The Roots - The Fire (feat. John Legend)

So here's my second favourite performance from Sasquatch! Music Festival. I have always loved The Roots and this was the first time I got to see them, something I feel is more of a rarity with them being on Jimmy Fallon and all... These guys know what the fuck they're doing onstage. All live instruments lead by ?uestlove's incredible drumming. They played late into the night, going non-stop for about 1 and a half hours. Some covers were played including "Jungle Boogie" and the opener that had the crowd going nuts from the start, the Beastie Boys' "Paul Revere". Here's just a taste of the show, "Get Busy":

They played this song which is not only my favourite Roots song but one of my all time favourites. John Legend kills it on this song (like he always does) and I adore the lyrics. "You don't say good luck, you say don't give up". Epic. Also the video is awesome.

Some thoughts...

- LA Kings in 5

- Miami Heat in 5

- OKC Thunder in 7 (I know, the Spurs look so fucking good but they've been my team all year and I ain't giving up now!)

- Make the money don't let the money make you

- Tuba Gooding Jr. - best name ever (tuba player in the Roots)

Bon Iver - Flume

Hands down, without a doubt, the best performance at Sasquatch! 2012 Music Festival was by Bon Iver. When the lineup was first announced and they were named a headliner I wasn't at all sold. I had seen them 3 years earlier and they were solid but just didn't seem like headlining material. Boy was I ever wrong. They absolutely commanded the stage and just sounded soooo amazing. Playing close to 2 hours they tore through every one of their best songs and then some. 

Highlights included this one as the first encore, "Wolves (Act 1 and II)", Holocene and my personal favourite "Blood Bank" in which Justin Vernon went nuts on the closing guitar solo while the band followed his every move. The stage looked beautiful (pictured above) and the band completely owned it, a somewhat difficult thing to do for many bands due to its massive size and crazy/unpredictable weather. Near the end of the set Justin Vernon seemed genuinely stoked about this incredible moment for him and the band. I think this was one of their first true headlining experiences and they completely stepped up!

Sasquatch this year was fucking awesome and was by far the best one I've been to (2008, 2009, 2011 were the others). So many great bands and performances, fun times camping, new friends made, and beers crushed! A huge shoutout to the Kits/Penticton/Kelowna/Vic/Everywhere else crew that let me tag along and become car #7 in the epic convoy! We truly were an epic crew with 9 vehicles, about 30 people, and The Wolf Man playing killer DJ sets that attracted what seemed like 100 people every night. I strongly urge anyone who likes music, partying, and camping to get a ticket to next years fest.

I'l be posting a few more of the best performances from the week and will try to find some live videos as well.

Tenacious D - Tribute

Sasquatch Edition. The greatest and best song in the world. You all know it, fucking amazing and hilarious song. Tenacious D, Jack Black and Kyle Gass, have been making rockingly funny records for quite some time now. They just released their newest album in a while, Rize of the Fenix, which is awesome as well. 

This song is their most popular and my personal fave. Also this video is freaking hilarious! I can't wait to catch these guys and laugh my ass off!

Some thoughts...

- Last post til I'm back from Sasquatch!

- Gaw damn LAKings... they won in such a shitty fashion with that non-call knee on knee that would've changed the entire flow of the play that eventually led to the winning goal in OT.

- I completely agree with what Shane Doan said after the game. He respects the referees for doing their jobs and knows they're trying hard but HOW THE FUCK DO FOUR GUYS COMPLETELY MISS THAT PLAY!!!

- Doan also made an interesting point on criticism. Why is it that players, coaches, GMs, owners, managers are free targets for it but you can't criticize a ref...

Graffiti6 - Stone In My Heart

Sasquatch Edition. Just discovered this guy/band (not even sure what it is) last week when listening to some Sasquatch bands I didn't know. I instantly loved this track as well as most of the rest of the album. Such a cool beat and I absolutely adore the way he sings the verses.

With 2 days until we leave we finally found a crew to travel with! Gonna be going with a bunch of kids from kits and it shall be amazing! Suzi is gonna be packed to the brim for this road trip but what the fuck else is new! But fuck I need to go pack...

Some thoughts...

- FUCK YAAAA OKC!!!!!!!!

- FUCK YOUUU LA KINGSSSS!!!!!!!

Plan B - The Recluse (Nero Remix)

Sasquatch Edition *Only Nero. Holy fuck ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, it's the long fucking weekend!!! I plan on being in some sort of altered state and having a fucking blast the whole time! So grab a beer, bong, cooler, wine, shot, joint, molly, shrooms, slam it back and indulge in the greatness of no work for 3 whole days!!! (Apologies to those of you in the restaurant and service industries... but hey just sneak one when the boss ain't looking!)

