USA 2013, OR: FREEDOM, LOL

There's nothing too mystifying or surprising when it comes to human behavior, you know. Granted, we have a very long way to go in understanding the full function of our amazing brains, but if you pay attention to the basic ol' patterns of Life In General, people act in very predictable ways, and for the most part are simple creatures. There are situations in which people do very well, and situations where they do not. It's not all that tough to figure out. Let me detail that out here:

1. Food: The human body requires a steady daily intake of high-quality, clean nutrients to live.

2. Shelter: People need to have shelter from the elements, clean air to breathe, and a clean source of water to use to keep their bodies and shelters hygienic. They need to have some measure of private, personal space for themselves and their families.

3. Medical Care: Even under the best of circumstances, people fall ill or have accidents. They need access to high-quality medical assistance at these times, and the resources to avoid illness.

4. Work: People have an intrinsic need to produce things or provide a service of value, and to be able to sustain themselves and their families.

5. Love: Nurturing relationships of all kinds and levels are a necessary component to a functional society.

6. Education: All people are born curious about the world, and have deep need for knowledge. A high-quality education provides mental stimulation, personal growth, and can provide contacts and life options available in no other way.

7. Boundaries: Groups must adopt rules of common acceptable behavior to avoid chaos, anarchy, and destruction.

There's nothing too shocking there, right? Common-sense reasoning, based on patterns, history, and experience.

Now here's the bell-ringer.

If we apply these unquestionable, universal human needs to the United States of America of 2013, the "greatest country in the world" is a failure. We are doomed, because we have allowed a misguided idea of "freedom" to take hold in the national character as surely as a cancer would, and the "land of opportunity" is not at all what we believe it is. I say this not as a pessimist or a disgruntled voter or Nostradamus II. Just look behind you, look around you, and look ahead. There will be no surprises.

1. Food: Our dependance on cheap, highly-processed, engineered foods, which are often infused with a unpronounceable cocktail of chemicals that benefit the seller rather than the consumer, have made us fat and sick, including our youngest citizens.

2. Shelter: Housing costs have soared past wages, making home ownership an impossibility for many working- and middle-class workers, even with two incomes. Home ownership strengthens communities, as property owners are naturally more invested; transient communities are less stable. And rather than lead the world in environmental sustainability and responsibility, our government refuses to adopt the standards that would delay the coming global warming catastrophe, even with enough solid scientific evidence to collectively crush the Westboro Baptist Church in paperwork tonnage. (One can dream.)

3. Medical Care: Also undeniable: the staggering costs of medical care, medical insurance, and untreated illness are bankrupting the nation. Obamacare puts but a Band-Aid on the overall problem, and if it remains, needs to be strengthened and expanded, rather than eliminated. We ALL PAY FOR EVERYONE'S MEDICAL COSTS one way or another; that's economic reality. It's better to make care affordable so more people can get treated before illness progresses to a far more expensive and public event. We aren't even the best anymore in leading indicators, and we pay more for less.

4. Work: The current US income skew is a big, big deal. Do your homework on the fortunes of countries where wealth was or is extremely concentrated, and opportunities for achievement or advancement are denied. Violence increases, and instability becomes the norm. The same jobs that made an economically-healthy America are gone, shipped to cheaper labor overseas. They are being replaced by lower-wage service jobs. People unable to find meaningful work lose motivation, and then lose hope, and the potential behaviors of a huge population with nothing to left to lose is a frightening thought.

5. Love: It would be nice if all you needed was love, but as societal stress, violence, illness, and depression increases, love suffers. It tries so hard, but cannot often hold up when so many other things take a toll on the spirit.

6. Education: We spend more and get less, again. And look real, real hard at college now. Spiraling tuition costs that are completely out-of-line with economic reality means we have graduates who are trained for jobs that don't exist, except in a very, very few specialized fields. They may never over their entire lifetimes be able to pay off their debt. More and more families will not be willing to take on college costs for these reasons, and we end up with a nation that is less-well-educated than many other industrialized nations that don't think college should only be for rich people.

