In this third episode of Spotlight on Science, we speak with clinical psychology professor Nick Allen about the Center for Digital Mental Health at the University of Oregon; The Lewis Center for Neuroimaging; the connection between technology wearables and tracking mental health and his philosophy toward music genres.

Spotlight on Science is a new series from the Emerald Podcast Network in which we bring in some of the members of the University of Oregon science community to explain what their research is in simple language we can all understand.

This episode was produced by Emerson Malone. Our theme song is “Zombie Disco” by Six Umbrellas.

The post Podcast: Spotlight on Science, ep. 3: Prof. Nick Allen appeared first on Emerald Media.

In this episode from the Emerald Podcast Network, Emerald staffers Dana Alston and Kylie Davis discuss the newest export from the DC Cinematic Universe, “Wonder Woman.”

This episode was produced by Emerson Malone.

The post Podcast: Double Take: Wonder Woman appeared first on Emerald Media.

If you are having trouble going to sleep tonight, Sam and Andy are here to help tuck you in. In this episode, Emerald staffers Andy Field and Sam Sigman use their quietest, most soothing voices to help you get a good night’s rest. Sweet dreams.

This episode was produced by Emerson Malone. You’ll hear the song “Dans l’ascenseur” by Frederic Lardon feat Laura Palmée, which is in the public domain.

The post Podcast: Sleepy Time with Sam and Andy appeared first on Emerald Media.

Here are some highlights from the final day of Sasquatch. Check out photos by Philip Quinn and Emerson Malone

Indie-pop groups Hoops and Chicano Batman had concurrent, fantastic sets on opposite ends of the festival grounds. Hoops, of Bloomington, Idaho, had an affable set; the track “Gemini” is a sweet, summer track with bright keyboards and a driving drum-and-bass section). Batman, based in Los Angeles, is a stellar mix of soul and R&B, carried by singers Bardo Martinez and Eduardo Arenas.

Meanwhile, the afternoon also brought three solid rock sets: first from indie rockers Car Seat Headrest with a blistering rock set on the Sasquatch stage. Drummer Andrew Katz, a University of Oregon alum, worked a sampler as well as the drum kit. The vocal samplings added a nice dimension to the set. When he wasn’t being sorrowful with his hushed monotone at the mic, Will Toledo, clad in a black shirt and black tie on this hot afternoon, would stand in the back of the stage away from the audience, bent over his guitar like a seasick sailor. The set included cuts from last year’s “Teens of Denial,” including “Vincent,” “Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales” and “Destroyed by Hippie Powers.”

July Talk was a surprise find at the small Yeti stage. Touring in support of last September’s release “Touch,” Toronto’s art-rock outfit came out of nowhere, like a brick through a window; they had an amazingly authoritative stage presence. Peter Dreimanis and Leah Fay — who taunted the crowd with her violent tambourine shakes — are electrifying.

Phantogram brought an epic, cinematic show to the same stage; Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter opened with “You’re Mine” under the spotlight of the Sun, which squeezed through gaps in the scaffolding. Soon after Barthel joined, the crowd tried to wish Carter a happy birthday, but the cued-up sample for “Don’t Move” interrupted, and the singing faded away.

The Shins stole the sunset slot at the Sasquatch stage; the group, fronted by James Mercer, had a set that was nothing short of perfect. After entering to the “Twin Peaks” theme, the band jumped into some choice cuts: “Caring Is Creepy,” followed by “Australia” and “Name For You.”

Here, Mercer remarked to the crowd that it “smells like…recreational something.” Another notch on the setlist included the “Heartworms” single “Mildenhall,” an autobiographical track about Mercer moving to the U.K. with his family as a kid. “I was bummed,” he said with a loud laugh. In the track, Mercer pines, “Well god damn, you miss the USA.” To the Sasquatch crowd, he remarked, “I love this Memorial Day shit right here.”