So tonight you'll need some groovin' tunes. How about this banger by Plan B and remixed by Nero. I honestly don't know much about either band/guy. Plan B is British and has a killer white-boy soul voice. Nero are 2 DJ's that play epic shit. Just turn up the volume and rock/dance/groove/jive/rip out! And just because it's Friday and I'm pumped here's another 'lil diddy to get you going, also appearing at Sasquatch: 

get fucked up but be safe kids

Hey Rosetta! - Yer Spring

Sasquatch Edition. A great Canadian band from Newfoundland! I have loved Hey Rosetta! since their debut EP and single Lions For Scottie when they were basically nobodies just trying to make a living. But their latest two albums, Seeds and Into Your Lungs have put them on the map for the Canadian indie scene, and with appearances at Sasquatch, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza they will start spreading their amazing music around the rest of the world. 

I love this video for its simplicity and the use of sparklers. I have a cool story about it from when I saw them for the second time. My buddy Dave called me up the day of the Tragically Hip show (Hey Rosetta! was opening) asking if I wanted to go... for free! Fuck yes! We got to Deer Lake Park and instantly got quite close for Hey Rosetta! Dave's girlfriend Melissa had brought sparklers for all of us. We lit them during this song, holding them high above our heads and the lead singer, Tim Baker, gave us a cool smile and head nod. A minor event but damn we felt cool.

Some thoughts...

- Fuck ya OKC! I do like the Lakers but they've won enough. Durant, Fisher and Westbrook are too epic.

- The Dictator actually got a decent review... Might hafta go see it now

- Still looking for another to join us at Sasquatch!

Bon Iver - Hinnom, TX

Sasquatch Edition. I absolutely adore Justin Vernon's voice. So unique and powerful. I had the pleasure of seeing him at Sasquatch 3 years ago when he was still off the radar and just getting going, performing on a side stage. Now he is headlining the festival! Just goes to show you what a collaboration with Kanye West can do for your career. Funny note about the band name, Bon Iver, they wanted to be 'Good Winter' or 'Bon H'iver' in french but decided to drop the 'H' as many stupid people would call them Bon Hiver, pronouncing the 'H'. This song is off their 2nd album, Bon Iver, and I strongly recommend a full listen, as well as their first album For Emma, Forever Ago and the Blood Bank EP. The latter two have less auto-tune and electronics but showcase Vernon's voice and guitar playing much better. And here's a cool remix of a song they did with James Blake:

Some thoughts...

- The world's going to hell in a handbasket, everybody has rolled over and given up, and there's no more afternoon baseball.

- Nice to see the Devils tie it up. Don't worry I'll be cheering for the Rangers... come game 7.

- Watch the Theo Fleury documentary, Playing With Fire, last night. I really enjoyed it. The dude had a pretty fucked up life and did a lot of hurtful things to people, but he's trying to sort it all out and do his best to recover from his tragic childhood.

The Cave Singers - Dancing On Our Graves

Sasquatch Edition. Foot Stompin' Music! I fucking love The Cave Singers. I've seen 'em 3 times (Sasquatch 2008, Richards on Richards, The Biltmore) and am stoked to see em again at Sasquatch. They are great live and are just such a cool band. 3 dudes from Seattle who record in and love Vancouver. I highly recommend checking out all 3 of their albums, Invitation Songs, Welcome Joy, and No Witch.

Some thoughts...

- Looks like my LA sweep prediction is getting even better... fuck

- Tho an LA/NY final will be awesome

- A friend just found out she can't get off work and come to Sasquatch... gonna need an epic replacement...

SBTRKT - Go Bang

Sasquatch Edition. Missed last Friday... Whoops... Epic house party sorry lol. Listened to this album, SBTRKT by SBTRKT for the first time last night while on a trip. Fucking amazing music for late night adventures. I recommend listening to the whole album through as well. This is the closer and was definitely one of my faves. It reminds me of Flying Lotus and Modeselektor but with more soulful singing. I love this dude's masks that he wears while performing. Google him for some more awesome pics. Because it's such an awesome album, here's another track, "Hold On":

Some thoughts...

- Holy fuck the LA Kings look good. If they go on to win the cup (I have a sick feeling they'll sweep the conference final) that means the Canucks have lost to the eventual cup winner in the playoffs 4 of the last 6 years... shitty...

- I do like the Lakers but that was mostly for Fish... Go OKC!!!

- Go on a trip... who knows you might learn something.

- Epic 4 goal comeback by the New Hotspurs tonight... It was Man City-esque! Oh and epic party at the Friends!

