Located in the heart of this beautiful district, Capitol Hill Block Party in Seattle, Washington exposed me to a new way of experiencing music. This festival spanned three blocks, and there was always something interesting to interact with at every corner. Those living in apartments above the action opened their windows and partied with the crowd. The friends living by the main stage shot their bubble gun into the crowd ahead of Chappell Roan’s set. One resident near the Coke Studio stage went wild for Joey Valence and Brae and received a special shoutout from the duo. There were pop-ups with drinks from sponsors like Yerba Mate and Topo Chico while restaurants stayed open to feed the energized crowd. My personal favorite was Casablanca Express with their special Casablanca Dog.
Artists that I was excited to see for the first time were Flyanna Boss, Joey Valence and Brae, and Frost Children. On day 2 I explored the grounds more and saw artists I’d never heard of including TeZATALKS, Cherry Ferrari, Carol Ades, and Corook. Each artist put on such memorable performances. Flyanna Boss and Joey Valence and Brae brought the energy to the festival. They both had the most lively sets for their respective days and had crowds that matched what they were putting out.
I enjoyed the walk between sets and seeing all the excitement. From the Coke Studio stage to the main stage, you’d pass by the food truck area, various restaurants, the beer garden, and the sponsor corner and water refill station. The beer garden had seating areas, mini-games, screens projecting the main stage, and was directly connected to Neumos and the Barboza stage. The Barboza stage was the perfect place to cool off and enjoy up-and-coming artists while Neumos had more rowdy performances. The Coke Studio stage had a mix of rap, hyperpop, and indie pop. And the main stage covered pop, indie rock, and electronic.
There were a few downsides to this festival, the first being the crowding issue on day one. Booking pop star Chappell Roan a year before her recent blowup, it was no surprise that her Friday date sold out. Fans in all pink attire lined up hours before the gates opened with those being treated with a sound check by the artist herself.
The festival grounds slowly filled throughout the day, but no one was prepared for how large the crowd would be once Chappell Roan appeared on stage. I didn’t know the full scope of how packed it was until after when I regrouped with a friend the next day. The corners lined with pop-ups were filled with people trying to see the artist’s set. This has happened before when Lizzo headlined the festival a few years prior. Capitol Hill Block Party has gotten lucky getting these acts before their rise. The remaining two days were calm with the main stage crowd having enough room to dance along to the headliner.
The festival is advertised as an all-ages space, but all but two of those stages were all-ages. Most of the underground acts were behind this wall which was helpful for crowd control, but those under 21 could not see them perform. There was also an issue with earplugs at the festival. On day one, none of the staff, including those in the medical tent, knew where to get earplugs. It was only on day 3 when I went into Neumos where I could find a pair. As this was a 21+ venue, those underage who forgot their earplugs at home would have had to ask their of-age friend (if they had one) to get them a pair.
It was a lovely festival regardless. Those from the Bay Area may compare Capitol Hill Block Party to Portola. Lovers of indie and electronic music will enjoy the variety of acts on all three days of the festival. I loved discovering artists I may not have come across had I not come to Seattle. I’d recommend Capitol Hill Block Party to those just entering the festival scene and those looking for an excuse to travel to the PNW.
Learn more about Seattle’s Capitol Hill Block Party via their website and follow them on Instagram to stay up-to-date on future festival announcements.
