Tag: festival
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Shaky Knees Diaries: Day 3
It’s time for the final installment of the 2021 Shaky Knees Diaries :’). So let’s dive in, but make sure you’ve caught up on Day 1 and Day 2 first!
12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Today, we are off to a late start. After the Run the Jewels performance of the previous night, we slept in. Then, we took our time grabbing lunch at Krog Street Market and strolling through the Beltline and Ponce City Market. (Side note: Krog has some of the best food in Atlanta – like Jai Ho, the Indian restaurant I loved and Soul, which served wings that my boyfriend will literally not stopping talking about.) We were staying close enough that we could walk to the park and today, we decided we would. The gorgeous Georgia weather was on our side as Shaky Knees had fallen neatly within those two blissful weeks of the year when the weather is neither too hot nor too cold and just perfect.
2:30 p.m. – So far, we had avoided the long lines that form later in the day as most ticketholders arrive late. Today was different. As we approached the main entrance (just a few hours earlier than the past two days), there is no clear path forward. Instead, we find a sea of festivalgoers ahead of us. Thankfully, we don’t have to wait long as everyone is rushed through security steadily (for better or for worse).
2:55 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – The Aubreys
The duo, consisting of Malcolm Craig and Finn Wolfhard, began their performance at 2:45 p.m. We missed the first few minutes due to the crowded gate, but we still manage to catch much of the set. They’re performing on the Criminal Records Stage, which is the perfect place for casual enjoyers to camp out and sit on the grass while still being close enough to see the action. And that’s exactly what we did. The Aubreys are laid back but charismatic, charming the audience with their jests. I could see a dedicated group of fans jumping and swaying near the stage.
3:30 p.m. – The Backseat Lovers
The Ponce de Leon stage had a crowd going way before the Backseat Lovers took their places. The front of the stage is packed and even the little hill behind the gravel lot has little room left for walking. Once the show begins, many in the audience sing scream along with the band.
About halfway through the set, I start to wonder how Delta Spirit must be doing on the other side of the park. Out of curiosity, I’d been making mental notes about the relative streaming numbers of artists and what stage they were placed on. My conclusion is that there is no correlation, but for the most part, the Shaky Knees booking team seems to know their stuff pretty well. In this case, the Backseat Lovers outdo Delta Spirit by quite a large margin in terms of streaming. And yet, it’s the former that’s on the smaller stage. Ultimately, this worked well because the experience of a packed show in a smaller, more intimate venue suited the Backseat Lovers.
4:10 p.m. – My curiosity gets the best of me. So, we head over to see Delta Spirit perform on Zelle on Piedmont. There is a sizable crowd going with many gathering by the stage and others hanging back, enjoying the show from afar. We join the people lounging on the grass. Tired as we are, we decide to lie down on the grass and close our eyes. Delta Spirit is putting on a proper rock concert and I can feel the ground vibrate underneath me. At that point, I understand why they were placed on this very stage.
4:30 p.m.– Orville Peck
It’s time for the most enigmatic character of the entire lineup to perform. Orville Peck, the cowboy who’s never revealed his face, debuted in 2019. Despite my lack of familiarity with Peck, I could tell that festival goers were buzzing to see him live. So, we took our seats on the hill across from the Peachtree Stage. Peck was on the big screen with a wide white cowboy hat and his signature face mask. When he turned around, you could catch a better glimpse of his flamboyant jacket, which was painted with flames, a sunset, a truck on the highway, and (of course) his name. Before his performance of “Roses are Falling,” Orville sincerely asks the audience, “Have you ever loved someone so much you wanted to kill them?” If you have, he asks that you hold them close for this song.
5:00 p.m. – Ritt Momney
We left Orville’s set early to catch Ritt Momney at Criminal Records. And I will admit, I have some serious regrets about leaving Orville’s set early for a largely unremarkable performance. Oh well, we live, and we learn. Oh, and Ritt didn’t even stay for his whole set; he ended 15 minutes early!
5:15 p.m. – With the extra time on our hands, we move over to the Ponce de Leon stage and get a spot for The Aces’ 5:30 p.m. show. There is already a crowd forming. The Aces begin with their hit single “Daydream” and the audience loves them. Halfway through the show, lead vocalist Cristal Ramirez steps off the stage to sing by the barricade and the audience absolutely loses their minds. I am stunned by how her voice sounds exactly like it does on records. At some point, my boyfriend taps on my shoulder and goes, “The number of guys who were clearly brought here by their girlfriends and have no idea what’s happening is astonishing.” He was right. We were surrounded by a comical number of this exact pairing, and yes, it included us.
6:10 p.m. – We head over to Zelle on Piedmont where O.A.R. is performing. One thing I forgot to mention earlier: about one in 20 people today showed up with skeletons on their shirts à la the iconic Phoebe Bridgers look. And now, they concentrated in this exact spot, all waiting for the O.A.R performance to end to secure their spots for Phoebe.
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. – O.A.R.’s performance ends and their fans shuffle their way out of the crowd; people here to see Phoebe fill the gaps in immediately. There’s still an hour to go while Modest Mouse performs one stage over, but at least, the crowd knows how to keep themselves entertained and we get to watch the sunset behind us as we wait. Someone holds up their phone a couple feet behind me, it reads, “Anyone lesbian?”
About ten minutes before her set begins, I hear the crowd in front of us begin to chant “mommy, mommy” repeatedly, but it dies down. The crowd tightens slightly as the beginning time gets closer. A girl next to me comments, “Did everyone suddenly get taller? I can’t see anymore.” My boyfriend responds back, “I think that if everyone could just take off their Doc Martens, we’d be able to see better.”
7:30 p.m. – Phoebe Bridgers
Right on time, Phoebe’s ensemble steps out on stage clad in skeletal bodysuits accompanied by Flo Rida’s “Good Feeling” playing in the background. Phoebe herself is wearing all black with a faintly sparkly top and a blazer to top it off. This is her last stop of tour, and she begins with her most popular song “Motion Sickness.” When “Scott Street” plays, the crowd is singing along softly, but clearly; it sounds a like a lovely, haunting lullaby. To the absolute delight of the audience Phoebe plays her song “Georgia,” which has not been on the setlist for any previous shows of the tour. Of the song she says, “Sincerity is fucking humiliating but I’m coming around to it.”
When she notices a fan poster asking her about her favorite movie, she responds, “I re-watched the SpongeBob movie this year, it holds up. Anyway, this next song is about alcoholism.” Before her last song, Phoebe says she has one wish before the end of tour, she really wants a mosh pit (“I’m sorry about the tote bag bitches”). Then, she begins “I Know The End,” which builds and builds and builds until you can’t hear anything but the instrumental and screams. And then, it’s over.
8:30 p.m. – The Strokes
It’s 8:30 p.m. – time for the Strokes to perform, but they are nowhere to be seen. We get no explanation as to what’s going on. This is unusual for Shaky Knees because all the acts so far have operated like clockwork. Nearly 20 minutes pass until the band finally steps out on to stage. We have opted to watch the show from afar, where we can see the effects clearly and dance as we wish. The crowd is clearly excited to be there, but something feels… off. Leader singer, Julian Casablancas, kind of sounds like he’d rather be anywhere else. He is mumbling through the lyrics and his interactions with the crowd are subpar at best. I didn’t stay for the full set, but I did stay long enough to hear him start then immediately stop at the onset of one song (“I don’t know the lyrics to this one”).
Even dedicated fans were divided over the performance when the festival was over. Many were disappointed by Casablancas’ unprofessional demeanor and his overall performance, even ones who’d been waiting to see them for years. This was not the ending they had hoped for after an incredible weekend at Shaky. But there was another camp of fans who had a blast despite these shortcomings – it’s a rock concert after all, what did you expect?! That’s just classic Julian! Either way, when I walked out of that park with “The Adults Are Talking” fading out in the distance, I could almost see the end credits begin to roll.
So, that’s what you missed at this year’s Shaky Knees. If you want to experience it for yourself, check out the Shaky Knees 2022 lineup, which just got released! Until next time…
20 Years of Pickathon: A Legacy of Diversity
It’s good to be home.
