For any Seattleite, the word “Bumbershoot” brings to mind a utopian vision of a fun-filled three days in the warm sun, packed with music, interesting attractions and quality food. A historical event that this year celebrated its 35th anniversary, Bumbershoot is considered by many to be the defining summer event in the City by the Sound.

But many who arrived at this year’s Labor Day weekend celebration — situated in the sprawling mass of acreage beneath the Space Needle at the Seattle Center — found their utopian vision shattered. Overly aggressive security guards, sloppy organizational efforts and overcrowded, long lines made it painfully obvious that Bumbershoot isn’t all its cracked up to be. Still, when fans weren’t trying to navigate through a wall of lingering fans or stuck in line hearing their favorite band’s drumbeats softly pound through a cement wall, there was enough music to keep things interesting.

On Saturday, San Francisco’s Halou played the Backyard Stage. Their sound switched from ambient to electronica in a matter of seconds, but it didn’t matter to the mostly captive audience. Halou’s music was the perfect type to relax to, and thanks to the fluttery vocals of Rebecca Coseboom, the group’s first outdoor performance was a certain success.

Meanwhile, across the Seattle Center in the underground Exhibition Hall, another female-fronted act was taking the stage. Portland’s The Epoxies and their energetic performance, complete with A Flock of Seagulls-like costumes and laser lights affixed to guitars, wasn’t enough of a gimmick to mask the fact that their keyboard-infused punk was depressingly unoriginal and embarrassing to watch.
Later, beneath the Space Needle in the setting Sunday sun, Chicago blues legend Luther “Guitar Jr.” Johnson’s band warmed the audience up for about 15 minutes with instrumentals complimented by a strong horn section. When Johnson himself took the stage, the aging bluesman moved through the standards as middle-aged businessmen danced with their wives. Though blues acts were underrepresented at this year’s Bumbershoot — the only other notable one was the excellent Alligator Pears, a trio of Seattle preteens who set-up shop Sunday in the middle of a sidewalk near the fountain — Johnson’s epic set was enough to meet the demand.
The evening ended powerfully back in the Exhibition Hall with As I Lay Dying. Trouble was afoot from the beginning, when fans swarming into the hall after an hour-long wait were forced to sit on the ground until the performance began. When it did, anyone who even considered hardcore dancing was forcibly ejected by a swarm of members from the overbearing security force. Though the atmosphere was tense, As I Lay Dying’s notoriously brutal performance didn’t miss a beat — through the pounding dual bass drum, the wailing guitars and the no-nonsense bellows of vocalist Tim Lambesis, fans too afraid to move their feet stood slowly nodding their heads instead.

On day two, Seattle’s Velella Velella took the stage at the EMP Sky Church. This quartet of dance-rockers ripped up the stage, swapping instruments and jamming out on their vintage keyboards and other old school equipment. The buzz around this band seems to have died down since their record release last year, but clearly they haven’t stopped putting on an incredible show.

Common Market rocked the Bumbrella stage Sunday, although the crowd was a little hard to work. It may have taken awhile, but DJ Sabzi and his partner RA Scion got hundreds of hands in the air, pumping to their hook, “Recognize the right to push back.” As the hip-hop show moved over to the main stage with Seattle’s Blue Scholars showing up headliner Kanye West (who played mostly covers of other people’s songs), Jeremy Enigk displayed the magic in his songs. Enigk was followed by Argentinean-Swedish singer/songwriter Jose Gonzalez at the other end of the festival. Playing mostly songs from his recent, impressive American debut, Veneer, Gonzalez’s soft-spoken vocals and smooth, quiet guitar work was a nice, relaxing end to the long day.

On the final day of the festival, many of the attendees were surely tired, hot, and ready to sleep off their party weekend, but Sera Cahoone no doubt made a slew of people happy they stayed. Her girl-next-door appearance paired well with her lovely even-tempered vocals and acoustic guitar playing. Make no mistake, though; Cahoone can easily rip through a song with the audacity that only a drummer embodies. She just prefers to take it slow through many of her songs, and the result is something that not only maintains its tact on record, but also holds water in her live show.

