If you're still not sure what this is go to http://www.radfestnc.com/. Still confused? Do I have to spell everything out for you? There is this awesome new trend in the punk rock community of college towns hosting multi-day festivals. Think Bonnaroo without the hippies and fleabag motels replacing mud drenched tents. The granddaddy of them all is Fest (http://www.thefestfl.com/). It is in Gainesville, gets bigger every year (there were like 300 bands there last year) and is pretty much amazing. Fest 7 was responsible for me seeing Leatherface for the first time. They have also hosted Seaweed, Samiam, Snuff and tons of other bands that I adore all in one place. But like most great things it is also overcrowded and you're as likely to stand in line 3 hours at Common Grounds as you are to see 20 of the hottest up and coming punk rock acts. It is also in Gainesville. I'm not.
Enter fest veteran and noble Seahawk Chason, a man of which I will never speak ill. He's taken a torch from Fest's fire and brought its warmth to his port town on the coast of North Carolina. And he brought the Boat with him (that's Leatherface for the uninitiated).
The best thing about these music festivals, at least for me, is that it gives me a chance to explore new music and then see it live. As noted above, Fest has hundreds of bands and Radfest is clocking in somewhere around 100 I believe. My one and only (to this date, at least) Fest was Fest 7. I didn't get a chance to check out too many of the smaller bands that I wanted to and the reasons are two fold. One, I had no idea the format (or how bad the lines were). Two, we missed Saturday because we drove to Charleston for my Aunt Judy's birthday. Family always comes first, mang!
But because there is such a huge variety, and it is varied, my girlfriend and I methodically go through every band and give them the A&R listen. If they don't grab either of our attention off the bat(usually give a band 2-3 songs and 30 seconds a song), we cross them off the list. Once we have a list of bands, we check out their myspace, download free songs or, if either of us really likes them, buy their stuff (and please, if you check out any of these bands and enjoy it, support them, they are not rich and they certainly aren't rock stars).
Fest 7 was certainly overwhelming, but it was also showcasing better known acts. It was easy to share Less than Jake and Bouncing Souls when I already had their albums. But, there were also the hidden gems. I'm sure there are kids out there who already know every song by every band playing punk rock these days, but I'm a working man and, to be frank, I'm not crazy about every band out there. These giant lists of bands and myspace pages is a treasure trove though.
From Fest 7 we found:
Measure (SA), a pop punk band with mostly female vocals that is super infectious
Towers of Hanoi, a punk rock band channeling Janis Joplin
Ringers, one of the better '77 punk bands channeling the "Jawbreaker" sound prevalent in punk rock these days
and the crown Jewel...
Austin Lucas, an Americana singer with a solid gold voice and an amazing musician. He does a little bit of everything, country, bluegrass, gospel and folk. We've since seen him at Local 506, at a house show in Hillsborough, at the Pinhook in Durham and even in our own living room. He has become a friend and he is probably one of the most talented musicians around today. That's right, we went to a punk rock festival and found a country superstar in waiting. He's more Hank Williams Sr than Garth Brooks, but unfortunately you won't find him on the radio with either. Through Austin, I've also been introduced to Michael Claytor and Josh Small. Talented musicians and guys not on mainstream radio, but they should be.
But that was Fest, this is RAD FEST!!! and Rad Fest has opened our musical doors to so many new bands. Perhaps the coolest thing for me is that our friends Red Collar are playing. Red Collar is a rock and roll band from the Bull City itself. They are amazing live and Jason Kutchma is a heck of a song writer.
In prepping for Rad Fest, I have discovered some great bands I might not have ever found (some are even bands I overlooked in prepping for F7).
Dirty Tactics is probably my favorite new find. They are old school punk rock with dueling vocals and rough around the edges production. I am so stoked to see them live.
The Menzingers are a band I was really excited about but they have since pulled out. They are the lovechild of punk and 90s alt rock. Very anthemic, very fun, but they are opening for Against Me! so I guess I can't blame them for pulling out.
P.S. Eliot is a low-fi rock band with female vocals. They are channeling 1994 something fierce. Hypnotic and fuzzy with just enough pop hook to keep you coming back.
Two Hand Fools, out of Ohio. A rock band with male and female vocals. Very indie rockish, but not the pretentious stuff mass produced these days.
My girlfriend jumped right onto Greenland is Melting, Coffee Project (featuring a member of Rehasher) and Sharks Come Cruisin'. Greenland is Melting is a straight up bluesgrass band. Coffee Project is a two man group, acoustic guitar and a horn. Sharks Come Crusin' is a band churnin' out rocking shanties. If you like drinking and shouting responses, they are right up your alley. My girlfriend calls it happy music, because just listening to them gets you in a good mood.
My greatest disappointment with RF is that I have two conflicted shows. Red Collar is playing at the same time as Two Hand Fools and Sharks Come Cruisin' and P.S. Eliot are on at the same time. That's the one huge downside to all of these festival shows, there are always going to be bands playing at the same time. My schedule of events is posted below.
We're heading out to Carolina Beach on Thursday night and are coming back Sunday afternoon/evening. If you're going, let me know.
Friday:
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/1857796/radfestschedule-pdf-april-14-2010-4-57-pm-941k?da=y
Friday:
Greenland Is Melting – 3:40 – 4:10 (CB) http://www.myspace.com/greenlandismelting
Gatorface – 5:40 – 6:10 (SD) http://www.myspace.com/gatorfacefl
Coffee Project – 6:10 - 6:40 (CB) http://www.myspace.com/coffeeproject
Dinner Break
The Measure (SA) – 7:30 – 8:10 (SU) http://www.myspace.com/themeasuresa
Rehasher – 8:30 – 9:15 (SU) http://www.myspace.com/rehasher
Toys That Kill – 9:35 - 10:20 (SU) http://www.myspace.com/toysthatkill
Spanish Gamble – 11: 20 - 11:50 (16T) http://www.myspace.com/spanishgamble
Dirty Tactics – 12:20 - 12:50 (SD) http://www.myspace.com/dirtytactics
The Riot Before – 1:00 – 1:40 (16T) http://www.myspace.com/theriotbefore
Saturday:
Senders – 1:50 - 2:20 (16T) http://www.myspace.com/senders
Two Hand Fools – 3:40 - 4:10 (CB) http://www.myspace.com/twohandfools
Red Collar – 4:00 - 4:40 (SU) http://www.myspace.com/redcollarmusic
Lemuria – 5:00 - 5:40 (SU) http://www.myspace.com/lemuria
Dinner Break
Annabel – 7:50 - 8:20 (CB) http://www.myspace.com/annabelrock
Museum Mouth – 8:40 - 9:10 (CB) http://www.myspace.com/ilovemuseummouth
Sharks Come Cruisin – 9:40 - 10:10 (SD) http://www.myspace.com/sharkscomecruisin P.S. Eliot – 10:20 - 10:50 (CB) http://www.myspace.com/pseliot
Leatherface – 11:40 - 1:00 (SU) http://www.myspace.com/leatherfacepunx
Ninja Gun – 1:00 - 1:40 (SD) http://www.myspace.com/ninjagun
Legend:
Soapbox Upstairs - SU
Soapbox Downstairs - SD
16 Taps - 16T
Whiskey - WSK
Charley Brownz - CB
super excited!!
ReplyDeleteGreat news, no more scheduling conflicts (thanks Chason!).
ReplyDeleteBad news, no more Averkiou. At least there is still one shoegaze band left.