Portland may no longer be the country’s best kept secret, but it is without doubt still in possession of the next best thing: Pickathon; a paragon of a small-scale festival accurately coined “the best American music festival period” by unofficial mascot and veteran, Ty Segall. Nestled in the scenic rural-suburban hills of Happy Valley, OR, Pickathon has planted its roots in the 80-acre Pendarvis Family Farm since 2006, growing in size and popularity with each passing year. Breaching its way into the limelight and sparking a storm of buzz in music communities, Pickathon has managed to rope in some big-name talent in recent years featuring the likes of Beach House in 2016, last year’s appearance from Dinosaur Jr., and the miraculous arrival of Leslie Feist back in 2013. Although Pickathon has proved itself worthy of big fish, the festival team has managed to stay true to their mission, consistently curating a musically and culturally diverse offering of discovery-based lineups.
Celebrating its landmark 20th anniversary, Pickathon avoided any temptation to consummate a crossover into mainstream-festival ranks, bringing core Picky people the same-same-but-different in the best imaginable way. Checking in at the top of the bill this year were long-time indie icons Broken Social Scene and Built to Spill, token folk-rock sing-along ballad bands Shakey Graves and Phosphorescent, as well as overseas marvels Daniel Norgren (Sweden), DakhaBrakha (Ukraine), and Kikagaku Moyo (Japan).
Day One
Upon arrival at the festival, it was more than apparent that word had gotten out about the clandestine gem of the Northwest. Longer-than-usual lines snaked through the grassy parking lot where eager faces awaited admittance to the farm. First and foremost, we responsibly headed to the bar for the last line of defense against our fleeting hangovers, courtesy of a night of campfire revelry the evening prior. Summery cocktails amalgamated with fresh hibiscus, strawberry and booze—as well as local offerings of craft beers—were just what the doctor ordered.
One aspect of Pickathon that is not to be overlooked is the relentless dedication to a completely waste-free festival. Drinks are strictly served in stainless steel cups that are available for purchase at all alcohol stations for a reasonable price. This entirely eliminates the sea of cans and cups that often plague most larger festivals, crunching and cracking with the footsteps of fans dancing to the beat of the music.
We christened Day One with a fully energized performance from Los Angeles locals, Valley Queen, who excel at finding the balance between distorted guitar and melodic vocals from frontwoman Natalie Carol. Tailored in all white, from sunglasses all the way down to leather cowboy boots, Carol’s ensemble was the perfect representation of the evolution of Pickathon’s strictly-folk roots into a progressive inclusion of multi-genre acts, diversifying the image and crowd of the festival alike. The band had the entirety of the mainstage on their feet, treating them to a handful of goodies from last year’s EP Destroyer, and eagerly diving into tracks off of their debut full-length, Supergiant, which arrived just last month. In an press release regarding the title track of the new album, Carol states that, “it takes all the drama you hear on the record—the aggressive, chaotic moments, and the more beautiful or quieter moments—and puts it all into a more galactic perspective.” This notion was brightly reflected by the fans swaying their way through the sonic cosmos of Valley Queen’s performance.
We exited the grounds of the mainstage through one of the many checkpoints, where volunteers investigate the contents of your cup, supposedly to prevent underage drinking as well as the smuggling-in of outside beverages. We took to viewing these encounters a challenge to “level-up,” faced with the dire dilemma of either dumping or chugging our beverages.
Walking the heavily forested pathway toward the Woods Stage, we were constantly swarmed with children hustling us for donations with an array of elementary art forms, varying from magical “marvels” to spoken freestyle rap read from notebook paper. Kids gotta eat too, I suppose.
Narrowly escaping the money-hungry munchkins, we managed to catch best-bud collective Glorietta. Members of the band include but are not limited to Matthew Vasquez (Delta Spirit, Middle Brother,) Noah Gunderson, Jason Robert Blum, Kelsey Wilson (Wild Child), David Ramirez, and Adrian Quesada (Black Pumas, Brown Out). A band compiled of broken-hearted optimists, Glorietta’s ever-rotating songwriters share similar themes in their words and stories, which latch together as patches of a quilt do, establishing a blanket of warmth and expression under which the band can feel at home with one another. That, and nights shared with a bottle of tequila; which numerous members inform a number of the songs were derived from. The setlist picked and pulled from the band’s collection of singles, as well as covers of tracks from staple projects of the varying band members.
A gap window in the schedule gave us a moment to fuel up and rest our legs in the courtyard of vendors. Pickathon brings in the best of Portland’s renowned food scene, offering a diverse and daunting array of dinner options. Contrary to the food options of some larger festivals, all of the vendors are based just miles away in the city, allowing them to provide the freshest product possible to their patrons, never sacrificing quality. This is important, given the fact that these are all restaurants that most attendees frequent in their normal lives. If you weren’t a fan of Ate-Oh-Ate, Podnah’s Pit, or Pok Pok prior to Pickathon, you certainly were post.
What about all of the plates and silverware, you ask? That’s right: another extension of Pickathon’s zero-waste mission comes in the form of reusable wooden plates and utensils. Ten dollars gets you a wooden token that you exchange with vendors upon ordering your meal. After consumption, you drop your dirty dishes at a wash station in exchange for your token back. The dishes are then cleaned by volunteers so they can be used again, and again, and again. This system keeps the clean-up process more manageable, the Pendarvis Farm looking pristine, and the existence of single-use materials to a minimum. Thank you for using your platform to prove how manageable this is, Pickathon. We salute you.
Following adequate gorging of faces, we exchanged wooden goods with the token slingers and headed back into the woods where indie rock legends Built to Spill were slated to perform; a band eponymous with the genre. It’s confounding to believe that in the entirety of Pickathon’s 20-year legacy, Built to Spill are just now making their inaugural appearance, having paved the way or influenced several bands fortunate enough to have shared the festival stage in years prior. The band stepped onto the Woods Stage as a trio, a lineup that surely surprised older fans of the band recalling tours with three guitarists in conjunction with bass and drums, a roster that hasn’t been utilized since the release of 2015’s Untethered Moon. The absence of additional guitarists was soon forgotten with the aggressive arrival of “Get A Life,” a track from their first studio album Ultimate Alternative Wavers (1993) which rarely surfaces for much stage time, sending die-hard fans into a frantic loop of nostalgia. Endearingly humbled saint Doug Martsch uttered soft “thank you’s” between staple songs “Time Trap” and “Kicked It in the Sun,” a sentiment completely stifled from the roar of a crowd enamored by the craft of the soft-spoken man. Martsch further treated long-time fans to a cover of “Virginia Reel Around the Fountain” by The Halo Benders, a defunct side project of his in conjunction with Beat Happening’s Calvin Johnson. A slight feeling of empathy could be felt for Martsch, who was visibly working his ass off alternating between playing rhythm, lead guitar, and soloing in songs that demanded the presence of more strings. The band wrapped up their set with an arsenal of deep cuts from 1994’s There’s Nothing Wrong with Love and 1997’s Perfect from Now On, sending the crowd into full cardiac arrest as middle-aged dad-rockers tore straggling hairs from their receding crowns in a frantic fit of passion.
Night one of Pickathon wrapped up at the foot of the dazzlingly intimate Starlight Stage where Japanese psych-rockers Kikagaku Moyo transcended into another dimension, serenading us to sleep with melodic bends of clean guitar and dreamlike solos from an electric sitar. Embellished in a myriad of mix-match patterns and a collection of clashing colors, the band displayed themselves as a banner for the very best and the very worst of ‘60s fashion; owning it nonetheless. The Tokyo bandmates treated a fortunate few who had the stamina to stick around into the twilight hours to offerings from their most recent album House in the Tall Grass, as well as tracks from former mini-albums. Those lucky enough to have experienced an intimate set from Kikagaku Moyo should count their blessings, as the band is embarking on a nearly sold-out tour.
Day Two
Having answered the calls of unturned beds in back in Portland, we opted for leisure in my air-conditioned home for our first night, finding justification in self-care for the long weekend ahead. We found ourselves back on the Pendarvis property midday, arriving at the Lucky Barn where hometown heroine Haley Heynderickx performed dazzling numbers from this year’s debut album I Need to Start a Garden between a Q&A with the audience. Another attribute unique to Pickathon is this rare opportunity for fans to engage musicians one-on-one and ask more personalized inquiries that might be overlooked in your run-of-the-mill interview. Naturally, these events hit capacity quite immediately, and we were unable to squeeze inside. Fear not! Pickathon is kind enough to provide a live-stream to monitors directly outside of the barn in a covered haystack, where fans are encouraged to lounge and listen, protected from the aggression of the summer sun.
Following the Q&A session, we trekked up the hill for a quick look at the Treeline Stage, whose design changes every year. This year’s finished product appeared much more open than stages in prior years, acting as a window to highlight and illuminate the rolling green scenery that surrounds the entirety of the farm. As if Pickathon weren’t already charitable enough or tapped into enough communities, the Treeline Stage is the physical representation of a partnership with Portland State’s Architecture Program. This relationship poses students each year with the task of collaborating a design erected from simplistic wooden resources to craft a unique and interesting stage for the festival, as well as plan of execution to later repurpose the materials into something beneficial to the community. For instance: last year’s design was transformed into a sleeping pod transitional village for houseless veterans.
We ventured toward the Woods Stage at long last, awaiting serenading from backroad Swedish folk extraordinaire, Daniel Norgren. My first exposure to Norgren was at the same stage two years prior, where he performed on US soil for the first time ever. The artist has been on heavy rotation in my everyday listening ever since, and my heart burst when I saw his name on the lineup release announcement back in January. Looking upward to the cascading green of the forest, beams of light burst through openings in the branches as children swung back and forth in a fleet of hammocks stacked in columns and rows. Colonies of people could be spotted from the top of the mountain, growing denser and denser all the way to the base of the dust bowl pit of the stage.
Norgren’s appearance embodies the simplicity of a country man, yet his songs harbor a well of emotion, unveiling the truths of a man who has endured real pain. Simple percussion, an upright bass and immaculate guitar playing established an astonishing sound that was a force to be reckoned with, fighting for a focal point over Norgren’s powerful vocal chords which had been treated to the perfect amount of gravel gargling. Highlights of the set include “Moonshine Got Me,” “Whatever Turns You On,” and a splendidly stripped version of “Black Vultures,” all from 2013’s Buck.
An abrupt departure from Norgren’s wooing on the Woods Stage swept my friends and I to the Mt. Hood Stage where a second offering from Built to Spill was in high demand. Still think Pickathon can’t get any better? Guess again, dummy! Most every band on the bill plays at least two sets throughout the weekend, allowing bands to perform diverse setlists and expose festival-goers to a vast exploration of their often-sprawling catalogues. Case in point: Built to Spill, clocking in at a whopping nine studio albums. That’s a lot of material to jam into your standard one-hour festival slot. For this set, BTS opted for “Goin’ Against Your Mind” off of 2006’s You in Reverse, arguably the best set opener known to mankind. The band stuck with the trend of reaching into the back catalogue, performing cult classic tracks like “Distopian Dream Girl” and “Stab” off of There’s Nothing Wrong with Love. The set was wrapped up with “Carry the Zero” off of the 1999 inimitable masterpiece Keep It Like a Secret, an album synonymous with teen against and adolescence everywhere.
Not even the plumes of dust nor the cover of darkness could mask the grin on my face as we swiftly blew through “level-up” checkpoints to the Woods Stage for an opportunity to witness Canadian supergroup and rock icons Broken Social Scene crowd the wooded enclave with their boundless number of bandmates. Picking and pulling from the best of the Canadian indie scene, BSS have appeared in ensembles as few as six and as expansive as 19 musicians at once. Key players consist of usual suspect frontmen Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning, as well as big time powerhouses Leslie Feist and Emily Haines, who were sorely missed at Pickathon this year. Following an extended hiatus from late 2010 to 2016, with the exception of a handful of festival jaunts, BSS contributed to the resurgence of classic indie bands crawling out of hiding and promoting new material with 2017’s Hug of Thunder which was met with favorable reviews from fans and critics alike. Playing their highest concentration of shows in years, the band is sounding better than ever, coming out swinging with passion behind their new songs while proving that they’re not beyond pouring their hearts into playing the shit out of the hits. A key highlight of this particular show was the addition of The Weather Station‘s Tamara Lindeman, who hopped on stage for a haunting duet of hit track “Anthems For a Seventeen Year-Old Girl” along with current BSS member Ariel Engle (La Force).
Having decided early on that we should really dive all the way in and try out this “camping” thing, we happened to have lost sight of a few minor details; not only is setting up a tent in the dark a menace of a mission, but locating an empty campsite at the midway mark of the festival is near impossible. Captains Log: need ample planning in future camping endeavors.
Day Three
We awoke, haunted by decisions of the night prior, faces level with our feet and our torsos resting in an arched curve a conservative foot deeper. Somehow, it wasn’t the body contortions that summoned us from the dead, but the scorching temperature of our mesh sweat lodge. Unable to bear another moment, we descended the hill pursuing dreams of acai bowls and cold brew coffee; both of which Pickathon accommodates. Note to future attendees: hungover mutants line up at the Stumptown pop-up like pigs at a trough. Godspeed.
The final day of Pickathon was arranged in a merciful structure, allowing sore legs a grace period of leisure at the mainstage. The first talent of the day was that of Los Angeles-based psychedelic jam band, Wand, who are no strangers to Pickathon. Members Cory Hanson and Evan Burrows have frequented the festival with numerous side projects of resident musician, Ty Segall. The band seemingly picked up on a shared feeling of exhaustion from the midday crowd, gently and kindly rocking them back to life with songs off of 2017’s Plume as well as cuts from EP Perfume, which arrived May of this year.
Having missed out on the first opportunity to fully see Haley Heynderickx, we utilized a small overlap in scheduling to catch a few songs on the Woods Stage. I’ve been following the rise of the songwriter’s career for quite some time now, being fortunate enough to have attended early house shows around PDX the last few years. The powerful vocalist treated the crowd to older tunes this time around, performing “Drinking Song” and title track “Fish Eyes” off of her debut EP. If there’s one thing that is not to be dismissed, it is the way in which Heynderickx dictates influence through tenderness. The young talent presents a window of vulnerability demonstrating that pain can be power, and if tapped into correctly, resilience will triumph.
We returned to our mainstay at the mainstage for a viewing of Ukrainian ensemble DakhaBrakha. The band’s named is derived from verbs of their native language translating into something similar to “give” and “take.” This echoes in their eclectic sound, which picks and pulls from a vast array of diverse genres, weaving together in a sound so unique it is incomparable to anything I’ve ever heard before. I cannot stress how much of a must-see this group is if the opportunity presents itself.
Closing out the Mt. Hood Stage for the 20-year celebration was a final performance from Broken Social Scene, who immediately dove into a bold performance of “KC Accidental” off of their 2003 debut, You Forgot It in People. The performance was accompanied by a trio of brass horns, honoring the bold sound of the recording. Constant tip-toeing of stage grips made it evident that the band was experiencing some minor technical setbacks. Amiable frontman Kevin Drew charmingly dismissed any hint of concern exclaiming, “we’ve been doing this for 18 years, and everything is always broken;” a cute nod to the band’s namesake, be it conscious or not. The band continued to treat loyal fans to beloved classics “Fire Eyed Boy” and “Texico Bitches” before performing lovesick anthem “Lover’s Spit,” fully romancing the audience into nostalgic graves.
We found ourselves wrapping up the weekend festivities with our first visit to the Galaxy Barn, where we stumbled with the motion of the pit, the crowd bouncing around to the sounds of Sheer Mag with an energy I couldn’t even pretend to exude. The Philly-based power-pop band charged up the crowd, who showed no signs of slowing down, navigated by boisterous femme powerhouse Tina Halladay, whose raspy howl provoked just the right amount of grit. The band tore through tracks off of their 2017 album, Need to Feel Your Love.
Hardly able to stand on two feet after a weekend of standing, dancing, trekking, and cramped camping, we decided to call it quits and take the pilgrimage back to our pitiful excuse for a campsite, nestling into the comfort of a weekend lived to its utmost potential.
