AH, MEMORIES >>>

I love Bumbershoot for a lot of things, but mostly I love it for its memories. The singular moments that pop up every year and stick with you forever.

In 2005 I high-fived Iggy Pop as he ran through the photo trough. I stood in Memorial Stadium and watched a band I'd only ever heard once before, The Decemberists, make an entire crowd scream like the whale-eaten.

In 2007 I wasn't paying attention to the Crowded House stage until I heard a roar from the crowd, and suddenly there was Eddie Vedder. I stood swaying in the oncoming lightning storm as the crowd sang about love and time and hope with Glen Hansard and the Frames.

In 2008 Monotonix played for 15 minutes of crazed, manic joy before the security guards got nervous and shut them down. In 2009 Jason Webley conquered the crowd of Bagley Wright Theatre and led us marching, chanting, laughing and dancing slowly down into the fountain.

I guess that's why I've had so much trouble figuring out what to write this weekend. I don't think I saw a single bad performance. Young locals like Brite Futures, Lemolo and The Lonely Forest. Seasoned veterans like the Presidents and Broken Social Scene. Sol and YACHT and Tennis and Leon Russell.

But the thing that'll stick with me the most about this year was just laying around. Chilling on the grass for band after band. Getting up long enough to go to the next stage, to chill some more. No mad, frantic rock out moments. No getting beat to shit by a 15-minute long mosh pit with a band in the middle of it. No huge singalongs or dance numbers.

Just a weekend of good music and relaxation. Not a bad day to wind down a stupidly short summer in which I've barely had time to slow down, let alone stop to enjoy it. Not bad at all.