By Kim Nowacki
Yakima Herald-Republic

I’m sore, I’m sunburned, I’m broke. (Seriously, $11 for a 24-ounce can of Pabst Blue Ribbon?) Basically, I’ve only just begun to recover from last weekend’s Sasquatch! Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheatre.
You can check out all of my Sasquatch dispatches, plus tons of photos and some “artistically shaky” videos — hey, it’s hard to hold your arms up to shoot video while being jostled by eager fans — from the three-day festival at on.yakimablogs.com/music. Just click on the “Sasquatch! 2008″ link.

And now, after a couple of days to decompress and reflect, here are a few of my favorite Sasquatch memories:

* Despite 20,000 people being there — all conspicuously wearing the same attire: big sunglasses, hipster kuffiyeh scarfs, skinny jeans — each day I always eventually, and totally randomly, ran into my friends.

* The weather. Oh, sure I got a little sun and there were a few rain showers, but no blistering heat making life unbearable, or hail storms or high winds shutting down the main stage.

Saturday, R.E.M. bore the brunt of what would ultimately be the worst rain shower of the weekend, but played on, even though Michael Stipe had to take off his shoes so he wouldn’t slip.

And on Sunday evening, Stephen Malkmus commented on how nice the weather was compared to years past — then he made a “crooked rain” reference. Oh Malkmus.

* Speaking of which, I’ve seen Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks before and remember being underwhelmed, if not totally bored. Not anymore.

Malkmus & the Jicks — which now includes the awesomely awesome Janet Weiss on drums — were, of course, noodley in delivery, but not so much so that it overtook the songs. And I just love Malkmus’ pingy voice and quirky songwriting. (I’ve always been a big Pavement fan.)

For sure, this was my most favorite didn’t-expect-to-love-it-but-I-totally-did performance of the weekend. It was really hard to pull away from Malkmus in order to go see The Cure.

* Turns out actor Rainn Wilson (Dwight from “The Office”) and I have a shared love of the Cold War Kids.

* Looking through the notes I took during The Flaming Lips’ show, I simply have written — several times — “So, so, so much confetti.”

* While The Flaming Lips’ were a spectacular spectacle and plenty of other bands put on stand-out performances — Dan Craig was right, The Mars Volta will crush your head — my absolute No. 1 new favorite band is Austin, Texas’ Okkervil River.

Just as the Arcade Fire did in 2005, Okkervil River completely captivated me — it’s hard to take your eyes off singer-songwriter Will Sheff’s lanky frame and I’m utterly enamored with the band’s great storytelling songs, which are propelled by incredibly catchy hooks and a hint of rootsy Americana. Okkervil River is this summer’s musical crush.

As for realizations: Apparently, sunblock expires. Ouch.

And regrets: That there weren’t two of me so I didn’t have to make the decision to miss Ghostland Observatory (they had lasers!) in order to see The Flaming Lips.