Tag Archives: Sasquatch 2012

Sasquatch Street Fashion

Posted on June 9, 2012 by Seattle Peach

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Special Sasquatch Edition Peachy Q&A: Katie Kate

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Seattle Peach

Local rap diva, Katie Kate, tore the roof off of the Maine Stage the last day of Sasquatch this year, laying down sassy rhymes for the masses. Seattle Peach caught up with her for some Peachy Q&A on fashion.

How would you describe your day to day style?

Lazy!  Well, I guess “casual”.  I’m not really into dressing up day to day.  I think that comes from my farmer background as well as having gone to music school – I didn’t really have a reason to dress up when I was spending all day every day in a practice room.  As a result, I wear t shirts and jeans, sometimes jeggins (yes, I’m that lazy) and my Frye boots.  I will throw on a necklace or ring if it’s a special occasion.

Is there a difference between what you wear everyday and what you wear on stage? What is the difference?

Huge difference.  Katie Kate is my excuse to think about what I wear and attempt to look cool.  Day to day, I could give a fuck.

Do you and Radjaw ever coordinate wardrobe for your shows? What is your process for styling for performance?

Radjaw and I don’t really coordinate.  I think we try to respect each other’s fashion choices – he looks great in what he wears, and hopefully he feels the same about me.  When styling for a performance I just start by going shopping, seeing what’s out there.  There’s several practical rules I follow – no short skirts (folks can see up them if I’m up on stage), flats or manageable heels (I have yet to find the latter) so I can dance without falling on my ass, which has happened, and a moderately opaque fabric for the top – darn stage lights reveal everything.  The main goal is just to find something I feel great in, because confidence is a huge part of my performances.  Sometimes I’ll find inspiration from one particular item and try to build around it, sometimes I have an idea already in my mind and I’m attempting to match it, but usually I’m running around like a crazy person buying something an hour before soundcheck.

How has your style evolved since you first started performing as Katie Kate?

Dressing as Katie Kate has really forced me to think about my fashion choices more than I normally would.  When I was younger I would wear the craziest clothes – pretty much all vintage dresses from Red Light and heels and hats… just everywhere, to school, to work, everywhere.  I don’t know how the fuck I did that.  But now that I have Katie Katie, I have an outlet for that creativity and craziness, so I don’t feel like I have to do anything day to day.  My daily style has evolved (or devolved, depending on your point of view) into a very utilitarian, pragmatic, and neutral collection.  I relish buying pieces that will last forever, or classic pieces I know I’ll have for years.  I don’t have a ton of money to spend, so I try to spend it wisely.  I think there’s alot of value in that.  Farm life, you know?  But Katie Katie has evolved from me trying to dress out of my “normal person” closet, to me having a pretty much entirely separate wardrobe for shows.  I think I’ve changed into being more put together as a performer, and my hairstylist D’Arcy Harrison really helps with that.  I can’t get away with looking like a turd anymore.

Who’s style inspires you, who are some of your fashion icons?

I’m pretty inspired by Lykke Li, she’s hip and edgy but maintains this very muted palette that lends a timelessness to her look.  I am inspired by my friend Liz.  She is effortlessly stylish, always.  I’m inspired by older ladies who still take time to dress up before going out.  I wish I could be Tilda Swinton – I’ve always wanted to go for some androgyny but I have this big round Irish head that kind of prevents that.  Eleanor Roosevelt is the queen of practicality.  I love her for her lack of attention to fashion, focusing on social issues in a time where that was desperately needed.  OH, and Basketball Wives.

What are some of your favorite pieces from your own wardrobe?

I try not to have favorite pieces, because I grew up with sisters, and they would inevitably take my favorite thing and get Sharpie all over it or something.  But if I had to pick, definitely my Frye Boots.  I wear the crap out of my shoes, so I asked for these for my birthday last year and have been so happy.  They turned a bunch of my socks black, but it’s well worth it to know I won’t have to buy another pair… ever.  I have a necklace that is a lense surrounded by gold with some flower detail at the top.  I got it at Value Village for three dollars but I wear it almost every day.  Same with my ring – it’s made from Larimar, a rare stone, and I bought it for myself as a graduation gift.  It’s supposed to aid in letting life flow in and around you.