7. Boundaries: We hang on to the idea of the United States still being the Wild Wild West, that we are all cowboys, unfettered, free, individual, limitless, that we have choice. We've been fooled. There is no functional society without limits, without consequences to behaviors. We so want to believe the big fat lie that Americans are special, are entitled to MORE and BETTER...no, THE BEST. We DESERVE things, because we are the greatest! So we get fed on the idea that to have MORE and THE BEST is the end-game; patriotic, even. We go into stunning debt to get a 80" flat-screen from Best Buy, ignoring the 26% interest on the credit card. Limits and boundaries are seen as freedom-choking, un-American values, so we vote in zealots to represent us. Don't tell us what to do, they say, and they vote to keep us well-stocked in machine guns and GMO food. Don't trample on my religious freedoms, they say, so they trample on the medical rights of women and change public textbooks to include pathetic pseudo-science. Don't stop the job creators from spending their hard-earned money as they like, they say, and enact laws that enable them to buy up as many politicians as they can, to get MORE...OFF YOU, until they have everything and you have nothing at all.

A twisted idea of freedom, the thing the human spirit desires most, sadly, will bring us to our knees. Will America survive? Maybe, but it is not going to be the place you know, or think you know.

Just look around you.


FOR WICKED PARENTS OF THE VERY YOUNG, A CONFUSE-A-TOT™ FILM: "WHAT SOUNDS DO THE ANIMALS MAKE?"

If you have a toddler or preschooler, this one is for you. Just bring Junior or Juniorette over to the screen, click on the video, and just watch their little faces.

You're welcome! Please to enjoy! HA HA!

"What Sounds Do The Animals Make?"




TEN MORE WEIRD RECORD COVERS & KNICK-KNACKS FROM THE VALUE VILLAGE!

I found so many great things at the thrift store this week that I forgot to post the crappy stuff! Please to enjoy!

AIEEEEEE!!


ASK MISS VICTORIA: AN ADVICE COLUMN


EVERY SO OFTEN, A GARAGE PUNK GETS A PEBBLE, OR; HOW I GOT "THE PLAGUE" AT THE THRIFT STORE!!!

If you are a regular reader of Popthomology, you will know that I LOVE going to thrift stores. One of my favorite things to do there is find weird old record covers or bizarre knick-knacks, photograph 'em, write up some commentary, and bring 'em to ya for some fine comic relief. It is quite stunning to me that no matter where I travel in the country, the castaways in the dusty record bins are so often the same: lots of '60s-'70s adult pop like Barbra Streisand, Engelbert Humperdinck, Ray Coniff, Herb Alpert, Perry Como, and lots of locally-produced Christian music. For many, many years now, it's been exceedingly rare to find anything that was actually valuable or awesome, or both. People started getting smart about the value of their old records in the later '70s and then got annoyingly smart about them with the advent of the Internet, making it harder for scroungers like me to SCORE. The pro pickers clean out the actual good stuff long before I ever get a chance, so I never expect to find anything amazing when I go on my jaunts other than funny crap, which is quite wonderful just in itself.

Yesterday, amidst the Barbras and the Perrys and the Holy Rollers and also about fifty 45s of Top 10 bilge from the early '80s (DeBarge, bleah), one 45 caught my eye. It was obviously old, on an unusual label. I picked it up and took a look. Hmm, I thought to myself, just based on the group name, the titles of the songs, a run time of under two minutes, and the record label name, I think this sounds like it could very well be something I would like, being a die-hard fan of obscure '60s garage/punk/pop/psychedelic music from about '65-'68. That is my bag, man. Hmmmm....
























