Falling down
I can’t believe I’m functioning at work today after being at Seattle Center for so long yesterday. It’s all the programmers’ fault. Who thought to put The Decemberists and Tegan and Sara at opposite ends of the day? I think I hate those marketing geniuses.
The best of Monday (for me, of course), hands down, was Ted Leo & the Pharmacists (music-wise) and the Buttrock Suites (visual arts). Not that the other 6 bands I saw were by any means slouches - they also rocked.
All in all, I’d have to give Bumbershoot a shiny gold star for fun this weekend. And for future reference, here are some lessons this first timer learned:
1) Carolyn, you are old. 18 hours of festival over 2 consecutive days with 50,000 or so others can take a lot out of you. A day of rest in-between might be a good idea.
2) When a band is great, you will forget how tired (read: old) you are.
3) You are not as smart as you think you are. Bumbershoot is spelled with a “b” not a “p.”
4) Flogging Molly is more popular than you imagined. With people starting to line up at 4:30 for the 8 o’clock show, you will not be “dropping in” on that particular band.
5) Following rules can be detrimental (i.e. no umbrella and no camera). Do not be envious next year, bring the camera.
6) Despite the fact that the Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra has a few men musicians, they were still good.
7) Rain will not stop an awesome band, nor its audience, from having a great time.
8) You can still witness, in this decade, in this city, a mullet in the wild.
9) People travel all the way from LA for this festival. Anyone know if the guy with the sign got a ride back?
10) You will not be traveling next year over Labor Day weekend.
Please add lessons you learned in the comments section.
the line for Flogging Molly was *insane*. I’m really glad that the crowd control people figured out a way to separate them from the Ted Leo line.
Oh no! The Flogging Molly and Ted Leo lines were combined?!?! I took one look and walked away in horror. Alas.
I know! The only line that was larger (that I saw) was for Bo Diddley!
The guy with the LA sign was still there during Iggy Pop and the Stooges.
Ditto on the camera fiasco. I was out of town until Sunday night, so only got Monday at the festival. I believed the “prohibited” part about cameras and left mine at home. What a fool.
Brazilian Girls played a very tight set.
I’m feeling bad about perpetuating the camera policy since it went largely unenforced. I guess that the update about non-professional cameras being allowed [mb] didn’t really help to encourage people to try to break the rules.
I was amazed that they didn’t seem to be checking anything at the gates. However, the exit for re-entry procedure seemed insanely complicated: ticket stamp, ticket scan, hand stamp with UV activated mark. Next year, expect retina scans!
Don’t feel bad, I would have followed the rules anyway. I’m uptight like that.
As far as the re-entry, the retina scans made me laugh, because it’s probably true.
I walked past the Brazilian Girls and didn’t stay because the crowd was so HUGE.
Lessons I learned:
No band appears to enjoy playing together more than The Decemberists.
Pretty Girls Make Graves does not have bad shows.
Cliche magical moments are still pretty damn magical (re: first rain during Common’s encore)