Program capsules by Dan Eldridge
The Bumbershoot 2002 official program was a special supplement to Seattle Weekly, August 2002
Tim Casey & the Bluescats
Dressed to impress and always ready to shake the shack, Tim Casey & the Bluescats deliver everything from early jump and swing, Texas and Chicago shuffles, soul classics and even the swampy grooves of New Orleans. Go Daddy-O!
Sub-Motive
Three-chord pop punk at its finest, and by teenagers no less! Dreamier than Green Day and louder than Blink 182, this Kent-based trio will leave your eardrums--and your heart--ringing for hours.
Akimbo
Call it spazz-core or call it pure, sonic insanity--no mere moniker can prepare you for the heavy, furious noise that this Seattle trip plans to unleash on our stage.
The Drop
Dubbed "rock noir" by local media, The Drop are as arty and experimental as they are soothing and sedentary. A relatively new addition to the Seattle scene, The Drop are clearly poised for greatness.
The Gossip
The Gossip has been making waves with their small-town-southern-teenage-lesbian-boogie-no-wave-blues for a couple of years, and now's your chance to join the fury. Expect an old-time revival with straight-up bratty attitude.
764-HERO
A stable fixture of the famed Pacific Northwest indie-rock superstar scene, 764-HERO play driving, intelligent guitar rock with a charming and unforgettabel vocal style.
NEO
With their moody, cosmic cowboy-rock, NEO's self-described "space country" will leave you scratching your head and wondering if you've just discovered the sound of rock music on Mars. Pulling their influences from film, art and modern technology, NEO becomes that rarest of rock acts: a true alternative.
Kim Virant
With her wise, rootsy American rock and in-your-face femininity, Kim Virant could easily have scored the Thelma and Louise soundtrack. Featuring former members of Lazy Susan, Virant's country twang promises to bring a sorely under-represented American voice to the stage.
SushiRobo
It's the last thing you'd expect from former Posie Rick Roberts: slick, sketched-out, new-wave robo-rock with just a pinch of guitar-pop. Don't forget your dancing shoes for this one, and by all means, get ready to get down.
Dear John Letters
Mixing precious sing-along pop with the occasional grown-up, Beatles-esque melody, Dear John Letters may eb the rockin' equivalent of the Afterschool Special: perfect for rebellious teens and their parents, too. With hooks this fun, even Dad will be dancing.
The Turn-Ons
New York has The Strokes, Detroit has the White Stripes and now Seattle has The Turn-Ons: total greasy, glam-rock attitude with a psychedelic funk and Brit-pop thrown in for good measure. Featuring Slowcore Pictures adding projections to the Turn-Ons dynamic set.
The Catheters
With their raging, roaring punk energy and garage-rock swagger, a Catheters show can feel a bit like a Jihad on your nervous system. Prepare to be shocked senseless: these are four snotty boys on a mission.
Alien Crime Syndicate
Do they come from an amped-up, stone-cold angry red planet where power pop rules the day? Who knows? But know this: Alien Crime Syndicate lay down an unabashed, big rock sound -- and they're coming for you.
The Helio Sequence
Oregon's Helio Sequence mix the best of Spaceman 3, Loop and the Pet Shop Boys into a sweet, hook-laden blend of electronic trance, beats, beeps and buzz saw guitar.
The Model Rockets
After having been described as "Seattle's secret weapon," The Model Rockets plan to prove their brilliance at Bumbershoot with exceptionally skillful pop, some pedal steel guitar, the occasional harmony, and yes, even jingel bells.
Damien Jurado & Gathered in Song
Damien Jurado's urban folk music may seem obsessively concerned with the bleak and miserable, but with his unbelievably catchy melodies and far-ranging hipster wisdom, Jurado and his band, Gathered in Song, appeal to punk-rocker and easy listeners alike.
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