Good ol’ Bumbershoot. The long-running, constantly morphing music festival that takes place September 5-6 at Seattle Center is just a week away, capping off the unofficial end of summer with a bang. Sadly, Portland doesn’t have our own end-of-summer blowout (we did; it was MusicFest Northwest, and I miss it like some dead relatives and long-defunct bars), but our northern sister has our backs—if we’re willing to make the three-hour trek.
I know what you’re thinking: “Six hours round-trip? In this economy?” Yeah, we get it: gas during a pointless war is pretty expensive (yet another reason you should consider Amtrak). Somehow, though, this year’s Bumbershoot lineup is so good, the Portland Mercury saw fit to bring you a taste of the acts playing in the shadow of the Space Needle this year. If these don’t convince you to mosey up north, we don’t know what will.
Bikini Kill
How sad are you that Bikini Kill’s return to the Crystal Ballroom sold out months ago? Don’t let that crowd think they’re the real queens of the neighborhood! Portland riot grrrl royalty Kathleen Hanna’s legendary band will be playing on Saturday evening, and In Accordance to Natural Law, we have to Double Dare Ya to come join the girls and theys in the front (or the boys in the back) as the pride of Olympia tears it up for a rabid Seattle crowd. This Is Not a Test, but if you don’t think this alone is worth the trip, well… you can Suck Our Left One.
Blood Orange
Dev Hynes is one of our greatest vibesmiths, and though Blood Orange will be at Edgefield Amphitheater one day before his Bumbershoot set, it’ll probably be easier to drive to Seattle than it will be to find parking over at Edgefield. Fate offers us too few chances to enjoy Blood Orange while basking in the exact “cool party in the heart of the city in late summer” atmosphere that Blood Orange’s elegantly crafted music feels tailor-made for. Take the chance.
Chase & Status
Unfortunately, proper UK dubstep artists never made it big in the US beyond Burial’s untouchable sophomore album Untrue. Long-running British drum ‘n’ bass kingpins Chase & Status are too wide-ranging to be pigeonholed as a pure dubstep act, but Portlanders desperate to hear some classic, killer 140-style wobble-beats can’t miss their Saturday blowout. Their kaleidoscopic outlook on dance music will be the best late-summer dance party the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Don’t sleep on these wubsters.
De La Soul
Three is still the magic number, even though one of the founding members of De La Soul, Trugoy the Dove, passed away in 2023. But even with the loss of Dave, De La Soul continues on. The group’s first visit to Seattle since their slot opening for Wu-Tang Clan (which took place mere months after Dave’s passing) should prove that, especially now that their 2025 record Cabin in the Sky showed you can lose your comrade without losing your spirit. If you make the drive up for anything, make it De La Soul.
Die Spitz
Portlanders have had the opportunity to see Die Spitz plenty of times lately—why travel to Seattle for them? It’s easy: seeing bands like Die Spitz at a music festival means experiencing the joy of others discovering one of the most exciting live acts of the last few years. It doesn’t hurt that Eleanor Livingston is one of the coolest young performers right now, and the songs of last year’s Something to Consume were practically designed to be heard while crowdsurfing on a Saturday afternoon.
Joey Valence & Brae
You’re unlikely to find a more fun performance at Bumbershoot than a Joey Valence & Brae show. The hyperactive, all-caps throwback rap duo put on an impressive (and sold out!) show at the Roseland last year in support of their newest album, Hyperyouth, and the energy in the crowd wasn’t just infectious, it was massive. Just listen to “THE BADDEST” from their 2024 breakthrough NO HANDS and try to stay still. If you can’t hang with Chase & Status’s dance party, we’re begging you to make sure you’re there for JVB’s Saturday blowout.
Peaches
Calling all perverts and weirdos! This is the debauchery you CRAVE! If you’ve heard the music of Peaches and don’t think you need to see how she performs it live, think again: you need to watch a proudly horny post-menopause art-punk in a Sasquatch costume made of foam tits, singing “Fuck the Pain Away” while crowdwalking and/or spraying champagne on people with her backup dancers. Her recent Crystal Ballroom show was 90 minutes of filthy chaos we won’t soon forget. Come get a taste of this cream on Saturday!
Sudan Archives
One day, the moral arc of the universe that trends towards justice will give violinist/songwriter/producer Sudan Archives the pop ascension she richly deserves—make sure to join the rest of us in our chorus of “We told ya so!” when it happens. If you’ve missed Brittney Parks’ incredible one-woman show at the Crystal (opening for pop queen Caroline Polachek), Revolution Hall, or Mississippi Studios, DO NOT skip out on the chance to see her wowing a crowd on Sunday with her commanding voice, arrow quiver of violin bows, and whatever batshit outfit she’s chosen.
Turnstile
Turnstile is a band you need to see live to understand. The genre-defying excellence of GLOW ON and NEVER ENOUGH is dynamite, but the Baltimore hardcore punks are proof that music is a living, breathing beast. Their ascension from being a band who plays Analog Café (now High Limit Room) to being a band who inspires mega-moshpits at Edgefield Amphitheater was quick and well deserved, and if you need the catharsis of thrashing around to “NEVER ENOUGH,” “BIRDS,” and “HOLIDAY,” their Saturday headliner set welcomes you with open arms. Just wear closed-toed shoes, please.
W.I.T.C.H.
Many of the acts on this year’s Bumbershoot lineup feel obvious, like Death Cab for Cutie, Turnstile, and Julien Baker. Buried in the lineup is a beautiful surprise: Zambian rock lifers W.I.T.C.H., still spreading the gospel of Zamrock, 54 years after their garage-psych debut, Introduction. Tragically, singer Emanyeo “Jagari” Chanda is the only living original member of W.I.T.C.H., but this historic act still sounds incredible today, a ship of Theseus carrying the history of Zamrock into the future. Honor that ship’s voyage on Sunday and check out their raw power, while they’re still sailing the seas of rock.
Bumbershoot takes place September 5-6 at Seattle Center, 305 Harrison, Seattle. Tickets start at $100 for a single day ticket, or $170 for both days; kids 12 and under free with adult. All ages.
