Bumbershoot: overcrowded, over priced, overrated

I like food, I like festivals and I like music so this should be a no brainer for me, right?

Wrong.

I had just started to come to grips with the fact that I was going to be spending quality time with 30,000 of my closest friends, and then I get there… Who invited the other 30,000? Now granted I haven’t been to Bumbershoot in awhile, but I don’t ever remember it being this overcrowded by music fans beer guzzling idiots.

I can respect that Seattle is desperately trying to hold onto the one thing that is supposed to set us apart from other places: the music, but what I can’t understand is why they’re making it so blatantly obvious how hard their actually trying. It was put perfectly with, “Every year it gets more crowded and more hip-hop” which is a nicer way of saying “Why are you trying so hard to appeal to all the trendy hipsters, Seattle?“. The set lists were iffy at best, and spread out through the entire weekend small clusters of decent artists were few and far between.

Besides the fine company, the only thing worth noting was my fantastic Cajun Salmon Burger I ate from Ballard Brothers where I will surely be returning very soon. But even then it’s as if I paid $35 dollars for a burger, and I didn’t even get to see the one band I came there to see because of, you guessed it: overcrowding. I know I’ve said it before, but this is the last time I let this event put such a sour taste in my mouth.

I will get down off my soapbox now.

Rodrigo y Gabriela

I pinky swear I won’t always talk about music.

That being said, let’s talk about some music. If you haven’t heard these guys you are missing the boat. I’m not even going to wait until the end of the post for you to hear them. Before you read on listen to this:




Yes, you’re right, that IS a cover of Led Zeppelin’s Stairway To Heaven.. Yes, right again! It IS much better than the original! You’re pretty smart!

I, being in my own bubble most of the time, didn’t realize what a positive response this duo has gotten recently. While flipping through the channels a couple days ago I caught a glimpse of them on MTV. MTV! In most cases this would have caused me to rethink my feelings, but after hearing them play, then seeing them play, and then finally hearing their back story, I can’t turn back now. They’ve even got me breaking my “no more Bumbershoot” rule just to go see them.

I’ll admit at first I was a little put off by the fact that I was shaking my booty to a cover of Stairway To Heaven for christ’s sake. I’m not too proud to admit when a musician or group has talent irregardless of whether or not I enjoy the genre of music their making, but I was seriously floored when I found myself wanting to get my hands on every bit of music these two have ever made.

I couldn’t figure it out, and then I read this (thanks wikipedia)…

“The duo met in Mexico City while playing in a thrash metal band called “Tierra Acida”. The duo list Metallica as being among their key influences, alongside other heavy metal bands such as Megadeth, Slayer, Testament and Overkill.”

How could I not like a group that cites Slayer as a major influence? More importantly how could YOU not like a band that cites Slayer as a major influence?