Tag Archives: ume

Kids interview Ume; band on tour with The Toadies and Helmet

Can’t believe a week ago at this time we were hopping into the car and headed to Cincinnati for the Bunbury Festival. Over the course of 3 days we saw a lot of really great acts; it seemed like whichever band we saw most recently was the one we tagged with “best set at Bunbury” tag. When I think back about the act that truly stood out for me, without a doubt it was Austin, Texas trio Ume.

While I had heard the band’s 2011 release Phantoms on Spotify, I was unprepared for the HEAVINESS that was unleashed on a steamy Sunday afternoon. Describing Ume’s sound to fellow festivalgoers, before seeing the band, I said, “It’s like The Joy Formidable if they were influenced by Black Sabbath instead of ’80s and ’90s British rock.” That description was right on the mark. Singer/guitarist Lauren Larson was the fiercest guitar player I witnessed over the course of the festival, playing heavy riffs and bouncing around the stage as if possessed by a demon. This type of performance will serve the band well on the tour they are kicking off with The Toadies and Helmet (dates after the jump). Before seeing them, I wondered if they would be able to hold their own with those two bands. After seeing them, I have little doubt.

Connie and Olivia, our two 11-year-old budding rock journalists, were able to snag a few minutes with the trio following their blistering performance.


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Bunbury Festival featured artist: Ume

Ume performs on the AliveOne stage at 4:30pm on Sunday, July 15

Ume is a 3-piece from Austin, Texas. Chromewaves.com describes Ume’s music as “Songs that balance sweet pop hooks with snarling heaviness, equal debts to punk, stoner, shoegaze and alt rock, insane guitar abuse/heroics and an audience awestruck and won over.”

What does "bunbury" mean? (No cheating; give it your best guess)

The dissonance created by the mating rituals of bumble bees (noticed the festival’s mascot was a bee, so giving it my best guess ;-)

What are 3 things that you know about Cincinnati?

It is the former home of the amazing WOXY radio station (RIP), known for its chili, and supposedly has a cymbal-only store that our drummer might need to check out.

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Bunbury Festival adds 20+ acts including Neon Trees, UME, Alberta Cross

The Bunbury Festival – taking place July 13-15 in Cincinnati and featuring headliners Jane’s Addiction, Weezer, Death Cab for Cutie – announced another wave of performers on Friday afternoon. Quite a few highlights despite not a ton of well-known names. And for those wondering, The Flaming Lips, The National, and The Afghan Whigs will NOT be performing.

Friday: Crash King, Henry Clay People, Capital Cities, Kids These Days, G Miles & the Hitmen, Find Vienna, Humble Home, Emily & the Complexes

Saturday: Imagine Dragons, Alberta Cross, The 4 On The Floor, The Sundresses, Sphynx, Black Taxi, Old Lights, Doop and the Inside Outlaws

Sunday: Neon Trees, The Deep Dark Woods, UME, Nikki Lane, Pomegranates, Black Owls, Belle Histoire, Child Bite, Arlo McKinley and the Lonesome Sound, Rachel Ann Figley, The Black Tape, Archer’s Paradox

Exact times haven’t been announced but here’s the most current day-by-day lineup.