Sasquatch! 2012 Preview

Pretty Lights, 10:15 PM – 11:45 PM

Colorado-based producer Derek Vincent Smith (QRO photos at a festival) puts some energy behind his electronic work as Pretty Lights (QRO photos at a festival), with 2009’s Filling Up the City Skies free to download.

Greg Gillis (Girl Talk – QRO photos at a festival) moved from biomedical tissue engineering to DJ mash-up engineering, taking samples from across the spectrum and making something very new (QRO photos at a festival).  While he started out playing clubs, he’s graduated to ballroom & even the great outdoors (QRO photos outdoors) – but that just means he’s got bigger stages (QRO photos outdoors at a festival) and festivals (QRO photos at a festival) to fill with dancing concertgoers… (QRO photos at a festival)

Formerly known as Santogold (changed due to threat of lawsuit from an infomercial jeweler Santo Gold), Philadelphia’s Santi White (QRO photos) toured with everyone from Coldplay to Kanye West – but is returning to Sasquatch! (QRO photos at a festival) a star in her own right (QRO photos at a festival), behind her new Master of My Make-Believe.

Things have moved quite fast for Iceland’s the next-gen alt-folk collective Of Monsters and Men (QRO live review), on the back of killer single “Little Talks” (QRO video) and debut full-length My Head Is an Animal (QRO review).

Also:

Allen Stone, 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM

Explosions In the Sky, 9:15 PM – 10:15 PM

There might not be a more important or beloved post-rock band that Explosions In the Sky (QRO photos at a festival).  The Austin band (QRO photos outdoors) basically introduced the epic, vocal-less concept that is ‘post-rock’ into both the indie-sphere and the wider world (including overseas – QRO photos at a European festival – and providing the theme song to Friday Night Lights – QRO soundtrack review), and made the Top Twenty on the Billboard charts with last year’s Take Care, Take Care, Take Care (QRO review).

Mark Lanegan (QRO live review) first emerged as singer for should-have-been-grunge-stars Screaming Trees, but has since had a solo career (QRO photos) as well as teaming up with Belle & Sebastian’s Isobell Campbell (QRO photos at a festival together).

Poliça, 6:30 PM – 7:15 PM

Yellow Ostrich, 5:15 PM – 6:00 PM – QRO photos at a festival

Beats Antique, 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM

World fusion electronica act Beats Antique not only fuses styles of music, but also styles of dance, including that of the belly.

Once and sometimes still known as ‘Starfucker’ (QRO photos) – and also as PYRAMID – having ‘fuck’ in your name isn’t the career handicap it used to be, as the Portland-based electronic band (QRO photos) have been making dance music that’s also great to listen to.

Also:

Little People, 6:40 PM – 7:25 PM

James McCartney, 6:10 PM – 6:55 PM

HoneyHoney, 5:05 PM – 5:50 PM

Sean Wheeler & Zander Schloss, 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM                                                                               

The Physics, 6:40 PM – 7:15 PM

Metal Chocolates, 5:35 PM – 6:20 PM

Scribes, 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM

Jack White, 10:00 PM – 11:30 PM

The most famous artist in indie-rock, probably the most famous rock ‘n’ roller to emerge in a generation, you already know Jack White’s story – married & broke-up with drummer Meg White, then formed The White Stripes (QRO live review) with her (pseudo-pretending to be brother-and-sister), massive success as a new generation of rock ‘n’ roll broke out at the start of this century/millennium, Meg’s meltdown, Jack’s work in other bands like The Raconteurs & The Dead Weather (QRO album review), The White Stripes’ final confirmed break up last year, and now Jack White’s solo record, Blunderbuss (QRO review).

White’s been on everything from The Simpsons to The Colbert Report (QRO Indie on Late Night TV), founded his own label, Third Man Records (that includes America’s favorite pundit as an artist), and Blunderbuss has hit #1 on the charts – so don’t expect to get anywhere near the stage unless you camp out there the night before…

The Shins (QRO photos) are back!  The Shins are back!  The band (QRO live review) that caused Zach Braff (and the world) to fall in love with Natalie Portman in Garden State had one of the most-anticipated & best-received records of 2007 in Wincing the Night Away (QRO review).  Then the band (QRO photos) left label Sub Pop, and soon started losing members around main man James Mercer, who eventually put The Shins on hold to work with Danger Mouse as the middling Broken Bells (QRO album review).  But Mercer & whoever makes up the rest of The Shins (QRO photos at a festival) now are back, reclaiming their indie crown with this year’s great Port of Morrow (QRO review).  They’re once again playing big stages (and big shows, like Austin City Limits – QRO live review on Austin City Limits), and return to Sasquatch! for a rare third time (QRO photos at a festival).