-Review by Kim Ruehl & Rob La Gatta; photos by Rob La Gatta

Light This City / All Shall Perish / Suicide Silence / Too Pure to Die / Antagony
The Pound
San Francisco, CA
September 5

San Francisco hasn’t been known as a metal-producing city in recent years. Though it experienced a wave of thrash during the 1980s, much of the past decade has seen a lull in activity and a continual lack of quality. But if the metal fest at The Pound in early September was any indication, local fans can excitedly prepare for a revival. Though the bill consisted of five notable bands, the show was undeniably stolen by the local acts who were happily celebrating their homecoming after several months on tour.

A young quintet of local rockers, Light This City, played third, performing a depressingly short set of five songs. The group switched off between the thrash-like melodies of their 2004 release Remains Of the Gods and the more complex epics — complete with solos — featured on their latest effort, Facing the Thousand. Vocalist Laura Nichol tore around the stage and threw herself down among the fans in front, while guitarist Brian Forbes ripped through solos with undeniable grace. Though they had an excuse for such a brief set — bassist Mike Dias had been forced to leave the tour, and the fill-in bassist had learned the songs earlier that morning — the fans called out for more, and eventually Light This City returned to the stage to play a bass-less (but still exciting) rendition of their track “Letter To My Abuser.”

Next on the bill was the Bay Area’s other sign of metal hope, All Shall Perish, a five-piece outfit that has undergone some serious stylistic changes over the past few years. A significant amount of time had lapsed between Light This City’s exit and All Shall Perish’s entrance, partially because their drummer was having problems setting up his drum trigger, making the audience restless. Soon the endeavor was abandoned altogether and the rock continued.

The wait was worth it. Refreshingly, All Shall Perish brought old songs out from the closet — slow, breakdown-inspired hardcore tracks — but also demonstrated some of their more complex, newer melodic ones. All Shall Perish t-shirts were a common sight among the sea of moving bodies, and the fans demonstrated backing vocals that would make any producer proud. “Hate ... malice ... revenge!” they energetically chanted during a pause in “Never Ending War.” Even with their newer tracks, when recently-recruited vocalist Herman Hermida held his microphone towards the audience, there was always a young fan bellowing the words in his place.

And while all of the bands that performed at the show gave a commendable performance, sure to cause head banging, Light This City and All Shall Perish — homegrown acts playing distinctly different, but equally brutal forms of metal — are putting the Bay Area back on the metal map.

-Rob La Gatta

Cold War Kids / Dr. Dog
The Troubadour
West Hollywood, CA
September 8

No matter how old one was (or wasn’t) when timeless pieces of rock ’n’ roll were being created in the ’60s and ’70s, bands like Dr. Dog and Cold War Kids can easily conjure up some priceless nostalgia. Not to say that these bands are a throwback to an era of music now passed. It’s simply that bands like Dr. Dog and Cold War Kids have made new sounds that are tied together by the same elements that made ‘classic rock’ classic.

Philadelphia-bred Dr. Dog took the stage with two guitars, bass, keys, drums, velcro shoes and sunglasses. The members of Dr. Dog had the time of their lives onstage, dancing circles around each other throughout the entire set. Lead singer Toby Leaman’s vocals came across like a mix between Tom Petty, Neil Young and a dash of The Beach Boys. Dr. Dog commanded the attention of the audience, getting the crowd to sing choruses (complete with handclaps) and feel just as part of the set as the band itself. “The World May Never Know” and “Say Something” off their 2005 debut Easy Beat were the strongest songs of the night as they managed to showcase the band’s ability to harmonize with one another yet still deliver each note with an impressive nonchalance. Most of their set came from their latest release Takers and Leavers (Park the Van Recordings), but overall what made Dr. Dog memorable was their charm and sound as a whole, not any particular song from the set list. They could not have been a better supporting act for the night, as the intimacy and vintage sensibilities in their set shared a vein with Cold War Kids.

