Choices, choices

So I've officially decided sometime between now and Labor Day, I will be going down to the Pacific Northwest (be that Seattle, Portland, George...whatever) to come down and visit and go see a show or three. Now right now, I have a few choices as to when I come down and who I go see (not people, bands/shows/what not). I of course am going to lay out the choices and people can give opinions as they will, but I think worst case scenario this will help me map out what exactly will be at each show and will help me figure out exactly which I should go to.

First up:

Capitol Hill Block Party

Saturday and Sunday, July 27th and 28th

Cost: $15

Location: Area around Pike's Place/Neumo's in Seattle

Primary artists playing: Spoon (!), Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground (!), Silversun Pickups, Viva Voce, the Blood Brothers, Against Me!, Aesop Rock, Mirah

At least 29 others with more to be announced

Second up:

Download Festival

Saturday, August 25th

Cost: $45

Location: The Gorge in George, Washington

Primary artists playing: Modest Mouse, Incubus, The Presidents of the United States of America, Nada Surf, the Thermals, The Heavenly States, Arthur & Yu, Back Door Slam

Last up:

Bumbershoot Festival

Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, September 1st through 3rd

Cost: Either $75 (3 day pass) or $195 (3 day pass with guaranteed access to main stage shows amongst other things), leaning towards the latter one

Location: Downtown Seattle, Seattle Center area

Primary artists to see: The Shins (!), Ted Leo and the Pharmacists (!), Wu-Tang Clan (!), Panic! at the Disco, Pete Yorn, Kings of Leon, Andrew Bird, Anberlin, Gym Class Heroes, the Damnwells, Lupe Fiasco, the Frames, DeVotchka, Mae

Tons and tons of musicians not included, not included also are the Film Festival, the comedians (including Janeane Garofalo, Fred Armisen, and Eugen Mirman), arts shows, great food, etc. Plus, still a bunch of artists not added yet.

So there they are...each have their plusses, each have their minuses, and I need to choose quickly. The plan is to use a mileage ticket to get there and back, and to get using 20,000 miles you have to order the ticket early. Thus the timeframe to go to Capitol Hill is pretty tight right now. So here are the extra things to consider...

• The positives are that it works the best in my schedule because it is long from now and happens on a weekend where I have a paid day off on Labor Day. I also know a group of people that are already going, plus another friend who may go as well. The primary negatives are that the artists I most want to see (the Shins, Pete Yorn) I've already seen and I've heard Bumbershoot itself is an absolute mess. High likelihood of burn out as well, plus most expensive.
• Capitol Hill Block Party has the two bands I want to see most of all: Spoon and Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground. It is also the cheapest (or most affordable as us Marketeers say). Besides those two bands though, pickings are slim and it has a high likelihood of being an average concert, especially with Spoon's reputation of meing mediocre live.
• Download Festival has bar none the best venue and the highest likelihood of not missing any bands that I'd like to see. Also, it is one day and out, so I likely wouldn't get burnt out or go into a music overload coma for a month afterwards because of it. Strangely enough, with the biggest bands of any of the bills, this one has the bands I least want to see. I'd be down with the bands, but I'm not impassioned about seeing any of them.

With all that said, my early rankings go: Bumbershoot in the lead, followed by Capitol Hill, and then Download. Bumbershoot has the highest likelihood of a true "experience" while Capitol has the highest likelihood of being the most mediocre, but also could be amazing because the amount of bands I don't even know. To quote Bill Simmons, it has nuclear upside. I mean come on...it's nuclear. No less, opinions? I'd sure appreciate them.