Every Memorial Day Weekend Seattle hosts the Northwest Folklife Festival. I have attended many times over the years as it tends to bring some interesting acts that otherwise you may not see anywhere else. Like every music festival, this one will no doubt be replete with weirdos, side show acts, buskers, pot heads and bums. Basically everyone who might go to Bumbershoot as well if weren’t so expensive. Folklife is free and it draws the Burning Man rejects, the touring bands, firebreathers and, of course, tons of food vendors. I have been to Folklife when it the food was primarily the first and foremost draw on my mind. Anymore, however, I stay away from huge crowds and overstuffed festival bills. The connection to the music gets lost sometimes in the comingling grill and pot smoke. However:
I was pleased to find out that this year, our own Nucular Aminals has a slot at the Indie Roots Center Square Stage on Saturday, May 28th, 8:30PM. Though in recent years I have only seen them perform in tiny little spots – and poorly, if at all, lit and not up on a stage but at ground level, with the audience itself. This performance no doubt vaults them high above the audience. They will be louder than I probably have ever heard them play. This is one show, among many others during Folklife, (the Hail Seizures comes to mind) worth seeing and you should go!
Robert Cometz and Erin Schmith (