We awoke in a scramble of melting body parts once more, acknowledging the clots of dirt collected in the backs of our throats; endearing souvenirs of the Pendarvis Farm and all of its organic purity. Somewhere between the unique sense of community and the relentless dedication to sustainability and discovery, visitors of Pickathon are instilled with an unforgettable sense of worth and belonging that no other festival has the capacity to deliver. These irreplaceable moments are what bring us back to the farm time after time. Being no stranger to Pickathon, I had known that its unique intimacy and irreplaceable sense of community was enough to pull me back for yet another year—and I’m not just talking amongst festival attendees; it’s more than likely that you’ll stand at sets of your favorite bands right beside members of your other favorite bands. It’s the sentiment in these warm and fuzzy interactions that carries myself and many other Portlanders through the grueling and relentless winters, awaiting the relief beneath the cloudlike canopies each first weekend of August, and this year was no exception. There most certainly is something in the water on the Pendarvis Farm.
Wolf Parade Tour Diary: Sasquatch 2018
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We handed a disposable camera to Canada’s iconic indie rock quartet Wolf Parade to document their Sasquatch Music Festival adventures at the magical Gorge Amphitheatre. Click through to check out the tour diary of bandmates Spencer Krug, Dan Boeckner, Arlen Thompson, and Dante DeCaro, plus a can of La Croix, the back of a van, and some backstage shenanigans.
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White Reaper Tour Diary: Sasquatch 2018
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Self-proclaimed World’s Best American Band White Reaper took Sasquatch Music Festival by storm this year with their arena-worthy sound and stage presence. The Louisville, KY garage punk quartet—made up of Tony Esposito, Ryan Hater, Nick Wilkerson, Hunter Thompson, and Sam Wilkerson—borrowed a disposable camera from us to document their weekend at the George, WA-based fest. Check out their photo gallery below for lots of pics of incomparable views, random people they don’t know, and flying peanut butter pretzel bites.
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I think these are the people that gave us the camera. [Editor’s Note: Yes, yes they are.]
Sun Seeker Tour Diary + Interview: Shaky Knees 2017
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Full. Chill. Mode. Three words that could describe Sun Seeker’s afternoon Shaky Knees set, our hang with these guys, their time enjoying the fest, and (last but not least) their music. Alex Benick (Vocals/Guitar), Asher Horton (Bass), Ben Parks (Drums), and Rodrigo Avenda (Keyboard) took some time to have a chat with us about what they have coming up this summer. Read all the details below and check out Sun Seeker’s Tour Diary from when they took one of our disposable cameras for a wild behind the scenes ride.
Vinyl Mag: Hey guys, so this is your first time at Shaky Knees?
Sun Seeker: It is! We love it. And to me it’s the best festival lineup of the summer.
VM: We definitely can agree on that. You guys just played today and had an awesome afternoon set. Is there anyone in particular you’re looking forward to seeing?
SS: We really enjoyed Courtney Barnett, David Byrne, Fleet Foxes yesterday. We’re excited about Parquet Courts, War on Drugs, we like Alvvays a lot. There’s just so much to remember…Also Post Animal tonight late night.
VM: I know you are about to start working on a new album…
SS: We are recording it in our hometown. I don’t know all the details I can share at this moment, but we can say that yes we are starting to record this summer.
VM: Do you have any other summer plans?
SS: That is all we’re really wanting to do and focus on that. We have some scattered festivals but it’s really that. We’ve been demoing a lot, Alex has been composing songs, and we have all been getting together a lot to write parts and figuring stuff out. That’s a really good head space for us to be in so we’re just going to be focusing for awhile.
VM: Well, we are looking forward to hearing what comes next from you guys. When it comes to your sound as a band, I’ve read quite a few times your music being called “Cosmic Americanna.” I did recently also read that you never stated that your music be labeled as such. So, in three words or less how would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it before?
SS: Chill, pretty, music. I’ll use music as one of the words to avoid any sort of confusion. It is music. Or at least what we know to be. You can get really conceptual about it. It could be spoken word.
Self aware earnestness.
We came for the whole weekend to just play the day. We are in full chill mode. Just like our music: Full. Chill. Mode.
Click through to see Sun Seeker’s disposable camera tour diary below!
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Daddy’s Dogs, our pre-game huddle.
Sasquatch! Music Festival 2018: A Triumphant Return to Form
Emerging from hibernation annually each Memorial Day Weekend, Sasquatch! Music Festival opens the gates of The Gorge Amphitheater in George, WA and welcomes festival-goers to a scenic splendor that no possible combination of words could ever do justice. It is indisputable that Sasquatch! has an unfair advantage against competing festivals due to the fact that it is hosted in what I can only assume was a runner-up for Seventh Wonder of the World.
Alas, beauty is only skin deep, and looks can only take you so far. This sentiment rings painfully true for The Squatch as it has experienced the music festival equivalent of a midlife-crisis in recent years, neglecting the folk/rock centric bands that have proliferated the festival’s profile within the independent scene and opting for the flashy bells and whistles that win the affection of a Top 40 demographic. Notable makeover mishaps include 2014’s failed attempt at one-upping Coachella with the addition (and cancelation) of a second weekend featuring an entirely separate lineup, last year’s gag-inducing top billed slot of Twenty One Pilots, as well as a never-ending plague of EDM DJs that all share a common disdain for vowels. With the inevitable infiltration of Chad and his bros and the increasing mediocrity of recent lineups, it’s no wonder that Sasquatch! veterans have opted out of attendance. You can’t sit with us, indeed.
Fortunately, word must have gotten back to Sasquatch! founder Adam Zacks about unfavorable reception in recent years, because the right steps were taken to bring justice to a venue that deserves nothing less than inimitable talent to showcase. Sasquatch! Music Festival came out swinging in the 2018 season boasting one of the most stacked lineups that money can buy, setting itself apart from what has become a diluted market of traveling-band lineups that tend to become indistinguishable from one another. Recruiting counter-culture big dogs the likes of Bon Iver, Modest Mouse, Neko Case, David Byrne, Spoon, and Grizzly Bear was enough to rope in the wandering eye of any unsuspecting inquisitor. Upon further examination of the bill, the lineup yielded no signs of wavering quality, landing up-and-coming marvels such as Julien Baker, Big Thief, Japanese Breakfast, (Sandy) Alex G, Whitney, Phoebe Bridgers and Charly Bliss. The reputable names seemed to go on and on, leaving previously salty Sasquatch! naysayers such as myself at a complete loss for words, only able to exude frantic whimpers of delectation. Once the hysteria subsided and I was able to pick myself up off of the floor, I came to the realization that it was time for me to swallow my pride, rip up my cool-guy card and venture back into The Gorge to a festival that once again emitted a potent magical lure.
Day One
The journey to Sasquatch! is in and of itself a privilege not to be overlooked. The scenery shifts and the landscape evolves more times than the hands of the clock turn during the drive, which checks in at just over two hours from Seattle. Dense, lush walls of green are complemented by snowcapped mountains as you ascend the Snoqualmie Pass, only to find yourself met by endless rolling brown plains and towering white wind turbines, waving you in the direction of The Gorge Amphitheater.
Following the herd of automobiles onto the campground, I ultimately landed at my designated plot of grass for the weekend, conveniently located next to Chad, his buds and their self-proclaimed “Babe Cave” tent (awaiting confirmation). The festival grounds are located about a half-mile from the campsites, presenting festival-goers with the dilemma of packing for an entire day (extreme daytime heat, extreme nighttime cold) or stacking some serious foot mileage in addition to the usual festival runaround. (Has anyone ever utilized a pedometer at this festival? How many calories am I burning? Please tell me I look Channing Tatum toned by this point.)
Not a moment was spared as we beelined directly towards the main stage for a healthy serving of midday heartbreak from immensely talented and poignant solo artist, Julien Baker, who gifted the audience with offerings from her fantastic 2017 release Turn Out the Lights. Those unfamiliar with the unparalleled talent of Baker were left speechless as her powerful vocals encompassed the amphitheater, piercing through the souls of unsuspecting bystanders. The soft-spoken singer charmingly utilized moments between songs to lighten the mood by joking with the audience, a routine she’s surely integrated into her sets in order to pull her audience out of complete despair. At one point, the Memphis songwriter turned her back to the crowd, cheekily asking us, “have you guys seen this thing?” as if we had somehow missed the monumental canyon taking on the role of unbeatable backdrop. The audience’s gaze remained fixated on Julien as she careened us through emotional rollercoasters “Appointments” and “Shadowboxing,” finally closing with “Something” off of 2015’s Sprained Ankle.
