Bumbershoot
Greetings programs!
This is Thousand Sons with a retrospective of the 2005 Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival in lovely Seattle!
Wow, what an experience. This year I sprang for the 4 day pass, and let me tell you, it was worth it.
Bumbershoot, for those of you outside of Seattle, is our Labor Day weekend festival running Friday thru Monday. Its hard to believe, but Bumbershoot has been going on for 35 years now. Its older than me! Sheesh! There is always big name acts, but for me its the bands I've never heard of that really draw me.
I've been going off and on for a few years now. Its always been that final hurrah of the summer for me.
I had a lot more pictures to share with you but my camera, frankly, sucks. About half of them didnt turn out. Note to self: Never by another camera/printer bundle. You'll end up getting screwed on at least half the deal. I got some pictures with my phone on Friday, you can see those here: 1000sons/Bumbershoot There are limits to the quality of camera phones too, unfortunately. Next year I'm buying a dozen disposable cameras. Or maybe just one decent camera. >:(
Day One: Friday
Whoo hooo! The first day of Bumbershoot! Got my straw fedora, hawaiian shirt, and backpack ready to go! What will the weekend hold? I cant wait to find out!
Cuchata
Afro-Latin stylings from Cuchata! What a way to start the weekend!
MangoSon
Salsa and meringue music. Gotta jump up and dance!
Altered States of Funk
Local funkmeisters, Altered States of Funk laid down some stone grooves, man. There was a serious moment when lead singer Winfield Ezell Jr. took time out to acknowledge the tragedy in New Orleans in a freestyle spoken word jam.
You gotta take time out of your day to frolic in the International Fountain! When I was a kid, this thing looked more like a hateful sea urchin. Sharp metal water jets, jagged rock surrounding it, it was no place to play. A few years back they completely redesigned it, making it more friendly.
Dudley Manlove Quartet
Popular (and unpopular) music with a lounge feel! They were a lot of fun. They performed Xanadu, people! Xanadu! How can you not love that?!
Maktub
Seattles premier rock/funk/soul band! They have a unique sound that will blow your mind. Their guitarist Thaddeus Turner tore it up with a blistering tribute to Jimi Hendrix. More about him in a moment...
Garbage
Shirley Manson and the boys. She wore bright pink nylons under her dress that were visible from space. They rocked so hard! They played one of my favorites of theirs 'When I Grow Up'. Love that song. I'll let you know if I ever do.
On a more serious note: Everyones hearts went out to the victims of Hurricane Katrina too. There were dozens of places to donate all throughout the Seattle Center. I had a weird epiphany sitting by the fountain. I looked around at all the throngs of people and thought 'Just imagine if all these people weren't here for a festival, but had to live here." It was a chilling thought. Sorry, back to the fun...
Day Two: Saturday
The Fading Collection
Dark wave meets electronica. Beautiful, ethereal vocals by Sarah and Tavia.
Africa Yaya Diallo
West African soukous guitar music. You cant sit still listening to this!
Harvey Danger
Maybe best known for their big hit 'Flagpole Sitta', Harvey Danger still makes intelligent and fun music. A special treat for music nerds: Robyn Hitchcock joined them for a rendition of his song 'Viva! Sea-Tac'!
"Viva! Seattle Tacoma, viva viva Sea-Tac!
Viva viva viva viva viva Sea-Tac!
They've got the best computers and coffee and smack!"
Digable Planets
The old school becomes the new school again! Digable Planets put us in a trance with their own unique hip-hop stylings! Thaddeus Turner of Maktub and his brother Tugboat showed up to play with the Planets at their show. Incidently they both play with another local favorite of mine, the 206 Ribshack BBQ Orchestra. But thats another story...
Day Three: Sunday
The Pharcyde
Man, hip hop doesnt get much better than Pharcyde in my book. 'Labcabincalifornia' is still one of my favorite albums. They were the highlight of my day.
Talib Kweili
One of the finest writers in hip-hop today. Music that really makes you think. I love it. Hip hop isnt all about Cristal, bling, and hoes, yo.
Took some time out to watch the Polynesian Dancers perform. Who doesnt love a good hula?
