Labor Day weekend was a big one this year in Seattle – Pax West, back-to-back Metallica shows, and last but not least, the ever so incredible Bumbershoot.

Having been around since 1971, this festival has slowly made its way into becoming a Pacific Northwest staple, always a beautiful blend of music across every genre, local art and technology showcases, and of course, amazing food and incredibly talented vendors. It quickly became very apparent to me that it doesn’t even really matter if you show up having never listened to a single artist on the lineup: if you go to Bumbershoot, you’re going to have a good time.

That being said, let me guide you through an incredible day at Bumbershoot.

Tres Leches

I started my day off with some local music, opting to check out Seattle-based band Tres Leches at the Fashion District stage (Excellent choice BTW, it’s always something special when you get to catch an earlier band and discover music you may have never found otherwise). I quickly found that the Fashion District was a great sector of the festival to start my exploration in; not only did they have both music and a live fashion show over here, but there was also an abundance of vendor booths to browse between sets, complete with a Guayakí Yerba Mate booth for those who enjoy a drink to sip on while they wander.

Following Tres Leches and my exploration of the fashion district, I decided to spend some time between the KEXP and Fisher stages, with Walla Walla-born Chastity Belt being the first group on my list.

Chastity Belt

TEKE::TEKE

Following their incredible set, I was able to dash over to the KEXP stage (otherwise known as the Fountain stage) just in time to catch Canadian-based Japanese psychedelic rock band TEKE::TEKE. Now this was a band that I had never seen before, but have since decided I need to see again and again and again. TEKE::TEKE simply had the kind of stage presence that made you never want to look away, with vocalist Maya Kuroki delivering intensity and emotion that was so perfectly fitted to the music. Match an incredible vocalists with fun instruments like flute and trombone onstage and it’s hard not to get hooked.

However, I did manage to tear myself in order to see George Clanton at the parallel Fisher stage, as I’d heard good things about him (all things which proved themselves to be true!). If there’s one thing I can say about George Clanton, it’s that he knows how to perform. Using all of the stage to his advantage, including the barricade of excited fans, George made sure that everyone was a part of his set, which is something I’ll always appreciate about an artist. There’s nothing more fun, both as a fan and a photographer, than watching an artist who truly knows his audience and how to own a stage.

George Clanton

Next up on my ever growing list of bands to catch was Salt Lake City’s I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME, an artist that’s actually been one of my personal favorites for quite some time now. iDKHOW blew away the Fisher stage with a solid setlist curated of both old songs as well as several from their 2024 sophomore album Gloom Division (excellent record BTW, I would strongly encourage you to give the whole thing a listen with some standout tracks being GLOOMTOWN BRATS, SATANIC PANIC, and my top pick, iDIOTS OF Oz). Frontman and bassist Dallon Weekes really brought the energy to Bumbershoot between killing basslines and dancing around onstage, which was extra special considering we aren’t getting a PNW date of their upcoming tour (but I think this set kind of made up for that, so everyone say thank you to Bumbershoot for booking them). At the end of the day, iDKHOW is simply one of those bands where they clearly love what they do, and it translates live in the best way possible.

I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME

Now I won’t lie, I had to take a little break after iDKHOW’s set — I love a sunny festival but at some point 80 degrees began to feel a lot hotter than 80 degrees and it was time to hunt down some air conditioning. After securing some hydration I was able to make my way to an area I hadn’t had a chance to check out yet — the lovely, air conditioned visual arts exhibit. That’s one of the things I love about festivals like this to be honest; it’s not just about one kind of art. I heard music, but I also got to see modern art, I watched traditional dance, I saw models showcasing local designers’ fashion, and I really appreciated the level of depth that Bumbershoot offered.

K.flay

Okay, I’m cooled down, hydrated, it’s go time again. My next mission was to catch K.flay’s set at the same stage I’d seen iDKHOW at previously, as I knew she knows how to put on a good show and there was no way I was willing to miss that. I raced back to the Fisher stage just in time for K.flay to begin, watching in awe as fans cheered and she swayed and jumped and belted out notes like they were nothing. There was only one issue here: Ted Leo & The Pharmacists were playing at the Mural stage simultaneously, and I desperately wanted to catch them both. Having to make the tough decision, I ended up beelining straight from the Fisher stage to Mural, figuring that half of each set was better than flat out missing one of them, and it’s safe to say I’m pretty sure I made the right choice, as Ted Leo waa excellent.

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists

Two back-to-back sets felt like a good reason for me to take Break #2, this time hidden away in the media room of The Armory. Which speaking of, I hadn’t expected The Armory to be open during the festival, but I really think that was a genius decision. You’ve got readily available food, air conditioning, restrooms, and seating areas all in one central area, and those are all components of keeping tired festival goers safe and happy. I did some quick editing, with a soundtrack made up of the Bumbermania Wrestling announcers outside the window, before deciding to head back out for my last leg of the night.

Freddie Gibbs

Lauren Mayberry

First up was Freddie Gibbs, followed by Lauren Mayberry — The goal at this point was to experience as much of everything as I could before the night came to an end, especially with so many amazing artists on the roster. Lauren was followed up by sisters Aly & AJ (though I’ll admit I got just a bit distracted by the Cat Circus on my way over. I feel like I can’t be blamed for that one though, like c’mon, it’s a cat circus) at the KEXP stage, a row of passionate fans lining the barricade and ready to sing their hearts out.

Aly & AJ

Cypress Hill

Cypress Hill was next to kill it on stage, gathering what must’ve been the largest crowd (behind Saturday’s headliner, Pavement) with people spilling out of the lawn onto the outer pavement, desperate for a view of the iconic hip-hop group. As it grew closer to 10 PM and other groups finished up their sets, Bumbershoot had grown quiet in anticipation for influential indie rock band Pavement, myself included. It felt kind of perfect actually, as I was supposed to see them headline Kilby Block Party in 2023 when that festival was rained out, so Bumbershoot had come to my rescue this year. As I watched them play, it really did feel like the perfect end to a phenomenal day, like the end of one of those coming of age movies that always have perfect soundtracks somehow. Though I couldn’t be everywhere to experience everything at once, Bumbershoot really does deliver the incredible festival that the Pacific Northwest deserves.

Pavement