Sasquatch Music Festival---The factor of the Unknown

Justin Vernon of Bon Iver...backstage after the show...best pic of the festival!

Well folks this was the music event of all music events. My dear friend Mike flew in from Milwaukee to come to the festival on Saturday. He and Peterson went to it this past year and informed me of the venue's beauty and the sound that resonates throughout the amphitheatre.

We arrived on a beautiful sunny day in Quincy, about 3 hours from Seattle, and after talking with 5 or so people about where to park they finally put us in the wrong lot. It was the premier camping lot and since we already had VIP tickets to the show it was fitting that we got spoiled to the full effect. After a couple of v-ka redbulls we strutted into the venue with great spirits and a proud WI attitude to have made it this far across the country to see some damn good music.

I was so eager to see what the venue looked like with the Columbia River in the background that I could hardly hold in my anxiousness. We did our best to catch Keyes sleeper pick called Passion Pit but we ended up not catching their show. So we did the next best thing and went to their meet and greet and chatted it up with them for a few minutes and got Keyes a pic with the band. Turns out one of their members Ian has a sister in my same Americorps program, so the world gets smaller everyday.

Next up was VIP seats, PB & J's, and Animal Collective. Animal Collective was supposed to be the show stealer and they did a great job. They are more of an electronica type of music with a really good "outdoor" sound. They played well and was a nice way to get the festival started. Devotchka was up next and for anyone who has seen Little Miss Sunshine they are the band with the majority of that soundtrack. They have a great smooth-feeling Mexican sound to them and whenever an accordion is part of your band you've got something special.

The next three were the showstoppers. The ones where every cent that was spent on your tickets was worth the money, the reason you come across the country to see music, and the shows that you will never forget. First up, The Decemberists. They played their new album basically all the way through and the whole album is a story so it flows well live and in between each song someone carries the melody while the others get to their new instrument. The lead singer carries incredible energy and the two women vocalists have different but fantastic stages presence and not to mention range in their voices. Keyes and I got down to floor level for this show and besides an A-hole that was bumping into Keyes everything was ideal and got a treat that was soon to crescendo into an unforgettable next two shows. Oh there was also two people making sweet sweet love on the top of the hill that got the whole amphitheatre cheering and clapping until the authorities escorted them off...naked.

Bon Iver. In French I believe it means good journey or something like that. Who cares, he is from UW-Eau Claire and he has blown up these past two years and is now an international superstar with WI modesty. These Canadian women informed me how adored he was north of the border and how his indie music is second to none. I only had his one album and I recognized almost all of his songs. His band has such a touching sound and his voice was mesmerizing all 20,000+ people crammed to see him. Keyes and I were about row 7 just to the left and that made the show even more touching. After a "BlueGolds" shout-out he said this next song is for everyone from WI. So Keyes, myself, and maybe 4 other people got our kicks for representing Wisco! Man was that awesome. After the show we casually, not even caring, just walked behind the stage and went in search of the lead man. Found him! Told him we were from WI, he loved it of course, told him that Canadian women love him and he told us that wasn't a good thing, ahaha! So we got one of the sweetest pics ever with him that portrays exuberant joy from all of us.

So we rode the high of meeting him all the way into Kings of Leon, the headliner. After we sprinted/danced our way through the masses to get to our VIP section we arrived to be blown away by the un-matched talent and sound put off by the Kings. We "Danced all night, Danced all night, I sayyyyy!!" Incredible show and the other girl in our section loved them more than us so our VIP area won "best energy" at the show (self-created award). We danced and sang the entire show and these guys have to be one of the best bands in the world right now!

Of course music touches each person in a different way but to be there with my great friend Keyes was a blessing and it was a festival that is incomparable to anything else. I'm now in Trout Lake, WA, which is the whole reason for my travels, to begin my five-month Americorps service that begins in about an hour. I can't wait and I hope I am able to stay in touch with all of you throughout my experience.