Is it wrong to resent a band for finally getting breakthrough success?  That question is always at the heart of any discussion regarding Toronto based band Metric (QRO live review) – love them or hate them, the quartet has done pretty well for themselves.  2009’s Fantasies (QRO review) earned them a couple of Juno awards, as well as shot listing for the prestigious Polaris Prize, two Canadian awards the band (QRO photos at a festival in Canada) is certainly no stranger to.  While they may be one of the more mainstream acts in indie today (QRO live review), they are undeniably a charismatic take on the pop/punk genre, and their growing fan base (QRO live review) reflects this over and over again (QRO photos).

Always a safe bet to tear up any stage (QRO live review), Metric finally comes to Sasquatch! (QRO photos at a festival) in the run-up to the release of their highly-anticipated new Synthetica, out just after the festival.  The band (QRO live review outdoors), fronted by singer/songstress extraordinaire – and your indie-rock crush – Emily Haines (QRO solo album review) is entirely capable of winning over the indie purist in all of us (QRO photos outdoors at a festival) with songs from the new single “Youth Without Youth” (QRO review) to Fantasies‘ “Sick Muse” (QRO video) to older numbers like “Dead Disco” (QRO video), “Handshakes” (QRO video) & “Monster Hospital” (QRO video).

The world is littered with rappers trying their hand at acting, and actors trying their hand at rapping (to say nothing of sports stars trying both) – with usually poor results.  Standing out from that crowd is Childish Gambino (QRO photos), a.k.a. Donald Glover of NBC’s great Community.  Joel McHale ain’t the only one with a second job – but will Danny Pudi (QRO photo) or Alison Brie (QRO photos) be there?

Bringin’ some country to Sasquatch! is the Grammy Award-nominated Jamey Johnson.

Like a classy, dueting Bon Iver (see below), things have blown up very fast for The Civil Wars (QRO photos) – including their own pair of Grammys in 2012 (Best Country Duo/Group Performance and Best Folk Album).  And while Joy Williams & John Paul White haven’t yet appeared on SNL (yet…), they have on Austin City Limits (QRO photos on Austin City Limits).

While some of the ‘sweet seventies’ revival has been overhyped [cough-Fleet Foxes-QRO album review-cough], Portland’s Blitzen Trapper (QRO photos) deserve their praise, as they add in some freak to their folk.  After self-releasing their first three records (including 2007’s Wild Mountain Nation – QRO review), they signed to Sub Pop for the excellent Furr (QRO review), 2010’s Destroyer of the Void (QRO review), and last year’s American Goldwing (QRO review).  And their live show (QRO live review) has stayed strong.

The ‘Screaming Eagle of Soul’, Charles Bradley (QRO photos at a festival) is one of the many great soul singers to emerge from Brooklyn’s DapTone Records, which also brought the world Sharon Jones  & The Dap-Kings (QRO album review) and Budos Band (QRO album review).

Also:

Pickwick, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM

The Roots, 11:30 PM – 1:00 AM

The ‘best band in late night’ headlines the Bigfoot Stage at Sasquatch!!  Black Thought & ?uestlove’s outfit (QRO photos at a festival) has met with critical and popular acclaim for years now, fusing hip-hop and jazz into an original & enjoyable package, along with collaborating with just about anyone you can name.  Two years ago, the group (QRO photos outdoors) signed on as the house band for the new Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (QRO Indie on Late Night TV), and while this limited their touring (QRO photos at a festival in New York), not so their records, most recently with last year’s Undun (QRO review).  And the Philly natives, when not slow-jamming the news with President Obama, find the time to return to Sasquatch! (QRO photos outdoors).