The passion and elegance of the collective’s musical prowess translates effortlessly from studio to stage. The group’s touring violinist added an intriguing interpretation of classic Shins cuts. And The Shins’ live show only enforces that nobody comes close to matching Mercer’s immaculate lyricisms, such as when he cries: “You know you’d trade your life for any ordinary Joe’s / Well do it now or grow old / Your nightmares only need a year or two to unfold” in “Australia.” Plus, no other live show experience could top seeing the sun set as the band performed “Saint Simon.”

In a grand, emotional finale, the group played “Sleeping Lessons,” the opening track from “Wincing The Night Away,” and injected it with an exceptional cover of Tom Petty’s “American Girl.”

The night ended with Chance the Rapper, who began his set by making bird caws from the dark to the crowd, which were echoed back to him a thousand-fold. The show, part of Chance’s “Be Encouraged Tour,” exemplified the best of Chance, who bounced around and ran laps back and forth across the stage in a Black Lives Matter tee as he rapped about his favorite things: faith (“Blessings”), cuddling (“Cocoa Butter Kisses”), best friends (“Summer Friends” from “Coloring Book”) and his independence as an artist (“No Problem.”) In “No Problem,” the screen behind him cycled through a few parodies of major labels: Sony became “Phony”; Univeral became “Undiverse”; and Warner Music Group “Weiner Music Group.” Chance — whose boundless elation and optimism was a contagion spread among the crowd — proved to be a perfect, uplifting close to this three-day weekend.

Click here for photos from day 1 and day 2 of Sasquatch!

Compton rapper Boogie performs at the Yeti stage. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Chicago rapper Joey Purp performs at the Bigfoot Stage during Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., on Sunday, May 28, 2017. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

The crowd is alight with cell phones during Chance The Rapper’s performance at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., on Sunday night, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

Chance The Rapper performs at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., on Sunday night, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

Chance The Rapper performs at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., on Sunday night, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

Chance The Rapper performs at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., on Sunday night, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

Chance The Rapper performs at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., on Sunday night, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

Chance The Rapper performs at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., on Sunday night, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

Chance The Rapper performs at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., on Sunday night, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

Chance The Rapper performs at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., on Sunday night, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

Chance The Rapper performs at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., on Sunday night, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

Chance The Rapper performs at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., on Sunday night, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

Chance The Rapper performs at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., on Sunday, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

The Shins perform at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater on Sunday, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

James Mercer of The Shins performs at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater on Sunday, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

James Mercer of The Shins performs at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater on Sunday, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

James Mercer of The Shins performs at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater on Sunday, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

James Mercer of The Shins performs at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater on Sunday, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

The Shins perform at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater on Sunday, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

James Mercer of The Shins performs at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater on Sunday, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

The Shins perform at the Sasquatch stage during the Sasquatch! 2017 Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater on Sunday, May 28. (Emerson Malone/Emerald)

July Talk on the Yeti stage on Sunday, May 28 as part of Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Leah Fay of July Talk on the Yeti stage on Sunday, May 28 as part of Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Kyle Craft on the Yeti stage on Sunday, May 28 as part of Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Josh Carter of Phantogram on the Sasquatch stage on Sunday, May 28 as part of Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Sarah Baruchel of Phantogram on the Sasquatch stage on Sunday, May 28 as part of Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Sarah Barthel of Phantogram on the Sasquatch stage on Sunday, May 28 as part of Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Rapper Joey Purp performs at the Bigfoot stage during the last day of the festival. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Joey Purp raps to the crowd. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Chicago rapper Joey Purp smiles as he takes the stage. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Joey Purp plays a new song for the crowd. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Lead vocalist Mish Way of White Lung sings to the crowd at the Bigfoot stage. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Compton rapper Boogie on the Yeti stage on Sunday, May 28 as part of Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Car Seat Headrest on the Sasquatch stage on Sunday, May 28 as part of Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Bardo Martinez of Chicano Batman on the Sasquatch stage on Sunday, May 28 as part of Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Bardo Martinez of Chicano Batman on the Sasquatch stage on Sunday, May 28 as part of Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

More photos to come!

