Sound Fest

So they looked a little lonely just the two of them of Black Keys on that big main stage Sunday evening. But those two boys from Akron, Ohio sure could pump out a sound that could drive a whole stadium mad.

Their bluesy garage-rock riffs and gravelly spot-on vocals of Dan Auerbach and beat-to-death drumming of Patrick Carney had even people in the back row shakin’ it.

Auerbach showed his midwest roots with humble thanks to the crowd and several re-introductions in between jumps and twists. He was so sweet you kinda wanted to take him home and feed him biscuits.

The two could have taken the headlining spot, and maybe would have made it on time instead of a half hour late like the disappointing prima donna followers Stone Temple Pilots …

Early evening set in and New York’s Ravens and Chimes played for an out-the-door crowd at the Sky Church. Ten minutes before the show ended, there were still people waiting to get in. The indie-pop group’s mellow songs drew a warm response from the audience, especially the last song in the set, "So long, Mary Anne." In the middle of the show, the lead singer asked "Are you really all here to see us?" and near the end took a picture of the crowd for his mother.

When the show let out at 5:45, the dinner hour was in full swing. Hungry concert goers feasted on festival vendor staples, including roasted corn on the cob, strawberry shortcake and BBQ sandwiches. Most of the diners didn’t take a break from the action, though. The fountain was a popular eating spot, as were several of the outdoor stages. At the Starbucks Stage, Dale Watson entertained a large group with his upbeat, country-influenced songs. Many of the audience members were gorging on one treat or another, but a good chunk were dancing and moving with the music. Others enjoyed Orgone, a rhythm-based, percussion heavy group at the Fisher Green Stage. Like Watson’s crowd, many of Orgone’s audience members were enjoying their music mid-mouthful

There was an odd igloo-shaped house http://pugetsoundblogs.com/musicfest/files/2008/08/105_2297.jpg near McCaw Hall. It was made from plastic bottles that were collected in less than a week from the Seattle Center. Creator Jasmine Zimmerman hoped her unusual exhibit would help people understand the environmental impact of plastic bottles.

Anyone hoping to burn off some of their dinner calories could hula-hoop with Paul Blair , also known as "Dizzy Hips." Blair, who uses hoops of many different sizes, including a tire, kept a hoop in motion on his body and various limbs. He even balanced a hoop on his head. Crystal Valley of Portland tried one of Blair’s extra-sized hoops, but said it left her with some bruises.

If you haven’t headed over to music writer Travis Hay’s Spin the Black Circle blog yet, he’s got some day one reviews on Grynch, a nostalgic take on Sweet Water, power rockers The Valley, and a Bjork-like Thao and the Get Down Stay Down.

- Angela Dice

I wandered around, saw the Shakeltons, The Blakes and some random non-mainstage acts. Click on the photo below to see a gallery of scenes from the day’s shows and festival-goers.

Kathleen Edwards took the Mural Amphitheatre stage at 3:15 p.m. She’s a Canadian singer/songrwriter who’s been at Bumbershoot two to three times in the last five years. She played guitar and there was a keyboardist with her. It was a nice acoustic change of pace for amphitheatre stage.

I caught the first part of the Shackeltons. The part I saw wasn’t all that good (though Angela, who saw the second half disagrees). Maybe I convinced myself that since I could only stayed for a little while that they can’t be that good or I’d want to stay.

Manooghi Hi on the Fisher Green stage started off like quaint ethnic band, but when I went back by there later, they’d switched into full riff-rock mode. I should have known because when they were sound-checking the bass with the riff from “Dazed and Confused.”

Now I’m headed off to Bremerton and the Blackberry Festival.

I think Black Keys is going to be a key shows in the festival this year and with Stone Temple Pilots coming on right behind them, I think they compliment each other really well.

Tomorrow, I’m going to try to start off with Paramore, and I will just hang tough at Bumebrshoot all day long …

- Michael Moore

So if you’re not already entirely over Saturday’s portion of the Bumbershoot goodness, I have a little housecleaning to do. I apparently left off a post with some of my photos from day one with a little look at arts, Vicci Martinez, kittens (yes, kittens, I’m such a girl, what can I say?) and more bands. Click on the photo below to see a gallery of all of them.

