Reviewed: The Milk Carton Kids, Molly Tuttle

Brighton Music Hall, Allston, MA

Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale of The Milk Carton Kids are quite an odd couple. Ryan is tall, lanky, meek, and a tad awkward. Pattengale is short, spastic, and sweaty. But together, they unite to form something mesmerizing, stunningly beautiful, and entertaining. The other night at the Brighton Music Hall, the two gussied-up California gentlemen made me laugh, smile, and fall in love with their music all over again.

The opening act, Berklee School of Music student Molly Tuttle, blew away the unsuspecting crowd with her rapid fire bluegrass guitar work that would put even the most talented shredders to shame. It was a marvel to see such incredible technical skill combined with a sweet voice and fun, barn-storming songwriting. She reminded me a bit of Nickel Creek, if all three members were transformed into a single bluegrass superhero.

Joey Ryan took the stage unassumingly, saying a meek 'hello' and proceeding to give a hilarious deadpan welcome to the show. Throughout the rest of the show, he managed to give the audience a lesson on the use of the comma, as well as deliver playful jab after jab to his bandmate, bringing quite a bit of laughter to a show filled with sad songs. While Ryan stood almost perfectly still strumming his chords, Pattengale swayed and swayed, as if he was squeezing every bit of his soul into each note. His lead melodies tastefully intertwined with Ryan's guitar work and produced a full, yet extremely simple sound.

Touring behind their new record, The Ash & Clay, the Kids are playing to the biggest rooms yet (or as Ryan mentioned, "the second smallest room in Boston"). Luckily though, they still played quite a bit of material from their stunning debut studio album, Prologue. Vocal harmonies were flawless, and the clarity of their vintage guitars was unparalleled.

After observing the mannerisms of Ryan and Pattengale, the band's name takes on a much more real meaning. Each with a different and unusual approach to social situations, the two may have likely bonded over their social difficulties. Whether that story is true at all, I get the idea that music is what saved these two from being lost.

Reviewed: The Lone Bellow, Ivan & Alyosha

Brighton Music Hall, Allston, MA

I kind of feel bad for Ivan & Alyosha. Their recent album, All The Times We Had, is a solid, catchy, and interesting indie folk-rock record, and they put on a very entertaining show to back it up. When this tour of theirs was booked, few had heard of the opening act, but now, touring behind their fantastic Civil Wars-meets-Mumford and Sons debut, The Lone Bellow is taking the nation by storm. So when they finished their jaw-dropping opening set, Ivan & Alyosha had a pretty tough act to follow. 

I have never seen an opening band win over a crowd so quickly and effectively. While it seemed that at least half of the crowd was familiar with The Lone Bellow, by the end of their set, they had 300 new guaranteed fans. 

The first thing that stands out about The Lone Bellow is the harmonies. And yes, they are pristine live. Frontman Zach Williams jumped, sweated, and hollered all over the tiny stage, whipping his soaked curls with excitement. While most people say they put 100% into every show, Williams manages to squeeze all 100% into every single song. Between tracks, he looks like he is about to pass out, and then, miraculously, summons enough energy and power to do it all over again. Ten more times. As NPR's Bob Boilen accurately describes it, he sings "every word as if it's the last time he'll ever get the chance."

Guitarist/singer Brian Elmquist didn't step into the spotlight for most of the show, but when he finally took the lead on his track "Watch Over Us," it became instantly clear that there is no weak link in this group. His voice was crystal clear bluesy perfection and the song was a nice change of pace that split up the set nicely. Please, RELEASE THAT SONG. It was unreal. 

Those lucky enough to be in the audience knew what they were witnessing: a band truly on the verge.

Reviewed: Frightened Rabbit

House of Blues, Boston, MA

"Who wants to see me down this whiskey?" That was perhaps the most popular moment of the night as Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison took advantage of Boston's avid alcohol fervor. The drinking was not out of place, however. The Scotsmen are well known for making some of the most raw, honest, powerful, and painfully sad music out there. While the music may bring to mind heart-wrenching breakups and lonely nights, Mr. Hutchison, charming accent in tow, provided the most entertaining, hilarious, and lively stage banter I have heard in quite some time. It makes me want to go to Scotland just to meet people like this every day.

While the night started off terribly, with a horrifically tedious subway debacle, causing me to miss opener Wintersleep's entire set, Frightened Rabbit did an awfully good job making up for it. The guys have an extremely rabid fan base, one that is familiar with all four of their albums. A recent devotee, I primarily know their latest Pedestrian Verse, an album that took me by surprise and inspired me to delve into their catalog. They filled about about a third of the night with new cuts, but also featured quite a bit of their critically-acclaimed breakout album, The Midnight Organ Fight. The new material fit in seamlessly with the classics, incorporating their trademark huge emotional swells and poetry-like lyrics. While many groups tend to bore the audience with long-winded chats, Hutchison's words are what made the night something special. He provided astute narration and a character that allowed us to put the songs in context.

