Sasquatch! Lineup! 2012!
Sasquatch 2012 ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth
Who’s ready for Sasquatch? We’ve just got our first glimpse of the line-up and at first blush, we like what we see. We’ll start with who we’re most excited for.
Headliners we can’t wait to see: Crossing Jack White off our bucket list, giving Beck another shot after getting kicked in the head during his performance at Bumbershoot in the ’90s and seeing if Bon Iver can top his last spine-tingling Sasquatch set are all top priorities. Plus Feist, Explosions in the Sky, and The Roots.
Locals we loved seeing on the line-up: Shabazz Palaces, The Head & The Heart, Pickwick, Allen Stone, Poor Moon, Gold Leaves, Wild Flag, THEESatisfaction, Don’t Talk tot he Cops, Fly Moon Royalty, The Cave Singers, Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside, Beat Connection.
Other Honorable Oh-My-God-Yes! Mentions: Charles Bradley, The Alabama Shakes, Gardens and Villa, Kurt Vile, Gary Clark Jr.
Canadian Band’s North of Northwest Would Be Happy to Help Cross the Border: Metric, Feist, Said the Whale, Coeur de Pirate, Hey Rosetta!
Here’s the line-up in video form:
Sasquatch! Music Festival 2012 Lineup Announcement from Sasquatch Festival on Vimeo.
And the Full Line-Up in text, after the jump:
Jack White, Beck, Bon Iver, Pretty Lights, Tenacious D, The Shins, Beirut, Girl Talk, The Roots, The Head & The Heart, Portlandia, Feist, Silversun Pickups, Metric, Explosions In The Sky, The Joy Formidable, Mogwai, Nero (DJ), M. Ward, John Reilly & Friends, Childish Gambino, St. Vincent, The Civil Wars, Jamey Johnson, Little Dragon, Tune-Yards, Wild Flag, Blind Pilot, Wolfgang Gartner, Beats Antique, Apparat, The Walkmen, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Mark Lanegan Band, Spiritualized, Blitzen Trapper, The Cave Singers, Shabazz Palaces, Fun., Grouplove, Tycho, Sbtrkt, Strfkr, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Deer Tick, Imelda May, Alabama Shakes, Dum Dum Girls, The Helio Sequence, Kurt Vile, Cloud Cult, We Are Augustines, Ben Howard, Here We Go Magic, Zola Jesus, The War On Drugs, Shearwater, Cass McCombs, Active Child, Trampled By Turtles, Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, Araabmuzik, Star Slinger, L.A. Riots, Com Truise, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, I Break Horses, Walk The Moon, Dry The River, Allen Stone, Pickwick, Hey Marseilles, Gary Clark Jr., Purity Ring, Electric Guest, Yellow Ostrich, Nobody Beats The Drum, Coeur De Pirate, Lord Huron, Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside, Beat Connection, The Sheepdogs, Hey Rosetta!, Said The Whale, Howlin Rain, Gardens & Villa, Felix Cartal, Craft Spells, Vintage Trouble, Poor Moon, Black Whales, Gold Leaves, Greylag, Awesome Tapes From Africa, 
THEESatisfaction, Dyme Def, Fresh Espresso, The Physics, Sol, Metal Chocolates, Grynch, Spac3man, Don’t Talk To The Cops, Scribes, Fatal Lucciauno, Fly Moon Royalty and Katie Kate
Comedy: Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Todd Barry, Beardyman, Rob Delaney, Pete Holmes, Howard Kremer, and more.
Who are You Most Excited to See?
Noah #
I have to be honest every year I’m excited to see what the festivals are going to slop on the plate this year and every year it just seems like a slightly regurgitated version of what came before.
Yes, a lot of these bands are bands that I’m sure people are excited to see, but can’t we just inject a little bit of originality in to what one of the big festivals in the country? There are hundred of thousands of great, unseen bands playing in America, and Sasquatch is still putting M. Ward on the big stage?
Sure it’s nice to see War On Drugs and Kurt Vile and Zola Jesus but even these choices are becoming rote indicators of the current state of indie music.
I don’t know. I just want something different.
abbey #
I agree mostly Noah, I don’t need to see M. Ward or Metric on a festival mainstage again for the next decade. Even the smaller stages are expected for anyone who spends half as much time on the internet exploring music as you do. I’d love to see some curveball acts too, some more chances to be taken with big festival booking. You know this, but fests these size are all about big reliable names and not about breaking bands, or even giving little bands chances. Its about being sure all those people who spent hundreds of dollars before the line-up was announced feel like the money they spent was worth the cash with name-brand acts (even “indie” ones). There’s a fundamental difference between what you and the average ticket buyer and the hosts/sponsors want from a festival. I want something different too, but that’s why I go to different sized and inspired festivals.
At the line-up announcement, there were only two bands whose presence made me say “fuck yes!” (out loud, startling my note-taking neighbor): Charles Bradley and the Alabama Shakes. While both have played (or will play) their fare share of festivals, a festival the size of Sasquatch will also give both bands a chance to play to audiences larger than they usually do and who may not be familiar with their music.
Which comes to my final point, as someone focused on local music, I love that Sasquatch (and other big fests) will be the largest crowd many of the local acts have ever played to. Sometimes ten and twenty fold. And in that way, it does serve as an introduction to both band and audience.
macky-paige #
They have such a good line-up this year! I love Jack White and I am so happy he is doing a solo album. It’s really worth checking out. Here’s his video…http://www.vevo.com/watch/jack-white/love-interruption/USSM21200168