[Sasquatch! 2013] Our Most Anticipated Artists of the Festival (Day One and Two)

Only two days left until Sasquatch! begins. Tomorrow and the next day will see thousands of avid music fans journeying to The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, WA, prepping their campsites, stocking up on alcohol and drugs in anticipation of dozens of amazing performances. This year's lineup boasts some fantastic talent, such as The xx, Vampire Weekend, Sigur Rós, The Postal Service, Disclosure, Arctic Monkeys, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros and many, many more. It's a lineup worth salivating over.

As the festival quickly approaches, I've put together a list of some of the best acts playing each of the four nights. Each band comes with some recommended listening, because there is no better way to prepare for a festival than sampling what each band has to offer, whether you know them or not. Check out our most anticipated artists for days one and two below, with days three and four to follow tomorrow.

Day One (Friday):

Japandroids - 6:05-7:05pm @Honda Bigfoot

This Vancouver duo knows how to get a crowd moving. With their raucous, anthemic sound, Japandroids are sure to get the party started right.

Recommended Listening:

Father John Misty - 7:30-8:30pm @Honda Bigfoot

Former member of Fleet Foxes and Saxon Shore, J. Tillman now performs under the moniker Father John Misty. His soulful folk ballads would be perfectly paired with a beer in one hand and a joint in the other. Don't forget your lighter for this one.

Recommended Listening:

Arctic Monkeys - 8:30-9:45pm @Sasquatch

The Sheffield four-piece are no strangers to the big stage. They'll be rockin' it out on the main stage for an hour and fifteen minutes, plenty of time for you to get fucked up amidst a rowdy crowd. There's no doubt a mosh pit will start during their set.

Recommended Listening:

Youth Lagoon - 8:30-9:45pm @Yeti

Trevor Powers will bring his dreamy, weird soundscapes to the Sasquatch! crowd on Friday night. If you're not in the mood for Arctic Monkeys, this one will surely attract a more experimental crowd. Don't freak out if you come across a few people on mushrooms.

Recommended Listening:

Vampire Weekend - 9:45-11:15pm @Honda Bigfoot

With Modern Vampires of the City now out, Vampire Weekend will have three albums worth of material to unleash on festival goers. Expect more than just ivy league ballads, as the New York outfit have expanded their sound in a fantastic way.

Recommended Listening:

Day Two (Saturday):

Andrew Bird - 5:55-6:55pm @Sasquatch

While his last album Hands of Glory wasn't his best, we can expect he'll dish out tracks from throughout his career, including last year's amazing Break It Yourself. Relax on the hill, drink and smoke merrily, and let Andrew Bird usher in a beautiful sunset at The Gorge.

Recommended Listening:

Holy Ghost! - 6:50-7:50pm @Honda Bigfoot

Nick Millhiser and Alex Frankel proudly carry the DFA torch, bringing the classic nu-disco style defined by LCD Soundsystem to the west coast. I've seen these guys before, and they know how to get a crowd dancing. They're also releasing a new album later this year, so expect them to perform new material.

Recommended Listening:

Bloc Party - 7:25-8-25pm @Sasquatch

Bloc Party is one of those bands that lives on through a certain nostalgia. Every fan has that one album that they clung to during the angsty teenage years, or that first time you saw Kele Okereke and co. live and couldn't hold back your excitement. They strive off it, but it doesn't hold them back. Their latest album Four was aggressive, loud and overall really fucking good. If you haven't seen these guys perform before, you're in for a treat.

Recommended Listening:

Porcelain Raft - 7:40-8:40pm @Yeti

Mauro Remiddi's debut album Strange Weekend is a highlight amongst the often tiresome dreampop genre, an LP that is so mesmerizing that it refuses to become stale. It's so catchy and unique, and hopefully that translates to a great live show.

Recommended Listening:

Divine Fits - 8:15-9:15pm @Honda Bigfoot

How can you go wrong when you bring together talent from Spoon, Wolfmother and Handsome Furs? Divine Fits pulls the best aspects of those bands, yet brings something more. It's raw and experimental, combining rock 'n' roll and synthesized elements that never overpower one another. Every instrument and sound complements each other perfectly, something that will surely shine during their live performance.

Recommended Listening:

The xx - 9:00-10:15pm @Sasquatch

Atmosphere is all you need to know about The xx. Their moody, minimalist approach is enough to turn the rowdiest of crowds into a mass of hypnotized converts. Don't miss this performance. 

Recommended Listening:

Sigur Rós - 11:00-12:30am @Sasquatch

Much like The xx, Sigur Rós strives on the atmosphere they create. Their ethereal sound is simply beautiful, something you can so easily become lost in. The band is also releasing a new album next month, so make sure to pay attention for new material.

Recommended Listening:

Tame Impala - 10:00-11:00pm @Honda Bigfoot

This Australian outfit is damn good live. Like, damn good. Their brand of psychedelic rock is fantastic no matter the setting, and a warm summer night at The Gorge sounds like the perfect place. Unfortunately, the band's bassist Nick Allbrook said farewell earlier this week, being replaced by Pond member Cam Avery. Don't expect Tame Impala to sound any less amazing, though.

Recommended Listening:

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs - 10:30-11:30pm @El Chupacabra

Despite his name coming across as that of a stately professor, Orlando Higginbottom owns the dancefloor with his bass-heavy beats. He is a highlight in this year's crop of electronic artists, bringing a unique brand of synthesized flavor to the El Chupacabra dance tent. If you're in the mood for dancing, this is the right artist for you.

