Capitol Hill Block Party

Crappy line-​up. Website links are all broken EXCEPT for the link to purchase tickets so I am not even able to check the schedule. I’ll find a better way to blow my hard earned cash. Typical Seattle mediocrity all around.

This year’s line-​up was not that great.
The only reason I bought tix was to see A$AP ROCKY.
And finally when it was time for his show, he played everything but the jams I wanted to hear.
I don’t think I will be going again in the coming years.
It was a waste of $ 60.00/person.

Lots of people, lots of hipsters, lots of self important Meat Popsicles wearing black «Security» t-​shirts, but if you can get over all that, there’s some great acts here and even a cool person or two hundred.
I hated my first couple hours Saturday afternoon and even smugly updated my twatter (yes twatter)
«If you’re not a hipster or over 17 you’re going to have mixed feelings. #iwantmymoneyback»
Low and behold, get some booze in me, tell me I’m beautiful and suddenly I have my dress over my head and a smile from ear to ear…
Turnaround story here, the Capitol Hill Block Party won me over. Full disclosure, I didn’t have to pay for my ticket (I think theyre about 50 bucks a pop) which probably increased it’s likeability.
Chromeo was a first class act-​going shopping today for a fidora, skinny jeans and a semi ironic t shirt.
#ifyoucantbeatthemjointhem
#hipsterslapdickintraining

This is hands down one of the most creative, fun, safe and eclectic events I’ve ever been to!

Loud. Crowded. Crowded. Crowded. Loud.
Those are the only words that come to mind. I used to love the CHBP, But I think perhaps I have out grown it. Crowds of young hipsters spilled out into the street in drunk waves. This whole process is a HOT MESS! I had to stand in THREE lines before I could even BEGIN the night. UGH. Figure it out! I dodged a few tumbles with some drunk ladies before giving up on the evening. Two stars because I used to enjoy this event.

I think this is a good value for your money.
I have heard bands here that I would never have known about otherwise.
I especially like getting into the small KEXP shows and getting to see a band or individual do a short preview set.
My favorite venue is the Neumos stage. If you stay inside, people clear out between bands and you can get to the front for the next artist.
I think the crowd isn’t as annoying as other people.
I’m 36 years old and there are lots of other old folks around, too.
The Vera Stage is my second favorite stage. Lots of good local bands. Lemolo was amazing.
The Main Stage is pretty awful. Try to see any band you want to see that is playing on the main stage somewhere else!!!

Oh CHBP, I wanted to like you. But we just aren’t working out.
I was super excited for you due to your convenient geographic location, relatively cheap price tag, and lineup scattered with bands I like. However, I have a few major issues:
1) Why make lines for general admission wristbands and 21+ wristbands so difficult? Even if you buy a three-​day pass, you are required to stand in both lines each day, so that’s six separate lines you need to stand in, all of which are quite long. What a waste of time. Why not give one wristband for the entire weekend and be done with it?
2) Why make getting between stages so difficult? Even though the Neumos Stage and the Havana Stage are just across the street from each other, it can easily take 20 – 25 minutes to get between the two because of the location of the fenced in 21+ beer garden and the fact that you are required to walk all the way around to the far exit.
3) Why make the 21+ beer garden so small and so difficult to enter and exit? It seems as if about 90% of the attendees at this event want to drink, so it makes absolutely no sense that the fenced off alcohol area only accounts for approximately 20% of the street space. And there needs to be more than one viable exit.
4) Why are there so many problems with sound quality? So much of what I heard was muddy, riddled with feedback, or just plain old unbalanced. If this is primarily an event dedicated to music, there is no excuse for this.
5) Why are the attendees so horrible? The levels of drunkenness, rudeness, and overall lack of consideration towards other people were shockingly high. Out of the many music festivals I have attended, this is one of the worst when it comes to audience. I don’t even know where these people come from, but I want them to go back there.
CHBP did have redeeming features I feel like i should mention as well. The staff were universally friendly and polite. Things seemed to be kept relatively clean, even at the end of the night. The weather was gorgeous. Street parking was surprisingly easy to find on all three days. And the selection of food vendors was fantastic. But sadly, those redeeming features weren’t enough to sway my opinion back to the positive. I won’t be returning for 2013 unless the lineup is truly extraordinary.

