Bumbershoot Preview: Must-see locals

Bumbershoot is always loaded with local talent and this year is no exception. There are dozens of amazing Seattle-area artists worth your time at the Seattle Center grounds this weekend including several you’ve likely read about here on Guerrilla Candy.

Since there is so much local goodness going on it can make deciding who to see on what day a pretty difficult task, so Guerrilla Candy is here to help with picks for nine must-see locals guaranteed to deliver a good time this weekend.

Pickwick photo By Kristen Marie Tourtillotte

SATURDAY SEPT 3

Campfire OK (Noon, Fountain Lawn stage)

Campfire OK’s melodic, mostly piano-driven songs are perfect for summertime fun in the sun and they’ve been upping their game live with impressive sets at Capitol Hill Block Party and Doe Bay, so get your Bumbershoot started right with some of  the finest chamber pop in the city.

Kris Orlowski & the Passenger String Quartet (1:30, Level 3 of EMP)

Kris Orlowski and the Passenger String Quartet’s Fremont Abbey EP is a gem of an EP filled with beautiful pop-folk story-songs. Several of the players on that record (Allen Stone and Curtains For You’s  Matt Gervais to name a few) will also be performing sets of their own at Bumbershoot so don’t be surprised to see a few guests join Orlowski  and the quartet on stage.

Pickwick (6 p.m., Level 3 of EMP)

Pickwick has been making a name for themselves with stellar live shows and terrific soulful, pop-driven songs. They’re already headlining clubs and they have yet to release a full-length record. This set has the potential to be one of those performances where you’ll look back a few years from now and smiling because you’ll be able to say you saw them before they were big.

Kaylee Cole at Sasquatch! 2010 Photo by Brittney Bush Bollay

SUNDAY SEPT 4

Sol (Noon, Fountain Lawn stage)

Sol’s recently released Dear Friends Vol. 3 EP has been a major part of my summer and I’m guessing it will become a part of yours too after you give it a few spins. The record mixes laid back party vibes with Sol’s smooth as silk flow and shows plenty of promise from one of the more promising young MCs in Seattle. Do yourself a favor and download it for free over here.

Kaylee Cole (6:00, Level 3 of EMP)

The first time I heard Kaylee Cole’s voice it was during Sasquatch! 2010. She was performing the songs of Arcade Fire and I was immediately drawn in by her voice. It’s been well documented that I’m not the world’s biggest Arcade Fire fan so Kaylee not only winning me over with her voice but also making me stick around and listen to Arcade Fire is quite an accomplishment. I can’t wait to hear her singing her own material this weekend.

Allen Stone (7:30, Level 3 of EMP)

Allen Stone is a R&B soul crooner who recently toured with a backing band that backed up some other R&B crooner you may have heard of named Raphael Saadiq. This kid has legitimately golden pipes that match his golden hair. He’s a distinctive talent that we’re lucky to have in Seattle and have the opportunity to watch his career develop.

My Goodness at CHBP 2011 Photo by Jason Tang

MONDAY SEPT 5

Fly Moon Royalty (12:45 Fisher Green)

The sexy and soulful grooves of this Sportn’ Life Records duo will get your body moving in all the right ways and get you pumped to face the final day of Bumbershoot 2011.

My Goodness (2:00, Exhibition Hall)

Guerrilla Candy championed My Goodness a long time ago (they rocked Guerrilla Candy’s Launch Party earlier this year) so you should know by now that My Goodness is one of the best rock bands making music in Seattle today. If any local band can make the crummy acoustics of the Ex Hall sound good it’s these guys.

Lemolo (4:30, Level 3 of EMP)

The music these two women make together is labeled as “dream pop” and once you hear it you’ll understand why. It’s beautiful, poppy and, well … downright dreamy.

About Travis Hay

Travis Hay is a music journalist who has spent the past 20 years documenting and enjoying Seattle's music scene. He's written for various outlets including MSN Music, the Seattle-Post Intelligencer, Seattle Weekly, Pearl Jam's Ten Club, Crosscut.com and others.

View all posts by Travis Hay →

One Comment on “Bumbershoot Preview: Must-see locals”

Comments are closed.