The Head and The Heart ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

It snuck up on me, what with it feeling like March and everything, but the peak of Seattle summertime — the Capitol Hill Block Party is this weekend. Historically, Block Party is hosted on one of the hottest weekends of the Seattle summer and according to my unreliable local weather sources this weekend’s event will be no different — with a predicted high of the low ’70s all weekend, it’s set to be about as hot as its gotten in 2011. Which is to say, it should actually be perfect weather for Block Party — sunny, but not sweltering, cutting back on the cases of heat exhuastion and if we’re lucky, stinky festival goers.

I’m actually sitting this Block Party out, which is why my recommended schedule is approximately every band that’s playing the festival, minus a few. Because, in theory, I’m super human when it comes to festival stamina. I’ve known for a couple months I wouldn’t be attending Block Party and I didn’t expect to be bummed out about it — but looking at this schedule and debating the decisions of making it — I feel jealous of all of you getting ready to party on Pike.

Friday:

4:00-4:30 - Fresh Espresso (Mainstage) or Grave Babies (Vera)
4:15-4:45 - Unknown Mortal Orchestra (Neumos)
5:00-5:45 - Kurt Vile and the Violators (Mainstage)
5:15-6:00 - The Fresh and Onlys (Neumos)
6:15-7:15 - Thurston Moore (Mainstage)
9:15-10:15 - The Head and The Heart (Mainstage) or Absolute Monarchs (Cha Cha)
10:45-11:30 - THEESatisfaction (Vera Stage)
11:30-12:30 - The Rolling Stones (Cha Cha)

Beat Connection ::: photo by Josh Lovseth

To see Saturday and Sunday’s recommended schedules

Saturday

2:15 - 3:00 - Champagne Champagne (Mainstage)
3:00 - 3:30 - Yuni In Taxco (Vera)
4:00 - 4:30 - Witch Gardens (Vera)
4:45 - 5:30 - Telekinesis (Mainstage)
5:15 - 6:00 - The Lumineers (Neumos)
6:00 - 7:00 - Handsome Furs (Mainstage)
6:30 - 7:15 - Ravenna Woods (Neumos) or Don’t Talk to the Cops (Cha Cha)
9:00 - 9:45 - Cold Cave (Neumos)
9:30-10:15 - Beat Connection (Vera)

This is where I would limp home truthfully, but since this is my super-hero schedule, I’m sticking around for …

10:30 - 11:59 - TV on the Radio

My Goodness ::: photo by Abbey Simmons

Sunday

2:00 - 2:30 - Land of Pines (Vera)
2:30 - 3:00 - My Goodness (Mainstaeg)
3:00 - 3:30 - Virgin Islands (Vera)
4:15 - 4:45 - Campfire OK (Neumos)
5:45 - 6:15 - Spurm (Cha Cha)
6:10 - 7:10 - The Cave Singers (Mainstage)
7:45 - 9:00 - Explosions in the Sky (Mainstage) or The Pharmacy (Cha Cha till 8:15)
7:30 - 8:15 - Grand Hallway (Vera)
9:00 - 9:45 - Pink Mountaintops (Neumos)
10:15 - 11:00 - Grynch (Neumos)
11:30 - 1:30 - Closing Party with Mad Rad, Metal Chocolates, Mash Hall, & More

And don’t forget to hit up one of my favorite parts of Block Party every year — the Vera Project Dunk Tank.