Common
More Jazz-rap from my man, Common. He's probably best know right now for his collaboration with Kanye West "Be".
Marlena Shaw
Whoo! This blues lady gots attitude! And style! Full of soul.
"The bluest skies I've ever seen are in Seattle!" Except when it rains. There's a reason why they named this festival after an umbrella. Late afternoon the rain started coming down. Me and my friend huddled under a awning and planned our next move. "Do we want to stay and see Elvis Costello?" "Meh. I hear he wont play his old stuff anymore." "Me, I vote we walk to the car while is daylight and raining, instead of pitch black, cold and raining." So we sounded the retreat. There comes a point of saturation, when your clothes can get any wetter and you cant hate rain anymore. A cosmic moment. I jumped in a few puddles on the way to the car, just like a kid.
Day Four: Monday
Its been a looooong weekend. I'm exhausted.
The Decemberists
My new favorite find of 2005! Folk rock stylings that remind me of Fairport Convention.They sing songs about poverty, maritime disasters, and 15th century potentates! Fun!
Dashboard Confessional
Kinda of a punk/folk thing. With an edge. I want to search out more of their stuff.
The Be Good Tanyas
Blue grass trio, very 'O Brother Where Art Thou'. Laying out on the grass, listening to folksy music, drinking up the sunshine, and staring up a the Space Needle. Just what the doctor ordered after such a long weekend.
Highway 99
All-starsLunchtime! Nothing like some greasy fair food and rhythm and blues to wash it down!
Arturo Rodriguez Quartet
Beautiful latin jazz from local artist, Arturo Rodriguez.
And just like that, its over. Four days of safari though the landscape of music. We leave the Seattle Center, our adopted home for a weekend, and head back to the real world. I put up my straw hat until next summer. I sleep heavy that night, worn out from our expedition, and I dream. Dream of a world of endless possibilities and varieties of music.
And I wait impatiently for next year...
This is Thousand Sons with a retrospective of the 2005 Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival in lovely Seattle!
Wow, what an experience. This year I sprang for the 4 day pass, and let me tell you, it was worth it.
Bumbershoot, for those of you outside of Seattle, is our Labor Day weekend festival running Friday thru Monday. Its hard to believe, but Bumbershoot has been going on for 35 years now. Its older than me! Sheesh! There is always big name acts, but for me its the bands I've never heard of that really draw me.
I've been going off and on for a few years now. Its always been that final hurrah of the summer for me.
I had a lot more pictures to share with you but my camera, frankly, sucks. About half of them didnt turn out. Note to self: Never by another camera/printer bundle. You'll end up getting screwed on at least half the deal. I got some pictures with my phone on Friday, you can see those here: 1000sons/Bumbershoot There are limits to the quality of camera phones too, unfortunately. Next year I'm buying a dozen disposable cameras. Or maybe just one decent camera. >:(
Day One: Friday
Whoo hooo! The first day of Bumbershoot! Got my straw fedora, hawaiian shirt, and backpack ready to go! What will the weekend hold? I cant wait to find out!
Cuchata
Afro-Latin stylings from Cuchata! What a way to start the weekend!
MangoSon
Salsa and meringue music. Gotta jump up and dance!
Altered States of Funk
Local funkmeisters, Altered States of Funk laid down some stone grooves, man. There was a serious moment when lead singer Winfield Ezell Jr. took time out to acknowledge the tragedy in New Orleans in a freestyle spoken word jam.
You gotta take time out of your day to frolic in the International Fountain! When I was a kid, this thing looked more like a hateful sea urchin. Sharp metal water jets, jagged rock surrounding it, it was no place to play. A few years back they completely redesigned it, making it more friendly.
Dudley Manlove Quartet
Popular (and unpopular) music with a lounge feel! They were a lot of fun. They performed Xanadu, people! Xanadu! How can you not love that?!
Maktub
Seattles premier rock/funk/soul band! They have a unique sound that will blow your mind. Their guitarist Thaddeus Turner tore it up with a blistering tribute to Jimi Hendrix. More about him in a moment...
