It’s a trend that continues with their latest output, The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy, and thanks to a ubiquitous wave of ’90s nostalgia amongst the music industry, the band may finally get the critical and commercial respect it deserves. While their previous records have gotten progressively softer (perhaps explaining the increased lack of interest), Stars finds the group reinvigorated with a collection of 10 tunes full of measured distortion, crisp hooks, and Caws’ earnest tenor.

Opener “Clear Eye Clouded Mind” is driven by three sharpened power chords (not too sharp, mind you) laced together by Ira Elliot’s precision snare. The song forsakes buildup in favor of immediate fuzz, transporting one back to a time where having Ric Ocasek produce your album was synonymous with badassery. “Waiting For Something” and “The Moon Is Calling” pack further pop rock punch with a tinge of new wave keyboards, while “When I Was Young” serves as the album’s bittersweet centerpiece, a slow burner that begins with twilight plucking reminiscent of The Weight Is A Gift and Lucky before ascending to the addicting alt-rock heights of Nada Surf’s earlier work, anchored by sweeping power chords and dramatic strings.

If Stars has one setback, it’s the lyrics, something that has been a consistent weak spot for the band. Caws is capable of turning an evocative phrase, but the occasional reliance on half-baked pop culture references such as Gilligan’s Island and vague, awkward statements like “It’s never too late for teenage dreams” (and even the album’s title) bring out a clunkiness that threatens to undercut the otherwise tightened songwriting. But words aside, The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy could be the comeback for a band who deserves to be recognized as something much more than a mid-’90s punchline.

Essential Tracks: “Clear Eye Clouded Mind”, “When I Was Young”, and “Waiting For Something”

If you recall, it was the great Ron Burgundy who once said, “Discovered by the Germans in 1904, they named it San Diego, which of course in German means a whale’s vagina.” We’re pretty sure that’s not true, but we’re 100% certain it’s one classy city – at least, according to Rob Abelow and Eric Howarth. As the collective brainchild behind the ever popular Bring on the Bright Lights live series, the two strive to build a music community in what’s essentially California’s diamond in the rough. (In other words, plenty of bands tend to ignore the metropolis, thanks to Los Angeles and San Francisco, and they’re trying to fix that.) What started with a sold out double bill of Cut Copy and Washed Out in October 2011 continues with this month’s event featuring Nada Surf, The Soft Pack, Cuckoo Chaos, and Republic of Letters.

The event takes place on Saturday, January 28th and prospective concertgoers can pick up passes here. But, since you’re a reader of Consequence of Sound, we’re giving you San Diegans a chance to get in for free. Here’s how to win: 1.) Comment below on who you want to see next in San Diego, 2.) Follow @coslive on Twitter, and 3.) Enter your e-mail below to receive updates for Bring on the Bright Lights.

One of our fifty most anticipated albums of 2012, bedroom pop composer Mauro Remiddi (aka Porcelain Raft) will release his debut LP, Strange Weekend, on January 24th via Secretly Canadian. Below, you can stream the 10-track effort in its entirety (via The Hype Machine).

Other albums available for an early spin include:

– Nada Surf’s seventh LP, The Stars Are Indifferent, is out January 24th via Barsuk. Stream it now at NPR.org.

– Rodrigo Y Gabriela’s fourth LP, Area 52, is out January 24th via ATO Records. Stream it now at NPR.org.

– First Aid Kit’s sophomore LP, The Lion’s Roar, is out January 24th via Wichita Recordings. Stream it now at NPR.org.

NYC alt-rockers Nada Surf first previewed their upcoming seventh studio album, The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy, with the high-low rock number “When I Was Young”. Now, our second taste takes a turn toward the realm of pop-punk with “Waiting For Something”. This latest track is full speed ahead, with lots of giant-sized guitars and a super bubbly chorus to match. The whole ordeal hits an even higher gear with the righteous synth and ending refrain. Stream and/or download your own copy below in exchange for an email address.

The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy hits stores on January 24th via Barsuk. The band will also be on tour this Spring, with the full itinerary just below the widget.

Nada Surf 2012 Tour Dates:
01/24 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
01/28 – San Diego, CA @ 4th and B *
02/02 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern #
02/07 – Glasgow, UK @ King Tuts ^
02/08 – London, UK @ KOKO ^
02/10 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg ^
02/11 – Lille, FR @ Le Splendid ^
02/12 – Brussels, BE @ AB Box ^
02/14 – Paris, FR @ Le Bataclan ^
02/15 – Bordeaux, FR @ Le Krakatoa ^
02/16 – Toulouse, FR @ Le Bikini ^
02/17 – Santiago De Compostela, ES @ Capitol ^
02/18 – Madrid, ES @ La Riviera ^
02/19 – Barcelona, ES @ Razmatazz 2 ^
02/20 – Lyon, FR @ Le Transbordeur ^
02/22 – Linz, AT @ Posthof ^
02/24 – Zurich, CH @ Komplex ^
02/25 – Munich, DE @ Backstage Werk ^
02/26 – Berlin, DE @ Huxley’s ^
02/27 – Hamburg, DE @ Markthalle ^
02/28 – Cologne, DE @ Life Music Hall ^
03/20 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Music Box %
03/21 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore %
03/23 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom %
03/27 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge %
03/29 – Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall %
03/30 – Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room %
03/31 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue %
04/02 – Chicago, IL @ Metro %
04/04 – Toronto, ON @ The Opera House %
04/05 – Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre %
04/06 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club %
04/07 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall %
04/08 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of the Living Arts %
04/10 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club %

* = w/ The Soft Pack
# = w/ Say Hi
^ = w/ WATERS
% = w/ An Horse

NYC alt-rockers Nada Surf will release their seventh studio album, The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy, on January 24th via Barsuk Records. The band had already mapped out a trio of shows in California and New York City around the album’s release, and today they return with a more extensive venture for this Spring. The three-week trek kicks off in Los Angeles on March 20th and ends in Washington, DC on April 10th. Check out their entire tour itinerary below, which also includes a trip to Europe in February.

Also, for a taste of  The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy, grab a stream of album track “When I Was Young”.

Nada Surf – “When I Was Young”:

Nada Surf 2011-2012 Tour Dates:
11/12 – Lubeck, DE @ Weissenhaeuser Strand
11/18 – Martigny, CH @ Slide and Sound Festival
01/24 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
01/28 – San Diego, CA @ 4th and B
02/02 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
02/07 – Glasgow, UK @ King Tuts
02/08 – London, UK @ KOKO
02/10 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg
02/11 – Lille, FR @ Le Splendid
02/12 – Brussels, BE @ AB Box
02/14 – Paris, FR @ Le Bataclan
02/15 – Bordeaux, FR @ Le Krakatoa
02/16 – Toulouse, FR @ Le Bikini
02/17 – Santiago De Compostela, ES @ Capitol
02/18 – Madrid, ES @ La Riviera
02/19 – Barcelona, ES @ Razmatazz 2
02/20 – Lyon, FR @ Le Transbordeur
02/22 – Linz, AT @ Posthof
02/24 – Zurich, CH @ Komplex
02/25 – Munich, DE @ Backstage Werk
02/26 – Berlin, DE @ Huxley’s
02/27 – Hamburg, DE @ Markthalle
02/28 – Cologne, DE @ Life Music Hall
03/20 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Music Box
03/21 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
03/23 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
03/27 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
03/29 – Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall
03/30 – Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
03/31 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
04/02 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
04/04 – Toronto, ON @ The Opera House
04/05 – Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre
04/06 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
04/07 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
04/08 – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of the Living Arts
04/10 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

With the exception of a Record Store Day single, New York City alt rockers Nada Surf have had a quiet 2011. Next year, however, will be a much different story. On January 24th, the band will release their seventh studio album, The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy, via Barsuk Records. Below, you can score a taste by downloading the album track “When I Was Young”.

In support of the release, Nada Surf have already mapped out tour dates on both sides of the Atlantic in early 2012. Their entire upcoming itinerary is mapped out below.

