SATURDAY 9/5
It would be easy to mistake Phoebe Bridgers's country-laced compositions for conventional acoustic singer-songwriter movesâif you weren't actually listening. Because if you were, you'd hear the wit, wail, and gravity of someone who could be bound for greatness (and, despite her tender age, has taken some impressive steps toward it already). Of all the artists playing this weekend, Bridgers seems the most likely to be the one you brag about having seen in 2015, at Bumbershoot of all places. SEAN NELSON 2 pm, Starbucks Stage.
This Seattle-based two-piece guitar-and-drums band is... hey! Come back! Where are you going? Look, I know we spent the past 15 or so years drowning in bass-less rock bands (thanks, Meg and Jack!), each one diluted from the previous generation. Well, the buck stops here. Duke Evers have actual songs, with melodies and hooks and caffeinated attitude. Plus, Josh and Kyle are pretty punchy live. Isn't that what you're here for? JASON JOSEPHES 5:45 pm, Rhapsody Stage
The last time I saw Grace Love and her band play, I had a great time. You know who else had a great time? Everyone who was at the show. Seriously, everywhere I looked, people agreed unanimously through the power of moving to the music. Yes. Dancing in Seattle. I'm as shocked as you are. Grace's emotive vocals are the secret spice in this old-school funk and soul concoction, powered by more than half a dozen backup musicians, including horn players and a Hammond B-3 organist. You can't miss with this one. JASON JOSEPHES 3:30 pm, Rhapsody Stage
SUNDAY 9/6
If I were to judge the Fame Riot based solely on their fashion aestheticâthe sparkles, scarves, and messy long hair of '70s glam meet fake fur and Cosby sweatersâI'd assume the music made by these Tacoma-based brothers was not my bag. But book, judge, cover, blah blah blahâbecause goddamn, their songs are catchy! New-wave synth, pop hooks, and steadfast club beats that would work on a playlist next to Katy Perry just as well as they would the Strokes. MEGAN SELING 3:45 pm, Rhapsody Stage
The title cut from Israel Nash's last release, Rain Plans, is a seven-minute sigh that perfectly combines the sad psychedelia of Dark Sideâera Pink Floyd and the grim cries of Neil Young. But to call it a downer would be a mistake. It's forlorn and simmering, the latter adjective being a great way to describe Nash's overall sound. The Missouri-born singer-songwriter also dials it back with bright, harmony-hewn cuts that glisten and glow. This will be a perfect soundtrack for either a clear or cloudy day at Bumbershoot. JASON JOSEPHES 2:15 pm, #NeverTamed Stage
MONDAY 9/7
Seattle duo the Grizzled Mighty have one of those self-descriptive names that shows a blunt confidence in what they're doing: robust blues rock, without an iota of irony. In order not to sound like stodgy revivalists, bands of this ilk need to conceive riffs you want to hear repeatedly and deliver them with a ferocity and inventiveness that suggests the musicians have made a deal with el diablo. The ultimate examples of this in recent decades have been the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Doo Rag/Bob Log III. The Grizzled Mighty aren't quite in that league yet, but their last two releasesâThick Hand Grip and the new Closed Knuckle Jawâprove that if they get real gone for a change, they could potentially blow the dust off this hoary genre and make it vital. DAVE SEGAL 5:45 pm, Rhapsody Stage
Ben Todd has been performing as Lonesome Shack for well over 10 years, but in 2011 he kicked open the door and expanded the lineup by two. This Seattle-based trio plays a humid mix of blues, folk, and country. Their last release, 2014's More Primitive, is actually their most polished release to date, a mix of swampy slow jams and toe-tapping finger-snappers. Todd's voice glues it all together in a timbre that recalls the late, great Pops Staples. This band is very entertaining, thus you will be entertained. JASON JOSEPHES 4:45 pm, Rhapsody Stage 
See The Stranger's Things To Do calendar for our complete guide to Bumbershoot.
