Seattle’s Labor Day weekend celebration, Bumbershoot, had to compete in its birth year (1971) with many other firsts, including the arrival of canned A&W root beer, Jell-O Pudding Treat and smoked Spam.
| Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. today through Monday at Seattle Center.
Tickets: $28, $45 2-day pass, $80 4-day pass; $8 seniors 65 and older and kids 5-12; 4 and younger free. Mainstage performances: Evening shows on the Mainstage require an additional free pass. Passes may be obtained on the day of show at the Information Booths (except the one in the Center House) on festival grounds, on a first come, first served basis. Afternoon Mainstage performances do not require an additional pass – they are first come, first served only. Information: www.bumbershoot.org. |
The dot-matrix printer, the first processor, the cell phone and the VCR were invented that year; Chilean poet Pablo Neruda won the Nobel Prize in literature, The New York Times published the “Pentagon Papers,” and nearly everyone bought the hoax of the discovery of primitive Philippine tribal cave dwellers.
But Bumbershoot, now in its 35th year, was no hoax. It is one of the country’s largest urban arts festivals (four days, 2,500 artists, 20-plus venues), and will draw about 150,000 people, weather willing.
This year’s musical choices include Elvis Costello, Garbage, Mavis Staples, Tift Merritt, Billy Joe Shaver, Trey Anastasio, Bo Diddley and Gospel Hummingbirds.
Friday
It’s guys-and-dolls night, although never assume which gender is involved by the name of the band. The Donnas has four rock ‘n’ roll women, but the New York Dolls are guys, and Garbage is led by ferocious frontwoman Shirley Manson.
They’ll all be on the Mainstage in Memorial Stadium.
The Donnas’ “Spend the Night” album hit the top spot on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart and the group made the rounds of late-night TV talk shows.
The New York Dolls were short-lived but influential in punk rock circles. The surviving members reunited in 2004.
Garbage has fine-tuned the art of muscle pop, turning out melodies with bite; and recorded a theme song for the James Bond film “The World is Not Enough.”
On other stages:
Mavis Staples. One of VH1’s Greatest Women of Rock ‘n’ Roll, the Grammy-winning rhythm and blues singer stresses her gospel roots.
Sherik’s Syncopated Taint Septet. Sherik (Critters Buggin’), the Seattle punk-jazz group, blows away listeners with its five-horn front line.
Chris Stamey. Co-founder of the jangle-pop Sneakers and dBs still rides the indie-pop circuit.
Stan Ridgway. Storytelling singer/songwriter with a melancholy humor has a lyrical talent for detail.
Akimbo. Think ear-conservation, bring earplugs for this intense performance of grunge-reminiscent sounds mixed with punk and metal.
Saturday
Trey Anastasio. The headliner at Memorial Stadium was the founder of seminal improv band Phish. Later he toured with his horn-tinged solo band, and recorded as Oysterhead with Primus bassist Les Claypool and Police drummer Stewart Copeland.
Tift Merritt. The singer/songwriter will head to Nashville after Bumbershoot. She has three Americana Music Association nominations (artist, album, and song of the year).
Marlena Shaw. The charismatic jazz vocalist (“Mercy, Mercy, Mercy”) blurs the boundaries of soul, jazz, pop and blues. She was the first female to sign with Blue Note.
Digable Planets. Synthesizing hip-hop and jazz after nine years off, the trio is showing why it earned a Grammy for best duo/group, the first hip-hop group to do so.
Duke Robillard. The founder of Roomful of Blues replaced Jimmy Vaughn as lead guitarist for The Fabulous Thunderbirds in 1990. He’s a two-time W.C. Handy Guitarist of the Year winner.
Billy Joe Shaver. Most of the songs on Waylon Jennings’ “Honky Tonk Heroes” were written by singer/songwriter Shaver, whose whiskey-and-lyrics songs were also recorded by Tom T. Hall and Kris Kristofferson.
