BUMBERSHOOT.

Bumbershoot is an annual music/art festival held here in Seattle. One of America's largest music festivals, it takes place Labor Day weekend at the Seattle Center, which was built for the Worlds Fair. The Seattle Center includes indoor theaters, outdoor stages, McCaw Hall, and Memorial Stadium. Musicians perform in all of these places, and there is also a stage set up in Key Arena and several of the Seattle Center lawns.

Some of the big names last year were: Beck, Paramore, The Offspring, T.I., Flobots, Death Cab For Cutie, Stone Temple Pilots, Estelle, Bedouin Soundclash and more.

My experience at Bumbershoot last year was a good one. There were a lot of good performers, delicious food, and things to see. I met a lot of interesting people, and found a lot of new bands I liked. There was a downside though, as I spent a lot of time just laying around between sets, and it was extremely hot. I lost a shoe crowdsurfing, and there was a huge group of people who suddenly collapsed all over each other during Paramore's set, holding me and a friend down. By the time I left at around 11:00 PM I was exhausted but happy.

They recently released a sneak-peak of the 2009 lineup, which includes:
Sheryl Crow / Modest Mouse / Katy Perry / The All American Rejects/Michael Franti & Spearhead / De La Soul / Raphael Saadiq / Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan / The Long Winters / Sly & Robbie & the Taxi Gang / World Party / MSTRKRFT / Roy Ayers / Common Market / UH HUH HER / Dave Alvin and The Guilty Women / Eric Hutchinson / No Age / Matt & Kim / Dead Confederate / The Cave Singers / Swollen Members / Vieux Farka Touré / Lenka / Gang Gang Dance / Todd Snider / Holy F**k / DJ Spooky / Iglu & Hartly / Low vs Diamond / Sera Cahoone / Eleni Mandell / Carrie Rodriguez / The Honey Brothers / Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head / Extra Golden / Cordero / Forgive Durden / Hey Marseilles / Adrian Xavier