Nada Surf 2011-2012 Tour Dates:
11/12 – Lubeck, DE @ Weissenhaeuser Strand
11/18 – Martigny, CH @ Slide and Sound Festival
01/24 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
01/28 – San Diego, CA @ 4th and B
02/02 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
02/07 – Glasgow, UK @ King Tuts
02/08 – London, UK @ KOKO
02/10 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg
02/11 – Lille, FR @ Le Splendid
02/12 – Brussels, BE @ AB Box
02/14 – Paris, FR @ Le Bataclan
02/15 – Bordeaux, FR @ Le Krakatoa
02/16 – Toulouse, FR @ Le Bikini
02/17 – Santiago De Compostela, ES @ Capitol
02/18 – Madrid, ES @ La Riviera
02/19 – Barcelona, ES @ Razmatazz 2
02/20 – Lyon, FR @ Le Transbordeur
02/22 – Linz, AT @ Posthof
02/24 – Zurich, CH @ Komplex
02/25 – Munich, DE @ Backstage Werk
02/26 – Berlin, DE @ Huxley’s
02/27 – Hamburg, DE @ Markthalle
02/28 – Cologne, DE @ Life Music Hall

Record Store Day is a magical time of year. Sure, there’s no fat guy in a crushed velvet suit doling out gifts or a giant rabbit trying to give children diabetes, but said celebration does have the ability to draw even the most random musical acts back into the limelight in order to offer up sonic goodies. Case in point, Nada Surf. While we haven’t heard much of the band since they dropped their album of cover songs last year, the New York natives are readying the release of The Moon Is Calling, a limited-edition 7″ of previously-unreleased demos, for Record Store Day. Along with that effort, Nada Surf are also entering the studio sometime this month to record their new LP to be released in the fall via Barsuk Records.

The Moon Is Calling Tracklist:
01. The Moon Is Calling
02. You’re Going To Miss The Wood

On Monday, The Syndicate — along with yours truly — kicked off another CMJ Music Marathon with the 12th annual Conflict of Interest kick-off party. Nada Surf headlined, Reggie Watts and Bo Burnham dished the jokes, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Oh Land, and Kitten proved their buzz band status. Plus, there were drinks named after Bob Dylan — “Mr. Tambourine Man” was my personal favorite, Dylan-themed karaoke, and enough Kind Bars to get you through the winter. In case you missed it or just want to reminisce, read our review here and watch the above video, which features movie image highlights of this year’s festivities. Hat tip to Sami Jarroush for putting it all together.

The first to take the stage was the Californian band Kitten. While the electronic rock itself had potential, their name says it all: they have a lot of growing to do. Their sound was unpolished and not in that kind of indie, avant-garde way. Teenage singer Chloe Chaidez showed a plethora of energy, but sadly, there is such a thing as too much. Rolling and jumping around onstage can only be entertaining for so long. Her vocals need some work in a live setting as well.

If Kitten was a disappointing mess of electronic noise, then Oh Land was the polar opposite. With a gorgeous voice and an infectious groove, the Copenhagen singer had large sections of the crowd dancing along from the first song. Along with some assistance from her drummer, the set was made up of minimalist bleeps and bloops that expanded into vibrant electronica. Highlights included the jittering “Sun of a Gun” and an ode to New York called “Helicopter”. They’re playing the Big Apple five more times during CMJ, so if you missed them this first time, make sure to check them out at a later show.

Despite the party being sponsored by Comedy Central, you might think it a little odd for a comedian to come in between all these musical sets. However, Bo Burnham fit right in with his musical-styled comedy. Whether it was jamming to recordings he’d made beforehand or playing live on the piano while he sang along, Burnham captivated the audience and had them cracking up at every joke, no matter how innocent or offensive. Immediately winning everyone over with his first song, which included pretending to be about to do a card trick but proceeding to chuck the cards at the audience with the simple comment of “magic isn’t real,” Burnham’s performance consistently kept the crowd in stitches. Fans should look forward to his latest release, Words Words Words, due out this week.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. was up next and what an odd group they are. While they dress like NASCAR drivers and seem gimmicky, their music is anything but that. Instead, their set was full of soulful folk that washed over the crowd. The floor was absolutely packed for the first time that evening, and nearly everyone there stopped by to hear their short set. Most of the songs played were from their Horse Power EP, but the band had enough time to throw in covers of Gil Scott Heron’s “We Almost Lost Detroit” and The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows”.  The latter was a particular highlight, stripping the song down to hit the band’s mold.

After Jr. Jr. came the second comedy act of the night, Reggie Watts. There’s only one word that can really describe Watts’ brand of humor: insane. From the moment he arrived (which took forever due to a lengthy sound check) to the moment he left, the audience experienced a full-on blast of intense improvisation and stream-of-consciousness rapping. In between songs that mocked the “gangsta” style of rap, Watts put on different accents and presented himself as a variety of performers. One of these was a southern bandleader who won an award over Radiohead and followed this up by making fun of Thom Yorke’s vocal stylings on Kid A. These weren’t sketches or skits that had been planned out. Instead, Watts just took whatever was on his mind and threw it out to the crowd, winning over the entire audience and leaving everyone with a good feeling for Nada Surf.

While many of the acts made for a really fun night, most of the crowd was there for Nada Surf. Playing their last scheduled show, it’s unknown when the New York alt-rockers will be back. As CMJ staples – they’re playing Friday at the Mercury Lounge, as well – it was no surprise that both the band and audience enjoyed every minute of the set. Taking the stage just after midnight, the group opened with “Hi-Speed Soul”, creating an energetic euphoria throughout parts of the crowd. It was a sort of homecoming for Nada Surf, according to singer Matthew Caws. It turns out that he and bassist Daniel Lorca held their first practice ever in the upstairs rehearsal space of Rebel NYC. Joined by Guided By Voices guitarist Doug Gillard, the band ripped through a 90-minute set that spanned their career. It was a wonderfully rocking way to the end the show and start CMJ.

The showcase ultimately combined music and comedy into a smooth, eclectic mix that kept the audience’s attention despite delays and lengthy sound checks. It was a more than suitable way to set the stage for CMJ and whet our appetites for what’s to come.

——

Enter: Consequence of Sound.

Given our adoration of music festivals, it only makes sense that we’re involved — even somewhat. That’s why we hooked up with our friends over at The Syndicate, and decided to be a media sponsor for what will undoubtedly be the most-talked about party of the week.

Returning attendees may recognize it’s name. It’s called the Conflict of Interest party, and this year, The Syndicate put together one hell of a line up. Sponsored by Comedy Central, who will be pushing Nick Swardson’s upcoming show, Pretend Time, the bill features not only music, but some comedy, as well. The line up includes: Nada Surf, Reggie Watts, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Bo Burnham, Oh Land, and Kitten. The whole shebang goes down at Rebel NYC on Monday, October 18th at 7 p.m.. What’s more, it’s free!

Excited? You should be. There’s more.

In addition to all the music and laughs, the event plans to focus on Bob Dylan’s forthcoming sets for his Original Mono Recordings and The Witmark Demos, Bootleg Series Volume 9, which attendees will have a chance to win. If you’re really feeling the Bobby D, there will also be some karaoke in another room, where you can try your hand at “Subterranean Homesick Blues”. Good luck.

So let’s round this up:

What: Conflict of Interest Party
When: Monday, October 18th, 7:00 p.m.
Who: Nada Surf, Reggie Watts, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Bo Burnham, Oh Land, and Kitten
Where: Rebel NYC, 251 W. 30th Street, New York City, NY
Why: Because it’s sponsored by us, because you can win free Bobby D, and because Monday night’s the new Wednesday night.
Admission: Free

Sound kosher to you? RSVP. Now!

Set Times:
7:30-7:55 Kitten
8:15-8:40 Oh Land
9:00-9:20 Bo Burnham
9:40-10:05 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
10:20-10:40 Reggie Watts
11:00-12:00 Nada Surf

Well, they’re back again, this time with an all-covers album called, If I Had A Hi-Fi. The covers are mostly from artists you’ve probably never heard of: Bill Fox, Arthur Russell, The Soft Pack, Mecromina, etc. A questionable choice, considering the band is probably hurtin’ to avoid daytime jobs.

But they also put a few recognizable tracks on the list: a Depeche Mode cover of the famous “Enjoy the Silence”, a take on Kate Bush’s “Love and Anger”, and a try at “The Agony of Laffitte” by Spoon. The latter containing a touch of irony, considering Spoon and Nada Surf are bands who started their careers around the same time. The difference is, one of them still puts out great music, and the other seems bound for the county fair circuit.

Take “Enjoy the Silence”, for instance. They strip the track of everything that makes it awesome: the danceable beats, catchy synth lines, the dark vocals, and instead morph it into an alt 90’s sing along, complete with repetitive “ba ba, ba ba, ba ba” chant at the end.