Minus the Bear. Seattle band earns points on song titles alone (“Hey, Is That a Ninja Up There?”, “Lemurs, Man, Lemurs”). Its last album (“Menos el Oso”) moves to a hardcore roots/indie-pop approach.
Sunday
Yes, Elvis Costello is the headliner but the most intriguing performance may be at the Bagley Wright Theater.
Novelist Wesley Stace brings his singing alter-ego John Wesley Harding persona. His lyrical novel “Misfortune” has earned critical praise, and he’s offering a world premiere of text from the novel with music from his album “Songs of Misfortune,” complete with a medieval rock combo and a string quartet.
Elvis Costello. His solo show will reign Sunday night at Memorial Stadium. Costello’s first album’s title turned out to be predictive: “My Aim is True” could have been the much-awarded singer’s slogan as he scored for 25 years in a variety of musical genres, with emphasis on rock and pop.
Mary Gauthier. She didn’t write her first song until she was 35, but Gauthier’s eye-opening lyrics have earned her several kudos in the 21st century, including Reader’s Digest Best About-to Hit-Country Star and three America Music Association nominations.
Son Volt. The alt-country pioneers’ international tour begins after Bumbershoot. On Sunday, they’ll play classics as well as songs from July’s release, “Okemah and the Melody of Riot,” a more rock-laden album.
Bo Diddley. His songs were covered by The Animals, Yardbirds and the Rolling Stones. “Pills,” one of the first songs about drug addiction, was recorded by the New York Dolls.
Pepper. The Hawaiian trio shows the influences of the reggae-influenced pop-rock of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Israel Vibration. Jamaican band continues to deliver a socially conscious message.
Gospel Hummingbirds. The group’s “Steppin’ Out” earned a Grammy nomination for best traditional soul/gospel album.
Hothouse Flowers. Expect a fusion of rock ‘n’ roll, Irish folk music and American gospel. U2’s Bono released the band’s first single on the mega-group’s own label.
Monday
The Mainstage headliner is Iggy and the Stooges. The band’s raw sound was an underground hit from 1967 to 1973. Iggy Pop had a solo career, then brought back the Stooges in 2003.
Meredith Monk. The composer and singer has created opera, musical, theater and film works while exploring the voice as an instrument. Her avant-garde works include jazz, theater, and classical music.
Michael Franti. Through hip-hop, R&B, and soul, Franti transforms his anger at certain human conditions into eloquent songs that address social issues.
Buckwheat Zydeco. The Grammy-nominated Louisiana band will deliver Creole party music. The album “Trouble” was called a “swamp boogie joy ride” by People magazine.
Keren Ann. The Israeli-born, Paris-raised singer mixes French pop, folk and trip-hop. Her debut album earned Victoire (think Grammy) nominations.
Here’s the full lineup:
Today
The Mainstage Memorial Stadium
The Donnas: 6:15-7:15 p.m.
New York Dolls: 7:45-9 p.m.
Garbage: 9:30-10:45 p.m.
What’s Next Stage Exhibition Hall
Beyond Reality: 5:15-6 p.m.
Blue Scholars: 6:30-7:15 p.m.
Zion I: 7:45-8:45 p.m.
Little Brother: 9:15-10:15 p.m.
Bumbrella Stage
Laguna!: 1-2 p.m.
MangoSon: 2:45-4 p.m.
Altered States of Funk: 4:45-6 p.m.
Skerik’s Syncopated Taint Septet: 6:45-8 p.m.
Maktub: 8:45-10:15 p.m.
Blues Stage Mural Amphitheater
Becki Sue &Her Big-Rockin’ Daddies!: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Jude Bowerman Band: 2-3:15 p.m.
The Chris Stevens Band: 3:45-5 p.m.
Kermit Ruffins: 5:45-7 p.m.
Mavis Staples: 7:45-9 p.m.
Backyard Stage Broad Street Lawn
Ruby Dee &the Snake Handlers: 1-2 p.m.
Graham Travis: 2:45-3:45 p.m.
Vicci Martinez Band: 4:30-5:45 p.m.
Chris Stamey: 6:30-7:45 p.m.
