Friday, May 20, 2011

omn’s guide to sasquatch 2011

Celebrating a decade in action, the 2011 Sasquatch! Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheatre adds a fourth day, albeit short, of music making on Friday and sold out in record time. Spanning Memorial Day weekend, Friday, May 27 through Monday, May 30th, there are more than 100 acts lined up to grace three stages plus the newly dubbed (and freshly sponsored) Banana Shack tent–check out the fest map here–including a handful of comedians and some of OMN’s favs from Portland and the greater NW.

If you were too slow to get your grubby little hands on tickets, we’ll tell you where in Oregon you can catch these acts on their way to and fro, and if you’re watching from home, follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the weekend since internet coverage can be shaky from the great expanses of the Gorge.

Here’s how we’ll be spending out weekend:

FRIDAY

Playing a two-hour set: The Foo Fighters are hot to trot with their seventh studio album, Wasting Light, and a five-man line up that includes Foo forefather Pat Smear back in the fold. The album, which clocked in at #1 in twelve countries and marked the first FF album to debut at the top spot in the US, is nothing but pure rawk with Grohl channeling all that under-used rage kept aside from their last several efforts. Expect a heavy set, both with new material and rocking oldies, and if you’d like a 110-minute preview to prepare, watch the Foos live from the Ed Sullivan Theater on Letterman performing the new record in its entirety followed by the classics–just don’t expect the Fab Four trib at Sasquatch.

Foo Fighters rock the Sasquatch stage from 9:30 – 11:30pm.

PDX pick: DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid are spinning an even longer set than the Foos from 9pm to 12:30am in the Banana Shack, and they’re the only act at Sasquatch performing more than once. Really, the PDX club mainstays hit the Banana stage all four days! Immerse yourself in the infectious, jangling rhythms of their Bollywood and Bhangra beats and catch them around Portland at the long-running monthly parties Andaz and Atlas or their new Thursday residency in the Crystal Hotel’s Al’s Den.

See DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid in the Banana Shack from 9pm 12:30am on Friday, from 6:05 – 6:50pm on Saturday, 6:30 – 7:15pm on Sunday, or 6:00 – 6:45pm on Monday.

Tantalizing treat, try for yourself: Five years since the band broke up, the Toronto dance-punk duo of Jesse F. Keeler and Sebastien Grainger is reunited and excited. As Death From Above 1979 readies their collaborative “collision of two different worlds,” according to Grainger, you can catch an electronic Keeler incarnation in MSTRKRFT on Sunday night.

Get your fix of Death From Above 1979 on the Sasquatch stage from 8:00 – 9:00pm.

Band you can skip: Biffy Clyro. But really, we can’t get too huffy about these mediocre Scottish rockers with lame lyrics because there’s not much competition for your attention on Friday night. Hey, they are big time in Europe and opening for the Foos on a few dates (same goes for Mariachi el Bronx who you can see on the Yeti stage) so if you must have a listen we won’t stop you. They also hit the Doug Fir in Portland on 5/30.

Also appearing in Portland: Rival Schools will be at Peter’s Room
 in the Roseland on 5/26.

SATURDAY

NW picks: In the definitive indie-folk tradition of the NW, Seattle’s The Head & The Heart are instant classics. Delicately placed vocal harmonies alongside piano and violin melodies make for heart-wrenching stories told by a band that has grown into a sextet which genuinely cares for their craft.

They’ll also hit the Crystal in Portland on 5/31 opening for Iron & Wine (who play the Sasquatch stage from 6:45– 7:45pm).

The emotive Sub Pop signees play the Sasquatch stage from 2:10– 2:55 pm.

On the other end of the indie rock spectrum are Portland’s The Thermals. With punk influences, indelibly poppy songwriting and energy galore, we wouldn’t miss them for the world… neither should you.

The Thermals are oft playing PDX… like tonight!

Catch The Thermals on the Yeti stage from 6:45– 7:45pm.

The reason why Canadians call it Samsquanch: Trailer Park Boys. The comedy highlight of the fest, expect rumblings of chips and kitties from Bubbles, Ricky and Julian. Officially dubbed The Drunk, High & Unemployed Tour, “Cory, Trevor, smokes, let’s go!”

The Canuck crew will also be around Portland at the Aladdin Theater on 5/27 and 5/29 but both are already sold out!

Bring your liquor and jerky to the Banana Shack from 3:45– 4:45pm.

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Get the rest of OMN's daily picks here.

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