On “Questions”, an anti-Vietnam war number by The Moody Blues, they decide to crank up the distortion and rush through the first piece of the song before slowing it down and adding an orchestra, then switching back to the crunchy punk –style verse. They essentially strip the song of any soulful qualities, glam it up, and reproduce it as a track that no Moody Blues fan will likely appreciate.

It’s not all bad, though. “The Agony of Laffite” has some interesting percussion, and the backing vocals over the chorus give the song added depth. It’s interesting to hear the low-fi acoustic number cranked up and extra-produced. Overall, they do the track justice.

The obscure “You Were So Warm” by Dwight Twilley is a fitting choice for this band. They give it a light-hearted, balmy make over. Lead singer Matthew Caws vocals shine on the track, and if nothing else it makes for a decent addition to a summer playlist.

While Nada Surf won’t be turning out another “Popular” (that one hit song from the ‘90s) anytime soon, they keep plugging along, and the world’s no worse for the wear. Artists create, and sometimes they continue to do so whether or not anyone really cares.

My newfound buddy obscurely stated one night, “Everyone is their own little Sasquatch.” This was easily the most accurate observation of the weekend. Everybody was partying their hardest, rocking out in an intimate location to some of the biggest bands of today, consuming vast quantities of alcohol, scouring the campgrounds for E, and just going all-out nuts. The vibes at this festival were rock out or go home. The Gorge was prepared for all of this, however, which is why Sasquatch has been able to maintain such success all these years. It’s thee Pacific Northwest festival, and they like it to run smoothly. If they keep bringing the same magnitude of artists back, keep the Gorge clean, and keep running this smaller operation in the same fashion, it won’t be long before blood is spilled over tickets.

But allow us to digress…

Saturday, May 29th

Laura Marling
Bigfoot Stage, 12:50 p.m.

This British youngster Laura Marling rocked the Bigfoot stage for an early afternoon mellow-fest with her stylish brand of folk. This was the perfect way for everyone at the Gorge to get into the spirit of listening to new and talented music, setting quite the bar for the remainder of the weekend. It was not hard to go into a trance while listening to her strong yet soft vocals, and coupled with the sunshine and a light breeze, it was the quintessential start to the festival. -Ted Maider

Brother Ali
Sasquatch Stage, 1:10 p.m.

Who else could spit truth with all of nature’s beauty looming in the background? Brother Ali’s furious brand of politically charged hip-hop ripped through the air for the daytime crowd at the main stage waving their hands in the air, like they actually did care about what he had to say. Aside from his down-to-Earth sociological observations, he and his DJ, Snuggles, did a beat-box tidbit about the kind of movies they watch on the tour bus, which seemed to include porn, Eddie Murphy, and the new Iron Man sequel. To finish it all off, Brother Ali spit the most honest verses about modern America, all without a beat to back him up. That’s as honest as it gets. -Ted Maider

Fool’s Gold
Yeti Stage: 1:20 p.m.

Afro-pop is one hell of a way to kick off Sasquatch 2010. Laura Marling offered a mellow welcoming as I passed by the Bigfoot stage, but as soon as I stepped around the corner to the Yeti state, I was blown away by the L.A hipster jam band. Fool’s Gold set the dance party standards at a high level for the rest of the festival with a beach ball flying, costume wearing, dance party, especially during the high-register guitar riffs in “Surprise Hotel”. You couldn’t help but join in. -Kacie McKinney

Mumford & Sons
Bigfoot Stage: 1:55 p.m.

Photo by Christopher Nelson

It was awesome to see such a large, well-deserved crowd for the British folk-rockers, Mumford & Sons. For a set full of ballads early in the day, there was a surprising amount of dancing and singing along with the tunes from Sigh No More. “Little Lion Man” was definitely a crowd favorite as everyone clapped and sang along and the banjo strumming by Winston Marshall and soulful vocals from Marcus Mumford during “Roll Away Your Stone” was a show highlight. -Kacie McKinney

Minus the Bear
Sasquatch Stage: 2:15 p.m.

The Seattle quintet shredded like nobody else as they tore through a set of fantastic songs. The only word to actually and accurately describe these guys was “relentless.” Each member of the band seemed to be in their own little musical world, and it seemed like between them, there was a lot going on. And nothing beat the “Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse” that got the crowd to pogo like it was 2002 again. It’s clear, after quite a few albums, that Minus the Bear has perfected its style to go down as one of the purest and leading members of the modern rock scene. -Ted Maider

Photo by Kyle Johnson

Portugal.The Man
Bigfoot Stage: 3:00 p.m.

When I reread my notes for the Portugal. The Man show, they said things like “totalchaos” and “gnar psychedelic rock.” This should give you an idea of where my mind was at as the group played their bizarre brand of trippy art rock, complete with insane noise jams and a quick MGMT cover. It was unlike anything I had ever seen, while members thrashed their instruments around in the blazing hot sun, and shocked audiences all over the grounds. Clearly these guys and girls were on some other mental plane, and by communicating it through their music, they were able to take us there too. -Ted Maider

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Bigfoot Stage: 4:05 p.m.

Photo by Kyle Johnson

Word travels pretty fucking fast in the modern age. When I saw this band at Coachella just a month ago, the crowd was big, but maybe about half as big as the crowd here (in Coachella to Sasquatch terms of course). You could hardly breathe as Edward Sharpe and company arrived late to play their six-song set of insanity. The band opened up with an uplifting rendition of “40”, as well as their newfound classic “Home”, which excited the crowd more than a trucker getting his Grand Slam at 4 am. This band is clearly killing it after just one album, and it will only be a matter of time before they become a stellar cult act. -Ted Maider

The Lonely Forest
Yeti Stage: 5:40 p.m.

Good to have a band playing in their home state and at their first Sasquatch ever. Up against Broken Social scene the crowd was small not even making it past the sound stage…but The Lonely Forest had a cult following that was shouting out song requests and soaking in every deeply personal love song. It was also fun to see John Van Deusen play the theme song to Intervention to a Sasquatch drinker at the Luke Burbank comedy show (not to mention, I got t0 help him look up some of the lyrics to the theme song when he stopped by the media area). -Kacie McKinney

Broken Social Scene
Sasquatch Stage: 5:45 p.m.

“We traveled 42 hours to play for you today,” Broken Social Scene informed us upon their arrival. And then the band proceeded to play like they had been waiting 42 hours to rip their hardest. The band’s unique style of guitar assault rock was perfect for the Gorge as the sun began to loom behind the clouds and the temperature dropped. But their music kept people alive as they hypnotized the crowd into an intellectually charged frenzy. Note: Three guitars are better than one. -Ted Maider

Photo by Kyle Johnson

I’m not sure how it’s possible to play an intimate set with 20,000+ people, but Broken Social Scene did it for the better part of an hour. Somehow they made a connection with everyone there, and they received the loudest cheers of the night. The lovely Lisa Lobsinger joined the band for the second half of the set, including her infectious Forgiveness Rock Record track “All To All”. They went on with the full band to play old hit after hit, “7/4 Shoreline”, “Stars and Sons”, and “Fire-Eyed Boy”. The best set at Sasquatch, hands down. -Winston Robbins

The National
Sasquatch Stage: 7:00 p.m.

You can refer to The National in one of two ways: The National or “the men of few words but great charisma.” A graying Mat Beringer and his supporting cast took the stage after a staggering performance by Broken Social Scene. A little to my dismay, I honestly believed that I had reached my Sasquatch climax during BSS’s earth-shattering set at 6 pm. I was a little sad that the night had peaked so quickly. I was so wrong.

The National restored my faith in the pending weekend only minutes after it had been shattered. They’re like a good wine, better with age. As anyone will tell you, the band’s latest installment, High Violet, is no joke. There seems to be no ceiling for just how high The National can go in the studio. Their live show is very much the same. Mat and his family and friends band took the stage and said very little, but kept us riveted throughout regardless. They moved through old hits from Alligator and Boxer seamlessly coupled with Violet hits. Highlight of the show: When Mat Beringer left the stage, jumped the fan restraining bar and trudged 30 yards into the crowd, all the while screaming the chorus of ”Abel”. Why this man is not consistently on the indie crush list for sheer awesome-ness is lost on me. -Winston Robbins

The Hold Steady
Bigfoot Stage: 7:30 p.m.

