Album Review: Astroturf by Hot Mass (by Lara Roberts)

It’s 2022 and the world is slowly adjusting to a new normal, post-pandemic way of life. While we take tentative steps together exploring this new world, there are still a lot of home comforts, things that are the same but just a little different – little changes that you didn’t realise you would enjoy or need unless The Great Fuck Up happened back in 2020 (more self-service and cashless payments, praise be).

Six years after their first album was released, Swansea punks Hot Mass are back in the studio working on their sophomore album, Happy, Smiling, and Living the Dream. The first single from their upcoming album is a journey of self-discovery and self-assurance while trying to navigate your way to self-acceptance in the very modern face of not quite fitting in with everyone around you. It’s something we’ve all felt at some point, some more than others (hello!), so you’ll find that both the Astroturf melody and lyrics are easy to connect to from the first play. With lyrics like “these crossword clues don’t get any easier, and fuck the words they spell out – just stay what you are and light up the room day after day” – it’s almost as if the song is cheering you on to stay true to yourself, a long-lost friend that’s got your back, to stop you questioning who you are.

“The song embodies the punk-derived sonic textures that we love, but I wanted to pay homage to the early college/indie rock era and the free-floating guitar parts that are a staple of those genres” explains vocalist and guitarist Rhys Jenkins. Hot Mass have successfully and authentically produced a sound that is reminiscent of 90s college and indie rock, while staying true to their original, more punk rock roots. Bands like Weezer (Blue Album-era), The Pixies, and Dinosaur Jr. are thrown at you from the get go, albeit with tighter guitar playing than a noise-fuelled free-for-all. This works exceptionally well, keeping a more ‘punk’ edge to the track.

Full of catchy and comforting melancholic melodies and poignant positivity, Astroturf is a fantastic introduction to what promises to be new sound for the band. Nervous Tension was a solid first album for Hot Mass, and Happy, Smiling, and Living the Dream builds on that with the introduction of a few little changes, creating a more mature, self-assured sound.

Astroturf is available to stream everywhere from 22nd July 2022. Make sure you check out the video too.

Happy, Smiling and Living the Dream is out August 2022 on Brassneck Records (UK), This Charming Man Records (EU), and Black Numbers (US).

This review was written by Lara Roberts.

Gig Review: Drones Final Gig at The Lexington, London 7/5/22

So, Drones have split up after twelve years. During their time together they became one of the most well loved and respected DIY bands in the UK punk scene. Despite some line-up changes throughout the years, the band only ever seemed to go from strength to strength and got to bow out at the absolute top of their game. The band announced that they were splitting up at the beginning of the year and that their final two shows would be at Manchester Punk Festival and one final headliner at The Lexington in North London. We were fortunate enough to be able to attend their Lexington show which featured support from label pals Burnt Tapes and newcomers Cult Revival.

First up were Kent’s Cult Revival. The five-piece only formed in 2021 and had, so far, only played one gig together. I thought it was really cool for Drones to pick such a new band for their last show. In a way, the crowd could replace some departing heroes with some new ones. Not knowing much about Cult Revival I was intrigued to see what their sound was. Unfortunately, it took a couple of songs to really get a feel for them as the sound was not as good as it could have been. The band played a fresh and interesting sounding emo style with elements of alternative rock thrown in that I’ve not heard a lot of recently. The use of two singers, one with cleaner vocals and one with a big scream, was a nice contrast and the band do seem to have come up with a sound that could see them do some exciting things. There was a nice moment during their set where they did a quick cover of Green Day’s Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) which they dedicated to their friends in Drones – which I thought was a lovely touch. Slam Dunk is on the horizon and Cult Revival have the kind of sound that I think will be very popular for fans of that festival in years to come.

