It's high time we started scouring the schedule and getting that backlog of laundry done -- because this year's Sasquatch festival up at the Gorge is upon us, and we'll be heading up there for the long Memorial Day weekend (including Friday) to report back the best of what's good. Here's a blow-by-blow of what's really blasting some emotional sunshine into the damp, grey corners of our Seattle springtime:

Monday's main stage shows are going to kick serious ass. Starting with the finish line: the day will wrap up with a full frontal dose of Wilco on a stage warmed up by the Decemberists, a win-win for a variety of tastes. Prior to that, the throwback sounds of Best Coast will be assaulting us from the Yeti stage, and before that we'll shoot over to the Bigfoot stage to catch the sweet, smiling-but-melancholy sounds of Stornoway. All this and a bag of goodies after starting off our morning (at 1pm) with the Young Evils, and the first appearance at the main stage for the day to catch Mr. Miller and the rest of the Old 97's. Monday will be full of big guitars, upbeat jangle-pop, swoontastic harmonies, and hopefully, lots and lots of sunshine to go along with the vibe.

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at Showbox at the Market

You can guess the ambience in the Showbox on an early November Friday night, especially once you add key details like these: The Moondoggies were holding down the second slot on a 3-band bill, prepping the crowd for the Cave Singers as both bands warm their engines for road swings.

Yes, there was rain – slightly Old Testament at times, pelting First and Pike. Yes, there scads of people seeking dry land and the solace of a locavore night of rock n roll. And the Moondoggies, who refer to themselves as the “Everett Shit Kickers” in their liner note on the stellar new disc, Tidelands, leaned in and let fly to warm the room.

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at The Tractor Tavern

Magic Mtn, the newest project from Arthur & Yu frontman Grant Olsen, had their first ever show last night at the Tractor Tavern. Basically just Olsen with a backing band of the Moondoggies, Magic Mtn sounded a great deal like Arthur & Yu. That 60's dreamy pop vibe was there, the lilting lyrics tripping along at an easy gate. Olsen's vocals were softened down to a pleasant lo-fi hush and the easy swagger of his songs and stage presence resembled so much of his previous project. His style is ethereal, meandering pop a little bit outside of it's time. It's pleasant, woodsy and at it's best when a lazy guitar jam creeps in and draws it all out.

Don't Be A Stranger has been a new favorite album of mine for the past year or so. Their sound hearkens back to what feels familiar to me: the outdoors, dusty roads and the beer-soaked nights of the country. It feels like the southern classic rock that was to become the soundtrack of my childhood, and to which my love of music has it's very base. They were fortunate enough to open for Sera Cahoone two nights in a row last week, and I was fortunate enough to be in attendance at the Saturday show.

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The Moondoggies have captured our beard-loving northwestern hearts. They play American music.. music that is warm, stilted with lush harmonies and hinting at a prevalent and haunting sense of wanderlust. And much like most bands these days, their sound can't be classified singley. It's country. It's gospel. It's a rollicking bar-jam that is at once revelatory and mournful.

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Fresh off the presses from our inboxes comes this week's launch of GIVE -- 30 downloadable tracks from a variety of Seattle artists, who are donating their songs to benefit Arts Corps and local area foodbanks. The $7.00 (!) compilation, which was produced, curated, and funded by Caffe Vita, will be available online here. Physical compilations can be picked up at all Caffe Vita locations, Easy Street Records, Sonic Boom Records, University Book Store, The Crocodile, EMP, Neumo's, and Sorrento Hotel. The in-hand compilations will include a physical card with a redemption code for the download, and a prettied-up sleeve to make it a ready-to-give present.

Here's the full track listing -- nearly all of which are exclusive to the compilation:

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at Tractor Tavern

For some reason, a roots rock revival has taken hold in the arid, condominium-covered soil of contemporary Seattle.  During the last year, The Maldives, The Moondoggies and The Fleet Foxes have sprouted and blossomed in a glorious burst of beards, fiddles and flannel. It makes about as much sense as when Creedence Clearwater Revival showed up on San Francisco stages in the late 60’s, wearing Civil War uniforms and singing about the swamps and bayous and hollers of the American South, all the while surrounded by acid freaks in bellbottoms and day-glo face paint.

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Got sneakers?

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Upset. The word of the our 2008 Best Northwest Releases of 2008 Readers' Poll is upset.

With the Fleet Foxes winning readers and critical polls alike, who would've thought they wouldn't get top honors in our humble little Northwest poll? But they didn't -- they placed a distant second to New Faces, another debut record from some very talented, very young Northwest fellas.

We had other surprises as well, with unsigned newcomers such as Hey Marseilles, the Kindness Kind, and Kaylee Cole cracking the top ten, beating out Northwest heavyweights such as Death Cab for Cutie. We did not expect that. And we love it when you surprise us, dear readers.

We imaginaries like to champion the up-and-comers from the Northwest, and our results indicate that you do as well. We think you all also have fabulous taste, as always. Thanks to everyone who participated in our poll. We couldn't be more proud or thrilled to present the top 50 winners on your behalf...

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This week sees a new full-length debut from Moondoggies as well as new singles from Bikini Kill and Huggy Bear. Oh yeah!

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