Over-hyped, over-blogged and dubbed one of the “Seven Bands to Watch in 2006” by the LA Times, Cold War Kids could have had some serious backlash coming their way had their performance been anything short of amazing. The Kids started early with a noteworthy cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “State Trooper.” By the time “Hospital Beds” took its turn, it was evident there was good reason for all the favorable attention. Cold War Kids have come a long way from their first performances, and they’ve already grown leaps and bounds since their Silverlake Lounge residency just last December. Lead singer Nathan Willett crooned with the utmost passion and confidence. Drenched in desperation, Willett’s vocals at times echoed Jeff Buckley. Jonnie Russell’s hard-hitting, pompous drums made every song sound like a war cry. During “Hang Me Up To Dry,” Willett’s delivery carried so much urgency, it looked as if there were seizures pending. Cold War Kids put on such an intense performance that even if the power had gone out in the venue, they wouldn’t have had to stop.

-Review by Rian Rochford; photo by Tania Solis

Musicfest Northwest
Various Venues
Portland, Oregon
September 7-9

Music festivals are one of those times when cloning would be useful, especially for the city’s biggest annual music event. This year’s line-up, which featured over 150 bands in 17 venues, may have been the richest and most varied yet, offering a plethora of music from the first Portland appearance of Nashville’s Silver Jews to the final show of the local Swords.

It kicked off Thursday night with a heavy dose of throwback rock at the Crystal Ballroom. Fans of Dig! who expected inter-band squabbles and bad behavior from The Brian Jonestown Massacre were no doubt disappointed. The band, currently a six-piece, settled into their somewhat monotonous psychedelic jangle-drone groove and never really left it, making the whole set feel like one big kaleidoscope song, whirling around mercurial bandleader Anton Newcombe’s stoned English choirboy vocals.

Ostensible rivals The Dandy Warhols headlined and though they too mine the past for inspiration, at least they’ve discovered the early ’90s. The Dandys remain an underrated live band and delivered a strong, well chosen, crowd-pleasing set. They covered many of their best moments, including the dawn breaking surge of “Good Morning,” the swaggering “Horse Pills,” and their semi-hit, “Not if You Were the Last Junkie on Earth.”

Across the river, Portland’s beloved inter-gender instrumental duo Talkdemonic took the Doug Fir stage at 1a.m. Using viola, drums, and a variety of programmed beats and sounds, they were both intimate and grand. Creating a sound that was cinematic, textured and immediate, they were somewhat like a pocket-sized Godspeed You Black Emperor, though with a better personality.

Friday night at the Crystal Ballroom, pound for pound, was the strongest. Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players were actually that: three family members (dad, mom, 12-year-old daughter) who played likeably dinky, thrift store music accompanied by 70 actual slides. Next, local married duo Viva Voce, with just drums and guitar, kicked up a delightful racket that managed to go from hard rock to pretty pop and back again, often in the space of one song. Melodically scorching and more powerful live than on record, they split the difference between classic rock and indie pop.

Sporting a moustache, Stephen Malkmus took the stage with an acoustic guitar and played a loose, low-key, engaging set that showcased his abilities as a singer/songwriter and even dipped into the mighty Pavement catalogue for “Trigger Cut.” Silver Jews leader David Berman joined him for a sloppy, but endearing duet on the Jews’ “Blue Arrangements.”

The Silver Jews delivered a memorable set that drew songs from all five of their stellar albums, from “Trains Across The Sea” to “Random Rules” to “Punks in the Beerlight.” Though rightly praised as a brilliant lyricist, Berman can also write a catchy tune, as evidenced by the wry, country gallop of “How Can I Love You If You Won’t Lie Down,” featuring sweet backing vocals by bassist and wife Cassie. For the two-song encore, Malkmus returned to the stage and Berman gave him a big hug afterwards, making for a most rewarding show.