Katy H. summed it up best with a collection of wannabe hipsters, and the older set that seems to have mellowed out over it.
Don’t get me wrong, the music’s always pretty damn great, numerous bars hosting some broad to local favorites while you tap in with numerous cups of beer.
For the price, I think one could get a slightly better value. I think anyone should be far well aware ahead of time that yes, its gonna be crowded with your annoying drunks, and stupid people but its part of the game. Reality is that I think unless they have another major line up I might be heading back. Otherwise its a pretty pricey event.

At the age of 26, I can say with confidence that I have attended my last music festival (CHBP 2011).
Unless you’re ready to throw some serious elbows and shoulder your way through the sweaty crowd, you won’t get much bang for your buck at the shows. Stand in the back and you might as well be listening to Battles on a shitty car stereo, but stand in the front, you’re putting yourself on the front line. If you’re drinking, you’ll want to punch ½ of the people in attendance. If you’re sober, you’ll want to punch ¾ of the people in attendance. Really, you’ll probably just want to punch yourself for being in attendance.
The biggest portion of the crowd is only there to see and be seen and they will be ass grabbing, booty shaking and grinding their way right in front of your view of [INSERT BAND NAME HERE]. They will shout over the music, they will dance off tempo, they will suck their partner’s face, they will step on your toes. «Ghostland is straight up ladykiller, brah,» they say as they high-​five over the wasted woman’s head and the $ 8 miller light spills from the plastic dixie-​cup sized glass onto your sunburnt arms, but who cares because they’re going to get laid tonight. Ugh.
All of this I can pass on. Not to mention, I’m just too old to stand on asphalt for three days straight, especially when I’m all but frisked for carrying a bottle of water that I purchased WITHIN the security gates. CHBP, cheers to you for turning me off of shows for a while. If I want to see a band, I’ll see them individually at a venue that’s not over priced, not worked by super douchetastic security and not trying to trample me. Before you get any bigger, CHBP, work out the kinks.

This «party» turns me into a cranky 22 year old old lady. Spending the day in bed due to menstrual cramps and getting to know your heating pad better is more fun than the CHBP. I already hate hipsters, having thousands of them in a three or four block span makes me want to do not very nice things. For example: hooking up electrical wires to not so nice places. Luckily, there are plenty of specials going on in neighboring bars, but when I have to battle hipsters who have been in the sun all day and who don’t believe in soap, hot water, or deodorant, the heating pad and comfort of my own bed seem much more appealing.

Hiiiiipster heaven. This was super cool when I was in my early twenties. Now I feel old and cranky! The bands are great and the idea is great… but only when you actually live in Capitol Hill. Now my neighborhood is overrun but hipsters and wannabes from a 80 mile radius. I’m not as hip as these kids, nor do I wanna be. I’ll just wait out the concert and enjoy the bars and nightlife after you’re gone.

I went in 2010, and had a decent time, but thought it was overcrowded. This year it SUCKED. It was filled with drunk jerks there solely to say they went — THOUSANDS of them. It was not worth the money; my boyfriend and I actually talked about selling our tickets for the remaining two days; we shall see. I will never go to this show again. Unless the Kinks get back together and decide to play.

The best 8−10k capacity festival I’ve ever been to. Great talent year after year, great layout, affordable ticket price. I love this festival.

Mixed bag. Can be fun. Was more enjoyable (like all things) before it «got huge.» Like the first few years of Sasquatch. I went to the first Block Party. There were maybe30 people there, a beer garden and a sad band. Congrats for evolving to greatness, but it’s totally lame to buy a ticket (last year) for the Saturday night lineup and have the headlining band cancel.