Photo by Christopher Nelson

Always have a drink in your hand and be ready to dance and you will be on the same energy level as Craig Finn when he belts out the party songs of The Hold Steady. I was expecting to hear more new material since Heaven is Whenever came out in early May but they played all the favorites including “Constructive Summer”, “Chips Ahoy”, and “Magazines”. They also slipped in a few from their latest effort. Up against The National, they had a small, but encapsulated crow. It was a good mix and a fun raging dance party – and an especially popular place for green man crowd surfing. -Kacie McKinney

Vampire Weekend
Sasquatch Stage: 8:30 p.m.

Photo by Christopher Nelson

The New York-based quartet walked out on stage to DJ Kool’s “Let Me Clear My Throat”, which couldn’t have been a more humorous entry. The band, however, wasted no time whatsoever in cranking out the greats, as they launched into a high-strung version of “White Sky”. It was then that the whole crowd went ape shit and put out the most positive energy possible. Everyone jumped and sang out the words to songs like “Giving up the Gun”, ”Bryn”, and an electrically charged version of “A-Punk”. Not to mention they wove “Campus” and “Oxford Comma” together in a fashion that would make Jerry Garcia proud. It’s safe to say that Vampire Weekend ripped it Saturday night in a fashion that left everyone out of breath. -Ted Maider

Nada Surf
Bigfoot Stage: 9:00 p.m.

Many were still at Vampire Weekend, but Nada Surf was a fun alternative packed with nostalgic 90s hits like “Always Love” and “Blankest Year” and some from the new cover album If I had a hi-fi including Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silience” and Kate Bush’s “Love and Anger”. This was a performance I had been looking forward to for months and I was left satisfied, but not blown away. -Kacie McKinney

My Morning Jacket
Sasquatch Stage: 10:00 p.m.

The only people who were having more fun than the audience was the band. My Morning Jacket’s musicians never looked more triumphant in their headlining state, playing some of the best selections from their catalog (complete with a ferocious looking donkey on the stage front). Songs like “Dondante” tripped out the entire audience and eased them into a trance, while songs like “One Big Holiday” got the entire crowd into a moshing frenzy at the start of the show. As well as tracks like “Gideon”, “I’m Amazed”, and “Touch Me, I’m Going to Scream” to make this set list officially rad. In the time My Morning Jacket played, they assured the audience that they were one of the hardest working bands in America, and were clearly worthy of headlining a major music festival. This performance easily could have solidified their position as a contemporary music classic, and will be uttered around MMJ folklore for generations to come. -Ted Maider

Deadmau5
Bigfoot Stage: 11:30 p.m.

If you weren’t a Deadmau5 fan before this show, you certainly would have been afterward. That’s not to say I haven’t heard Deadmau5, because I own his albums and find his simplistic style of less-is-more fascinating. His live show, though, goes to show that the more-is-awesome concept works just as well. With a light show that can’t be beat, a style of electronic music that is currently dominating the modern airwaves, and a mask that will forever be associated with the Toronto mix master, it was the show of the night. People furiously danced under the stars as he cut tracks like “Ghosts N’ Stuff” and “Brazil.” At the end, the talented genius waltzed toward the ground and gave some of his fans a high five. I quickly ran over and shouted, “You’re the fucking man!” and he turned back to give a wave. I presume it must be hard knowing that you and your music are this awesome. -Ted Maider

Sunday, May 30th

Martina Topley-Bird
Yeti Stage: 1:00 p.m.

A progenitor of the trip hop genre playing her solo work on the most intimate stage at Sasquatch? Yes, please. Martina Topley-Bird took the stage in a red wedding dress (which we would see later as she took the stage with Massive Attack), looking beyond gorgeous with her amber skin and golden brown curly locks. Things didn’t go exactly as she’d planned with her set, and there were some definite technical errors, but she didn’t let that get her down. In her charming British accent, she explained with a wry smile on her face, “I’m sure you understand. It’s festival vibes. Everything can and will go wrong. I just hope no one’s filming. Oh great. There’s a man with a camera. You bastard…” -Winston Robbins

Local Natives
Bigfoot Stage: 1:30 p.m.

Photo by Christopher Nelson

For reasons we may never understand, Pitchfork succeeds. If P4k’s Best New Music is for you, you’re in for at least the next six months. About half the time, they’re right, which means about half the time they’re wrong. Fortunately for us at Sasquatch, they were right in their recent love of Local Natives. Word spreads fast, and as a result this was one of the biggest crowds at the Honda’s Bigfoot Stage. The time they were allotted was nearly long enough for them to play their entire debut album, but the songs that really got the ultra-hip audience going were “Camera Talk”, their cover of Talking Heads’ “Warning Sign”, and the strained, shouting chorus of “Cubism Dream”, which, for the uninformed goes, “I did it for you, I did it for me!!!” Tell you what, Local Natives, your set at Sasquatch 2010 definitely “did it for me.” -Winston Robbins

Luke Burbank
Rumpus Room: 2:00 p.m.

After a little talk with The Lonely Forest I had to go see what all the fuss was about with Luke Burbank – host of Too Beautiful to Live. He taught us all the game of getting iced… keep those Smirnoffs handy at your campsite because next time you hand one to someone they have to get down on one knee and chug it – it’s the rule. Within five minutes of being at the festival, The Lonely Forest iced him. And John Van Deusen came up on stage and sang the Intervention theme song to a participant in the audience that told everyone in the crowd his most embarrassing puking drunk story. -Kacie McKinney

The Tallest Man on Earth
Bigfoot Stage: 2:35 p.m.

Photo by Kyle Johnson

He literally looks like the tallest man ever while standing up on that stage all by himself, but you got to give Kristian Matsson credit for confidence. The Tallest Man on Earth’s set was basically the calm before the storm that was day two of Sasquatch. Matsson’s well-thought out poetry over his mellow and melodic guitar tones smoothed the crowd over as the clouds rolled in. As he stood there, staring out over 10,000 people and belting out his most personal sentiments, it showed that the Tallest Man on Earth could weather any storm – personal, physical, or meteorological. -Ted Maider

They Might Be Giants
Sasquatch Stage: 3:20 p.m.

They Might Be Giants‘ breed of comedic and strangely composed indie rock is able to still hold water after the group’s 20 plus years of existence. By playing songs with titles like “Racist Friend” and “Upside Down Frown”, they were still able to resonate with the population of the Pacific Northwest. The band themselves were appreciative of all the people who came to see them, even the sleeping people (me) in the back. Not to mention, they busted out sock puppets halfway through their set, and introduced them to us as The Avatars of They, who then sang for the next few songs. It was definitely a strange performance, filled with comedic interludes and kooky songs, but if it’s not weird at a festival than what’s the point of checking it out? -Ted Maider

Kid Cudi
Sasquatch Stage: 4:25 p.m.

“We’re all grooving and we’re all friendly at a Kid Cudi show,” the new breed of MC told the crowd when he took the stage Sunday afternoon. He was certainly right, because everybody was feeling real good suddenly. Everybody was on their feet and everyone was dancing like there was no tomorrow. Meanwhile, Kid Cudi spit his rhymes in his Anthrax t-shirt as his DJ laid down tracks that spanned a vast influence of beat composition. Kid Cudi was cutting it up that afternoon, and if you slept through that, then I am truly sorry. -Ted Maider

Tegan & Sara
Sasquatch Stage: 5:35 p.m.

You know what I like most about Tegan & Sara? Nothing is recycled. I have seen them four times over the course of the past two years, and not once has there been a joke used twice, no signature gimmicks to get the crowd involved, and no uniform costuming — which means they are always flying by the seat of their pants, and that deserves some serious respect. There aren’t many bands out there, however musically talented, quite as capable of that organic interaction with the crowd as T&S.

Given the short time they were allotted, they weren’t given much time to fool around showing off songs from their latest, Sainthood. They played mostly fan favorites from previous records; songs such as: “Where Does The Good Go”, “Nineteen”, “The Con”, and “Walking With a Ghost.” These girls are pros and they know it, they’ve earned every scrap of their success, and it’s fun to see reap the benefits. -Winston Robbins

The xx
Bigfoot Stage: 5:55 p.m.

It suddenly got very creepy where I was standing as The xx took the Bigfoot stage towards the end of the day. The clouds were dark and the songs were eerie as the vocals lulled everyone in the crowd into a numb stupor. The xx’s brand of steezy beats, thumping bass, and cryptic vibe got everyone hypnotized as the darkness of the night crept in to a style of music that embraced the nightfall. It’s music like this, that when seen live, takes you to a new level of mentality that is only achievable in a scenario like Sasquatch. -Ted Maider

LCD Soundsystem
Sasquatch Stage: 7:00 p.m.

