[Our fearless team, Nicci Boots and Ian McNeil spent three days listening to an obscene amount of fantastic music above the stunning Columbia River Gorge in George, Washington. Check out all our coverage here, over 30 sets from a who's who list of indie music.]
I first thought it was quirky and hilarious that Swedish folk musician Kristian Matsson went by the stage name The Tallest Man on Earth. A tiny little guy that’s probably shorter than even my 5’2" stature, Matsson looks to be nothing more than quaint. His voice, guitar and lyrics evoke a much more enormous and satisfying thing than I could’ve ever imagined, however, and that’s why I couldn’t wait to see his performance at the festival.
Announcing that he felt scared by being in front of such a large audience, Matsson smiled and launched into one of the most dynamic sets Sasquatch! had to offer. He was absolutely powerful as a one-man band, and his Dylan-esque emissions were enriching, to say the least. With his raspy voice, he mesmerized me, particularly when singing of a lost love being just a riddle in the sky, wondering “Oh, where do my bluebirds fly?”
Part of me doesn’t want to single him out for being such a small guy, but it’s what makes him such a sincere and impressive musician. He’s not trying to be anything more than he is, and that’s just fine. Because Matsson truly is an incredible force of music.
