Sasquatch
Sasquatch Music Festival at The Gorge in Washington, 2008.
Friday
12:30 p.m. I’m buzzing. It’s as though I’m crawling out of my skin. I just found out I have a tix to Sasquatch AND a ride. The National…The Cure…Death Cab for Cutie…Tegan and Sara…The Mars Volta…The Flaming Lips…I’m hardly here. I’m already there, on the terraced lawn, watching my life’s soundtrack…I’m a lucky, lucky girl.
7:50 p.m. Hop in the backseat with a couple friends and we’re on the road to Missoula.
Saturday
10 a.m. Still in Montana but finally on the interstate. Stocked up on food, beer and whiskey in Missoula. Thinking we’ll make it in time to see Beirut at 2:10 p.m.
2:50 p.m. Arrive. Wrong about timing. Anxious. The National takes the stage at 4:20 p.m. Leave group to check in at Media Will-Call. Venue setting is more beautiful than I imagined.
4:20 p.m. The National is late. Rescheduled to smallest stage at 7:45 p.m. Bands of note until The National takes the stage include Crudo (bizarre hip-hop group led by of Mike Patton and Dan the Automator, both dressed in aprons stained with fish guts), and Destroyer (with New Pornographers contributor Dan Bejar).
The National performs at the Sasquatch Music Festival, 2008.
7:35 p.m. Step on 29 sets of toes and leave a wake of angry fans to get to the front of the crowd. The National is still late. Finally Rainn Wilson (of “The Office” sitcom) comes out to introduce the band. He is loudly booed. Flabbergasted that we couldn’t care less about him, he turns tail and the band takes the stage. Worth all the angst and travel. A National chorus surrounds me, singing every word. “We’re half awake in a fake empire…” “I’m the new blue blood, I’m the great white hope…” “Raise our heavenly glasses to the heavens! Squalor Victoria! Squalor Victoria!…” Nothing can possibly be better than this.
9:15 p.m. The National ends and the sounds of Modest Mouse waft down the hill. The Breeders are playing on the second stage. Hurry past them to catch Modest Mouse but their set has ended. Still grinning like a love-struck teenager.
Read entire blog: Sasquatch Road Diary