Day Two:
Downpour! Walking from breakfast to my friends’ house, all of three blocks, my jeans were soaked through. We got back to her house, made hot chocolate and watched the rain go flooding down the street. By the time we summoned the courage to venture out, the rain had dissipated a bit, and we arrived at Seattle Center just in time for our first show, Hey Marseilles. At Broad Street Stage we were greeted by seven dreamy men on stage! I thought I had hit my max for dreamy men on stage with Low vs Diamond the day before, but here were seven adorable dudes. One of these seven, Nick Ward, had a rhinoceros sticker on his guitar, which says nothing of his musicianship, I know, but made me swoon a little harder nonetheless. This Seattle band is a must-see! Their hipster outfits are not to be mocked (too hard) and should not put anyone off from attending their shows. Their lyrics are sweet, their eclectic collection of instruments commendable, and dare I mention it again, they are total dreamboats.
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs formed at the beginning of the century and have wiggled their way from grunge to punk to garage band to a folkier sound and back around to punk. The show was as energetic as one expects from leading lady Karen O, but I didn’t have the opportunity to really see her face, as her punk black bob covered most of it. You have to be in the mood to see the Yeah Yeah Yeahs: their music is innovative but the band is rather awkward in their relationship with an audience. I feel, had I not spent the morning dodging rain, I would have been more in the mood for the YYY’s. And, in the right mood, I could be convinced to see them again.
I 've seen Common Market before, although I don't remember much from that performance other than my roommate and I waving our hands at the front of the stage agreeing vehemently with his messages. Increased education programs. Positive approaches to understanding the confinements of gender. Using the skills we have to help each other. I hope people give Common Market a chance and don’t just say “oh another white hip hop artist with a ‘real message.’” He is that. But I imagine he would argue that one could say a black boy growing up in a single parent home is just that as well. But we have all come to learn that, reductionist charcterizations aside, that boy could be the president. Go to a Common Market show. I think you’ll be surprised. In a good way.
Michael Franti & Spearhead have their first single on the top 40 list with “Say Hey.” If this is something that matters to you, whoopee. It isn’t all that exciting to most Spearhead fans considering that chart-topping has never been what the group is about. They are collaborators and educators; they are excellent musicians with easygoing lyrics and soulful tunes. Are they the best thing since sliced bread? No (sliced bread is awesome!). But it is impossible to go to one of their shows and not sweat. You cannot not dance. You cannot not wave your hands in the air and jump around. It just isn't possible. The show at Bumbershoot was as energetic as usual and my back went on strike by the end of the night.
I debated sticking around for the Jason Mraz show, as when I had seen him in concert in a small venue in Dublin, he was an all-star. I decided against muddling that experience but, to my distinct pleasure, he made a surprise appearance at the Spearhead show and they made a slammin' duo.
