Each year, Bumbershoot gathers the best of music, comedy, words & ideas, visual arts, dance, theatre and short films under one umbrella of music festival remarkableness. The end-of-summer jam has become a ritual for all Seattleites, displaying some of the most talented local and regional artists of its home base. In order to celebrate the festival’s 45th birthday this year the right way, the most noteworthy event producers teamed up to make the event bigger, better, and more sensational than ever, attracting international artists and bigger names to offer a more diverse top-tier musical experience—perhaps as a cheers to its loyal crowds over the span of four decades.
This year, AEG Live teamed up with local producer One Reel to take Bumbershoot to the next level. And I mean, on-another-level, next-level. You feel me? Musical headliners for 2015 include buzz-generating sensation The Weeknd (who new album drops August 28), Faith No More, Ellie Goulding, Chance the Rapper, Kacey Musgraves, Bassnectar, Zedd, and Hozier along with homegrown comedian Hari Kondabolu and writer Sherman Alexi; the writers of The A.V. Club and Brooklyn Nine-Nine; the timely Seattle-Havana-Tehran Poster Show, and many, many more.
Despite all those big name stars, Bumbershoot didn’t forget to give a shout out to its local homies and dig into its own talent pool for inspiration. Hip-hop sensations Chimurenga Renaissance, Raz Simone and Nacho Picasso, alt-pop purveyors Hey Marseilles and gritty blues-rock duo The Grizzled Might are but a handful of acts representing Seattle’s talent.
Bumbershoot’s Words & Ideas programming includes Sherman Alexie and Jesse Walter’s podcast, A Tiny Sense of Accomplishment, Live Wire with Luke Burbank; a slam poetry competition deemed Battle of the Word, and author panels and discussions curated by Girl Friday Productions.
The comedic line-up is not quite short of stars either. Inside Amy Schumer’s Bridget Everett and YouTube sensation Puddles’ Pity Party, lead a well-rounded roster of comedy that includes locally, rising comics Solomon Georgio and Emmett Montgomery, Neil Hamburger, Alex Edelman, and podcast tapings of Alison Rosen Is Your New Best Friend and Talk Salad & Scrambled Eggs featuring Matt Mira and Kevin Smith.
The 1 Reel Film Festival—curated by the Seattle International Film Festival — serves a selection of the best short films from this year’s SIFF. Theatre Puget Sound has rounded up an assortment of exciting regional theatre programs. MaximumVelocity and the Reign Supreme Breakdancing Competition are set to dance for the masses this year.
Youngsters and all-ages crowds are permitted. Curated by the Seattle Children’s Museum, aimed at kids 10 and under and their guardians is the Youngershoot Kids’ Zone and The Vera Project’s under-21 programming which includes DJs, bands, and comedy. Check out Bumershoot.com for full lineup and more details, details, details.
By: Sarah Kelleher
Sr. Staff Writer