Next up were Drones’ long time friends and Lockjaw Records label mates, Burnt Tapes. You know we’re massive fans of the band at CPRW and any opportunity to see them is always a pleasure. A bit like Cult Revival before them, the sound for the first couple of songs was a bit off but it didn’t stop the crowd from engaging in a big sing-along. The band tore through so many favourites, barely stopping for a chat. Perhaps wanting to squeeze as many songs in as possible during their thirty minutes on stage. Songs such as Drift Champ ’16, Dirt Roads, Robert Cop and Greek Wood all got great reactions, alongside closers Things Get Weird and Yuzi. A new thing that the Tapes have incorporated into their live set since lockdown is bass player Tone getting into the crowd and encouraging them to squat down during the intro of Things Get Weird. It’s a fun bit of crowd participation that Tone in particular gets a real kick out of. As always, Burnt Tapes smashed their set and got me excited to see them again at Bristol Booze Cruise next month.

Last up, it was time for the final ever Drones set. During the changeover we popped outside for some air. Upon returning the room was packed with a lot of people very keen to give Drones a proper send off. The band took to the stage and the anticipation was high as the band started their set. I was extremely pleased that the sound issues that had troubled Burnt Tapes and Cult Revival at the beginning of their sets didn’t seem to be an issue for Drones. Of the few times I’ve seen Drones in the past I’ve always come away just mesmerised by just how good they are live. Lois is such an incredible front person, charisma oozes out of them and makes them extremely watchable. Their vocals sounds spot on and accompanied by bass player Kerr’s shouts is really when the band come into their own. The opening of the set sees the band getting the crowd more and more amped up and it’s not long before the mosh pit gets going and we get our first crowdsurfers of the evening. As I’ve seen Lois do at most Drones shows I’ve been to, it’s not long before they enter the crowd to sing. The crowd seemed to part for them to make a corridor for them to stalk down whilst belting out Rorschach. I always enjoy seeing a band get down in the crowd, not only does it create a stunning visual but it shows there is a togetherness between the band and their fans that’s just wholesome. I stood towards the side of the crowd and had a great view of both the stage and the crowd and it was amazing to see both parties feed off each other to create a truly special moment. The set sadly flew by and it seemed to get to its conclusion far sooner than anyone (including the band, I suspect) would have liked. They saved a couple of surprises for the end though. The first being the current members of the band being joined by some old members for a song, during which Lois took the opportunity to crowd surf, and then as a final song all Drones members past and present performed together, in what I jokingly referred to as a McBusted moment. It was a pretty special moment to witness. It felt like a great way for the band to go out. This was not quite the end though, as the crowd demanded that Drones returned to the stage for a well deserved encore.

This was such a special way for Drones to go out. The room was full of friends of the band from all over the country for one last party with them. The whole evening was full of positive feelings and love and I felt particularly blessed to have been able to witness it. I’ve no clue what the members of Drones have planned but I suspect that we will see them pop up with other musical projects in the future – there’s too much talent in the band for them not do something else.

RIP Drones. Thanks for the music. Thanks for the memories.

This review was written by Colin Clark. Photos by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Total Disarray by Quaker Wedding (by Marcus Pond)

Total Disarray is the sophomore LP from Quaker Wedding, a three-piece outfit from New York City. If you scroll back in the CPRW archives far enough, you’ll see that I ranked their debut record, In Transit, as my 3rd favorite album of 2020, so when Marco (who runs Salinas Records and is the frontman for Quaker Wedding) sent me the link to the new songs, I was beyond stoked to check them out. Of course, even though I totally meant to write it up ahead of time, I waited until the vinyl came in the mail, because spinning it in my living room is always a better experience than with my headphones on a laptop.

Although Quaker Wedding released “Russian Hill” as a 7” single last year (by the way “Running List”, also made the tracklist), “Vintage Dress” is the song that was given the music video treatment and leads off the record. It sets the lyrical tone for the album, with palm muted verses leading to a crashing chorus about a dissolved relationship. Looking at the lyric sheet, it reads like a diary, and lines like “when you left it / you left me to be the one / to throw your dress out in the trash” had me speechless when I first heard them.