Photo by Christopher Nelson

Did you think you could mosh to LCD Soundsystem? Neither did I, until it happened. LCD Soundsystem had, what I considered, one of the best shows of the weekend. James Murphy arrived on stage and wasted no time blowing minds left and right. His energy was insane as he screamed out the lyrics to “Time Has Come” and “Us v. Them”. Shortly after that, the band launched into the rowdiest version of “Drunk Girls” that left the crowd breathless from dancing, as well as “Daft Punk is Playing at My House” which was nothing short of a roller coaster ride. I couldn’t imagine anybody trying to sit down during this show. He got the entire crowd at the Gorge to stand up, wave their hands in unison, and chant out “All My Friends” as the band closed their amazing, jaw-dropping, almost inspirational hour-long set. -Ted Maider

Fruit Bats
Yeti Stage: 7:30 p.m.

I left the LCD Soundsystem to check out the Fruit Bats. As much as I was having a good time down on the mainstage dance floor I didn’t mind the peaceful break that Fruit Bats offered. The passion Eric D. Johnson puts into the vocals is worth the show. The Ruminant Band has definitely been a good thing for The Fruit Bats and they would have had more attention if not up against the best dance party of the weekend – and quite possibly the best dance party Sasquatch has ever seen period. -Kacie McKinney

Pavement
Sasquatch Stage: 8:30 p.m.

Photo by Christopher Nelson

Apparently, it was Stephen Malkmus’ birthday. Why didn’t I get a notification from Facebook? I clearly would have made a note to rock just that much harder, but it didn’t matter anyways, because Pavement came out with the full intention to have just as much fun as the crowd. It was possibly the most satisfying set Pavement could have possibly played, complete with shenanigans from Malkmus and Spiral Stairs. The band kicked it off with the most fast-paced version of “Cut Your Hair” which was followed by an epic “Trigger Cut”. The band played everything you could possibly have wanted to hear, including spectacular numbers like “Gold Soundz”, “Kennel District”, and “Shady Lane”, while the Pacific Northwest citizens lost their minds to seeing one of their favorite bands only mere feet in front of their eyes. -Ted Maider

Massive Attack
Sasquatch Stage: 10:30 p.m.

Massive Attack was by far the biggest name on the bill at Sasquatch 2010 and consequently garnered the biggest crowd. The masses came in throngs to see the trip hop legends perform for the first time ever at The Gorge, and few, if any, left underwhelmed. The theatrics were second to none as they took the stage on what was one of their last US dates. They came out soft starting with Heligoland bonus track “United Snakes”, while the screen behind them flashed 100 words a minute, all drug-related: melatonin, cocaine, mescaline, ketamine, THC, heroin, codeine, ecstasy, etc. And I firmly believe that over half the crowd in attendance was on one, if not more of the mentioned drugs, and I’m surprised they didn’t put the word “massive attack” on the drug list, because their music in itself can induce pleasurable highs. So in that sense, it was accurate of them to open with a list of drugs because everyone was high to a certain extent.

That same screen would become the backdrop of the ideas they wanted to express in words or numbers for the remainder of the two hour set. It went from a political rally, to a question of freedom using quotes and statistics (Arizona got shanked multiple times), to a full on quote fest fraught with thought provoking ideas. And while this may seem shameless and completely devoid of all subtlety, it worked given the atmosphere.

Photo by Kyle Johnson

Of course we saw appearances by Massive Attack regulars Martina Topley-Bird and Horace Andy, as well as the boys themselves, 3D and Daddy G, and as they ran through the set, they each provided such a unique spin to the MA sound. It almost felt like a stage production with the frequent coming and going of musicians and the constant costume changes of Martina Topley-Bird. The set was fairly Heligoland top-heavy, with tracks like “Babel”, “Girl I Love You”, “Psyche”, and “Splitting The Atom”, but their classics received pretty fair attention. From “Teardrop” to “Risingson” to “Angel”, Mezzanine was well represented, as was Blue Lines with tracks “Safe From Harm”, and “Unfinished Sympathy”. All in all, it played like an incredible greatest hits, and it blew the minds of all who were lucky enough to witness it. -Winston Robbins

Booka Shade
Bigfoot Stage: 11:30 p.m.

The house duo from Germany known as Booka Shade opened up their electronic doors of insanity to the world on Sunday night as the closed out the entire show. The band tore it down, while ravers danced under the stars for a solid hour and a half. Even when the band tried to get off stage, the audience screamed for more, until the band finally obliged playing for another 15 minutes. This pleased the crowd immensely as the synth and drums duo blazed up that stage some more, keeping everybody in full-on party mode for just a few more moments. Nobody, and I mean nobody, wanted it to end. -Ted Maider

Monday, May 31st

The Heavy
Sasquatch Stage: 12:00 p.m.

Nothing like some English soul to cure that Monday hangover. Kevin Swaby’s voice was the perfect thing to ease everyone into the last day of the festival as they were enjoying their $8 lattes and $11 hair-of-the dog beers. Rockers with some funky horns and a soulful voice, you never know what The Heavy will cook up next. Songs such as “How You Like Me Now” (Featured in a KIA commercial) and the horns in “No Time” set the funky mood for the morning. -Kacie McKinney

Mayer Hawthorne & The County
Sasquatch Stage: 12:55 p.m.

In his suit and high-tops, Mayer Hawthorne used his falsetto voice and thick-rimmed glasses to channel Motown soul music. Most notably he channeled his former role as DJ Haircut and had the crowd singing Biz Markie’s “Just a Friend.” While I’m still questioning why he took five minutes to poll the audience about what kind of music they liked,  it was good music to sit up on the hill and get ready for the day ahead. -Kacie McKinney

Seattle Rock Orchestra
Bigfoot Stage: 2:20 p.m.

This Aracade Fire cover band was a hidden gem during the solid Monday main stage set. As I was getting closer to the stage I actually heard a person say “OMG Arcade Fire is playing!” as they ran over to the Bigfoot stage to watch the band play songs from Funeral. But what they saw instead was around 30 of Seattle’s best freelance classical and pop musicians tearing it up. One girl was even playing a teakettle and played it so hard it broke. -Kacie McKinney

Drive-By Truckers
Sasquatch Stage: 3:00 p.m.

The cowboy boots were in prime form for Southern rockers Drive-By Truckers. But the crowd seemed to be a mixture of the alt-country enthusiasts for the day and hipsters waiting to rush the main floor for Passion Pit coming up next. There were a few hollers from the floor and a few snickers from the Passion Pit crowd as Patterson Hood dedicated  “18 Wheels of Love” to the 18 Wheeler Peterbilt in the sky. -Kacie McKinney

Passion Pit
Sasquatch Stage: 4:10 p.m.

Photo by Kyle Johnson

Many people around camp Sasquatch were chirping about the Boston group’s performance. Apparently, last year Passion Pit rocked the northwest while playing various tracks off their masterpiece LP, Manners, and this year they seemed to kick just as much, if not more, ass. “Make Light” at the beginning got the crowd into a dancing frenzy, and nobody was safe during their live rendition of “Sleepyhead”, as Passion Pit put all their energy into their keyboards. If you weren’t out of breath after the show, you clearly weren’t feeling it. -Ted Maider

Dr. Dog
Bigfoot Stage: 4:30 p.m.

Thank god Craig Robinson bombed it on the comedy stage because Dr. Dog got the crowd they deserved. I love watching people’s awe-shocked faces amidst a Dr. Dog performance. Working off of You may expect these guys to play a mellow little set, but you ain’t seen nothing until you see them live. -Kacie McKinney

She & Him
Sasquatch Stage: 5:20 p.m.

I’ve never been certain as to what exactly possessed M. Ward to collaborate with Zooey Deschanel. I had guessed that it must have had something to do with the never ending pools of blue water she calls eyes, but seeing She & Him live has changed my mind about that in a big way. It’s become very clear to me that it was their affinity for ’50s music is what brought them together.

