Bumbershoot!
So, Proteux and I went to Bumbershoot yesterday. Good times! It was great music and great people-watching. A careful survey of the world of indie haircuts informs me that my laziness-induced quasi-mullet is actually rather fashionable, although it would be much more trendy if I gave myself uneven bangs that swept over one eye. Perhaps bleached. However, in all likelihood I shall merely get a haircut when I work up the motivation.
So, the bands:
First, we saw The Gossip, which I'd heard a bit of before and who I enjoy quite a lot. They're like an edgier version of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs...somewhat similar sound, but a little less screechy and more energetic. That, and whatsherface, The Gossip's frontwoman, could likely kick Karen O's arse. She has a fabulous voice. Anyway, they will hopefully eventually be added to my collection. They weren't the number one CD I'd buy of the day, but they were up there. (Greatfalls and Moonofdarkness...you'd probably like them)
Next, we stayed in the mainstage for one song-worth of Blondie, because it's Blondie. And half the reason I wanted to see her was so I could brag to Melissa about it. :P She wore bright neon yellow with a big floppy neon yellow hat. It was kind of intense.
We saw about three songs of Slender Means, which was a fairly generic indie rock three piece. Not hugely remarkable, not bad.
Then we went into the EMP's "Sky Church", a very cool venue that I wanted to design lights and video for sooo badly. We saw The Purrs and Daylight Basement. The Purrs were all right, but not amazing. They kind of sounded like a cross between some of the "grittier" vocalled indie rock (some White Stripes stuff, Kings of Leon) and vaguely 90s alt rock (Better Than Ezra sprang to mind).
Daylight Basement was far cooler. They had a good stage presence--a really energetic frontwoman with a great voice, a cool keyboardist who did sweet stuff with sampling, and pretty damn decent drums/bass/rhythm guitar. They were lots of fun. They made my list of bands of whom I want to get an album.
Then we went and found food, and came back to see my second favourite band of the day, although the band that's number 1 on the "albums to buy" list. They were Of Montreal, a four person group, 3 guitars and a rather intense keyboard/sampling system. The frontman was either a transvestite or a drag queen, I'd vaguely guess the former though I have no idea. He was super fun. The band was super fun--it was very much indie rock vibe with pop styling. I guess I mean all the good and useful bits of pop (catchy, fun, upbeat) with better instumentation and really excellent synth stuff going on. Word to the Of Montreal. (Greatfalls...get this stuff. it's great.)
Because we were waiting to see Cloud Cult, we wandered back over to the EMP Sky Church, where a band called The Can't See was playing. (yes, "the" not "they") I thought they should have had a big sign over 'em saying "This is what happens to you when you endure Seattle weather long enough," or perhaps just "Seattle: Land of Sad Bastards." I wasn't a big fan until I'd heard a couple songs, and I still don't think they're incredible, but as freakin' shoe-gazing sad-bastard bands go, they are worthy. They have some clever lyrics, and that's always a big plus in my book. It's a guitar/drums/keyboard 3 piece...theyr'e pretty whiney. But intelligently whiney. So, bonus. It'd be great wallowing in self-pity music.
Then came the piece de resistance of the evening: Cloud Cult. I'd heard and enjoyed them quite thouroughly before, but live they kicked even more ass. They were incredible. They have a sort of Modest Mouse feel, except not. Er...how did Proteux put it...they feel like they should be a slow band, but they're not. It's true: They have some kind of emo lyrics/subject matter/feel going on, and sometimes they are incredibly slow and sad, but often they're really upbeat and happy scrappy. It's way interesting. And they have a cool instrument set, too...their frontman plays guitar, sings, and plays keyboards. They have a rhythm guitar and drums, then a woman who plays cello and sometimes keyboards. Very very very cool. Oh, and they also have two painters. This was pretty much the coolest thing ever, especially considering my fascination with performance art. They have a man and a woman who travel around with them and start every show with a big blank gesso'd slate, and just sit there and paint throughout the show while the music's playing. They had really different styles and it was cool to watch the two paintings evolve over the hour set. Then, of course, they sell the paintings at the end for I'm sure quite a lot. Cool cool cool. Anyway. If you have a chance to see Cloud Cult live ever, do it. SO worth it.
That's all. We didn't see Yellowcard or AFI, the big mainstage events of the evening, but I thumb my nose at them 'cause Of Montreal and Cloud Cult were so much cooler. :P
There are so many shows here...so many amazing shows...so I don't get a paycheck 'til the 25th and can't afford to spend all my wee stipend on shows....le sigh. (Although another Corps member and I are prolly gonna go see the Decemberists in November. ^_^)
Right. Enough words. I go now to enjoy the nice, sunny day.
