EDITORIAL
Inside Bumbershoot 2025: Conversations with Digable Planets, Fat Dog, and the Local Artists Shaping the Festival’s Future
By Olivia Lee
11/2/25
Photos by Bella Swartz, collage by Lauren Lee
It’s nearly impossible to be a Seattleite and NOT have had a Bumbershoot experience. For me, my first Bumbershoot was back in 2023, where I was volunteering as a makeup artist for its fashion show High Fashion High. I remember being in one of the upper rooms of the Armory, watching the models practice their runway walks and seeing the designers frantically fixing any last minute modifications. I also recall seeing Sunny Day Real Estate and Sleater-Kinney with my sister, performances we still cherish to this day (I still think a lot about Sleater-Kinney’s cover of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” by Sinead O’Conner, as a tribute to the late singer). It was a unique Bumbershoot experience, to say the least.
But I know not everyone has had a positive experience at the festival. People have criticized Bumbershoot for years, blaming high costs and poor management for the downgrade in the festival’s quality. Part of this could be blamed by Covid but even before then, Bumbershoot wasn’t in the best of places. After years of financial issues with producer One Reel (a local non-profit), the festival was taken over by LA based entertainment company AEG in 2015. But even with the help, Bumbershoot’s attendance levels were declining (dropping from 80,000 people to 48,000 people from 2015 to 2018). Then of course, the pandemic happened and the future was looking bleak for not just Bumbershoot but for live music in general. That was until nonprofit organization Third Stone and production partner New Rising Sun overtook Bumbershoot and relaunched the festival in 2023. Things have been slowly rebuilding since, but many wonder if the beloved festival can ever reach the heights of success it once was at. So, is Bumbershoot really on a downward spiral? And if so, can it ever recover?
There’s really one way to find out. I set off with my GZ Radio/Paperblog Writers crew, (co-founder Serenna Zingg, social media coordinator Lauren Lee, and photographer Bella Swartz) to see what we could find.
From a musical standpoint, I really enjoyed this year’s lineup – especially the local artists. Bumbershoot’s lineup made sure to reflect the eclectic sounds that make up the city’s scene, including both newcomers and local legends. Here are some of the acts we got to see and who you should definitely keep an eye out for.
FLEETWOOD SNACK
Fleetwood Snack is the alias of electronic musician Travis Sturgill-Trahan. With a sound that he describes as “hyped chaos,” Fleetwood Snack’s set felt like the perfect soundtrack to a nightmare —and I mean that in the best way. Performing in a swamp creature costume wasn’t even the most bizarre aspect of his Bumbershoot performance; incorporating live saxophone, obscure samples, and a very loud airhorn, Fleetwood Snack’s set teleported me to a late night, chaotic basement show, which isn’t too far off from the gigs that got him started.
“I had a show when I was moving up to Seattle at my buddy’s basement in New York. And that was like the first real thing I did. When I moved here, I had a house with a basement and I started throwing shows. And the openers were always playing to like 5 people and I felt bad about that so I would just make up a new project for every show and that just got me into a groove. This was just kind of one of those projects.”
I spent most of his set trying to decipher the cryptic samples in the music but Sturgill-Trahan reassures me that his samples are mainly just “hyped chaos.”
“The samples are just like me going to YouTube and trying to find a megachurch preacher talking about the dangers of secular music. And like a guy complaining about Phoenix, Arizona. Like I actually have no idea where I got that from but it’s just deep diving into things. Just going down internet holes.”
Listen to Fleetwood Snack’s new EP Local Novelty
Fleetwood Snack performing on the Vera stage at Bumbershoot. (Photo by Bella Swartz).
Seattle’s Biblioteka lit up the Vera Project stage with their ferocious mix of punk and garage rock. Singer/bassist Mary Robins found her time at Bumbershoot to be very full circle, as her connection to the festival go back to her teenage years. “I would always drive up here to Seattle for shows when I was a teenager.” she says. “I actually was volunteering at the Vera Project as a photographer back in the day. I would always come out to shows and Bumbershoot, so this is a really cool moment for us.”
The name Biblioteka is a nod to both Robins and guitarist Hexx Rodriguez’s first generation heritages (Ukrainian and Spanish, respectively). The word translates to “library” and holds a very special meaning to the band. “The library is a really important place. People fear knowledge.” Rodriguez says. “And I used to hang out at libraries when I was a teen. I was such a rebel, you know, drinking alcohol while reading books. I was so lame.” He laughs.
The band draws inspiration from Seattle’s rich DIY and grunge history. For Robins, it was riot grrrl icon Kathleen Hanna that really inspired her to play in bands. “There’s something about the visceral screaming, the content of it.” she says. “It was so punchy and so expressive of the frustrations at the time that it really inspired me.” In addition, drummer Jules Tennyson cites Seattle’s local bands as a big inspiration as well. “I think the local scene is so rich with people who are so dedicated to making dope music and cultivating community.” they say. “The Seattle scene is so inspiring to me.”
Listen to Biblioteka’s new single “Delusional”
BIBLIOTEKA
Biblioteka performing on the Vera stage at Bumbershoot. (Photo by Bella Swartz).
Teague Cullen is the mastermind and lead vocalist of folk band Foot Ox. Originally from Arizona, the now Portland-based group has been together for 20 years, which has given them time to expand relationships with other collaborators. “It’s kind of a revolving door of people,” Cullen remarks. “There’s been people from all over the country who have been involved in it sometimes.”