150-WORD MICROFICTION: "CAMPFIRE GIRL"

I still loved him unrepentantly and exactly in the spot where his spirit used to be, something akin to standing in the remains of a old campfire, the soft, cold, smoky-sweet ashes recalling that a crackling heat once leapt and danced there. The last of the pulsing orange embers were thoroughly doused on the day when he licensed one of his songs – written to me in the wildfire days of our relationship-- to a Japanese ad agency. It was used as the music in a “Magic Rainbow Color” cigarette commercial, which featured uniformed smiling teen schoolgirls bouncing happily with giant animated multi-hued cigarettes on glitter-laden trampolines.

“Go buy a purse,” he snapped at me, making no eye contact.


It become harder and harder over the years to wash the ash from my feet, and the stains it left appeared much as bruises would; a clever and cruel reminder, I thought.



MOVIE REVIEW: THE BEATLES' NOT-SO-"TEMPORARY SECRETARY" SPEAKS UP IN "GOOD OL' FREDA" (2013)

Once upon a time, there was great value given to the concept of "loyalty." To be loyal to your employer was noble; even the most humble of folks could be rewarded with great esteem by society for having been faithful and devoted, or at least with a cake and a gold watch at the end of a long career. A loyal person remained steadfast even through hardship or doubt, and the trust they built through this effort was strong. I don't know that loyalty such as this exists anymore, or certainly not as a common cultural characteristic as it once was. To be loyal now is seen as a vulnerability and naiveté, as it is often rewarded with your job eventually outsourced, made redundant, or slashed to part-time in order to remove benefits. Of what value is loyalty now?

A gentle answer comes from an unlikely source: "Good Ol' Freda" (2013), a documentary about Freda Kelly, who served as the secretary for the Beatles and manager Brian Epstein from 1961 to 1972. Kelly had the job millions of young women dreamt of, heading up the Official Beatles Fan Club. She was an essential part of the band's inner circle from pre-fame to post-breakup. To a great degree, loyalty comes into play for explaining why Kelly's story hasn't been told until now, many years past other high-ranking Beatle associates who wrote books or gave tell-all interviews to the still-Beatles-hungry press, and that loyalty shapes the sweet (and sometimes bittersweet) nature of the film.
















PLEASE FEEL SORRY FOR ME: THESE ARE THE CLOTHES SEARS TRIED TO SELL ME IN 1982

In the Spring and Summer of 1982, I had just entered my twenties, somewhat feeling that I had not made the most of my teenage years while sitting in a swampy rural Wisconsin Superfund-cleanup-town of 300 people. Nonetheless, I was ready to ROCK (i.e., GET OUT) and enjoy what I had been waiting for all my life: my young adult years, where I could go where I pleased, do what I wanted to do, and wear what I wanted to wear.

HA HA HA HA HA.

At least on this latter point, I largely continued the deep, rage-y frustration that I had been keeping on simmer for nearly a decade regarding fashion. I LOATHED '70s fashion, all of it. Coming out of the sharp, witty, and clean design lines of '60s mod clothing, I couldn't even believe it when all that coolness was replaced by crappy and unflattering blandness, and it STAYED and STAYED and STAYED. The early '80s were proving to be no better, I pouted, and I had to search hard to try to find clothing that I could even deal with putting on my body without cringing.

Do you think I KID? For anyone who doesn't recall, today I bring you a few selections from the Sears Spring/Summer 1982 catalog, a fair barometer of what was generally available in most clothing stores at the time. Click to enlarge the photos if you dare. Try not to punch a kitten.

























YOUR IDEAL CAREER, BASED ON YOUR FAVORITE MUSICIANS!

I got the idea to write this today after reading this amusing article, "What Your Taste In Music Says About You On A Date." OK, dates are fine and all, but what we really need in this economy, people, are JOBS! Any slob can find another slob to slobber with, but careers are a far more tricky thing to figure out. How do you know what you are best at in the world? How do you find financial success coupled with emotionally-fulfilling toil? Forget all those overpriced "What Flavor Is Your Telephone?"guides; I've got a surefire way to steer you into the job of your dreams right here for FREE! OK, well, it's free only if you are stealing your neighbor's wi-fi. Anyway, here are my recommendations for...

