Yes, a programming director of a music festival is a lifetime position. The festival is geared towards people who started going 18 years ago, afterall.

@1 don't be a dick about this guy. He cared about the festival, is a true music fan, and fed and watered the talent booking better than the talentless hacks at AEG will. You can take that to the bank. It's not even Bumbershoot now, it's Corporatechella.

@2, More than it was before ?

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2…
Originally published February 20, 2007

One Reel, the non-profit arts organization that produces Bumbershoot, has announced a five-year deal with national concert promoter AEG Live, hoping it will bring more headline acts to the annual arts festival at the Seattle Center.

Under the agreement, AEG will share the financial risk (and profit) of booking music headliners, help secure sponsors and become an underwriter of the three-day fall festival.
....
With a promoter such as AEG sharing the financial risk — and the profit — major pop music acts may become more available.

"That is the goal," said Scoleri, though she hastened to add that the festival still maintained its commitment to local and less commercial fare.

@3, Apparently it didn't work out so well the first time around, so I think you might have made my point.

Totally fucking shitty.

You will be missed, Chris.

Chris did a hell of a job. It's a very difficult and thankless gig. Damned if you do and damned if you don't. Let's just take a moment and show some respect for the man that created some great shows and some of the times of my life. Look forward to see what you get into next.

As for AEG and Chad booking it well there's some big pocketbooks and Chad made the Showbox what it is today. I'm sure it'll be different but that's not always a bad thing.

good now maybe they will pay their bills!

Thanks for years and years of a great festival. Love Bumbershoot, hope it keeps on trucking.