Frightened Rabbit-"The Woodpile"

Reviewed: Local Natives

House Of Blues, Boston, MA

Growing up and developing a broad music taste when I did, Local Natives' debut album, Gorilla Manor, was one of the first indie albums I loved. It had a fixed spot in my car's CD rotation and was probably the album I listened to most during my last year in high school. My fanhood peaked and I saw them live for the first rocking the 2011 Sasquatch main stage. Sadly, three years and hundreds of music discoveries later, the SoCal group that I was so fond of rarely entered my thoughts. In January, when they released their sophomore effort, Hummingbird, the memories of jamming out to "Airplanes" in my car flooded back. They had created a second record that fulfilled the elusive goal of expanding upon their sound while maintaining all the qualities that made them great in the first place. Hummingbird is no doubt more atmospheric and less rollicking, but just as catchy, harmony-laden, and sunny. 

The other night, I went over to House of Blues to see them perform their new tracks in front of a quickly sold out crowd (the biggest on their tour). Luckily for me, they split the night evenly between their two records, playing every song I had so wanted to hear with the lone exception of "Camera Talk." In a live setting, the tracks on Hummingbird were much louder and tighter than I was expecting, almost allowing me to forget which album they were on. Between the spastic moves of guitarist/singer Taylor Rice and the unassuming but powerful presence of keyboardist/singer Kelcey Ayer, the Natives were in fine form. Ending the show with the powerful "Sun Hands" was the perfect move, leaving the crowd jumping with their hands in the air, hoping to catch some of the bands warming rays. 

Reviewed: Sara Watkins, Field Report

The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA

I was already excited to go to last night's show at The Sinclair before the headliner's name caught my eye. Initially, I planned on attending solely to see Field Report, Chris Porterfield's beautiful folk group whose tour had somehow been eluding me for the last year. It took me a few days to realize that Porterfield would be opening up for the Sara Watkins. As in the singer/violinist who had earned my attention as one-third of Nickel Creek and live violinist for The Decemberists. Even then, I didn't expect to see a two-thirds Nickel Creek reunion on stage with Sean Watkins supporting his sister on guitar for "Reasons Why," a classic track from 2000's Nickel Creek. 

Kicking off the show to a half-full seated audience, Porterfield led his group through some of the most ethereal, soothing folk music being made these days. Accompanied by Randy Pingrey on trombone, Porterfield was all smiles, even while playing self-proclaimed "sad, kick you while you're down" music. With a small, quiet audience like that, it would have been easy for an artist to seem disappointed, or even upset with the crowd. But the charming frontman was affable, lively, and responsive. After a fan blurted out asking to hear "Taking Alcatraz," Mr. Porterfield quickly decided to take the guy's advice. And thank goodness. They hadn't been planning on playing it, one of their album's standout tracks. It seemed as if the group was more focused on the atmospheric, harder-to-digest tracks. In my humble opinion, if Porterfield plans on making some more waves, he should stick to that guy's advice. That track is killer!

Watkins hit the stage with her star-studded band and quickly turned up the energy level. With foot-stomping bluegrass jams and string-burning fiddle skills, Watkins featured her new album Sun Midnight Sun, but squeezed in a bunch of covers as well, taking on Tom Waits, John Hartford, Robert Earl Keen, and Bob Dylan tracks with ease. While Porterfield is a new voice hoping to emerge in the folk-country scene, Watkins is clearly a seasoned veteran, having played in some of the biggest groups of the genre. Now roughing it on her own, Watkins is easily proving that her practice has made perfect.

Reviewed: Milo Greene

The Sinclair, Boston, MA

Photos by Kaitlin Deveau

I can confidently call myself a Milo Greene veteran. I have been with them since the beginning, and since hearing the first strums of "1957" off their Hello Sessions a few years ago, they have held a special place in my heart. Last night at The Sinclair, I saw them for the third time live, and boy have they improved. While they have always had a certain casual charm live, this time they turned that charm into visual, visceral passion that made their show louder, tighter, and all-around better. They no longer sounded like rookies; they are road-worn performers who know how to knock a crowd's socks off.