YOUR IDEAL CAREER, 
BASED ON YOUR FAVORITE MUSICIANS!

The Who: Hotel maintenance worker.

Jethro Tull: Philosophy professor at a small, poorly-ranked liberal arts college in Vermont.

Carrie Underwood: Sunday School teacher.

Justin Timberlake: Shoe salesperson.

Nicki Minaj: Halloween costume store rental associate.

Lady Gaga: Owner of Halloween costume rental store.

Pink: Sassy waitress at a pseudo-1950's diner chain

Madonna: Botox injection specialist.

Miley Cyrus: STD counselor.

Phillip Phillips: Electrical electrician.

Daft Punk: Assisted Living Home activities director.

Michael Jackson: Disney Store retail associate.

The Kinks: Family Law attorney.

The Rolling Stones: Geriatric physical therapist.

One Direction: Proactiv acne system phone salesperson.

Vampire Weekend: International diplomat.

The Flaming Lips: Surrealist painter.

Weird Al Yankovich: Comedy club bartender.

The Beatles: Record store owner.

Led Zeppelin: Copyright attorney.

Britney Spears: Tattoo-removal specialist.

Danzig: Kitty litter manufacturer.

Elvis Presley: TV repair.

PSY: Office drone.

Imagine Dragons: Game programmer.

Nickelback: Wal-Mart checker.

Pat Boone: Wal-Mart greeter.

Green Day: (see Led Zeppelin)

The Ramones: School ADHD specialist.

Talking Heads: Elementary school art teacher.

The Velvet Underground: High school art teacher.

R.E.M.: Speech therapist.

Creedence Clearwater Revival: (see R.E.M.)

David Bowie: Retail associate, Menswear, Nordstrom

Motley Crüe: Driving instructor.

Grateful Dead: Home-knotted rainbow hammock salesperson.

Phish: Medical marijuana grower.

Eminem: Car wash finish wiper.

Elvis Costello: Clinical psychologist.

The Eagles: Sleep disorders specialist.

Hank Williams: Bail bondsperson.

Hank Williams, Jr.: Fox News writer.

Radiohead: Librarian.

Johnny Cash: Prison social worker.

AC/DC: Sheet metal worker.

Frank Zappa: Tenured, unintelligible art history professor, Harvard.

The Police: Caucasian owner of Reggae bar, Leeds.

Frank Sinatra: Pizza parlor owner, New Jersey.

Metallica: Guitar Center retail associate.

Queen: LGTB lobbyist.

Pink Floyd: Laser light show worker.

Elton John: Optician at Lens Crafters.

Van Morrison: bartender at Murphy's Irish Pub, Cedar Rapids, IA.

Bruce Springsteen: Cross-country truck driver.

The Doors: Home Depot associate.

The Beach Boys: Paddleboard rental business owner, San Diego, CA.

Chuck Berry: Video surveillance camera installer.

Bob Dylan: Mayor of New York City.

Justin Bieber: Dog groomer, Fluffy's Fluff n' Go, Little Rock, AR.

The Shins: Introverted high school English Literature teacher.

Morrissey: Very introverted high school English Literature teacher.

Leonard Cohen: Catatonic high school English Literature teacher.

TODAY, I THOUGHT ABOUT FRIENDS

I have spent most of today in reflection and thought; perhaps something of a natural response to the cooling weather and returning grey skies, and perhaps in determination to become and remain a more mindful, grateful person. Life goes by so quickly, spent mainly scrambling on a routine treadmill of survive n' thrive, and we have so few uninterrupted hours to process our thoughts and the events of our lives and our world. I realize that having the time to think at one's leisure is mainly afforded to only the affluent or destitute. But for those of us somewhere in the great middle, it is good to step off and retreat every so often, good to be aware rather than numbed, good to be awake, engaged, to feel.