The post Photos: Sasquatch! Day 3: Chance the Rapper, The Shins, Phantogram (updated) appeared first on Emerald Media.

A second major change-up in the Sasquatch! schedule was the replacement of Pittsburgh rapper Mac Miller. The Pittsburgh rapper is the boyfriend of Ariana Grande, whose show was the target of a terrorist attack in Manchester, England, last week. On Friday it was announced he’d be replaced by Sir Mix-a-Lot.

One campsite in the festival campground was marked with a flag with the poignant message, “Saturday Is For The Boys.” Very few women played during Saturday’s line-up, especially on the main stage, which had acts including Blitzen Trapper, Bleachers and Sir Mix A Lot. All the evening acts were pretty dude-heavy, too: MGMT, Jagwar Ma, Vulfpeck and Twenty-One Pilots.

Check out our photos from day 1 of Sasquatch! here.

Here are some of Friday’s highlights. Check out photos below by Phillip Quinn and Emerson Malone.

• Proud Oregonians Blitzen Trapper drape keyboardist Marty Marquis’ stand with a Cascadia flag. The group played the transcendent “Furr” and “God and Suicide” as well as the door-busting cut “All Across This Land.” The group had an afternoon set at the main stage, the largest platform, framed by the striking Columbia River cutting through the Columbia Gorge canyon. But despite the grand stage, the show still felt as cozy as their Hi-Fi Music Hall show in November 2015 in Eugene (read our review here). The audience, unfortunately, had pockets of 21 Pilots awaitees, plenty of whom talked constantly, compared their fidget spinners with one another, and turned their backs to the stage.It was as if they were at an HBCU commencement ceremony, and Blitzen Trapper were Betsy DeVos. (The headlining 21 Pilots would not take the stage for another eight hours.) But as squatting audience members were drying up like raisins in the sun, the temperature was creeping to 85 degrees. That made it easier for this reporter to insist that his cheeks weren’t wet from the beautiful soul of Blitzen Trapper, but rather, that it’s sweat.
• Bleachers, the anthemic indie-pop band from Jersey fronted by Jack Antonoff of Fun., also played at the main stage. The vibrant set included “I Wanna Get Better,” “You’re Still A Mystery” and even a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way.” Like Thee Oh Sees yesterday, Bleachers also has two drummers. Antonoff paid respects to Greg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band, who just died today. Antonoff recalled being 9 years old when his dad showed him the Allman Brothers. “I always dreamed of having two drummers,” he said. The new Bleachers album “Gone Now” drops Friday, June 2.
• The comedy tent killed it today: Alice Wetterlund skewered fidget spinners (“I get that the economy is in the shitter because everybody is expecting the apocalypse, but do we really need to be playing Dust Bowl toys?” Nate Bargatze discussed how depressing Leonardo DeCaprio’s Twitter feed is (“He’s miserable; he has the weight of the world on his shoulders.”) And the headliner Fred Armisen had an outstanding variety act. One part of his set was structured as if he were about to tell a joke, but he simply reiterated the events of the “La La Land”-”Moonlight” mix-up on Oscar night. Armisen played a sketch from Portlandia about buying a white rug (what started as an allegory for a having a child devolved into a weird “Sid and Nancy” pastiche); grabbed his guitar to play the Saturday Night Live deep cut “Sparkling Apple Juice” by The Bjelland Brothers; had a lengthy Q&A session with the audience, during which he shared advice to aspiring comedians, quoted his Broad City character, and even revived a role from his SNL try-out Fericito, a Venezuelan timpani player with the catchphrase “I just kidding!” His SNL audition also included imitations of Vin Diesel and a Law and Order character. “It got me the job,” he said, “no matter how obscure it sounds.”
• MGMT’s set took place as the sun tucked behind the Columbia Gorge horizon. Their set was a tasteful interchange of avant-garde American art-pop, the hits from “Oracular Spectacular” and even a fantastic cover of Q Lazzarus’s “Goodbye Horses.”
• Vulfpeck, often joked to be the favorite band of music majors, delivered the polyrhythmic funk at the Bigfoot Stage soon thereafter. The band members wore headsets so they could keep both hands free to make love to their respective instruments. Vulfpeck carried a running bit throughout the show that Sasquatch! was their corporate keynote conference. The set wasn’t just bass solos, bass guitar solos, drum kit solos, beatboxing and scatting; plenty of audience interaction went with it: singing “Summer Lovin’” from “Grease” as Jack Stratton played drums, or having different segments of the crowd harmonize along with Vulfpeck’s power ballad “Christmas in L.A.”
• The crowd compressed against the main stage, who’d been waiting since the day’s first acts, finally received Twenty-One Pilots at 10:30 p.m. When singer Tyler Joseph asked, “How many of you are seeing us for the first time?”, a roar erupted from the amphitheatre as if a gladiator brawl were taking place in a coliseum.

