Sasquatch Preview: Come on Down for Super Sigur Ros Saturday!
Sasquatch Music & Arts Festival
May 24-27, 2013
George, Washington
By Bryce Shoemaker
Hyperbole is never in short supply when it comes to defining the emotional catharsis that Icelandic ambient rock act Sigur Ros provides with their sweeping dynamics and lush soundscapes. Where inflated descriptors such as “epic”, “grandiose”, and “majestic” have become as common as tap water in the greater post-rock canon, few acts actually deliver on such promises in the way that Sigur Ros has in their nearly 20 years of existence.
Hitting on some of the more tender nerves of the human experience, the band delves into territories that leave listeners with a sense of passion for life; romantically hopeful; orgasmic and tingly. Currently on their biggest North American tour to date, it is fitting that Sigur Ros will close out Sasquatch’s Saturday night with the majestic natural wonder of the Columbia Gorge as their backdrop. Beautiful.
Falling in line with the theme of buildup to eventual climax, most of Saturday presents like foreplay before the big act. I am looking forward to checking out the sweet, soulful sounds of Michael Kiwanuka in the late afternoon to get the juices flowing, then heading on over to watch Kyle Kinane’s often hilarious brand of slacker comedy to remind myself that being a single dude in my 30s is, actually, pretty great.
Later things will get dreamy and mysterious with the shoegaze-inspired beats of Yppah, followed up by the gothy post-punk moodiness of the XX. Australian psych rockers Tame Impala will bring the mood up a bit to get everything right and ready like a Cialis/psilocybin cocktail before the final act of the night hits the stage. All together, Saturday at Sasquatch is shaping up to have an epic payoff.
Follow the Nada crew at Sasquatch in semi-real time this weekend via our Twitter feed at @nadamucho.