Bumbershoot

I've gone to Bumbershoot almost every year since my senior year of high school. Every year, I check out what bands are playing and then get all excited about getting tickets. I have seen a lot of bands at Bumbershoot over the years: The Violent Femmes, Mudhoney, The Reverend Horton Heat, Modest Mouse and Elliot Smith to name a few. But when I get to Bumbershoot, I find crowds of people, long lines, expensive food and expensive beer, which I can only drink in designated areas and not where the bands are performing. Then, I get crabby and I ask myself, "Why the hell didn't I wait until Modest Mouse was playing at the Crocodile?" as I stand in a hot room full of people and notice that I have to pee.

I do this every year, because I forget how irritable I get in festival settings. I forget because it seems like such a good deal to pay $18 to see a bunch of bands that I really like. Someone usually asks me to go and I do, because, shit, it sounds like fun, right? Bands, food, beer, sun - what's not to like?

Last year, however, was an exception to my crankiness. Aaron and I rode the scooter there (no parking hassle!) and got our wrist bands to see the Pixies and Built to Spill (so organized!) and then went to Fremont for lunch (no lines for food!) and then scootered back in time to get good seats for the Pixies/Built to Spill show. It was like magic.

We were going to go to Bumbershoot this year to see Devo, but they cancelled. I haven't seen Aaron that sad since they stopped making Lucky Lager. I guess we'll just have to whip it in the privacy of our own home.