As soon as eyes were dried, we made the short trek up the hill to the Yeti Stage where Orange County duo and twin brothers Wyatt and Fletcher Shears—better known as The Garden—were slated to perform. This is a band that piqued my interest early on, as they are known for coining their own genre called “Vada Vada,” described by Wyatt as “an idea that represents pure creative expression, that disregards all previously made genres and ideals.” The brothers took to the stage looking like what can only be described as a saucy hybrid of “ATL Twins-meets-Twin Peaks-band.” Utterly perplexing the crowd with what appeared to be some form of interpretive karaoke, the twins donned the personas and attire of Derelicte model, rapper and pirate, respectively. The charade was soon abandoned, and the band effortlessly fired up the crowd by performing experimental thrash ballads “No Destination” and “Stallion” off of Mirror Might Steal Your Charm, which arrived March of this year. The energy this band exuded was infectious, inspiring what was easily one of the more aggressive pits of the weekend, purging victims as mutilated clothing flew violently through the sky.
Up next, beloved Canadian indie legends Wolf Parade made a triumphant return to the Sasquatch! main stage, where they performed what tragically became their last public show seven years prior before announcing an indefinite hiatus. This left Wolf Parade superfans (who will remain unnamed) utterly broken. Luckily the stars aligned, and Wolf Parade are back and bolder than ever, promoting their eclectic 2017 album Cry Cry Cry. The set was christened by taking the audience back to the beginning with the opening track off of the seminal debut album, Apologies to the Queen Mary, led by co-frontman Spencer Krug in a beautifully frantic manner. The band continued to treat loyal fans to archival treasures such as “Fancy Claps,” “Soldiers Grin,” “This Heart’s on Fire” and “I’ll Believe in Anything,” while simultaneously showcasing the brilliance of their more recent contributions “Valley Boy,” “Weaponized” and “Baby Blue.” The new songs are structured with strong percussion from Arlen Thompson and expose multi-instrumentalist Dante Decaro as the glue of the entire operation. (Seriously, Dante is a fucking wizard.) The set came to a close with 10-minute epic “Kissing the Beehive,” one of few songs that utilizes alternating vocals from both Boeckner and Krug whose voices uniquely complement each other; a key component that makes Wolf Parade so special. A fully packed midday attendance on the main stage in addition to the band performing at their highest capacity further reinforce the notion that Wolf Parade are here to stay.
A brief and necessary recess between sets allowed us to hydrate and peruse the strip of vendors in search of a meal that tasted something close to edible and didn’t hit the wallet too hard. Mission: Failed. Fourteen dollars for a Fisher Price sized burrito? Piss off, no thank you. *End pity party*
After our completely satisfying and reasonably priced dinners were consumed, we eagerly took flight to the cascading hill at the main stage where David Byrne, iconic weirdo and brilliant centerpiece of the Talking Heads, was preparing to deliver an unforgettable experience to fans, both old and new. The group wowed the audience as they gallivanted about the stage in a choreographed manner resembling that of a marching band, all clad in matching flint grey suits. Touring his most recent solo endeavor, American Utopia, Byrne ultimately and graciously delivered to the fans who deep down showed up anticipating a chance to hear some classic Heads hits. Byrne and co. shifted the mood from nostalgia to relevance by covering Janelle Monae’s “Hell You Talmbout,” a politically charged protest number which shouts the names of African Americans killed by police or other racial altercations.
Opening night of Sasquatch! was closed out by fellow music festival founder and ever-evolving electro-folk Renaissance man Justin Vernon (better known by moniker Bon Iver), who probably wishes his Eaux Claires Festival could stake claim to a home as alluring as The Gorge. Vernon interestingly chose to open his set with the track “Woods” off of the 2009 EP Blood Bank which first hinted at increasing experiments with auto-tuning; a technique highly utilized in his most recent album, 22, A Million. The meat of Bon Iver’s packed show featured his newer material full of cryptic song titles I won’t even attempt to type, matched by an equally perplexing journey of tonal obscurity. Love it or hate it, Bon Iver’s bold experimentation and dynamic harmonies provide listeners a truly unique experience. Vernon opted out of playing fan favorite “Skinny Love,” which was a total letdown for Chad who has been attempting to learn it on guitar since its 2008 debut.
Day Two
Having gone to sleep shivering, I was surprised to wake up in a pool of sweat, gasping for air and ripping the layers of clothes from my body. As I mentioned before, the weather in The Gorge is always one extreme or another. After escaping my nylon oven, I stepped outside and consumed no less than an entire gallon of water before looking onward to another full day of music.
Pacific Northwest locals Mimicking Birds took to the Yeti Stage at 3:00 p.m., just as the day was reaching peak heat. The band had barely made it through their first few songs before vocalist/lead guitarist Nate Lacy’s effects pedal began to overheat and malfunction due to the scorching temperatures. This resulted in a dramatic fit from Lacy, who ultimately stormed off stage, leaving his bandmates to tend to an eager crowd who were more than willing to wait out a resolution to the technical difficulties. Luckily, the remaining band members came through with quick-witted interactions with the audience and counseling for Lacy, and the band was able to salvage the set, performing tracks from this year’s Layers of Us before ending with the ethereal and reflective “Blood Lines” off of 2014’s Eons.
Taking note from the mechanical victims of the sun’s relentless rays, I noticed that my initial SPF 20 line of defense was lacking in proficiency, so I decided to bust out the big guns and lather myself in SPF 50 (a choice that should have been made hours prior).
Once completion of thorough sunscreen application had been achieved, I eagerly headed for the pit of the main stage where Grizzly Bear were set to make their first appearance at Sasquatch! in nearly a decade. Having attended a club show earlier this year, I was confident that the band was packing an earth-shattering setlist that toured their expansive catalogue with taste and craft, selecting tracks that best exemplify their diverse and complex songwriting abilities. The band temporarily established a means of time travel for longtime fans as they performed hits such as “Yet Again” and “Sleeping Ute” from 2012’s Shields before digging even further back with gems “While You Wait for the Others” and “Ready, Able” from the 2009 masterpiece Veckatimist. Also included in the set were more recent sounds from their fifth studio album Painted Ruins, which fans and critics alike received positively. Spotting a saxophone on stage early on, I eagerly anticipated the execution of “Sun in Your Eyes,” an indomitable set-ender that I hope any fan of the band will be fortunate enough to experience live. In a truly magical moment, Ed Droste belted the lyrics in the title in a climactic explosion just as the glowing sun descended beneath the horizon, silhouetting the mountainous ridges of the sprawling gorge in the distance. I’m not crying; you’re crying.
Saturday headliner and Washington State natives Modest Mouse walked onto stage to a thunderous applause from fanatic fans crossing all of their fingers and toes for an “on” night for constantly fluctuating star asshole, Isaac Brock. A unified sigh of relief could be felt throughout the crowd as Brock appeared to be playing mostly in tune and accurately landing the lyrics of his own songs. Brock, a known sass-master, surprisingly treated the audience rather kindly as he led the band through a string of crowd-pleasers, including the dreamy “3rd Planet,” the catchy commercial success “Float On” and gentle lullaby “The World at Large;” each from the band’s mainstream breakthrough albums The Moon & Antarctica and Good News for People Who Love Bad News. Additionally, the band performed an exhausting number of tracks from their most recent effort Strangers to Ourselves, which was met with mixed reviews at best. The overcrowded band treated longtime fans to a taste of relief with the title track off of the 1996 EP Interstate 8 as Brock belted lyrics, “I drove around for months and years and never went no place,” which is ultimately the same route this set took. Aside from a dazzling display of fireworks, Modest Mouse performed a yawn-inducing mix of radio hits that anyone surely could have experienced just the same by merely walking into their local department store.
Explosions in The Sky closed out day two with a late-night performance on the Bigfoot stage, for those bold enough to stick around into the twilight hours. Feeling rather defeated by the heat and struggling to muster the energy to persevere the way I once could, I decided to call it quits and begin the long journey back to camp halfway through. To my delight, the band’s wailing guitars remained audible throughout the entirety of my trek, providing just enough distraction to successfully complete the hike without exclaiming any dissatisfaction with the arduousness whatsoever. Maybe. Kind of.
Day Three
I found myself once again cursing developers of the amphitheater for designating the campgrounds so far away from the venue, completely devoid of any toleration achieved the prior evening. For the last time, I impatiently stomped my way into the final day of Sasquatch!, racing to catch the last few minutes of Soccer Mommy’s set on the main stage.
