Bumbershoot 2012: The Streak Continues (Fishbone, Ty Segall, Passion Pit)

Michael Angelakos of Passion Pit

So we're at 26 now.

Yes, after all my blustering about missing this year's Bumbershoot and ending my streak at the solid number of 25 straight, I ended up going the final day of the music festival a few weeks back. One good friend passed on a participant ticket for that day and I got back from my trip out of town to attend. Couple that with a donated VIP pass and I was in business again.

Decked out in my 22 year old Fishbone t-shirt (that STILL glows in the dark), I brought my camera just in case and was accompanied for the first few hours by my music festival loving 5-year old, who "helped" me take some photos of Reign Wolf's early set. "Help" involved pressing the button on the camera while I held him and the camera steady. Just a couple minutes of this and my shoulder felt like it was going to fall off, but we did capture a couple good ones (scroll down to see).

After ditching my child (he got cab fare, don't worry!) I banked on my familiar face to get me into the pit, which worked for Foxy Shazam. Slight of build lead singer Eric Sean Nally was a blur on the stage, turning the classic idea of a rock star on its ear, as he is wont to do. Ty Segall and his face melting set was next, and for this, fellow rocktographer Marianne slipped me an extra photo pass and there was no more need for blatant deceit. After that, I saw some of the M83 set and the kids trying to start a mini-riot -- the youth in the bleachers didn't take kindly to the floor being kept at just half-full.

After some Pains of Being Pure at Heart, the act I was most excited to see was up -- Fishbone. Call it nostalgia, call it curiosity (have you seen Everyday Sunshine yet?), whatever the impulse, the 'bone were the band I wanted to see all weekend. My Fishbone T-shirt might not have lost some of its glow (we'd lost some daylight charge for it by that point) but what transpired on stage was illuminating enough. They reached deep into their catalog for a crowd-pleasing set list. Their raucous performance of "Party at Ground Zero" was easily the highlight of the day.

The rest of the night, we managed to see Hey Marseilles, The Vaselines and Passion Pit, and that all just felt like the cherry on top of the night. Next year (#27!) we'll get that damn application in time and they'll be less drama... promise. (Photos below and full set on flickr.)

Angelo Moore of Fishbone

Reign Wolf

Ty Segall

Eric Sean Nally of Foxy Shazam

Matt Bishop of Hey Marseilles

M83 plays while the youth revolt.

Full set of photos on Flickr

Bumbershoot streak comes to an end...

So here comes another Bumbershoot, and I'm sad to report that I'm not going.

Why would I bother going to the effort to blog that I'm not going? Well, you see, I have the somewhat unique distinction of having gone to at least one day of Bumbershoot for 25 straight until now. That's right, since 1987, I've either bought a ticket, volunteered, been a VIP sponsor or acted as press every year for 25 straight years. Until this year.

Long story short, I missed the press deadline by a day. Between the new job (which is ironically now ending in time to have made way for plenty of Bumbershoot photo editing) and dealing with kids on Summer break, I just lost track of things. It's too bad, as this year I really was excited for the lineup (not that I'm not usually fairly pumped for at least a day's line-up).

So now I'm resigned to the fact that the streak will end at 25. It's a good round number and I can start a new one. (Or not? I confess I'm kind of at a crossroads now when it comes to the blog and concert photography... not that you couldn't tell, fair reader, what with the lack of posting this summer.)

First band I saw at Bumbershoot in 1987?
Crazy 8s. Saw them again in '89 and '92.

Favorite early Bumbershoot memory:

Soundgarden/Bumbershoot, 1988 (photo by Mattisnotfrench)

Soundgarden playing a small, sweaty venue in 1988. Chris Cornell introducing a song: "Folks are saying, now that there's Soundgarden, you can throw away your Led Zeppelin albums. Well, now there's Kingdom Come, so you can throw away your Soundgarden records. This next song is called 'Kingdom of Come.'" Towards a long interlude near the end of the song, Cornell was screaming something repeatedly... after a minute or so of it, we figured out it was "SUCK MY COCK!"

Other highlights from that year: Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians, Camper Van Beethoven, and my first experience with the Young Fresh Fellows (sooooo many to follow).

Mudhoney in '93 (and '95, and '96), George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic in '95, and 1997 might have been my all-time favorite festival of acts I got to see (Beck, Wilco, Elliott Smith, Sonic Youth, Cornershop, David Byrne, Robyn Hitchcock, Sleater-Kinney, Built to Spill, Pond, Quasi, Kristen Hersh, Mary Lou Lord... it boggles the mind).