If you could go on a shopping spree anywhere on the planet, a.) Where would you go? b.) What stores would you go to? c.) Who would you bring with you? d.) What is at least one item you definitely be shopping for?

a) Denmark, probably Copenhagen. b) mostly thrift stores, but they have these awesome little boutiques with that Danish design aesthetic that just kills me. c) Probably my friend Hanna Benn.  She walks that line between ridiculous/cool very well.  Also we went to Copenhagen together, so I could send her to Bang & Jensen for coffee. d) I definitely need structured pants, crazy wedge boots, and anything unique and strange that I might never see again.I also really dig things that have multiple uses – that’s one of the first rules of survival, don’t carry anything that can’t be used for at least 3 different things.  …Ok, so I may watch too much Discovery Channel.  BUT when the oil runs out and the zombie hordes come flopping across the hills, you will thank me and my parachute/shelter/corkscrew pants.

(Photo credits in order of appearance: Lori Paulson; Janae Jones; Alex Crick; unknown; Jenny Jimenez)

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Sasquatch 2012 Recap: Day 2

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Seattle Peach

As the sunshine beat down on us and began to redden our skin, Saturday slowly unfolded full of exploration and discovery. As the more ambitious and motivated fans trickled back into camp for an afternoon meal, we found that STRFKR had played the Big Foot stage early in the day, making it the second time they played over the weekend. I had caught just about the last half of STRFKR’s set on my way back to camp the night before and was initially in disbelief that they would play twice. Their set in the Banana Shack was chock full of twinkling splendor, and people were loving it, packing the dance tent out all the way to the edge of the lawn. As the mystery unfolded, the details began to make more sense. I Break Horses had to cancel due to illness, and STRFKR stepped up to fill their spot. Twice the STRFKR for the price of one! These guys were a huge hit over the weekend, and Reptilians was definitely one of the albums I heard the most of when wandering around the campground. And they are local to the Northwest!

I spent the majority of the afternoon wandering between the main stage and the dance tent just checking things out and taking it all in. Purity Ring was playing just as I walked by, so I dipped inside to dance for a bit. They sounded amazing, and their moody future pop was a nice change of pace from so much of the more intense, dubstep and/or hip hop heavy electro that dominated the line up. I popped over to the main stage for a minute to try to catch Metric‘s set, but the new sound system they were using wasn’t nearly as powerful as in years past–you couldn’t really hear anything at the top of the hill. And the delay was really bad between the video and the sound (I’m assuming that it was because the sound was taking so long to travel up to the outer reaches of the lawn), making it difficult to become absorbed by and enjoy the show. Last year, some of my favorite moments of the festival were sitting on that upper crest of the hill and taking in the unobstructed views of the Gorge set to a live soundtrack of amazing music. This didn’t really seem like an option this year, as you had to get down much closer in order to hear properly.

I caught the first bit of Nobody Beats the Drum, but I’d heard that their music is this fully encompassing audio/visual experience, and I wasn’t really able to see the visuals that well. The sun was still up and blazing, and I was stuck somewhere to the side of the throbbing dance party contained within the tent. The high energy beats were a bit more than I could take at the time, so I mosied on to Sasquatch shanty town to grab some grub. I grabbed Lisa Dank from camp and we rolled back into the grounds hand in hand. After a pit stop of uncontrollable dancing to Wolfgang Gartner‘s insanely addictive electro-house, our night really got started.

We ran into Fly Moon Royalty and Sportin’ Life Records‘ Jenn and DeVon, and all took a seat on the edge of the main stage lawn just above the floor. Jack White‘s gravely voice and expert grace on the guitar held us all in rapture as he murdered the hell out of that set. I wasn’t initially a Jack White fan. I thought he was talented but wasn’t really that into the White Stripes, and then when the level of critical praise from the mainstream media reached that of god-like adoration, I was even a little put off. I have sense grown to deeply appreciate his artistry and the old-soul wisdom he brings to his craft, and his set at Sasquatch was by far one of the highlights of the festival. When he finished, we all kind of meandered dizzily away from the lawn, high on great music and probably some other things as well.

