Bumbershoot Fest 2007

Now its rest time...
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4 Aussies. 1 Kiwi. Tripping it to Seattle for the Long Weekend... Obviously this was the start of something great!!!

Bumbershoot Music Festival has been going on for the last 37 years every Labour Weekend in Seattle and this year it was spiggin awesome. 5 of us decided to take the trip down to check it out and it was one of the best weekends where everything managed to work out perfectly.

Don't even get me started...

Although we'd been talking about going for awhile, it was impulsivly decided on the Tuesday before (We left the Friday night) to just get on with it and book the tickets. Originally it was Me, Em, Renee and Dave who were going however I ran into Rob on the steps on the way back from grabbing my credit card and he instantly decided (even though he had no idea who was playing, what it was etc.) he would come too.

Welcome to Seattle!!!
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So Friday after work, we all hurried home to pack to catch the bus (packing the night before probably would have been a more efficient idea?) then started the trip to Seattle. Crossing the border was easier than anticipated, and the bus ride down ended up taking just under 4 hours.

Renee (been the fantastic girl she is) managed to find us an apartment to stay in for the weekend (rather than trying to sneak us all into a hotel room) which turned out to be right downtown and a couple minutes walk to everything.

The view when we were on top of the apartment building
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Saturday we needed to pick up our tickets so we needed to get there about 10.30 - and considering we had no idea where we were going, we did a fabolous job. The monorail was right down the road from us - and within two minutes, we were outside the festival.

Grounds were massive, there were about 6 stages plus the mainstage which was in the stadium. Indie markets were all over the place and food was everywhere.

Crowded House were the opening Mainstage act, flippin awesome - what topped it off was when Eddie Vedder from Peral Jam came out for a couple of songs with them; everyone went nuts. The Shins played next and didn't live up to expectations, a good act but wasn't really anything special which was dumb.

Bumbershoot here we come!!
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Left near the end of them to go see Head Automatica which who were playing on an inside stadium so the music levels were crazy - not to mention the lead singer. Was real awesome performer - but dude...voice was kinda not so fantastic. The whole band were insane though; you know they're putting in A+ effort when the sweat is dripping off there nose every 20 seconds...

We chilled out for awhile after that, listening to some country brothers and eating immense amounts of fat filled foods (hey, its a festival! If you can't eat shit food then - when can you?!). Watched some street acts perform and looked around the markets before heading into the beer tent for a few. The tent was in a prime location, just about 100m from the Endurance stage which had some pretty sweet acts. All went nuts though when Gogol Bordello came on. He played the most insane set I've ever seen - it was FANTASTIC. Everybody was just going absolutley nuts for them, and they were such good performers and the interaction was crazy and I just can't rave enough about him. Was all of ours highlights of the whole thing.

Food Food Food - Bumbershoot Festival 2007
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When he finished up (biggest and longest and best encore as well!) we mished to catch the end of Panic @ the Discos set (we had originally planned to watch there whole set - but got caught up in gogol fever) and caught there last few songs and encore which was pretty good, they talked to the audience heaps and seemed pretty cool.

Seem as we didn't get home till around 1am and we were knackered from such a huge day - plans of going out deterioated and we ended up just chilling out in the apartment all night.

Boys will be Boys
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Renee played camp mother in the morning - a feast of bacon & eggs was served and then ruined when the fire alarm went off. Downstairs we hiked (we were on the 14th floor..) and met some of the neighbours until eventually we were let back upstairs in which we had to hurry to get our stuff together!

Black Rebel Motorcycle club were first up on the mainstage and were a pretty sweet act, but honestly - wasn't paying full attention and couldn't wait for Kings of Leon. SO worth the wait as well - They played so many songs (Illbeit; shortened versions) and were amazing. Second best highlight of the fest - was awesome. Plus the sun was shining (Was really hot the Saturday as well) so after dancing like nutas I was definatly suffering dehydration, sunstroke and maybe a hangover?... So naptime was had out front of Endurance Stage where some pretty good hiphop acts were going on while we ate corn.

Crowded House
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We strolled around for awhile and then we discovered CARNIE GAMES!!! Of course, I can't help myself and start to get all cocky and then the games begin.

Considering I was up against 4 australians - I think I done a pretty okay job. I competed in three events, coming out with a first (in which I won crab) and two thirds... Turned out all of us won a prize in the end (cept emma..ha).

That night we ate curley fries and strawberry waffles before heading to mainstage for the end of Sean Paul (who wasn't as good as anticapted) then Fergie - who was actually pretty good! Was kind of like a proper concert as she had 3 costume changes (did love the changing color pants), crazy arse dances, and performed HEAPS of songs. She done a pretty sweet act.

The new drummer for Crowded House
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Seen as we planned to head home the Monday to get back in time for work - we didn't go to the last day of the festival. Instead we just laid back that morning and watched American trash, then headed to McDonalds (As they say, when in rome...) before the bus ride back to Vancouverville.

Verdict: Blimmin Fantastic Weekend.