Sunset at Doe Bay Festival 2009 ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

It may be five months away, but I’m already ready for Doe Bay Fest 2010. I was ready for it a day after I left Orcas last August, after being treated to one of the most enjoyable and intimate musical experiences of my life. Last year, I called the Doe Bay Fest the local line-up of the summer and by the looks of just this initial announcement, which we’re excited to bring you first, 2010 is going to be just as good.

From now ’til August, Sound on the Sound will be your official source for all things Doe Bay Festival. You’ll hear everything here first: from line-ups to ticket information to interviews and introductions to the artists and just why Doe Bay is such a wonderful place for a festival. Just call us the Official Blog of Doe Bay. We’ll be letting you know soon all the exciting ways Sound on the Sound is going to be involved with our favorite little local festival.

But first things first…we’ve got an initial line-up to announce! This may just the beginning of the Doe Bay line-up, but man, what a beginning it is.

Fruit Bats
Hey Marseilles
Grand Hallway
THEESatisfaction
Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives
The Portland Cello Project
Shenandoah Davis

Those names alone should be enough to have you blocking out the weekend of August 13th and 14th, and I can promise you it’s only going to get better.

If you’re not hip to Seattle’s Hollow Earth Radio already, this is a great week to get yourself acquainted with some of the Seattle’s most-deserving unsung heroes. Hollow Earth Radio (HER) self-describes themselves as a  “free-form online radio station that presents a forum for underrepresented music, sounds and perspectives.” But HER is more than that. They’re champions of (and participants in) the All-Ages and DIY movements, as well as countless up and coming local bands. They do what they do purely for the love of music and community and they do so with little pomp or circumstance and without making it at all about them. It’s a perspective we respect and appreciate here at Sound on the Sound and one we aim to provide ourselves.

Once a year HER puts on the MAGMA Festival to help cover operational costs and to highlight bands and musicians they love, all in the all-ages setting they do so much to promote and cultivate.  The festival starts this week and continues throughout the month of March. And MAGMA definitely isn’t saving the best for last, they’re starting out the fest with what we think is one hell of a headliner: Thao Ngyuen (of Thao and the Get Down Stay Down) joined by special guest K Records’ Mirah playing the Vera Project on Friday March 5th. All told there will be 10 shows with over 50 bands featuring names you know (like Karl Blau and Cold Lake) and tons of new up and coming bands for you to delight in and discover.  You can buy a pass for the entire festival for $50 or pay show by show as you go.  We highly recommend you catch at least a few shows and support not just HER but also all-ages music and the bands and venues that make it possible.

One more way to support all-ages music? Vote for the all-ages movement to win $50,000 in the RefreshEverything Challenge from Pepsi. To win the grant the “All-Ages Movement” has to stay in the Top 10 and it’s the last weekend of voting. Be sure to log-in today and tomorrow to cast your vote to help Seattle and other cities support burgeoning bands and music for people young and old.

Sasquatch Fun Havers with Capes ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

LineOut has spread a rumor and confirmed it as fact that Sasquatch 2010 is selling fast. So don’t dawdle Pavement fans.

Seriously.

The Globes at Georgetown Music Fest ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

The Globes are going to SXSW this year. Though no official announcement from the Barsuk camp has made it’s way onto the net, we’ve known of their involvement with the label via seeing them make an appearance at the Barsuk holiday party, a few words in a column by Hannah Levin, and some other more informal channels. A look at the day-by-day schedule for SXSW and the Barsuk showcase gives us a clue that maybe we should be expecting an announcement soon about the partnership:

March 18, 2010
Red Eyed Fly
(715 Red River St) (18+)
Barsuk
The Globes 8:00 p.m.
Blunt Mechanic 9:00 p.m.
Pearly Gate Music 10:00 p.m.
The Wooden Birds 11:00 p.m.
Rocky Votolato 12:00 a.m.
Phantogram 1:00 a.m.

Local labels supporting locals bands is something we can always get behind.

Sasquatch Crowd 2009 ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

We brought you the line-up last night, now here’s the day-by-day run down of Sasquatch 2010. We’re waiting for more up and coming local (and Portland) bands to fill out the line-up, but there’s already a lot to love about Sasquatch 2010. What day are you most excited for?

