So you’ve got your Bumbershoot tickets and you’re poring over the packed schedule in eager anticipation. If you’ve been to Seattle’s premiere urban festival before, you know the lines and crowds can get pretty ridiculous. Your fear of missing out, aka FOMO, will kick into high gear if you’re stuck in an endless line of jabbering teens waiting to get into KeyArena while a half-dozen other great bands are playing. And if you burn out early and join the zonked-out zombies aimlessly hanging out at the fountain, you will regret it. So here are a few tips from a seasoned festival veteran to help you maximize your Bumbershoot experience and minimize your desire to fight with strangers. Tip 1: Skip the headliners. This can be a bitter pill to swallow, but it will make your Bumbershoot better, trust me. In the past, lines for KeyArena have stretched for up to two hours, time that could have been spent catching some three to five other acts. Think of KeyArena as a sort of holding pen for the festival’s less-informed attendees.
Tip 2: Don’t skip anything else. Bumbershoot is one of the more varied festivals around, with a great mix of big and small acts, local and international, new and old. Consider letting set time and distance between venues determine what act to see next, instead of picking only the few bands you already know and love.
Tip 3: Do your research. You will be inundated with music, art, and spectacle galore at Bumbershoot, and after a full day, it can start to get a little fuzzy. So do your YouTube homework beforehand and read the artist bios provided by the festival app or online at bumbershoot.org.
Tip 4: Time your attack. If you absolutely, positively need to see a particular hit by a particular band, you may well have to hang out through an entire set. But more often than not I’ve found that bands open with their latest single and close with their biggest breakthrough hit. This is of course not always the case.
Tip 5: Take a break. I know this one sounds obvious, but I find it is important to pick a time to sit down, eat something real, rehydrate, and just chill for a bit.
Tip 6: Don’t drink too much booze. At the risk of sounding like a teetotaling finger-wagger, I would caution against partying too hard. Of course at any given festival there will be scores of wasteoids, some of whom may appear to be having a great time. But you came to actually experience the fest and see the acts, right? Drinks are pricey, and frequent bathroom stops will cut into your front-and-center show time.
Tip 7: Sell your soul to corporate coffee. The Starbucks Lounge offers a few very nice perks: free caffeinated beverages, comfy seats near a stage, and bathrooms with reasonable lines. You have to become a My Starbucks Rewards member at starbucks.com before the fest to gain access to the Lounge.
Tip 8: Redeem your soul with community radio. The KEXP Music Lounge is one of the great, if not well-kept, secrets of Bumbershoot. Held in a small black-box theater, these stripped-down five-song sets are just about the only shows at the whole festival where everyone in the audience is listening attentively. You have to RSVP at kexp.org ahead of time to get in, so you are probably out of luck at this point. But make a note for next year.
Tip 9: Wear earplugs. Yes, another curmudgeonly old-person tip, but one that will up your enjoyment and longevity immensely. You want to be about one-third of the way back from the stage, between the speakers where the sound is optimal. If you stand there for every show—and you should—your ears will take a beating. Protect ‘em.
Tip 10: Don’t talk during a concert. If you must communicate in the midst of the music, get right next to your friend’s ear—like lobe-nuzzlingly close—and use a hushed tone. You will be better heard than if you try to shout over the music, and you won’t ruin that tasty jam for those around you.
Oh yes, and one more thing: HAVE FUN! Dance, let your hair down, and allow that Seattle freeze to thaw for the last few summery days before the inevitable return to soul-crushing darkness. E
music@seattleweekly.com