After the one-and-only Annie Clark (QRO interview) made 2007 her break-out year, both as part of The Polyphonic Spree on The Fragile Army (QRO review) and with her own debut as St. Vincent (QRO photos), Marry Me (QRO review), she followed that up with even-better years, gracing festivals (QRO photos at a festival), charming and surprising crowds with winning humor live (QRO live review), and bringing a stable of new songs (QRO live review).  Those new songs, like “Laughing With a Mouth of Blood” (QRO video) and “Actor Out of Work” (QRO video) formed into 2009’s Actor (QRO review), which vaunted her into the even bigger time (QRO photos at a festival), including playing Lincoln Center (QRO live review) and other storied concert halls (QRO photos at a festival) & venues (QRO photos at Royal Albert Hall).  Even if last year’s Strange Mercy (QRO review) wasn’t quite as good, St. Vincent is still holy live (QRO photos), and 2012 will see her become the rare third-timer at Sasquatch! (QRO photos at a festival).

Oakland’s Merrill Garbus (QRO photos) has been getting notice in the likes of Brooklyn (QRO photos) & Britain (QRO live review in London) as tUnE-yArDs (QRO photos outdoors), finding more and more fans behind her debut w h o k i l l (QRO review).

While their last full-length was 2008’s Keep Your Eyes Ahead (QRO review), wherein singer/guitarist Brandon Summers lost his voice and relearned to sing, this guitar-and-drums two-piece from nearby Beaverton, OR (QRO photos at a festival in Oregon) knows how to fill a stage (QRO photos at a festival) – just keep an eye on drummer Benjamin Weikel’s goofy faces (QRO photos)…

One of the multitude of bands that garage ‘it girl’ Frankie Rose played drums in before fronting her own band (QRO photos), the Dum Dum Girls (QRO photos at a festival) combine garage, girl-group, and New Wave for a sound that does stand out from the pack (QRO photos) – especially live (QRO live review) & in costume (QRO photos), or on last year’s Only In Dreams (QRO review).

Even amongst all the lo-fi guitar-punks out there, Kurt Vile has made a name for himself.  The former member of The War On Drugs (see below), Kurt Vile has since formed his own ensemble with his Violators, and contributed to/opened for alt-punk guitar god J Mascis (of Dinosaur Jr. – QRO live review) on his new solo record, Several Shades of Why (QRO review), and subsequent tour, but comes to Sasquatch! as frontman of his own (QRO live review).

Actually from Alabama, throwback rock ‘n’ rollahs Alabama Shakes (QRO photos at a festival) are well-loved from their numerous, energetic live shows.

Los Angeles’ Electric Guest are an electric band, and were recently featured on MTV’s list of ‘Artists to Watch’ in 2012.

Swedish duo Maria Linden & Fredrik Balck have found quick success in English-speaking lands (QRO photos from first U.K. tour), thanks to debut Hearts (QRO review) and their recent tour (QRO live review) with similar-sounding French electro-wave hit M83 (QRO live review).

After opening on tours with the likes of Matt & Kim (QRO spotlight on) & Art Brut (QRO spotlight on), Atlanta’s Reptar (QRO photos) have built up to headlining (QRO photos), though still play early at Sasquatch! (QRO photos at a festival).

Wolfgang Gartner, 9:30 PM – 11:00 PM

Los Angeles’s Wolfgang Gartner headlines the Banana Shack.

The Netherlands has been proficient with the electronic dance mavens, such as Paul Van Dyk and Armin Van Buuren (QRO live review at a festival) – and now the newest generation in Nobody Beats the Drum.

From the other side of the border, the other side of North America, and other side of the Channel (linguistically), Montreal’s Purity Ring (QRO photos) bring some of the new indie-electronic (QRO photos).

From Providence, Rhode Island of all places, producer AraabMUSIK (QRO photos) is getting known for his live beats over MPC drum machines.

Princeton’s ghostly-synth Seth Haley is Com Truise (QRO photos), who came out last year with Galactic Melt (QRO review).

The dream of the nineties is alive in Portland – and comes to Sasquatch!!  IFC’s hit sketch comedy Portlandia, and stars Fred Armisen (of Saturday Night Live) and Carrie Brownstein (of Wild Flag – see below), bring their tour to The Gorge.

