Story & Photos by Catie Keck
For many University of Oregon students, Memorial Day weekend marks the annual trek up to the Columbia River Gorge in George, Washington, for the Sasquatch! Music Festival. The Northwest’s largest annual music festival, Sasquatch! showcases an array of musical genres from indie to hip-hop, comedy to DJ sets.
The brainchild of concert promoter Adam Zachs, Sasquatch! began in 2002 and featured a modest seven performances—a stark contrast to this year’s lineup, which boasted over 100 artists and four different stages. Among this year’s more notable performances was that of The Flaming Lips, whose show featured the entirety of their album The Soft Bulletin. The band honored the tenth anniversary of Sasquatch! by wheeling a giant Sasquatch-themed birthday cake on stage and getting their massive audience to sing “Happy Birthday.”
This year’s most noteworthy sets included a performance by rap trio Das Racist with the goofiest stage presence, which included engaging their crowd in an acoustic cover of Usher’s “You Make Me Wanna.” International pop star Robyn also took top rankings for her high-energy dance set, despite a twenty-minute delay for unconfirmed reasons. Sleigh Bells and Flying Lotus both packed in a full house for their respective sets in the dance tent, and electro synth-pop duo Chromeo had nearly everyone on their feet for their Monday performance at the main stage.
Sasquatch! also hosted a few special performances, including a set by Guided by Voices, whose reunion tour began late last year. The band proved that age is nothing but a number, jamming out GBV favorites with the energy of a group of twenty-somethings. Joining the reunion bandwagon were Death From Above 1979 and Archers of Loaf. By a more somber comparison, Wolf Parade played their second to last show on Saturday, as the band is going on an indefinite hiatus to pursue other projects. The band concluded their set with their popular title “I’ll Believe In Anything,” delivering the number with an earnest sincerity that seemingly reflected the looming end to their tour together.
This year’s festival was bittersweet, as attendees bid farewell and welcomed back some of their favorite artists, as well as familiarized themselves with both new and returning performers. As  Sasquatch! has grown, so has its audience. With outstanding lineups that continue to expand with each year, festival-goers can only imagine what Sasquatch! has in store for next Memorial Day weekend.
 

Gallery • 6 Photos

A Look at the Beast: Sasquatch! In Review