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i. After suffering through a
lack of music festivals for the better part
of a decade, it looks like change is on the
horizon for music fans in B.C. Granted,
Arts County Fair bit the dust this year,
and the Warped Tour had to cancel (you
can still catch the “punk” rock showcase
in Seattle or Calgary), but with the birth
of the Pemberton Music Festival and a
revamped Sled Island in Calgary, there
are more proper outdoor festivals within
a days drive than ever before.

Although music festivals are
often regarded as havens of hedonism, the
truth is that the proper enjoyment of the
festival experience requires a fair bit of
time, money and preparation. As a result,
only the most dedicated fans can attend
more than a few festivals every summer.
With so much choice this season, how
does one decide? That’s where we come
in.

Sasquatch Festival

WHEN: May 24-26

WHERE: the Gorge Amphitheatre in
George, Washington

HOW MUCH: $199.50 plus camping

THE LINEUP: TheCure, Modest Mouse,
Death Cab for Cutie, the Flaming Lips,
R.E.M., M.I.A., the New Pornographers,
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, Battles,
the National, Beirut, Destroyer, Okkervil
River, Built to Spill, the Presidents, Jamie
Lidell, the Breeders, the Mars Volta, Fleet
Foxes, White Rabbits, the Cave Singers,
Tegan and Sara, Flight of the Conchords,
the Kooks, the Hives, Grand Archives,
Mates of State, Thao With the Get Down
Stay Down, Rogue Wave, Yeasayer, Sera
Cahoone, David Bazan, the Little Ones,
Kinski, Throw Me the Statue, the Shaky
Hands, and many more.

THE LOWDOWN: Heading into its
seventh year, Sasquatch is the granddaddy
of music festivals in the Northwest. It’s
also hands down one of the best. Located
in Southeastern Washington, the Gorge
Amphitheatre, complete with its canyon
backdrop, is one of the most beautiful
places to hold a concert, and the festival
tends to attract some of the biggest names
in indie rock. For 2008, the festival has
also added a full-time comedy tent for
those who feel that laughter—as opposed
to rock n’ roll—is the best medicine.
This year, Sasquatch has a nostalgic
feel to it, boasting a lineup that includes

the Cure & R.E.M. (not to mention the
return of the Presidents of the United
States of America), but rest assured that
the Flaming Lips, the scenery, and the
pleasure of immersing oneself into a 72-
hour experience make Sasquatch well
worth the price of admission.

Sled Island

WHEN: June 25-28
WHERE: Calgary, AB
HOW MUCH: $120

THE LINEUP: 160 acts including
Yo La Tengo, Tegan and Sara, Broken
Social Scene, Broken West, Portastatic,
Wet Secrets, Ramblin’ Ambassadors,
Spreepark, Elliot Brood, Chixdiggit,
Beans, Of Montreal, Wire, Jose Gonzales,
Secret Machines, Mogwai, Drive By
Truckers, Dodos, Gutter Twins, Jonathan
Richman, Still Flyin’, Jain Vain and the
Dark Matter, Hot Little Rocket, No Age,
Japandroids, RZA (Bobby Digital),
Elizabeth, Deerhunter, Mother Mother,
Elliott Brood, Woodpigeon, and more.

THE LOWDOWN: Although Sled Island
doesn’t quite boast a lineup as strong as
the ‘Squatch, the roster includes a number
of excellent acts who fly under the radar,
including post-punk forefathers, Wire.
There’s also a number of great Canadian
acts, the spectacle of Of Montreal, and
the leader of the Wu-Tang Clan, the
RZA, who will be on hand to satisfy your
desire for brooding, misogynistic, and
violent hip-hop. Assuming you've got
a friend’s couch to sleep on in Calgary,
Sled Island is also the most affordable
of this summer’s festivals. Finally, a
quick tour of their website reveals that
Sled Island’s organizers have a great
ethos; they’ re co-sponsoring a number of
visual art shows in conjunction with the
festival, and they’re foregoing potential
profits from hocking bottled water and
instead providing free tap water at all
venues.

Pemberton Music
Festival

WHEN: July 25-27
WHERE: Pemberton... duh.
HOW MUCH: $239.50 plus camping

THE LINEUP: Coldplay, Tom Petty
And The Heartbreakers, Nine Inch
Nails, Jay-Z, The Tragically Hip,The
Flaming Lips, Serj Tankian, Death

 

 

Cab For Cutie, Interpol, My Morning
Jacket, Sam Roberts Band, Metric,
Black Mountain, Vampire Weekend, The
Crystal Method DJ Set, DJ Shadow &
Cut Chemist, Booka Shade, Junkie XL,
Dave Seaman, Wintersleep, Buck 65,
Secret Machines, SIA, MSTRKRFT,
Deadmau5S, Brazilian Girls, MGMT, The
Fiery Furnaces, Mates Of State, Grand
Ole Party, Carolina Liar, The Airborne
Toxic Event, Monte Negro, Low VS
Diamond, Annie Stela, M.A.N.D.Y.,
Tommie Sunshine, Chromeo, 3 OH! 3,
Kevin Shiu, Timeline, Tony Pantages,
Wolfmother, and a few more.

THE LOWDOWN: Finally, a festival
to call our own! Sadly, Pemberton is not

BROOKLYN PUB

WATERFRONT LOUNGE

250 Columbia St. 604.517.2966 ww w.brookls n.ca

THURSDAY
oe

IS

STUDENT
NIGHT!

 

i coe en |

May 5, 2008

   

without its shortcomings. I guess Jay-Z
demands a ton of cash to perform—how
else can you explain the rather exorbitant
price tag attached to the festival? Also,
I’ve heard rumours that the campground
won’t be allowing any outside alcohol,
forcing concertgoers to shell out for
overpriced cans of Kokanee courtesy
of on-site vendors. That being said,
the lineup is fairly solid (albeit a lot of
overlap with Sasquatch), and if you
don’t mind a few wasted Coldplay fans
falling into your tent every night, there’s
no doubt that the Pemberton fest is going
to be one hell of a party! If it returns
next year, Pemberton might just become
the non-redneck version of the Merritt
Mountain Music Festival. Cheers!

 

TWISTER
be on