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Bumbershoot, day two: survived. Albeit slowed down a bit. Having played a three-hour show of my own Friday night, it's felt from minute one like I was one day deeper than I ought to be into the festival. So today felt like the tail end of day three, when there is still one more to go. I did manage to make at least the majority of my planned list, though.
If I'd known that The Tripwires were fronted by Minus 5 guitarist John Ramberg ... well I still would have seen them. But I would have done it for an actual reason, instead of their leadoff position. They have a bizarre but awesome tendency to leap suddenly from power-pop to classic boogie. I am for it.
Eldridge Grave & The Court Supreme were, let's be honest, just a lot whiter than I was expecting. Fortunately it did not make them less funky, and thus was my craving satisfied.
Sweet Water was Sweet Water. I was able to catch a few songs, including old classic "Feed Yourself," before fleeing off to the indoors for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
The cast of Putnam was not exactly top-notch pros, and the singing was a bit off throughout, but the show is quite entertaining, and they all play their absurd characters with enthusiasm and enjoyment.
A brief stop at Fisher Green Stage for Georgia Anne Muldrow & Declaime provided the main "meh" of the day. Maybe I'm missing something key, but I've always found that my favorite rappers are the ones with an actual band, instead of just a laptop.
Instead we trucked over to catch David Bazan, who, unlike the last time I saw him - and unlike Ms. Muldrow - was sporting a band. Having a drummer does wonders for his energy level, and makes his excellent songwriting much less likely to put everyone to sleep.
A quick stroll past The Bouncing Souls confirmed that while I've no complaints about their quality, it just was not what I was in the mood for. Instead it was back to Broad Street Stage for Ra Ra Riot. Good music for lying in the grass and relaxing for a while.
My search for jazz failed somewhat, as the Coryell, Auger Sample Trio turned out to be less jazz and more funky than anticipated, and my funk quota for the day had been filled.
Fortunately yesterday's mediocre start left me craving some blues that actually sounded like the blues, and James Cotton with his Superharp skills gladly provided.
Winner of the day goes to the last act I say, British folk legend Billy Bragg. There's just something about an Englishman standing at the microphone, waiting until everyone is quiet and saying "Tumescence," just to see how it sounds with the reverb – that speaks to me.
So far Bumbershoot this year has, on the whole, under whelmed. It had a lot to live up to for me after the last couple years, but has been falling short. Still, there's one day left, so we'll see. And speaking of one day left, let's see what's on for Monday:
12:30 p.m., EMP Sky Church: People Eating People
What, not the first show of the day? Madness! Anyway, I figure I ought to venture into Sky Church and see what kids these days are listening too at least once this year. And I like piano-driven music, and missed Vienna Teng.
1:15 PM, Starbucks Stage - Trampled By Turtles
Trampling seems such a violent act for such slow critters. I'm hoping they live up to their name, even though I don't really have any idea what that would mean.
2 p.m., Leo K Theatre Words & Ideas Stage: Why Bacon? Why Cupcakes? Why Now?
They seem to be ridiculous questions, I know, but apparently the discussion is on their recent pop-food-culture invasion - cupcake boutiques, Baconaisse - rather than why we like to eat them. This is admittedly not entirely my selection, but I'm engaged now, and no longer entirely responsible for my actions.
4 p.m., Broad Street Stage: Meat Puppets
There's a big chunk of time in there where I can't quite make up my mind, but when it comes to the Meat Puppets, there can be no question. These are guys I need to see, end of story.
5:15 p.m., Center House Theatre: Sondheim, Weill & Newman: A Cabaret
One more chunk of theatre, as Black Box Opera assembles a show out of the work of Stephen Sondheim, Kurt Weill, and curmudgeonly Randy Newman. It'll be too bizarre and potential awesome to miss.
6:30 p.m., Center Square Stage: Anvil
Enjoying a resurgence - or possibly just a surgence - due to their recent documentary, Anvil: The Story of Anvil, Anvil brings a much-lacking dose of metal to the proceedings. I should only need a song or two to get me through, for which my girlfriend will thank me.
6:45 p.m., Starbucks Stage: Jenny & Johnny
Jenny Lewis, lead singer of Rilo Kiley, seems to be pretty much everywhere these days, and one of those places is here, with gentleman friend Johnny Rice. Worth at least some of a listen to see what's up.
8:30 p.m., Starbucks Stage: Booker T.
After dinner, there is no choice but to see Booker T. As much as anyone at this festival except Dylan, Booker T. is true legend, as a songwriter, studio musician and all-around organ badass.
9:30 p.m., Fisher Green Stage: The English Beat
They don't lie; there really is a mirror in the bathroom. That kind of honesty is hard to come by these days.
See you out there, kids! I'll be the guy hoping he doesn't have to use his umbrella for anything but a walking stick.