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.

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