The last show of the night was the Roots over on the Big Foot stage. Lisa Dank and I darted all over the crowd, dancing and laughing and people watching. It had been an amazing day, and we were only half-way through. We retired to the campgrounds to trek between parties, following bass lines in the dark until we found dancing. Sleep wouldn’t come until the first light of morning, but who needs sleep when you can run on fun?

(Photo credits in order of appearance: Christopher Nelson; Kyle Johnson; Christopher Nelson)
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Sasquatch 2012 Recap: Day 1

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Seattle Peach

Seattle Peach has always had a deep love of local talent, and kicking off my forth year at Sasquatch by catching Metal Chocolates tear up the Maine Stage seemed fitting on so many levels. Champagne Champagne were the very first band to perform the first year I attended back in 2009, and while they weren’t on the line up this year, the Seattle hip-hop scene is just one big giant family. To see so many familiar faces on stage at a festival of this magnitude was awe inspiring–the level of exposure these artists have been given is immeasurable. Metal Chocolates brought their A-game, too. Things were a little rocky to start (some sound issues needed sorting out), but by the time the second track dropped, it was aces all the way. OC Notes and Rik Rude have some beautiful chemistry up there on that stage, and they both bring such mellow vibes to their performances, it’s easy to get caught up in the flow of the energy and just groove like crazy.

(For more photos of the Metal Chocolates set, visit Nark Magazine)

A couple of young girls got the wild idea to jump on stage and dance alongside the band, which got me to thinking about this kind of behavior from the audience at a show. Basically, it’s pretty rude to just jump on stage and dance like a maniac if the performer didn’t invite you up there to do so. No body paid to come watch you dance. They came to watch some amazing music from one of their favorite artists. By all means, wile out like crazy in the crowd–it totally hypes the other people around you and encourages the rest of the audience to dance as well. But don’t just rush the stage and interfere with the show.

After the Metal Chocolates set wrapped up, I crossed the lawn for Poliça at the Big Foot stage. This group caught my attention just before the end of last year, and the record they released this year is on my short list for favorite albums for 2012. Channy Leaneagh, the group’s front woman, has this magnificent tranquil presence, gliding across the stage with calm assurance. She comes accompanied by producer, Ryan Olson, Leaneagh’s ex-GAYNGS cohort, who plays bass and sings back up for the live set. The two drummer rhythm section is big and booming and is a lovely contrast to Leaneagh’s haunting vocals. I was a little nervous about how the melancholia of the music was going to translate in the bright rays of daylight, but the beauty and expansiveness of the Gorge was a perfect setting for such introspective tunes. You just have to kind of ignore all the carousing party kids falling all over themselves.

(For more photos of the Poliça set, visit Nark Magazine)

I took a short break from shows to catch up with Trent Moorman, who is one my very most favorite writers and plays in about a gazillion bands (maybe you’ve heard of him?). The concentration of awesome going on behind the scenes of Sasquatch is simply mind blowing. Over the course of the weekend, I met so many incredible people. The amount of talent contained within the festival grounds, between the performers, writers, photographers, stage hands, technical staff, the Live Nation crew, and everyone in between, I swear if we all sat around and contemplated world domination, we could probably shake something down.

After dropping off all of my gear back at camp, I hiked back into the main stage floor just as Macklemore & Ryan Lewis were surprising everyone with an impromptu short set. It was awesome! It totally caught me off guard and was another blast of local Seattle talent for thousands upon thousands of ears. Granted, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are crazy famous already, and have been enjoying some pretty spectacular levels of success as of late, but still, it was just one more example of why my city’s filthy. To top it all off, Macklemore was rocking a “Legalize Gay Marriage” tee, which had to have been a deliberate choice. The show of solidarity from this hip-hopping straight boy warmed my heart immensely.

When Pretty Lights took the stage, the crowd went completely insane. Watching fifty billion glowsticks explode into the air, cascading across the massive sprawl of the main stage lawn, was like nothing I’d ever seen before. I remember last year being blown away by this same effect, but on a smaller scale, when Bassnectar closed out the Big Foot stage on Saturday night. It’s such a simple thing, but it makes for such a spectacular sight. Pretty Lights set was super on-point. I danced until my feet gave out on me and I had to retreat. It was a delicious end to only the beginning of the Sasquatch festivities.

(Photo credits in order of appearance: Seattle Peach; Seattle Peach; Christopher Nelson)
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