Milo Greene-"Cutty Love"

The LA-natives sold out the venue, their first stop on a month-long Eastern-US trek, and brought their A-game. Aside from some oddly stiff stage banter from Marlana (is Boston really your favorite city? I didn't buy it), the night went off without a hitch. One of the things I always love of about the group is their ability to seamlessly trade instruments and lead vocal duties for almost every song. Everyone on stage last night could be a frontman of their own band, and when combined, their powers multiply. While it was no surprise that they played their entire WTTB best of 2012 debut album, they also packed in a spot-on chant-worthy version of Sufjan Steven's "Chicago" and a lively rendition of Wilco's "A Shot In The Arm." A personal highlight came when they ended their set with "1957," my absolute favorite song of 2012. Even though this was not my first time seeing the group, they managed to keep things fresh and are lively enough that I wasn't bored for one moment. Well done guys!

See the rest of the photos here!

Overheard at the show: 

A woman to her friend: "What are you doing? Get off the floor!"

Her friend: "Shut up! I'm texting my future husband!"

Reviewed: Enslaved

The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA

Photos by Kaitlin Deveau

There aren't many posers in the Norwegian metal world. That corner of Scandinavia takes their metal quite seriously, producing some of the most extreme, heavy, melodic metal out there. In the diverse scene there, Enslaved are the cream of the crop, respected all around the world for their consistently intriguing use of growls, speedy bass drums, screaming guitars, and guttural bass, without forgoing strong melody.

After final opener Pallbearer left the stage and their equipment was whisked off, an odd emptiness covered the stage for over 30 minutes. The Norwegians were running late due to bus troubles, but when they eventually pulled in, the crew worked at super speed to ensure that they were able to play (albeit a shortened set). Despite the fact that they were only on stage for an hour, they used every minute of it, cramming in "Thoughts Like Hammers" and others from their 2012 album RIITIIR, fan favorite "Ethica Odini," and unearthing old black metal from their 1994 album, Vikingligr Veldi. The crowd's unrest about the late arrival quickly dissipated into moshing, crowd surfing, and awe at the group's huge stage presence.

They end their tour tonight, which is a shame for all of you out there who missed them, but have no fear! Twelve albums deep into their 20 year career they show no signs of slowing down. They are one of the most prolific metal bands, rarely waiting 2 years between releases. Lucky us!

See the rest of the photos here!

Note to The Sinclair:
The venue, located in Harvard Square, is Bowery Boston's brand new plan to capture bands that would otherwise play The Middle East and Brighton Music Hall. While the layout, size, and overall feel of the place is great, they should have figured out how to do the sound for a metal show before booking one. Opener Pallbearer's doom riffs sounded awfully sludgy and the vocals were completely lost in the mix. Enslaved sounded good in comparison, but still not great considering the intimate size of the venue. The Middle East has mediocre sound at best, and if The Sinclair wants to steal their thunder, it might want to step their sound game up a bit. Also the lack of security at a show where moshing was inevitable was quite worrisome. While some people don't mind a shoe to the head in the middle of a concert, I know I speak for others when I say that the venue should have kept things a little more under control. 

Reviewed: Meshuggah

Photo by Kaitlin Deveau

I get a huge kick out of seeing two completely different bands on the same stage. Two night ago, I saw Punch Brothers kick out bluegrass jams at House of Blues in Boston, and last night I headed back to hear progressive metal titans Meshuggah mesmerize the audience with their epic, intricate, mosh-worthy tracks. For those of you who don't know their music, Meshuggah stands out in the metal world a great deal due to their creative and awe-inspiring use of rhythm. Along with riffs that weigh a sonic ton, the long-haired (and one bald) Swedes divide up measures like no other. They give complex time signatures a whole new meaning, incorporating beats that only the most diligent listener can actually follow or replicate. All this combined with ridiculous technical skill (have you heard that bass drum action on "Bleed"?) gives you one hell of a band.

Their music, filled with down-tuned guitars and a whole lot of bass, is tough to pull of in a live setting, but their sound guy knew what he was doing and the group was so tight that the sound was as good as any metal show I have attended. The setlist focused a great deal on their latest offering, 2012's Koloss but also managed to squeeze in favorites "Shed," "Bleed,"and a huge encore of "Dancers To A Discordant System." While I was looking to hear my personal favorite "Rational Gaze," I understand that filling a set with songs that average about 8 minutes long is tough.

Though singer Jens Kidman has been battling a rough flu, his growls, while impossible to comprehend, were at full force. He had complete control of the rowdy crowd and is probably one of the few people who can actually get a crowd of 2,000 metal fans to be quiet and listen when he talks. These guys garner a great deal of respect in the metal community, and its pretty obvious why; they are consistent, among the heaviest groups out there, technically astonishing, and they put on a damn good show.

See the rest of the photos here.

Reviewed: Punch Brothers

House Of Blues, Boston, MA

It is not often you encounter a true genius, but last night at the House of Blues, one stood on stage playing the mandolin. Last year, Chris Thile was a recipient of a MacArthur genius grant for his prodigal mandolin abilities and variety of musical endeavors. 