Garbage
Shirley Manson and the boys. She wore bright pink nylons under her dress that were visible from space. They rocked so hard! They played one of my favorites of theirs 'When I Grow Up'. Love that song. I'll let you know if I ever do.
On a more serious note: Everyones hearts went out to the victims of Hurricane Katrina too. There were dozens of places to donate all throughout the Seattle Center. I had a weird epiphany sitting by the fountain. I looked around at all the throngs of people and thought 'Just imagine if all these people weren't here for a festival, but had to live here." It was a chilling thought. Sorry, back to the fun...
Day Two: Saturday
The Fading Collection
Dark wave meets electronica. Beautiful, ethereal vocals by Sarah and Tavia.
Africa Yaya Diallo
West African soukous guitar music. You cant sit still listening to this!
Harvey Danger
Maybe best known for their big hit 'Flagpole Sitta', Harvey Danger still makes intelligent and fun music. A special treat for music nerds: Robyn Hitchcock joined them for a rendition of his song 'Viva! Sea-Tac'!
"Viva! Seattle Tacoma, viva viva Sea-Tac!
Viva viva viva viva viva Sea-Tac!
They've got the best computers and coffee and smack!"
Digable Planets
The old school becomes the new school again! Digable Planets put us in a trance with their own unique hip-hop stylings! Thaddeus Turner of Maktub and his brother Tugboat showed up to play with the Planets at their show. Incidently they both play with another local favorite of mine, the 206 Ribshack BBQ Orchestra. But thats another story...
Day Three: Sunday
The Pharcyde
Man, hip hop doesnt get much better than Pharcyde in my book. 'Labcabincalifornia' is still one of my favorite albums. They were the highlight of my day.
Talib Kweili
One of the finest writers in hip-hop today. Music that really makes you think. I love it. Hip hop isnt all about Cristal, bling, and hoes, yo.
Took some time out to watch the Polynesian Dancers perform. Who doesnt love a good hula?
Common
More Jazz-rap from my man, Common. He's probably best know right now for his collaboration with Kanye West "Be".
Marlena Shaw
Whoo! This blues lady gots attitude! And style! Full of soul.
"The bluest skies I've ever seen are in Seattle!" Except when it rains. There's a reason why they named this festival after an umbrella. Late afternoon the rain started coming down. Me and my friend huddled under a awning and planned our next move. "Do we want to stay and see Elvis Costello?" "Meh. I hear he wont play his old stuff anymore." "Me, I vote we walk to the car while is daylight and raining, instead of pitch black, cold and raining." So we sounded the retreat. There comes a point of saturation, when your clothes can get any wetter and you cant hate rain anymore. A cosmic moment. I jumped in a few puddles on the way to the car, just like a kid.
Day Four: Monday
Its been a looooong weekend. I'm exhausted.
The Decemberists
My new favorite find of 2005! Folk rock stylings that remind me of Fairport Convention.They sing songs about poverty, maritime disasters, and 15th century potentates! Fun!
Dashboard Confessional
Kinda of a punk/folk thing. With an edge. I want to search out more of their stuff.
The Be Good Tanyas
Blue grass trio, very 'O Brother Where Art Thou'. Laying out on the grass, listening to folksy music, drinking up the sunshine, and staring up a the Space Needle. Just what the doctor ordered after such a long weekend.
Highway 99
All-starsLunchtime! Nothing like some greasy fair food and rhythm and blues to wash it down!
Arturo Rodriguez Quartet
Beautiful latin jazz from local artist, Arturo Rodriguez.
And just like that, its over. Four days of safari though the landscape of music. We leave the Seattle Center, our adopted home for a weekend, and head back to the real world. I put up my straw hat until next summer. I sleep heavy that night, worn out from our expedition, and I dream. Dream of a world of endless possibilities and varieties of music.
And I wait impatiently for next year...
posted by Thousand Sons at 11:50 AM
3 Comments:
I first read this on DL and am glad you reprinted it here, I enjoy your writing.
Bumbershoot is such a blast, your recollections bring back the day Tom & I spent there, it was a nearly perfect day.
I needed a good vibe, glad I came here, TY.
Written on any other "gigs" lately TS?
Time for an update 'round here!
"Time for an update 'round here!"
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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