Bumbershoot.
Meanwhile…
Not to be outdone by out of town acts, Seattle’s own were represented on Sunday at Bumbershoot. First up was the funky hip-hop stylin’ of Theoretics. Backed by a five-piece rhythm section and fronted by two emcees, Theoretics are representative of what is Seattle’s ever-growing hip-hop scene. It’s progressive, backed as much by melody as it is by beat, with roots growing beyond hip-hop, but also into funk, soul, and electronic.
On this day the group played an early afternoon show, to a medium sized, but most certainly mighty crowd. They had asked everyone through their twitter account to wish the luck prior to going on stage, but they didn’t need it. Theoretics are not backed by luck, but with raw talent, and youthful exuberance, and had the crowd reaching for the sky as often as they could. They demonstrated a natural understanding of the stage and how to get everyone to have a good time. Lets hope that they and some others from Seattle make their way up north for a show sooner rather than later.
Following Theoretics, the next local to take the stage was another hip-hop act. Katie Kate. If I were asked to describe her in one word, it would be ‘weird’. Katie Kate earned her degree in classical piano in 2009, so there is certainly a musical understanding behind her work, she’s also outspoken, and likes to share things with the world through her blog. Musically however, she’s hard to nail down, there were times where I was trying to pinpoint some comparison, and Salt n’ Peppa came to me a couple times, but so too did Lady Sovereign, and Santigold. Rife with a catchy beat, and some well placed pop hooks her music is catchy and well worth checking out.
Next up from the local fare menu was Eldridge Gravy & the Court Supreme. One would expect funk. One would be correct. One would also expect a bunch of old black guys playing that funk. One would be incorrect. They were neither old nor black, but they were most definitely funky. The group is a 12-piece funk group formed in 2006 to support a moving out party. (One can imagine the state of the place being moved out of after that party). The band started out by playing covers of James Brown and Parliament, but soon began to write their own material. Backed by full horn section, two lovely doo-wop ladies, and a guy with a tambourine, Eldridge gravy had the crowd boucin’ and jivin’ and groovin’ all around, what seemed to be the entire lawn in front of the stage was turned into a dance floor for their event. What more proof do you need that Eldridge Gravy & the Court Supreme is a fun time? Make the time to see them.
Last and by no means not least on my Local Sunday adventure were the Young Evils. Who came on the stage so relaxed the guitarist had time to take a phone call, probably from the president, or a proud parent. Bumbershoot after all is a great opportunity for a band to connect with a new audience, but it still takes work to get to here, and It’s clear that the Young Evils have put in that work. I knew I was going to be impressed by the young evils when the guitarist sound checked with Iggy Pop’s ‘Search and Destroy’. Their sound tends to the poppy side, which belies the more sinister undertones lurking beneath a shiny surface. Performance wise they held the stage with confidence, and skill. I look forward to seeing more from them in the future.
To say that these bands are the exception to the rule would be incorrect, these bands are the rule, after all this is Seattle, the city that gave the world Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, and a whole new musical genre, and if the locals that played on Sunday are any indication Seattle's legacy is in very good hands.
Sunday was a stellar day for Bumbershoot. Look to these pages in the coming days for more recaps, reviews and photos from the 42nd annual Bumbershoot. Monday has Fishbone, the Rebirth Brass Band and Skrillex taking the stage.
Originally appeared on Vanmusic.ca