So, the bands:
First, we saw The Gossip, which I'd heard a bit of before and who I enjoy quite a lot. They're like an edgier version of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs...somewhat similar sound, but a little less screechy and more energetic. That, and whatsherface, The Gossip's frontwoman, could likely kick Karen O's arse. She has a fabulous voice. Anyway, they will hopefully eventually be added to my collection. They weren't the number one CD I'd buy of the day, but they were up there. (Greatfalls and Moonofdarkness...you'd probably like them)
Next, we stayed in the mainstage for one song-worth of Blondie, because it's Blondie. And half the reason I wanted to see her was so I could brag to Melissa about it. :P She wore bright neon yellow with a big floppy neon yellow hat. It was kind of intense.
We saw about three songs of Slender Means, which was a fairly generic indie rock three piece. Not hugely remarkable, not bad.
Then we went into the EMP's "Sky Church", a very cool venue that I wanted to design lights and video for sooo badly. We saw The Purrs and Daylight Basement. The Purrs were all right, but not amazing. They kind of sounded like a cross between some of the "grittier" vocalled indie rock (some White Stripes stuff, Kings of Leon) and vaguely 90s alt rock (Better Than Ezra sprang to mind).
Daylight Basement was far cooler. They had a good stage presence--a really energetic frontwoman with a great voice, a cool keyboardist who did sweet stuff with sampling, and pretty damn decent drums/bass/rhythm guitar. They were lots of fun. They made my list of bands of whom I want to get an album.
Then we went and found food, and came back to see my second favourite band of the day, although the band that's number 1 on the "albums to buy" list. They were Of Montreal, a four person group, 3 guitars and a rather intense keyboard/sampling system. The frontman was either a transvestite or a drag queen, I'd vaguely guess the former though I have no idea. He was super fun. The band was super fun--it was very much indie rock vibe with pop styling. I guess I mean all the good and useful bits of pop (catchy, fun, upbeat) with better instumentation and really excellent synth stuff going on. Word to the Of Montreal. (Greatfalls...get this stuff. it's great.)
Because we were waiting to see Cloud Cult, we wandered back over to the EMP Sky Church, where a band called The Can't See was playing. (yes, "the" not "they") I thought they should have had a big sign over 'em saying "This is what happens to you when you endure Seattle weather long enough," or perhaps just "Seattle: Land of Sad Bastards." I wasn't a big fan until I'd heard a couple songs, and I still don't think they're incredible, but as freakin' shoe-gazing sad-bastard bands go, they are worthy. They have some clever lyrics, and that's always a big plus in my book. It's a guitar/drums/keyboard 3 piece...theyr'e pretty whiney. But intelligently whiney. So, bonus. It'd be great wallowing in self-pity music.
Then came the piece de resistance of the evening: Cloud Cult. I'd heard and enjoyed them quite thouroughly before, but live they kicked even more ass. They were incredible. They have a sort of Modest Mouse feel, except not. Er...how did Proteux put it...they feel like they should be a slow band, but they're not. It's true: They have some kind of emo lyrics/subject matter/feel going on, and sometimes they are incredibly slow and sad, but often they're really upbeat and happy scrappy. It's way interesting. And they have a cool instrument set, too...their frontman plays guitar, sings, and plays keyboards. They have a rhythm guitar and drums, then a woman who plays cello and sometimes keyboards. Very very very cool. Oh, and they also have two painters. This was pretty much the coolest thing ever, especially considering my fascination with performance art. They have a man and a woman who travel around with them and start every show with a big blank gesso'd slate, and just sit there and paint throughout the show while the music's playing. They had really different styles and it was cool to watch the two paintings evolve over the hour set. Then, of course, they sell the paintings at the end for I'm sure quite a lot. Cool cool cool. Anyway. If you have a chance to see Cloud Cult live ever, do it. SO worth it.
That's all. We didn't see Yellowcard or AFI, the big mainstage events of the evening, but I thumb my nose at them 'cause Of Montreal and Cloud Cult were so much cooler. :P
There are so many shows here...so many amazing shows...so I don't get a paycheck 'til the 25th and can't afford to spend all my wee stipend on shows....le sigh. (Although another Corps member and I are prolly gonna go see the Decemberists in November. ^_^)
Right. Enough words. I go now to enjoy the nice, sunny day.