Sasquatch 2011: The Review

It’s difficult to put into words the experience of Sasquatch and it’s even more difficult to reminisce on such a perfect weekend without watery eyes. It may sound pathetic but anyone in attendance would understand the feeling. To put it simply for our crew, we miss Sasquatch when we’re not there and we feel at home when we are, therefore Sasquatch is like our third home.

 

Arriving at the campgrounds, alongside your fellow festival goers and soon to be new best friends, was an experience in itself. After setting up our new home for the weekend we made our way through the festival gates and from there the entire experience becomes one long, life changing experience.
 

I was impressed by all the artists that performed throughout the weekend, however I’m going to break it down to my favorite acts.
 
Ratatat: Securing themselves a special late night set, the eccentric New York duo took the crowd on a musical journey on a chilly Sunday night. Whether you were prepared for it or not, Ratatat made their mark on each and everyone in that crowd. Each track became a chapter in a strange yet captivating story told through the channel of music. It was a simple, effective performance that left me speechless and wanting more.
 
Ratatat – Wildcat

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Flying Lotus: There’s always something special about an excellent performance that’s matched with excellent stage presence. Flying Lotus did just that. His talent and attitude throughout the entire set reflected clearly on the crowd. He had complete control over the crowd which was left eagerly awaiting track after track. You know you’ve seen something special when the artist and the crowd connect so well that it’s hard to stop the show, even the event coordinators didn’t want it to stop. His ability to mix both his tracks as well as crowd favorites like “Yonkers” from Tyler, The Creator and the always classic “Return Of The Mac,” was impressive and appreciated.
 
Flying Lotus – Do the Astral Plane

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Tyler, The Creator – Yonkers

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Bassnectar: With Bassnectar scheduled for a late night set Saturday night it was pretty clear that we were all in for a treat. Lorin always manages to pull off an amazing show, even if he did run into some sound problems midway through. Regardless, he brought the filth and grime to the party. The atmosphere was perfect and he took everyone for a ride on the good ol’ dubstep express. I don’t think anyone could have left disappointed after that set, even the staff were bobbing their heads.
 
Daladubz – Pink Elephants VIP

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MSTRKRFT: In true MSTRKRFT fashion, JFK and AL-P absolutely smashed the dance tent right before it was time to head over to Ratatat. Playing banger after banger they stayed true to the spirit of Sasquatch, quality. Every track mixed in was welcomed to the screams and shouts of a tent filled with kids wanting to get down and dirty. MSTRKRFT delivered the goods and the crowd gave back the same energy. You could tell that the Toronto duo was enjoying themselves as JFK took a straight pull of a half gallon of whiskey and proceeded to push their set as far past their allotted time slot as possible.
 
Drop The Lime – Hot As Hell (Para One Remix)

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Rogerseventytwo – Take Me Higher

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Cold War Kids: Standing front and center on the main stage overlooking the Gorge, probably one of the most amazing back drops for any music festival I can think of, Cold War Kids put on a show that turned me into a dedicated fan. I find it weird how music works sometimes. You can listen to recorded music and enjoy it, however nothing makes a more meaningful impression than a quality live performance. Cold War Kids played a passionate, entertaining set where everyone around me felt bonded by the experience.
 
Cold War Kids – Saint John

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Glitch Mob: The last time I saw this trio was in 2008 and even then I was blown away. This time around they brought the same, if not more, energy and bass then before. The way they can seamlessly integrate the actions of the three of them into one cohesive performance is beyond me. With a mix of touch screen beat machines and electronic drum routines these three guys made the dance tent explode into sheer hype.
 
The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army (The Glitch Mob Remix)

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Matty G – West Coast Rocks (The Glitch Mob Remix)

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All in all, Sasquatch turned out to be a highly successful festival for our crew and everyone in attendance. There was a smile on every single persons face, except maybe for some of the people laying passed out in the middle of a field, but that’s beside the point. Now the count down begins until next year when we can do it all over again, hopefully seeing more of you out there.
 

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