thoughtcrumbs

Ani Difranco
Ani has intentionally gone back to her coffeehouse roots, and while clearly frustrated at having to play at a football stadium, she managed to charm the crowd nonetheless. "I've been trying all my life to live down the word 'cute.' Has it happened yet?" Unlike the funky full-band Ani of two years ago, this time she was husky and acoustic, playing songs in lower keys and frequently restarting. "I have nightmares of playing the same song twice at a concert. And the crowd's so nice; they're all like this (nods ingratiatingly). And I don't realize until the end. I haven't played this one yet, have I?"

Pedro the Lion
Am I too old to like Pedro the Lion? Everyone else was a tank-topped or chain-swaddled thirteen year-old. They were a lot cooler than I was at that age. Much to the benefit of the soda vendors, no one could bring water bottles inside the arena. Not only could we not bring in water, we couldn't dump the water and keep the empty container. Deciding Pedro just wasn't worth my $2 bottle, I started to leave, feeling petty but righteous. However, you can't just leave (much more understandably), you have to be escorted away by security. So, I gave up. Tossed my bottle into the trash can (no recycling in sight) along with a half dozen Nalgene bottles (of which we're having a national shortage). Bastards. So I spent my whole fifteen minutes in the arena writing this diatribe. And the yellow-shirted CSC Event Staff were standing in every arena exit, backlit like the Nazis at the concert in the Sound of Music. You know what? Pedro the Lion's not really very good.

Lou Reed
Lou Reed opened with a generic rock ballad, sung half-heartedly and off-key. Best part about the otherwise bland opening: it had a riff straight out of Pearl Jam's Evenflow. I really wanted to like him, but ended up leaving after four songs. Sorry, Fran.

Jason Webbley
Street accordionist Jason Webbley sings like Tom Waits under duress. "Remember, God doesn't care if you know all the words; he only cares how loud you sing." To intoxicate an 11:00 AM audience enough to participate in a drinking song, he had us point our fingers at the sky, look at them, and spin twelve times. He lost count somewhere in the middle. Dizzy and swaying, arms across our neighbors, we filled the air with loutish glee:

"While this glass is full, drink up. Drink up.
This may be the last time we see this cup.
If God wanted us sober, He'd knock the glass over
So while it is full we drink up.
(And the Russian section)
Yah-dah-di, Yah-dah-dah, Yah-dah-di-dah-dah-dah-dah-daah

Emm Gryner
Canadian singer Emm Gryner gained some acclaim last year for her album "Girl Versions," on which she covered Ozzy Osbourne and his ilk. Her piano work is redolent of Tori Amos, though she over-pronounces he "ers" and in general over-affects her voice with indie angst. Nice way to kill an hour, but I wouldn't make an effort to see her otherwise.

Jonatha Brooke
What is it about Portland that breeds thieves? And not just your garden variety pickpockets, but the kind of rogues who'll steal all of Cirque du Soleil's costumes and singer-songwriter Jonatha Brooke's equiment. Luckily, she got enough replacements overnight to perform at Bumbershoot the next day. For the last several days I'd been vacillating between seeing Jonatha and Modest Mouse. In fact, I was sitting in the stadium an hour prior, having chosen Mouse, but then realized I could still see most of their set if I snuck out to see Jonatha first. And I'm glad I did. Much more energetic and vocally creative than Emm. Clever lyrics and pretty chords.

Modest Mouse
Like when you look out to sea, and there's a deep azure area in the pale teal sea, there's this one patch of bodies jumping frantically in a sea of still, grinning people. Great, immodest, pounding noise!

The Shins
Is that a security guard waving his lighter along with the crowd? Oh, it's a pen light. But nice try. The Shins play cheery loud pop that's fun to listen to, although they all seem to stop suddenly. These boys seem to fear ritards or tags. "We're just going to stop now, on beat three. Ready? Stop!" And I'm revelling in the water I managed to sneak into the arena today. Apparently I don't fit the bag-search demographic when there are long lines to get in. They're not getting another bottle from me! Since yesterday, I've decided the yellow-shirted guards aren't all bad -- Mr. pen light is jiittering like a Quaker, clearly afraid his peers will catch him. Dance, brother, dance!

Northwest Community Connection Choir
I'm totally thrilled to see this punk guy, spiky bleached Art Alexakis hair, carpenter pants, black Docs with neon laces, clapping and dancing to this gospel choir. We're such a tepid, unenthusiastic crowd; we're showing more passion (granted, ire) toward the audience member with a cigar than to the music, so this guy is a joy to watch. It's not actually Art Alexakis, is it?

David Rakoff
Not that I saw this author at Bumbershoot, but I found a great quote in Fraud while waiting for the Minus Five:

"[I walked] out of that office, as buoyant as someone who's had their Titanic reservations cancelled."

Minus Five
I feel like I'm watching this band more because it makes me cool than because I actually like it. They're certainly not bad like Pedro the Lion was two days ago, but they also don't individuate themselves from countless other indies. Even if Peter Buck (from REM) is up there.

Wilco
What to say about Wilco? Well, unlike their predecessors, the Minus Five, I'm really enjoying this band, regardless of their cool factor. "Heavy Metal Drummer" is one of my favorites, although the audience singalong during the chorus was flaccid and unenthusiastic. Otherwise, there are a lot of pretty people here: not People pretty, but alt-rock hip pretty -- which you can be regardless of your genes. Just look at the bands this weekend: muss up your hair and don the nerdiest glasses you can find.

The Mekons
So, at this point, I feel compelled to write about every band I see, if for nothing else than to aument my concert repertoire. I like the Mekon's British accents. They're an accomplished band.

Toshi Regon
"They [the Bumbershoot promoters] described me as gospel as blues. That's not really how I think of myself; maybe they saw a Black face and a big woman and thought gospel. So, uh, here's a gospel and blues piece I wrote for y'all." She commenced to play healthy Austin-style rock and drew a big crowd.

Michelle Shocked
Michelle Shocked hasn't started yet; forty minutes to go. People are comparing their rain gear (Gore-Tex for one woman, clear plastic sheeting for another), as it started pouring sometime during Toshi's set. Given the general drizzle for the last four hours, I think we all picked a good venue for the final show -- indoors (with velvet seat cushions, even). Jewel in the wet stadium isn't too appealing.