Seattle rapper Sir Mix-a-lot joins the Sasquatch! main stage as a replacement for rapper Mac Miller. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Sir-Mix-a-Lot kept it old school, assuring the crowd he did not lip sync. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash.m from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Sir-Mix-a-Lot calls out to the crowd during his set. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Vulfpeck lead singer Theo Katzman performs at the Bigfoot stage. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Theo Katzman welcomes special guest Antwaun Stanley to the stage. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Members of the crowd dance to Vulfpeck’s set. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in Quincy, Wash. from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Michigan singer Antwaun Stanley joins Vulfpeck on the Bigfoot stage for a collaborative performance. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Vulfpeck perform at the Bigfoot stage on day two of the festival. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Theo Katzman of Vulfpeck stuns the crowd with his music and thigh-highs. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Fred Armisen does a Q&A with the audience in the El Chupacabra tent on Saturday, May 27 during Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017 in George, Washington. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Fred Armisen watches a “Portlandia” sketch with the audience in the El Chupacabra tent on Saturday, May 27 during Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017 in George, Washington. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Fred Armisen does a Q&A with the audience in the El Chupacabra tent on Saturday, May 27 during Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017 in George, Washington. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Eric Earley of Blitzen Treppar sings on Saturday, May 27 during Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017 in George, Washington. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Jack Antonoff of Bleachers plays the Sasquatch! stage on Saturday, May 27 during Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017 in George, Washington. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Jack Antonoff of Bleachers plays the Sasquatch! stage on Saturday, May 27 during Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017 in George, Washington. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Jack Antonoff of Bleachers plays the Sasquatch! stage on Saturday, May 27 during Sasquatch! Music Festival 2017 in George, Washington. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Jack Antonoff of Bleachers sings to the crowd. The annual Sasquatch Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Jack Antonoff rocks out on his guitar. The annual Sasquatch Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Jack Antonoff of Bleachers performs at the Sasquatch main stage for the first time. The annual Sasquatch Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Bleachers lead singer Jack Antonoff hypes up the crowd as he takes the stage. The annual Sasquatch Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

The post Photos from Sasquatch! Day 2: Bleachers, Sir Mix-a-Lot, Fred Armisen appeared first on Emerald Media.

Big Freedia, Sleigh Bells, Thee Oh Sees, The Strumbellas, Corey Harper, Mondo Cozmo and others brought in day 1 of Sasquatch! Music Festival, underway today through Sunday, May 29. This is the day during which Frank Ocean, who was the first performance announced for this year, would have played, but LCD Soundsystem went in his place.

Here are some of the day’s highlights. Check out photos by Philip Quinn.

