Seattle, we have a problem.This is a city addicted to music-based festivals. What started as a casual dabbling is now completely out of control — Folklife, Hempfest, Pride, Georgetown, Fremont and West Seattle music fairs, Seafair music off-shoots, the Capitol Hill Block Party, the KEXP BBQ ...
We inhale music-based festivals like Takeru Kobayashi inhales hot dogs, like the Wu-Tang Clan inhales ... well, you know.
Speaking of the Wu, this year the New York hip-hop superstars headline Bumbershoot, the last and greatest of Seattle's summer music binges. A few of these up-start festivals are hoping to be "the next Bumbershoot," but for now, the Labor Day blow-out at Seattle Center is like Elvis, the King.
It all started in 1971 as a free music festival. Admission was charged a few years later, and like many things, it gets more expensive just about every year: this year's charge at the gate is $35 (three-day passes start at $95). Last year it was $30 per day, the year before that $28, the year before that $25, the year before that $20 ... and people were complaining back in 1992, when it was $9 per day.
Some surely will stay at home and grumble, That's way too expensive, I don't need to pay that to see this ridiculous Fergie, plus it's way too crowded ... and the parking!
While Bumber-bashing is great sport, there are a great many things this festival does with extraordinary precision, which helps it keep its place near the top of American music festivals. Though the headlining national acts are often chosen for popularity, rather than artistic merit, landing the Wu-Tang Clan is a stunner. Especially since that is supposed to mean (believe it when it happens) a concert by all of the original members, except the departed Ol' Dirty Bastard. more here
We inhale music-based festivals like Takeru Kobayashi inhales hot dogs, like the Wu-Tang Clan inhales ... well, you know.
Speaking of the Wu, this year the New York hip-hop superstars headline Bumbershoot, the last and greatest of Seattle's summer music binges. A few of these up-start festivals are hoping to be "the next Bumbershoot," but for now, the Labor Day blow-out at Seattle Center is like Elvis, the King.
It all started in 1971 as a free music festival. Admission was charged a few years later, and like many things, it gets more expensive just about every year: this year's charge at the gate is $35 (three-day passes start at $95). Last year it was $30 per day, the year before that $28, the year before that $25, the year before that $20 ... and people were complaining back in 1992, when it was $9 per day.
Some surely will stay at home and grumble, That's way too expensive, I don't need to pay that to see this ridiculous Fergie, plus it's way too crowded ... and the parking!While Bumber-bashing is great sport, there are a great many things this festival does with extraordinary precision, which helps it keep its place near the top of American music festivals. Though the headlining national acts are often chosen for popularity, rather than artistic merit, landing the Wu-Tang Clan is a stunner. Especially since that is supposed to mean (believe it when it happens) a concert by all of the original members, except the departed Ol' Dirty Bastard. more here
No comments:
Post a Comment