If you couldn't catch Seattle's Death Cab for Cutie parade their chart-topping new record, the SPIN-praised Narrow Stairs, across the country this summer don't fret -- SPIN.com has you covered.

One the best parts of traveling from festival to festival all summer long is the chance to sample the local fare. And not even counting the fresh salmon and tasty micro brews, Seattle's Bumbershoot certainly tops the list -- featuring a lineup steeped in hometown bands, many of which surprised us with their talent, ferocity, and distinct sound.

The sad truth: Not all youngsters gallivanting under Seattle's Space Needle Monday turned out to heed SPIN deputy editor Steve Kandell's advice and catch indie rock luminaries Superchunk's rare live set in Memorial Stadium.

Sandwiched between sets from Athens, GA's, the Whigs and Minneapolis' Tapes 'n Tapes, it's easy to be overshadowed, but Glasgow rock'n'roll quartet Sons and Daughters found no trouble standing out on their own Sunday evening at the Rockstar Stage, as commanding frontwoman Adele Bethel and axeman/vocalist Scott Paterson led the band through one of the day's most energetic sets.

While fans fisted and elbowed their way to the front of Memorial Stadium Monday night for a closer look at festival-closing headliner Death Cab for Cutie, fellow Seattleites Minus the Bear mounted the Rockstar Stage across the festival grounds and -- with their decidedly different math rock sound -- showed Bumbershoot concertgoers that Ben Gibbard and crew aren't the only heavyweights in town.<

Nevermind the semi-dorky, stoner-made visuals (flames, nubile babes on racing cars, lava lamp psychedelics), reunited alt-rock quartet Stone Temple Pilots strolled into Memorial Stadium more than 30 minutes late Saturday night (literally walking off the tour bus and on to the stage) and truly handed it to fans with a kick-ass set of riff-heavy classics featuring Scott Weiland's high-pitched gro

Between his shining moments of absolute genius -- Odelay, Sea Change, Mellow Gold -- Beck has had his creative and commercially unsuccessful moments.

After a brief spell of rain, the sun returned to Seattle Center Monday on the final day of the 2008 Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival, allowing an apt closure to what has been an action packed Labor Day weekend.

The action continued beneath the Space Needle at Seattle Center Sunday, as the 38th annual Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival pushed onward in day two with yet another spattering of awesome sets from a smörgåsbord of acts.

The opening day of the 38th annual Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival was a pleasant reminder of just why this event is in a league all its own. The leisurely, family-friendly atmosphere, unrivaled food selection (yum!), and vast diversity of installation and performance art all stood out -- but nothing punctuated this Seattle extravaganza like the wildly eclectic musical lineup.