As I gear up to hit Sasquatch (May 24-26, Gorge Amphitheater), I will be going through this year’s line-up and examining bands that I am unfamiliar with.

Today’s band: Grand Hallway
From: Seattle
Evidence gathered: A bio and two songs from their MySpace page.

Grand Hallway is a rare and strange creature that often yields beautiful sounds. A mini-orchestra of sorts (a typical live show features up to 9 musicians on stage) the troupe’s melodic and intricate songs reflect the diverse backgrounds of each of its members… The seemingly incongruous parts come together to form a whole: an instantly familiar and inviting sound that nonetheless refuses to be defined by any single genre of music.
—from their bio

“Seward Park” is a piano-driven, string-laden ballad with emotional swells and some acrobatic drum fills towards the end. Still, it’s kind of sappy and makes me think of rooms painted in beige.

MP3: Grand Hallway - Pearrygin

Meanwhile, “Pearrygin” sounds a little like the chamber folk of Loch Lomond in parts, but it’s even more melodramatic. With a vague, Broadway-ballad type melody, it’s wispy, and inconsequential.

How will they fare at Sasquatch?
Their music is sleepy and drippy, and they’ll be one of the bands opening the first day of the festival. I imagine that as people begin to trickle in, they’ll be looking for something a little more upbeat, rather than Grand Hallway’s austere, whimpered balladry.

Will I make a point to see them?
Considering that the great Fleet Foxes are scheduled to play the main stage at the same time as these guys, they don’t really stand a chance.

Grand Hallway plays the Sasquatch! Festival, appearing on Saturday, May 24 at 12 noon. They also play the Towne Lounge here in Portland on June 18.