Future Islands has certainly blown up over the last year, as evidenced by the large crowd they drew to their main stage set at Sasquatch. This Baltimore, Maryland band is one of those rare groups whose breakthrough success essentially comes down to one single performance. In their case, it was their network television debut, an enthralling performance of "Seasons (Waiting on You)" on Letterman in March of 2014. Frontman Samuel T. Herring's passionate on stage dancing and vamping throughout the lead single from their fourth album, Singles, was the talk of the internet, and the video quickly garnered millions of views. This set the bar quite high for future live shows. But if anything, Herring somehow found a way to up the intensity, drama, and energy for their set at Sasquatch.
Backed by catchy synth pop sounds, Herring's voice soared into an emotive lyricism before suddenly crashing into an deep, growling roar more commonly found in hardcore or metal music. He bobbed his head and craned his neck in time with the uptempo beats, bent his knees deep, shimmied across the stage, and essentially danced all-out for the entire show. The man does not stop moving for a moment. Several times he underscored emotional moments by pounding on his chest so hard that the thumps were clearly picked up by the microphone. So big is his performance, so theatrical, that it is tempting to wonder if Herring is being a bit tongue in cheek. But his earnest and humble banter between each song, the genuine intensity he brought to his moves, and the often pained and lovesick lyrics tend to suggest that the singer means business. And it is hard to deny a performer that literally bleeds for his audience. At some point in the show Herring must have cut his hand on something, because streaks of crimson dripping down his fist were easy to spot on the giant screens flanking the stage. The singer paid no mind, and continued through a fiery set, wearing his heart on his sleeve both figuratively and literally.
Of all of the late night sets at Sasquatch 2015, none was more subtle than James Blake's. Unlike most of the nighttime sets in the Gorge, Blake's performance revealed itself gradually rather than blasting the audience over the head with lights and sound, and it was all the more effective because of…
In the seven years since Michael Angelakos shared the gooey valentine EP that was Chunk of Change, a lot has changed. Three albums later and the cute story backed by intriguing music has turned Passion Pit into the household name. Angelakos went from his bedroom to the frontman of a project that is…
On stage Annie Clark, or as she's known, St. Vincent, is like an alluring, otherworldly android. She skitter steps around rapidly on high stiletto heels, staring blankly and doe-eyed, smiling at odd times while tearing through guitar lines seemingly effortlessly. Much of her show seems almost chore…
