‘$325 for what?’: Jake, Spike question Bumbershoot’s value with unfamiliar artists

Bumbershoot, one of Seattle’s longest-running festivals, just announced its 2026 lineup — and the release has been met with strong criticism due to the unfamiliarity of some of the artists.

Jake Skorheim and Spike O’Neill, co-hosts of “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio, questioned the high admission price for a festival that includes acts they can’t even name, and reminisced about years prior when global icons headlined the event.

“I noticed the cost for general admission, and I was like, that is generous,” Jake said. “Then Spike, you were like, ‘I have zero interest in Bumbershoot.’ You don’t care about it.”

“I don’t care, and maybe it’s because I’m old,” Spike responded. “When I moved here in 1989, I’d never seen anything like Bumbershoot; it was something we didn’t have in Baltimore, an end-of-summer music and arts festival. I got to learn so much about Seattle and see some of the greatest artists in the world. My first year, BB King, Little Richard, Soundgarden, who I didn’t quite know yet. Chris Isaac, Dr. John, Etta James.”

Bumbershoot once cost $8, now charges up to $325 for VIP package

Spike continued to discuss the stark difference between Bumbershoot lineups back in his day and now, when some of the most influential acts could be seen for less than $10.

“I went to 1,000 concerts in my life. I was a big Bruce Springsteen fan. But when I was 15, that’s what we did. We saw the Stones, Clapton, The Who, and we saw The Police in a bar. Going to shows was what I loved,” Spike said. “I just love seeing guys on stage. I think live music is the greatest experience. At the time, I think it was eight bucks to get in. Back in the late 80s, eight bucks. They jumped to 15 in the mid-90s. Help cover costs.”

Jake gave a rundown of the 2026 Bumbershoot festival’s ticket prices, with the cheapest ticket priced at $155 and the deluxe VIP package listed at $325.

“If you want deluxe, let’s say you’re a person who just wants all the bells and whistles, $325. For what? That’s my question. What’s on the lineup this year?” Jake asked.

“I’m nobody to ask. I’m fully aware that this is not my father’s Oldsmobile or whatever it is,” Spike responded. “This music isn’t for me. I’m not their target audience. For $155, I’ll go see Bonnie Raitt, Jethro Tull, Steve Winwood, whoever. Sonic Youth, Lou Reed, The Black Crowes, The Killers, bands I’ve seen at Bumbershoot.”

Jake questions whether modern festivals are worth astronomical prices

Jake retold a story about seeing Bob Dylan at Bumbershoot more than a decade ago. Although his ticket to attend was free, he couldn’t believe how much money was being spent on artists when there was a good chance it would be a bad performance.

“All concerts these days are ridiculous. People pay $300-$600 to go see just about anybody,” Spike said.

“Of note, you want to go see Bruce Springsteen and get good seats, it’s $5,000,” Jake said. “To see Taylor Swift, $20,000. People pay insane amounts of money for tickets these days. My wife and I went to see Bob Dylan, and we’re all sitting there, watching, waiting, because it’s Bob Dylan. I wanted to be able to say, in my lifetime, I saw Bob Dylan, right? And then he gets up on stage. I’m like, this is it? I actually felt bad. I wondered if there was a Silver Alert situation out there, and he got lost. I’m being dead serious. What I was seeing on the stage did not look like somebody who fully understood where he was, and this was a long time ago.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.