The mandolin maven led his group through a lively setlist that included Radiohead and Beach Boys covers. He has managed to surrounded himself with incredible instrumentalists, all of whom had their fair share of time to solo in the spotlight. They announced to the audience that this was their biggest show ever, revealing why all five of them were accustomed to being huddled around each other, never stepping outside a small carpet on stage. Their old-timey charm hit the audience like a bear hug that never let go. Mr. Thile was introduced to me years ago via Nickel Creek, his San Diego-based pop-bluegrass trio. When I saw them perform on their 2006 farewell tour, the encore included an epic mandolin rendition of a Bach piece for violin. Thankfully, this is growing into a trademark move for Thile and he obliged again, running through a lightning fast Bach partita like only a virtuoso could. 

Since his Nickel Creek days, Thile's songwriting has grown much more complex and innovative, now mixing wacky time signatures, dissonance, and classical influences with a classic bluegrass sound. Even though they all shredded with ease on their respective instruments, it was clear they were having as much fun as the crowd. Plenty of improvisation and extended bluegrass jams kept the show lively and proved their skills to everyone there. I have a feeling that if I saw them again tonight, the show would be completely different, giving a unique feeling to each performance that is rare these days. 

Reviewed: Lucius

Great Scott, Allston, MA

The lead singers of Brooklyn-based indie-poppers Lucius coordinated their hair not only to look the same, but so that when they each approached their mics, they were perfectly symmetrical. Now that is dedication. Strong pop songwriting, catchy hooks, and two mesmerizing lead singers combine to form one of the most exciting young groups I have heard lately. Kicking off their tour in Allston, they hit the stage with ferocious energy and proved that their brief debut EP is only the beginning of something much bigger. The vocals were stronger live than on the record, and if you take a listen below, you will know that that is saying something. Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig's vocals wove nicely together, creating a sound that is better than the sum of its parts. If you're a fan of romping, catchy indie anthems, you don't have to look any further.

Outside Lands: The Good

The 5th annual Outside Lands Music Festival brought the rock August 10-12th in San Francisco. Set in woodsy Golden Gate Park, festival goers got to experience a wonderful blend of nature and metropolitan in one of the best festivals in Nor Cal. With big-name headliners this year, one might think that this fest might've lost its down-to-earth vibe. Turns out we won't have to worry about that. Not only was the venue fantastic, the food absolutely delicious, and the people friendly and ready to have a good time, the musical acts were impressive and just plain fun. Here are some of Write To The Beat's favorite acts from the weekend!

(See all of our photos here!)

Father John Misty

Definitely my favorite act of the weekend, hands down. I never would have expected such an enjoyable and amusing show when I cruised over to the smallest stage Saturday afternoon. Joshua Tillman, formerly of Fleet Foxes, performed at the festival under the moniker Father John Misty. He was certainly one of the most pleasant surprises of the weekend, capturing the audience with his witty banter and jokes, sultry dance moves, and killer back-up band. The band's lead guitarist displayed incredible talent, shredding on some rocking solos as the entire band jumped and jived to their music.

PAPA

The first band to play on the Twin Peaks stage this weekend was PAPA, a four-piece group led by lead singer and drummer (previously of the band Girls) Darren Weiss. The crowd was loving the energy as they rocked through a 45 minute engaging set of their tunes. PAPA had a really strong turnout even though they had an early set, with many dancing and jumping to the band's lively music. They were clearly a fan favorite, and PAPA is bound to be going places this upcoming year.

Sigur Rós 

The Icelandic band Sigur Rós performed an electrifying set on Saturday night. Perhaps it was because Metallica was performing on the main stage that night, but the crowd at Sigur Rós was lively and engaged, definitely a plus. This band is unique and fascinating, and I was completely and utterly wrapped up in the evocative beauty of their music. It was certainly a spiritual experience for me and many others in the crowd.

Franz Ferdinand

Though these guys have been lying low since the band's 2009 Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, Franz is back with a kick. They played all their old favorites and had the packed main stage dancing it out during the whole set. These Scots really know how to rock out, ending their act with all four members concurrently participating in a 5 minute drum solo (on one drum set). 

Electric Guest

It was a full-on dance party at the Panhandle when Electric Guest took the stage; their songs were just made to dance to. The lively tunes, reminiscent of 70s funk and jazz, combined with the killer falsetto of lead singer, Asa Taccone, are certainly a crowd pleaser. This band released their debut album, Mondo, only April of this year and are bound to be heard more and more these next few months.

Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder has and always will be a legend. Everyone had a blast at his set, with the whole crowd singing and grooving, making it was a fantastic way to end the weekend. Not only did he play many of his most popular songs (did you know he's had more than 30 top ten hits??), but Stevie also played some great covers, like "My Girl," "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)," and more. Mr. Wonder also took the time to emphasize his well-known philosophy of loving everyone, and urged us at the festival to do the same. His great music and soulful ease on stage continues to make him a great performer.

