Gemma Alexander – Saturday was a good day for hip hop at Bumbershoot. I knew going in that Wu Tang Clan wasn’t going to be an option; neither of my kids has ever seen the back side of 10 p.m. But the shows early in the day are always the place to discover the bleeding edge.
On Saturday I arrived early and walked around the neighborhood before heading to the Capitol Hill Block Party main stage at 2 p.m. for Cymbals. I don’t know anything about this band, but the sound emanating from the main stage and echoing down the street was pleasant enough.
I don’t think that there could have been a more beautiful day to kick off the Capitol Hill Block Party weekend. Earlier last week it felt a little too much like the start of fall but by early Friday afternoon the sun was out and droves of summer-clad concert goers were already streaming through the block party gates.
The afternoon began with another spine-tingling performance from Midwestern singer-songwriter, Angel Olsen. Her set was backed by the same band we saw back in February, but the overall show was more conducive to their early afternoon daylight setting. Rather than opting for an ominous, shadowy setlist, their stage-time was devoted to friendlier introductions to Olsen’s fork-tongued wit and solitary clamor.
Day two of Capitol Hill Block Party seemed to start slower than Friday. Crowds started to form quietly as the day went on and, before long, the festival grounds felt hectic and cozy, like a beehive if every third bee wore a bro-tank.