The band delighted the Bumbershoot crowd with their Adrienne Lenkeresque lyrical storytelling and folksy instrumentals. The festival was also Foot Ox’s record release party for their new album A Lighthouse With Silver Dog Eyes. Cullen describes the album to be “twangier” and “westerny,” incorporating instruments like the pedal steel, piano, and even a string section.
Listen to Foot Ox’s new album A Lighthouse With Silver Dog Eyes
FOOT OX
Foot Ox performing on the Vera stage at Bumbershoot. (Photo by Bella Swartz).
While the audience's perspective on their Bumbershoot experience is important in determining the success of the festival, it is also important to consider the artists’ perspective as well. For the artists we talked to, performing at Bumbershoot this year has been wonderful, many crediting its emphasis on community and diversity for this positive experience.
“Bumbershoot is a good space for creativity.” says School of Rock’s Grey Parry. “I feel like it’s unique because there’s the fashion district and all these different art forms other than music.”
Experimental rock artist JRCG (real name Justin Gallego) shared similar sentiments about the festival’s diverse lineup of art mediums.
“It’s very refreshing to see the different types of art that it sort of makes an effort to capture and have a place for whether it’s comedy, or visual arts or music. It’s sort of a huge sort of statement piece as far as a festival goes. You don’t really see too many festivals going this hard in so many different sorts of mediums.”
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Seattle’s School of Rock performing on the Vera Project stage. (Photo by Bella Swartz).
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J.R.C.G. playing on the Mural stage. (Photo by Bella Swartz).
For headliners and hip hop legends Digable Planets, Bumbershoot was a special time to perform and connect with the crowd’s energy. “I feel like Bumbershoot since its inception has always been grassroots.” says rapper Ishmael Butler. “The integrity of being friendly to the artist, looking out for the artists, comfort, as well as the fans having a good experience, they’ve been able to keep that as part of their core. Sometimes you go to a festival and they just kinda herd you around. But this festival I think they are still paying good attention to detail and making it a good experience for the artists and the fans.”
Fellow Digable Planets member Doodlebug credits the Bumbershoot crowd for making the group’s experience so memorable. “To me, a festival is defined by the crowds that come out there. How they interact with bands, themselves, and Bumbershoot, the energy says it all. I’ve been to a lot of festivals and the crowds aren’t as enthusiastic as this crowd. This crowd is one of a kind. So to me, that’s what makes Bumbershoot stand out. You can tell the fans still appreciate and love what they’re being presented.”
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Isaiah Butler of Digable Planets performing on the Fountain stage. (Photo by Bella Swartz).
As far as our festival experience went, it was pretty enjoyable, considering we were working the whole time. The layout was easy to navigate, the musical performances were energetic, and the arts districts were a lot of fun. The only downside was the no-rentry policy, which didn’t really affect us since we hung out at Vera, but would definitely be an inconvenience for many festival-goers.
After a long day of interviews and performance captures on Saturday, we were eager to treat ourselves to the headliners Car Seat Headrest and Weezer. Despite being a Car Seat Headrest fan, their setlist was unfamiliar to me, as it mostly consisted of songs from their new album The Scholars. It was a bit disappointing to barely hear any songs off Twin Fantasy, but we made up for that by singing "Sober to Death" on the car ride home.
Then, we ended the night with Weezer (if you know anything about me, you know how important this is to me). It was my second time seeing them (the first being on their Voyage to the Blue Planet tour in Oct. 2024) and I felt my 9th grade angst return when they played favorites like "Perfect Situation" and "El Scorcho." I cried an embarrassing amount of tears during "In the Garage."
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Will Toledo of Car Seat Headrest performing on the Fountain Stage. (Photo by Bella Swartz).
Weezer performing on the Fountain stage and making me weep. (Photo by Bella Swartz).
So why does any of this even matter? Well, as the PNW’s biggest music and arts festival, Bumbershoot sets an important precedent for how festivals operate. The choices it makes will not only impact its future, but how other festivals think about community and sustainability.
Butler emphasizes the importance of festivals, especially during a time where technology has driven us to be more isolated.
“With the rise of individualism that’s taking over the culture and society especially here in North America, people are starting to stay home a lot, do solitary things, people are always on their phones in their own world.” he says. “So the festival is one of the last vestiges of the way humans meet…it’s one of the oldest ways humans have expressed themselves and getting together. So it’s good to keep this going.”
Ladybug Mecca of Digable Planets adds onto this analysis of social isolation impacting live music. “Nowadays, with the way the world is moving towards being self-focused, I think it’s important to build community,” she explains. “And music has always been an avenue to unite folks. So anytime festivals can come together and create a space for folks to unite under music is super important.”
So what is the future of Bumbershoot? I don’t know. But what I do know is that it is an important part of Seattle’s culture, creating irreplaceable memories for all who participate in it. And if we want to create more of these memories, then we need to listen to the fans and the artists that keep Bumbershoot alive.
“It’s a challenging place to be putting on festivals in 2025.” says Gallego. “You’re seeing festivals just being these massive corporate entities and that to me is less interesting or exciting. The community aspect needs to be at the forefront.”
If Bumbershoot can remember this and put community before corporatization, then maybe its best days aren’t behind it.