wilderado @ sasquatch! music festival 2018

wilderado @ sasquatch! music festival 2018

We’ve been captivated by Wilderado‘s energy since we first saw them open for Judah & The Lion over a year ago. Last weekend, we experienced them in a different light – quite literally – during a day set during Sasquatch! Music Festival 2018 Day 2. Shortly after, we met up with them to take a few portraits on the lawn. And it got fun. So here are most of those photos.

Keep up with Wilderado here.

giants in the trees @ sasquatch

giants in the trees @ sasquatch

Day 1 at Sasquatch! Music Festival 2018 was jaw-dropping. We started off our day at the Bigfoot stage, enjoying the musical stylings of Washington-based Giants in The Trees. The entire band was entertaining from the very first lines of the first song, to the end of the set. And we’re more than smitten with the way that Krist Novoselic danced while playing the accordion.

Keep up with Giants in The Trees here.

slenderbodies @ rough trade

slenderbodies @ rough trade

Slenderbodies headlined Brooklyn’s Rough Trade on May 7th. The indie/electronic guitar duo, made up of Ben and Max, were met with success quite quickly, scoring opening slots for both Passion Pit and PVRIS. For anyone who’s listened to Slenderbodies, it’s not much of a surprise. Not only is their guitar work deeply intricate, boasting a trademark wispiness that sets them apart from their peers, but they also sing, write, mix, and produce all their tracks. They fully own and control their creativity without anyone else interfering. It’s a rare feat in the music business, one that Slenderbodies deftly navigates with a seeming effortlessness.

Setting the mood prior to their set, two large lava lamps were placed to the right and left of the stage while a scarf swirled around a mic stand. The room was packed, and as Slenderbodies began to play in the near-darkness, the audience swayed and danced as the music gently wafted through the air. The only light came from brightly-colored, psychedelic graphics floating across a projector screen behind the band. The atmosphere was relaxing and peaceful; Slenderbodies delivered their fans a perfect ending to a Monday night.

Slenderbodies has a new LP coming out mid-late summer. Check out their latest single, “Anome,” here and for more Slenderbodies music, including a cover of MGMT’s “Electric Feel,” check out their Soundcloud here.

the suffers @ sasquatch! music festival

the suffers @ sasquatch! music festival

On May 25th – otherwise known as Day 1 at Sasquatch! Music Festival in Quincy, Washington – The Suffers made a phenomenal performance overlooking a beautiful crowd at The Gorge close to sunset. It was an invigorating set, adequately preparing us all for a long night of wonderful music. We got some photos of the set, as well as a couple of portraits with leader singer Kam Franklin and drummer Nick Zamora.

Keep up with The Suffers here.

jeff rosenstock @ warsaw

jeff rosenstock @ warsaw

Jeff Rosenstock is a household name in the New York area, particularly in Brooklyn. Touring in support of his new record, POST—, he sold out his Warsaw date so fast that another needed to be added. In his thirties, Jeff has fans both older and younger. Teens crowded the front row, pressing their bodies against the barricade to be as close as possible. Their eyes were on the band as they set up, smiles slowly creeping up their faces and eyes widening.

Before the band made their official entrance, the Foo Fighters’ “The Best of You” boomed over the speakers with only one line on repeat: “the best.” The entire audience chorused those words at the top of their lungs, fists pumping, invisibly puncturing the air.

Tearing into “USA,” POST—‘s first full track, the mayhem immediately began.

A Jeff Rosenstock show is like one collective headbang. The crowd sways and undulates back and forth like a wave with the force of fans crowdsurfing, jumping, pushing, and shoving. Beer dribbles down chins and over the mouths of metal cans in the midst of cheers while heads furiously nod to the beat, hair swinging like violent vines. Sweat beads across foreheads, bleeding down into soaked shirts. Rosenstock himself is a direct participant, a man of nonstop movement who spends more time in the air than he does with his feet planted on the ground.

The majority of the setlist consisted of both POST— and 2016’s WORRY. Every song was sung in unison, both band and crowd uniting in perfect harmony.

Towards the end, during “We Begged 2 Explode,” Rosenstock grabbed the mic and jumped into the pit, making his way down the front row where his youngest, most elated fans were located. He was not only singing to them, but with them. Their eyes sparkled while their grins shone in the light. They were hurriedly taking selfies and videos, excitedly waiting for Rosenstock to come to their particular spot.

At one point, Rosenstock suddenly disappeared. Everyone looked at each other in confusion. From the back of the crowd, there was a lot of noise and a brief clamor, causing the audience to turn around. Rosenstock had somehow gotten to the balcony in the very back of the venue by the front doors, saxophone in hand as he began to play. The crowd roared, and did so a few moments later, when Rosenstock jumped in and joined them, surfing on the weight of their hands.

Making his exit soon after, Rosenstock left the audience wanting more. That wasn’t a problem, however; many of them, as exhibited by a show of hands, were returning to see Rosenstock again the following night.

modest mouse @ starlight theatre

modest mouse @ starlight theatre

On the night of Friday May 7th, Modest Mouse kicked off the summer season at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, MO with a visually stimulating – and otherwise utterly incredible – performance. Although the crowd was a bit riled up by the time they took the stage, slightly later than was expected – the sound was still being tweaked early in the performance -, which simply built up the excitement for the performance even more. As soon as the band started to assemble on stage, the crowd stood up and lost their minds, and rightfully so.

Bathed in vibrant lighting and smoke, the band was wildly entertaining through a large catalogue of their music, rendering the breezy, warm evening the perfect beginning to summer. A venue that sees a lot of polite, seated crowds was able to experience an energy unlike any I’ve seen in a while, the majority of concert-goers going wild with each new song that played. “King Rat”, “Float On”, “Shit In Your Cut”, “Tiny Cities Made of Ashes”, the list goes on. It was a night made for memories, enhanced by the alt rock we’ve come to know and love since Modest Mouse’s conception in 1993.

If you’re looking for a fun upcoming event, check out the band at Sasquatch! Music Festival Memorial Day Weekend in Quincy, WA. Keep up with Modest Mouse here.