas07.jpg

Viva Voce’s Sasquatch appearance on Saturday took place on the Yeti Stage, which was essentially located in the Gorge food court. It was as if the organizers of the event decided “Well these people are going to have to stand in incredibly long lines to buy overpriced food, we may as well let them rock while they’re standing there”. The perfect accompaniment to a bad gyro on this day was Portland’s Viva Voce.

I got to the Yeti stage a little late and missed the very beginning of their set, but in time to witness them tear into “Believer” and “So Many Miles”. These two tracks exemplify all that is great about Viva Voce, the fact that Kevin Robinson can play drums and play other instruments at the same time (harmonica in the case of “Believer”), and the huge guitar riffs that Anita Robinson lays down with just the right amount of distortion (as well as being able to writhe around with her guitar while keeping her cowboy hat).

Viva Voce culled a set list exclusively from their latest album Get Yr Blood Sucked Out and played each song with the tightness that one achieves when touring non stop in support of a record for the better part of a year.

Kevin’s voice was a little gruff this time around, giving it a little bit of a rough edge. This gruffness was especially evident in the closing song of their set, a cover of Alan Parsons Project's “Eye in the Sky” like you’ve never heard it before: Kevin half singing and half William Shatner style spoken word, “I am the eye in the sky, looking at you, I can read your mind.” Turns out they recorded “Eye in the Sky” for a recent compilation album of arena rock covers entitled Bridging The Distance to benefit P:ear, a Portland non-profit that helps the city’s transitional youth through tough times. Along with Viva Voce there are tracks form other Portland related artists such as The Decemberists and The Dandy Warhols. Good tunes and a good cause, you can’t beat that. I’m hoping that on Bridging the Distance II, or whatever the follow up is called, we’ll get a Viva Voce version of “Jukebox Hero.” “Just one guitar” it’s all Viva Voce need to bring the house down.

“Just one guitar” it’s all Viva Voce need to bring the house down.