This was hopefully the swan song of an overrated, over hyped and underwhelming «party». So if you appreciate being in an atmosphere where many attempts at «unique» style, fashion and art actually end up looking like uniformed, homogenized drek, this is the place for you. Insulting hipsters is like shooting fish in a barrel, and since the writing on the wall is spelling an end to this «era», I will remain above pettiness. However, when the same criticisms hold true of the booking and acts, there is a bigger problem. This has got to be the weakest, most similar collection of acts Seattle has seen for a loooooong time. Add to this the healthy dose of vapid and smarmy attitudes of the crowd and staff, whom are actually a laughing stock to those not in their «scene» and presto! You have exactly the kind of formula that hopefully the Capitol Block party can drink, then die from.

Not as fun as last year. The CHBP can really vary. Some years are awesome, some just OK. This year was OK. Not sure how I feel about the addition of the third day since *most* people have to get up and go to work on Monday; I sure didn’t feel like partyin it up. Also, I really wish they hadn’t done the main stage like last year. Not a fan of trying to see the stage while staring into the blinding sunset, or being literally three blocks from the stage. The Dead Weather rocked out though, of course. Hey planning committee: can you put the main stage back in front of Neumo’s next year? Please and thanks.

It’s an excellent showcase of the talent Seattle has to offer. I checked out atmosphere and they blew me away, just simply awesome. I went there on Saturday and wish I had tickets for all 3 days. The price is a bit steep though.
The weather was gorgeous. Sipping a beer in wonderful Seattle sunshine and chatting up a hottie about a dog in one of the apts close to the stage that was incessantly barking seemed like the perfect way to spend a Saturday evening.
My only pet peeve is a couple places I frequent in that area of capitol hill which I couldn’t during the block party, but I survived. All in all, great event but a little pricey.

I hate this event with a passion. Stupid doucharoo hipsters, give employees who work on the block shiit & prevent me from giving money to biz on the block for two days. All the while crap sounding music is blaring & doucharoo hipsters are running amuck in the street. Would not hurt my feeling if a terrorist attack were to haapen. At other block parties I’ve seen if someone needs to get in but is not going to participate in the block party no prob. But oh no not this too cool for school doucharoo hipster fest! IF I am in Seattle next year & I need to get through too fucking bad I’m going in! FUCK YOU CAPITOL HILL BLOCK PARTY!!!

A really great seattle music event. I went on saturday night, and needless to say, the place was packed. 3 main stages around the grounds, and other smaller shows happening in various clubs in the area.
Arrived in time to see Gossip. which were awesome, and sonic youth which i am not a huge fan, but respect there skills. I wondered off to the vera stage just in time to catch the last of the Noisettes set, which was entertaining.
I still think the price is abit high for the party… and it seems the douchebags are out in force more. But it can be overlooked with great music… lynchburg lemonaids… and good people watching.

WAHOOOO! It was wild!!! LOUD! Pockin’! Rollickin’ Good Time for all!
Why a 4 and not a 5? I am debating. first parking in Capitol Hill area is ZZOONNEE. 2 hours only in the ZONES!!!(no one had parked in my secert no zone parking but it was a mile away. that’s OK before the event but on way back a mile is a mile after 8 hours on you rfeet in one place on concrete! .uphill! (MAN 1 star! for that) late night bus schedules are confusing; the price seemed a bit high. but maybe not. food booths not together.
OK. GOOD ! wildness that of a good time prevailed the event; people were enthralled by the bands; interesting booths; young people for the most part — the oldies but goodies remained at home or elsewhere — the young people were fun and interesting!
Working crews, management had done festivals lots and were very organized (overall) with many voices and backgrounds and a very cooperative spirit.
This is a disclaimer — I worked during this festival — hard! FYI! I did not recognize any Unilocalers but I bet I served a few of you a beer.
The weather was perfect and we all had fun. I got up at my regular 6 am. I wonder how many of the participants did?
I will end with a quote from a frustrated 30ish pretty woman,” boys are stupid!” in response to why she didn’t say yes she is having a great time! Another mind-​bending truism from the bar…
OK 5! I had a few other fun things happen. I really like doing this. see you at the next festival. be sure to have your ID!