Pound for pound, Sunday September 1–Day 2 of Bumbershoot 2013–was a model of consistency for me, replete with so many good sets, it was a chore to tear myself away much of the time.
Day 2 Music Highlights:
The Best: The rhythmic frenzy that is Kithkin lent a roaring, galloping beginning to Day 2; Lesli Wood, hyperkinetic lead singer for Seattle dance rock combo The Redwood Plan, vaulted her band’s strong, pogo-ready pop into an aerobic sweat; and Midday Veil‘s exotic, slow-burning psychedelic prog-raga provided ideal accompaniment as the midday sun bore down mercilessly.
FIDLAR inspired some of the most divisive reactions all Bumbershoot long (when you hear the phrases, “Best set I’ve seen,” and “God, I despised them,” from two different strangers in three minutes, you know something’s galvanizing people), but their sloppy Hives-cum-Ramones garage punk and speedball onstage energy floated my boat something major. Meanwhile, I’ve seen local power duo The Grizzled Mighty play some great sets in the last year, but they were at their most pulverizing and brilliant during their Plaza Stage stint Sunday.
Three of the finest sets on Sunday were generated by some of the most seasoned acts. My respect for Husker Du/Sugar singer-guitarist Bob Mould blossomed into full-bore worship when he tore through an exuberant set of old and new guitar rock indie anthems, and The Breeders‘ yummy girl/girl harmonies magically careened with their fuzzy guitars like the last twenty years had never happened. Every musician at Bumbershoot, however, could’ve taken a cue from The Zombies‘ faultless program of irresistible hits (“She’s Not There“, “Time of the Season“) and baroque pop masterworks. Keyboardist Rod Argent proved he could still swing with the best of them, and spectral-voiced lead singer Colin Blunstone routinely hit notes that’d intimidate singers a third of his age.
The Really Good: Portland band Ramona Falls combined acoustic and electric elements with compelling emotional pull and ache; The Duke Robillard Band played blues as smooth and warm as a shot of good scotch; The Comettes sounded like the winsome house band that woulda been on the soundtrack of Sixteen Candles, if the movie were set in the 1960s; Beats Antique‘s heady, Bollywood-infused dance music likely would’ve taken my breath away had I seen more of their set; and Matt Pond‘s affecting pop songs were delivered with a tasty hint of underlying tension.
The Rest: Eric Burdon and the Animals probably made for the most vigorous WTF head scratching appearance of the entire weekend. Swaddled in a white hoodie like a cross between an ancient Manchester raver and a Druid jogger, Burden initially seemed uncomfortably feeble and out of it (I’m sure the relentless direct sunlight didn’t help). But three songs in, he hit his vocal stride, loosening up playfully for a funky take on his old hit with WAR, “Spill the Wine.” The Mowglis, meanwhile, put on a polished, energetic set of genial mellow rock tunes that were (to these ears, at least) just OK.
Crap! I Missed It: fun. (I’ll openly ‘fess up, snobs: I heart fun.’s heart-on-sleeve bubblegum indie rock); Death Cab for Cutie; a reputedly stunning set by mournful genius songwriter David Bazan; the always-entertaining Seattle dance diva Katie Kate; Matt and Kim; Mates of State.