photo by joshc [flickr]

Monotonix’s set at Bumbershoot was shut down within 15 minutes for reasons relating to crowd control, indecent exposure, or general overcaution on the part of the fire marshall. I haven’t heard if anything was set aflame last night at the Comet, but today they’re playing an afternoon show in Ballard at the Sunset Tavern. I’ve found that location nearly impossible to negotiate during well attended tweepop; so I don’t even dare to imagine what it will be like for an intense Israeli punk show. $10, 2pm. [sunset | brownpapertickets]

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photo by photo coyote [flickr] via our group pool [#]

• If you’re not still in a Bumbershoot hangover [soundonthesound], you might be superhuman. And/or ready to head down to Portland for another multi-day music fest. If I ever recover: car/trainpool anyone? [mfnw]
• Microblog Tycoons Geeky Sweedes turn off their cloaking devices. [myballard], spin-off yet another neighborhood ‘blog [fremontuniverse], and are scheduled to appear on a panel tomorrow at the Central Library [cityclub] hosted by Monica Guzman. [bigblog]
• the Stranger is having a contest to pick your favorite Bumbershoot photo. Not that I’m telling you how to vote or anything, but if I must lose, let’s make it to Kyle’s picture of Saul Williams, which is stunning even before you consider how challenging the lighting was on that stage. [lineout]

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~ Gore Vidal

* Local author, chaplain, and cancer survivor Debra Jarvis will be at Elliott Bay Book Company this evening, September 3rd, at 7:30 PM to read from her mermoir It’s Not About the Hair: And Other Certainties of Life and Cancer. This isn’t the sort of reading I would normally put on my calendar, because I’m paranoid and superstitious about cancer, which is why I should definitely read this book. The event is in conjunction with Gilda’s Club Seattle [www.gildasclubseattle.org]. Jarvis’s publisher is Sasquatch Books, one of the few, proud, Seattle-based publishing companies [www.sasquatchbooks.com].

* JUST CONFIRMED: Kathy Reichs, producer of the FOX show “Bones,” will NOT be signing at Seattle Mystery Bookshop tomorrow, September 4th, so if you want a signed copy of her novel Devil Bones (#11 in the Termperance Brennan series), you must call or email [206-587-5737 or staff@seattlemystery.com] to reserve one. I suspect Reichs’ publisher double-booked her, because Third Place Books, up in Lake Forest Park, has her on their calendar at 7:00 PM.

* The most unusual signing Thursday, September 4th, will be on the 4:40 PM Seattle/Bainbridge ferry. Local author Susan Wiggs will sign Just Breathe aboard the M/V Wenatchee in the Main Cabin. She’s also having a drawing to win a gift basket, so if you are commuting anyway, why not swing by?

* If you missed Sherman Alexie at Bumbershoot, he’s going to be at the Ballard Branch of Seattle Public Library on Thursday, 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM. He’ll be reading from his latest, the YA novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, and he’ll also probably answer questions, and be his usual brilliant self. This event is co-sponsored by Ballard’s Secret Garden Bookshop, as part of their First (hopefully) Annual SET HERE Series, to celebrate great books set in our region. Go show some love.

* The U Village Barnes & Noble is hosting Jeff Howe, author of Crowdsourcing: Why The Power Of The Crowd Is Driving The Future Of Business, Thursday at 7:30 PM. Wow, crowdsourcing, what an amazing concept! Many hands do make light work and now there is a business book to prove it. Good gravy, Davey! Before Howe coined himself a word, people called it volunteerism, community spirit, consumer focus groups, black-box testing, or the SETI project. I wonder: has Howe ever been to a barn-raising, worked on an AIDS quilt, or spent a day at a U-Pick farm? Go to B&N to ask. Or to heckle. Whichever.

* Also, on Thursday, September 4th, Tacoma News-Tribune sportswriter Dave Boling reads from his debut novel, Guernica, at Elliott Bay Books (7:30 PM). Reviews have generally been good: Powell’s compares Guernica to Corelli’s Mandolin and The English Patient; Publishers Weekly says “Boling is skillful with characters and dialogue, possessing a great sense of timing and humor, though some historical cameos feel forced (especially Picasso, who pops up throughout), and some plot twists can be seen from quite a long way off.” (Sept. Reed Business Information)

* Seattle is not a huge poetry town—we’re not bereft of poets, but we don’t have the poetic saturation of certain other cities-that-shall-not-be-named. (Sniff.) We simply have higher standards; for example, Cal Kinnear, who is not only a poet, but administrative director for Washington Lawyers for the Arts. He will read from his new book, A Walk in Bardo, on Friday at 7:30 PM at Elliott Bay Books. Kinnear is published by Blue Begonia Press, a Yakima-based publishing company [www.bluebegoniapress.com].

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In the Metblogs guide to Bumbershoot, it mentions both planning, not planning, and preparing to spend a few dollars on the excellent buskers around the event. While rushing from stage to stage yesterday, I stumbled across Thione Diop, who was happily drumming away to a small, bouncing crowd.

