Bumbershoot 2009: Not just for the webbed of feet
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Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival is a Seattle tradition around our house. Every Labor Day weekend, Seattle Center becomes a multi-stage bonanza of music, comedy, arts and wonderfulness.
This year I was super-lucky enough to have been asked by icecreamman.com to shoot the festival for them. I got to give my good camera a workout since with photo passes I could leave my point and shoot at home! I ran from stage to stage, had to duct tape my photo pass to my leg (yeah...it was raining), ate food from the catering table (less exciting than you'd think), had access to restricted area indoor plumbing (more exciting than you'd know), and basically pretended I knew what I was doing the whole time. I was in bliss.
While I made sure I'd hit my must-see list, I also was sent to some stages I would otherwise have skipped...and discovered some good music or great performances I'd never have been exposed to. So, take my hand and I'll show you some of what I found over those 3 days.
United States of Electronica
A local Seattle band that I've actually seen before, I would have skipped U.S.E.'s set if I weren't asked to shoot them. I'm glad I didn't because they were one of the most enjoyable performances of the weekend. Introduced as "Seattle's happiest band" they certainly lived up to the title. I realized I was having trouble focusing my camera because I was dancing so I lowered my camera and noticed ALL the photographers were dancing. In the photo pit, we were all moving to the beat. That was a new one for me. Fun electronic beat dance music presented to the crowd with glee. Nobody could resist, least of all me.
Dehli 2 Dublin
One of the most unique bands I enjoyed D2D was a serendipitous discovery. I had some time between stages and saw the drums on the stage and wondered if they'd be worth watching. HELL YEAH. A true mixture of the Irish and the Indian with a man in a kilt and a Slayer tee shirt tossed in for good measure. AND they were even good!
The Lonely Forest
These kids are getting a lot of local buzz. From Anacortes, WA (about 2 hours north of Seattle) they are being touted as perhaps the next Northwest export to the indie-pop world like that other band that orginated north of Seattle (cough...Death Cab...cough). I get the connection, although they don't sound like Death Cab at all but I liked them with the same neural synapse that likes DCfC and Nada Surf. Their performance was impressive enough that I went to the F.Y.E. tent and bought their CD. I liked 'em better live, but that isn't unusual for me. Listen to their song We Sing in Time; you might like it.
Natalie Portman's Shaved Head
Funny name aside, these Seattle kids threw down some extremely fun, danceable tunes for the crowd, most of who seemed to already know who they were. I'd heard of them but not heard them but was impressed....but not enough to buy their CD, mostly because they didn't have one yet. :)
Mt St Helens Vietnam Band
Another local Seattle band with a strange name, this group blew onto the scene with a sold out first show. I was really curious what to expect and wasn't disappointed with the fun pop music that sated my pop-sweet tooth.
and sooooo much more....
I'll stop here out of fear of boring you, although there may be another Bumber-inspired post or two in me another day. It is hard for me to not share; aren't I just the nicest?
Comments (11)
as always the pictures are incredible. I think my favorite is the guy in the kilt..........needless to say he looks like someone you should not mess with. Oh, loved reading about the whole event as well!
Guy in the kilt PWNS ALL! Thank you for the beautiful pictures and the introductions!
Thanks Kevin! Believe it or not, once the masks came off (the whole band came out wearing them for some reason that escaped me) the kilt dude had the biggest, sweetest smile possible. To a man, they were having the time of their lives and the joy was infectious. I LOVE bands like that.
Anna--I had you more down as a skinny jean kind of girl. :)
excellent post AND pictures (as always)
RAWK
You know these are awesome....come on?
Now...how about a fish eye lensy thing for a certain so-in-so's birthday?
That would be "da bomb".
Yeh yeah, blah blah blah, Seattle has all the fun new bands. My jealousy at the musical delights reaches new heights.
The NPSH lead singer can certainly accessorize....highly cool pics.
Not sure how far they can go w/ a name like that (NPSH), but they sound fun and worth checking out. Great crystal clear shots. Great bands too.
OMG!!!!
you got to see THE LONELY FOREST! they're so so energetic live, yes? john van d and co. are also just good guys.
i have to tell you i'm SO excited you got to see them. i wish i could've been at bumbershoot, but i have seen them at least five times this year anyway.
sounds like a successful bumbershoot experience!
Anything Scottish > skinny jeans ;)
Keith-a "RAWK" from you is always praise of the highest. :)
I think I'll be lucky to get a kick in the butt for my birthday but a girl could dream about a fishy eye lensie thingy. right?
Dale...I never intended to showcase Seattle bands...but its just so easy to do. :)
Ivy and Eric--the whole band looked like they shopped for their outfits in my mother's closet. This is not a good thing but it worked for them. :) They were dance-a-licious!
Kari! They were wonderful. Very VERY good live. I think they could go far and I don't seem to be alone in that thought.
Anna...We still think alike. :)