Halloween weekend is around the corner, and you all know what this means for the punk-rock community! Scary hangovers in the sun, conflicts upon conflicts, and reuniting with all our friends. That’s right, we are making our annual trip down to Gainesville for Fest!
Of course, we’re too deep into this scene to not have at least five bands per hour, so let us share with you our best recommendations in the classic Music Dies Here style. I hope you missed our ramblings, because we missed you!
Whooooooo FEST
Whooo FEST for sure! Did you settle on a pre-Fest show for the Thursday yet?
Fest SZN’s my favorite time of year, no doubt.
But as far as pre-Fest, definitely eyeing that Roadhouse show!
I already do have tickets to that Looseys’ show too
I haven’t even decided yet – all three of them have a bunch of bands I want to see. Leaning towards High Dive, some of those bands (Decent Criminal, the Slow Death) aren’t playing. Plus, Ways Away would solve my conflict with Celebration Summer.
Then again, the Reconciler / Tired Radio conflict is mean
Yeah, seeing Celebration Summer at the Roadhouse’ll solve any Fest conflicts.
If that’s the only conflict you have, I envy you.
I do like Good Friend and Taking Meds, so the Looseys show looks good as well. May combine it with High Dive. Oh well. I’ll have fun no matter what!
Friday. After sleeping off the hangover. Where are you starting the day?
Hmm…and that’s where the conflict begins!
Probably @ Boca
Who would you be seeing there?
I think Miller Lowlifes. Don’t have a particular reason other than just wanting to check them out. I feel like the snippet of something I heard from em seemed like something I’d dig.
How about you?
Very likely I’m starting with Bad Planning. We’ve got them coming up here in New York this December. I liked what I heard, the fast-paced melodic stuff I am a sucker for. While I’m at Loosey’s, I may as well stick around for our buddies in American Thrills, cause you know how I feel about those songs about nostalgia.
Super secret show announcement here.
I’m assuming you plan on staying at Boca? If I recall correctly, Rutterkin is a band you love.
Ohhh, that’s why Bad Planning was highlighted on my schedule because I didn’t do that haha
Hey, I gotta rep the bands I book!
Hoo boy, that’s the first fatal four way of Fest for me (ooh alliteration)
So, what’s it going to be? Or what are your clashes?
Rutterkin v Pkewx3 v Her Head’s on Fire v American Thrills
in that 5pm window*
I’ve also got the Punk Cellist on that window myself.
So, gruff versus fun versus post versus nostalgia versus covers on a cello.
Ah and i didn’t even mention Punk Cellist
Geez haha
Personally, I’ll probably see Thrills and then run over to Her Head’s on Fire. Gotta support them at their first Fest they’re playing, right? Did you hear that Replacements cover they did? Joseph really nailed it on those vocals.
Then again, it is not like the 6pm slot is going to be any easier for me!
I think of those 4, probably Rutterkin…since I’d guess I’d be least likely to see them up north.
I have six bands in the 6pm slot, 7pm slot and 8pm slot. I’m not sure what they did with this Friday, but I’m already in pain.
And this is me deliberately leaving out the bigger names.
6pm clears up a bit more for me. Definitley tryna see Ways Away.
And Rebuilder. Their new record is one of my faves.
I feel that my friendship with Hidden Home means I need to see Audio Karate, but I really don’t want to go to the Heartland. Probably I’ll do the thing I usually do and make it buddy Fest, run from Celebration Summer to Totally Slow to Rebuilder. They all kind of got fucked over by the A-F thing.
Oh, that Rebuilder record is so good.
Like end of year list good
I think the Loosey’s, High Dive, Vecino’s triangle is one I’ll find myself running a few times this weekend. Good thing they’re all close.
Ooh Totally Slow! They might get squeezed out
Can’t have it all, especially not with clashes like this.
Unless I try to squeeze in a song or two and depending on how busy the venues are.
My favorite part is that right after, I need to decide on MakeWar, Crime in Stereo, or Mercy Union. As anyone who knows me knows, Crime in Stereo is one of my favorite bands. MakeWar are some of my favorite people. Mercy Union was surprisingly fun when I saw them last – and I did miss them last Friday.
This will probably be the kind of clash I will let the moment decide. I’ll lean into where my friends will be.
Same!
Thinking I may see Crime in Stereo.