When I rushed past the same spot later in the day, Diop- a drummer/griot from Senegal- had garnered a pretty large crowd whose crescent shape blocked most of the walkway. He and percussion ensemble Yeke Yeke were smiling while rhythmically pounding out beats on their djembe drums, among other instruments. Before long, I was tapping my feet and dancing along with the rest of the onlookers.

So, I concur with the general Metblog consensus- see the bands you want to see, but don’t overlook the serendipity of stumbling across a great artist while wandering about Seattle Center.

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The first phase of King County’s ban on trans fats in restaurants went into effect May 1, 2008. The King County Department of Health has been inspecting local restaurants for compliance and reports that more than 99 percent of them are using oils with zero trans fat in accordance to the law.

When this law was first proposed, I thought it sounded kind of sketchy for a number of reasons, one of which is that I thought it might change the taste of foods I like, and not for the better. I have to confess that I didn’t even realize that the ban was in place already until I read the county’s press release, so I guess that question’s been answered.

The idea behind eliminating trans fat oils is to improve the health of King County residents by removing from their diet a food that is known to have a contributing effect on medical issues like heart disease. Of the 1,451 restaurants inspected during the months of June and July, only 10 - less than one percent - were found in violation of the trans fat ban. The ban dictates that restaurants refrain from using partially hydrogenated oils, or trans fats, for frying, grilling or sautéing, or in a spread that contain 0.5 grams or more of trans fat per serving.

At the present time, restaurants are allowed to continue using trans fats in deep frying batter or yeast dough, which meant that the elephant ears at Bumbershoot were just as good in the mouth, bad for the body, as ever, but this exemption to the rule expires on February 1, 2009.

The Health Department has a page on the their website all about trans fat and the ban; in the future, restaurants found out of compliance with the ban will be listed on the site.

Food served in the manufacturer’s original, sealed packaging is exempted from the ban.

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photo by josh; bumbershoot photoset [flickr]

Our friends over at the Times’ Bumberblog managed to get to the Monotonix show before it got shut down and have already posted pictures. When I talked to the Exhibition Hall staff about it, they said that the reason for the shut down was that it was too dangerous, and perhaps also because one or the other of the guys pulled down his pants. I don’t know what else you can expect from a band who sets its things up on the floor rather than the stage. I guess now they know.

Considering how that went, I’m a little surprised that they let Dan Deacon set up on the floor as well, but I guess it helped that the house lights were on. I know that a lot of people enjoy Dan Deacon, but his whole ‘let’s-hold-hands-and-play-games-together’ thing makes me really uncomfortable. Some day, Dan Deacon is going to start a cult. Nonetheless, the crowd was completely into it, doing whatever the man instructed with total commitment and vim. He’s like the shinier side of Monotonix’s crowd compulsion dynamics.

I’ve been telling you for a while to go and see Black Eyes and Neckties, and now that I have seen them myself (twice in one day), I can say that I really mean it. Even with the lead vocalist in a wheelchair they put in a performance unlike any I’ve seen in a very long time. They jumped on and off of things, broke things, climbed on to and over each other, played from the floor, and made me constantly wince because I was sure that they would hurt themselves. I don’t want to keep comparing them to the Murder City Devils, but I can’t stop.

Battles are definitely robots. I am more convinced each time I see them. I closed out the festival with hometown boys Minus the Bear, who sound better than they have in years. I think I like them most out in the open.

Goodbye, Bumbershoot. See you next year.

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This is my first Bumbershoot- and thus far, I’ve managed to stay so busy that I haven’t even had time to update! I’ve already taken hundreds of photos, and am looking forward to the John Vanderslice and Old 97’s show later today.

Things I’ve seen that were awesome:
The shows in the KEXP Music Lounge, which are a lot more intimate and friendly than the teeming masses outside
Blitzen Trapper, who had tons of energy and worked the crowd into a frenzy in the first three songs
Kate Tucker & Sons of Sweden, whose voice drew me in from my wandering about the entrance
The coolest buskers, an African drumming band that deserves their own post
The cutest 5-month-old kitten, courtesy of an animal rescue booth

Things I wish I’d seen:
Monotonix, who got kicked offstage by the fire marshal for being too wild

I’m sure I will have something to add to this list later, but I have to run before I’m late for JV ;)

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dita vox of thee emergency; photo by josh; bumbershoot set [flickr]

Last night I wandered from an unjustifiably empty Sons and Daughter’s set to an unjustifiably empty The Hands set, and couldn’t figure out where everyone was. Even given that a large portion of the crowd was probably at The Black Keys/waiting for Stone Temple pilots, both of those bands are good and deserved a crowd. And then I came to the Fisher Green and found everyone left at Bumbershoot watching The Saturday Knights, and that, as I have told everyone who will listen, warmed the cockles of me old seafarin’ heart. I love The Saturday Knights so, and even more when they are sampling the Fleet Foxes and Band of Horses.

Dita Vox really is the hottest girl in Seattle, and Thee Emergency owned the EMP last night. The stage was also graced by a pink gorilla and Jacob James on keyboards. I think Jacob is officially involved in every band in Seattle.