• The day began with some stately Americana folk from Corey Harper with covers of Nico’s “These Days” and Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire.”
• Los Colognes played a leisurely blues-rock set in the balmy afternoon on the Yeti stage. Frontman Jay Rutherford remarked that they hail from east Nashville: “home of the most overrated tacos.”
• The Strumbellas played an early afternoon set on the main Sasquatch stage; the group self-introduced as “a rock-and-roll musical organization from Canada.” None seemed more ecstatic about this than vocalist and keyboardist Dave Ritter — he wore a cap embroidered with his first name — who bounced around and pumped his fists tirelessly.
• Thee Oh Sees took the Bigfoot Stage at the most punishing hour of afternoon sun. The San Francisco-based four-piece has two drummers. Literally half the band is drummers. They played an entire hour of teeth-clenching cuts. Frontman John Dwyer transforms into an animal, stretches his torso into uncomfortable poses and constantly spits onto the stage.
• Today marked the third time the Emerald has seen Thee Oh Sees, who are consistently one of the most exceptional live shows to catch. Read more about their shows from Project Pabst 2015 and Pickathon 2016 here.
• Sleigh Bells took the main stage and demolished it. In the El Chupacabra tent, reserved for EDM and comedy sets, Sasheer Zamata had a headlining set. Zamata quit “Saturday Night Live” last week, where she was a regular since January 18, 2014. She opened, “I’m not ready to talk about it, so here are some jokes about airplanes.” Zamata surveyed the largely Washingtonian crowd and asked what there is to do in Seattle. Someone shouted at Zamata, who asked, “What? Did you say ‘I look gorgeous’?” The attendee shouted back: “No! You can get a drink of Unicorn Jizz.” “Does it look like unicorn jizz?” Zamata asked back.
• Big Freedia had an epic set of bounce hop (the booty-heavy New Orleans spin on hip hop) at Bigfoot Stage. The show was about 60 percent twerking (not just the booty dancers, but Freedia as well). Freedia is perhaps best known for her addition in Beyoncé’s “Formation” music video. Freedia is the one who yells: “I did not come to play with you hoes, ha ha. I came to slay bitch! I like cornbread and collard greens, bitch! Oh yas, you besta believe it.” That’s how you become “the Queen Diva of the New Orleans Bounce.”
• The evening brought a radiant, exuberant show from Foxygen, one of the ecstatic highlights of the music festival’s first day. The band, the psych-rock minds-on-fire duo Jonathan Rado and Sam France, is touring in support of January’s album “Hang.” (In the crowd before the show began, rumors circulated that they’d bring out Lil Yachty; this did not happen.) A ghost-pale France, gorgeously drunk on star power, came out in aviator shades, a shirt tied around his belly and a Stetson hat. His stage banter began with thanking everyone for coming, but veered seamlessly into chatter about astral projection, hypnosis, and having an orgy at a music festival. The group was backed by at least five other musicians, including a three-piece horn accompaniment, which traded the wobble bass fills of “Shuggie” with a sexy trombone fill. France finished “America,” an existential treatise about nationalist woes, with a luxuriated “Americaaaaa, fuuuuuck yeah.” He paused. “That’s the first thing people say,” France said, nodded to himself, turned to Rado and repeated: “That’s the first thing that people say.”
• LCD Soundsystem finished its album two days ago, as announced by sleepy-eyed frontman James Murphy, who regularly waved to the crowd on Friday night. “The fuckin’ album is done,” he said. “I feel like we’ve killed the white whale.” The dance-rock ensemble, who announced a break-up six years ago before subsequently announcing a just-kidding reunion in January 2016, played the night’s headlining set on the Sasquatch! stage, a slot initially reserved for Frank Ocean. “We originally weren’t invited to play,” Murphy said. “We cried and we hugged it out.” The show was an ecstatic mix of songs from their three albums and exemplary display from Nancy Whang on keyboards and synths and Pat Mahoney on drums. Murphy, apart from clutching his microphone, meandered around the stage, hovered around other band members, and often added a layer of percussion by smacking cymbals and clacking an agogô, a two-tone cowbell.

James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem providing an extra layer of percussion during the dance-rock group’s Sasquatch! Music Festival show on Friday, May 26. (Emerson Malone/Emerald.)

“We finished recording the new album two days ago,” James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem told the crowd at Sasquatch! Music Festival on Friday, May 26. (Emerson Malone/Emerald.)