Today, I thought about friends. How easy it is for us to lose sight of how wonderful they are, not for what they do for us, but just for the incredible richness they bring to us by sharing themselves with us. If you didn't know it, or once knew it and had forgotten, I'll remind you: despite how horribly human beings can choose to treat each other, the beauty and kindness and strength in people will always triumph. Of this, I have no doubt at all, for without all those qualities and so many more, we would have perished as a species long ago, consuming each other, bereft of hope or joy.

Today, I thought about friends. These are just a few of them.

The new parents who are so attentive and loving to their toddler son, whose faces just beam in pride, despite the tiring days and nights of work balanced with demanding baby care, and who haven't lost themselves in the process.

All the friends who are going back to college to receive degrees in social work, speech therapy, and counseling psychology to be able to help people with their medical or emotional problems. It's hard, draining work, and a high paycheck will never come. They wanted to help people, and instead of just talking about it or putting a few dollars in a donation envelope, they are devoting their careers and lives.

The mom who radiates warmth and positivity, even when she would have every right to crumble into pieces over the unfairness of her child's fate.

The shaggy-haired goofball who talks a little tough but has the biggest heart of anyone I know.

The friend who, quietly, has helped the careers of so many.

The dashing punk who feeds the stray kittens that live under his car.

The women who works full-time yet never fails to think of how to fit time in with you.

The famous writer whose eloquence seems so effortless, and engages so kindly with so many.

The mom who lets her young daughters raise chickens in the backyard in a psychedelically-painted coop.

And the woman who faces as the sun rises tomorrow morning an incredibly complex and major cancer surgery, a "Hail Mary" attempt to save her life that comes with no guarantees of any kind. I think of her tonight, her strong spirit, wide smile, funky fashion sense, and bright eyes standing out far, far over her loss of hair or the crackle and peel of her skin from repeated chemotherapies. Her bravery is astounding. And her husband, who faces the day in a different way, waiting for ten or more hours with hope built on unshakable, fierce devotion. Tomorrow is also his birthday.

I have so very much to learn from them all, so very much to love and appreciate. You, too, have just as much richness in your own life. Take the time, sometime, to think about that.




TEN MORE STRANGE KNICK-KNACKS FROM THE VALUE VILLAGE IN WOODINVILLE, WA. (AND ONE FROM WISCONSIN!)

I think you can learn a lot about a culture via their choices in unnecessary home decor, aka knick-knacks. I have yet to fully form a thesis statement about the fact that many American households, should I choose to evaluate them from the items I see cast off at thrift stores, seem to have fascinations with clowns, cherubs, ugly dogs, and Hummel orphans. Perhaps I do not dare to think about it too too much. Anyway, here's more weird crap! Please to enjoy!

These guys right right here. Trouble.


PHOTOS: THE FANCY LADS, INDIAN SUMMER VINTAGE, SEATTLE, WA. 9/14/13

The grooviest chicks and the coolest cats made an ace scene last night as those go-go-GONE guys that make up the rockin' quartet The Fancy Lads performed at one of Seattle's most boss vintage clothing boutiques, Indian Summer. Their mop-top sounds blew out the doors and turned the sidewalk into a totally gear discotheque for the mod youth. So outta sight! Check out my photographs of The Lads here and on Flickr! Fab!

The Fancy Lads Indian Summer Flickr set 9/14/13



TEN MORE WEIRD RECORD COVERS FROM THE VALUE VILLAGE IN WOODINVILLE, WA.!

Sometimes I think there's a little thrift store gremlin that magically refills the used LP bin with strange and wonderful records every week JUST FOR ME. Either that, or people died and their relatives gave away their stuff. In any case, here are more unusual covers from olden times! Please to enjoy!!

Unless this came with several dancing blow-up dolls, I don't feel this would be wholly satisfying for the purchaser, really.


I MADE YOU A CHILDREN'S BOOK NOT FOR CHILDREN: "WHAT DO ANIMALS SAY? "TEDDY THE FISH" AND "WHAT HAPPENED?"