Like their debut, the album art on Total Disarray hints at the band’s relationship with location (faded photos of mostly desolate cityscapes with images of maps around the edges), and they hash out that relationship out in songs like “Woodbridge” and “A New York Minute”. The former is a burst of anger-fueled energy about all the things you hate about where you live driving you crazy, while the latter is a bittersweet number about knowing “how it feels to be a ghost / to haunt the place I love / without the people I miss most”.

The sequencing on Total Disarray is perfect, as they hit the listener with the best three-song leadoff I’ve heard from any album this year (I know it’s early, I’m just setting the bar here), and after slowing it down with tracks like the wistful “Staten Island Ferry” and the darker, moody “In And Of Itself”, they close with the one-two punch of the aforementioned “Russian Hill” and “Hurricane”.

The comparisons I’ve seen online to Jawbreaker are apt, as “Russian Hill” sounds like a bop that could’ve been from the 24 Hour Revenge Therapy sessions and is one of the brighter tunes on Total Disarray. Conversely, “In And Of Itself” has a (at least to my ears) Dear You kind of vibe. More than anything, both bands play heavy punk songs with impeccable lyrics, and if that’s what you’re into, Quaker Wedding has 10 fresh tracks that you should really dig.

Songs to check out: “Vintage Dress”, “Woodbridge”, “Running List”, “Russian Hill”.

Stream and download Total Disarray on Bandcamp.

This review was written by Marcus Pond.

Album Review: Crepuscolo Dorato Della Bruschetta… by Snuff (by Chris Bishton)

Snuff are back. Crepuscolo Dorato Della Bruschetta Borsetta Calzetta Cacchetta Trombetta Lambretta Giallo Ossido, Ooooooh Così Magnifico! (yes, seriously) is the latest from the UK punk powerhouse and, given all the difficulties that have come with writing, rehearsing and recording over the last couple of years, it comes relatively quickly following 2019's Fat Wreck released There's A Lot Of It About.

If you don't know the band, which I doubt but I guess it's possible, they've been almost constant mainstays in the UK punk scene for over 30 years. There's been inevitable line-up changes, side projects and mini-breaks over that time and the band stripped back to a three-piece to write this new album, but Duncan Redmonds remains perpetual, meaning not only do you know what to expect, you also know you're going to get a banger.

With 10 tracks, it's not the longest and only one of these tracks lasts more than three minutes, but what you get is a snappy 25 minutes or so of that instantly familiar Snuff sound. There's harmonies, singalongs and very distinct vocals galore. The expected horns, trombones and organ are all in there as well. Listen to it from start to finish and I think most will also agree having just 10 tracks is to the record's benefit – there's very little need for any skips here.

 
The first track is Looks Alright From Here. The opening few seconds start with the guitars, followed by drums and then cymbals before Duncan's frantic and unmistakable vocals kick in. It's the way all good Snuff albums start. Vintage stuff.

Green Grass Chippings is next. I think it had been pre-released as an online single, but I hadn't actually caught it before. It's one of my favourites on the album – absurdly catchy vocals – but not quite as the brilliant One Of Those Days which follows and is the best song on the album. Fish 'N' Chips then reminds me further of their very indisputable sound. You can't hear this and wonder 'who are this band?' and 'where are they from?' – patently Snuff and obviously British.

 
Snuff being Snuff also can't resist a cover and there's a classic here with their take on Curtis Mayfield's Hard Times. The band themselves refer to their sound as "Motown Punk" and this is as good a cover as they've done. In fact, when you listen to the whole album on repeat you'll hear Motown references and sounds all over the place.

Barba Gelata then starts with the sound of a British ice cream van before a three minute instrumental. It's the only song that feels a bit out of place, but I'm sure that's more me than most.

 
Lemon Curd gets me back on track before being followed by Stolen From View and Small F; all solid tracks before it finishes with Bing Bing – a Snuff catchphrase and a feel good song, the mid-pace of which winds the album down nicely.

 
This Snuff release probably won't rank as many people's favourite, but why should it? A band with this much back catalogue can't put out better and better records indefinitely and it's right that everyone should have their own personal best. But, it's fast, harmonic, raucous and distinctly Snuff and I love it for that.