- Angela Dice

Sunday got off to a cold, rainy start but that didn’t deter the long line of festival goers waiting for the 11 a.m. opening. The early risers were rewarded with a sun break just before noon and a chock-full schedule. A few hundred gathered for Star Anna’s 12 p.m. performance on the Starbucks Stage. A couple dozen danced in front of the stage to the Ellensburg native’s blend of rock and country. Most of the others lounged on the grass, funnel cakes or coffee in-hand.

The Lonely H, a classic rock-inspired foursome from Port Angeles, played to an enthusiastic, overflowing crowd in the Sky Church. Though the band members just graduated in 2007, the keyboard-heavy group attracted a wide age group, with preteens cheering alongside their parents. Though Bumbershoot goers tend to roam between shows, few people left during the middle of The Lonely H’s high-energy performance.

Keyshia Cole’s mainstage performance started a half hour late and an announcer mistakenly told the crowd that T.I. would be coming out next. Nonetheless, a good-sized crowd waited out on the hot, sunny field or in the chilly, shady bleachers for the R & B singer-songwriter. Her voice was both soulful and sweet, but slightly overpowered by her music. Her performance seemed directed at women, addressing her female audience members many time. The show included a cover of a few lines from Prince’s “When Doves Cry” and her half of “Last Night,” her duet with Diddy.

After Cole’s performance, the mainstage crowd didn’t have to wait long for rapper T.I. to take the stage. The Atlanta native, who announced “this is the south portion of the show,” was welcomed by a very enthusiastic audience, who threw their hands in the air and cheered, especially during his first couple of songs.

The music has started on Day Two. Ashleigh Flynn played for about 10 minutes ont he Northwest Court, and Star Anna brought out some twangy electric guirtar on the Mural Amphitheatre stage.

Hope you didn’t miss Jazz Northwest on at the Northwest Court/Wells Fargo stage. There was a band of Wazzu faculty playing, and WSU was kicking he living crap out of Oklahoma State (jazz) It’s like the Oklahoma State guys nevery even showed up. (Editor’s note: Um, Mike, didn’t you go to WSU? And what about that game yesterday …)

Over on the Fisher Green stage they’re playing — honest to God — easy listening ’80s pop hits. This is my second vocorder sighting of Bumbershoot (the first being with Throw Me The Statue). they played “Moonlight Feels Right.

Over on the Broad Street Stage, there’s a kind of Primus knockoff, but with a really good bass player.

The main stage has opened up supposedly with Keisha Cole, but 20 minutes into her start time, she still wasn’t on stage. Later in the day there’ll be performances by TI, Black Keys and Stone Temple Pilots later this afternoon.

I’ll be roaming around here for awhile and will let you know how things are going.

- Michael Moore

To see a local from Bumbershoot, check out the Seattle Weekly’s Bumbershoot Beard slideshow. (I know, I get the irony). Anyway, the rest of the show is worth a little non-music break.

Beck should have been a good show. From the first hits off “Odelay” to the Bollboard No. 4 debuting of this year’s “Modern Guilt”, he’s been wowing fans with his reinventions and entertaining antics.

But on Saturday, his performance was about as exciting as a live telecast on public television. In his defense, he had an interesting, bluesy little take on Dylan’s “Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat”. But the “Nicotine and Gravy” was not so sexy and the yawns set in.

So I left.

I wandered until I hit the Fisher Green stage where a writihing mass was pressing up against the barricade to the techno pop beats of !!! (pronounce Chk, chk, chk). Singer Nic Offer was somehow infectious with his hip shakes in short shorts and a snug patterned shirt that hinted at his paunch. It was perhaps the most energetic and better end to a great day at Bumbershoot.

FYI, by Sunday morning, no enterprising cell phone videographer had yet posted a !!! video, so I thought I’d give you all at least some kind of taste with one of their past performances: