This ain’t your momma’s Bumbershoot (however she’d have enjoyable, too)

As a lifelong native, I’ve been to some groovy Bumbershoots.

This is a competition the place Tony Bennett, Kendrick Lamar, Hall & Oates, Bob Dylan, and Mary J. Blige all make sense. Bumbershoot is a 50+ 12 months Seattle custom, and the largest music and humanities competition within the PNW.

As quickly because the annual lineup comes out, I’m all the time like, ‘Nice, I ought to return this 12 months.’ And then life, or no matter, occurs and the competition passes by (almost definitely positive with out me), and I promise I’ll go subsequent 12 months. I believe the final one I made was again within the KeyArena and Memorial Stadium days, so it has been a minute.

But this was my 12 months – and this was my lineup! Weezer and Bright Eyes? Be nonetheless, my Millennial coronary heart.

PHOTOS | Weezer, Bright Eyes, Pretty Girls Make Graves and extra at Bumbershoot 2025

So went I did! And… it was completely different. For starters, I’m completely different. I’m not in my twenties anymore (or my thirties). The considered huge crowds and parking and all of the smart, boring, grown-up stuff is simply how I’m now. Quite a lot of that fear dissolved upon arrival. No loopy strains, no shoving. Maybe it is a post-pandemic impact, perhaps it is simply the Seattle vibe, but it surely was good, civil. The climate was even my favourite type: cool and overcast to begin, adopted by brilliant blue sky, wispy clouds, and the solar beaming a highlight onto the International Fountain and principal stage. There had been definitely crowds, however not the elbowing type, and the principle paths between phases and reveals had been clear.

I grabbed my media cross for the weekend and headed straight for the Mural Stage, the place I used to be wanting ahead to hey, nothing, an emo-esque up-and-coming act from Atlanta that strikes a satisfying stability between nostalgic and contemporary. I’d stumbled throughout their TikTok some time again and was taken by their vocals, lyrics and chemistry as a duo. As a stay band, they carry out as a foursome with bass, backup vocals and drums, and their sound as a bunch is tight. I used to be early sufficient to stroll proper as much as the pit, and even from their sound verify, it was clear they’d be as charming stay as they’re on-line.

I sat down with hey, nothing after their set to dive deeper into their sound and skyrocketing 12 months. I’ll hyperlink that piece right here quickly. What struck me within the second was the sizable crowd that had gathered behind me. The pit was now many layers deep and the garden was utterly filled with festivalgoers. I wasn’t the one one with hey, nothing on my radar, and there is room so that you can hop on board, too.

I caught components of Say She She and The Budos Band on the principal Fountain Stage, which opens as much as the Recess District and a formidable row of native meals tents. The culinary aspect of Bumbershoot is pure PNW. And not simply native, however actually good native. The lineup included Eva’s Wild (salmon-focused), Gold Coast! (West African), Restaurant Homer (serving wood-fired stuffed pita), Lenox (Afro-Latin), Jack’s BBQ, Local Tide and the tent I attempted: Musangtino’s x Musang, serving up Filipino consolation meals. Happy to verify that the burger with pickled zucchini was certainly comforting in each chunk.

The Recess District is as playful because it sounds. Skaters of all ages rode Gravity Park, performers defied gravity with aerial acts at Levity Arts and a few significantly watchable wrestling went down at Bumbermania!

The Cocktail Corner with a zen pagoda was a peaceable spot for the 21+ crowd to seize a craft cocktail from Bar Bayonne, Rob Roy, Montana Badlands or Here Today. And there was loads of area to unfold out within the wine and beer gardens, though a few us famous that seating or tables could be welcome there. Of course, there’s loads of seating within the close by Armory, which additionally has food and drinks a-plenty, together with artwork exhibit Flatstock to browse.

Besides the music, meals and bodily performances, Bumbershoot can also be a giant draw for comedy, vogue and common favorites just like the Cat Circus, Witch Temple and Pole Pavilion on the geodesic domes.

As talked about, I used to be on a mission to catch Bright Eyes and Weezer, two of Saturday’s principal headliners. I heard the ever-distinct voice of Conor Oberst from throughout the fountain and beelined over to get nearer. I believe my first time seeing Bright Eyes stay was at Coachella in 2004. I’ve all the time linked to the generally haunting, generally completely happy sound and lyrics. During the hopeful love tune “First Day of My Life,” there was a lot of hand-holding, youngsters and oldsters hugging, swaying and singing alongside. It felt like I used to be watching a bit of music video play out in entrance of me. Their set led to rockstar vogue, with bandmembers kicking over mic and music stands and Oberst lobbing his fairly guitar to the bottom.

Car Seat Headrest stored the choice crowd pumped because the solar set on Bumbershoot and the night time sky made a dramatic backdrop for the lights and tunes that Weezer would carry. The Blue Album was the primary CD I ever purchased for myself. It was at a neighbor’s storage sale for $5, and man, did my Discman put in some work on that. Seeing a favourite band out of your youth play stay could be deeply satisfying, or really feel a bit of out of attain from the pedestal you have put it on. Saturday’s present for me landed someplace in between, clinging to these Blue Album bangers and mentally skipping forward on some tracks from later albums. I hung in direction of the again for his or her set, and I’m guessing if I’d been within the thick of issues, the power would’ve hit me otherwise.

Rivers, Conor, and I’ve one factor in widespread: we have all gotten older, and so has Bumbershoot. It’s now a two-day competition and far more tame than I recall, however so am I. While my younger son wasn’t there, I’d’ve felt secure bringing him, and tons of others took benefit of youngsters 12 and beneath coming into free, even the occasional tiny child with big headphones.

Bumbershoot has all the time showcased a variety of genres. After an alt-rock-heavy Saturday, Sunday’s lineup expanded into hip hop with Digable Planets, electropop couple Sylvan Esso, Norwegian powerhouse Aurora, and absolutely the power that’s Janelle Monae.

The umbrella of Bumbershoot stays broad. It wasn’t the shoulder-to-shoulder moshing competition that I recall, however there is definitely one thing for everybody, all ages and all pursuits, from considerate meals choices to the huge array of audio and visible arts. Call it tamer, name it gentler—however Bumbershoot’s softer aspect nonetheless delivers a very good time.