Also:

Rob Delaney, 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM

Pete Holmes, 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM

Cœur de Pirate, 7:50 PM – 8:50 PM

Quebec’s Cœur de Pirate – a.ka. Béatrice Martin – comes to the other side of the continent.

Los Angeles’ Lord Huron come to Sasquatch!

From Portland, but also New Zealand, Unknown Mortal Orchestra (QRO live review) impressed a lot of ears with their self-titled debut (QRO review), which managed to be avant while also still rockin’.

English folk rock outfit Dry the River (QRO photos) hit up a ton of festivals last year in their native Blighty, and now come across the pond for this festival season.

THEESatisfaction, 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM

Craft Spells, 2:25 PM – 3:10 PM

Said the Whale, 1:20 PM – 2:05 PM

Black Whales, 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM – QRO album review

Sol, 4:25 PM – 5:10 PM

Grynch, 3:20 PM – 4:05 PM

Fatal Lucciauno, 2:15 PM – 3:00 PM                                                                           

Bon Iver, 10:00 PM – 11:30 PM

Man, have things ever blown up for Justin Vernon – a.k.a. Bon Iver (QRO photos).  QRO can remember when he was just the touring guitarist (QRO photos) for The Rosebuds (QRO spotlight on), but after a well-received appearance at CMJ 2007 (QRO recap), he signed to Jagjaguwar and released his stripped solo debut For Emma, Forever Ago (QRO review) – and the rest was history.  He’s appeared on just about every TV show you can throw a stick at, including being interviewed by Stephen Colbert & being mock-portrayed by Justin Timberlake on Saturday Night Live (QRO Indie on Late Night TV).  He’s even worked with Kanye!

And Bon Iver comes back to Sasquatch! as a headliner, after playing to massive crowds (QRO live review) while touring last year’s self-titled follow-up (QRO review), which earned him the Grammy for Best Alternative Album and Best New Artist (and leading legions of J. Cole twitter fans to ask, “Who the fuck is bunny bear?”…).

While Zach Condon began his instrumental outfit Beirut (QRO photos at a festival) as a solo project, he’s since developed it into a full band (QRO photos at a festival), featuring just about every instrument you’ve ever heard of (QRO photos at a festival), most recently on last year’s The Rip Tide (QRO review).

Very recently, things have been seriously booming for The Head and The Heart (QRO photos at a festival).  The Seattle alt-folk/pop band (QRO photos outdoors) was signed by Sub Pop, named their city’s best new band (QRO live review) by Seattle Weekly, opened for everybody from Dave Matthews (QRO photos) to Death Cab (QRO album review), and even played Conan (QRO Indie on Late Night TV)!

Singer/guitarist M. Ward (QRO photos outdoors) has long been best-known for his work with others – first as guitarist for Bright Eyes (QRO live review), then with actress/singer Zooey Deschanel as She & Him (QRO live review), and then with Bright Eyes & more as alt-folk super-group The Monsters of Folk (QRO album review).  However, Ward is finally getting just as known for his accomplished artist work on his lonesome (QRO photos at a festival), most recently with 2009’s Hold Time (QRO review) and this year’s A Wasteland Companion (QRO review).

Alt-hip-hop duo Chidera ‘Chiddy’ Anamege and Noah ‘Xaphoon Jones’ Beresin form Philadelphia’s Chiddy Bang.

Eco-friendly Portland has given the eco-friendly indie-folk of Blind Pilot (QRO photos), who did a whole tour in 2008 on bicycle.

From frigid Duluth comes to warm jam-folk of Trampled by Turtles (QRO photos).

Detroit’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (QRO photos at a festival) combine electro-rock with endorsement patched jumpsuits (QRO photos) on last year’s debut, It’s a Corporate World (QRO review).

Also:

Hey Marseilles, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM

Feed Me (with Teeth!), 11:30 PM – 1:00 AM

Jon Gooch – a.k.a. Feed Me – brings his dubstep ‘Teeth’ tour to Sasquatch!

From chilly-but-beautiful Gothenburg, Sweden comes the chilly-but-beautiful electronic outfit Little Dragon (QRO photos), who’ve collaborated with everyone from Gorillaz (QRO album review) to José González, but recently put out their own Ritual Union (QRO review), and have been gracing festivals (QRO photos at a festival).

