OurStage – a brand new way to discover and enjoy the best new artists and the best new music – as determined by you.
OurStage – a brand new way to discover and enjoy the best new artists and the best new music – as determined by you.
My last day at Bumbershoot was a complete whirlwind. Kate Tucker, Blitzen Trapper, and Dan Deacon were all incredible. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I didn’t make it out to some of the biggest shows of the day, including The Offspring, Paramore, and Death Cab for Cutie. Fortunately, my friend Tiffany Sherman came through with great pictures of each of them. Here are some of her best of Paramore:
More pictures of Hayley and the guys below…
It’s hard to imagine it going any better. A packed hometown crowd, cooperating weather, and beautifully played set by Kate Tucker & the Sons of Sweden.
Kate won the early afternoon Bumbershoot crowd over with her infectious smile and satiny voice while Mark Isakson (as the Seattle P.I. points out) provided an essential, pedal driven texture (think Joey Santiago, but quieter). The whole band played a great set and clearly won over a new crop of fans not far from their hometown of Ballard. It’s hard not to feel like we’ll be watching this band on one of the bigger Bumbershoot stages in the coming years.
Look for a new video this coming fall, or watch their OurStage grand prize winner from this past May, “Say Love.”
I’ve heard a lot of buzz about Blitzen Trapper but hadn’t checked them out until today. They’re good. Really good. Heartfelt lo-fi pop/country/electronic songs with beautiful harmonies and subtle complexity in meter and chord changes. They’re shaping up to be the band I annoyingly hype to all my friends over the next few weeks (i.e. White Denim in late February, early March).
More pics:
I can’t say I was disappointed with Stone Temple Pilots‘ performance at Bumbershoot. Disappointment requires the precondition of high expectations. With all due respect to my beloved video director (Andrew Bertino) who worships STP, I’ve never been a big fan. My reaction to their reunion was similar to the reaction I had upon learning of the New Kids on The Block reunion: I guess they could use the money…and at least it’ll be fun for their fans.
That it was. Like true rock stars (or douchebags depending on your perspective) the band literally rolled directly up to the stage 30 minutes late in their huge tour bus (because it would have been too much to walk 20 feet to the stage). Once on stage, it was time for the ultimate STP karaoke party, featuring crazy (old) man Scott Weiland and bandmates playing all their hits in rapid succession with a light show that seemed to have been leftover from 1994 along with their songs. Though I wasn’t thrilled, my initial thoughts were confirmed:
1) They made money (I’m assuming)
and
2) It was fun for their fans (thousands of whom showed up)
Here’s another pic for those fans:
Keyshia Cole may have warmed up the mainstage crowd, but T.I. turned the heat up a notch. With the help of a fantastic hype man, T.I. entered the stage to thunderous applause and pumping fists. He matched their enthusiasm with a fiery set that kept the place bouncing and girls screaming.
Here are more pics:
