Day 2

We let the kids rest most of the day and did not make it to the festival until the evening. It helped that there were not any standout, must-see bands for us. Usually, that is when I discover unpredictable musical gems, which is why I spent the day pining quietly for Bumbershoot. It didn't help that the weather, which had been forecasted as cold and rainy, turned out to be perfect.

When we arrived, Daisy was given the opportunity to ride some of the carnival rides that are permanently located on the Seattle Center grounds. Some of these rides are sketchy, but they have a carousel, toddler bumper cars, and cars on a track and go around in a circle. It would have been nice to see some music, but again, sacrifices must be made to keep the kids happy. Eventually, we were able to check out Pacifika, a mellow Latina jazz band that got many people grooving to their sultry rhythms.

After the failed attempt at the main stage with Beck, we did not even attempt The Black Keys or Stone Temple Pilots. I wanted to see Brother Ali, a rapper with a positive message and strong beats from the Rhymesayer label, but there were going to be too many F-bombs in that show for the toddler. We considered the indie rock of Tapes n' Tapes or the reggae dance hall pioneer Lee "Scratch" Perry, but instead we stumbled upon female singer/songwriter Ingrid Michaelson.

As soon I heard her singing, I thought "this sounds like someone who has songs on Grey's Anatomy." Turns out, that's accurate. Her voice was crisp and clear, and her songs were not bad, just a little "vanilla" for me. The good thing was that her band (consisting of two or three other women at one time or another) was good, and that they were all attractive. She played the guitar, piano and ukulele, and the ukulele is always intriguing. She chatted in between every song, sharing anecdotes and self-deprecating humor. While these are all ingredients that I usually despise, for some reason I was into it.

Michaelson's chattiness was refreshing, rather than irritating. She seemed to truly enjoy being on stage, and talked to the crowd as if we were one of her girlfriends. The crowd devoured this enthusiasm by spontaneously singing along to some songs, and following her directions for others (she led the crowd in an a capella version of the intro from the early '90s cheese single "I Wanna Sex You Up.").

My personal highlight was her version of Death Cab for Cutie's "I Will Follow You Into the Dark." This is one of Daisy's favorite songs (and one that we sing almost every day before bed), and blew her mind a little bit. It was the perfect way for us to end on a high note for the day, and get ready for the final day.