A ‘Brooklyn veteran’ by now, The Walkmen (QRO live review) have grown from their more soused early days (QRO photos – which included a front-to-back cover of John Lennon & Harry Nilsson’s drunken weekend Pussy Cats – QRO review) to a sadder, but more accomplished band (QRO photos at a festival) by 2008’s You & Me (QRO review).  Their live show (QRO live review) has similarly evolved (QRO photos at a festival), if losing some of that early fun, but certainly gotten classier (QRO live review).  But, even at festivals (QRO photos at a festival) or outdoors (QRO photos outdoors), they range nicely from barstool rockers like oldies “The Rat” (QRO video) and “Thinking of a Dream I Had” (QRO video) plus the new “The Blue Route” (QRO video) to sadder pint glass-raisers like older “Another One Goes By” (QRO video) and “Louisiana” (QRO video) plus the new “On the Water” (QRO video) from 2010’s classy Lisbon (QRO review), made on site in Portugal (QRO live review in Europe).  And they come back to Sasquatch! (QRO photos at a festival) behind the new Heaven and single “We Can’t Be Beat” (QRO review).

Carrie Brownstein of Sleater-Kinney, Janet Weiss of Sleater, Quasi (QRO spotlight on), and Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks (QRO live review with Weiss), Helium’s Mary Timony, and The Minders’ Rebecca Cole teamed up as Wild Flag (QRO live review), you knew it was going to be good.  Last fall’s Wild Flag (QRO review) is already a favorite, and now the group hits the festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival), including West Coast’s Sasquatch! (QRO photos on the West Coast).

The dirty side of alt-country garage-rock comes to Sasquatch! in the form of Deer Tick (QRO photos outdoors), who’ve been rockin’ bigger & bigger stages (QRO photos) since the release earlier this year of their latest, Divine Providence (QRO review).

Philadelphia psych-rock outfit The War On Drugs (QRO live review) come to Sasquatch! (QRO photos).

No alternative music festival is complete without a Brooklyn indie success story, and Here We Go Magic (QRO photos at a festival) is that.  Luke Temple’s outfit (QRO photos) has enchanted crowds & critics with its mixture of alt-folk and hazy electronica, most recently with 2010’s Pigeons (QRO review), with the new A Different Ship coming soon.

A favorite in Brooklyn, Amber Papini’s Hospitality (QRO photos at a festival in Brooklyn) are quickly getting known further afield (QRO photos at a festival), thanks to this year’s charming Hospitality (QRO review).

The backrooms of hip-hop and pop combined when writer/producer/DJ TommyD (who’s worked with the likes of Jay-Z and Kanye West) teamed up with singer/songwriter Jamie Scott (who’s toured with Alicia Keys and Kelly Clarkson) as Graffiti6, to make Stare Into the Sun.  The title track was picked up for a TV ad campaign by The Sun newspaper (not the late, unlamented News of the World – but also not hacking scandal-breaking The Guardian), and perhaps the duo are the new model for making it in music.

Also:

The Staves, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM

James Murphy (DJ set), 9:30 PM – 11:00 PM

If you’re gonna go to a DJ set, go to one by LCD Soundsystem’s (QRO live review) James Murphy (QRO photos DJing), who knows his way around a turntable or two (QRO photos DJing).

From over on The Continent comes Berlin’s Apparat (QRO live review in continental Europe).  Sacha Ring brings his electronics on the back of last fall’s Devil’s Walk, his follow-up to 2007’s Walls (QRO review).

Manchester’s Darren Williams slings the beats at Star Slinger (QRO photos).

Ambient electronics come to Sasquatch! in the form of Scott Hansen, a.k.a. Tycho.

Seattle’s Jordan Koplowitz & Reed Juenger mix electronics and dance as Beat Connection.

In the New York alternative music scene, there’s no more ubiquitous stand-up comic than Todd Barry.  The laid-back comedian has opened for Tapes n’ Tapes (QRO album review) & Superchunk (QRO live review), been seen at CMJ (QRO recap), SXSW (QRO recap) & McCarren Park Pool Parties (QRO venue review), and is friends with/stand-up mentor to The Rosebuds’ (QRO spotlight on) Kelly Crisp (QRO interview).  He also guest-starred in the season one finale of Flight of the Conchords (QRO live review).  So he’ll fit right in at Sasquatch!, as he returns for a second year…

Also:

Beardyman, 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM

Howard Kremer, 1:00 PM – 1:45 PM

Zola Jesus, 7:50 PM – 8:50 PM

Goth-chill is very big these days, including acts like the blowing up Zola Jesus (QRO photos at a festival).  Fronted by the haunting Niki Roza Danilova, they seriously impressed with last year’s Conatus (QRO review).  They are, however, better suited for playing indoor classy places like museums (QRO photos at The Guggenheim), but hopefully it will be dark by the time they close the Yeti Stage (QRO photos outdoors in the daylight).

Out of the ashes of Brooklyn’s great Pela (QRO spotlight on) comes We Are Augustines (QRO photos), who sound like Pela on debut Rise, Ye Sunken Ships (QRO review) – and that’s a good thing (QRO photos at a festival).

Former choirboy Pat Grossi (QRO photos at a festival) brings his harp and pipes (QRO photos) to Sasquatch! behind You Are All I See, his debut full-length/follow-up to debut EP Curtis Lane (QRO review).

When QRO last checked in (QRO interview) with fast rising, orchestral pop outfit Hey Rosetta! (QRO photos), the Newfies were fresh off the release the Red Songs EP (QRO review), and enjoying some light touring close to home.  Unfortunately for them, that downtime disappeared in no time, and the band has a brand new full length, several recent awards and nominations (including a 2011 Polaris Prize shortlisting), and a full touring schedule (QRO photos at a festival).

Indie-rockers can be funky, creative, and rock at the same time.  Gardens & Villa (QRO photos at a festival) seem to be on a constant quest to prove this (QRO photos at a festival) – including with pipes (QRO photos).

Also:

Howlin’ Rain, 2:25 PM – 3:10 PM

ReignWolf, 1:20 PM – 2:05 PM

Greylag, 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

Dyme Def, 4:25 PM – 5:10 PM

SPAC3MAN, 3:20 PM – 4:05 PM

Fly Moon Royalty, 2:15 PM – 3:00 PM                                                                         

Beck, 10:00 PM – 11:30 PM

Beck is back!  Your favorite musical non-conformist broke through in the mid-nineties thanks to songs like “Loser”, “Where It’s At”, and “Devil’s Haircut” off of early records Mellow Gold and Odelay (QRO deluxe edition review), mixing white boy funk with indie-rock and experimental – as well also delivering a stripped, soulful folk side to boot.  His last full-length was 2008’s Modern Guilt (QRO review) and 2006’s The Information (QRO review), after which he took off time to work as a producer (such as on Thurston Moore’s Demolished Thoughts – QRO review – and Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks’ Mirror Traffic – QRO review), only releasing a few soundtrack tracks (like writing for the fictional band Sex Bob-omb in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – QRO soundtrack review).  But he’s finally working on a new full-length, finally returning to the stage, and finally returning to Sasquatch!.

It’s Tenacious D time – muthafuckin’ D!  Jack Black and Kyle Gass – JB & KG – began their epic journey when they got a handful of shorts got on HBO (making up only three half-hour episodes), and then Black’s movie career took off and ‘The D’ took off.  Making & playing heavy metal music with only their voices (including “Inward Singing”) and acoustic guitars (including “One Note Song”), they became the greatest – and funniest – band in rock ‘n’ roll thanks to songs like “Tribute” and “Wonderboy”.

It all culminated in their life story coming to the silver screen in Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny in 2006 – and the passion project bombed in the theaters.  The D were not ashamed, even their second tour DVD, The Complete Masterworks Part 2, where they talked about the film’s lack of success (“This is film Tenacious D doesn’t want you to see” – Black), but it seemed like the group had had their run (and their drummer Dave something returned to his side-project, The Foo Fighters – QRO album review).

But no one can keep The D down, and now Kage & Jabels return with Rise of the Fenix (QRO review)!  So hit “The Road”, do your “Cock Push-Ups”, and get ready for them to “Rock Your Socks” off with “Exploding Brains”!