M. Ward: 8:30-9:45 p.m.
Northwest Court Lounge
The Garfield High School Jazz Combo: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Cuchata: 2-3:15 p.m.
Thomas Marriott Quartet: 4-5:15 p.m.
Dudley Manlove Quartet: 6-7:15 p.m.
Stan Ridgway: 8-9:30 p.m.
Literary Stage
Margaret Chula: Women Haiku and Tanka Poets: 1-1:45 p.m.
Youth Speaks: 2-3 p.m.
Panel: Youth and Writing: 3:30-5 p.m.
Priya Keefe: 5:30-5:45 p.m.
Knock Journal Presents: Joshua Beckman, Keith Egawa, Kathleen Brsagna: 5:45-6:30 p.m.
Kathleen Bryson: 7-7:30 p.m.
Inga Muscio: 7:30-8 p.m.
EMP Sky Church
The Gruff Mummies: 12:15-1:15 p.m.
Sub-Motive: 1:45-2:45 p.m.
Anna Oxygen: 3:15-4:15 p.m.
Smoosh: 4:45-5:45 p.m.
Razrez: 6:15-7:15 p.m.
Akimbo: 7:45-8:30 p.m.
The Ruby Doe: 9-10 p.m.
Comedy Stage Charlotte Martin Theatre
Paul Gilmartin, Patton Oswalt: 2-3 p.m.
Andrew Donnelly, Eugene Mirman, Craig Robinson: 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Aziz Ansari, Mike Birbiglia, Nick Swardson: 5-6 p.m.
Todd Barry, Flight of the Conchords: 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Jackie Kashian, Howard Kremer, Demetri Martin: 8-9 p.m.
Busker Stage Ex-Hall Lawn
Emery Carl: 4-4:45 p.m.
Charlotte Thistle: 5-5:45 p.m.
Ballard Ave Jug Buskers: 6-6:45 p.m.
Baby Gramps: 7-7:45 p.m.
Ink Spot Snoqualmie Room
Storytime (for kids of all ages): 1-1:45 p.m.
Pamphlet Stitch Binding: 2-2:45 p.m.
Wood Engraving: 3-3:45 p.m.
Office Experiments #212: 4-4:45 p.m.
Printing and Binding by Hand: 5-5:45 p.m.
Office Translations “A”: 6-6:45 p.m.
Saturday
The Mainstage Memorial Stadium
John Butler Trio: 12:45-1:45 p.m.
Citizen Cope: 2:15-3:45 p.m.
Trey Anastasio: 8-10:30 p.m.
McCaw Hall
Charlie Hunter Trio: 2-3:15 p.m.
Bill Frisell with Tony Scherr &Kenny Wollesen: 3:45-5 p.m.
Smart: Dave Eggers, Sarah Vowell, Daniel Handler (Lemony Snicket), Mike Doughty, and the Transatlantic Orchestra in a Benefit for 826 Seattle: 8-10 p.m.
What’s Next Stage Exhibition Hall
The Academy Is…: 2:45-3:30 p.m.
Hidden In Plain View: 4-4:45 p.m.
Visqueen: 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Harvey Danger: 7:15-8:15 p.m.
Minus The Bear: 9-10 p.m.
Bumbrella Stage
Brothers of the Baladi: 12:45-2 p.m.
DeVotchKa: 2:45-4 p.m.
Alpha Yaya Diallo: 4:45-6:15 p.m.
Clinton Fearon &Boogie Brown Band: 7-8:30 p.m.
Digable Planets: 9:15-10:30 p.m.
Blues Stage Mural Amphitheater
Darrius Willrich: 12:15-1:30 p.m.
Mavis Staples: 2:15-3:30 p.m.
Kelley Hunt: 4:15-5:30 p.m.
Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen: 6:15-7:30 p.m.
The Duke Robillard Band: 8:15-9:45 p.m.
Backyard Stage Broad Street Lawn
Luke Temple: Noon-1 p.m.
Carolyn Mark: 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Ian McFeron Band: 3:15-4:30 p.m.
Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion: 5:15-6:30 p.m.
Billy Joe Shaver: 7:15-8:30 p.m.
Tift Merritt: 9:15-10:30 p.m.
Northwest Court Lounge
The Fading Collection: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Samite: 2:15-3:45 p.m.
Andre Feriante: 4:30-5:45 p.m.
The Tiptons Sax Quartet: 6:30-7:45 p.m.
Marlena Shaw: 8:30-9:45 p.m.
Literary Stage
Kevin Sampsell and Haiku Inferno: 1-1:45 p.m.
Juliette Torrez’ Kapow!: 2-3 p.m.
Panel: The End of the Wor(l)d: 3:30-5 p.m.
Shelley Jackson: 5:30-6 p.m.
Larry Lee Palmer: 6-6:30 p.m.
EMP Sky Church
Infomatik: 12:15-1:15 p.m.
Mercir: 1:45-2:45 p.m.
Viva Voce: 3:15-4:15 p.m.
IQU: 4:45-5:45 p.m.
Eva: 6:45-9 p.m.
Junkie XL: 9-11 p.m.
Comedy Stage Charlotte Martin Theatre
Todd Barry, Flight of the Conchords: 2-3 p.m.
Aziz Ansari, Mike Birbiglia, Nick Swardson: 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Jackie Kashian, Howard Kremer, Demetri Martin: 5-6 p.m.
Andrew Donnelly, Eugene Mirman, Craig Robinson: 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Paul Gilmartin, Patton Oswalt: 8-9 p.m.
Bagley Wright Theatre
Wade Madsen: 1-1:45 p.m.
Lemony Snicket: 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Marc Bamuthi Joseph: 4:30-6 p.m.
STREB: 8-9:30 p.m.
Busker Stage Ex-Hall Lawn
Flower Alley: Noon-12:45 p.m.
Amber Tide: 1-1:45 p.m.
Shoehorn: 2-2:45 p.m.
Jim Hinde: 3-3:45 p.m.
Charlotte Thistle: 4-4:45 p.m.
Robert Blake: 5-5:45 p.m.
Emery Carl: 6-6:45 p.m.
Ballard Ave Jug Buskers: 7-7:45 p.m.
Theatre Puget Sound Stage Center House Theater
Mary Purdy – “Purdy Woman”: 2:15-3 p.m.
Sidney Snoop – Ace Detective: 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Seattle goga – “Girl On Girl Action”: 5-6 p.m.
Lauren Weedman – “Wreckage”: 6:30-8 p.m.
Ink Spot Snoqualmie Room
The Editorial We: 12:45-1:45 p.m.
Office Experiments #4: 2-2:45 p.m.
Guerilla Poster Making (Beautiful Angle): 3-3:45 p.m.
Office Translations “Q”: 4-4:45 p.m.
Haiku Workshop: 5-5:45 p.m.
Japanese Stab Binding: 6-6:45 p.m.
Sunday
The Mainstage Memorial Stadium
The Pharcyde: 12:15-1:15 p.m.
Talib Kweli: 1:45-2:45 p.m.
Common: 3:15-4:15 p.m.
Marc Broussard: 8:15-9:15 p.m.
Elvis Costello: 9:45-11 p.m.
McCaw Hall
Bo Diddley: 3-4:15 p.m.
Jesse Sykes &The Sweet Hereafter: 7:30-8:15 p.m.
Son Volt: 8:45-10:15 p.m.
What’s Next Stage Exhibition Hall
Schoolyard Heroes: 4-4:45 p.m.
The Locust: 5:30-6:15 p.m.
Pretty Girls Make Graves: 7-8 p.m.
Pepper: 8:45-10 p.m.
Bumbrella Stage
Iguales: 12:45-2 p.m.
Omar Torrez Band: 2:45-4 p.m.
Joe Bataan: 4:45-6:15 p.m.
MIDIval PunditZ: 7-8:15 p.m.
Israel Vibration: 9-10:30 p.m.
