Sub Pop 20th Anniversary Wish List

Eric's Trip have booked their trip. So have legendary Kurt Cobain favorites the Vaselines. Early singles club participant Les Thugs are tres there. And if Mudhoney's Steve Turner and Mark Arm can finally reform the ur-grunge band Green River with Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament, anything is possible at SP20, a two-day benefit to celebrate the anniversary of Sub Pop Records.

Among the other bands scheduled to play July 12 and 13th at Marymoor Park in Redmond, WA are current label darlings Fleet Foxes, Iron and Wine and No Age, past-blasts like the Fluid, Seaweed, Red Red Meat and Beechwood Sparks and internationally famous novelty musicians Flight of the Conchords. "With more to be added to both days soon," teases a pop-up on the label's web site. Sunny Day Real Estate? Cat Butt? The Shins? All valid requests. These are mine.

The Walkabouts
As near as I can figure, they're the only early Sub Pop artist that's been active and together the entire 20 years, though the last time they put out a record on the label it was in 1994 and Europe-only. But all the elements that seemed so out of place during the grunge years -- pianos, folk-rock melodies, covers of Townes Van Zandt and Randy Newman, a cameo from Brian Eno-would be right at home on Sub Pop's current roster.

Afghan Whigs
Queen City Soul Man Greg Dulli is already booked at Showbox with the Gutter Twins, his "Satanic Everly Brothers" with former Screaming Trees frontman Mark Lanegan, so don't look back. No, really -- I want a Don't Look Back-style concert of Congregation (since Gentleman was not a Sub Pop record). Unfortunately, there's probably a better chance that Steve Earle the singer-songwriter will turn up than original drummer Steve Earle.

Zumpano
Carl Newman's buoyant, Zombies-crazed garage band was Green River to the New Pornographers' Mudhoney (in terms of personnel) and a precursor to the Shins and Hot Hot Heat aesthetically. Even with these crazy gas prices, Vancouver's not so far!

Fastbacks
The Seattle band's Seattle band-literally, since everyone from Guns N' Roses' Duff McKagan to members of Mudhoney, Love Battery, the Decemberists and the Presidents of the United States of America has punk-popped along with Kurt Bloch, Lulu Gargiulo and Kim Warnick. Warnick was also Sub Pop's receptionist for many years. This would be the set most likely to bring Eddie Vedder to the stage, thereby guaranteeing his availability for the big grand finale, a seemingly impossible reunion of ... Citizen Dick.

What, you were expecting Nirvana fronted by Courtney Love? (Wouldn't Frances Bean have been a better choice? And what about Chad Channing?) Ok, seriously though -- this concert truly ought to wind up with a star-studded 'Where Did You Sleep Last Night?'