Bumbershoot

As always, the number of musical acts at Bumbershoot can be a little overwhelming. Here's a list of suggestions to help pare things down to a manageable program, written by Seattle Times music blogger Andrew Matson (AM) and Seattle Times music critic Paul de Barros (PDB).

Saturday

12:15 p.m. Fountain Lawn: TacocaT. For lovers of clean spaces and not too much drunkenness, the first music at a festival provides the best experience. Local pop-punk band TacocaT should be a perfect kick in the grass. (AM)

12:30 p.m. Mural Amphitheatre: Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra. This ebullient all-star big band covers the jazz waterfront, from Jelly Roll Morton to Thelonious Monk. (PDB)

5:15 p.m. Fountain Lawn: THEESatisfaction. This Seattle duo has taken its scissored hip-hop soul music all over America and Europe the past year. Bumbershoot will be a chance to see THEESatisfaction in prime touring shape. (AM)

9 p.m. The Promenade: Damien Jurado. Seattle's predominant flavor in pop music right now is neo-folk. And nobody's done it better in 2012 than Damien Jurado with his album "Maraqopa." (AM)

9:45 p.m. Fisher Green Stage: M. Ward. The Portland singer-songwriter has collaborated with Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes and Zooey Deschanel (in the band She and Him) and has gathered a strong and well-deserved following on his own, inside and outside the Northwest. (PDB)

Sunday

3:15 p.m. KeyArena: Tony Bennett. On his terrific new album of duets, the king of the crooners teams up with everyone from Michael Bublé to Lady Gaga — and makes them sound better. Tony's still got the magic. (PDB)

5:45 p.m. Fisher Green: The Dirtbombs. A great, last-minute addition to Bumbershoot, the Dirtbombs specialize in R&B-laced guitar rockin' and hail from Detroit. (AM)

6:15 p.m. Exhibition Hall: The Promise Ring. This band helped start the supersincere emo rock movement in the '90s, but were always (and still are) just a great pop band. (AM)

8:15 p.m. KeyArena: Big Sean. The rapper has a monster radio hit with "Mercy" right now. If you are not familiar with his booty-centric raps, turn on KUBE 93.3 FM. (AM)

Monday

1 p.m. Mural Amphitheatre: Reignwolf. This blues-rock guitar crusher from Saskatoon, Canada, burst on the scene at Sasquatch and his reputation has continued to explode. (PDB)

1:45 p.m. KeyArena: Best Coast. These delirious Californians have made a career out of extolling the superiority of their home state, making their case with irresistible pop harmonies and catchy New Wave beats. (PDB)

3:15 p.m. KeyArena: M83. Outside of Bumbershoot, he'd never be booked at the Key, because he doesn't have the draw, but this is actually the right-size venue for the immense sound of M83's electronic/pop/rock music. (AM)

4 p.m. Fisher Green: Omar Souleyman. Don't miss the chance to hear Souleyman's loud, raved-up style of Syrian dance music. (AM)

5 p.m. Fountain Lawn: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Their influences are old — Anglophilic rock from the '80s, big-guitar alternative rock from the '90s — but New York City band The Pains of Being Pure at Heart makes them sound new again. (AM)

6:15 p.m. Mural Amphitheatre: Kina Grannis. Grannis' absolutely charming music video, "In Your Arms," with its cartoon background fashioned from 300,000 colorful jelly beans, made this SoCal singer-songwriter an Internet star. (PDB)

9:45 p.m. Mural Amphitheatre: Rebirth Brass Band. Reaching back to the New Orleans brass bands that incubated jazz and reaching forward to Southern hip-hop, Rebirth is a marching incarnation of the American heartbeat. (PDB)

Paul de Barros: 206-464-3247 or pdebarros@seattletimes.com

Andrew Matson: matsononmusic@gmail.com