Beats Antique
Antiques and Beats.
Where Saturday at Bumbershoot was a clinic in how to rock and roll, Sunday was a showcase for raw talent young and old.
The youth at this year’s festival were well represented by FIDLAR, taking up the charge for some aggressive punk, they provided a good a jolt as a shot of cocaine for getting the still groggy crowd going. Writhing around on stage. Jumping around. Stating the obvious that rehab sucks. FIDLAR are following in the footsteps of many a punk band before them. It’s also good to see the punk rock genre back in well intentioned hands than the safety punk of the previous ones. Blink 182, Sum 41 I’m looking at you.
Katie Kate
Taking the stage after FIDLAR was Seattle’s Katie Kate, dropping in last minute and without her DJ, to fill in for an absent Charlie XCX. I had the opportunity to catch Katie Kate at last years ‘Shoot, and was impressed then as I am now. It’s nice to see someone not out to be a pop princess, someone who writes her own music, and someone who has a driving aggression, and immense on-stage presence. I love you Katie Kate.
Sunday Funday wasn’t all about the youth however. Like any day there were performers of all days. Sunday however saw some legends, and by legends I mean a couple acts who practically invented rock and roll.
Eric Burdon and the Animals were the first of them. Part of the British Invasion in the 60s, Eric Burdon is listed as number 57 on Rolling Stone magazines 100 greatest singers. His trademark wail as strong now as it was nearly 50 years ago. Taking to the stage in a hoodie, Burdon looked as though he would have been just as comfortable breaking down into a gangsta rap set as he would asking that he not be misunderstood. The funny thing is when I first read his name on the list I didn’t even clue in, and was prepared to give a pass to someone who I’ve been listening to most of my life. I’m certainly glad I didn’t.
Speaking of legends. Bob Mould. That guy from Husker Du. That guy from Sugar. Still tears it the fuck up. That is all.
The end of the day at Bumbershoot saw a hectic marathon running from one side of Seattle Center and back again to the other.
Kim Deal
The Breeders were first on the list. The ladies showing that 20 years on they can still do it as hard and as good as any of the up and comers at the festival. As the sun went down they took the stage, SNL luminaries, and 30 rock writers watching from the wings. This had turned into the must see act of the day. Of course they didn’t disappoint, and had the full lawn crowd ecstatic.
Without much time to spare I made it over to the Starbucks stage for the band I was most looking forward to the entire weekend. The Zombies. They also helped invent the rock and roll way back in the 1960s, and also part of that same invasion that brought the Animals who had played just a couple hours earlier. Still with two original members Colin Blundstone, and Rod Argent, the Zombies sound has continued to evolve, and they continue to put out new music after 51 years. They’re sound still dominated by Blundstone’s smooth vocals, and Argent’s keyboards still among the finest in music today.
The last act I made it for was among the most pleasant surprises of the festival, and I will be dedicating some space to them in the next couple days. Beats Antique. They had just flown back from Burning Man, and somewhere between, perhaps at Bumbershoot they had lost their bag containing their samples, and beats. Basically they lost their music. They certainly didn’t lose their mojo. Even though they were winging it, improvising and constructing much of the electronic portion of their show from scratch I was left to wonder what would have been different had they not lost their equipment? Visually this was one of the very best shows of the entire weekend. Complete with belly dancing and a giant squid. Go check them out. They’re playing Victoria’s Rifflandia in just a couple weeks.
Other notable performances, that were caught through the live feeds, or while passing by included Ramona Falls, David Bazan, and Matt & Kim who probably had the biggest crowd outside of the main stage acts.
Up Monday: Superchunk, Baroness, Alt-J, Redd Kross, Kinky and Red Baraat