Sasquatch 2016: A$AP Rocky, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, And Yeasayer Open Day One With A Bang [Photos]

This year’s Sasquatch Music Festival is already kicking things off with a major bang! With headliners like The Cure, Florence + The Machine, and Alabama Shakes already announced for this year, many concertgoers are flocking to George, WA’s Gorge Amphitheater to take part in the yearly concert festival.

This year will also mark the first time that Sasquatch will be streamed online. So for those who weren’t able to make it to The Gorge this weekend, you have the opportunity to stream Sasquatch from the comfort of your own home.

According to an article on Billboard, only the Sasquatch (main stage) and Bigfoot stages will be streamed.

“The webcast will stream all four days of Live Nation’s Sasquatch! Music Festival (May 27 to May 30) from the two main stages, Sasquatch and Big Foot. The live stream kicks off 6 p.m. PT on Friday (May 27), with Saturday to Monday’s daily streams beginning at 5 p.m. PT, and select performances rebroadcast throughout the weekend.”

Founded by Seattle promoter Adam Zacks in 2002, Sasquatch has been host to numerous bands, including acts such as Foo Fighters, The Flaming Lips, Robert Plant, Lana Del Rey, and Nine Inch Nails. Sasquatch was expanded to three days in 2006, and four days in 2011. In 2014, Sasquatch was expanded to two weekends. One being on the normal Memorial day as it had been since 2002, and the other during the fourth of July weekend. However, due to low ticket sales, LiveNation abruptly cancelled the fourth of July weekend for Sasquatch.

Day one of Sasquatch kicked off with a huge bang! Early speculations that Sasquatch would not sell out like in previous years were easily squashed. Thousands among thousands of people from all over migrated to The Gorge with hopes of seeing acts such as A$AP Rocky, Alabama Shakes, and legendary new wave band The Cure. While A$AP Rocky took the Sasquatch stage tonight, The Cure and Alabama Shakes will be playing during different days.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra brought their A-Game to Sasquatch during their performance on the Bigfoot stage. The New Zealand/Portland, Oregon-based band brought elements of old-school Prince, with elements of Psychedelic Rock and lo-fi while getting the crazy Sasquatch crowd pumped up. UMO frontman Ruban Nielson fed off of the crowd, while performing one of many guitar solos that emulated elements of Jimi Hendrix and Prince.

Rolling Stone recently described Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s latest track “First World Problem” as “a horn-laden, dark disco cut.”

“Unknown Mortal Orchestra take a funky turn on ‘First World Problem,’ a horn-laden, dark disco cut that marks the group’s first original song since 2015’s Multi-Love… ‘First World Problem’ opens with a guitar vamping and ominous synth stabs. Singer Ruban Nielson showcases the flexibility of his voice from a lovelorn strain to a Barry Gibb-esque falsetto.”

Rapper Vince Staples brought tons of energy to the Bigfoot stage during Sasquatch. Staples was bouncing off the floors, while motioning the Sasquatch crowd to do the same. The one-third of “Cutthroat Boyz” definitely brought his A-game, making it a very memorable performance. Hip-hop darling A$AP Rocky had the crowd packed at the Sasquatch Stage. Though A$AP Rocky didn’t close out Sasquatch, he might as well have.

Brooklyn-based progressive rock band Yeasayer performed a later set. While most people were down at the Sasquatch stage enjoying A$AP Rocky’s beat-driven performance, others flocked to the Bigfoot stage to see frontman Chris Keating swing his microphone in the style of Jim Morrison and Father John Misty. Yeasayer played Sasquatch in 2011, making it five years from the last time the band was seen.

Other standout artists from the first day at Sasquatch included Seattle indie band Telekinesis, who brought their sound which mixed shoegaze and indie rock all into one little tight package, and soul singer Andra Day, whose hit “Rise Up” became a popular favorite on the R&B charts last year.

[Image via Xander Deccio/Deccio Creative]