Saturday, May 29th

My Morning Jacket / Vampire Weekend / The National / Deadmau5 / Broken Social Scene / OK Go / Wale / Public Enemy / The Hold Steady / Miike Snow / Z-Trip / Brother Ali / Minus The Bear / WHY? / The Very Best / Portugal. The Man / Mumford & Sons / The Lonely Forest / Nurses / The Middle East / Patrick Watson / Morning Teleportation / Laura Marling / Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros / Fool’s Gold / Garfunkel & Oates / Dam-Funk / Shabazz Palaces

Sunday, May 30th

Massive Attack / Pavement / LCD Soundsystem / Tegan and Sara / Kid Cudi / Nada Surf / Dirty Projectors / The xx / The Long Winters / Simian Mobile Disco / Midlake / Girls / Vetiver / The Tallest Man On Earth / YACHT / Booka Shade / Caribou / Avi Buffalo / City and Colour / Cymbals Eat Guitars / A-Trak / Fruit Bats / tUnE-yArDs / Local Natives / Freelance Whales / Jets Overhead / Rob Riggle / Luke Burbank

Monday, May 31st

Ween / MGMT / Band of Horses / She & Him / Passion Pit / The New Pornographers / Drive-By Truckers / Boys Noize / Camera Obscura / The Temper Trap / Dr. Dog / Neon Indian / No Age / The Mountain Goats / Phantogram / Quasi / Japandroids / Mayer Hawthorne & The County / The Low Anthem / Fresh Espresso / Hudson Mohawke / Telekinesis / Past Lives / Yes Giantess / Craig Robinson

We just walked through the door from the Sasquatch line-up announcement party featuring Fresh Espresso, Atlas Sound, and Surfer Blood. More on the party soon, but here’s what you’ve all been waiting for: the line-up and it’s a doozie. We’ve bolded the bands we’re most excited about, as well as the (few) local bands who made the Sasquatch cut.

My Morning Jacket / Massive Attack / Pavement / Ween / Vampire Weekend / MGMT / Band of Horses/ The National / LCD Soundsystem / Tegan & Sara / Broken Social Scene / Passion Pit / Deadmau5 / She & Him / Public Enemy / Nada Surf / The New Pornographers / The Hold Steady / The xx / Dirty Projectors / OK Go / Drive By Truckers / Kid Cudi / The Long Winters / Minus the… Bear / The Mountain Goats / Quasi / Camera Obscura / Fruit Bats / Brother Ali / Midlake / Dr. Dog / Caribou / Simian Mobile Disco / City & Colour / No Age / The Temper Trap / Vetiver / Miike Snow / Portugal. The Man / Telekinesis / Mayer Hawthorne / Why? / Girls / Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros / Wale / The Lonely Forest / Japandroids / Boys Noize / Yacht / Freelance Whales / Laura Marling / Patrick Watson / Past Lives / Cymbals Eat Guitars / The Low Anthem / The Very Best / Phantogram / Neon Indian / Nurses / The Tallest Man on Earth / Fresh Espresso / Mumford & Sons / Jets Overhead / tUnE-YarDs / Shabazz Palaces / Fool’s Gold / Morning Teleportation / Z-Trip / Dam-Funk / Hudson Mohawke / The Middle East / Local Natives / Avi Buffalo / Booka Shade / A-Trak / Yes Giantess / Craig Robinson / Rob Riggle / Garfunkel & Oates / Luke Burbank

More will be announced the closer we get to May and the Gorge, but that’s one hell of a start Sasquatch!

(Tip of the Hat to Travis Hay from Ear Candy who had this list up before anyone else)

Macklemore ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

This party just get’s better every year. Two stages and a hip hop showcase? This is how Seattle’s party at SXSW should be going down. It’s happening Saturday, March 20th at the Beauty Bar, starting 12 noon. It’s no doubt free, but you’ll likely need an RSVP. We’ll keep you up to date on that info as it arrives. On to the good stuff. Peep this year’s lineup:

Main Stage
The Cave Singers
The Dutchess & the Duke
Fences
The Lonely Forest
The Moondoggies
Rocky Votolato

Second Stage
Grand Hallway
The Maldives
The Staxx Brothers

Hip Hop Showcase
Dark Time Sunshine
Dyme Def
Grynch
Macklemore
Mash Hall (formerly known as They Live!)
THEESatisfaction

Um… can this party happen in Seattle?

The second stage isn’t a side stage, it’s the stage where the big bands get more time to setup. And a hip hop showcase is long overdue. The organizers definitely made this a destination party that well represents the face of the emerging Seattle music scene at this very moment.

Follow the action on twitter with @sxswSeattleParT and be a part of the action by tagging your posts #TheSeattleParty and #sxsw.

Src: Austin Statesmen

Sera Cahoone ::: Photo by Abbey Simmons

“Pullman you say? A music destination you say??? Pffft…” Yes, I know you’re trying not to laugh. But Pullman resident, ardent Inland-Northwest music supporter, and the man behind Stereopathic Music Larson Hicks is gunning to make it exactly that. Looking at the lineup he’s confirmed for a weekend in late March for the 1st Annual Birds on a Wire Folk Festival, he looks to be on just the right track. Happening March 26th and 27th and taking place on three stages within walking distance of each other on Pullman’s main street, the festival is an outgrowth of a series of Birds on a Wire shows Hicks did last year with some success, which itself was an product of his need for his underserved area to realize it’s musical potential.

Hicks is not a corporation like Live Nation, just a guy with a dream to make his town as fun as it can be, and on the leading edge of a localism movement that is now even reaching the music business. Small local music festivals used to be cute getaways to take in some folk talent or something specialized like that. Now in many smaller markets it makes sense can put on a music festival that attracts current and in-demand talent. In our area: Birds on a Wire, Doe Bay Fest, Pickathon, Wintergrass (bluegrass and folk). There were a host of other Oregon festivals that many of the biggest local artists made a point of attending in 2009. I don’t doubt by the end of the year the size of that list of festival names will be doubled.

The lineup for Birds on a Wire looks like this so far:

Justin Townes Earle
Damien Jurado
Joe Pug
Rocky Votolato
Horse Feathers
Sera Cahoone
Frontier Ruckus
The Maldives
The Moondoggies
Cataldo
Laura Gibson
Al James (Dolorean)
Super XX Man
Goldfinch
Karli Fairbanks
Pablo Trucker
Mike Kelly
Hueco
Samuel Dickison
Tony Kevin Jr.
Low-Fi
more announced soon…

‘Current’ and ‘Northwest’ are two words that come quickly to mind when looking at this bill, and Hicks says he’s not done announcing national level touring acts yet.

Advanced tickets available via the birdsonawirefest.com site, and are $35, $25 for large groups. Day-of tickets are $45 at the door. Volunteering will get you an even better deal I’d expect. Since Hicks doesn’t a hefty amount of resources to put on this festival, he’s looking to make it happen smoothly and in a cost neutral way with local sponsors and a group of volunteers. He needs everything from sound and stage nerds to assist with shows, to people who are able to ferry bands from the airport day-of. It’s a great opportunity to be involved with a festival that is just getting off the ground.

Facebook: Birds on a Wire Festival on Facebook

Megafaun at the Triple Door ::: Photo by Josh Lovseth

Happening August 6th-8th at Pendarvis Farm near Portland, the 12th annual Pickathon has announced their first round of confirmed acts, and it’s already shaping up to be a great weekend.

Bonnie Prince Billy & The Cairo Gang (Sat, Sun)
Heartless Bastards (Fri, Sat)
Billy Joe Shaver (Fri)
Langhorne Slim (Sat, Sun)
Frazey Ford (Sat, Sun)
The Cave Singers (Fri, Sat)
T-Model Ford (Sat, Sun)
Black Prairie (Fri, Sat)
These United States (Sat, Sun)
Megafaun (Fri, Sat)
Richmond Fontaine (Fri, Sat)
Michael Hurley (Fri, Sat)
Roadside Graves (Sat, Sun)
Elliott Brood (Sat, Sun)
Stone River Boys (Sat, Sun)
Red Stick Ramblers (Fri, Sat)
Chatham County Line (Sat, Sun)
Cotton Jones (Sat, Sun)
Breathe Owl Breathe (Sat, Sun)
The Deep Dark Woods (Sat, Sun)
Black Lillies (Sat, Sun)
Casey MacGill’s Blue 4 Trio (Sat, Sun)
Foghorn Stringband (Fri)
Captain Bogg & Salty (Sun)
Martha Scanlan (Fri, Sat)
Seth Bernard and May Erlewine (Fri, Sat)
Jill Andrews (Sat, Sun)
Weinland (Fri, Sat)
Sallie Ford (Fri, Sat)
Frank Fairfield (Sat, Sun)
Water Tower Bucket Boys (Sat, Sun)
Town Mountain (Fri, Sat)
Woody Pines (Sun)

Known for its forested setting with multiple stages, camping, and hiking trails, Pendarvis Farm provides the perfect retreat. With Pickathon offering the unique opportunity of getting to know artists with multiple sets over multiple days. Together providing a weekend experience unlike anything else that can be found today.

Discount tickets and complete information are available via the Pickathon 2010 page, and more acts will be announced in the coming months. Oregon in summer is awful nice… Doe Bay Fest is the following weekend on Orcas Island…

Sasquatch Music Festival ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

While the sunny spring and summer festival season seems worlds away right now in rainy thundering Seattle,  you can inch a little closer to those sunscreen lathered days, as long as you have 185 dollars to spend.

This morning, special limited 3-day discount passes went on sale for the 2010 Sasquatch! music festival. And while we won’t know the official line up until February 16th, we do know based on the previous 9 years of solid line ups and gorgeous festivals, it will be worth attending and the cost of tickets.

The 3-day discount passes will run you 170 dollars (plus ticketmaster fees, rounding up to around $185.00) and are available on the Sasquatch! Website (which will direct you to Ticketmaster).  While it might not seem much like a discount now, I’m certain it will when day pass prices and other 3 day pass prices come out. Not to mention when the rumblings of a truly amazing line up are announced. (Like the fact Pavement is the first confirmed headliner of the festival.)

There is only a limited number of these discount passes and the discount will only be available until December 31st, 2009.