Bumbershoot: Friday, September 2 – Day 1 w/Iska Dhaaf, Bob Moses, Kygo, Zeds Dead & More

Oh hey, Bumbershoot starts this Friday! Art, film, comedians, writers, and oh yeah, music take places of honor throughout the Seattle Center grounds’ annual festival. I’ve picked a few acts to highlight for each day; day one includes local and international treats from electronic music to pop. Also, I’m pretty sure this is the first time Bumbershoot has offered yoga (Yogashoot with Liz Arch) , an idea I can really get behind. Great idea!

3:40Iska Dhaaf @ the Main Stage

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Iska Dhaaf – photo courtesy Brick Lane Records

About: Brooklyn, New York’s Iska Dhaaf returns to Seattle for Bumbershoot. Seattle’s its place of origin, after all. The immensely talented duo (Benjamin Verdoes and Nathan Quiroga) just finished putting together their entire fall tour. It’s a big one, and it begins with this date. I saw their first Bumbershoot appearance, which displayed their grooviness, a couple years ago.


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4:10Fly Moon Royalty @ the KEXP Stage

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Fly Moon Royalty

About: Seattle soul band Fly Moon Royalty (another duo: Adra Boo and Action J) can win over any audience. With obvious joy for what they’re doing, the group’s electronic spin on R&B is something else.


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4:30Bob Moses @ the Fisher Green Stage

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Bob Moses – photo by Brook Linder

About: Bob Moses, also known as Jimmy Vallance and Tom Howie, has an incredible and melodic house sound. I’ve only just become aware of this band, and every Bob Moses song I have heard so far is fantastic. They’re based out of Vancouver, British Columbia Canada, but don’t miss them because you might think you can just catch them any time. Don’t take them for granted. I have a really good feeling about this duo.


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6:50Father John Misty @ the Main Stage

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Father John Misty – photo by Marz Elisa

About: Father John Misty always gets a crowd. He’s a happening guy. But what I really want to talk about is the crystal earrings he now sells. I am not being at all sarcastic when I say this is a cool idea. Now, even if you don’t believe in the healing power of crystals, it’s probably never going to hurt to wear something pretty.


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7:30Zella Day @ the Starbucks Stage

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Zella Day – photo by Kirk Stauffer

About: A favorite of several Back Beat Seattle staffers, Zella Day brings her sweet vocals to the festival. Day, who’s just 21, deserves praise for all she does, and for her perfect combination of pop & rap with “Mustang Kids.” That track includes Baby E., doing some nice work with Zella Day.


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9:50Kygo @ the Main Stage

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Kygo

About: Norwegian DJ Kygo (Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll), one of the biggest electronic music names there is right now, rightfully gets a slot on one of the largest Bumbershoot stages. His debut, Cloud Nine, has already released three huge singles: “Firestone,” “Stole the Show,” and “Stay.” A Bumbershoot must-see, or you’ll regret it.


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10:00ZEDS DEAD @ KeyArena

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Zeds Dead – photo by Dagmar

About: House music! House music! This Toronto pair aptly plays the KeyArena, where they can let their beautiful music match a brilliant light show. A perfect way to end or your evening, or get it started if you’re an EDM night owl.


~Dagmar

Photos: Train @ the Gorge

Huge apologies to Train and everyone who helped set up photographer Jonathan Leung with a photo pass for Train’s Gorge 2015 appearance. It’s all an error on my part for somehow thinking I had posted these photos, while I had not. The snaps feature Train during the Picasso at the Wheel Tour (this show happened to be the tour’s final date). Unexpectedly, the group’s most recent releases are Christmas in Tahoe, a Christmas album, and a cover of Led Zeppelin’s Led Zeppelin II, called Train Does Led Zeppelin II. Train brought The Fray and Matt Nathanson along for the entire Picasso at the Wheel Tour.

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Train

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The Fray

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Matt Nathanson

Demi Lovato @ KeyArena

Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas recently played at KeyArena during a stop in their Future Now Tour. Nick was up first and Demi was clearly the headliner, as they took turns on the stage throughout the show. They both appeared for “Stone Cold,” with Nick on piano. Later in the evening, surprise guest Bea Miller came out and sang with Demi, Nick did a few songs on his own, and the show wrapped up with Demi back on stage for three more songs. LA-based Chord Overstreet opened.

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Chord Overstreet

Photos: KISW’s Pain In The Grass – Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin, Anthrax (Part 1)

KISW always puts on a great show with their metal festival called Pain In The Grass, bringing out metal heavyweights like Disturbed, Anthrax, and Alter Bridge. They filled the second stage with slightly less-known acts like Radkey and 9Electric.

The party-like atmosphere of the show was fantastic. Fans were completely kitted out with black leather and lace. It was like Comic Con for the metal set.

Disturbed

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Breaking Benjamin
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Anthrax
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Photographer: John Rudolph