Another favorite memory involved Cat Power's Chan Marshall having a complete meltdown in her opening slot for Robyn Hitchcock in 1999. Throw in Imperial Teen, Built to Spill and The Roots, and it was a pretty good day to remember. In 2000 I got to see Jonathan Richman, Big Star and George Clinton (w/ Parliament Funkadelic again).

A lot of memories kind of blur together after that... until I became armed with kids and a camera. Here's some random photos from the past seven years.

Zane at age 3, dwarfed by the graffiti exhibit (2010).

Eli at age 5, backstage at Justin Townes Earl

RA Scion of Common Market (2009)

2008

"Lips" of Anvil (2010)

Minus the Bear (2011)

Zane's first Bumbershoot (2007)

Eli, with mommy, at his first Bumbershoot (2005)

Pulling the Slack (Fest), 2012 Style

Off to another Slack Fest. See you on the other side.

Playlist: Slack Fest 2012 (Spotify)

The ambience:

The stage:

The people (enjoying some Moondoggies):

2011 - The Year in Photos

Fan's dragon fly at Flaming Lips show, Sasquatch Music Festival in Memorial Day weekend.

It's no secret that I take a lot of pictures. What's becoming less of a secret, though, is that I'm becoming less bad at it.

Having spent so long as a photo editor, I'm naturally a bit more critical of photographs -- and especially my own. But thanks to lens upgrades (purchasing a 50mm prime, renting a 70-200mm) and software (Lightroom, Picknik), I'm getting awfully close to taking photos that I can hang a hat on (and I have a lot of hats, so...).

Anyway, here's some of my favorites from a great year of live music (note: In the Summer Bonfire series collage, half taken on Samsung Focus mobile phone.)

Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters, Sasquatch Music Festival -- Memorial Day weekend.

TP flies over the Gorge in celebration of Black Joe Lewis at Sasquatch Music Festival -- Memorial Day weekend.

Robyn @ Sasquatch -- Memorial Day weekend.

Thurston Moore @ Capitol Hill Block Party -- July.

Les Savy Fav - AKA Tim Harrington's Wild Ride at Capitol Hill Block Party, July.

The Posies' Jon & Ken catching air at Capitol Hill Block Party -- July.

Mastodon opens for Soundgarden @ the Gorge, July.

Champagne Champagne at Doe Bay Fest -- August.

Pickwick gets some spiritual back up during "Hacienda Hotel" at Doe Bay Fest, August.

Tyler Williams (The Head & the Heart) lends a shovel to Kelli Schafer @ Doe Bay Fest, August.

Artist Home's Summer Bonfire Series -- All summer.

Mavis Staples summons a higher power at Bumbershoot, September.

Minus the Bear guitarist Dave Knudson at Bumbershoot, September.

Kaylee Cole in the spotlight at Bumbershoot, September.

Phantogram's Sarah Barthel illuminated at Bumbershoot, September.

Charles Bradley spreads the love around at Bumbershoot, September.

Previously: Favorite photos of 2009, if you don't mind looking through photos of my kids, you can find most my shots over at my Flickr site.

Bumbershoot 2011, Day 3 - Charles Bradley, Phantogram, Fly Moon Royalty, Urge Overkill...

Charles Bradley brings love to the Fisher Garden stage, Bumbershoot Day 3

One week later, the third day for Bumbershoot is finally in the books (words & photos up for perusal at Bumpershine this morning), and what a great day it was. I got to spend the early part of the day with my 4-year old photographer's assistant, found bliss with Charles Bradley, trip out with Phantogram, and enjoy some nostalgia with Urge Overkill and Grant Lee Buffalo.

Previously: Day 1 (Part 1 / Part 2), Day 2

Photo set on Flickr: Day 1 (rest to come)

Bumbershoot 2011 - Day 2: Minus the Bear, Kaylee Cole

The hits keep coming... recap and photos from Day 2 of Bumbershoot is now up and ready for your perusal over at Bumpershine. Go ahead, and click... you can always come back.

Previously: Day 1 - Part 1 / Part 2

Bumbershoot 2011 - Day 1 (Part 2): Shabazz Palaces, Pickwick

Minus the Bear playing Fisher Green stage @ Bumbershoot, Sept. 3, 2011

The second part of Bumbershoot's Day 1 is up and ready for your perusal over at Bumpershine.

Shabbaz Palaces, Pickwick, Little Dragon, Trombone Shorty, Vetiver and more. Go.

Bumbershoot 2011 - Day 1 (Part 1)

It took me a bit of time to get through the 3000+ photos I took at this year's Bumbershoot, and even longer to put some words to it. The first day (last Saturday -- I KNOW!) was soooo long thanks to catching 17 acts, we decided to break it up into two parts, stretching this bitch out even further. Photos and words are up now over at Bumpershine.