Recommended Listening:

Empire of the Sun - 12:30-1:30am @Honda Bigfoot

Capping off Saturday night is the flashy and theatrical Empire of the Sun. Slipping into the early hours of the morning, this show will no doubt keep you awake and ready to party. If their recent performance of "Alive" is any indiciation, this show will be weird, bright and extremely awesome.

Recommended Listening:

[Download] Divine Fits - "Would That Not Be Nice" (RJD2 Remix)

Those that know me know i'm one of the biggest RJD2 stans out there. So when seeing that RJ remixed Divine Fits "Would That Not Be Nice" in my inbox, you can imagine how ape shit I went. I pretty much summerized it as Spoon x RJD2 but it wasn't the typical production you would expect from RJ this time around. The remix takes the already dancey original and adds some simple drums and signature synths which feel more like a LCD Soundsystem track than an RJD2 track.

Don't get me wrong, i'm not hating the track at all. I just expected a heavier hip hop drum driven track. Nevertheless, its still a great to listen to despite my personal feelings of the remix. Take a listen to remix below and if you havent already listened to/picked up Divine Fits' debut LP A Thing Called Divine Fits, you should do so now. LIKE RIGHT NOW.

[Watch] Divine Fits - "Would That Not Be Nice" (Official Video)

Leave it to Divine Fits to prove that playing in the shadows is downright sexy in their new video for "Would That Not Be Nice", which premiered yesterday on Stereogum. Just recently the band confirmed their first full on US tour with Cold Cave and The Black Keys which kicks off on October 16th after stepping on stage at the Treasure Island Music Festival.

Make sure you pick up A Thing Called Divine Fits if you haven't already.

DIVINE FITS
On Tour 2012
Oct 14 - San Francisco, CA - Treasure Island Music Festival
Oct 16 -- Pawtucket, RI -- Met Cafe
Oct 17 -- Boston, MA -- Royale Nightclub
Oct 18 -- Washington DC -- 9:30 Club
Oct 19 -- Northampton, MA -- Pearl Street (Downstairs)
Oct 21 -- New York, NY -- Webster Hall *
Oct 22 -- Philadelphia, PA -- Union Transfer
Oct 24 -- Columbus, OH -- Newport Music Hall *
Oct 25 -- Chicago, IL -- Logan Square Auditorium *
Oct 26 -- Indianapolis, IN -- Deluxe *
Oct 27 - Asheville, NC - Moogfest
Oct 28 -- Raleigh, NC -- Lincoln Theatre *
Oct 29 -- Atlanta, GA -- Terminal West *
Oct 31 -- Austin, TX -- Stubb's *
Nov 1 -- El Paso, TX -- Low Brow *
Nov 2 -- Tucson, AZ -- The Rock *
Nov 3 -- Pioneertown, CA -- Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace *
Nov 4 -- Los Angeles, CA -- Fonda Theatre *
Dec 30 -- Las Vegas, NV - The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino +
Dec 31 -- Las Vegas, NV - The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino +
 
* w/ Cold Cave
+ w/ The Black Keys

[Night Out] Divine Fits @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (9/9/2012)

credit: @sproutdr I don't think there could have been a better way to finish off the week than with a big ol' dose of Divine Fits. As the self-proclaimed last ones standing, Sprout and I happily squeezed into Music Hall of Williamsburg for one more night of rock'n'roll bliss before we had to go back to reality on Monday. I've listened to A Thing Called Divine Fits for a good while now, so I was eager to experience the songs live for myself. I was definitely not disappointed. For their debut NYC show, they more than delivered. It didn't take too long for the crowd to get into it, but once they were the energy continued to swell throughout the set. I have to say, for not being huge on Wolf Parade or New Bomb Turks, I liked how well they all meshed together. It seemed almost as though they had been a band for years with how comfortable they were playing off of each other.

A true test that you're having a good time is being able to look past even the most unfortunate situations and still enjoy yourself. This was proven to be the case when someone unapologetically dumped nearly a full pint of Brooklyn Lager down my back. It took about a half of a song to shake off the fact that my first time seeing Brit Daniel in the flesh (I know, shameful) was going to be tainted by a sticky back until I got home. Luckily, as soon as "Like Ice Cream" kicked in I was able to reshift my focus and go back to grooving.

If you haven't grabbed A Thing Called Divine Fits yet, you're gonna want to take care of that right away. In case you weren't able to catch Divine Fits this time around, they'll be back in October on their tour with Cold Cave. Head over to their website for more information.

Have a look at more photos and the setlist from Sunday night below:

Divine Fits at Music Hall of Williamsburg - 9/9/12 Setlist:
Flaggin a Ride 
Baby Get Worse 
The Salton Sea 
What Gets You Alone 
Would That Not Be Nice 
Civilian Stripes 
My Love Is Real 
Doom Town (Wipers)
Like Ice Cream 
Neopolitans 
You Got Lucky (Tom Petty cover)
For Your Heart

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Shivers (Nick Cave)

[Listen] Divine Fits - "I Was Born in a Laundromat"

I think I may be one of a few excited for Spoon/Wolf Parade/Handsome Furs/New Bomb Turks supergroup Divine Fits upcoming album only for Spoon's Britt Daniel's contribution of the album.  Although the Dan Boeckner vocal single "My Love Is Real" was cool, the B-Side "I Was Born in a Laundromat" should excite Spoon fans like myself until the band's next release. But until then the bands upcoming debut album A Thing Called the Divine Fits, will still be something to look forward to when it drops August 28th. Check out both the B-side as well as the single below and another track from the upcoming album titled "Would That Not Be Nice" courtesy of the band's Soundcloud page.