Photo by Kyle Johnson

They busted out song after song teeming with nostalgic vibes and kept us all thoroughly entertained with their onstage antics and charisma. Zooey playfully introduced the band saying, “We’re She & Him, and him and him and him and her and her” referring to her backing band. And I must give credit where credit is due, Zooey’s got almost as much onstage swagger as the legendary M. Ward, who is known to drop jaws with his sheer coolness. Playing mostly songs from their newest installment, Volume 2, the highlights were “Don’t Look Back”, an elongated “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?”, and their cover of “Roll Over Beethoven”. -Winston Robbins

Band of Horses
Sasquatch Stage: 6:40 p.m.

Some people are simply just born to front bands. Julian Casablancas, Wayne Coyne, and Thomas Mars, are all excellent examples of individuals who quarterback their respective bands with absolute professionalism and perfection. As of May 31, 2010, I am officially adding Ben Bridwell to that list. Despite their latest installment, Infinite Arms, being panned by most critics (somewhat undeservedly), Band of Horses took the stage with the utmost confidence in themselves. And why shouldn’t they? They’ve released three solid alt-country albums to massive success amongst the indie community and they’ve somehow maintained their dignity in doing so (that’s an intentional jab at you, MGMT).

Photo by Kyle Johnson

“This band started in Seattle in ’04 and now we’re bringin’ it home for Sasquatch 2010,” Bridwell exclaimed. True to his word, they played hit after hit, playing only two songs from their latest effort. I guess they got the message from the critics, however inaccurate it may have been. Highlight tracks: “Is There A Ghost”, “Detlef Schrempf”, “Ode To LRC” and “Great Salt Lake” got the crowd moving, and reminded us all about just how much we love Band of Horses deep down. -Winston Robbins

MGMT
Sasquatch Stage: 8:00 p.m.

Photo by Kyle Johnson

I have never feared for my life more than I did while on the floor during MGMT (that says a lot). Between an eager and pushy crowd, untied shoes, a lack of air, gallons of alcohol sweat depleting from my body, and a face-melting show from the band, it was easily one of the best (and most anticipated) shows of the weekend. They dedicated their set to those who died in combat (it was Memorial Day after all) and then opened with their slow, and down-to-Earth number “Pieces of What”. However, they didn’t hesitate to shake it up with songs like “Brian Eno”, “Flash Delirium”, and “Time to Pretend”. To end it, the band played the most intense version of “Kids,” which the crowd sang the synth riff to accapella style as the band exited the glorious main stage. -Ted Maider

The New Pornographers
Bigfoot Stage: 8:20 p.m.

The best time slot The New Pornographers have seen (as Carl Newman pointed out “It’s weird to play in the dark”) proved to be well-deserved. And an engadged crowd was ready with an inflatable whale and glowsticks  that became part of the act throughout the show. This was the most engadged and talkative I had ever seen the band – and Neko Case was in prime form with her one-liners. Up against MGMT on the main stage,  Case jokingly told the audience that MGMT was sending a shuttle over soon to get us. And as soon as a large crowd left MGMT and booked it to the dance tent the band asked them “Hey, where are you going?” They played all the favorites including kicking it off with “Spanish Techno”and ending with an encore performance of “Letter from an Occupant”. -Kacie McKinney

Neon Indian
Rumpus Room: 8:40 p.m.

Alan Palomino has had a great year – that much is true. But it’s tough to realize why he’s had such a great year unless you’ve seen him do his thing onstage with Neon Indian. It’s simple, it’s catchy, and it’s fun to dance to, especially when you’ve poured all your energy into the past three days and this is the last act you will see. People went berserk for the Texan gone Brooklyn-ite’s hits. “Terminally Chill”, “Deadbeat Summer”, and “Should’ve Taken Acid With You” seemed to particularly get everyone rough and rowdy. And in a tent that is not very large, full to the brim with people, this can prove to be quite a fulfilling experience. -Winston Robbins

Ween
Sasquatch Stage: 9:30 p.m.

Photo by Kyle Johnson

Everyone was super excited for Ween (most of these people appeared to be Canadian). It made me somewhat jealous, as my knowledge of Ween is slightly limited (my roommate used to play Chocolate and Cheese constantly), but when they started, it didn’t matter. Ween jammed hard in a way that the dudes from Phish would be overtly envious. While blasting through tunes like “Spinal Meningitis”, “Bananas and Blow”, “Bare Hands”, and “Take Me Away”, it was clear why so many people were jacked up about Ween. They are simply just a great band, with quirky/memorable songs that their fans love and know every word to. Why wouldn’t a band like this headline a major music festival? As I departed from Ween’s extravagant closing set, I knew Sasquatch had done me just right with all the music, which is why any of us go to these festivals in the first place. -Ted Maider

Special thanks to photographers Kyle Johnson and Christopher Nelson.

The one downside is we have to wait until June 8th for the release. Well, that is unless you’ll be attending anyone of Nada Surf’s upcoming tour dates, where if i had a hi-fi will initially be available for released. Talk about an added benefit!

Find mp3, tracklist, and tour dates below.

Check Out:
Electrocution (Bill Fox Cover)

if i had a hi-fi Tracklist:
01. Electrocution (Bill Fox Cover)
02. Enjoy the Silence (Depeche Mode Cover)
03. Loves Goes On (The Go-Between Cover)
04. Javine (Arthur Russell Cover)
05. You Were So Swarm (Dwight Twilley Cover)
06. Love and Anger (Kate Bush Cover)
07. The Agony of Lafitte (Spoon Cover)
08. Bye Bye Beaute (Coralie Clement Cover)
09. Question (Moody Blues Cover)
10. Bright Side (Soft Pack Cover)
11. Evolution (Mercromina Cover)
12. I Remembered What I Was Going to Say (The Silly Pillows Covers)

Nada Surf Spring 2010 Tour Dates:
03/25 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom (“Let Go”)
03/26 – Brooklyn, NY @ Bell House (“The Weight Is A Gift”)
03/27 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (“Lucky”)
03/29 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
03/30 – Montreal, QC @ Cabaret du Musee Juste Pour
03/31 – Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street
04/01 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
04/02 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
04/03 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
04/13 – London, UK @ ICA
04/15 – Bourges, FR @ Printemps de Bourges Festival
04/17 – Strasbourg, FR @ Strasbourg Artefact Festival
04/18 – Utrect, NL @ Tivoli De Helling
04/19 – Brussels, BE @ Botanique
04/20 – Cologne, DE @ Gloria
04/21 – Lausanne, CH @ D! Club
04/23 – Zurich, CH @ Abart
04/24 – Vienna, AT @ WUK
04/25 – Prague, CZ @ Lucerna Music Bar
04/26 – Berlin, DE @ Lido
04/27 – Hamburg, DE @ Knust
04/28 – Paris, FR @ Trabendo
04/29 – Madrid, ES @ Joy Eslava
04/30 – Murcia, ES @ Estrella Levante SOS 4.8 Festival
05/01 – Galicia, ES @ Villagarcia de Arosa
05/15 – Longirod, SZ @ Long’l'rock Festival
05/24 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern #
05/25 – West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour #
05/27 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall #
05/29 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom #
05/30 – George, WA @ Sasquatch! Music Festival

# = w/ Telekinesis

For one, joining the previously announced Pavement as the 2010 headliners will be My Morning Jacket and Massive Attack, both of which will likely be making their 2010 summer festival debut at Sasquatch. Other heavyweights confirmed to take part include Ween, Vampire Weekend, LCD Soundsystem, Band of Horses, The National, Public Enemy, Kid Cudi, and Passion Pit.

But wait… there’s more! Broken Social Scene, She & Him, The New Pornographers, The Hold Steady, Dirty Projectors, Drive-By Truckers, Minus the Bear, The Mountain Goats, Caribou, The xx, OK Go, The Long Winters, Quasi, and Camera Obscura will all also be taking part, as will Deadmau5, Simian Mobile Disco, No Age, The Temper Trap, Miike Snow, Why?, YACHT, and Neon Indian.

Still not done: You can also expect to see Fruit Bats, Midlake, Brother Ali, City & Colour, Portuga. The Man, Mayer Hawthorne, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Wale, Japandroids, Freelance Whales, Laura Marling, Cymbals Eat Guitars, The Low Anthem, The Very Best, Mumford & Sons, The Tallest Man on Earth, tUnE-YarDs, Fool’s Gold, DJ Z-Trip, Local Natives, The Middle East, Avi Buffalo, A-Trak, and Yes Giantess, as well as comedians like The Office’s Craig Robinson and The Daily Show’s Rob Riggle. Everyone who’s anyone? Duh.

Tickets, which you’ll need to attend, will go on sale this Saturday, February 20th via Ticketmaster.com. Three-day passes will initially go for $170.00, while single day tickets will start at $70.00. Camping spots will also be available then.

For your viewing pleasure, here is the Sasquatch! 2010 bill, in alphabetical order:

A-Trak, Avi Buffalo, Band of Horses, Booka Shade, Boys Noize, Broken Social Sceen, Brother Ali, Camera Obscura, Caribou, City and Colour, Craig Ronbinson, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Dam-Funk, Deadmau5, Dirty Projectors, Dr. Dog, Drive-By Truckers, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Fool’s Gold, Freelance Whales, Fresh Espresso, Fruit Bats, Garfunkel & Oates, Girls, The Hold Steady, Hudson Mohawke, Japandroids, Jets Overhead, Kid Cudi, Laura Marling, LCD Soundsystem, Local Natives, The Lonely Forest, The Long Winters, The Low Anthem, Luke Burbank, Massive Attack, Mayer Hawthorne, MGMT, Midlake, The Middle East, Miike Snow, Minus the Bear, Morning Teleportation, The Mountain Goats, Mumford & Sons, My Morning Jacket, Nada Surf, The National, Neon Indian, The New Pornographers, No Age, Nurses, OK Go, Passion Pit, Past Lives, Patrick Watson, Pavement, Phantogram, Portugal. The Man, Public Enemy, Quasi, Rob Riggle, Shabazz Palaces, She & Him, Simian Mobile Disco, The Tallest Man On Earth, Tegan & Sara, Telekinesis, The Temper Trap, tUnE-YaRdS, Vampire Weekend, The Very Best, Veviter, Wale, Ween, Why?, The xx, YACHT, Yes Giantess, DJ Z-Trip

The Bamboozle California:

What: Two-day music festival in Anaheim, CA featuring AFI, Something Coporate, and more…

When: March 27-28

Tixs: $82.00

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM PST

Nada Surf:

What: Dates for New York residency

When: March 25-27

Tixs: $25.00

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EST

Owl City:

What: Dates for North American tour

When: April – May

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EST

Wilco:

What: Dates for North American tour

When: March – April

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EST

Vampire Weekend:

What: Dates for North American tour

When: March – April

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EST

The xx w/ jj:

What: Dates for North American tour

When: March – April

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM EST

“We really just wanted to do it organically, whatever we felt like covering in the moment, rather than trying to sum up our influences or something. It’s whatever we were excited about in the months before making it. And I think we got to everything we wanted to.”

Hi-Fi was recorded last September in Austin, TX in a three week span with longtime collaborator Louie Lino. While the formal setlist hasn’t been officially released yet, the band has teased with a few tunes that will be included on the record, including renditions of The Moody Blues’ “Question”, The Soft Pack’s “Bright Side”, and Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy The Silence”. As for the the basis for the title? Well, according to the band, it’s both a hearkening back to the band’s early days, as well as a musical palindrome. The plot thickens…

In support of the release, Nada Surf has also announced an extensive world tour. Kicking off this excellent jaunt in late March, Nada Surf will perform three nights in New York, with each featuring the band performing all of its most recent albums in their entirety: Let Go, The Weight Is A Gift and Lucky, whilst performing songs from the upcoming Hi-Fi as well. Start the spring off right this year, wash away those winter flakes and crank up those marvelous melodies. Surf’s up indeed, and it’s gonna be a blast.

Fan pre-sale tickets can be found here. A public onsale begins Friday, January 8th via Ticketmaster.com.

Nada Surf Spring 2010 Tour Dates:
03/25 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom (“Let Go”)
03/26 – Brooklyn, NY @ Bell House (“The Weight Is A Gift”)
03/27 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (“Lucky”)
03/29 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
03/30 – Montreal, QC @ Cabaret du Musee Juste Pour
03/31 – Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street
04/01 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
04/02 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
04/03 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
04/13 – London, UK @ ICA
04/15 – Bourges, FR @ Printemps de Bourges Festival
04/17 – Strasbourg, FR @ Strasbourg Artefact Festival
04/18 – Utrect, NL @ Tivoli De Helling
04/19 – Brussels, BE @ Botanique
04/20 – Cologne, DE @ Gloria
04/21 – Lausanne, CH @ D! Club
04/23 – Zurich, CH @ Abart
04/24 – Vienna, AT @ WUK
04/25 – Prague, CZ @ Lucerna Music Bar
04/26 – Berlin, DE @ Lido
04/27 – Hamburg, DE @ Knust
04/28 – Paris, FR @ Trabendo
04/29 – Madrid, ES @ Joy Eslava
04/30 – Murcia, ES @ Estrella Levante SOS 4.8 Festival
05/01 – Galicia, ES @ Villagarcia de Arosa
05/15 – Longirod, SZ @ Long’l'rock Festival
05/24 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern
05/25 – West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour
05/27 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
05/29 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom

]]> Lucky, New York rockers Nada Surf recently announced that they've prepared a brand new record of cover songs, deftly titled If I Had A Hi-Fi, due out this Spring. With the content ranging from contemporaries of the band to virtually unknown lesser groups, Nada Surf frontman Matthew Caws had this to say in regards to the newest harmonic record: "We really just wanted to do it organically, whatever we felt like covering in the moment, rather than trying to sum up our influences or something. It's whatever we were excited about in the months before making it. And I think we got to everything we wanted to." Hi-Fi was recorded last September in Austin, TX in a three week span with longtime collaborator Louie Lino. While the formal setlist hasn't been officially released yet, the band has teased with a few tunes that will be included on the record, including renditions of The Moody Blues' "Question", The Soft Pack's "Bright Side", and Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence". As for the the basis for the title? Well, according to the band, it's both a hearkening back to the band's early days, as well as a musical palindrome. The plot thickens... In support of the release, Nada Surf has also announced an extensive world tour. Kicking off this excellent jaunt in late March, Nada Surf will perform three nights in New York, with each featuring the band performing all of its most recent albums in their entirety: Let Go, The Weight Is A Gift and Lucky, whilst performing songs from the upcoming Hi-Fi as well. Start the spring off right this year, wash away those winter flakes and crank up those marvelous melodies. Surf's up indeed, and it's gonna be a blast. Fan pre-sale tickets can be found here. A public onsale begins Friday, January 8th via Ticketmaster.com. Nada Surf Spring 2010 Tour Dates: 03/25 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom ("Let Go") 03/26 - Brooklyn, NY @ Bell House ("The Weight Is A Gift") 03/27 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg ("Lucky") 03/29 - Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace 03/30 - Montreal, QC @ Cabaret du Musee Juste Pour 03/31 - Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street 04/01 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church 04/02 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club 04/03 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club 04/13 - London, UK @ ICA 04/15 - Bourges, FR @ Printemps de Bourges Festival 04/17 - Strasbourg, FR @ Strasbourg Artefact Festival 04/18 - Utrect, NL @ Tivoli De Helling 04/19 - Brussels, BE @ Botanique 04/20 - Cologne, DE @ Gloria 04/21 - Lausanne, CH @ D! Club 04/23 - Zurich, CH @ Abart 04/24 - Vienna, AT @ WUK 04/25 - Prague, CZ @ Lucerna Music Bar 04/26 - Berlin, DE @ Lido 04/27 - Hamburg, DE @ Knust 04/28 - Paris, FR @ Trabendo 04/29 - Madrid, ES @ Joy Eslava 04/30 - Murcia, ES @ Estrella Levante SOS 4.8 Festival 05/01 - Galicia, ES @ Villagarcia de Arosa 05/15 - Longirod, SZ @ Long'l'rock Festival 05/24 - Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern 05/25 - West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour 05/27 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall 05/29 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom ]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/01/nada-surf-hang-ten-with-new-covers-record-and-spring-tour/feed/ 0 http://consequenceofsound.net/2008/09/bumbershoot-2008-works-hard-on-labor-day-weekend/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2008/09/bumbershoot-2008-works-hard-on-labor-day-weekend/#comments Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:48:58 +0000 Dustin Wiyrick http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=6143 If you’re not familiar with Bumbershoot, let’s refresh your memory. Founded originally in 1971, as the city-funded “Mayor’s Arts Festival”, the Seattle, Washington-based music and arts festival has since evolved into one of the bigger events in the music world, now hosting 100,000+ attendees each and every Labor Day weekend. Of all places, the iconic Space Needle at the Seattle Center plays host to the festival. It’s currently a three-day festival, but each year they expand the artistic offerings. In addition to the many musical artists present, the festival highlights works from across the artistic spectrum including, but not limited to: comedy, performance art, graphic arts, poetry, creative writing and film. One would be hard pressed to come away from Bumbershoot 2008 feeling that there could have been more.