And they better play “Sasquatch” (John C. Reilly played him in The Pick of Destiny – and is also playing Sasquatch! – see below)!  But will “Lee” be there?  That would be a “Special Thing”…

In 2006, Los Angeles’ Echo Lake music scene blew up in a big way – all thanks to Silversun Pickups (QRO photos) & Carnavas.  In 2009, they finally followed that up with Swoon (QRO review), which charted even higher – and they come back to Sasquatch! (QRO photos outdoors) behind the new Neck of the Woods.

When Canadian indie broke out in the middle of last decade, no one broke out more so than Leslie Feist with iPod ad tune “1,2,3,4” and The Reminder (QRO review).  Putting some bossanova into accomplished indie, she even flirted with Stephen Colbert (QRO live review of the NYC show right after that).  After all the attention, Feist (QRO photos) took some time off, but returned with a flourish last year (QRO live review) thanks to the well-received follow-up Metals (QRO review).

Welsh powerhouse The Joy Formidable (QRO live review) has already taken Europe, Canada, Australia and even The States by storm with expertly played opening slots alongside Passion Pit (QRO album review), Temper Trap (QRO live review) and Editors (QRO album review).  The impressive trio (QRO photos) have a killer live show (QRO live review) to go with 2010’s killer The Big Roar (QRO review), so be ready for a jolly good time (QRO photos outdoors at a festival).  They come to Sasquatch! (QRO photos at a festival) off working on their follow-up, so expect new material from TJF (QRO photos) along with established songs “Austere” (QRO video), “Whirring” (QRO video), “Greatest Light Is the Greatest Shade” (QRO video), and “Cradle” (QRO video).

The ever-inventive Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (QRO live review) are back (QRO photos).  Back in 2007 the group (QRO photos at a festival) were one of the first to reject the mainstream not just in sound but also in business with their self-release of their sophomore record, Some Loud Thunder (QRO review).  But after that critical and commercial acclaim, singer/songwriter Alec Ounsworth (QRO solo photos) went solo with Mo Beauty (QRO review).  However, he’s since returned to the CYHSY (QRO photos at a festival) fold with last year’s Hysterical (QRO review) & single “Maniac” (QRO review), and this band is best known for their electric live shows (QRO live review), with their loyal fans (QRO live review) bringing the house down every time (QRO photos).

Austin’s Gary Clark Jr. (QRO photos at a festival in Austin) is the latest artist to be said to be “bringing blues back” – when did it ever leave?  And if it did, it’s surely come back many times since then (just look at Jack White – see above)…

Rock collective Grouplove (QRO photos) have had two of the most enjoyable recent hits, “Tongue Tied” and “Colours” (QRO review) from the otherwise somewhat unremarkable debut, Never Trust a Happy Song.

Last year, Rolling Stone ran a ‘Choose the Cover’ contest for the first unsigned band to ever appear on the venerable magazine’s cover, and the winner was Saskatoon’s The Sheepdogs (QRO photos at a Canadian festival, two days before winning the contest).  However, the group (QRO photos) was unsigned more due to location than sound, as their seventies guitar-rock isn’t entirely original, but is popular – they’ve since signed to Atlantic Records…

Mogwai, 9:30 PM – 10:30 PM

There are a few icons in post-rock, such as Explosions In the Sky (see above) and Mogwai.  The Scottish outfit has done everything from a live DVD, Burning (QRO photos at a festival) to soundtracking Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (QRO review – though that was before the French football star did his illegal head-butt in the World Cup).  Last year’s awesomely titled Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will (QRO review) was a major comeback after the disappointing The Hawk Is Howling (QRO review), and the much in-demand tour (QRO live review) comes to Sasquatch! (QRO photos at a European festival).

After the demise of the space-rock Spaceman 3, Jason Pierce stayed in the stratosphere (thanks to an inanimate carbon rod) as Spiritualized (QRO live review).  He had been performing 1997’s Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (NME‘s Album of the Year) in full, but Spiritualized (QRO photos) comes to Sasquatch! behind the new Sweet Heart Sweet Light.

Out of the ashes of Pretty Girls Make Graves came Seattle’s Cave Singers, who are returning to Sasquatch!

