Labor Day weekend at the Seattle Center is an excuse to walk out of the cubicle and leave the security position unguarded. Bumbershoot saved us from our mundane labor jobs and presented us with a weekend of music, art, comedy, movies, and everything that can fit under the Space Needle. This year we were graced with the presence of the legendary Bob Dylan, the infamous Courtney Love and a reunited Hole (mind you not THE original band Hole), Canada’s “Degrassi” teen paraplegic darling and hip hop sensation Drake and Monday’s partially rained out Mary J Blige.
This year marked the 40th anniversary of the Seattle family-conscious festival and the introduction of the Bumbershoot Economy Tickets and Standard Bumbershoot Tickets. For the first time, festival goers had to spend an extra $20 on top of the $30 “Bumbershoot Lite” to enter the main stage. That means an extra $20 to watch Drake chant “free Weezy” and shop for a girlfriend from the crowd. Lucky for Drake, Lil’ Wayne is getting out November 4th, and he plucked a young girl from audience to make out with her in front of the screaming masses. Too bad for the girl Drake already sang “Every Girl” by Lil Wayne and Young Money where he wants to be with every girl in the world. Even us writers!
For the extra bucks, one would assume that shows at the main stage would be superior but unfortunately, with only three bands a day on the main stage and the absence of big screens made the viewing experience more difficult than the smaller ‘economy’ stages full of acts. Weezer fans had a break from guessing the facial expressions since lead singer Rivers Cuomo ran through the crowds to scale public Honey Bucket porta potties and sing from the stadium seating. Cuomo’s energy continued as a Bumbershoot highlight when he climbed the stage and impersonated Lady Gaga as he sang in a blonde wig to the chorus of “Poker Face” and MGMT’s “Kids.” The silliness turned to love for Weezer since the nostalgic songs like “Buddy Holly” and “Island in the Sun” created a forcefield of unison singing. This beautiful moment brought tears to Jackie’s eyes.
Without spending the extra $60 for the main stage pass all weekend, you could get up close and personal for some of the best shows of the weekend. Colombian group Bomba Estereo got the crowd moving and cheering as lead singer Liliana Saumet ran around the stage screaming about smoking marijuana and biting people if they bite her but all this in Spanish of course. Best cover of the weekend was when Bomba Estereo played Technotronic’s “Pump Up the Jam” and the crowd jumped in hilarious hysteria. The Spits played a solid 14 minute set at the Experience Music Project stage with an explosive flame that almost set the drummer on fire. The Broad Street Stage showcased Atlas Sound, Jamie Lidell, and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (who had the largest crowd at that stage EVER in the history of Bumbershoot). The former Broad Stage grass turned into mud and trash from the masses all. Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Solomon Burke performed on a throne and living legend Booker T. happily strolled to his keyboards onstage to an adoring crowd. The English Beat finished off the festival with ska hits while the rain poured down and flushed out our Seattle summer.
Bob Dylan, the fast approaching septuagenarian with the muscle to sell out Bumbershoot for Day 1, was not as playful as Cuomo or outlandish as Courtney Love but rather hidden in the far corner behind his keyboards. The only thing we can see from Dylan was a white hat that shadowed his face and a voice that carried the crowd through five generations of music and change in the world and in the man himself. The mixed crowd had folks walking out after a few songs satisfied that they accomplished to see Bobby, families in the stands explaining the importance of Dylan to their kids, and disappointed festival goers that couldn’t stand the “terrible” singing of Dylan. Hole’s Courtney Love kept saying hello to her home Seattle and performed hits like “Celebrity Skin,” “Doll Parts,” and an awkwardly cute cover of Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy” and forever buried it in Seattle. Hopefully it won’t be dug up again by Courtney Love.
The literary lovers got to see book tours like ‘Please Take Me Off the Guest List’ which was a live performance and reading by Brooklyn cool kids Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s on the guitar with his photographs projected, writer Zachary Lipez and designer and book publisher Stacy Wakefield on the type writer as an unusual musical instrument. All around the festival grounds and in front of the delicious local food stands were street performers such as jugglers, human statues, and magicians to delight the crowds as they munch on salmon and cream cheese piroshkies or salmon burgers. The indoor comedy venues were a hit with daily acts by Patton Oswalt & friends (like David Cross) and Garfunkel & Oates, especially to get out of the cold and spitting rain. The sun did peak out and the ice cream truck got a huge rush of Ice Cream Man fanatics. Peanut Brittle was the most talked about flavor as stage managers, fire fighters and One Reel producers from all over the festival heard the rumor about the excellent and free Ben and Jerry’s cup of ice cream. If we didn’t spread out the supply of ice cream for the three days, we would have been wiped clean by the end of the first day! We saved the last of the ice cream for Flatstock poster artists hours before Bumbershoot Day 3 ended and the artists expressed how they thought about us all weekend waiting for us to come with ice cream. Boy, did that jerk a tear or two so thankfully we had enough for everyone. Thanks a bunch Bumbershoot for making us feel so loved at your 40th birthday! Big thanks to One Reel and Ben & Jerry’s for making it all happen!!