The album is available on the band's own 10 Past 12 Records and Austria's SBÄM Records.

You can stream and download the album on Bandcamp and like Snuff on Facebook.

This review was written by Chris Bishton.

Album Review: Feel The Void by Hot Water Music (by Omar Ramlugon)

It’s not overstating things to say that the last couple of years have been pretty dreadful for almost everyone. A worldwide pandemic killed literally millions of people, while we were locked inside our houses and often not even able to bid farewell to our loved ones as they passed. Having only just started to move somewhere past that, a failing state decided to threaten us all with the threat of nuclear annihilation. It has felt like there’s simply nowhere to turn at times; Hot Water Music’s Chuck Ragan is no stranger to this, admitting in a recent interview ‘[...] man, it's been a really tough couple years. There's been multiple deaths in the family ... from losing family members to our dog, there was just a lot going on.’

Just from the title alone, it’s clear that Feel The Void was very much informed by these turbulent times in which we continue to find ourselves. The album spits and crackles with all the furious energy that you’d expect from these Gainesville stalwarts, but it’s tempered with a deep warmth and humanity from life experience that comes from the majority of the band being well into their 40s by this point. Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard have always been adept with their lyrics and vocals as they are with their guitars, never going for the obvious and instead adopting a wry, spare approach that always serves the music. Indeed, it’s a duo so well known in punk circles that the addition of The Flatliners’ Chris Cresswell may have raised a few eyebrows. Wollard even noted that Cresswell becoming their third guitarist/vocalist was uncharted territory for the band; ‘[...] I had no clue how to do it with three. I didn’t have a plan. I don’t think any of us did, other than plug in and figure it out.’

And figure it out they did. With Brian McTernan at the helm producing, Feel The Void is easily Hot Water Music’s best record for a long while. Whether it’s the shot in the arm from Cresswell, having McTernan back in the fold, or just finding strength in each other and channelling difficult days into their music, they sound revitalised. The album confidently moves through different moods and feelings we’ve all had these last few years, whether it’s the pulse-pounding rage and anxiety of ‘Killing Time’, the laughing in the face of pain exemplified by ‘Collect Your Things And Run’, which manages to make a brilliant hook out of the rhyme “Count to 4, 5, 6, I feel like shit”, or the heart-breaking, grief stricken ‘Habitual’.

The mix is marvellously uncluttered, even with three guitarists, allowing them all to find their place while Jason Black and George Rebelo’s killer rhythm section is as fantastically in the pocket as ever. Vocally, everyone is sounding on top of their game, with Ragan’s stentorian roar, Wollard’s smoky but slightly more tuneful rasp, and Cresswell’s more polished delivery shining, whether they’re backing each other up or leading the charge. The tag team approach taken on the title track is particularly thrilling. Cresswell does lead a song of his own – the killer ‘Turn The Dial’ – and it’s testament to his ability as a musician that he isn’t overshadowed by the four punk lifers around him. Elsewhere, the gnarly rush of ‘Scratch On’ is followed by the almost ballad-like ‘Ride On’, and the album closes itself out with the tuneful, defiant ‘Lock Up’, which features one of the best and most apropos chorus lyrics for these times; “Damn the world that rakes me over the coals/Every day I owe”.

This is a really special record. While there are plenty of cuts that will instantly win you over, there’s still more that don’t grab you at first flush but will slowly work their hooks into you with each listen. It’s Hot Water Music’s best record since The New What Next, easily surpassing Light It Up and pipping Exister to the post. It’s fraught with pain, uncertainty and frustration, but underpinning it all is a sense of the strength garnered from allowing yourself to be vulnerable, so as to confront your darkest impulses with the help of your loved ones, even if that pain comes from letting a loved one go. If that sounds like it would appeal to you, then don’t hesitate to pick this up. We could all do with some reassurance these days, and if Hot Water Music are still making records this good, that has to count for something.

