Bumbershoot 2009 - Day One - (Seattle, WA; Sept 05, 2009)

Get out your Bumbershoot, it’s raining!

Of the past four years, this was my first Bumbershoot experience in the rain, which is pretty awesome, considering it’s Seattle. This was my second year of the 3-day pass experience. Aside from the people in walking traffic that pause whenever they please, the Labor Day weekend is near perfection. (I could also happily go a few days without seeing any neon clad 14 year olds making out.) Not only was the rain a first for my Bumbershoot experience, but this was also the first year I planned my “set list” around groups I hardly knew. Out of ten groups I saw, I was very familiar with the music of one, knew something about two, knew that other people I know and respect musically liked six, and took a gamble on one.
I am sorry to report that overall, the sound quality was poor this year. I don’t know if it was because I stood too close to the stage sometimes, or too far away; if I was too far to the side or too center. What I do know is that I am pretty sure my ears just stopped bleeding from the pressure of the bass that was OBNOXIOUSLY powerful at almost every show I attended. It was so bad, I left two very good performances soon after their start out of sheer discomfort.  The backup vocals were almost always too quiet as well, which is a serious peeve of mine.
That all being said, this was one of the best Bumbershoots I’ve been to. So let me get right down to it.

Day one:
There is something about this band. I had heard maybe a song or two of Low vs. Diamond prior to the show, when my iPod would shuffle music my brother had loaded unbeknownst to me. Their hoppy beats and sweet crooning won over the crowd in moments. We were hanging on every word of lead vocalist Lucas Field, a homegrown Seattle boy. Maybe the “something” is him. Maybe it’s that we are Seattlites and rain is romantic, or maybe that we were at the Broad Street Stage just feet away from KOMO 4 News station where dramatic love triangles are filmed for Grey’s Anatomy. I think, however, it is just all the talented, dreamy men on stage. The best thing I can say about this band, honestly, is that I would be more than eager to go to their concerts on a weekly basis. Talented musicianship and an extremely charming stage presence has me sold 100% on the quintet.

I cannot lie. I downloaded the Matt & Kim song from the Bacardi commercial. I am a huge fan of dance-around-happy-music (my own category title) and every time I saw the commercial I would start shaking around on the couch, and even pick up my sleeping dog’s paws and, to her chagrin, wave her paws in the air. So I thought, “Hey! They’re going to be at Bumbershoot, I’ll get to dance around.” . . . Well I would have, maybe, danced around had there been a consistent beat to dance to. I hate to say bad things about this group because if they were being graded on enthusiasm and portrayal of “how much do you love what you do??” they would be well on their way to an overpriced education. But c’mon! Have they ever met a metronome? Do they know they exist? I totally understand getting caught up in the moment and adrenaline running away with your focus. . . but not for an entire 45 minute set. And maybe it was the crowd surfing 14 year olds who pushed their way through the crowd that offset my mood for the show. But, sadly, the performers did not save my experience. Their recording is decent, considering there is a steady beat so instead of going to see them again in the future, I will just have to listen to that one mp3 of “Daylight.”

The two other groups I saw on Saturday were the two I had to walk out on because of the bass. I was bummed about leaving both Os Mutantes - a Brazilian psychedelic rock group who broke up ages ago and regrouped recently, who I had only learned about the day before - and De La Soul - a hip-hop group formed in the 80’s who I have been listening to since high school. But about fifteen minutes into each show as the energy levels picked up and the mics came alive, the discomfort was too much, despite the excellent shows they were putting on. I cannot wait for the opportunity to see both of these groups the next time they are in the area and only hope that the sound guy or gal at those shows has an inkling of what they are doing.

DOWNLOAD: Matt & Kim + Low vs. Diamond + De La Soul + Os Mutantes - Stay Awake (MP3) or Follow us for more Matt & Kim + Low vs. Diamond + De La Soul + Os Mutantes MP3s (Twitter)

Matt & Kim + Low vs. Diamond + De La Soul + Os Mutantes review to your liking? You'll sweat:

Bumbershoot 2009 (Aging Seattle Native version) - Seattle Center (Seattle, WA; Sept. 07, 2009)

Low vs Diamond - High Dive (Seattle, WA; May 22, 2008)

An East-Coast Transplant Covers BUMBERSHOOT! (Seattle, WA; Aug. 31 - Sept. 2, 2008)

Os Mutantes - Aladdin Theater (Portland, OR; Sept. 2, 2009)

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