If what I heard this afternoon is any indication, Blitzen Trapper’s new album is going to be a whole lot less robot and a whole lot more alt-country rock. Seeing them meant that I missed watching Monotonix get shut down after just a couple of songs, before they even got a chance to set anything on fire. This is probably for the best, since I hear that from the very start the whole thing was insane. After the show, the band was swarmed by a crowd wanting to buy merchandise.

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I came into Bumbershoot Sunday thinking it was a bad lineup. The schedule that had already lost some major acts and didn’t seem to have any theme or reason to it. And the evening headliner was… Stone Temple Pilots? Who were big when I was in college? What, Bumbershoot is trying to cash in on Gen X nostalgia now? Can we look forward to the Tiffany/NKOTB stadium show next year?

But then came the Saturday Knights and the Black Keys. The Saturday Knights, as mentioned earlier, were last minute filler for the green stage. And they absolutely killed. It’s been a long time since I’d seen a hip-hop group who were actually into having fun and getting the crowd pogoing. And they pogoed. So did the photographers in the front pit (which was kinda funny to watch with their big rigs bounding and them slamming into each other). Tilson and Barfly trading rhymes, DJ Suspence managing two turntables and a bunch of instruments, and a live band — with a horn section! A horn section! Samantha has been trumpeting these guys for years now, and Samantha was right. (There you go, dear, now you can print it out and pull it out any time you feel otherwise.)

The Black Keys, meanwhile, I’d never really gotten into live, because they were just a wall of cacophony in small clubs. But, lo and behold, they’re a stadium band. And they were big, loud, and incredible, especially considering they were still just a duo with a fuzzbox. Funny, too, that it drew what looked like a jam band crowd (ballcaps and beach balls everywhere) even though I’ve never seen them as a jam band. Of course, they could have been there for Stone Temple Pilots.

Other things:

• The highest concentration of Metbloggers at any one show yesterday turned out to be Kathleen Edwards’ mural stage set. Considering the highly disparate tastes in music among the group, that was a bit of a shock. But she’s still adorable in her Canadian ways.
• I caught the first part of Sound Of Young America Live, which apparently was the least packed of all the comedy shows, all of which were increasingly hard to get into during the day.
• The music was one attraction, but there were big crowds not only for the half-pipe but for the Guitar Hero booth and KISW’s booth with Guitar Hero.
• Ravens and Chimes are listed as a band that formed at NYU. And it was obvious, though they were adorable and didn’t show a lot of elitist school cred onstage, just in their lyrics.
• My last show of the night was Tapes ‘n Tapes, and they sounded like… Tapes ‘n Tapes. They were good, but unfortunately, some of these alterna-bands the kids are into nowadays are starting to blend together. You see one drummer in Oxford shirt and 50s dad glasses, you’ve seen them all.
• I didn’t catch a lot of Final Fantasy, but that was an interesting crowd. Old, young, people sitting on blankets like it was a picnic spread, people passing the hash pipe, looking extremely serious and thoughtful the entire time. Owen Pallett’s music is serious and thoughtful, of course, but in a day filled with hard blues, pogoing hip-hop, and slightly dramatic and twee college pop, it was a surprise to see it. But that’s the thing about Bumbershoot, isn’t it? All kinds of music for all kinds of people.

And memo to the guys smoking weed on Mercer yesterday evening: Yes, it’s a low priority for the cops to bust you, and yes, this is a 420-friendly town, but honestly, walking down a busy street crowded with pedestrians and openly toking? That’s a little gauche.

And by the time you’d made into the Center, stood in line for Stone Temple Pilots, picked up your great seats, and been happy in your bakedness… you’d be hungry. And you’d have to find food vendors. Which are all outside the stadium. Meaning you just lost your place on the stadium floor. Think before you get high next time, people.

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There was a surprisingly long line for the Polish animation program at SIFF Cinema today; I know the Polish are known for their animation, but I never expected a line at the door that so closely resembled the lines for the bands and the comedy shows.

Early in the afternoon I stopped in for a while at the T.I. mainstage show. He’s not one of my favorites, but he put on an energetic stage show that revved up the nearly filled Memorial Coliseum who were jumping, dancing and enthusiatically fist-pumping. It can be hard to create spectacle in the afternoon sun but T.I. delivered.

I dashed out after the first half to go see the second half of Kathleen Edwards whose set was an excellent representation of the best of the singer-songwriter genre. She has a great voice and a fun, folksy charm, amusing the audience with stories of writing songs about friends and making videos with infamous hockey players.

The “Crime and Punishment” program at SIFF was probably one of the better short programs I’ve seen at Bumbershoot, a great selection of crime-themed shorts that ranged from the suspenseful to the comic.

I wanted to go see The Black Keys but got distracted along the way by The Saturday Knights. I really don’t know how to describe their show other than to say that they were totally awesome and Samantha was right to plug them way before any of us heard of them. (She was right about The Girls, too, so maybe we should all start listening to her.)

Just a note for anyone who is attending Monday: please remember that you are not a door and should there not block any walkways. There are tons of people on site, all wanting to get from one place to another. Blocking them to talk on your cell phone, consult the schedule, argue with your boyfriend, dig for something for in your baby’s diaper bag, or just randomly stare into space is totally not cool.

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