Bumbershoot 2025
Seattle, WA
8.30-8.31.2025
With the world in a state of ever increasing uncertainty and division, it’s comforting to have constants we can rely on. Here’s one that remains: Bumbershoot is just as epic, fully realized, intimate, and grand as ever. Celebrating its 52nd edition of the festival over Labor Day weekend in the heart of Seattle Center, Bumbershoot – as a bastion of cultural diversity, equity, and inclusion – has perhaps never been more relevant and needed. While this year was down a stage from 2024, with headliners like Janelle Monáe, Weezer, and AURORA, alongside a stacked lineup of dozens of incredible artists across three stages, it felt as iconic as it always has, and – with any luck – always will be.
This year, the three stages were split between the main Fountain Stage, the mid-size Mural Stage, and the intimate Vera Project. Saturday’s daytime highlights on the Fountain included the danceable and rhythmic Say She She and The Budos Band, as well as the consistently fantastic Indigo De Souza and Bright Eyes. The Mural and Vera stages were highlighted by the spirited performances of Kyle Dion, Tank and the Bangas, and Liv Victorino, while Biblioteka, TezaTalks, Quasi, Scowl, hey, nothing, and Pretty Girl Make Graves delivered on high-wire energy oscillating between rock, punk, emo, and gothic. Car Seat Headrest saw fans packed for hours at the barricade to be front row for their electric set to lay the foundation for Weezer to emerge and positively enrapture many thousands for their 75 minute set. A brilliant kick-off to the weekend.
Day two proved to be a test in the durability of attendees’ footwear, as the lineup from top to bottom on each stage provided all the encouragement needed for folks to get their daily recommended 10,000 steps. From homegrown rising stars Vic Daggs and Day Soul Exquisite, to the genre blending Vika and the Velvets, Spellling, the Vera and Mural stages positively delivered. All that said, one couldn’t pass blame for those who may have chosen to hold it down at the Fountain from opening to close. The Army, The Navy. Bebe Stockwell. The Linda Lindas. Tennis. Digable Planets. Sylvan Esso. Talk about a range of artists at the top of their game. And so, when Janelle Monáe took center stage, it felt as though the entirety of Seattle showed up. Rightfully so: this was a performance for the ages, and could’ve stood on its own as a solo concert. The fact that it was tucked into a two-day festival was almost too good to be true. Simultaneously, Chicago native rapper Saba put on a display of peak lyricism on the Mural stage before AURORA concluded the festival on the Fountain with dream-pop straight from the dreamy hills of Norway.
Bumbershoot, you are a calm island in a sea of chaos. Please come back next year.
Scroll down for a full festival gallery. Artists pictured in the gallery below include:
Janelle Monáe, Weezer, AURORA, Digable Planets, Sylvan Esso, Saba, Tennis, Day Soul Exquisite, Spellling, The Linda Lindas, Vic Daggs, Bebe Stockwell, Pretty Girls Make Graves, The Army, The Navy, Vika and the Velvets, Car Seat Headrest, Biblioteka, Tank and the Bangas, Bright Eyes, The Budos Band, QUASI, Say She She, Kyle Dion, Indigo De Souza, hey, nothing, and Liv Victorino
Review and photos by Sattva Photo
Weezer
Janelle Monáe
AURORA
Saba
Sylvan Esso