For any suffering from festival burnout, the teen sisters of Smoosh, who played the Crystal Ballroom Saturday, were a fizzy, refreshing soda pop pick-me-up. They even played a song called “Rad,” which featured keyboardist/singer Asya half-rapping. Up Burnside at the Towne Lounge, Small Sails created ambient soundscapes that were both organic and electronic, using live instrumentation, voices and programmed sounds, conjuring up experimental acts from Brian Eno to Animal Collective.

Portland stalwarts Dead Moon, appropriately, took the Dante’s stage at midnight to show the kids a thing or two. The veteran trio blew the crowd away with sweaty, unrelenting, visceral rock ’n’ roll, culminating in a blistering cover of AC/DC’s “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ’n’ Roll).” Closing out the night, MC Ohmega Watts, who recently dropped a solo album, raised the Ash St. roof with funky, uplifting, old school hip-hop. He left the crowd exhausted and exhilarated, as did the entire Fest, which was an overflowing banquet of music, confirming Portland’s status as a great city for music of all shapes, sizes and colors.

-Lukas Sherman

Roots of Orchis / Headlights / Decibully
The Rickshaw Stop
San Francisco, CA
September 11

There was no shortage of instrumentation on display Monday night at the Rickshaw Stop — not to mention beards. Openers Decibully, currently a septet from Milwaukee, boasted the lion’s share of each. Their accordion, various shakers and sleigh bells were complemented by The Rickshaw’s scarlet curtains and low slung Christmas lights, together adding texture to the band’s spacious rock template. Frontman William Seidel wielded his voice around with both power and finesse in a soulful vein that seemed to want to fill the big, open sky of his home state. “Sing Out! Sing Out! Sing Out!” evoked Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” and the set ended in a flurry of dissonant guitar competing with keyboardist Nicholas Sanborn’s furious banging away at the keys of his Rhodes.

It was Headlights, however, a Champaign trio (though with help from a friend tonight) and labelmate of Decibully, that made good on the threat of the latter’s name. Sounding grittier and louder than their recent LP, Kill Them With Kindness, the band delivered an ear-splitting set that tested the limits of the venue’s PA system. Taking a page from The Jesus and Mary Chain playbook, singers Erin Fein and Tristan Wraight swaddled their lovely pop harmonies in a sandstorm of feedback. Reaching near-excruciating levels at times, the resulting sound left the audience conflicted over whether to raise their arms toward the roof or their ears. Through it all, Fein’s voice remained a constant, sounding plaintive and alluring without any affectation.

Local act Roots of Orchis ended the night on a more cerebral note. Working from assorted keyed and knobbed electronic gadgetry, as well as traditional guitars and drums, they carved out their avant-garde sound collages with surgical precision. Inexplicably on display was a Bill Cosby LP atop the stack of vinyl from which the turntablist twiddled and tweaked out some post-rock texture. Whether “The Coz” was actually beneath all that scratching was indeterminable, but if so, at least his words were being put to better use than of late.

Tortoise comparisons were abundant and inevitable, considering the band’s weave of down tempo hip-hop beats, electronic blips and spare guitar, all executed with jazz-like improvisation. A melodica floated in and out of the exchange, integrating itself eerily in some places while cluttering the sound in others. They closed with a more loose and whimsical effort, spurring arms to go uncrossed and even dance-like movements in some of the audience. An encore was in order because, having devoted a couple of earlier songs to Decibully, “we didn’t dedicate one to Headlights yet,” explained the band. In fact, each band had made similar dedications and a pervasive mutual admiration by all felt like more than mere lip service. Death by kindness, indeed.

-Review by Andrew Kersey; photo by Cassidy Williams