CHBP 2011 - Day Two

Highlights and photos from day 2 of the 2011 edition of Capitol Hill Block Party are now up over at Bumpershine.

If I could boil it down to four words, it would be: TIM. HARRINGTON. GOES. OFF. Now, go and be amazed.

Sasquatch 2011, Day 3: Photos, recap

The final recap and batch of photos from Sasquatch! Music Festival 2011 is now up over at Bumpershine. Plenty of shots from the Archers of Loaf reunion extravaganza, Flaming Lips, Yeasayer, Beach House, Sam Roberts, Black Joe Lewis, Fitz & the Depressions, Moondoggies, Wheedle's Groove and more.

I don't know about you, but my back's aching from just recounting it all.

Sasquatch! Day 2 photos/recap
Sasquatch! Day (Night) 1 photos/recap

Sasquatch 2011, Day 2: Photos, recap

Wolf Parade play to a packed main stage, mid-afternoon. 

Day 2 photos and recap is finally up over at Bumpershine. I know it's late, but I've been BUSY. Job interviews, crisis at my kid's school, Doe Bay Festival lineup announcement party to attend -- I've got to be one of the busiest cats on unemployment right now.

Sasquatch 2011, Day 1: Photos, recap

Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters at Sasquatch!, May 27, 2011

The 10th Sasquatch! Music Festival happened this past weekend, and I was there with a long and expensive (rented) lens on a starter SLR camera... like monster truck wheels on a Honda Civic. The first day was really just the night, with the reunited Death From Above 1979 and headliners the Foo Fighters (pictured above).

Anyway, you can read and peruse the first batch of photos over at Bumpershine.

CHBP 2010 Guide Looks Familiar

This year's cover to the official guide that The Stranger puts out every year borrows (with permission) a photo I took from last year's fest.

It's of Cole Alexander of Atlanta's Black Lips, with the photo turned and 'posterized' for effect.

Here's what the original looked like: Here's the rest of the photos from last year's CHBP. The photo also made my "Favorite Photos of 2009" entry here.

Favorite Photos of 2009

This was my first full year with an SLR at my disposal, so when you combine that with a couple passes into 'the pit' and it was a decent year for this amateur. Oddly enough, most of the shots below were taken when I was denied access and had to 'earn it.' Got a few bruises to show for it, but it was worth it.

I'm still learning, so 2010 should be an even better year. (Cue vanity parade:)

"Air Whelan" - The Wrens @ Sasquatch, Day 2 on May 24, 2009.
Fitting that the band that has my album of the decade leads off my photos of the year post. From one of my favorite sets of the year, the Wrens' Kevin Whelan jumps off of his bass cabinet to the lower riser. No wires... all air (kind how i felt trying to capture him, moving from sun to shade and back to sun so quickly). (More photos as recap from event)

"Storm Troopin'" - Audience at Animal Collective, Day 1 on May 23, 2009.
Trapped in a sea of head-bobbing fans... desperately trying to find something to photograph. (More photos and recap from event)

"Show Off" - Cole Alexander of Black Lips @ Capitol Hill Block Party, July 24, 2009.
The Lips put on quite a show, as evidenced by Alexander's acrobatic antics. (More photos and recap from event)

"No Encore" - Andy Falkous of Future of the Left @ Capitol Hill Block Party, Day 2 on July 25, 2009.
Darkest set I've ever attempted to photograph. Was just too damn hot in Neumo's for stage lights.(More photos and recap from event)

"Lean Back" - Brian King & David Prowse of Japandroids @ Capitol Hill Block Party, Day 2 on July 25, 2009.
Taken before I started getting crushed against the barricade. (video) (More photos and recap from event)


"Z, my Hat, Friday Mile" - Friday Mile @ Doe Bay Fest, Day 2 on August 15, 2009.
You knew I'd figure out a way to get one of my kids on this list.
(More photos and recap from event)

"Having a Ball" - Matt of Matt & Kim @ Bumbershoot, Day 1 on September 5, 2009.
Their set was like unicorns and cotton candy coming out of their amps... the kids lapped it up. (More photos and recap from event)

"Grapes of Wrath" - RA Scion of Common Market, Day 2, September 6, 2009.
Workers unite! Common Market performs a theme of worker oppression, and what do you know -- it works. (More photos and recap from event)

"Keep it Dark" - Mark Lanegan with Soulsavers @ Bumbershoot Day 3 on September 7, 2009.
Lanegan ask them to cut the lights on him, making it difficult to capture him. Got this one right before the last bit of light on him was shut down. Dude likes it dark. (More photos and recap from event)

Sasquatch coverage
Capitol Hill Block Party
Doe Bay Festival coverage
Bumbershoot coverage