I’ve heard promising stories about Articles as well, who are on that slot. If I can get away with it – and won’t be all needy about food – I may try and catch them.
Hangs with singer of Talking Props, he hit me up on IG after i posted that pic of Crime in Stereo doing that free show
Ha, they’re lovely guys. Hope Talking Props makes it back soon.
So what’s after for you?
I think I saw Articles last year, come to think of it. I dug em
8pm timeslot, whatcha got?
Yeah, I just asked you that!
I’ve got Elway, Descendents, Lone Wolf, Original Sharks, Distants and the Iron Roses. To be fair, though I love those bands, I am perfectly happy to let the Fest atmosphere decide for me. I have no strong feelings here.
Thinking Garrison, Lone Wolf…probably Distants if i can swing that
Really dug what I heard from Garrison; they got that old-school post-hardcore/emo sound I dig.
Elway is always great, and Red Scare are buddies. The last release they put out hit a lot harder after a few listens. Descendents, well, no reason to tell anyone why to see them. Lone Wolf is fun – as with Mercy Union – I missed them last Friday, and I may feel obligated to see the one Dutch band. Original Sharks brings some needed skate-punk (why can’t that genre sound like this more often), Distants has really strong melodies and sounds like your standard Fest band, and the Iron Roses, well, they’re the Iron Roses.
Basically, I will let life decide for me.
Always a good choice this time of year!
For sure! And then there’s Seagulls versus No Trigger. Both are so good, and I won’t be able to decide. That Seagulls record? chefs kiss
I haven’t seen No Trigger since their last release either, and I want to bet those songs are strong live
Seagulls is an absolute. Their new album absolutely rips
Was playing it on repeat this past Friday.
I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to either hit Kali Masi or Less Than Jake after whoever I’ll see. I definitely want to see Burnt Tapes – I think they’re still a bit afraid that no one will be there, and this is their first American Tour. Never Better was one of my favorite records back in 2019.
Ooh, also Sports Reference @ 930 at Vecino’s
Dug em when we saw them last year.
I keep confusing them with another band, and I don’t know who, but my brain thinks they’re that noodly emo sound I really can’t get into.
Hmm…3 way dance between Burnt Tapes, Dial Drive, and Errortype:11
Yeah, sorry Dial Drive, I will miss you as always.
Honestly at this moment the night gets quiet. There’s a bunch of bands that I just don’t have strong opinions about, but still like going on. Flatfoot 56 was such a blast when we saw them at Book Yer Ane back in 2017, they seemed like the nicest guys as well. The Bollweevils have been getting a lot of love, though I haven’t listened to them enough to have formed an opinion
Virginity is cool, so is Taking Meds. One more gruffy, one more… how would someone even describe Meds? They have those riffs that get stuck in your head, and it always takes me forever to realize it’s them.
I really like the new Bollweevils record too. Didn’t have any expectations going in to listening, and I was honestly floored.
Taking Meds as well, but I assume that there’ll be quite a line into see them.
Remember when Taking Meds were tiny and still did house shows in Queens?
Feels like forever and a day ago.
Cause it was!
And also Taking Meds are coming back next month (Vitus)
For the midnight slot, I’ve got Tsunami Bomb, Goddamnit, Answering Machine and Fat Heaven. I’m not sure how I feel about seeing the NYC locals; Goddamnit is always a good time, Tsunami Bomb as well. I’m leaning to Goddamnit if I make a band around then, though they’re second to closing out Loosey’s, meaning the other venues would be pretty busy after.
Then again, I could stick around for Fat Heaven
I only have Goddamnit and Madison Bloodbath around midnight.
Decisions, decisions. Very hard “the night will do what the night will do”
Zeta, Smoking Popes, Too Many Daves and Cold Wrecks are the other closing bands on my schedule. Once again, no strong feelings here about the clashes. Can’t go wrong with any of them
…Madison Bloodbath I’m seeing on Wednesday in Tampa and at that Roadhouse prefest show on Thursday.
Never heard of them
Classic gruff Festpunk
Aye, makes sense to me.
Anything at the 1am slot?
Probably Zeta to close out the night as I keep missing them and they’re a sight to behold live.
But yeah, from 11pm on, it does quiet down in terms of band conflicts.
My favorite. I love letting Fest decide where Fest goes.