Blues Stage Mural Amphitheater
Blues Orbiters: Noon-1 p.m.
Wheedle’s Groove: 1:45-3:30 p.m.
The Gospel Hummingbirds: 4:15-5:30 p.m.
Mofro: 6:15-7:30 p.m.
Billy Preston: 8:15-9:45 p.m.
Backyard Stage Broad Street Lawn
David Poe: Noon-1 p.m.
Tim Seely: 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Mary Gauthier: 3:15-4:15 p.m.
The Duhks: 5-6:15 p.m.
The Posies: 7-8:15 p.m.
Hothouse Flowers: 9-10:30 p.m.
Northwest Court Lounge
The Bastards of Jazz: 12:15-1:30 p.m.
Marlena Shaw: 2:15-3:30 p.m.
Swampdweller: 4:15-5:30 p.m.
Jovino Santos Neto Quinteto: 6:15-7:30 p.m.
Juana Molina: 8:15-9:15 p.m.
Literary Stage
Haiku Fresh Currents: 1-1:45 p.m.
Vis—Vis Society: 2-3 p.m.
Panel: Word Becomes Flesh: 3:30-5 p.m.
Peggy Shumaker: 5:30-6 p.m.
J.W. Marshall: 6-6:30 p.m.
D. Travers Scott: 7-7:30 p.m.
Quasimodo &the Bellringers: 7:30-8:30 p.m.
EMP Sky Church
Dolorean: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Math and Physics Club: 2-2:45 p.m.
Headphones: 3:15-4:15 p.m.
Damien Jurado: 4:45-5:45 p.m.
Hive: 9-11 p.m.
Comedy Stage Charlotte Martin Theatre
Andrew Donnelly, Eugene Mirman, Craig Robinson: 2-3 p.m.
Jackie Kashian, Howard Kremer, Demetri Martin: 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Todd Barry, Flight of the Conchords: 5-6 p.m.
Paul Gilmartin, Patton Oswalt: 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Aziz Ansari, Mike Birbiglia, Nick Swardson: 8-9 p.m.
Bagley Wright Theatre
STREB: 1:30-3 p.m.
John Wesley Harding &Friends: Songs of Misfortune: 4:15-5:30 p.m.
Wade Madsen: 6:15-7 p.m.
Marc Bamuthi Joseph: 8-9:30 p.m.
Busker Stage Ex-Hall Lawn
Ballard Ave Jug Buskers: Noon-12:45 p.m.
Emery Carl: 1-1:45 p.m.
Robert Blake: 2-2:45 p.m.
Amber Tide: 3-3:45 p.m.
Flower Alley: 4-4:45 p.m.
Baby Gramps: 5-5:45 p.m.
Shoehorn: 6-6:45 p.m.
Jim Hinde: 7-7:45 p.m.
Theatre Puget Sound Stage Center House Theater
Lauren Weedman – “Wreckage”: 3-4:30 p.m.
Are We Scared?: An Experiment in Child’s Play: 5-6:15 p.m.
Mik Kuhlman – “Split Second”: 6:45-8:15 p.m.
Ink Spot Snoqualmie Room
In 25 Words or More: 1-1:45 p.m.
Star Binding: 2-2:45 p.m.
Roll the Presses! (School of Visual Concepts): 3-3:45 p.m.
Office Experiments #17: 4-4:45 p.m.
Appropriate Print Technologies: 5-5:45 p.m.
Exquisite Corpse Exploration &Autopsy: 6-6:45 p.m.
Monday
The Mainstage Memorial Stadium
The Decemberists: 12:30-1:45 p.m.
Dashboard Confessional: 2:15-3:30 p.m.
Mudhoney: 8-9 p.m.
Iggy and The Stooges: 9:30-11 p.m.
McCaw Hall
Meredith Monk: 4-5:30 p.m.
What’s Next Stage Exhibition Hall
Aqueduct: 2:45-3:45 p.m.
Earlimart: 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Ted Leo + Pharmacists: 6:15-7:15 p.m.
Flogging Molly: 8-9:15 p.m.