PHOTOS: PECK FEST 2013, HARD L, SEATTLE, WA. 9/8/13 (WITH PERFORMANCE BY PONY TIME)

It's a good and important thing to support art and artists, because without them our world is surely a lesser place. Art and music nurtures the better parts of ourselves, and I am ALL ABOUT BETTERMENT. Anyway, I was very glad to stop by Peck Fest 2013 in the tiny Hard L gallery/performance space in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. Stacy Peck likes to make fun and funny art, videos, and plays in several bands, which is I believe is the law for garage punk musicians. The centerpiece to Peck Fest was a performance by Pony Time, an awesome fuzzbass-'n-drums pop punk duo (Peck bashes the cans while pal Luke Beetham shreds on bass and vocals). Their latest album is 2013's "Go Find Your Own," which I own and suggest that you go find your own, too, like NOW! Pony Time is going out on a national live in concert tour soon, so go give 'em some love.

Congrats on Peck Fest 2013, Stacy! Peck on!

Peck Fest 2013 Flickr set


PHOTOS & SHOW REVIEW: TY SEGALL, MIKE DONOVAN, & NIGHT BEATS @ NEUMOS, SEATTLE, WA. 9/7/13

What a perfectly-timed sonic sweetness, Neumos! My eyes, muscles, bones, and ears had fully recovered from the massive Bumbershoot festival effort the weekend before, and I was more than ready to see not one, not two, but THREE of my favorite musical combos in one of my favorite clubs in Seattle. I like going to shows where I know for SURE that I am going to come away feeling even happier than I was walking in, and this was one of those. I am a lucky person.


















BUMBERSHOOTING 2013 WRAP-UP: MORE PHOTOS, THANK YOUS, AND LINKS @ BUMBERSHOOT MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL, SEATTLE, WA.

A final wrap-up post today for the Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival 2013! Another great experience to add to the Life Bank, I say. To everyone who was there, you know what I mean when I say that Bumbershoot is a very special and cherished event for Seattle every year, and to those of you who haven't been yet or might be thinking of traveling in for Bumbershoot 2014, I'm telling you: book the ticket and get here! Bring the family, bring your mom, bring your pals, because it's good for everyone. Here are some of my likes and thanks, funny stuff, extra photos, and links to all my 2013 Bumberconcert photos and reviews. (Click on the photos to enlarge or click on the Flickr links for more!)

Bumbershoot 2013 People and Things Flickr set

BUMBERSHOOTING 2013, DAY ONE: DIAMOND RINGS, GARY NUMAN, ZZ WARD, !!! (CHK CHK CHK) @ BUMBERSHOOT MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL, SEATTLE 8/31/13

BUMBERSHOOTING 2013 DAY TWO, PART ONE: FIDLAR, TAMARYN (KEXP) @ BUMBERSHOOT MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL, SEATTLE 9/1/13

BUMBERSHOOTING 2013, DAY TWO, PART TWO: ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS, MATES OF STATE, BOB MOULD, TAMARYN, THE ZOMBIES, & BRONCHO @ BUMBERSHOOT MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL, SEATTLE 9/1/13

BUMBERSHOOTING 2013, DAY THREE, PART ONE: SUPERCHUNK (KEXP), THE MEN, & REDD KROSS @ BUMBERSHOOT MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL, SEATTLE, WA. 9/2/13

BUMBERSHOOTING 2013, DAY THREE, PART TWO: DJ BRADFORD COX, THE JOY FORMIDABLE (KEXP), ALLEN STONE, & DEERHUNTER @ BUMBERSHOOT MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL, SEATTLE, WA. 9/2/13

THANK YOU: One Reel! Putting on a 3-day multi-multi-stage arts, comedy, music, and film festival is a massive undertaking, especially when you are taking over and making over the heart of the city, Seattle Center. I can say with no hesitation that my experience with the One Reel staff and volunteers has been nothing but pleasant, warm, and efficient, and I am especially grateful to the gracious and enthusiastic girls working the Press Room this year. It's not an easy task to deal with stressed-out media people working on deadlines who whine about electrical outlets and aching backs and unusually-worded photo parameters while stuffing orange pieces into their mouths. The whole general cheeriness of everyone from security to ticket-takers to stage managers really makes such a positive difference.



