Art Brut at Bumbershoot

Apparently, I'm gullible. Until I got to Seattle and read The Stranger's Bumbershoot coverage, it didn't occur to me that Art Brut's act might be a "schtick." I still have my doubts. People really do love music the way Art Brut claims to, and it's weird to see music critics, of all people, calling that insincere. Whatever ironies their extremely various attires might suggest, their enthusiasm for putting on a show at Bumbershoot this year was undeniably sincere. Within the first three songs, lead singer Eddie Argos had nearly done himself in with antics such as hopping up and down and then jumping into the crowd and hopping up and down (take it easy, big guy!). I was also impressed with their speedy handling of requests (on their terms -- please don't shout unsolicited song names at bands, people!). It was a lot of fun, and in hindsight, I'd have caught more Art Brut at the risk of missing a couple Andrew Bird songs.