A Musical Reinspiration (along with love and new friends)

My, my.  It's been five months since my last post? ><  It began as a respectful period of silence, in honour of the memory of my friend.  But, then it just became difficult to post something lighter, after all that. Well, I do think it's been long enough.  And, I've been recently reinspired, as you shall see...

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A view of the Columbia River, along the way to the Gorge Amphitheatre (in George, Washington). derp.

So, I have just experienced quite a magical festival weekend; sharing what I love most with the person I love most.  For those unfamiliar with such things: Sasquatch is the biggest music festival in this corner of the States and Western Canada, which has become ever more focused on up-and-coming bands and established local indie artists. All of this amazingness is set within a picturesque natural gorge amphitheatre facing the Columbia River, which never ceases to be breathtaking the first time I walk back into the Gorge Amphitheatre. =]   Also, I'd be negligent if I didn't mention all the cute indie boys/girls, as well as the shirtless fit guys, that seemed to be just about everywhere.  T and I had a game of picking out each other's 'types', whilst we waited between performances.  It's wickedly good fun, as it inevitably deteriorates into an 'antitype' game to get the biggest horrified reaction from the other. XP

So, first some festival anecdotes, and then I'll get into the gig reviews (because, I know that some dear readers of this blog don't give a toss about my music reviews).  Well, T and I decided not to camp for the four-day festival, this time.  Been there, done that... several times.  Instead, we had a comfy hotel room all to ourselves. =D

We joined up with several groups of friends, with whom we met up at the festival each day.  Also, I was excited to hang with some Canadian friends from one of my old schools, and have them join us (along with their enormous entourage of younger siblings, and their respective boyfriends/girlfriends/bffs).  So, there were probably about 25 of us (at least), in various configurations, together at each performance.  Of that Canadian contingent, we had two couples of younger guys, who had the same tastes in music as we did, and who apparently liked hanging around with T and I pretty much everywhere we went.  The festival atmosphere was so chill (and weed infused) that we all felt fairly comfortable enjoying some mild PDA with our respective partners between performances.  Which, made for a rather potent, magical combination of music and love, I'd say. <3

There was one incident when we were all lying on the grass as we waited for the next act.  There were these two older guys lying in front of us, who were so inebriated, that I doubt that they could even manage to stand up, without falling over.  Well, one of them kept repeating the same homophobic comments to some random guy in a Morphosuit, which got to the point where just about everyone around him got quite annoyed.  It wasn't so much that it was homophobic, per se; but, it was just so completely moronic (and didn't get any funnier the more times it was repeated, even though his buddy kept on laughing).  ><

However, no one was doing/saying anything about this homophobic idiot, other than just looking quite annoyed and put out by it all.  So, T decided he had enough and threw an empty water bottle at the back of this idiot's head, to get his attention.  And then he calmly, but firmly said to him, 'STFU or the next bottle will be a full one.  And, no one thinks you are the least bit funny'.  The ignorant old fuck clumsily turned around (looking even older than my father) and saw all of us glaring at him, and then clapping for what T did.  Well, that was the end of his annoying comments.  I asked T if he would've gone through with his threat, and he said probably not, but the threat had to be believable to shut him up.  He was a proper hero to all of us for that, and I was so proud of him, and to be his boyfriend. <33


One other thing came out from this incident, as well as just hanging around with the younger Canadian boys.  They began to view us as some sort of role models. o.0  I guess it had something to do with T's standing up for everyone, as well as how comfortable and confident we seem to be with each other, after 10-months in a happy relationship.  Whatever it was, I'd just never thought my actions would be observed in such a way, nor did I think of myself as the 'role model' type, really.  I mean, I've made plenty of mistakes along the way and just try to avoid making the same mistake twice. ><

But, if I actually think about it, I guess I do try to model myself properly in that respect, and try to help others when asked.  And, my relationship with T is rather special in its simple joy of being together and enjoying what we do, without having to make our being a 'couple' so painfully obvious to anyone other than for ourselves or close friends.  If others can learn how to create a happy and stable relationship because of something that T and I do, then I can only take that as a huge compliment, and a quite satisfying one, at that.  There's no reason that younger gay/bi guys can't have a wonderful and drama-free relationship, so long as both of them want it and will work for it.  Sex is wonderful, but sex with someone you love is far more satisfying.  I only wish that I were actually as wise as I may appear to be to others. =P  I just know what I want, and don't wish to fuck it up with petty dramas and selfish behaviour.  If you want to be happy, then find a special someone for whom you enjoy making happy.  And, if they are the right sort, they will appreciate it, and try to make you equally as happy. <33

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Right, so here's where I get to talk about the purpose of this Sasquatch weekend: THE MUSIC!