Stream and download Feel The Void on Bandcamp here, as well the the other usual music outlets.

Like Hot Water Music on Facebook here.

This review was written by Omar Ramlugon.

Album Review: Cuts by One Million Motors

One Million Motors are a four piece alt-punk band from Newcastle in the North of England. They’ve been working hard at their craft for a number of years now and have a handful of tours and releases under their belt. In 2021 they released one of my favourite songs of the year in the form of You’re Not Viable (You Just Don’t Know It Yet) and now they have just released a brand new EP titled Cuts. It features four brand new songs that I was very excited to hear.

The first of the four songs on Cuts is titled They’re Getting Away With This. The opening guitar feels like a siren going off before the rumbling bass line joins the party. It’s not long before the whole band gets involved and we get some explosive vocals. It’s a political song calling for us not to let the people in power get away with all their wrong doings. The song is shorter than a lot of previous One Million Motors songs and certainly packs the punch I suspect they were aiming for. Next is Distractions which again starts with a killer guitar line. This song does go over three minutes long which allows more time to build and grow. Of the four songs on Cuts, Distractions is definitely the most familiar sounding for folk who were already a fan of the band. I’d like to say that the song has some quiet parts and some louder parts but, in truth, it’s more that it’s got some loud parts and some much louder parts – I loved this. Great tune.

ACW was the first song that One Million Motors shared in the build up towards the EP’s release. At just one minute long, it felt like a perfect teaser for what was to come. Starting out with a phone ringing before we blast into a song that manages to pack a lot into its short time frame. I was a bit disappointed that it didn’t go on for longer as it finished just as I felt like it was getting going but it did leave me itching for more. Last up is Know What’s Best. From the beginning of this track I noticed a shift towards a heavier, more fancy guitar riff style for the band. This gives the band a whole new layer to their sound and helps them stand out from many of their contemporaries. It also shows off just what a talented bunch of musicians the folk in this band are. Special nod to the drumming which is first class throughout the whole EP. Despite the heavier sound, the track is packed full of hooks and moments to scream your lungs hoarse too.

Cuts is another fine release from what I think is one of the most exciting newer bands in the UK. If you don’t know One Million Motors yet then now is the time to check them out.

Stream and download Cuts on Bandcamp here.

Like One Million Motors on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: Sidesplitter by Sidesplitter (by Emma Prew)

Sidesplitter are a new – very new if you discount the past two years of the pandemic – Melbourne, Australia, based band formed of members of The Eradicator, Foxtrot, Dawn Of The Jackal and The Suicide Tuesdays. The Suicide Tuesdays were one of my absolutely favourite Bandcamp discoveries of the past few years and I was gutted when they decided to call it a day. However, I’m really glad that vocalist and guitarist Joe Guiton has continued to make music, first with Boom! Civil War and now with Sidesplitter.

Joe got in touch with us about reviewing the band’s debut EP and despite describing it as being different to his previous musical outputs – ‘shorter, much louder and screamier’ – I was very keen to check it out. I figured that if it wasn’t quite my cup of tea then someone else at CPRW would be up for reviewing it but… obviously, I loved it so it’s all mine! Although I can’t wait for everyone else to hear this, when it is released to the world on the 1st of April (no joke).

The first of the three tracks is the relentless 49 second long 2020. ‘Screamy’ was certainly a good descriptor, at least for the first half of this short track, but it’s also wonderfully melodic and cathartic. The track is about the dire state of the world at the moment – and, indeed, in 2020 – and how people can be so needlessly selfish just to get their own way or prove their own point. The track may be short but Sidesplitter certainly manage to pack a lot into it, including some brilliant call and response vocals. I can only dream of how good this must sound live. You can watch the slightly longer than 49 second video of 2020 here.

