Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival: Day 2 (Aug. 31, 2008)
Posted by Brian Berry on 09.07.2008
One of North America's largest urban festivals powers into Day 2 with Stone Temple Pilots, comedienne Janeane Garafalo and the best (and shortest) performance of all three days by a band you may not know (yet)...
Hot talk around Bumbershoot said Sunday was the weakest line-up of the three-days. A quick glance of the schedule might endorse this idea but I found many solid performances on day two of the festival. Headliners included Stone Temple Pilots, Southern rapper T.I. and Jakob Dylan.
Day 2 (Sunday August 31)-
12:30pm- Teenage quintet The Lonely H led off the EMP Sky Church. The local band has a‘70s FM easy rock sound reminiscent of The Osmonds and the more modern brother band Hanson. These kids look like extras from Dazed and Confused with their long, straight hair and vintage threads. A huge, illuminated “H” upped the cheese factor, but I found their overall pastiche to an unfashionable sound endearing.
Rating: 6/10
2:00pm- My friends watched R&B songstress Keyshia Cole at the main stage but I branched off to catch comediennes Janeane Garafalo (a last second replacement for Zach Galifianakis) and Michelle Buteau. Buteau is an attractive Black woman who DESTROYED several obnoxious hecklers in the crowd. She was the most aggressive comedian of the festival in terms of performer-audience interaction. Her set was funny overall and her main focus was on sexuality and race. Headliner Janeane Garafalo has been a big name in the entertainment world for nearly 20 years. She is currently a cast member of 24 and has starred in many movies but she kept her discourse political for the set. Garafalo was armed with her idiosyncratic notebook, which she uses for talking points during the set. It should be noted that she is incredibly thoughtful and well read, and her comedy is more satire rather than joke based. Several people walked out of the set (as expected) but those who stayed were treated to a thought provoking performance.
3:45pm-A few lucky fans, VIP attendees and press were invited to some intimate performances at the “Bumbershoot Music Lounge” where music was broadcast live on Seattle’s KEXP radio. I checked out Glasgow’s Sons and Daughters for one of these performances. The sound in the lounge was incredible and it was a nice treat to see a band that sells out small-medium clubs performing for less than 200 people. Sons and Daughters slay live thanks to the gorgeous Adele Bethel’s vocals and guitarist Scott Patterson’s varying guitar tones. The band at times recalls X as well as the obscure, desert rock music used for Quentin Tarantino movies. Their short set in the lounge borrowed mainly from 2008’s This Gift, which is easily their strongest album to date. Sons and Daughters performed later in the day at the “Rock Star Stage”. Rating: 9/10
4:15pm-Next up was Oakland’s Howlin’ Rain on the “Rockstar Stage”. Ethan Miller of the psychedelic rock band Comets On Fire fronts this Rick Rubin signed ‘70s blues-rock ensemble. These dudes sound a lot like similar minded old school bands like Procol Harum and Quicksilver Messenger Service, as well as The Black Crowes. What they lack in originality, Howlin’ Rain make up for in musicianship and vocals. Their set was enjoyed by middle aged couples and young hipsters alike with a midday setting and cool breeze complimenting their easy vibes.
[Howlin’ Rain] Rating: 6/10
5:00pm- Fans of At the Drive-In and The Jesus Lizard would be astounded by These Arms Are Snakes performance over at the Exhibition Hall Stage. The experimental hardcore band from Seattle drew an enormous crowd and rightfully so. TAAS delivered one of the best performances of the festival highlighted by Steve Snere’s Iggy Pop inspired mannerisms and behavior. I’ll go as far to say he’s just as good a frontman as Omar Rodriguez of At the Drive-In/The Mars Volta. Forget what you hear on alt-rock radio, this is punk rock. Rating: 9/10
5:40pm-Over at the Intiman Theatre, another comedy show was underway. Opening act Jessi Klein of Best Week Ever is super sexy and seems to know it. She made her set extra crass for the few tweens in the audience. TJ Miller was the next comic. His biggest role to date was in Cloverfield playing Hud, the videographer. He does the high energy, frat boy schtick well playing out like a funny Dane Cook (yes, this implies that Dane Cook is not funny…and he’s a habitual thief of other comic’s material). Up and coming star Nick Thune headlined to his hometown audience. Thune has a popular act playing his acoustic guitar while telling jokes with a deadpan delivery. Out of all the comedians at Bumbershoot, Thune was the least funny of the lot. Half his act is appropriated from other comics and he uses the guitar to mask his hideously unfunny jokes/puns. Further, the young man comes off arrogant when the audience doesn’t laugh at his jokes going as far to imply that there must be something wrong with the people in the seats. Overall, this was the weakest line-up of the four mainstage comedy acts. I should’ve caught The Weakerthans instead. Rating: Klein 7/10, Miller 6/10, Thune 4/10
7:45pm-Sons and Daughters KILLED in their 2nd performance of the day, over on the “Rockstar Stage”. This time, they played tracks off The Repulsion Box (including the single “Dance Me In”) as well as stand out tracks on their newer album like “House in My Head”, “This Gift” and “Gilt Complex”. The crowd ate up the act demanding “one more song” in unison. When they returned, Adele announced that this was their first festival encore ever. It was a special moment, closing with the ‘60s soul inspired song “Chains”.
[Sons & Daughters] Rating: 9/10
9:15pm-At the mainstage a humongous crowd watched Stone Temple Pilots play a greatest hits set. Nothing noticeable has changed for the hard rock band, with Scott Weiland doing his best snake impression on stage and the bass player dude seemingly using his instrument as an extension of his penis. Always the megalomaniac, Weiland announced, “This is a song off our 1st album…But if you don’t own it, I’m sure you’ve heard it once or twice”, prior to playing “Plush”. Laughable set but worth the visit just to people watch the attendees. Over at the “Rockstar Stage” Tapes ‘N Tapes played their paint-by-numbers set of Pixies inspired tunes. Not bad, but not particularly interesting either. Rating: STP 5/10, Tapes ‘N Tapes 5/10
The 411: With so much diversity in the entertainment schedule and intelligent planning by One Reel productions, Bumbershoot is easily the best running music & arts festival in the United States.
