Squamish Valley Music Festival Band of the Day: Said the Whale

Like Christmas when it gets to be the end of November, and Easter when the trees start to sprout leaves after a long winter, it’s starting to feel like it’s almost here. Just so there’s no confusion, we’re not talking the night when the fat bearded guy stuffs himself down the chimney or when a white rabbit breaks into the house to strew chocolate offspring and rainbow coloured eggs everywhere.

No, we’re talking about the Squamish Valley Music Festival, taking place August 8-10 at the Logger Sports Grounds and Hendrickson Fields. In anticipation of the big day, we’re spending the next few weeks rounding up local artists who’ll be playing this year’s event, and getting them to answer some important questions.

Like who they’ll be cueing up on the iPod for the Sea to Sky drive to the site, what they’ll be making sure to pack to make it through their set, the all-time dream festival lineup, and who they plan to stalk backstage. And that’s just the start of our probing. Read on, but not before you pick up your Squamish Valley Music Festival ticket. The last thing you want to miss is today’s featured local artist....

The hometown heroes in Said the Whale are Vancouver's unofficial musical ambassadors. Tyler Bancroft doesn't always sing about his city (the title of Said the Whale's forthcoming new album, hawaiii, suggests something a bit more tropical), but when he does, it's hard not to feel the love. 

Sea to Sky Playlist:

• Yukon Blonde, "My Girl"
• Yukon Blonde, "Radio"
• Yukon Blonde, "Stairway"
• Yukon Blonde, "Iron Fist"
• Yukon Blonde, "Oregon Shores"
• Yukon Blonde, "Six Dead Tigers"
• Yukon Blonde, "For LA"
• Yukon Blonde, "Breathing Tigers"
• Yukon Blonde, "Guns"
• Yukon Blonde, "Sweet Dee"

Outdoor essentials:

• Dictionary (for decoding Vampire Weekend lyrics)
• Real seagull covered in oil, speared on the end a pike pole with a “fuck u pipeline” tag hanging around its neck (for Dan Mangan set)
• Sign that says “Josh, you’re my Homme-boy” (for QOTSA set, in hopes of inciting a YouTube-worthy heckle-sesh)

We'd Love to Hang With:

Want to have a staring contest with Ezra Koenig from Vampy Weeks. Afterwards I’d like him to stand on a stump and dictate his entire Twitter history.

First Festival Experience:

First festival experience was Sasquatch in 2006. I suppose I was a festival late-bloomer. Only attended Day 1. There was a hail storm so Neko Case had to cut her set short. The Hip dedicated their set to her (cool moves). Stephen Malkmus battled through a flurry of “Summer Babe” requests (too soon?). The Shins played the Garden State soundtrack. Paid $12 for a beer like a sucker. Rained so hard that our tent accumulated 3 inches of water (was an amateur camper at this point in life), slept on the floor of a minivan.

As Stellar As This Year’s Squamish Bill is, What’s Your Fantasy Fest Line-up?

• Said The Whale
• Said The Whale play Disney classics
• Said The Whale read mediocre Said The Whale reviews
• Said The Whale say nice things about other bands
• Said The Whale revival
• Said The Whale teach kids how to build fire and shelter
• Said The Whale get haircuts
• Said The Whale eat jumbo freezies in silence