*NOW WITH ADDED LINKS TO PERFORMANCE VIDEOS IN (almost) EVERY BAND REVIEW.*

SASQUATCH DAY 1 - Friday (half-day):
We decided to give this one a miss and stay home for a close friend's birthday party that evening, instead. ^^  Had we gone, though, we probably would've seen:
Biffy Clyro
Against Me!
Death From Above 1979
Foo Fighters

SASQUATCH DAY 2 - Saturday:
The Head and the Heart - A nice way to kick off the festival for us.  Kinda folky and sweet.
Local Natives - It's so special to see an up-and-coming band get its due respect, and to see them react to it with sheer joy and humility.  Their lush harmonies and engaging demeanor made this one of my top performances of the day.
Wolf Parade - Probably the last time I'll be able to see them live. =[  Perhaps, their upcoming disbandment may have inspired them to leave everything they have left on the stage, because they played with confidence, and with a bit more urgency.  You Are A Runner was probably my favourite single song performance of the day.  I'm really going to miss you guys; we go way back together!
Wye Oak - Laid back and folksy. But, I nipped off halfway through the set and left T behind at the Yeti Stage to see The Antlers at the Bigfoot Stage. I can't blame him, he's heard me go on about how amazing The Thermals' live set was for ages.
The Antlers - An awesome and beautiful performance!  It just hit the perfect note for a late afternoon, and it swept us all along for an emotional ride. Amazing! Simply, amazing!  It would've been better with T, but we both got what we wanted most.  But, I fear he'll have to endure my raving about The Antlers, until they come back here on tour.
The Thermals - I was able to catch the last half with T.  A hard rocking and inspired set, as usual. ^^
Matt & Kim - My biggest regret was missing the last half of their blazing set to get up front for Bright Eyes. ><   Kim is one crazy bitch!  In hindsight, we were better off staying for it all, because M&K absolutely killed it. =/
Bright Eyes - Not the best performance I've seen by them.  Conor spent the first half of the set stalking back and forth like a caged animal, hiding behind his hoodie.  Not uncommon for him, but he was not terribly engaging, musically, either.  Mostly showcasing the new songs from The People's Key,  they were fairly well-received.  But, the second half of the set was much better, with some more classics like Road To Joy.  Also, Four Winds (replacing its former rootsy instrumentation with a more muscular sound) was probably my highlight of the set.  Don't fret, I still love you to bits, Conor! ^^
Death Cab for Cutie - Freezing in the dark up on the grass for this performance, but warmed considerably with bf cuddles.  Probably the best headliner performance of the entire festival, and they sounded like they were enjoying themselves in front of a hometown crowd.  And, they even pulled out some old favourites, just for us.

Missed: The Radio Dept. - It took forever to get through security at the front gate. =/

Favourite Performances of the Day: TIED!
Local Natives
Airplanes (Sasquatch 2011)

The Antlers
No Widows (Sasquatch 2011)

SASQUATCH DAY 3 - Sunday:
Typhoon - We got there a bit late, but caught most of the set.  Err.. yay Portland!
The Drums - A bit of a surprise, as I didn't really expect much from the former indie-rock-by-the-numbers Elkland vocalist.  Fun stuff. And the guitarists were rather cute. ^^
Fitz & The Tantrums - A huge surprise: soulful and sassy.  They managed to whip up the audience into a frenzy.  And, to think, we were just there to keep our spots up front for TPC. XP
Tokyo Police Club - The first time they played the Bigfoot Stage at Sasquatch in 2007, they were just a cracking bundle of energy and exuberance.  Now, on the main stage a few years later, they showed they still have the energy, but also the confidence and tight connection with the audience.  Their set showcased mostly newer songs from Champ, but I must say, they all sounded amazing live, particularly Bambi and Wait Up.  A tight, yet awesome, set.  And, congrats on making some Canadian boys quite proud, today. ^^
Beach House - Top performance of the day!  Lush and soaring, it was like something magical came down from the heavens to grace us all with something immensely beautiful.  Also, the sun came, as if on cue, and blessed us with the only rain-free performance of the afternoon.  Needless to say that Beach House more than exceeded my wildest expectations. =]
Cold War Kids -  Another wonderful performance.  For some reason, I've kept missing their gigs, so it was a treat to finally see them, at last.  Hang Me Up To Dry = audience lost its [collective] mind! XD
Flogging Molly - How can you not love these guys?  Exuberant and Irish, it's a irresistible mix: Celtic punk/folk/history lesson!  Not to mention, they are just lovely guys.
The Flaming Lips - Right. Opening song, Race for the Prize: an orgasmic OTT celebration/spectacle, with zorbing across the audience for added awesomeness.  The rest of the set: not so much.  They decided to play their entire, celebrated 1999 album, The Soft Bulletin, in track order.  Well, tracks 2 through 5 or 6 were just rather dull, about which time T had had just about enough, and wanted to go catch Yeasayer at the Bigfoot Stage.  I really couldn't blame him, as the final straw was lead singer, Wayne Coyne's endless rambling introduction about how the next song was about a spider bite that one of the band members received, and how it could've been necessary to cut off his hands to save his life.  And then proceeded to sing the praises for the wonders of hands... for fucking ever. ><  The sad thing is, that they have been riding this same spectacle/performance thing  (err.. gimmick) for years now.  It all starts out so promising, and then, meh.  Just, meh.
Yeasayer - Thank god for Yeasayer!  They rescued the evening for us.  We needed some electrofun to release our mood and pent up energy.  A blazing set.  Much dancing was had.
Modest Mouse - What can I say? Local boys done good.  Their set: half well done, half boring. They were much more interesting with Johnny Marr, just sayin'.  Best thing, more cuddling in the dark with the bf! =]
Ratatat - Late night electronic awesomeness!  They just killed it! That is all.

