Like, No Duh: Bumbershoot’s Familiar Drill
2007 NadaMucho.com Bumbershoot Preview Unless you’re a recent transplant from parts unknown, the details of Seattle’s annual three-day music and arts festival should be second nature by now. For the uninitiated, Nada Mucho is here to help.
Bumbershoot goes like this.
- Weeks before the actual event, the schedule is released.
- Seattleites scan the listings and moan about the lack of "Must See" bands. (Full disclosure: we do this too.) This year, many of them probably also bitched about how long the lines will be for the Seaweed reunion show in the SkyChurch.
- After the schedule is released, hipsters attend the Capitol Hill Block Party and lament why Bumbershoot couldn’t be more like it.
- Then, as the summer coughs and sputters to a close, we remember the age-old tradition of attending one more blowout before retreating to our holes, hobbit-like, to endure the cold, dark autumn.
Bumbershoot is that blowout.
2007 NadaMucho.com Bumbershoot Preview
Unless you’re a recent transplant from parts unknown, the details of Seattle’s annual three-day music and arts festival should be second nature by now. For the uninitiated, Nada Mucho is here to help.
Bumbershoot goes like this.
- Weeks before the actual event, the schedule is released.
- Seattleites scan the listings and moan about the lack of "Must See" bands. (Full disclosure: we do this too.) This year, many of them probably also bitched about how long the lines will be for the Seaweed reunion show in the SkyChurch.
- After the schedule is released, hipsters attend the Capitol Hill Block Party and lament why Bumbershoot couldn’t be more like it.
- Then, as the summer coughs and sputters to a close, we remember the age-old tradition of attending one more blowout before retreating to our holes, hobbit-like, to endure the cold, dark autumn.
Bumbershoot is that blowout.
There’s plenty to discourage the average urban achiever from attending this giant clusterfuck of humanity. Let’s face it, the Seattle Center is too small for such a gathering, the price seems to be increasing exponentially every year, and oftentimes you spend much of the day crammed uncomfortably between 14-year-old Hot Topic shoppers and refugees from Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters, out to make sure the "Sixties never die, man!"
Whenever I get trapped in this morass of "stinkin’ thinkin," I look back at some of my fondest Bumbershoot memories, from realizing the brilliance of the Long Winters in that then-newfangled SkyChurch, to realizing some lifelong fantasies like seeing the Pixies live, to holding an electric mandolin while the guy who played it came off stage to personally rock our faces off (long story).
And that’s why we keep going back, even as our knees start to give out and we now have families to consider — maybe this year will hold one of those undiscovered memories we’ll cherish forever.
As much as Bumbershoot seems like an outdated, overgrown dinosaur, it’s our outdated, overgrown dinosaur.
Here are some things worth checking out.
Saturday, September 1st
Crowded House/Shins – Samsung Mainstage
Sing along to "Don’t Dream it’s Over" and "New Slang," all the while realizing what an odd yet perfect pairing this is.
Avett Brothers – Starbucks Stage
From one set of musical brothers to another, North Carolina’s Avetts routinely whip crowds into frenzies with their brand of downhome, manic bluegrass.
The Lashes – Sound Transit Stage
This show is kind of a big deal, since it’s the band’s first show since the tragic paralysis of guitar player Eric Howk. In other news, Howk will be onstage with his band for this performance. Get your inspiration on!
The Saturday Knights – Esurance Stage
Don’t let this Tacoma-based outfit’s laid-back party vibe fool you "“ they are an infinitely talented hip-hop crew, both live and in the studio, and their debut EP is one of the best local releases of recent memory.
Gogol Bordello – Esurance Stage
DeVotchKa – Sound Transit Stage
Take your pick of eastern Europe-inspired hits, either from actual eastern Europeans, or from Denver’s DeVotchKa. Both bands are kick-ass live. Too bad they play at the same time.
Sunday, September 2nd
The Trucks "“ Sound Transit Stage
The Trucks are cute girls who blast their feminine wiles all over Seattle and make silly music about fucking and foul play. They are also friends of this NadaMucho.com contributor who are highly entertaining live.
Kings of Leon – Samsung Stage
Kings of Leon burst on the scene with way too much hype and have finally delivered four years later. Because of the Times is a candidate for album of the year.
Ice Age Cobra – Sky Church
To use the band’s words, this Spokane-cum-Seattle three-piece is a veritable "hurricane of awesomeness", delivering a deliriously badass style of 70s-inspired rock n’ soul.
Apples in Stereo – Sound Transit Stage
Apparently some people like Pavement-inspired Elephant 6 founders Apples in Stereo. Many of these people will be at this show. I will not.
Andrew Bird – Starbucks Stage
Chicago‘s Andrew Bird has specialized in weird, critically acclaimed old timey music since he split from Squirrel Nut Zippers. However, this year’s Armchair Apocrapha signals a dramatic turn from "weird-for-weird’s-sake" towards "totally awesome."
Monday, September 3rd
The Blakes – Sound Transit Stage
See why this local 3-piece rock band deservedly rose to the top of the Stranger/KEXP/hipster heap at breakneck speed since releasing their excellent self-titled debut last year. They’ve got the swagger, the charisma and the songs to back it.
Roky Erikson & The Explosives – Starbucks Stage
In the tradition of Skip Spence, Syd Barrett, Daniel Johnston and Lou Reed, Roky Erikson spent the past 20 years as a largely forgotten mental illness casualty, but apparently he’s "all better now."
Steve Earle – Starbucks Stage
Earle should be good for some inflammatory onstage banter aimed at President Bush. Apparently there’s a war on or something"¦
The Whore Moans – Sky Church
Our Editor’s favorite local band of the last two years, the Whore Moans play arty cock rock that borrows from all of your favorite dirty punk rock bands, without sounding too much like any of them. Stooges? Check. Pistols? Check. Murder City Devils? Check. What makes their blistering debut Watch Out for this Thing so memorable, however, is their knack for Cheap-trick style harmonies and backing vocals amidst ferociously screamed leads.
Wu-Tang Clan – Samsung Stage
In case you hadn’t heard, Wu-Tang ain’t nothin’ to fuck wit’.
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Adam’s Sunday Schedule
12:00-12:30: North Twin
12:30-1:30: The Trucks
1:30-2:30: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
2:30-3:00: The Watson Twins
3:00-4:15: Kings of Leon
4:15-5:00: Nick Drake’s Words & Music
5:00-6:00: Iceage Cobra
6:00-7:00: Elephant ears. Nothing but elephant ears
7:00-7:30: Jasper Redd/God’s Pottery/Greg Fitzsimmons
7:30-8:30: Michael Ian Black and Special Guests (Colin Hay of Men at Work)
8:30-10:00: Andrew Bird
10:00-10:30 Seaweed
2007 Nadamucho.com Bumbershoot Preview | Roky Erickson | Tokyo Police Club | Crowded House