Sasquatch 2016: Best Sets

Festival enthusiasts travelled to the Gorge Amphitheater for the yearly Sasquatch Music Festival which was celebrating its 15th year. It was a fun packed weekend full of good music and great memories. Even thought the festival faced some problems due to high winds on Sunday which shut down the main stage until 9pm and a fire that was 3 miles away, this didn’t seem to matter to anyone. It was enough for many to sit near the main lawn around sunset and hear Leon Bridges play an acoustic set facing the most gorgeous backdrop in the nation.

There were plenty of choices for everyone’s current appetite and for most part no major conflicts. The only one I faced was Grimes and Wet that were on at the same time. John C. Reilly was seen around most of the time and on Saturday night introduced Major Lazer as Dr. Steve Brule, his current character on TV. He even danced on stage during Nathaniel Rateliff’s set. Alabama Shakes rocked the stage as soon as they were allowed on Sunday night which followed by a nearly two hour set by the incomparable Cure.

 

Purity Ring and Big Grams took over the Bigfoot stage and impressed everyone in attendance, and Sufjan Stevens even had wings with him during his colorful performance. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard won the band that needed a larger stage battle over the weekend as their fans packed the Yeti stage on Monday night. Sir the Baptist dazzled during his set that seemed more like a spiritual awakening, while Childbirth won the most laid back apathetic live of the weekend.

We saw Grace Love enjoying Yeasayer on Friday night, M.Ward at Digable Planets, and X Ambassador’s Sam Harris checking out Grimes‘ set.   La Luz not only played their surf noir sounds they encouraged their fans to crowd surf and take photos of it with their disposable camera they passed on to them. Florence and The Machine mesmerized the main stage that was impressively packed until the very end. I also called the festival the Brit invasion as I noticed so many of my favorite British artists onstage this year. The bill was filled with so many great acts that did not disappoint but below are the artists that made a great first impression to us.

10- Wimps

I don’t think you need more than this punk rock band on stage along with their hot dog dressed dancers in the back adding to the visual. The same hot dogs ran in the crowd after causing a dance party wherever they stopped. The Seattle band under Kill Rock Stars currently that released Suitcase last year has even been called the Best Punk Band of 2015. Rachel Ratner rips out raw vocals while bassist Matt Nyce, and drummer Dave Ramm complete the madness.

9- Tangerine

Local pop favorites released Sugar Teeth earlier this year generating a lot of buzz in the industry. They perfectly written dance tunes transport you to another place and that’s what happened over the weekend at the Gorge. “Tender” and “Sunset” are my tunes for the summer, also don’t miss them at Summer Camp in August.

8- Soak

The Irish singer-songwriter was one of my favorite performances of the fest. At only 20 years old she indicates skill and talent beyond her years captivating with her soft tunes and vocals. Her debut album Before We Forgot How to Dream was released last year and she’s been impressing audiences around the world ever since.

7- Thunderpussy

The rock band took the main stage first on the last day of the festival and a lot of smart music fans were there to support them. If you are not familiar with them you must go listen to them now, and if you can attend one of their live shows, you’ll never miss another one. They are everything you want to see on stage and are the epitome of a great rock show.

6- Wolf Alice

After much praise from their 2014 EP Creature Songs the band released their debut record My Love Is Cool last year and has been touring under great reviews. They were probably my favorite artist from day one as Ellie Rowsell’s silky voice (and hair), swayed in the wind on the Yeti stage. The band has a way of pulling you into their world and keeping you there.

5- Vince Staples

The young rapper took the Bigfoot stage along for a ride with just an MC in the back and completely owned the stage. He released his first album Summertime ’06 last year to critical acclaim and seeing him only further established why.

4- Marian Hill

The soft R&B vocals of Samantha Gongol and heavy bass electronic beats that Jeremy Lloyd produces have made the duo stand out over the last few years to much success. Their debut ACT ONE recently released has projected them to further exposure following the release of EP Sway last year. Gongol is electric on stage having fans loving every minute they get to spend with her voice. The featuring of jazz musician Steve Davit completes the uniqueness of Marian Hill that is bound to take over your city this fall.

3- Jamie XX

I rushed to catch his set after Florence since I never seen him solo before. I’m a really big fan of The XX and I really enjoyed his solo album In Colour that was out last year. He really brings the European Style dance to life during his set. A lot of mixes have lyrics and they are more mixes rather than bass drops. I thought it was so funny that he played his mix of Flo’s “Cosmic Love”, while she was singing it at a stage across from him that night.

2- Tacocat

Sunday was a little uncertain as the main stage had to be closed due to high winds but they announced that most sets would be moved to El Chupacabra including Tacocat that I wanted to see. As people filled the tent the stage lit up with a colorful display while the bubble machine went strong. The best moment was when Emily Nokes shared a moment from earlier in the day. “The next song is for the guys backstage that thought we were here as dancers earlier today. It’s called Men Explain Things to Me!”.

1- Savages

I don’t know if there is a person who has seen this band and walked away thinking, “They were alright”. The 4 piece post punk band dominates the stage as front woman Jehnny Beth leads the way as she confidently struts around the stage and pit.   She gets in people’s faces, sings to them, stands on their hands, and even crowd surfs like no tomorrow. You almost think that this could be their last show as they are giving you 110% the whole time. This was our favorite performance because it pumped adrenaline through our veins the entirety of the set.