Navigating upward and outward to the Yeti Stage, I eagerly stood shoulder to shoulder awaiting the US festival premiere from unprecedented artist Phoebe Bridgers, whose deeply personal lyrics allow a glimpse into toxic relationships of her past and spotlight the all-too-common mistreatment of women in our society. Promoting her 2017 debut Stranger in the Alps, Bridgers was accompanied by a backing band donned in elegant black attire. Passion-fueled youngsters bounced up and down to folk-pop songs such as “Motion Sickness” with upbeat tempos, enjoying the craft of the music while possibly losing sight of the greater message at hand. Bridgers relieved her band for a handful of songs, offering the audience an organic exposure to the rawness of soul-crushing “Smoke Signals” and “Funeral,” and bringing out Seattle songwriter Noah Gundersen for a duet of “Killer,” which slowed the pace of dance moves into a gentle, contemplative sway.
Lingering around the emerging artist stage, I awaited a widely anticipated performance from experimental pop band Japanese Breakfast, fronted by Eugene, OR native Michelle Zauner. The band erupted onto the stage with “In Heaven,” the opening tune from 2016’s Psychopomp smoothly interluding into the album’s following track and hit song “The Woman That Loves You.” They then turned to newer material from 2017’s Soft Sounds from Another Planet, slicing into the peppy “Machinist” and the melodic fantasies of “Road Head.” Zauner is a natural when it comes to showmanship, proudly dancing her way across every inch of the stage before protruding beyond the stage, smashing her face into the cameras of photographers and fans alike. Zauner’s charm and unquenchable desire to win the devotion of an audience, matched with the bands unique dream-scape sound, ensures that they will remain an important contributor to the scene in the foreseeable future.
After a quick shuffle over to the Big Foot stage, I found myself standing in place smirking at the prospect of finally observing my first show from Philly bedroom songwriter (Sandy) Alex G, a.k.a. Alex G, a.k.a. Alexander Giannascoli; easily the show I most looked forward to out of the entire Sasquatch! bill. Alex’s versatility allows him to cross-pollinate his way through a sonic landscape without subscribing to any specific genre, curating a catalogue so diverse that you wouldn’t believe the differentiating tunes were tailored from the same artist. Although I am a huge fan of his recordings, I was somewhat wary of how certain tracks would translate into a live setting. Fortunately, that doubt was immediately squashed as Alex and his band flawlessly jammed to guitar forward lo-fi ballads such as “Kicker” and “Bug” from album Beach Music. Immediately after knocking out a mellowed rendition of folkish hit “Bobby,” Alex faced the floor while addressing the audience: “Alright, now we’re gonna play some really good songs!” This declaration, along with other humbled exclamations, stripped the band of any perception of “rock star” status and spotlighted Alex’s lack of agenda to meet the usual demands and expectations of the music industry. Furthermore, this warmly invited the crowd to feel as if we were just watching a group of buddies play some music, making the songs that much more approachable.
A short hiatus from music called for an opportunity to grab some beer, which was exclusively and dangerously sold in 24-oz. cans for $15, instigating a #BudLightUpForWhateverChallenge of “which will break first, my bank or my body?”
As I settled into the natural reclining throne of the main stage hill, I got googly-eyed over that spectacular view for one final picturesque sunset, failing to capture its beauty via iPhone photos. My final spectacle of the main stage happened to be none other than PNW indie beacon and all around badass woman Neko Case, who has performed at Sasquatch! more than any other artist. Soothing a sea of weary weekenders, Case’s angelic voice serenaded those of us who were running on fumes, exhausted from a weekend of relentless stimulation. The Tacoma hometown hero kindly dedicated the song “Curse of the I-5 Corridor” off of her forthcoming album to the nearby city. In addition to teasers from Hell On, Case made sure to pull out favorites from her back catalogue such as emphatic soother “This Tornado Loves You” off of 2009’s Middle Cyclone. Still buzzing on feelings, I stumbled back in silence relishing in a pool of utter bliss.
Monday morning was met with the same suffocating heat that had become humorous by this point. Emerging from the tent, my first sight was that of the “Babe Cave” inexplicably thrashed and flipped atop Chad’s dad’s Suburban. I promptly packed up the car and embarked upon the pilgrimage back to the chaos of city-life, sitting in disbelief that the holiday weekend had come to a close so abruptly.
Be it a “limited time offer” or a giant step in the direction of salvation, Sasquatch! Music Festival was able to generate and facilitate a truly celestial experience that most promoters and festival-goers only dream of. An intimidating lineup sequencing a contrast of beloved acts with a liberal offering of emerging talent, combined with one of the most unique and picturesque venues, is absolutely unbeatable.
Here’s to hoping that the return of the beloved Sasquatch! is here to stay.
Playlist: Sasquatch! 2018
It’s time for the 17th annual Sasquatch! Music Festival, running this Memorial Day Weekend from May 25-27. The Pacific Northwest-based camping festival takes place at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington and boasts a truly incredible and diverse lineup from top to bottom.
This year marks a return to the festival’s original form, boasting a lineup rich with emerging indie artists as well as heroes of the genre such as Bon Iver, The National, David Byrne, and Modest Mouse. Other notable acts include Tyler, The Creator, Spoon, Anderson .Paak, Grizzly Bear, TV On The Radio, Vince Staples, Neko Case, Explosions In The Sky, Slowdive, Thundercat, Wolf Parade, Perfume Genius, Noname, Margo Price, Julien Baker, Whitney, PUP, Pond, Big Thief, Japanese Breakfast, (Sandy) Alex G, Phoebe Bridgers, Chastity Belt, White Reaper, Alex Lahey, Charly Bliss, The Weather Station, Mimicking Birds…honestly, if we listed everyone on the lineup that we were stoked about, we’d just end up listing the entire thing. And look. It’s right there in the image above.
This is genuinely one of the best lineups of the year (in, obviously, one of the most outrageously beautiful locations), and there really aren’t any misses. With that in mind, we made an epic Sasquatch 2018 playlist for you to bone up on these artists, old and new. So just sit back, shuffle play, and we’ll see you at the gorge.
Playlist by Bryan Toti.
Savannah Stopover 2018 Spotlight: Wild Child
Indie pop band Wild Child has grown a lot since Alexander Beggins and Kelsey Wilson initially formed the group seven years ago. What started as a duo with a ukulele and violin has now turned into a seven-piece mini orchestra. In the wake of their fourth studio album, Expectations, I sat down for a Q&A interview with Beggins and Wilson at Savannah Stopover Music Festival to talk growth, inspiration, and the songwriting process.
VM: How did you two go about meeting everyone else and recruiting the other members of your band?
KW: I mean, we’ve gone through a few different lineups actually in the past couple years, especially with drummers and bass players. It’s kind of always been just whatever friends we have around us that want to play with us. This lineup we have now actually feels like Wild Child. It’s the dream team.
VM: Yeah, I feel like Wild Child has definitely grown a lot.
KW: It has. We’ve added guitar, a trombone, and we used to only have horns for the bigger Texas shows, but now we have a brass section. We didn’t even have a bass player for the first two years. We’ve just been slowly getting bigger and bigger.
VM: So let’s talk about your new album, Expectations. I know you’ve said your previous album, Fools, was kind of your breakup album, so where would you say Expectations falls on that spectrum? Is there a way to define it?
AB: Well, it’s kind of the closest thing to opening up a page in our journals and what’s going on at the time. With this one, there’s a little bit of duality in the title. The expectations of being our fourth record and wanting it to do well, and the kind of precedence we set for ourselves, and expectations of the relationships we’ve been in and out of the past couple of years.
KW: This one is—as much as we did write a lot just in and out of relationships—this one felt a lot more like just us, you know? Just us singing about who we are, really, and what we’ve learned so far. This is kind of like, we even wrote songs all together as a band in the studio for the first time. We haven’t done that before on any record.
VM: I know you’ve said in the past that the two of you write the skeleton of the song and then let the band add to it. So did you kind of change the songwriting process for this album and use a different method?
KW: Yeah, on this one Alexander came forward with more full songs, and then I came forward with full songs, and then some of the songs we wrote together as a band. It was a lot more collaborative.
