Bumbershoot Survival Guide
In talking to friends this year about Bumbershoot, we have found that a lot of people are opting out, or only going one day. Some complaints:
“I spend all my time waiting in line.”
“All of the things that I want to see are playing at the same time!”
“There is not really anyone I am that jazzed about.”
“It is always SO crowded.”
Since we have a blog, we can pontificate to the masses about how to maximize your time and money at one of the United States’ premier musical festivals.
1) Do your homework - Go to the Bumbershoot website right now and print out the schedule for the times that you will be there. Highlight the bands that you want to see and don’t worry about conflicting times. If there are times that are “unscheduled” for you, do a little cyber-reseach to see what is interesting. Everything is on the internet these days.
2) Be flexible - Be open to change at a moment’s notice. Discover new things.
3) Word of mouth - Find out what other people are excited about seeing.
4) Familiarize yourself with the map - Be prepared to walk slowly around the food areas. There will be several families from Bellevue, Kent and Everett who haven’t seen this many people in one place in 5 years.
5) Break away from your friends - Thanks to cell phones, there is no need for designated meeting times. You can navigate a crowd quicker with 1-2 people. Meet up at the beer garden or in the crowd.
6) Earplugs - With earplugs you save your hearing (not just because Lars Ulrich told you to do it either) and get a great spot in front of the speakers.
7) Observe concert etiquette - if the people around you are dancing, DANCE. If the people in front of you are dancing and you are sitting, move back further. This is music. Rhythmic sounds are supposed to facilitate body movement. If you want to want sit and watch a concert, go home and watch American Idol. It seems that most people in Seattle feel they are too cool for dancing. Stop it. It’s unattractive.
8) Pretend you are hiking - Check the weather, but be prepared for a shift in temperature from 70’s to 50’s. Always be ready for rain. Remember this rhyme “Sun is out, it’s hot. Sun is down it’s not.” Duh. Bring a backpack. Save some cash and bring a couple sandwiches. Drink out of a water bottle. Plan to buy 1-2 food items. It certainly makes the weekend less expensive.
10) Take the bus - You get crammed into a bus, but you don’t have to pay for parking. At the end of the night, if you have time, grab a drink at the Liquid Lounge of the EMP, or some other fine nearby establishment and wait for the crowd to pass.
