The second day of Bumbershoot had some pretty big names. It was “Barsuk Records Day” (celebrating the label’s 15th birthday) so we were treated to The Joy Formidable, David Bazan and Death Cab for Cutie playing Transatlanticism straight through. Oh, and the Zombies and the Breeders also played so it was definitely a big day for big names. Had you just come for the big names, however, you would have missed out on some great new bands on the bill for the day including FIDLAR, The Comettes and the Grizzled Mighty.
FIDLAR is one of the more appropriately named groups (look up the acronym). The LA quartet’s music bleeds youthful energy and aggressive nonchalance. Appropriately then, their live show is pretty entertaining. It might not have been the type of music to draw in any unknowing strollers, but for the well-intentioned crowd (which, not surprisingly, was pretty young themselves) this band couldn’t have delivered a more raw and raucous set to inspire revelry.
The Comettes might walk away from Bumbershoot acclaimed as one of the strongest new bands from the festival. The Seattle trio played their own brand of self-assured rock with humility and passion that made them a treat to watch. The band’s indie romanticism likens them to classic acts like Interpol (a band I definitely hadn’t thought about for a while) With the distinctive Farfisa organ, the band puts out a more garage sound.
They habitually use the classic 1960s organ for the rhythmic undertones to support a lead guitar, whose tone during the set was occasionally too twangy for comfort. It’d be cool to see the organ take the melodic lead once in a while. Regardless of possibilities, The Comettes play with an unrivaled maturity for such a new act – and they even were giving out free records and CDs (how kind!).
In a vein of its own, Seattle duo Grizzled Mighty played a pretty wild set as well. With just a drum set and guitar, the band somehow managed to fill the entire stage and space with their sound and presence. They seemed totally wrapped up in their music and each other, somewhat unaware of their ever-growing audience. Wholly engaged in themselves (in a good way), they played with an easy comfort that made the set feel intimate despite the whole big outdoor festival setting.
Photos By Brigit Anderson
