This week's column begins with an act of contrition. Two weeks ago, Border Radio failed to write a single word previewing Northwest Folklife Festival, held at the Seattle Center over Memorial Day weekend. This, despite the fact that the 5,000-plus participating artists included several regional musicians whom we have vocally supported in the past, like Pat Wright and Total Experience Gospel Choir, Radio Nationals, and Korby Lenker.

Despite allegations that there is an anti-NWFF conspiracy afoot at The Stranger, the reality-at least, here in Border Radio's corral-is simpler: In the nine years we have called Seattle home, the only people who ever made this event sound even remotely worthwhile were a pair of septuagenarians. Everyone else insisted Folklife was just a throng of dirty, sandalwood-soaked hippies and untended brats in face paint, egging on the antics of third-rate Phish knockoffs and amateur clog-dancing ensembles.

Well, Border Radio-and all those we listened to-made a bad call. In a single hour spent surveying NWFF on Monday, May 30, we enjoyed part of a great set by the aforementioned Lenker (who opened by covering Bill Frisell's "Ghost Town"), joined the Intiman Courtyard Chorus for "This Little Light of Mine" during a participatory Southern Gospel Singing workshop (albeit one woefully short on African Americans), and eavesdropped on two adorable old women who were wearing festive Eastern European dance costumes and chattering away in Russian.

But our favorite episode was listening to 9-year-old saxophone player Garrett Kennon honking out "Smells Like Teen Spirit" under a tree behind the Fountain Stage-a performance which garnered him several well-deserved tips. With public schools slashing arts programs, any chance to turn youngsters on to music in its rich and varied forms should be encouraged, and Folklife is a great, cheap, family- and canine-friendly opportunity to do that.

Sure, there was plenty to get your boxers in a bunch about: The vendor thoroughfares by the entrances/exits to Seattle Center take forever to slog through; street parking is impossible; and the whole park stinks of curly fries. Oh, wait. We bitch about those exact same problems at Bumbershoot, too. If variety is the spice of life, Border Radio says 'tis better to be accosted by wenches in period garb promoting the Renaissance Faire than have one more undernourished hipster shilling a night of second-hand Gang of Four records and PBR on tap.

You heard it here first: Border Radio came back from SXSW raving about UK singer-songwriter James Blunt. His debut album, Back to Bedlam, won't be out Stateside until September due to major-label tomfoolery, but he's playing an early-evening showcase this Thursday, June 9, at the Sunset. If you dig a gent with a high, sinewy voice, a catch in his throat, and his heart on his sleeve, Blunt will be your new pinup boy. Catch him now before Elton John (who is already on the bandwagon) books him for his 2006 post-Academy Awards bash and ruins Blunt for the rest of us.

kurt@thestranger.com