2020 is followed by Heartbeat Of The Underground, a longer (just over two minutes) but no less ferocious hardcore punk track. It’s a what some might think of as a true punk rock song, with lyrics about protesting the system and those who tell us how we should live our lives. It’s angry but it’s also passionate and optimistic about wanting a better world. The chorus in particular is just begging for a crowd to add unofficial gang vocals – ‘An open letter to the ones, Who preach their hate, We lit the fire we tear it down, We liberate, No more spreading lies, To build divide, We don’t need alibis, We'll live our lives the way we want, We choose our fate’.

Just The Way We Are closes out the EP in style. My initial thoughts after listening to the EP for the first time is that this track is the most similar to Joe’s previous bands in that it is a little less ‘hardcore’ but is no less melodic and fist-in-the-air inducing. The track also features Joe’s brilliant storytelling songwriting style which I absolutely love. From the opening lyrics of ‘We watched the sunrise over the city’ through to the second verse ‘The day gets longer, and the drinks get stronger’ and the song’s closing words ‘It’s just the way we are’, this song is an honest and personal one that will be relatable for many. Just The Way We Are is about friendship and confronting the demons that come with adult life with people who care about you by your side. A brilliant way to finish the EP and probably my favourite song I’ve heard so far this year.

As I said earlier, the EP will be released on 1st April – you can preorder it (and listen to 2020) on Bandcamp now. There is also an EP launch show planned for 8th April at The Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar, Melbourne, with Udder Ubductees, Von Stache and The Shadow League.

In the meantime, like Sidesplitter on Facebook and check out the band members’ previous work.

This review was written by Emma Prew.

Album Review: Isolation by After The Fall (by Brett Coomer)

I was a little concerned that after waiting for what felt like a long time before the release of Dedication in 2020, one of my favourite albums of that year, After The Fall would make us wait another 5 years before releasing their seventh album. As it turns out, I needn’t have worried because it’s early 2022 and the Albany, New York, four-piece have thankfully given us a brand new album entitled Isolation. With 10 new tracks squeezed into 17 minutes, the songs are played at a mostly blistering pace, but without sacrificing any melody, lyricism or technical proficiency.

‘Ghosts’ kicks things off at high speed, showcasing the duelling vocals of Mike and Jasmine very nicely. Fast, short and sweet, this is the After The Fall everyone has grown to love and provides a great start to the album. Jasmine’s vocals pair perfectly with Mike’s and are prominent throughout the album. It makes for a really great dynamic and has become one of my favourite vocal combinations in punk.

‘Adios Amigo’ follows and is a surprisingly mid-tempo song with a catchy melody and some nice lead guitar flourishes. I may be missing some nuance behind the song but I feel like the lyrics are directed at a certain music label (and owner) the band was previously involved with who messed around with an album release. After the brief reprieve, the speed is turned up again with ‘Degradation’. The pace is perfect for the anger directed at the pro-white, blue-lives-matter, alt-right section of the population. The song also features some of the best dual vocal harmonies heard since Jasmine joined the band.

‘Firewood’ is a song that would fit right in on any of the band’s previous releases. It’s fast, it’s melodic, but it’s also a melancholic love song with lyrics that describe what it feels like to meet and be with the person who makes everything feel right and the willingness to sacrifice in order to keep that feeling.

‘Gas Money’ is the first song on the album fronted by Jasmine. It’s angry, fast and seems to be a clear message to the music industry, which continues to pay smaller independent bands terribly.

Next up is another more mid-tempo song that just passes the 2 minute mark. ‘Break A Leg’ proves that After The Fall doesn’t have to play everything fast to sound great. The song serves as a reminder to people motivated by wealth and success that stepping over people to achieve that could leave them with an empty life without love.

‘Failed You’ is like the sad ending to the story started with ‘Firewood’, a poignant song reflecting on the acceptance of a failed relationship and the point in time at which the realisation occurred. It’s another great example of how well the vocals of Jasmine and Mike compliment each other.

The two songs that follow have a combined length of 1:30, which is short even by punk rock standards. The first is the title track ‘Isolation’, which perfectly expresses the feelings most of us have experienced over the last 2 years while being mostly stuck at home. The second is ‘Smashed State’, which has some hints of 90s pop-punk and a melody most bands would kill to match with songs twice as long.

‘Mileage’, the album closer, is only the third song to crack 2 minutes and it takes advantage of the extra time available with 3 verses, providing both Mike and Jasmine an opportunity to sing a verse each as well as a guest appearance by Jon Snodgrass. The chorus is catchy and really hits home with the message that “things will never be the same again”.

If you were a fan of previous After The Fall releases, the 17-minute length of Isolation won’t surprise you. The quality of the songwriting and the Blasting Room production won’t shock you either. What might surprise you is how the band manages to stay so consistent without rehashing old ideas or sounding stale. The songs are like quick, sharp punk-rock jabs delivering endorphins and adrenaline. Even the slower or longer songs never feel out of place or insincere. And when the album is over, all you’ll want to do is find the play button to start it over again.

Stream and download Isolation on Bandcamp here.

Like After The Fall on Facebook here.

This review was written by Brett Coomer.

Album Review: Self​-​Titled by Creekwood Adjacent

Creekwood Adjacent are a band from Wilmington, North Carolina, who play raw melodic pop punk music. I stumbled upon them thanks to the fine folk at Punk Rock Radar just as they released their self-titled album at the beginning of the year. The first thing that really caught my attention was a superb cover that I’ll get to later but I found the entire record to have a lot of charm.

Giving Up gets the album off to a flying start. Some guitars and drums build the song up before some gruff and raspy vocals kick things off properly. I’m really reminded of early Burnt Tapes with the style. The band are not polished but do capture some raw emotion which I loved. This is a hook filled song that really welcomes you into the album. Adderall You Can Eat opens with a bass line and some vocals that are quite striking. When the whole band comes in, they feel quite muted compared to the vocals. I guess this is to really allow you listen to the track’s lyrics as Creekwood Adjacent sing about using medication to help with your mental health issues and block out the voices in your head.

The third song is named Oblivia. Starting with an obnoxious “one, two, fuck you!” the song is a venom filled song covering the aftermath of a relationship. The rawness of the vocals displays plenty of hurt and emotion but it in no way feels like an ‘emo’ song. White Guy Named Jerome is a song title that really stood out. The song sees Creekwood Adjacent change up their sound slightly. The track begins with some heavier, more shredding like guitars that you might expect in a metal song. When the vocals come in, we’re greeted by the more familiar Creekwood Adjacent sound but the metal style remains in the background. The two styles blend very well together and give the song a unique quality.

The second half of the album starts with Pissing In The Wind. Pissing In The Wind is a simple, catchy punk rock song about how, no matter how hard you try, it feels like you’re always fighting an uphill struggle. A big chunk of the song is the line “pissing in the wind” that’s beautifully harmonised with some “whoa-ohs”. This will certainly be a crowd pleaser. Track six is the crassly titled Shut Your Mouth Before I Fuck It. It’s a bit too aggressive for my liking but it shows the frustration that the band lives with. The song talks about all the nay-sayers in your life and getting away from them. Despite the aggressive song title, the song actually has a positive feeling to it.

The penultimate song is that aforementioned cover song. The Pixies classic Where Is My Mind seems to be a popular song to cover – I saw London ska punks King Punch cover it last year. Unsurprisingly, Creekwood Adjacent deliver a more punky version than the original. The vocals are rawer and the tempo is raised from what we’re used to hearing and the “whoa-ohs” are tailored for a punk rock band. The final track on the album is titled Only On The Weekends. I’m interested to know why the band picked the album’s shortest song to finish the album as usually the final song on the album is reserved for something big. I like Only On The Weekends as a song but did expect something else to finish the album. It’s a fast and straight forward punk song, where the band’s singer laments the mistakes that were made on a weekend and questions was it all their fault?

Creekwood Adjacent show promise on this debut release. It’s a bit raw and rough around the edges but the band clearly know how to write catchy songs and that will only help them as they grow and progress as a band.

Stream and download Self​-​Titled on Bandcamp here.

