Sasquatch! Music Festival tried the idea of second weekend in 2014, but due to a lack of ticket sales, has had to cancel it. The concept was innovative; whereas most second weekends of music festivals immediately follow the first weekend, Sasquatch! was planning to have its first shows over Memorial Day Weekend and its second group of shows over Fourth of July Weekend.
According to Consequence of Sound, the Memorial Day lineup for the Sasquatch! Music Festival included bands like OutKast, The National and Queens of the Stone Age, the second weekend, over Fourth of July, included older acts like Soundgarden, Kraftwerk and New Order. In a statement, Live Nation Seattle president Jeff Trisler admitted that the cancellation stemmed from low ticket sales. “The second weekend was not embraced,” Trisler said. “We felt it was better to cancel the new event now and give everyone time to make alternative plans for the Fourth of July weekend. Going forward, Sasquatch! Music Festival will be at the Gorge Amphitheatre on the weekend the fans want: Memorial Day Weekend only.”
Sasquatch! Music Festival got its start in 2002, in a rural area of Washington State. The festival initially focused on indie rock bands and singer-songwriters, but has expanded slightly to include different styles in the years since. Because it’s set away from urban areas, it’s a festival that draws fans to nearby campsites, a la Bonnaroo. Tickets are still available for Memorial Day weekend, and the festival says it will refund all tickets for Fourth of July weekend at the point of purchase. Several of the acts from the canceled weekend have joined the first week lineup, including Demetri Martin, Eugene Mirman, Night Beats, Sol, and Chastity Belt. Broken Bells, Jake Bugg, Rhye and John Grant are also joining the first weekend’s festivities.
The cancellation indirectly benefited other local venues. Many of the artists that were axed from the second weekend when it was canceled are playing replacement shows. Kraftwerk will perform at the Paramount Theater on July 1 and New Order will perform there on July 6. Sharon Van Etten and Courtney Barnett will perform together at Neptune Theater on July 6.
Leave a Comment