Missed: Tim Minchin - WE couldn't give our spots up front at the main stage for TPC just for a 45 minute gig. Sowwy Tim.  We'll catch you next time.  Promise. =/

Favourite Performance of the Day:
Beach House
Take Care and 10 Mile Stereo (Sasquatch 2011)

SASQUATCH DAY 4 - Monday:
Twin Shadow - Impressive enough to lift our morning crabbiness at missing Wavves, due to an asinine decision to put them on the Main Sasquatch Stage so bloody early!  Well that, and very little sleep from the night before. ><
Noah & The Whale -  Flying the flag for British indie folk, close behind the Mumford & Sons vanguard, they sounded amazing live and were well received by the audience.
Black Mountain - A bit of a grungy and bluesy throwback from Vancouver B.C.  But, a bit of an odd choice to place between two British folky bands.  Also, the vocalist looked a bit out of place at times.
Stornoway - Top performance of the day!  What a refreshing surprise, with soaring harmonies, emotional songwriting, and a tight (and cute) rhythm section.  With open, blue skies behind them, they just seemed to capture the spirit of Sasquatch for me.  Another British indie-folk assault on States.  Simply lovely!
Macklemore - Seattle's very own white rapper.  He's actually quite good and very entertaining, particularly when he's all hyper about the stage.  I even put my hands in the air, on cue.  I never do that. XP
Surfer Blood - A let down.  They just had all their gear stolen a few days before, so their sound was mostly flat. =[  I felt bad for John, but he still bravely tried to give it a go, and jumped into the audience to get things going.  Good on you, sir.
Rodrigo Y Gabriela - To be honest, we were there just to make sure we had a spot up front for the Decemberists.  But, these two Spanish guitarists put on a tour de force of flamenco rock virtuosity.  They managed to keep everyone's rapt attention, throughout. And, they electrified everyone with their very unique interpretation of several rock classics, including a Jimi Hendrix classic.  Such a lovely surprise.
The Decemberists -  My most anticipated Sasquatch performance, and they certainly delivered the goods.  After missing their legendary performance earlier this year, they managed to live up to my (very high) expectations.  The songs from the new album sounded gorgeous, and they seemed quite relaxed and inspired playing for a hometown-ish crowd.  I must say, that the highlight was an impromptu rendition of The Outfield's 1980s classic, Your Love, during some malfunction with Colin's gear.  Much to Colin's annoyance, Chris Funk (dressed in a sasquatch suit and wearing a Russian hat) relished his moment in the spotlight immensely.  He led the audience in singing it in a rather brilliant falsetto, which we obviously all picked up on, and proceeded to fill the Gorge with our hearty chorus, whilst have it echo back off of the cliffs on the other side of the Columbia River.  Such an epic, and unscripted, moment, within an already wonderful and fun performance.  It just felt much too short.
Wilco - I feel bad.  After such an emotional high, a long break between sets sapped all our energy, as we sat cuddling in the dark, waiting for Wilco to come on stage.  They played marvelously, but I found myself checking my watch and didn't actually connect with the band, except for a few songs.  We decided to stay for only about half the set, so that we could manage to drive back over the mountain pass before getting too sleepy.  We were both completely drained from our long (and tightly scheduled) weekend .  Sorry, Wilco.  You deserved better. =[

Missed: Wavves (too fucking early!), Best Coast, and !!! (getting up front for The Decemberists took priority). =/

Favourite Performances of the Day: TIED!
Stornoway - (there haven't been any videos from their Sasquatch performance uploaded, yet. So, here are some lovely performances (and a wee bit of thoughtful overexplanation ^^) of two of my favourite songs.
Zorbing (Live in-store performance)

Here Comes the Blackout (Guardian's Music Weekly)

The Decemberists
Down By The Water (Sasquatch 2011)  Well, most of it, anyway. XP

A last glimpse of the Main Sasquatch Stage in a lovely sunset.  I think I may have pushed my crappy phone camera to its limits, though. ><

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Well, thanks for hanging in there for all these months, and taking the time to read through my recounting of a very special time for me and T. <3  

And, comments are always appreciated, and will receive a personal response (most of the time). ^^