Hip-hop collective Shabazz Palaces hail from Seattle – that’s why their latest, Black Up (QRO review), was released by indie label Sub Pop, better known for starting the grunge sound from up there twenty years ago (and why they’re no stranger to Sasquatch!, having played the festival in 2010 – QRO photos at a festival).

One of the most successful new pop/rock bands recently is New York’s fun. (QRO photos at a festival), who just scored a hit with Some Nights (QRO review).

Not just a band, but an eco-artist’s-commune-family, Minnesota’s Cloud Cult (QRO photos) delivers inventive, interesting, and enthralling music, most recently with 2010’s Light Chasers, 2008’s Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes) (QRO review), and 2007’s The Meaning of 8 (QRO review).  Fronted by singer/guitarist Craig Minowa, the band takes ‘collective’ to new heights – bassist Sarah Young toured while fully pregnant, and Minowa’s wife Connie serves as one of two on-stage painters (with trumpeter Scott West): throughout their performance, the pair paint completely original pieces of art, which are then auctioned off after the set.  Whether in places large (QRO photos) or small (QRO photos), Cloud Cult is a sight to behold with songs like “The Story of the Grandson of Jesus” (QRO video), “Take Your Medicine” (QRO video), and “The Girl Underground” (QRO video).

Damien Jurado, 2:25 PM – 3:20 PM – QRO photos at a festival

Ben Howard, 1:45 PM – 2:30 PM

Walk the Moon, 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM – QRO photos at a festival

The Sights, 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM – QRO mp3 review

Nero (DJ), 9:30 PM – 11:00 PM

Dubstep big-name Nero (QRO live review) does a DJ set at the Banana Shack (QRO photos at a festival).

London DJ/producer Aaron Jerome, a.k.a. SBTRKT, has been impressing with his post-dubstep work, which he brings live to Sasquatch!.

LA Riots, 6:45 PM – 7:30 PM

Felix Cartal, 5:40 PM – 6:25 PM 

Awesome Tapes From Africa, 4:40 PM – 5:25 PM

Nick Kroll, 3:25 PM – 4:10 PM

John Mulaney, 2:40 PM – 3:25 PM

Chelsea Peretti, 1:55 PM – 2:40 PM

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, 7:50 PM – 8:50 PM

Slowly but surely, Theodore Francis Leo (QRO photos outdoors) is getting the respect he is due.  A force in the indie-punk scene for twenty years now, he’s never quite gotten the attention to match his influence, which is huge (QRO photos at a festival).  But Ted Leo & The Pharmacists (QRO photos outdoors) – which also includes James Canty of the iconic Nation of Ulysses & follow-up The Make-Up (though Canty will be over in the U.K. with The Make-Up reunion at All Tomorrow’s Parties – QRO preview) – has been finding a whole new generation of fans these last few years (QRO photos outdoors).  And thankfully Ted Leo (QRO photos at a festival, opening for a band who’d once opened for him) is headlining a stage (QRO photos earlier in the day at a festival).

That’s John C. Reilly, acclaimed actor in both comedy (Walk Hard, Talladega Nights) and drama (The Hours, Boogie Nights).  But he’s no stranger to music, from his Oscar nomination in the big screen adaption of musical Chicago to his Grammy nomination for his song “Walk Hard” from the mock bio-pic.

He also had a cameo in Tenacious D’s (see above) Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny – as Sasquatch…

Jonathan Meiburg (QRO interview) & Will Sheff (QRO photos) started Shearwater in Austin (QRO photos at a festival in Austin) at the start of this century/millennium along with Okkervil River (QRO live review).  Sheff left the Water (QRO photos) to focus on the River, and Meiburg left the River to focus on the Water (QRO photos at a festival in Austin), most recently with this year’s Animal Joy (QRO review), and returns to Sasquatch! (QRO photos).

Vintage Trouble, 4:35 PM – 5:20 PM

Cass McCombs, 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM – QRO photos outdoors

Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, 2:25 PM – 3:10 PM

Poor Moon, 1:20 PM – 2:05 PM

Gold Leaves, 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM

Fresh Espresso, 4:25 PM – 5:10 PM

Don’t Talk To the Cops!, 3:20 PM – 4:05 PM                                             

Katie Kate, 2:15 PM – 3:00 PM