the Breeders
I really don't know how this year's Sunday installment of Bumbershoot could have been any better, save for maybe being carried around on a fluffy couch while being fanned and fed grapes, I guess? In all seriousness, though: Sunday really was the best fucking day ever. From the moment I stepped foot on Seattle Center grounds to finally flopping into the passenger seat of my buddy's car sometime before midnight, I had an absolute blast. Here's a few shots of what I managed to pack into my day:
Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside
After grabbing a quad iced espresso at the LQA Caffe Vita, I beelined over to KEXP's Music Lounge for Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside. I know I've said it over and over and over again, but I really, REALLY love this band, you guys. Since first seeing them at the Fremont Abbey with Hey Marseilles back in 2009, I've watched (and heard) their whole band-persona evolve from sweet-sounding alt.rock-a-betty to a matured, melodic-yet-gritty storytelling vibe -- with each show that passes, they just keep getting better and better. True to recent form, Sunday's set did not disappoint, as the band delivered thirty straight minutes of super-tight jams, mostly off of the new record, Untamed Beast. {You'll be able to hear the whole session in the KEXP archive here, as soon as they have it posted. Highly recommended!!}
At the stroke of 12:30, I hightailed it over to the Words and Ideas stage to catch the last portion of the Barsuk panel, featuring Sean Nelson, Dave Bazan, and John Roderick talking all things Barsuk-y with label co-founder Josh Rosenfeld. It was most excellent to hear such lengthy, knowledgeable discussion in such an intimate setting, with topics ranging from Death Cab for Cutie to the saga of Pitchfork v. the Travis Morrison solo album and the indoctrination of Nada Surf into the Barsuk family. A+, gents.
Ramona Falls
Bob Mould
We caught a couple of tunes from Portland's Ramona Falls before hustling back to the KEXP lounge for a set from Bob Mould. Holy fucking shit. BOB MOULD, you guys. These pictures don't really do the set any justice -- Bob & Co. were tearing around the stage shredding the crap out of the performance, and I was sitting in the second row all mouth-agape, barely able to take it in. Almost every photo I took was a blurred mess, so you'll just have to imagine how truly excellent it was to behold, at least until KEXP archives the performance at their site {keep an eye here for it to pop up sometime in the next week or two} and until our friend Laura gets more photos to us to post. Full frontal face-rocking-off!! So. Good.