Sam France of Foxygen, a psych-rock outfit that played Sasquatch! Music Festival on Friday, May 26. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Sam France of Foxygen, a psych-rock outfit that played Sasquatch! Music Festival on Friday, May 26. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Jonathan Rado (left) and Sam France of Foxygen played Sasquatch! Music Festival on Friday, May 26. (Emerson Malone/Emerald).

Sam France of Foxygen strikes a pose during his performance. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)”

Sam France of Foxygen dances with his bandmate during their performance on the Yeti stage. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Foxygen touring member gracefully dances along with the crowd. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Foxygen lead singer Sam France performs at the Yeti stage. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Sam France of Foxygen snarls at the camera. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Kaytranada grooves with the crowd as he closes the first day of the festival. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Dj Kaytranada poses for the camera during his performance. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Canadian DJ Kaytranada greets the crowd as he starts his set at the Bigfoot stage. The annual Sasquatch! Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Big Freedia, also known as the Queen of Bounce, dances on stage. The annual Sasquatch Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Big Freedia flips her hair during her performance at the Bigfoot stage. The annual Sasquatch Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Big Freedia, also known as the Queen of Bounce, dances on stage. The annual Sasquatch Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Big Freedia, also known as the Queen of Bounce, dances on stage. The annual Sasquatch Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Big Freedia flips her hair during her performance at the Bigfoot stage. The annual Sasquatch Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

New Orleans rapper Big Freedia takes the stage. The annual Sasquatch Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

The Strumbellas perform at the Sasquatch! main stage on opening day. The annual Sasquatch Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Isabel Ritchie of The Strumbellas sings to the crowd. The annual Sasquatch Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Lead guitarist Jon Hembrey of The Strumbellas performs on the main stage. The annual Sasquatch Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Simon Ward of The Strumbellas gazes to the crowd at the Sasquatch main stage. The annual Sasquatch Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

The Strumbellas’ guitarist Simon Ward tunes his guitar in between songs. The annual Sasquatch Music Festival is held at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., from May 26-28, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Check back for our daily recaps.

The post Photos from Day 1 of Sasquatch!: LCD Soundsystem, Big Freedia, Foxygen (updated) appeared first on Emerald Media.

Eugene was exposed to a gale-force show of extreme performances on Wednesday night at the Cuthbert Amphitheater, provided by two of Portland’s weirdest exports: Mattress and Modest Mouse.

An exquisite Modest Mouse show was preceded by the enigmatic personality of Rex Marshall, who goes by the stage name Mattress.

Marshall wore a glamorous, reflective gold suit and strutted around with the unflappable confidence of a day-drunk lounge lizard. His style, suspended somewhere between Tom Jones and Future Islands, is defined by the bruising bass synths from his cued-up tracks and his dulcet baritone singing endless, non-sequitur refrains. His stage banter included some exaggerated throat clearing and rhetorical takes like, “How’s my hair?”

As he sang the titular hook from “Fuck the Future,” the second track from his 2016 album “Looking For My People,” he repeated himself interminably and languidly before he paused as if he had forgotten something, and added one last time, “Oh… and fuck the future!”

The increasingly suffocating sounds of bees swarming marked the beginning of Modest Mouse’s set. The band, composed of Isaac Brock and a six-person ensemble, opened with “The World At Large,” the opening cut from 2004’s “Good News For People Who Love Bad News.” Although many of the tracks were not too different from their studio versions, “World” culminated in a lovely electric piano solo, punctuated by Brock’s stabbing guitar, filtered to sound like radio static.

But the infectious indie hits like “Float On” or “Dashboard” — with their peppy, hi-hat-bouncing hooks — were counterbalanced by headier garage-rock (and sometimes borderline nu-metal) renditions of “Dramamine,” which escalated into a prolonged, epic jam, “Doin’ The Cockroach” and “Tiny Cities Made of Ashes.”