Alabama Shakes

Having seen this band at Sasquatch, I knew that Alabama Shakes would draw a huge crowd, but nothing could have prepared me (or the rest of the festival-goers) for the massive amounts of people at their set. The whole "Lindley Meadow" was PACKED with thousands of people, all vying for a chance to see Brittany Howard and the rest of her crew play their well-known tunes. Never turn down the chance to see these guys live, they play a show like no other!

Regina Spektor
This girl's got guts. It has to be mildly terrifying, stepping out onto a huge stage to a large crowd of eager fans. But you wouldn't guess that Regina has any qualms about performing. She started her set with an amazing acapella tune and her act just got better from there. Her voice is as impeccable live as it is on her album, and her quirky style and sweet demeanor really drew me in. A very talented singer-songwriter, indeed.

Photos by Rachel Fidler

Reviewed: Dylan Owen

Gramercy Theater, New York, NY

Ever since I downloaded Dylan Owen's latest EP, Keep Your Friends Close, I have been intrigued by the young MC's poetic, powerful rhymes. He has wisdom beyond his years, and a focused seriousness that is hard to find in any musician these days. Last night at the Gramercy Theater, his performance seemed to polarize the audience a bit, separating those with more sophisticated taste from those in attendance simply to hear headliner Watsky crack some jokes. While not everybody seemed prepared for Owen's intense subject matter, those who were were likely thinking the same thing I was: this kid is damn good. 

Opening with the heart-stopping "Bookmarks," Owen plowed through his unfairly short 30 minute set with grace, charisma, and focus. He mostly stuck to his new material, yet he also played a few fan favorites from his previous album, Senioritis. When Owen threw wristbands out into the crowd, an attendee in front of me hit me in the eye trying to grab one. At a normal concert, that would make me pretty pissed, and distract from the music for a minute. But not this time. Not even a hit to the face could take me away from Owen's poetry. 

Listen to the whole EP below and remember, you can download the entire thing for free right here. 

Reviewed: Tech N9ne

Highline Ballroom, New York, NY

I know what you're thinking: Tech N9ne doesn't really fit in on this website. I have to agree with you, but I've always been a fan of the Kansas City rapper's intensely rhythmic, insanely fast flow. Just one listen to "Like Yeah," the first track on his 2008 album, Killer, (and the track that introduced me to Tech) and you can't at least be curious. With hard-hitting, intricate production, and rhymes that will make your head spin, his music is a lot of fun to say the least. Tech is currently on the record-breaking Hostile Takeover Tour, bringing him, Machine Gun Kelly, ¡Mayday!, Krizz Kaliko, Prozak, and Stevie Stone to 90 cities in 99 days, making it the longest hip-hop tour in history. When I heard that I would be in town to see the tour in New York, I had to catch the king of Kansas City in action. Plus, I got a kick out of seeing Tech N9ne and Michael Kiwanuka on the same stage within a week!

Unfortunately, MGK, the opener I was most looking forward to, was banned from performing after an altercation with a bouncer earlier on tour. But Tech made up for it. Running through nearly all of his dozens of hits, he kept the crowd going nuts all night. While his name may not be one that you hear every day, Tech N9ne has a huge number of fans, and they come out in droves to his tours. I can't say I really fit in with the crowd, but I most definitely went to the craziest party in New York City last night. And Tech was the host. The light show was killer and Tech has audience control down to a science, mesmerizing the hordes with his machine-gun like delivery. The crazy thing is that this was the 78th show of the tour, and they showed no sign of slowing down.

Tech N9ne-"No Can Do"

Reviewed: The Tallest Man on Earth

Photo by Andrew Hanson

I made the three hour trek from San Diego to Los Angeles last Tuesday, and though sitting through LA traffic during rush hour is always painful, my soul was healed by the amazing man I had traveled to see, Kristian Matsson. Matsson (known by the moniker "The Tallest Man on Earth") performed a sold-out show at the Wiltern the day after his new album, There's No Leaving Now, was released.

I'm generally not keen on sit-down shows, but this was a whole different caliber of performance. Sparse, yet subtly powerful; his voice is that much more beautiful and raw live. Every tune, from his more recognizable singles to brand new songs, was engaging and dynamic, constantly highlighting Matsson's immense musical talent. Matsson embodied a kind of nervous energy on stage, meandering around with his guitar and emphatically throwing his pick away after every song. His deep, gravely voice matched nicely with his dry sense of humor, and though much of his mumbling was rather prosaic, the crowd didn't care. The audience was in love, whistling and shouting compliments to Matsson between songs; at one point he sarcastically asked, "Did you guys pay money just to yell things?"

The Tallest Man kept us all bewitched by his music, even during the quieter tunes. Matsson's two song encore included a piano version of "The Dreamer," full of emotion with a silent, captivated audience. For his final song, "Thrown Right At Me," his wife Amanda Bergman, a fellow Swedish singer-songwriter, came out and sang with him. An intimate, beautiful end to a perfect night, with two standing ovations by the crowd.
Check out his extensive tour dates below!

Reviewed: Dan Mangan and Blind Pilot

Wesbter Hall, New York, NY

While Blind Pilot may have headlined the show last night at Webster Hall, I attended to see Dan Mangan, the Canadian folk crooner behind one of the best albums of 2011, Oh Fortune. Facing a lukewarm crowd without his usual band behind him, Mangan had a difficult task to win over the audience. But he was up for it. He adapted most of Oh Fortune for one guitar (quite a feat considering how full of activity that album is), and it worked in his favor. Quieting all the background made his voice (one of the best in the biz in my opinion) stand out more. The quiver in his voice was audible with only soft strums behind it. Quite a few times during the show he reminded me a great deal of Glen Hansard. And that is one of the highest compliments I can give a singer. Most of his songs translated very well into slower, gentler, acoustic versions, especially "Sold," an emotional track about growing old from his 2010 album, Nice, Nice, Very Nice. While Blind Pilot put on a nice performance, it was almost boringly straightforward, devoid of risks. Mangan on the other hand, laid all his cards out on the table, putting himself at the mercy of the audience, and he knocked it out of the park. Check out his tour dates below.

Sasquatch 2012: The Good

I don't run. I've never enjoyed it, and I probably never will. But when an obscenely long traffic jam almost caused me to miss the beginning of the Sasquatch Music Festival this past weekend, it seemed like the only option. Leaving the rest of my car-mates, I trekked the endless car line by foot to ensure that I didn't miss a second of the greatest festival in the Northwest. After about 45 minutes of speedwalking, I entered the grounds with sore feet, an overfilled backpack, and a whole lot of excitement. Despite the exhausting and undesirable beginning to the weekend, it didn't take long for the music and overall vibes to win me over.

This year I saw shows that were awe-inspiring (Bon Iver), rock-your-socks-off heavy (Jack White), and rife with Canadians (Hey Rosetta! and Said The Whale). I witnessed a new British invasion of songwriters (Ben Howard and Dry The River), the latest phenomenon from Iceland (Of Monsters and Men), and the next great actor turned musician (John Reilly). With a backdrop that was constantly lauded by artists as the most beautiful venue they had ever seen, Sasquatch is truly a unique festival experience. Combine The Gorge with the inherent friendliness of Northwesterners, the beautiful weather, and a superb lineup, and out comes one of the finest music festivals in the country.

See all of our photos here.

THE GOOD


Scribes

Walking into the festival to the infectious beat of "Pass You By" instantly put a smile on my face. The very first artist to perform on the new, and very intimate "Maine" Stage, Scribes treated those in attendance to a lively set of some of the hottest rhymes coming out of the Northwest. Although many would-be-attendees were painfully stuck in traffic, Scribes drew all the folks who wanted to squeeze every last minute out of the weekend, as well as those who were ready to party early.


Of Monsters and Men

Iceland's latest import was the clear fan favorite on Friday, drawing an enormous, and very lively crowd to the mainstage fairly early on the first day. While thousands of attendees were still in line to enter the grounds, those lucky enough to make it in time were busy jumping around to the group's fun Arcade-Fire-meets-Edward-Sharpe sound. Lucky for die hard fans, they also played a mini set in the acoustic tent, proving that they can rock stages large and small.


Said The Whale

Definitely the sweetest Canadians we met all weekend, Said The Whale put on a rousing show, drawing a large crowd of fellow Vancouverites. Ben Worcester and Tyler Bancroft's trading vocals sound even better together, and the crazy, spastic drums of Nathan Shaw keep the show exciting. They sing about nature an awful lot, and there isn't really a better place to talk about beautiful nature than The Gorge.


Alabama Shakes

Saying that the Bigfoot Stage was packed for this show would be an understatement. Everyone who has seen a music blog in the last year was at this show to witness Brittany Howard tear the place down. The group was as tight as could be, letting Howard own the spotlight with her phenomenal voice. It is one of those voices that sounds like it could knock you over with one yell, yet she doesn't abuse it. She doesn't let loose all the time, making it all the more amazing when she does.


Dry The River

One of the most pleasant surprises of the weekend, Britain's Dry The River captured the hearts of all at the Yeti Stage with their unique blend of folk and hard rock. After seeing a bit of their opening set for Bowerbirds a few months ago, I came away with mixed feelings about their loud folk sound. But thankfully, I gave them another chance. Seeing their full set, and the sheer variety of their talents, made the show one of the best of the day.


