Back in Bumber-Love

(Video: "Bumbershoot" by Sean Pecknold)

Having lived in Seattle for the majority of my adult life, I have a treasure-trove of memories from the city’s largest music and arts festival, Bumbershoot. Held every Labor Day weekend at the Seattle Center, the festival boasts some of the largest local, national, and international acts in music, dance, and comedy. I am a huge show-goer as it is and am content listening to live music pretty much anywhere, but some years ago Bumbershoot’s huge crowds and hefty cover charge became too much for me. So I jumped ship, aborted mission, said “enough is enough”, and opted to start attending music-only local festivals like Sasquatch Festival  and Capitol Hill Block Party.

This weekend, however, I felt brave enough to venture into the swirling, sweaty, drum-circled crowds once again to see what was poppin’. I have to admit, I was more than a little surprised at how pleasant the whole experience turned out to be. I was able to move freely about the Seattle Center grounds all day, none of the lines I stood in were more than a few minutes long, and I heard a combination of musical acts that you would be hard pressed to find at any other festival.

Here is a brief sampling of highlights to illustrate…

2:00 - Eased into my day gently (read: sarcasm) with one of Seattle’s most buzz-worthy bands, Shim, who’s electric-guitar-drenched arena-rock opened every sleepy Sunday eyelid with a jolt.

2:45 - “Nowheresville, PA” band, The Shackeltons, had the entire, typically-reserved Seattle audience hugging each other and swaying 60’s-style by the end of their set. Not at all what I expected from such a seemingly dangerous rock band, but it was a truly awe-inspiring show.

3:35 - Stopped off to hear a song from John Ramberg’s (of Minus Five and Model Rockets fame) latest band, The Tripwires.

3:45 - Spent a restful moment with lovely country-rock singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards.

4:00 - Heard the sounds of hip-hop's T.I.  pouring from the outdoor stadium stage…ran for the beer garden. 

(insert blackened-salmon-sandwich-and-refreshing-microbrew-break here)

4:30 - Perched high on the hill of the beer garden, took in a few of Howlin’ Rain’s psychedelic blues-rock jams, started to feel a little bit too much like my dad, and made a break for the comedy tent.

5:00 - Heard side-splitting comedy, spent a blessed hour in a theater seat, and a got much-needed second wind.

5:45 - Ate an ice cream cone while shakin’ my hips to funk/soul band Orgone.

6:15 - Killed some time with friends and then slowly made our way to the stadium for....wait for it.....

7:45 - THE BLACK KEYS!!!  Holy smokes two dudes can produce a lot of sound with an electric guitar, a voice, and a drum kit. I thought they sounded every bit as good live as they do on record and thousands upon thousands of fans seemed to agree with me.

8:15 – Sprinted back across the festival grounds and on my way overheard local hip-hop group The Saturday Nights covering Fleet Foxes’ “White Winter Hymnal.”  I chuckled and cheered at my good fortune for having caught such a ridiculously delightful moment.

8:20 – “Shake, shake, shake, shake!” Continued running like the wind in order to catch the last few songs of Glasgow’s cabaret/punk band Sons and Daughters. Got there just in time to hear them do my favorite song, “Dance Me In” from their album The Repulsion Box.

9:00 – Ended my night on a calm and cozy note, sipping a Starbucks coffee (fitting), and listening to Ingrid Michaelson sing of heartache and sweaters. Her voice acted as a balm for my blissfully over-stimulated heart and soul.

There was of course much more to been seen and heard at this year's Bumbershoot, and the festival continues to rage on as I write. But I would like to take this opportunity to issue my humblest apology to the monstrous festival for turning my back so many years ago when we could have really had something.

Dearest Bumbershoot,

I have judged you wrongly and I am sorry. I thought we were just incompatible, you and I. I believed you to be chaotic, unpredictable, and inconsiderate of my personal boundaries. But you have shown a renewed dedication to my needs and desires, and my heart has been changed. As of this moment I am officially back in Bumber-love.

Yours hence-forth,

--Shelby Earl

(Photo credit: Jeffrey Blackburn)