In “Tiny Cities,” Brock gnawed on the guitar strings. He thrashed the instrument around and strangled its neck; it almost looked as if he were about to assault an audience member with it. This level of energy and vitriol is rare in a band that’s been around for more than two decades. I mean, really, this degree of violence is usually only reserved for politicians from Montana with a grudge against Guardian reporters.

The setlist demonstrated the versatility of the multi-instrumentalists in the group, especially Tom Peloso, who interchangeably played the upright bass, keyboards, fiddle, bass guitar and horn; and guitarist Jim Fairchild, whose strained, piercing voice backed up Brock on “Bukowski.”

A former Cottage Grove resident, Brock struggled with his stage banter and speaking as a normal human adult.

“It’s nice to be here,” he said, and added cryptically: “It’s nicer to not be elsewhere.”

Later, he offered this: “How’s the internet? Still plugging along? Just keep putting coins in it.”

And later still, he asked, “Anyone about to graduate or somethin’? … Nice one.” He offered some solace to those who aren’t; he rambled semi-coherently: “Anyone livin’ on someone’s couch? Nice one. I believe they call that the College of Hard Knocks. No matter how much you’re fucking up, good on ya!”

Nice one.

Follow Emerson on Twitter: @allmalone.

All photos by Phillip Quinn:

Lisa Molinaro of Modest Mouse plays the violin during “Missed the Boat.” Modest Mouse perform at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Ore., on May 24, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Tom Peloso of Modest Mouse plays the keyboard. Modest Mouse perform at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Ore., on May 24, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Jim Fairchild of Modest Mouse sings to the crowd. Modest Mouse perform at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Ore., on May 24, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse sings “I Came as a Rat.” Modest Mouse perform at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Ore., on May 24, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Lisa Molinaro of Modest Mouse gracefully strums her violin. Modest Mouse perform at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Ore., on May 24, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Modest Mouse perform at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Ore., on May 24, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Lisa Molinaro glances at the crowd during the band’s performance. Modest Mouse perform at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Ore., on May 24, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Isaac Brock sings into the microphone. Modest Mouse perform at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Ore., on May 24, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse strums the banjo during “Bukowski.” Modest Mouse perform at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Ore., on May 24, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

Modest Mouse perform at the Cuthbert Amphitheater in Eugene, Ore., on May 24, 2017. (Phillip Quinn/Emerald)

The post Review: Portland’s Modest Mouse and Mattress bring an exquisite performance to the Cuthbert appeared first on Emerald Media.

Days ahead of Sasquatch! Music Festival this weekend, let us remind you that the trials of attending a music festival are catastrophically underestimated.

In this episode from the Emerald Podcast Network, podcast editor Emerson Malone, digital managing editor Meerah Powell and managing editor of Ethos Hannah Steinkopf-Frank discuss the best way to prepare for it.

Read last year’s Sasquatch! survival guide.

These three seasoned veterans of the music festival circuit discuss the essential items, the optimal footwear, how to sleep at night, staying hydrated and the best and worst food to bring.

This episode was produced by Emerson Malone. Evan DuPell wrote our theme music.

The post Podcast: Music festival survival guide appeared first on Emerald Media.

The convoluted design of the Disneyland experience is explained in this episode from the Emerald Podcast Network. This is part two of Emerald writer Dana Alston’s conversation with University of Oregon marketing professor and former Disney Imagineer Troy Campbell.

Listen to part one — in which Dana and Troy discuss the Marvel Cinematic Universe — over here.

This episode was produced by Alec Cowan and Emerson Malone. Evan DuPell wrote our theme music.

The post Podcast: Troy Campbell on why Disneyland is designed the way it is (Vol. 2) appeared first on Emerald Media.

In this special family reunion edition of the Emerald Recommends series, Emerald writers Emerson Malone and Sararosa Davies are joined by a very special guest: Sararosa’s mom!

Here’s what we recommend in this episode:
‘Swear I’m Good At This’ by Diet Cig
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig

This episode was produced by Emerson Malone.

The post Podcast: Emerald Recommends: Family reunion edition appeared first on Emerald Media.