Sinead O'Connor (1997)

If you ever have an opportunity to see a show in Oregon at the Champoeg State Park ~ GO!  Even if it is a band you kind of like, it will be worth the money and time.  It is a beautiful park with a wonderful outside amphitheater ~ On a clear and sunny day it is a little bit of heaven.  I saw Sinéad here after her release of ‘Gospel Oak‘.  I was mainly a fan of her earlier work such as “Nothing Compares 2 U” (Written by Prince) which was on the album ‘I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got‘(1990)  which featured Marco Pirroni and Kevin Mooney of Adam and the Ants (Adam Ant being my all time favorite).

I lived in Portland at the time and had already seen Ani DiFranco at Champoeg State Park earlier that summer and knew it was going to be a beautiful day.  We got there early to enjoy the park and sunshine, took a swim in the river that is right by the amphitheater and took long walks around the park.  I sadly don’t remember the opening band’s name, a beautiful Irish band I think and I do remember thinking they were great!

As the time got closer we got our food and drinks then sat down in the grass….  

I was expecting a strong, loud, angry woman to come on stage with a shaved head and crazy fun boots.  This is how I had seen her in the media, on MTV and when listening to her music how I pictured she would be in concert.

However I was (happily) mistaken!  ~

Sinéad came out on stage with a girl-like excitement ~ sang with such power and grace, and after each song shyly said, “thank you.”  She also had a cute little bob hair cut that gave her angelic face a softness that I had never seen in pictures of her before.  It was an amazing day that gave me a new and deeper appreciation of Sinéad as a musician and performer ~

Bumbershoot also has art, food, dancing, vendors of all kinds and, of course, fun stuff for all ages.  There is almost always a drum circle that starts up and lasts most of the three days.  You can walk in, pick up a drum, dance a little, and move on to the next show….  Come and go through most of the shows or just walk around and people watch.

In 1996, I was excited to see Ani DiFranco because I was just falling in love with her music and the “strong woman” music of the time.  As we watched her show, which was amazing, the sun was shining and we were surrounded by beautiful, strong and fabulous women.  We laid back in the grass, looking up where there were acrobats scaling down the Space Needle.
In the spirit of the festival, I also looked forward to seeing Sex Pistols ~ being a fashion Punk of the 90’s.  They were in one of the larger venues, but worth wading through the waves of punks young and old trying to get a view of the great band.   The music was ok ~ but not as I remember in “Sid and Nancy,” with Gary Oldman.

The bands at Bumbershoot in '96

I honestly can’t remember the rest of the bands/shows I saw that day….  But it was a wonderful weekend to be sure!  I saved all this stuff in one of my photo albums with pictures of my friends Ada, Charla and Erik ~ pretty sure they were with me that day.

I have memories of waiting for Indigo Girls the next day, Sept. 1st, but they were in one of the larger venues, and by the time the music started it was just too much, too many people, and too long a day…  I regret that now, because here, all these many years later, I still have not seen them live.  Must put that on a “to do” list.

Bumbershoot Ticket

Bumbershoot is a must do if you are ever in Seattle for Labor Day weekend.  The tickets are more and more expensive every year, but it is worth it if you love and appreciate the incredible variety of music and art!  Now, there is also the “Experience Music Project,” also pretty expensive, but if you have a day it is worth it.  And if you love the history and memorabilia of music, bands and shows ~ The EMP is the mecca.