Jack White

Mr. White had a stage presence unmatched the entire weekend. He commanded the crowd with his madman-like persona and broad setlist. Playing songs from The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather, and his solo album, White kept the night exciting, and loud. One of the most epic moments of the festival came after he closed the set with "Seven Nation Army." While the band stopped playing, the crowd of 20,000+ could not stop chanting the melody.


Hey Marseilles

The seven gents in Hey Marseilles had a tough opening noon slot on the mainstage, but they made the best of it. Their mellow folkestral tunes were a perfect way to start the day. Lead singer Matt Bishop's voice translated beautifully live, and they ran through tracks from their debut album, To Travels & Trunks, with grace. It was nice to see such a friendly bunch of musicians, as well as such a nice blend of folk and classical instruments.


Hey Rosetta!

I arrived at their performance with high expectations, after I heard fans raving about their live show all day. It only took one song for me to realize they were right. Hordes of Canadians came out to catch their hometown heros, and to watch frontman Tim Baker's howl echo across the Gorge. Fueled by rabid fans, the group rocked harder than expected, especially on material from their latest album, the magnificent Seeds. Watch out America!


The Head and the Heart

I have seen The Head and the Heart four times now, and this performance, their second in a row at Sasquatch, was the best. After performing at the Gorge for the first time last year, the group was back in their home state for a victory lap. Drawing an expected enormous crowd, and earning a great slot opening for Beirut, the crew played most of their beautiful debut album, as well as two great new tracks (you can hear them on their recent Fuel/Friends Chapel Session).


Beirut

Beirut is widely considered one of the best live bands around these days, and they lived up to their reputation. Zach Condon, and a very mismatched looking backing band powered through hit after hit, spanning their entire career. With the great Perrin Cloutier on the accordion, they sounded sophisticated, professional, and so so good.


Bon Iver

At least a dozen times during Bon Iver's headlining set, the crowd was so deafening that I truly could not hear myself. Unlike most fans who chose to express their excitement by screaming their lungs out, I was too much in awe to make any noise at all. Instead, I watched in silence, trying to squeeze every last instant out of the best show of the weekend. Justin Vernon, with a very large backing band consisting of two drummers, two guitarists, two horn players, a bassist, and some multi-instrumentalists, played a powerful set including his entire new album, as well as most of his debut. For songs off For Emma, he opted for a fuller sound than on the record and it worked better than I expected. For the stunning "Blood Bank," the track was transformed into a huge production, that had an absolutely gorgeous, enormous sound. Vernon's voice, even more pure in a live setting, caused almost everyone in attendance to tear up at some point, whether it was during "Skinny Love" or "Re: Stacks." This show could not have been better. Vernon himself put it best when after opening with "Perth" he chuckled, "This is pretty fucking cool." We agree.


Ben Howard

I, along with a large portion of the Sasquatch crowd, was very excited to see what British songsmith Ben Howard would be like on stage. While technical difficulties cut his set time down to a paltry 25 minutes, he made the best of it, leading the crowd through sing-alongs, and inspiring every single fan to wait around. His acoustic tunes will no doubt be making waves in America soon.


John Reilly and Friends

It is safe to say that the large majority of the crowd that showed up to see John Reilly, wanted to see Dewey Cox, the country musician character he played in the movie Walk Hard. But Reilly, who has quite a good voice, as well as stage presence, took the music seriously. Luckily for fans of his movies, he sported his Dewey Cox guitar, and had plenty of jokes about Sasquatch at the ready, giving the crowd lots of laughs. Reilly's self-proclaimed reason for being there was to publicize the artists he was performing with, his 'friends'. And it worked! His fellow performers, Tom Brosseau and Becky Stark provided excellent backup vocals and made the show awfully cute.


Tenacious D

This performance, while I thought I knew what I was in for, was a huge surprise. Because the funniest part of this comedy act is the lyrics, which are often hard to discern live, I wasn't expecting much. But the sheer stage presence of Jack Black and Kyle Gass led to one of the most exciting performances all weekend. With a giant penis shaped "Fenix" on stage with them, they romped around stage, having a shred battle with a Sasquatch, and being attacked by a space squid. You can't not be entertained by that.


See all of our photos here
Photos by Rachel Fidler and Jonah Ollman

Reviewed: The Lumineers with Kopecky Family Band

The Red Room @ Cafe 939, Boston, MA

Between The Lumineers' set and their encore, the manager of the intimate 200-capacity venue took the stage to share a few words. "These bands have outgrown this venue," she said. "We were lucky to book this tour right when things were getting big." Boy was she right. The sold-out, intimate, heartwarming show was clearly a sign of things to come for the fantastically rustic Denver trio.

