Tips For A Great Sasquatch Experience
If you've bought your tickets for Sasquatch and have been ignoring the numerous emails from Live Nation this week and assumed they were adverts or delivery confirmations, look again.
They have updated and increased security measures at the three-day music festival at The Gorge Amphitheatre in response to the horrible attack in Manchester, England.
I am planning on skipping Friday night to head out to Renegade Raceway for the Dee Adams Memorial, but Saturday night the big draw of the weekend hits the stage -- Twenty One Pilots. I am sure most folks attending the festival will be there for Saturday only, because this year's lineup is pretty thin on the other dates. So plan on sitting in traffic on 90 if you arrive late.
My teenagers are obsessed with Twenty One Pilots now, despite having chastised me a few years ago when I played their first release on a road trip. My, how times have changed for those dudes. So, yeah I will be there Saturday. Come and find me!
Security measures are actually suggesting that you leave any bags in your vehicle. Those suggestions also include arriving early, but gates open at midday and the first act I even have a mild interest in doesn't go onstage until 4 in afternoon. So yeah, plan your weekend by checking out their lineup schedule.
The main thing is that when you enter, notice the exits and report suspicious behavior. Try and pack light, but remember this is the Gorge in the spring. You will need cool clothes for the afternoon, but it will feel awful cold by the time the sun goes down.
There is nothing more miserable than sitting on the cold grass with your arms in your T-shirt waiting for the one act you came to see even start.
Blankets are your secret weapon, but if you have a bad back try remembering to bring a stadium seat with a backrest. The Gorge does allow one unopened store-bought bottle of water, and they said they will be searching bags thoroughly. Be prepared for a more in-depth inspection than last year as you enter -- they are warning of physical pat-downs and/or the use of metal detectors. Should you bring a bag, it will be searched and may slow down your entry time.
The main tip: plan ahead. Bring water and food for the car pre- and post-show. There is literally nothing else out there and all the hotels in Ellensburg might be full this weekend, so keep that in mind as well if you think you may be too bushed to make it back to Yakima after sitting in traffic.
The best acts this year are Sleigh Bells, The Strumbellas, Catfish And The Bottlemen, MGMT, Bleachers, TOP, Phantogram and comedian Fred Armisen.
Here are some of the songs I am looking forward to: