The Fest in Gainesville is a mecca where punks from all over the world turn up in the Floridian town to celebrate this wonderful scene. Bands from all over the world also play the festival. Here's ten of the top bands from the UK and Europe that are embarking on Gainesville to play and enjoy the festivities.
Good Friend (Saturday at High Dive 16.10–16.40)
Heart-on-your-sleeve punk rockers Good Friend are no strangers to playing Fest. The trio play loud, sing-a-long punk rock that is crying out to be shouted back at the band – a sound that is very popular at the festival. Their last offering, Ride The Storm, was released in 2016 by Red Scare and still receives regular plays at CPRW towers. Good Friend are a band for a good time.
Arms & Hearts (Saturday at Civic Media Centre 20.10–20.40)
Someone making their first appearance at the Fest is Arms & Hearts. The Manchester based folk singer has been working hard, travelling around the UK and Europe spreading. Whether it's a quiet folk show or a rousing punk rock night, Arms & Hearts will capture the audience's attention and their hearts.
Chloe Hawes (Saturday at Civic Media Centre 20.50–21.20)
Formerly from Essex and now based in Manchester, Chloe Hawes plays a mixture of folk, Americana and rock music. I'm yet to see Chloe live but whenever I've listened to her I've been captivated by her voice. It's mesmerising as she weaves her way through stories about life in your twenties. If you're in need of slowing things down a bit at Fest then Chloe is a must see.
Hell & Back (Sunday at Loosey's 15.50–16.20)
I first became aware of Stuttgart’s Hell & Back when they played an astonishing covers set at Booze Cruise Festival in Hamburg. After that I went and checked out their own material and loved it. Combining a gruff/orgcore style with a melodic skate punk sound, Hell & Back are the perfect band for a small, sweaty bar where the crowd is right in the band’s face.
Eat Defeat (Sunday at Loosey's 19.10–19.40)
I was over the moon when I heard that Eat Defeat were announced for Fest. The foursome have been CPRW favourites since the beginning and it's just lovely to see the band’s hard work paying off, with more and more big opportunities earning them more and more fans along the way. Eat Defeat play uplifting pop punk music with the overreaching message being that despite how bad things may seem at the moment, they will get better.
Question The Mark (Sunday at Loosey's 20.50–21.20)
Welsh punk rockers Question The Mark return to The Fest with their gruff punk rock sounds. I've always loved the band’s unique vocals, something that really helps them stand out among their peers. It's everyman music that everyone can sing along with, which is something that I always enjoy. Question The Mark are one of the UK punk scenes best kept secrets – check them out and see why.
Captain Asshole (Sunday at Loosey's 21.40–22.10)
No new band have got me more excited than Munich's Captain Asshole. Their debut album, What An Awful Life, is going to place very highly on my 2019 end of year list. They were the band I was most looking forward to seeing at Booze Cruise in June and they did not disappoint. Playing pop punk with loads of gang vocals and harmonies, Captain Asshole do this great thing of making you feel involved in their set. I love Captain Asshole and I highly suspect that you will too.
Forever Unclean (Sunday at Loosey's 23.20–23.50)
I always find it so satisfying when you find a band at the start of their career and get to see them progress on to great things. I was fortunate to discover Denmark's Forever Unclean when they released their debut EP Shreds in 2015 and it's been wonderful seeing people get on board with this great band ever since. Indie, poppy, skatey, punk stuff from one of Europe's very best bands.
The Run Up (Sunday at Loosey's 00.10–00.40)
2019 has been a massive year for Bristol's The Run Up. Following a really successful tour of Europe, with Bong Mountain and Laureate, they released their stunning second album In Motion. Having the privilege of watching these guys progress over the past couple of years has been an absolute pleasure. Playing songs about trying to figure out life and making the best of bad situations, The Run Up always deliver live.
Überyou (Sunday at Loosey's 01.00–01.30)
Switzerland's Überyou are one of the best bands I've seen live – ever. The five piece connect with a crowd like no band I've ever seen before. You get the sense that the band and the crowd are all in this together and it's not just a cliché. Their 2019 album Night Shifts has become a firm favourite at CPRW towers and if you were to peak into our window (although that would be weird) you will often see Emma and I screaming along to every word on the album. Überyou are closing Fest, I can't think of a better band to do so.
This top ten was written by Colin Clark.
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