Saturday, August 30th

At first arrival, Bumbershoot can sometimes be a bit overwhelming, as it’s spread over 74 acres and has an attendance of roughly 50,000 each day. But once you settle in and realize that it will take time to get to the various stages and events, you’ll relax and have an amazing time.

Opening up Saturday’s events, Rock-a-Billy artist Nick Vigarino added a jazz twist to his country sound by having a tenor saxaphone. As if to keep the sound consistent, Neko Case and Lucinda Williams maintained the alt-country sound. Unfortunately, many missed Case’s first song or two because security had yet to let people in for the performance. Not sure what was the problem, but the line moved quickly once it started. Case was fantastic as always playing mostly songs from her past album, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood; however, she managed to pull out a few new songs that will be on a future release. Whereas Case was very soothing, Williams was more rockin’ in her country-tinged, blues rock.  She played some new songs, which at times were corny (e.g. “Real Love”), but you can’t help but love her voice and instrumentation, especially for a woman of 55. Both Case and Williams’ new albums will be something to look forward to in the near future.

Local, listener-funded, radio station KEXP puts on several intimate shows each day in a secret location, with no more than 200 people admitted. The first was with Nada Surf. Unfortunately, bassist Daniel Lorca was injured, so he was replaced by Ozma bassist Jose Galvez, who did a fine job in Lorca’s absence. They played seven songs, all acoustic with Ira Elliot on the Cajon, a box-like drum that the musician sits on and hits with his palms. The highlight of the show was the boys playing “Amateur” from The Proximity Effect, a song that rarely shows up on their setlists. If you enjoy indie rock, this is a band you need to know.

As mentioned above, Bumbershoot is not all about the music. One of the few other events that took place at the festival was a comedy show, simply titled, “The MySpace Show.” This side show consisted of six comedians doing improv comedy on two real MySpace pages from random audience members. It was fun once things started rolling, though it did take awhile to find a few audience members who had their pages not set to private.

After the comedy show, and over at the KEXP Lounge, !!! (Chk, Chk, Chk) were billed to let us dance our asses off. Unfortunately, it was in a seated venue, so it was mostly head bobbing, but in any other setting it would have been a great dance party.  Despite this, the show was unreal, and !!! sounded great with some fantastic stage presence. If you’re into bands like Ghostland Observatory and The Ting Tings, you should check out !!!.

Finally, it was time for the best one-two punch of the festival: Band of Horses followed by Beck. Although some may disagree, Band of Horses is one of the best, if not the best, live indie rock act out today. Not only did they perform well, but most of the set list was culled from their first two releases, plus two new songs to boot, one of which featured the harmonica and the other a melodica, best described as a woodwind keyboard.

Beck closed out the day with a killer “greatest hits” set. He started with “Loser” and continued through his catalogue. The only album they didn’t play from was Mutations, which was a bummer because it’s such a great album. However, the band did play “Nicotine and Gravy” off of Midnight Vultures, which was awesome. When he played “Hell Yes” and “Black Tambourine”, all five members of his band played 808 drum machines. Despite the amazing set list, the show did sound and feel a bit different. On the Guero/The Information tour, the slinky frontman kept himself busy with an elaborate puppet show, complete with dancers. Only this time, there was just a backing band, some large spot lights and a big screen made up of hundreds of bulbs. It was very minimalist, which is why it was so surprising that his sound was much less polished. It was almost grunge, actually. Nevertheless, you have to appreciate Beck for changing it up all the time. The guy is definitely a genius and should never be missed when he appears at a venue near you.

Sunday, August 31st

For some reason, Sunday was not nearly as jam packed with bands as Saturday or Sunday. Nonetheless, there were some great acts. Kicking off the proverbial sabbath, Lushy brought somewhat of a surf rock sound, only there were some undertones of jazz, too. Even with such a unique sound, it’s hard to hold the concertgoer’s attention when there’s also a vert ramp at the show. Yes, a vert ramp. With a combination of skaters and BMX bikers, the sight was pretty awe inspiring.

Following the vert ramp, there was a “Post-it Note Reading.” This was interesting, to say the least. At the reading, animation was drawn on Post-it notes, using a Sharpie, while a corresponding story was read. These light-hearted, humorous stories were a pleasant surprise. Following this, Dale Watson played his own unique style of Rock-a-billy, comparable to Johnny Cash. The only problem? The Whigs were starting up. The Whigs is a band with a fun, garage rock sound. Fun show aside, they’re a band you like, but not one that’s particularly memorable.

If Band of Horses and Beck were the best one-two punch of the festival, The Black Keys and Stone Temple Pilots (above, center) were a close second.  With crunch and huge riffs, The Black Keys’ bluesy rock is amazing, and it’s hard to believe that so much sound comes from only two guys on drums and guitar. Given Scott Weiland’s tumultuous past, you never know what to expect from 90′s rock outfit, Stone Temple Pilots; however, it turned out to be a rocking show. Thirty minutes past their scheduled set time, a tour bus drove right up to the stage and within minutes they were in front of thousands, blowing away any doubt that they could still rock. Hit after hit they rocked through a set which included a jazzy cover of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” on the outro of “Creep” and a plugged-in version of “Sour Girl.” It was one of the best arena rock shows in recent memory… and it wasn’t even in an arena.

Monday, September 1st

The last day was the weakest of the three days, but still a great time. Local teen sensation Vince Mira started off the work week. Mira’s only claim to fame stems from a sound that’s uncannily like Johnny Cash. Saturday’s Dale Watson sounded like Johnny Cash too, but Vince Mira is Johnny Cash. It’s a bit eerie. This 15 year old, backed by The Roy Kay Trio, played mostly Cash’s hits, but also squeezed in a few of his own that were actually not bad. He may never be able to move beyond great impersonator, but there is no doubt he will always have an audience.

Keeping the local band theme going, Head Like a Kite, an electronic/new wave/rock group, were up next. Fronted by a guy who looked like a Jonas Brother, the band held a lil’ Flaming Lips flare, with some creatures dancing on the stage that looked all too much like the sugary candy, Nerds. It will be interesting to see how these young guys fare in the Seattle music market. Following shortly after was the much anticipated Israeli band, Monotonix. These guys put on a show similar to Gogol Bordello and they did not disappoint, even despite a very short set. It was very crowd heavy too, as you could not see them because they were not on the stage, but instead playing on the floor with the crowd surrounding them. All the while, lead singer Yomtov was continually crowd surfing both with and without a garbage can. Yes, he got inside a garbage can and was hoisted on top of the crowd. The guitar player then got in on the action and crowd surfed, too. Mind you, he was still playing all the while. After two, dirty garage rock songs an announcer came on stage and said that the show was being shut down. No explanation, but a reasonable guess would be due to safety. The crowd was not happy and began booing and flipping the poor guy off. Luckily, singer Yomtov came to his rescue and talked the crowd down. One can only imagine a full set by these guys, if it ever happens.

Bumbershoot this year, if you had not noticed, was full of 90′s acts and The Offspring were no exception. Like Stone Temple Pilots and Beck, they played a hits with a smattering of songs off of their new album Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace. As always, the band was fun to see and sounded great. The same can’t be said for the next act, X Levitation Cult, which was essentially a singer-songwriter who could neither sing nor write songs very well. 

Bumbershoot is known for its diverse acts, but also for its diversity, and Cheb I Sabbah & 1002 Nights featuring Riffat Sultana is a great example of that. They consisted of a DJ, two percussionists, a singer (Riffat Sultana), a belly dancer and occasionally a Middle Eastern guitar. It was an interesting mix that was a entertaining, especially if one managed to snag a cold beer. Del tha Funky Homosapien sounded good, but Superchunk sounded excellent. Superchunk was probably one of the best surprises at the festival. They rocked hard with their brand of early 90′s indie rock, which still sounds contemporary. It was a good choice as Death Cab for Cutie came next, closing out the festival with a solid set. Now that they are a successful veteran band, it would be great to see them venture out a little and be more playful. Not much, just if they could add a cover or two, or play a song deep from its catalogue. You know, one that no one has heard live in years. Preferences aside, the Seattle indie group played well, predictable, but well. With a weekend like this was, it’s hard to complain.