Sasquatch '09: M Ward, Shearwater, Sun Kill Moon
And so it is with virgin ears listen to these three bands labor in the sun for not only my entertainment, but my admiration, my attention and my hard earned duckets. Am I willing to buy merch? Hell yes. Will I be spending my big heads on any of the works of the band I'll see this weekend? We'll see. 
Renee McMahon Watch a slideshow of Saturday at Sasquatch 2009 featuring M. Ward, Kings of Leon, Animal Collective, and more.
M Ward
Like many a band on the festival circuit, M.Wards tinny brand of guitar pop seems like it would translate better during a deep headphone-listening session than live, But they acquit themselves well, The crowd maybe sparse during their midday set, but the sound is lush and the band surprisingly flashy considering that they play to the indie-folk set.
Shearwater
I don't know Austin's Shearwater from Adam. And yet, I feel like I've heard their music before. Their lead singer, Jonathan Meiberg, is a founding member of Okerrvil River, and like that band, Shearwater's sound seems to hide behind their frontman's tremulous voice before exploding big and cacophonous into the ether. And how cool is it that their drummer, multi-instrumentalist is named Thor?
Sun Kil Moon
It isn't until you hear them live that you realize how much of Sun Kil Moon's personality is tied to Mark Kozelek's voice. Feeling anguished? Wistful? Do you have a dull, lingering lament? Based on today's show, Kozelek's droning baritone can distill all of those into sprawling dirges that soar, then sink, then soar again. It's catharsis, alt-country style.
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