Bumbershoot 2023

Feature / Music
Bumbershoot 2023: A Love Letter to Seattle

Words: Delaney • September 10, 2023

Bumbershoot 2023: A Love Letter to Seattle
Bumbershoot 2023: A Love Letter to Seattle

You have three options, and not to get personal or anything, but do you have ADHD? Do you have attention problems? Don’t worry about it: I can’t sit through a twenty minute meeting either. If you’re the sort of person who plays on your phone, while watching a movie, while cleaning the house, go for option one or two. They’re not time commitments, they’re not commitments at all; option one is a TikTok length video about, I’ll say the vibes, of Bumbershoot and option two is a list of the top ten sets from the weekend. If you’re craving an in-depth review, or you're my mum and you’re just that interested, go for option three: an overview of both days of Bumbershoot 2023. It’ll almost feel like you’re there – I promise.

Skip to page View as a single page

Delaney • September 10, 2023

Main photo: Sleater-Kinney by Michael Jacobson

Bumbershoot 2023: A Love Letter to Seattle
Bumbershoot 2023: A Love Letter to Seattle

Pages in this feature

  1. Opening page
  2. Top Ten Sets at Bumbershoot 2023
  3. Festival overview

Related features

Unseemlier

Interviews • April 24, 2026

It was about a year ago I discovered Unseemlier, shortly before the release of I Have A Screw Loose, Somewhere. It's a wordy title and a somewhat unwieldy band name -- and I’ll use that “a lot going on in a little space” metaphor even further to talk about the … Read more

Guest List: War On Women

Music / The Set List • April 24, 2026

It feels like a lifetime ago when Mitt Romney referenced a "war on women" during the 2012 presidential cycle. A lot has changed, a lot has stayed the same -- but a new politically-charged band formed in the aftermath of that comment, calling themselves War On Women. Now, roughly 14 … Read more

Sacrosanta Decadencia Occidental

One Question Interviews • April 16, 2026

Maria (Sacrosanta Decadencia Occidental – vocals/artist) SPB: The artwork of your album took over a year to make. What was this long experience like for you? Maria: If I were to put it shortly, the first thing that comes to mind is a long and winding road: exhausting but exciting … Read more

Brux

One Question Interviews • April 14, 2026

Brux SPB: You choose to skip English and sing in your mother tongue. What are the pros and cons of this choice for you? Brux: Our songs are mostly in our mother tongue (spanish / catalan), we just have a few in English. Pros: they sound more natural, the link … Read more

The Goons

One Question Interviews • April 13, 2026

Serge (The Goons - vocals) SPB: How did writing the new material compare to when you sat down and started work on your last record – 19 years ago? Serge: The old stuff was written more collaboratively than the recent songs. These days we don’t get together as often as … Read more

More from this section

Guest List: War On Women

Music / The Set List • April 24, 2026

It feels like a lifetime ago when Mitt Romney referenced a "war on women" during the 2012 presidential cycle. A lot has changed, a lot has stayed the same -- but a new politically-charged band formed in the aftermath of that comment, calling themselves War On Women. Now, roughly 14 … Read more

The New York Dolls: Reflections and Legacy

Music • March 30, 2026

I first discovered the New York Dolls in the mid-to-late 1980s, just as I was beginning to stretch the boundaries of my musical journey. Up until then, my exposure to music had mostly come through my parents, aunts, and uncles. They planted the initial seeds, and those seeds quickly grew, … Read more

Post Office Experiences

Music • March 10, 2026

In a different world, which we think was shortly before COVID and MAGA and all things bad and in ALL CAPS occurred, Scene Point Blank had the idea to write a comprehensive piece about mailorder experiences from the people who dedicate their free time to sending you records, cds, tapes, … Read more