Metric - Gimme Sympathy

Sasquatch Edition. Come on baby play me something, like here comes the sun. Great track from a great Canadian band. I'll admit that I wasn't huge on these guys when they first came out but I fell in love with this song and the album that it was on. Emily Haines has a killer voice and is really hot too. I've heard they're incredible live and can't wait to see them. Who'd you rather be, The Beatles or The Rolling Stones. What a great lyric and question; one that I simply cannot answer... who can???

Some thoughts...

- Whitecaps game last night was awesome and I had a blast. Got shittered as usual and went Whitecaps hectic!

- Thank goodness the Capitals beat the Rangers, forcing an epic game 7 on Saturday.

- At BC Place, the winner of the 50/50 is given 10 minutes to go to some section and claim their prize. That is ridiculous! What if you're old and slow as fuck! 10 minutes to get half way around an enormous, crowded arena!?!?!? Gimme a fucking break!

Silversun Pickups - The Royal We

Sasquatch Edition. Silversun Pickups fucking rock man. They use heavily fuzzed out guitars to make a truly rocking, original sound. I love how most of their songs build up as well. This one is off their second album and has an amazing buildup with awesome orchestra beating to the final chorus. As I write this I am downloading their newest album Neck Of The Woods and can't wait to hear it, especiall since first single "Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)" is great.

Some thoughts...

- Going to the Whitecaps game tonight. Gonna get 'Caps hectic!

- Sure hope the Washington Capitals win tonight. I really want to see game 7 in what has been the best series so far.

The Shins - The Rifle's Spiral

Sasquatch Edition. The Shins are the brainchild of indie wunderkid James Mercer. 4 Albums in, the band has completely changed since the beginning (except for Mercer) but have kept that beautiful indie pop/rock sound. They burst onto the scene after being featured in the film Garden State (awesome movie!) with the songs "new Slang" and, my personal favourite, "Caring Is Creepy". 3 albums later they have not lost those crazy/abstract lyrics and lush wall of sound. This is the opening track of that new album, Port Of Morrow. I highly recommend  listening to the entire thing as well as checking out the video for this song (it wouldn't let me upload it to this... fucking VEVO... I think). I'm excited to see these guys as I never have before and thought their performance on SNL was pretty wicked.

Some thoughts...

- Hands up for those who picked the all Pacific division Western Conference final between LA and Phoenix... didn't think so lol.

- Thinking about the Garden State Soundtrack and seeing a top 10 list online I got to thinking about EpiclyUnreal Soundtracks:

               - My Absolute Favourite! Remember The Titans (The Hollies - "Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)", Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Up Around The Bend", Marvin Gaye - "Heard It Through The Grapevine", Chambers Brothers - "Time Has Come Today", James Taylor - "Fire and Rain", Cat Stevens - Peace Train" and of course Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrel - "Ain't No Mountain High Enough")

               - High Fidelity (The Beta Band - "Dry The Rain", The Velvet Underground - "Oh Sweet Nuthin!", and just for Jack Black's incredible entrance to Katrina & The Waves - "Walkin' On Sunshine")

               - Collateral (Audioslave - "Shadow On The Sun", Groove Armada - "Hands Of Time", James Newton Howard - "Finale", Tom Rothrock - "Rollin' Crumblin')

               - A Knight's Tale (David Bowie - "Golden Years", Thin Lizzy - "The Boys Are Back In Town", AC/DC - "You Shook Me All Night Long", BTO - "Taking Care of Business")

               - School Of Rock (School Of Rock - "School Of Rock", The Ramones - "My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes To Bitburg)", Led Zeppelin - "Immigrant Song", The Doors - "Touch Me", Stevie Nicks - "Edge Of Seventeen")

              - I'm Not There (Jim James & Calexico - "Goin' To Acapulco", Stephen Malkmus & The Million Dollar Bashers - "Maggie's Farm" and "Ballad Of A Thin Man" and tons of Dylan classics)

              - Donnie Darko (INXS - "Never Tear Us Apart", Tears For Fears - "Head Over Heels", and of course the classic by Gary Jules - "Mad World")

- Other Notables: All 4 Twilights. I know, I know, I have not seen a second of any of the films but the soundtracks are awesome with great indie bands such as Florence & The Machine, The Black Keys, Vampire Weekend, Beach House, Beck etc., Goodfellas, Walk The Line, Saturday Night Fever, & Reservoir Dogs.

Jack White - Blunderbuss

For the next 3 weeks I will be posting nothing but bands that are playing Sasquatch Music Festival. Here is Saturday's headliner. I absolutely love this new album and this is my fave track on it. Such a chill, country-tinged sound from one of the true greats. Jack White is one of the best musicians to come out during the 2000's. With The White Stripes he changed modern rock and brought it back to the garage. Who doesn't love "Seven Nation Army" and that incredible riff. I have heard that he is amazing live, great stage presence, and cannot wait to see him (although I will be sprinting to see The Roots right after!). Apparently he has 2 bands touring with him, one of which is all female and the other all male. He then chooses which one of them he will play with just before they take the stage. Pretty sweet. 

