Monday is my birthday, so I’m hoping it’s easy for me to see all of the bands on my 2009 Bumbershoot schedule. You can help out by avoiding these particular shows, OK? I mean, why would you want to spend your Labor Day at the Seattle Center anyway? Bumbershoot has become a corporate cheesefest. This year tickets are $50 per day and sponsors include “Samsung Mobile,” “Starbucks,” and “Rockstar Energy Drink.”
Tyson Lynn – NataLie Portman’s Shaved Head is easily the worst band name at Bumbershoot this year. However they will be bringing one the best, energetic sets to the weekend festival. Odd how these things work out.
Matt Brown – The altar of The Riff is massive beyond comprehension. It demands constant sacrifice of blood and teeth and hair and jism to keep from crushing us all. Akimbo have stood astride the altar of The Riff for over a decade, sneering at the waves of puny humanity that dash themselves against the crimson stained stage.
By Sam George-Allen – There are some new kids on the pop-rock scene down here, and I was lucky enough to go to a show at that old favourite, the Zoo, a couple of weeks ago. Sydney four-piece Sparkadia are gathering acclaim for their new album Postcards that hit the stands in May, a great set of dancy indie-pop numbers produced by Ben Hillier. I liked the album, and was keen to see how the band measured up live.
Kasey Anderson – From a journalistic standpoint, it makes sense to compare the Capitol Hill Block Party to Bumbershoot. Both take place in Seattle; both purport themselves to be celebrations of “culture” or some variation thereof; both offer their respective audiences a plethora of options in terms of live musical entertainment.