AB: It’s kind of like the nature, the beast of this record was just write when we can. Because we were touring a lot at the time it was kind of like we were writing songs during soundchecks and writing songs in the van. It wasn’t like, “okay, today’s going to be a writing day!” There were a couple of writing retreats that we did, but for the most part we kind of would just write whenever it was convenient. And that kind of created a different kind of atmosphere.
KW: And normally we wrote when we needed to. Like, something would be happening, and we’d be like okay, let’s get together, drink some wine, and let’s write a song about it.
AB: And we kind of took our time with this record. We were like whenever it’s done, it’s done.
VM: Did you guys have a definite idea of how you wanted this album to sound, or did you just kind of let it happen how it happened?
KW: We usually just let it happen. With this one, we were working with so many different producers, and we love and respect all of them so much that we kind of left a lot of room for them to steer us. We finished the writing of the songs, but we thought when it comes to the speed, the arrangement and the vibe, we just wanted to see what the producers each had to say…they each kind of picked the songs they wanted to do, so they had ideas. So we just kind of let it ride. Initially, we were just going to release like a song a month for a year and just not do a record, ‘cause records are kind of dying, and it’s really heartbreaking. It’s all about Spotify singles now.
VM: Yeah, and you guys did release a lot of singles leading up to this album.
AB: We kind of “hybrid-ed” the idea in anticipation of this record.
VM: I feel like that’s true what you said about records dying. It’s not like many people go to record stores and buy the physical album when it’s released anymore.
AB: Yeah, it’s like you release an album when it comes out, and everyone’s stoked for like, two weeks. Then it’s over, you know? It’s done and out there in the world. So, we released singles in pairs for like three months before the record dropped. Which I thought was cool, because it kind of created some hype around it.
KW: Yeah, and we did music videos for like half the record.
VM: Do you guys have a favorite music video from Expectations?
KW: The “Think It Over” one we just did was so much fun. Literally it was just absolutely only our friends and family dressed up. We built a club in a giant empty warehouse in one day. It was just a garage, basically.
AB: Yeah, in that one we just got to have fun. Sometimes you make a video for you. We had this idea and we were like, let’s just ride with this as far as we can. The director is our homie and he knew the vibe that we wanted to try and communicate.
VM: [How has] your sound has evolved since your, slower original songs?
AB: I think that we…when we started we were just naive babies trying to make music, and I think we’ve gotten better.
KW: Yeah, we didn’t really know what we were doing. It’s always been good for us though, because we’re not limited to the rules of music. We didn’t know shit about anything, so we were just like, “I guess that sounds good I don’t know!” So we’ve just gotten better over the years about knowing what sounds good.
Wild Child is on tour now in support of Expectations, with shows across the US and in Europe. They played at Savannah Stopover at the historic Trinity United Methodist Church.
Savannah Stopover 2018 Spotlight: Cicada Rhythm
Approaching Savannah Stopover Music Festival, I sat down with local Athens, Georgia band, Cicada Rhythm. The couple’s unique sound captures the essence of modern folk music, and they bring a chemistry with them that is evident both on and off stage. I met Andrea DeMarcus and Dave Kirslis at Normaltown Hall in Athens while they were working on an upcoming music video to talk Georgia roots, being in a band with someone you love, and beekeeping. Check out the interview below.
VM: You are both from Georgia, born and raised. How has the South, and Georgia specifically, influenced your sound?
Dave: I really started getting into music when I was living in North Georgia, and at that time it was a lot of traditional music- just banjo picking. And I always found it interesting, but I never was drawn to playing like that. Later I moved to Atlanta and that’s where I really started kind of getting myself into the music scene there. There was an Atlanta blues scene at Northside Tavern and some guys named Nate Nelson, and I guess The Wood Brothers were in Atlanta. Those guys, we would just pretty much try to go see them whenever we could. That’s what got me into music. Then we came to Athens and kind of fell in love with everybody here.
Andrea: And everybody’s a musician here.
Dave: Yeah!
Andrea: It’s great.
Dave: It’s really cool; Athens is, you know. I always say here it’s more of a mission than a competition. Everyone’s just here to help each other out and push each other forward, it’s just – it’s an inspiring place, definitely.
Andrea: I would say I kind of got into music through my dad. He’s a very avid music lover and we listened to The Beatles growing up and stuff. But, we had a great orchestra, the ASO in Atlanta, so when I started playing bass, I started taking [lessons] from the principle bassist in the ASO, and it was a great orchestra and he was great. It’s just a really like, Atlanta has a really strong group of players and it might not be as conducive and connected as Athens is for like smaller groups and more creative, younger people and stuff, but Atlanta does have a lot of great players. And so that’s kind of how I was introduced to the music scene. And then when I moved here…I really realized that music could be anything that you want it to be, and that helped me to write music, and create, and hookup with this guy. So yeah, I think in Georgia, it’s always been full of music. We’re really lucky to be from here, definitely.
VM: So what’s the songwriting process like for y’all? Do you both contribute to the process?
Andrea: Yeah, well we usually start out with an idea and maybe we’ve completed the song…there’s probably been maybe two or three songs that we’ve truly collaborated 50/50, but the rest of them, you know, it’s kind of your thing. And maybe I’ll need help with the chorus, or an outro, or a bridge or something, and he’ll help me with that and vice versa. But, we’re pretty much sole songwriters.
Dave: We help each other finish them sometimes.
VM: So is that kind of the same way y’all decide who’s going to sing which song?
Andrea: Yeah basically whoever writes whatever song sings it.
Dave: For the most part yeah.
Andrea: I’ve kind of always wanted to write a song for him to sing.
Dave: Likewise!
Andrea: But it hasn’t happened yet so we’ll see. Maybe one of the oldies of your songs I’ll take over that you don’t want to play anymore.
Dave: Sure!
VM: Cicada Rhythm has a very unique sound, kind of a modern take on folk music, and it’s very distinct. Are there any certain artists that have influenced your music directly?
Andrea: Definitely. Like Dave was saying before, The Wood Brothers are a super big influence. I really love the string work in Nickel Creek and The Beatles. String work in rock music is one of my favorite things and obviously I’m a string player so, but to put that on top of the song already, is, I don’t know, I just love that so much…I’d also have to say Gillian Welch, like she’s the ultimate songwriter for me…the way that she makes you feel is how I would want to make somebody feel.
Dave: Yeah you know for me…so much different stuff…so I just try to be a sponge, you know? And just soak it all in. But my dad was really into jazz…my mom was an Irish immigrant- she was really into Johnny Cash and Ray Charles and Willie Nelson so she was kind of giving me a foundation of really American music. But, really everything, but most particularly the people I mentioned are just the local artists in Atlanta.
VM: So how did y’all initially form and come up with the name Cicada Rhythm?
Andrea: Well, I moved to Athens in 2010, and I kind of was trying to get away from music. Dave and I were friends, but he lived in Atlanta at the time and he called me and said, “Why aren’t you in a band? Athens is full of bands; you need to be in a band. You know you can’t just not play music.” And I tried playing in a couple bands and they just did not fit right. And Dave was like, “Well why don’t you just play with me?” So we started learning each other’s songs and we really felt like it was working well, so we booked a show and we weren’t prepared, but they liked it. I guess before the show we were like, crap we need to have a name before the show! So we kept texting each other words or suggestions. It took us about a week to come up with it. I came up with Cicada Village and he was like “Oh I like that! What about Rhythm Wild?” and I was like, oh that’s pretty cool. So we kind of just compromised and mashed them together. We pretty much were on a deadline, but we wanted to pick something that sounded like southern.
VM: So I know when you both met, Andrea you were at Julliard, and Dave, you were hopping trains?
Dave: I was hopping trains for a while. I was really into it. I was reading about the Great Depression and it was my senior year of high school and my friend and I were broke.
Andrea: Wait I thought you were in college?
Dave: Well I started thinking about it in high school, then I graduated and was a poor college student and couldn’t really go anywhere for vacation. So we thought that would be a nice way to check out America. We would ride around the South. A lot of times we would ride down to Athens, coincidentally, and then ride back to Atlanta. And I hopped off one day when I was riding back from Athens to Atlanta, and I called my friend who she was with at the time, and they came and picked us up. And, it wasn’t love at first sight-
Andrea: He was very dirty!