Bumbrella Stage
KJ Sawka: 12:45-2:15 p.m.
Los Amigos Invisibles: 3-4:15 p.m.
Choklate: 5-6 p.m.
Brazilian Girls: 6:45-8 p.m.
Michael Franti &Spearhead: 8:45-10:15 p.m.
Blues Stage Mural Amphitheater
Stickshift Annie with Kimball and the Fugitives: 12:15-1:30 p.m.
Tim Sherman Band: 2-3:15 p.m.
Highway 99 All-Stars: 4-5:15 p.m.
Sonny Landreth: 6-7:15 p.m.
Buckwheat Zydeco: 8-9:30 p.m.
Backyard Stage Broad Street Lawn
The Bradbury Press: 12:45-2 p.m.
The Be Good Tanyas: 2:45-4 p.m.
The Waybacks: 4:45-6 p.m.
Okkervil River: 6:45-8 p.m.
Tegan and Sara: 8:45-10:00 p.m.
Northwest Court Lounge
Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra: Noon-1:15 p.m.
Upper Left Trio: 2-3:15 p.m.
Arturo Rodriguez Quartet: 6-7 p.m.
Keren Ann: 7:45-9 p.m.
Literary Stage
Haiku: The Four Elements: 1-1:45 p.m.
Marion Kimes: Crossing Borders: 2-3 p.m.
Tea with Nancy Pearl: 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Phil Campbell, with guest Grant Cogswell: 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Poet Populist! presented by Nick Licata: 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Ren Steinke, introduced by Ann Powers: 7-8:30 p.m.
EMP Sky Church
Post Stardom Depression: 12:15-1:15 p.m.
Charming Snakes: 1:45-2:45 p.m.
The Cops: 3:15-4:15 p.m.
Idiot Pilot: 4:45-5:45 p.m.
Kinski: 6:15-7:15 p.m.
Cancer Rising: 8-8:30 p.m.
Ayinde Howell: 8:40-9:10 p.m.
Boom Bap Project: 9:20-10:05 p.m.
Comedy Stage Charlotte Martin Theatre
Aziz Ansari, Mike Birbiglia, Nick Swardson: 2-3 p.m.
Paul Gilmartin, Patton Oswalt: 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Andrew Donnelly, Eugene Mirman, Craig Robinson: 5-6 p.m.
Jackie Kashian, Howard Kremer, Demetri Martin: 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Todd Barry, Flight of the Conchords: 8-9 p.m.
Bagley Wright Theatre
Buttrock Suites: 1-2 p.m.
Swivel Presents: The Indiscretions Road Show featuring Aimee Bender, Vendela Vida, Ali Davis, Ellen Forney, and Lauren Weedman: 3-4:15 p.m.
STREB: 5:45-7:15 p.m.
BumberSlam Invitational, with guest Beau Sia and DJ PhoSHO: 8:15-10:15 p.m.
Busker Stage Ex-Hall Lawn
Robert Blake: Noon-12:45 p.m.
Charlotte Thistle: 1-1:45 p.m.
Baby Gramps: 2-2:45 p.m.
Shoehorn: 3-3:45 p.m.
Jim Hinde: 4-4:45 p.m.
Amber Tide: 5-5:45 p.m.
Flower Alley: 6-6:45 p.m.
Jim Page &Artis the Spoonman: 7-7:45 p.m.
Theater Puget Sound Stage Center House Theater
Mik Kuhlman – “Split Second”: 2-3:30 p.m.
Mary Purdy – “Purdy Woman”: 4-4:45 p.m.
Loud Yoga: 5:15-5:45 p.m.
Sidney Snoop – Ace Detective: 6:15-7:15 p.m.
Ink Spot Snoqualmie Room
Japanese Stab Binding: 1-1:45 p.m.
Office Experiments #62: 2-2:45 p.m.
Letterpressed Flowers: 3-3:45 p.m.
Office Translations “J”: 4-4:45 p.m.
Memorial Reading (led by Cienna Madrid): 5-5:45 p.m.
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