Some thoughts...

- What a finish to the Rangers and Capitals game. Best series of the playoffs so far.

- Nico Wynd is a great golf course. Gonna play there lots more this summer.

- The Avengers is a fucking awesome movie! Gonna see it again, this time in 3-D, tomorrow

Beastie Boys - Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win (feat. Santigold)

RIP MCA. I was absolutely shocked at work today when I found out that Adam Yauch, better known as MCA of the Beastie Boys, lost his battle with cancer at the age of 47. I heard that he was battling cancer a while back but I only was really thinking "damn, I bet they won't be touring much now". I never even considered that he'd be gone so soon. 

Beastie Boys fucking rule. They brought hip-hop to the masses and did a pretty damn good job for three white boys from New York. This song is off their newest album, last year's Hot Sauce Committee Part 2. I love the beat and the fact that it features Santigold. The video is also awesome, something that they always did so well. Another classic video was the one for "Sabotage":

And another awesome video that I highly highly highly recommend for anyone who loves comedy was for last year's hit "Make Some Noise". It features Seth Rogen, Danny McBride, and Elijah Wood playing the Beastie Boys on the morning after a raging party. There are numerous cameos from Hollywood comedians and they even run into their older selves, played by Will Ferrel, John C. Reiley, and Jack Black. This version is a half hour long so make the time and watch it:

El Rego Et Ses Commandos - Se Na Min

African Scream Contest. This is a fucking awesome album, especially if you like funk and African music. I discovered these guys through Analog Africa, a German DJ who has gone back and collected all of these amazing recordings from African funk and soul bands in the 60's and 70's. This track is a particular favourite as I adore the organ and funky backbeat. Also the dude has a killer voice, especially when he screams. I highly recommend finding this album, along with anything by Orchestre Poly-Rhythmo de Cotonou. Epic shit. I was lucky to see those guys at Roskilde Festival in 2010. They took the stage at 2:30 am and killed it. Here's a cool one by them that they opened with that night, "Se Ba Ho":

Some thoughts...

- Great decision by the Predators to sit those 2 dirty Russians. A guy like Tootoo is perfect for an energy boost in the playoffs.

- Mmm... Wings...

- I think I might get kinda drunk tonight... 

Dead Man's Bones - Lose Your Soul

Yes folks, that's Ryan Gosling singing his heart out on this one. The dude is already a brilliant actor (see Drive, Half Nelson, and Lars & The Real Girl) and is now an accomplished musician with major indie hipster cred for actually being quite good. This song is my fave from the album Dead Man's Bones. It chugs along to cool percussion and piano before erupting via the foot-stomping chorus sung by Ryan and a demonic children's choir. Try not to listen to it at full volume...

Children's choirs have always been cool additions in popular music. From Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall Part II" to Jay-Z's "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" the kids can turn a mediocre song instantly epic with their innocent, youthful presence. One of my personal favourites using kids comes from the video for Canadian band Fucked Up's song "Queen of Hearts". They replace the vocalist (who really isn't that great in my opinion) with the chants of boys and girls squaring off against each other in class. The guitar at the end is awesome too. Here's the link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syg6XGbdUkM&ob=av2e

Some thoughts:

- Best movies that revolve around kids (not sports): Super 8, Slappy & The Stinkers, The Hunger Games.

- The Toronto Blue Jays beat the best-in-baseball Texas Rangers for a second straight time today. Way to go boys... too bad you're still 4th in the division :(

- RIP Junior Seau

The Velvet Underground - Rock & Roll

The Velvet Underground are the epitome of cool. Something about Lou Reed's laid back drawl, the fact that they had close connections to Andy Warhol, their ultra-hip look and even the fact that they were known to play live with garbage cans when drums were unavailable makes them a truly unique and incredible rock band. They just seemed ahead of their time. This song is off of (basically) their last album as Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison departed soon after. They only made 3 albums prior to this one and I would highly recommend giving all four a listen as they are all excellent in their own ways. They deserve the respect from today's generation. This song is one of my favourites, mostly for that great guitar riff and the cool lyrics. They have a lot of great songs (musically) like this but they also have a lot of trippy ass shit and spoken word stuff.  Here's one of my faves of the more odd ones, called The Gift:

Some thoughts...

- This song really is fucked up... poor Waldo...

- I just read a headline that 1 in 7 people are expecting doomsday. 1 in 7 people are retarded.

- I am really digging the new Jack White album. Listen to it if you haven't yet.

- Life is the shit that happens while you're waiting for moments that never come.