My Bumbershoot: Walking around free

By Sarah Rudinoff
Actress/comedian

Sarah Rudinoff

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Bumbershoot began last night. I walked through the VIP entrance for my tech rehearsal, and I keep thinking about how different it is to be a performer at a festival: the short line at the VIP entrance, the free soda and water, the feeling that I am a part of this thing. The bad parts: I haven't seen any music yet, haven't hung out at the beer garden, and I want to leave after my shows today to rest up for tomorrow's show.

More "My Bumbershoot" Dispatches from artists about their Bumbershoot experience. · Bill Close, Mass Ensemble · Vienna Teng, singer-songwriter · Robyn Hitchcock, musician · Fred Armisen, comedian · Sarah Rudinoff, actress · Joshua Seftel, filmmaker · James Keblas, Vera Project · United State of Electronica · Dave Dederer, The Presidents of the United States of America

It is a cloudy day, which seems to mean 15,000 less people. It is Saturday, and I am not shoulder to shoulder with the crowd. I wandered around before my show today to grab the blackened Salmon sandwich that tells my stomach it's Bumbershoot, and I remembered one of my favorite things about Bumbershoot is seeing all of these young people. What these kids are wearing: lots of layers, lace, ripped cotton, boots, leg warmers. Kids who have been dropped off by their parents to spend the day with their friends'- pretending to be free for the day. I see the men and women in their 30s like me, also with that same look on their faces. "I am not the guy who works for so and so company, doing so and so thing- I am dancer, and I like to rock and I am free!"

I make fun of a friend of mine, who wears a little cuff on his ear only when he is traveling. My dad has a cowboy hat he takes out when he is going skiing- little things to remind ourselves- we are on another timetable. We can be whoever we want to be.

I look around and I see people re-inventing themselves on stages: singing about loss and pleasure and all the things they may not talk about in their daily lives, and I see the crowds, in outfits they may just reserve for Bumbershoot. Walking around free for the day. I love this festival. I like to do it by myself. I will definitely be going to see Public Enemy tomorrow- after my show. I will jump up and down, and run into people, but not commit to staying with them through the night. I will be free.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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