Openers The Kopecky Family Band gave me as a pleasant surprise. The Nashville group (not actually a family) played a rousing set of swamp-rock that brought to mind their former tourmates, Givers. The members busted out some hidden talents including cameos of accordion, pedal steel guitar, trombone, and cello. A great match for The Lumineers, the faux-siblings let us hear some new tracks that they had been working on, and won over a crowd that was clearly in attendance for the other performers. Frontman Gabe Simon's voice proved to be the highlight of their set, echoing out over the dancing listeners. Also, they were the only band I have ever seen to pass out instruments into the audience. 

Fronted by Wesley Schultz, The Lumineers made the already small venue feel like a living room jam session. Roaring through a concise set filled with hand-clapping and foot stomping, the band radiated fun as much as the crowd. Schultz's harmonies with cellist Neyla Pekarek were much more powerful live, and added more pep to "Dead Sea" as well as lead single "Ho Hey." 

Because the group only has one fantastic album under their belts, they managed to squeeze in some beautiful covers. A raucous rendition of "I Ain't Nobody's Problem," written by their friend Sawmill Joe, showed the band's prowess when it comes to straightaway blues crooning. They ended the performance with "The Weight," a tribute to Levon Helm, that they claimed they weren't too good at. On the contrary, the cover really showcased Pekarek's stunning, powerful vocals that had been hinted at throughout the set. 

On the love song "Dead Sea," Schultz sings "You'll never sink when you are with me." While in the song the words are directed towards a love interest, he might as well be talking to the crowd. After that show, anyone in the audience will not sink for quite some time. 

Reviewed: Yellow Ostrich + Ra Ra Riot

The Paradise, Boston

This was our second time hearing Yellow Ostrich, the threesome headed by Wisconsin native Alex Schaaf. On this occasion, the boys proved yet again that their unique, often sparse sound holds up beautifully to the test of a large, energetic crowd. Schaaf, one of the most innocent, pure personalities I've ever seen hold an electric guitar, was fascinating and captivating. He added to his numerous vocal looping some heavy guitar we hadn't heard before, something that freshened many of the arrangements off their 2010 record, The Mistress. The group was unafraid to showcase some brand new work as well. Here's a sample of a few of the tracks we hope they lay down very soon. All told, I was impressed not only with the increasing creativity and chemistry of the group, but also with the crowd's reaction to the material after just a 40 minute set. If anyone deserves the adoration of the masses, it's these guys. 

Following Yellow Ostrich was Ra Ra Riot, the now well-established indie-string-pop darlings. The sextet, complete with cello and violin, immediately stormed the stage with power and energy. I was blown away by their professionalism and musicianship. The sound was crisp and the vocals spot on, and any who may have imagined that the layered string melodies on record would be difficult to replicate live were proven wholly wrong. The set featured material from both their latest record, The Orchard, and the more successful, acclaimed 2008 album The Rhumb Line. It was by no means the most creative of performances, but it was a hell of a lot of fun. They know how to get the crowd jumping, and isn't that really what we all want in life?

Ryan Adams-"Ashes & Fire"

It's been a long time since Ryan Adams released a record. Or at least since he released one that isn't metal. Ashes & Fire, his latest work, has been billed by some as his "return to music." But even one listen in, it's hard to imagine he ever left. The 11 tracks are seamless. They're lyrically introspective and meaningful, yet so easy. Each song is refreshingly simple in instrumentation, with hints of organ and consistently tender piano accompanying Adams' faithful acoustic guitar (plus drums and bass). The album is seemingly over in the blink of an eye, leaving you longing for more and instantly ready to start it over and savor again. I've been a Ryan Adams fan for years. But I have to say it. This is my favorite work of his yet. Buy it now, and savor the "return" of one of music's most gifted artists.

Ryan Adams--"Dirty Rain"

Ryan Adams--"Lucky Now"

Reviewed - The Head And The Heart

Last night we had the pleasure of being able to make it out to The Royale in Boston, MA to witness one of the most exciting shows we have seen in quite some time. After a rousing, fun opening set by Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, The Head & The Heart took the stage. The lively sextet ran through their whole small, but powerful and thoroughly entertaining catalog, and also played three very promising new tracks. Their perfect blissful harmonies sounded better than ever and when the band let loose, the audience followed suit. The excited sold out crowd sang along to most of the songs to the pleasant surprise of the band. In only their second time in Boston they have developed a strong and loud fanbase. They accurately summed up their situation in the song "Heaven Go Easy On Me," when they sang with the crowd over and over, "We're well on our way".

Enjoy this beautiful video of one of their new tunes, "Josh McBride".