BUMBERSHOOT MUSIC FESTIVAL

Bumbershoot is a gem of the Pacific Northwest scene going back to 1971 showcasing all things art, music, food, and culture.  

This vibrant 3-day gathering has many aspects to offer: music of all genres, comedy, various art showcases, food, and a wonderful backdrop in the center of Seattle.

It was a beautiful thing to see the massive International Fountain light up every night in near holographic fashion with our blend of 3D projection mapping and live video.

THE EXPERIENCE

The International Fountain is massive and is a core component of the Seattle Center layout.

Therefore the projected visuals needed to be top notch.

We took it there by projecting a live video feed from the Fisher Pavilion Stage & Stadium Main Stage onto the fine watery surface from both sides of the fountain for a near holographic effect.

It was spectacular. The shows were clearly visible from 360º and became a visual landmark for the festival each night.

The projections also provided a beautiful viewing location for ADA families and beer garden patrons who would like to enjoy the performance though retain a bit more space and relaxed atmosphere.

In addition to the water fountain there was a grove of 4 story trees activated with over 100’ of projected light along the side of the Fisher Pavilion Stage. Each leaf became a pixel upon which an uncanny screen featuring live video footage of the stage was visible.

THE SYSTEM

To design and curate a system capable of integrating live video with multiple projectors across a large event was an enjoyable challenge.

This is where years of experience come into play as managing a system such as this takes many skills spanning many domains.

Wireless video with less than 1 ms of delay was funneled into a custom application that split the feed between multiple projectors to be recombined on the fountain.

Many moving parts reliably provided the spectacle of a lifetime as a massive fountain was illuminated through amazing performances by legendary artists.

THE CONTENT

The content featured two distinct modes: live performances and intermissions.

For live, we had the absolute pleasure of getting to project amazing performances from artists such as Odesza, Flume, LORDE, Explosions in the Sky and a stellar performance by rock legend Billy Idol!

For intermission, between epic performances the content featured abstract forms from Bumbershoot branding mixed with interactive 3D camera magic as those walking by the installation became part of the display.