Bumbershoot, Dudes, Bumbershoot
August 25th, 2008
Ok, so let’s calibrate. We all know Bumbershoot is not what it used to be. It’s not a funky little arts festival in a quirky little hippy town with manageable crowds, pick-up hacky-sack, and stoners gorging themselves on samosas and elephant ears (ok, it still might be that last one). It’s a world-renowned, kick-ass, music and arts showcase in a growing, contemporary metropolis.
I know, I know, you might be distressed by the all big name acts AEG or whatever-the-fuck-booking-agency is doing the lineup now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a super-duper time checking out some of the local and national acts actually worth your oh-so-valuable-time. Thirty years of success can’t be wrong.
Also, how many more hyphens do you think I can fit into this here post? – - – [Answer at bottom]
Here’s who I’d be pressed up against the stage for were I a silly little music geek. Oh wait…:
Main Stage:
Saturday is pretty good, even though it’s kinda honkey-tonk. You’ve got Neko Case and Band Of Horses sandwiching Lucinda Williams (knock it off, perv), followed by the many faces of Beck. Sunday has the Black Keys and that’s about it. Unless you want to relive the Stone Temple Pilots’ glory days like Scott Weiland does. I bet he’s extra skinny now. Monday I’d skip unless I had a crush on Ben Gibbard. Which I don’t.
Fisher Green:
Definitely gear up for Brooklyn’s !!! on Saturday. They are DOPE (if you like maniacally dancing crowds, that is). Sunday has the Saturday Knights continuing their onslaught on our sonic senses, followed by the legendary Lee “Scratch” Perry. You can always count on Bumbershoot for some top quality reggae acts. A couple good hip-hop acts on Monday should get your juices flowing: local boys the Physics and Del the Funky Homoerectus—er, sapien.
Mural Amphitheatre:
I don’t see much here for Saturday or Sunday, but there’re quite a few singer-songwriters slotted, if you’re into that (which I know you are which is why I wrote that). I know leDoux likes Vince Mira (and I love Johnny Cash), so the li’l dude with the big voice gets a shout out for Monday, when you can also see the Old ’97s and Langhorne Slim.
Broad Street:
Lotsa popular up-and-comers on the Rockstar Stage, so hang around if you can. Saturday has pleasant-pop-rockers Throw Me The Statue, Thao with the Get Down Stay Down (from D.C.!), the Walkmen (new record!), and my personal fave, Man Man (like Tom Waits on meth, they say!!) Sunday, I’d recommend some hard-rockin’, hard-workin’ types like Pennsylvania’s the Shackletons and Minneapolis’ Tapes ‘n Tapes. Both are fantastic. Seattle’s Minus the Bear headlines Monday’s lineup.
Exhibition Hall:
Saturday = Sweetwater at 3pm. Yes! I could relive my glory days (of high school)! Sunday boasts the Blakes trying to regain their local footing, and These Arms Are Snakes who are sure to have plenty of new material. Monday, you can see Israeli freak-rock trio Monotonix burn their shit to the ground. And some other stuff happens.
EMP Sky Church:
I’ve actually never been to this venue for a show, but they’ve got some damn fine bands lined up there this year. The new New Faces, the Girls, the Valley, and Kinski all might melt your face on Saturday. PWRFL Power and Tacoma’s Mono in VCF will lighten the afternoon mood that day. Sunday closes with a nice trifecta of Speaker Speaker, the Hands, and Thee Emergency. And it don’t stop on Monday neither. Greives raps at 1:45, the always-electric Feral Children play at 6pm and Murder City Devil sound-alikes Black Eyes and Neckties at 9pm. Better just spend all weekend here.
‘Course, if you want to bypass all my prejudiced picks, you can always just go here and decide for yourself.
[Answer: fifteen]
August 26th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
The Lady said:
Could you please put all of this into a wallet-sized excel spreadsheet? Thanks.
August 26th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
misterlevitan said:
I think I am going to put it in iCal and view it on my iPhone…. kidding.
Sortof.
Sweetwater? Really? I thought I misread that when I saw the schedule last week. It must be the ten-year anniversary of their last performance there, right? I will have to ask The Wizard. He was there with me. Mercer Arena, ’98. Spiritualized played too.
August 26th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
LB said:
I was surprised to see Sweetwater’s name there, too. But, sure enough, they’ve reunited and are apparently recording new material. Hey, if Green River can do it, why not Sweetwater?
August 26th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
misterlevitan said:
Oh man, you don’t want to open THAT can of worms in this room….That’s the start of a whole new thread.
“If Green River can do it, why not _________ ?”
Let me illustrate my point with these ahem blank-fillers:
Guns N Roses. Maybe recording “Chinese Democracy”?
Stone Temple Pilots, playing Sunday night.
Rage Against the Machine, now that their music is so topical. Again.
Does anyone know who’s going to watch the video store during Sweetwater’s set?
August 27th, 2008 at 8:30 am
B2 said:
Don’t you dare dig on Sweetwater. My favorite concert shirt of all time was from a Sweetwater show. I’m 30+ and want to relive my angst ridden, coffe shop sitting youth a little bit, I’m comfortable admitting it.
LB – get on that little excel project would ya?
August 27th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Kevin leDoux said:
Personally, I’m just gunna dig in at the Broad Street Stage (formerly the Backyard Stage) all weekend. Beginning Saturday with Thao with the Get Down Stay Down, then get my crazy on with Man Man and top it off with a healthy dose of the Walkmen.
In fact, every day has at least 2 great shows happening back there. Sunday has Shackletons (unreal live performance), Sons and Daughters and Tapes and Tapes. Monday Two Gallants will dazzle you with their guitar work and Minus the Bear ends the festival.
It is the most overlooked stage at the venue, never a big crowd.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:55 am
LB said:
Jeesh, so much to cover…
B2, you’ve successfully corrupted ‘dig’ into a negative term.
Mr. Levitan, I do and I did.
Lady, no spreadsheet for you!
Kevin, you misspelled ‘formerly’ and ‘Thao’.
August 27th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Kevin leDoux said:
I’m about the music man…
pisshaw to you and your spelling natzie ways, YEAH, I said NATZIE.
I spell like I want! Your not the boss of me.
YEAH… YOUR!!! not YOU’RE!
I’m the boss around HEAR.
Ya here.
Oh, and I don’t dig on Sweetwater and I never will. (you figure that one out)
August 27th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Aaron said:
I’m about 100% sure it’s going to be Mono In VCF melting faces at 6:30 with the other bands lightening the mood. Mono In VCF is heavy! Can’t wait.
August 27th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
LB said:
While I agree that MiVCF’s sound is weighty, I usually reserve the phrase “melt your face” for loud shredders like Kinski and the Valley. But I think we both like this band, so, whatever.
August 27th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
The Liars CLub said:
I’m sure you have all seen Shim before. I’m looking for them to light up the Skychurch stage (literally, you may go blind). Easily one of my favorite local bands. And if you have not seen them, I recommend going.
August 28th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
The Lady said:
Hey – don’t forget Superchunk – you know, from back in the day when being an ‘indie rock bank’ meant that, ummm, you were actually on an independent label and that you probably had a female bassist. They play Monday before Death Cab. I think I must have listened to this song about 1000 times in high school http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rRIMY3nHRg
August 29th, 2008 at 8:42 am
LB said:
OMG, that video is sooooo 90s. The part in the beginning where the drummer is “pissed” about not being able to count the song off is hilarious!