Much love,
luke davis

Kings of Leon

The Decemberists

Devotchka

Animal Collective

Seattle for a few

Oi Mates!

So after about 45 hours of being on the road and a knot in my right ass cheek the size of a golfball it was a feeling of great relief to arrive at a destination where I would be at for longer than 5 hours. I was bunked up by Brooke and Josh in the Fremont area of Seattle. They have a great place with two other guys, Ben and Kit, and were fantastic hosts and showed me around a very cool city. Seattle was blossoming and everything was green and there are the Cascades, Mt. Rainer, and an abundance of water surrounding the city on all sides.

Our friends Pete and Abbie were in from WI/MN as well during the weekend so we got a good chunk of nostalgia included which is always enjoyable. The highlights of the trip were the homecooked meals of halibut fish tacos, guacamole, a nice curry, and fried egg sandwiches. One night we had a percussion jam session for about an hour with anything from chopsticks, broomsticks, wine bottles, dimes, car keys, glasses, mugs, and of course the hands and feet.

Cheers,

Wake

2300 Miles later...

The journey began in the metropolis of Glenbeulah, WI (pop. 378). It is a great land surrounded by great people, two to be exact...and Maisie, but it was time to take a trip west. I am driving a 1998 Lincoln Town Car out to WA for the Wells and I'm taking along my possessions that will last me for five months out in the land of the Pacific bordering states.

The route I took was through WI, MN, ND, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and WA. I shouldn't have included Sask. because that drive was painfully flat but at the same time I shouldn't give MN props because they like the Vikings. Either way, I am steadily making my way through MN and I stop at a rest area for a stretch and when I was unable to get the car started. Of course minor panic set into effect and I was wondering if this beaut of boat was going to make it all the way across the continent? So AAA, thank you Mom, came through and towed me to a local shop where it started on the first try and after and nice chuckle with the mechanic I hopped back in the glorious Lincoln and hit the yellow line with no more problems along the way.

Monday I did about 15 hours of driving and ended up sleeping the backseat in Harvey, ND. Nice people at the gas station so I decided to find a local campsite and take a snooze. Up at 6am and it's border crossing time! It turns out I look like a drug trafficker and since the Maple Leaf Guards thought it was suspicious that I was from WI, driving a WA plate, and crossing in ND they thought a full car search with a drug dog was necessary. So after a thourough waste of my time I got through to Canada.

Let's skip everything until Tuesday night when I entered into Western Alberta...the Rockies! It was a butterfly feeling that engulfed my body when these spectacular moutains surrounded my car and my thoughts. I have been to CO but when I looked around and saw these mountains I got goosebumps and a feeling of serenity. It was about 11pm and I thought it was a good time to find a campsite and grab some sleep within this range. I camped in Banff National Park and thank God I didn't get attacked by any grizzy bears. I truly do fear them and at the same time I admire them.

I awoke at 5:30am Wednesday morning and got on the road with pure excitement about the drive ahead of me. I made my way throught endless peaks with the sun gradually rising behind them. I had so much excitement racing through my body and a clear mind each mile I drove. My first stop way Lake Louise which from pictures, one actually taken by Grandpa Wake, was my main destination and the southern tip of the Icefields Parkway in Western Alberta. The emerald blue water I was hoping for was frozen solid but I was the only person at one of Canada's most visted destination. After a brief feeling of dissapointment I felt a great feeling of accomplishment making my way there and seeing what I wanted to see. I will be back in the future to see Lake Louise in the summertime.

I got back on the Trans-Canada Hwy and headed west through the thick of the Canadian Rockies. I was mesmerized by every snow-capped peak along the way and I was snapping pictures, it seemed like every five minutes, thinking this photo won't give justice to what my eyes are seeing right now. I will leave the explanations to the photos but a drive through the Rockies by yourself is quite spiritual.

I have to go right now, my library time out here in Seattle is expiring. I will be back soon with the rest of BC, and of course, Seattle!

Cheers,

wake