Dave: Yeah, you get extremely dirty in boxcars cause they’re just, you know…but, that’s how we first met! We stayed friends for a long time, and then eventually it became more.
VM: So Andrea, you were at Julliard at the time?
Andrea: When we met, yeah. I think it must have been my junior year, or my sophomore year maybe. I was always calling their house because my boyfriend at the time wouldn’t answer his phone, and Dave would always pick up. Yeah it was a landline, and Dave would pick up, and we would chat. I would always be like “Where’s David?” and he’d be like, “I don’t know, but we can talk!”
Dave: [laughs] Yeah, then I stole her! A couple of years later, but yeah.
VM: Yeah it sounds like you had these motives for awhile?
Dave: I always admired Andrea…
Andrea: I wasn’t his type!
Dave: I didn’t consider it. And then I guess we were both single and playing music together and for a while I was trying to keep it professional.
Andrea: Yeah e wanted to keep it professional.
Dave: Yeah, but that lasted like two weeks. But here we are! We’re getting married in October!
VM: How long have y’all been engaged?
Dave: We got engaged in May.
VM: So how does that work being in a relationship and then also being in a band together? Is it hard to separate the two?
Dave: We actually separate it pretty well. Like, people will email us and expect us to talk to each other about it, but we don’t, and that’s actually sometimes an issue. If people don’t text both of us we won’t even talk about it. Cause we do so much Cicada on the road and behind the scenes here, so when we’re with each other we just try to be with each other. But, it’s been easy. But there have been battles too,
Andrea: Yeah, I mean it’s definitely…at this point it’s easy, it’s like second nature, but there was a time when we were writing songs and we just weren’t in agreement of how the song should go, or if we should play this song, and we’d have fights about ‘I like this song I think it’s good we should play it!’ and ‘I don’t think it’s good we shouldn’t play it!’ And it would hurt our feelings, cause songs are a part of you, you know, like they’re little parts of you, and if somebody you love rejects them, it hurts. But we’ve, I mean we’ve gotten past that now. If it works, it works. If it doesn’t, we move on.
Dave: Our tastes have kind of molded together in a way, with most things.
Andrea: Yeah.
VM: When you both aren’t playing music, what do you do in your spare time?
Dave: I mean we love nature and we love our dogs. I do a lot of working on the house. We have a little farmhouse just outside of Athens, and I’m always working on it, or trying to improve the yard, things like that.
Andrea: We also try to spend time with our families. We’ve got family in Atlanta, so it makes it easy to go over there.
Dave: I’m hoping to get into beekeeping this year! We’ll see. I’ve got a bunch of beehives…
Andrea: [laughs] He keeps saying that for like three years.
Dave: I know, but each year I get closer and closer!
Andrea: That would be really cool. It would be nice to have the honey! I don’t know about all the bees. Apparently they have facial recognition.
Dave: Yeah, they can recognize your face! I’ve been reading a lot about them and they’re just absolutely incredible.
VM: So, how are y’all gearing up for Savannah Stopover and SXSW? Are y’all getting excited!
Andrea: Yeah!
Dave: We’ve mainly just been working really hard on our two upcoming music videos, so I haven’t really had a chance to think about it. But I am excited cause we really like Savannah Stopover it’s really great.
Andrea: Yeah I love Savannah Stopover- it’s a great town. Everything’s really walkable, the food is really good…they also treat artists very well.
Dave: Austin’s gonna be really awesome too [for SXSW]. We love just going out towards the West- it’s a different world out there. I’m excited for both Savannah Stopover and South by Southwest.
Cicada Rhythm is played Savannah Stopover Friday, March 9th as part of the New West Records 20th Anniversary Showcase. The two have a busy few months ahead of them between touring, shooting music videos, and prepping for the release of their forthcoming album, Everywhere I Go, out April 27 on New West Records.
Top 10 Bands You Better Not Miss at Forecastle This Weekend
If you’re one of the lucky ones heading out to Louisville KY for Forecastle Festival this weekend, we know you’re gonna flock to see the headliners—and we’re right there with you. Forecastle’s big guns form quite the armory this year with sets from Run The Jewels, LCD Soundsystem, PJ Harvey, Spoon, Weezer, and Sturgill Simpson. Not to mention the glorious return of the beloved Screaming Eagle himself, Mister Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires.
That said, if you scroll on down the lineup, it’s fully packed with exciting, dynamic acts right down to the very end. Here’s a list of the top 10 bands it would be criminal to miss.
Big Thief
Brooklyn’s Big Thief’s music, rooted in the songs of Adrianne Lenker (guitar, vocals) paints in vivid tones. Their highly anticipated second record Capacity was release last month and shows us the gentle side of being ripped open, and then recounts the second act of pulling oneself back together to prepare for it all to happen again.
Whitney
Whitney tries to make the kind of songs they’d be jealous of if someone else got there first. Formed from the core of guitarist Max Kakacek (ex-Smith Westerns) and singing drummer Julien Ehrlich (ex-Unknown Mortal Orchestra),the band itself is something bigger, something visionary, something neither of them could have accomplished alone.
Aaron Lee Tasjan
East Nashville-based musician Aaron Lee Tasjan has always considered himself a songwriter first and foremost, writing his own off-kilter folk-inflected songs since he picked up his first acoustic as a teen guitar prodigy. His New West Records debut, Silver Tears, shows his artistic ambitions and solidifies him as one of the most intriguing singer/songwriters to emerge in sometime.
Adia Victoria
Adia Victoria is establishing a fresh reference point on the musical landscape. From blood-born howls to idiosyncratic phrasing, she is the big red dot saying You Are Here. The Nashville-based artist travels the lands of rock, afro punk, and country, squarely situated in the continent of the Blues.
Mondo Cozmo
Born in Philadelphia and now based in East Los Angeles, Mono Cozmo raised a big middle finger to all opposition, and in 2016 began releasing songs that could’ve been cut under the influence of a “Champagne Supernova” inside a Seattle warehouse if this were the nineties…but it’s not. His latest work, Plastic Soul, will be released in a few weeks. He did it all by deconstructing everything you know and reconstructing it with a rawness the world hasn’t felt since Pearl Jam’s Vs. or Springsteen’s Born To Run. That’s Plastic Soul.
John Moreland
John Moreland’s latest album, Big Bad Luv, is the record he made after, after everything in his life changed. For the better. He sings in one of those accents from flyover country that’s impossible to locate and implausible to mimic. (Texas, by way of Northern Kentucky, but mostly Tulsa, as it happens.) He sings directly from his heart, with none of the restraint and filters and caution the rest of us would apply for public protection. He sings with resolute courage.
Twin Limb
Forecastle will be a hometown throw down for Twin Limb. Louisville’s own Twin Limb is proof that a band can be a powerful trio without being a “power trio”. Friends, Lacey Guthrie and Maryliz Bender decided they were going to build a musical edifice together, with the producing prowess of Kevin Ratterman. Together, an organic blend bringing post-punk guitar sprinklings to a yearning, but militaristic amalgam of soaring vocals, percussion, and slowly-kneaded accordion.
Lucy Dacus
Sharp lyrical observations, playful turns of musical phrase, hooks that’ll embed themselves in your frontal lobe for days is what you’ll experience at Lucy Dacus’ set this Saturday afternoon. She has a keen sense of self and that shines clearly on her debut No Burden.
Pell
Born and raised in New Orleans but forced, at 13, to relocate with his family to Jackson, Mississippi when Hurricane Katrina hit and destroyed their home—has been praised for fusing precise lyricism and soulful singing into an eclectic sound, entirely his own.
Sun Seeker
Sun Seeker has drawn applause for their unhurried breed of Cosmic American Music and with BIDDEFORD (Third Man Records), their long awaited debut EP, the Nashville-based band more than affirm their promise. The EP – which follows Sun Seeker’s widely acclaimed Third Man debut single, 2016’s “Georgia Dust” b/w “No One Knows” (TMR322) – sees Alex Benick (guitar, vocals), Asher Horton (bass guitar, vocals), and Ben Parks (drums, vocals) exploring nostalgia, melancholy, and emotional turmoil via laidback psychedelia pollinated with tight harmonies, classic folk songcraft, and country rock spirit, an ageless approach that is simultaneously archetypal and now utterly their own.