Seattle is a
decisively indie city and the ultimate expression of its hipsterdom manifests
itself every Labor Day weekend in the form of Bumbershoot. Poetry readings and film discussions rub shoulders
with the main attraction—music—and this year over 40,000 people showed up each
day to hear everything from late ‘80s rockers Crowded House (who brought Eddie
Vedder to the stage for three songs) to the blistering rhythms of Rodrigo y Gabriela.
The first
night, Devotchka dished out its
sometimes gypsy, sometimes polka, Eastern European sound beneath the Space
Needle. A theremin that could’ve been an air-raid siren and a tuba wrapped in
red Christmas lights led to foot-stomping one moment; a beautiful violin
combined with Nick Urata’s haunting
voice led to solemn contemplation the next.
But really,
Saturday, and the weekend as a whole, was made complete when The Avett BrothersScott Avett stepped to the
stage. Their oft-spoken word, folksy punkgrass (think Cold War Kids, Split Lip
Rayfield and Two Gallants) stopped all those passing by and demanded an encore
even after the house music started playing. ’s voice carries so much emotion in a grandiose, gothic
way and in the course of an hour he broke at least five banjo strings. Heart,
spontaneity and raw energy are what the Avetts
offer, along with clever lyrics and Joe
Kwon, who takes the cello into all kinds of territory.
Monday featured
a funk/soul party with a lineup of Mocean
Worker, Soulive and the Greyboy Allstars. Mocean Worker is now
a band, as opposed to just leader Adam
Dorn, who in the past solely relied on a sampler and his bass. Dark, thick
and syrupy defines Dorn’s style, and combined with his colorful New York
personality—he claims to be a better rapper than Kevin Federline, wrote a song
to prove the film Anchorman wrong and
doesn’t want to “pull a bald Moby” by becoming too political—has you up and
boogieing within a matter of minutes.
RA Scion,
from local hip-hop outfit Common Market,
summed up the festival when he simply shouted, “Are you ready to be sonically
slapped in the face?” The answer resounded.
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