Sasquatch 2007

It's been nearly two weeks since I returned from the 2007 Sasquatch Music Festival in George, WA. This year's festival promised much entertainment in a wonderfully scenic area and it certainly delivered. Some friends of mine (including B) and I boarded a plane from DFW Airport the day before the festival and flew to Seattle. From there, we drove cars through the beautiful Cascade Mountains until we reached The Gorge, where we set up camp for the weekend. The scenery in Washington state this time of year is absolutely gorgeous. In fact, the drive to/from George was perhaps the most scenic I have ever taken. The view overlooking the Columbia River and surrounding area was quite breathtaking.

The featured acts this year were the main attraction for us. As I looked over the handy fold out schedule that they distributed, I recognized very few conflicts. Most of the bands that I saw were bands that I had seen before. Here is a breakdown of what I liked and didn't like from the bands.


Loney, Dear (Wookie Stage, Saturday 12:00) - The Swedish band that I have recently grown to love kicked off the festival in a wonderful fashion. They sounded crisp as they reeled off song after song from this years Loney, Noir album as well as a few others from past albums.

The Blow (Yeti Stage, Saturday 2:10) - I was quite amused by this Portland-based duo. Singer Khaela Maricich brought her awkward demeanor and unfortunate storytelling in a most entertaining way.

Neko Case (Sasquatch Mainstage, Saturday 3:40) - Neko and her voice are still as beautiful as I remember them. I was glad to hear some old favorites and some new favorites from last year's Fox Confessor Brings The Flood.

Ghostland Observatory (Wookie Stage, Saturday 4:40) - I had such an awesome time bringing in the new year with this Austin-based duo that I just had to see them again. They were as great as I remembered. And as my buddy Jim says, "It's like they play the same song over and over again, but it's the same bad ass song." I couldn't agree more.

The Long Winters (Sasquatch Mainstage, Saturday 6:10) - I was glad they took the spot of M.I.A., who couldn't make it. I'm not sure who they are, but I definitely know and love the Long Winters. It had been years since I saw them open for the Decemberists and fell in love with their sound. I was glad to hear them play my two favorites of theirs, The Commander Thinks Aloud and Pushover.

Manu Chao (Sasquatch Mainstage, Saturday 7:35) - I didn't know who they were, but I swear they played the same song at least four times within their set. It was rather annoying. I didn't enjoy this band much.

Arcade Fire (Sasquatch Mainstage, Saturday 9:15) - The band that has defined music this decade for me was nothing short of stellar on the mainstage. They mixed songs from their two full-length albums, entertaining a very large crowd.

Minus the Bear (Yeti Stage, Sunday 2:10) - I had heard Minus the Bear's music before and liked it. But I had never seen them live. I was impressed and will be checking out more of their music in the coming months. They were fantastic.

Helio Sequence (Yeti Stage, Sunday 3:15) - I wasn't sure I had heard of this band before, but I certainly know of them now. I really enjoyed their sound.

The Polyphonic Spree (Sasquatch Mainstage, Sunday 4:20) - I had never seen them before but have been a fan for quite a while. They had to stop early because the ridiculous wind posed a safety threat to them. It was too bad because I was enjoying their show.

The Black Angels (Wookie Stage, Sunday 6:10) - They were much like I remember them from SXSW - a bunch of rock stars. I love how well they take their late-sixties Jefferson Airplane-like sound and are able to really portray the essence of it on stage. They were one of my favorites of this festival.

Jesse Sykes (Yeti Stage, Sunday 6:30) - I only caught a little of her show, but I enjoyed what I heard. I love her soulful voice and bluesy sound.

Spoon (Sasquatch Mainstage, 8:00) - They were delayed and cut short because of the fierce wind, but in what little time they had, they rocked. You can always count on a band like Spoon to put on a great show.

Interpol (Sasquatch Mainstage, 9:30) - They too were delayed and cut short because of the wind. It's too bad because this were probably the my favorite show of the festival. In case I had forgotten, the guys of Interpol proved they are still, indeed, great musicians and awesome performers. They didn't play much from their forthcoming album except for The Heinrich Manuever. I was quite excited to hear all of their songs, particularly the opening riffs of Slow Hands. These guys are getting better and better.

Beastie Boys (Sasquatch Mainstage, 10:30) - I only caught the first few songs because the cold wind had beaten me and made me want to go back to the campsite. But what I heard and saw was great. They (the Beastie Boys) have been one of my favorites since I was a nine years old. But since I had seen them before, I decided to call it a day.


Overall, I enjoyed the festival and the entire trip. I do have some criticism of it. For one, it is ridiculous that there is only a single admittance throughout the day. Most, if not all, music festivals distribute wristbands and allow you to go in and out throught the day. Also, the slow lines to get in to the festival were unacceptable. I also found the food options to be rather poor. Being a vegetarian, I have a pickier diet than most. I have found that in such an environment as a music festival that I have little trouble finding items. I am surprised that this festival of all of them had such poor choices. They also ran out of several items that they did offer. And last, but not least, the host of the festival, Sarah Silverman, was hardly to be seen. I think she introduced one, maybe two, bands. I did see her running around the festival grounds at one point. It was disappointing that she did not do more. She was definately one of the selling points for coming to this festival.

The verdict is still out on a return visit. I suppose that the list of acts will be a strong factor in my return to Sasquatch. But I consider this a really nice trip for anyone to make. The Pacific Northwest is a wonderful part of our country.