Sasquatch 2014: Sir Sly's unique sound almost gets lost in the fray

The final day of Sasquatch Music Festival came up quickly; no doubt because the fest shortened its length from four to three days in an all-advised attempt to fit in a second weekend on the 4th of July.

And while the vibe on the festival grounds was frantic as crowds clamoured to catch bands like Haim, Major Lazer, and Queens of the Stone Age, other acts got lost in the fray.

Count the three-piece Sir Sly (with two additional members for touring purposes) in that latter category.

Pockmarked by their stylish haircuts, the Los Angeles boys played the Bigfoot stage early in the day and the darlings of the Hype Machine website brought the stage presence of a much more veteran band.

Lead singer/guitarist/keyboardist Landon Jacobs looks like a more handsome Win Butler but his defining characteristic is his voice, one of the biggest weapons in Sir Sly’s arsenal, because the band sounds like nobody else.

“This is our first festival ever. Let’s have a great time today,” said Jacobs, after leading the set off with the laid-back anthem “Where I’m Going”. Sly’s flow was perfect for the half-cut, day-drinking crowd as songs like “Too Far Gone” got heads bobbing and arms waving.

Launching into one of the band’s two singles with the catchy “Ghost” and sending the audience into frenzy, Jacobs admitted that “We didn’t know what to expect. We just drove here from Atlanta, two days of driving, 18 hours a day. Thank you for coming out.”

A downright filthy cover of Drake’s “Marvin’s Room” was next as Jacobs spat out lyrics in a sensual fashion that would make the Toronto Raptors’ biggest fan proud.

As the band started in on its other single, “Gold”, it was very much apparent that the crowd at the Bigfoot Stage just didn’t do this performance justice. It’s a shame really. As someone nearby said, “I’m going to download this when I get home.”

Amen.