BUMBERSHOOTING 2013, DAY THREE, PART TWO: DJ BRADFORD COX, THE JOY FORMIDABLE (KEXP), ALLEN STONE, & DEERHUNTER @ BUMBERSHOOT MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL, SEATTLE, WA. 9/2/13

That HARRIDAN Mother Nature intervened last night as I was trying to post these, the last photo sets from another incredible Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival experience -- a lightning strike blew out the power for hours here! Anyway, I am back up and fully loaded with electrical connectivity and ready to share what I got! Let's go! (Click on the photos to enlarge and click on the Flickr links for more!)


BUMBERSHOOTING 2013, DAY THREE, PART ONE: SUPERCHUNK (KEXP), THE MEN, & REDD KROSS @ BUMBERSHOOT MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL, SEATTLE, WA. 9/2/13

No burnt weenies, cold baked beans, and stale potato chips for me this Labor Day, nuh uh! Back I went to the Seattle Center for the third and final day of the Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival to BBQ my MIND with awesome music! It was such a big day that I shall split the day into two posts in order that my eyes do not crumble into dust and fall out from photo processing. Call me proactive. (As usual, sweetiepies, click on the photos to enlarge and click on the Flickr links to see more!)





BUMBERSHOOTING 2013, DAY TWO, PART TWO: ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS, MATES OF STATE, BOB MOULD, TAMARYN, THE ZOMBIES, & BRONCHO @ BUMBERSHOOT MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL, SEATTLE 9/1/13

Alright, cats and kitties, puppies and guppies...let's finish up what I done got from the second day of Seattle's tremendous Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival (click HERE for Day One, and click HERE for Day Two, Part One!) This year, it was music music music for me at Bshoot; as much as I know I would have absolutely loved to have visited all the other way cool things going on at the fest (art, films, comedy, etc.), I could not figure out this whole cloning thing in time for me to split myself efficiently. Next year, I will work harder on my science skills. Anyway, what a great way to welcome in September, seeing some of my original fave Brit bands from the '60s, several fave bands from the nows, and a couple that land in the middle of Favoriteville! Overall, a very satisfying day. (Click on the photos to enlarge and click on the Flickr links for more!)

BUMBERSHOOTING 2013 DAY TWO, PART ONE: FIDLAR, TAMARYN (KEXP) @ BUMBERSHOOT MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL, SEATTLE 9/1/13

A small lil' post today from yesterday's Bumbershoot goodness as I have to rush out the door this morning to get back for the final day! Despite the challenges of unusual Pacific Northwest heat and humidity, I managed not to melt completely and had a blast shooting some of my favorite bands. Tune in tomorrow (and probably the rest of the week) for MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE! (Click on the photos to enlarge and click on the Flickr links for more, NOW!)

I am always most happy to have my beloved punk/garage bands represented at Bumbershoot, and just made it into the fest to catch FIDLAR, who always are enjoyably crazy. They always seem to be bleeding from somewhere, and I hope they carry Bactine in their tour van. Carry on, boys, carry on!

FIDLAR Bumbershoot Flickr set



BUMBERSHOOTING 2013, DAY ONE: DIAMOND RINGS, GARY NUMAN, ZZ WARD, !!! (CHK CHK CHK) @ BUMBERSHOOT MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL, SEATTLE 8/31/13

I am SO EXCITED to be back at Seattle's superb and very chill Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival this year! The whole experience is truly a highlight to my year. Besides the amaaaaaazing music and comedy performances, there are wonderful thought-provoking panels, films, art installations, an indie market, delicious foods, and more fun than anyone can HANDLE! Best of all, I get to spend a weekend hanging out with so many of my dear music writer and photo pals, old and new. I'll work hard to bring you as many cool pix as I can! Let's get started!!