Like Creekwood Adjacent on Facebook here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Album Review: 9th & Walnut by Descendents (by John O'Hare)

Descendents need absolutely no introduction whatsoever. So let’s dive straight into the latest release, 9th & Walnut (Epitaph, 2021). This record isn’t a straight up new album, it’s a bunch of songs originally written between 1977 and 1980 with only three having been released previously. The most interesting thing to note is that this was recorded with the ‘classic’ lineup – which features Tony Lombardo on bass and Frank Navetta on guitar, alongside mainstay members Milo Aukerman and Bill Stevenson.

Opening track Sailor’s Choice is typical Descendents. Opening with that fizzy, bright guitar tone we’ve come to love and immediately thrusting Milo’s vocals at you within 20 seconds. The bass is expectedly prominent, precise and clean. Before you know it, Sailor’s Choice has finished and second track Crepe Suzette has opened with a cheeky bass riff. It’s perhaps the simplicity in the bass and guitar that gives this song a more rock ’n’ roll kind of vibe which I found interesting. Once again, before you know it the song has finished and we’re treated to another cheeky bass intro, this time opening up You Make Me Sick. The vocal melody is an instant hook and could easily have appeared on Descendents’ previous record Hypercaffium Spazzinate (Epitaph, 2016). If you’re familiar with Descendents’ back catalogue, you just knew this song was gonna end with the sound of someone being sick. Nice.

Lullaby is a slight departure to the previous songs in that the guitars are deeper and the main riff doesn’t sound obviously like the same band. This was the first time when it felt like the song was written by younger musicians – which it was, remember?

Track 5, Nightage is the obvious stand out, due to the -age title – a common Descendents moniker. Once again the bass is working hard throughout. Nightage is the longest song on the record, even making space for a guitar solo. Keen listeners will hear a sample of someone saying ‘Play it Frank, Play it’. It’s definitely Frank’s moment to shine. Baby Doncha Know, is a short aggressive blast, ending with some staggered drum/guitar smashes and a snotty Milo exclaiming ‘Do you know what you’re gonna do with yourself/I guess not’

Up to this point, there hasn’t been a standout track, although the excellent musicianship, complimented by Milo doing exactly what we love is really great to hear. Tired Of Being Tired came out of nowhere and blew me away. Opening with Tony showing off his bass skills and Bill Stevenson on drums sounding as if he’s in his element, the song has no chorus, but each verse ends with a fantastic, harmonised vocal line that changes the whole dynamic of the song…and then it’s gone. Thankfully this moment is played out 5 or 6 times so you can appreciate it in all its glory. I’d happily have it a few more times if I could.

I’m Shaky is another slight departure from what you expect in a Descendents song. Even the backing vocal chorus shout of ‘Guess I’m Pretty Shaky’ sounds like a different band. The bass favours a blues-rock style riff which also sets the song apart. The vocal harmonies on this song definitely give it another edge which I enjoyed.

Anyone aware of Descendents knows they’re fond of throwing in some weird, discordant songs in there from time to time. Grudge is the moment it takes that turn. It starts out fairly straight up punk, but soon enough drops to just bass and drums with a spoken word part. I’m interested to know who it is in this part, ’cause it doesn’t sound like Milo at all. To me it sounds like Paul Stanley of KISS, giving his rock and roll speech at the end of God Gave Rock N Roll To You… haha.

I love it when it’s clear the placement of tracks has been thought about – following the moody, aggressive Grudge with the super melodic, bittersweet Mohicans is a stroke of genius and really makes this song pop. I was pleased to hear it featuring Bill Stevenson’s trademark double snare hits in the intro. Wonderful.

Like The Way I Know has a super memorable chorus line, delivered in typical Milo fashion. This is one of those short, sweet songs that gets stuck in your head because of its simplicity. The record takes another weirdo turn with It’s A Hectic World. It seems super simple, but having the vocals and guitars following the same melody is really effective in making the song sound a bit odd. Unfortunately this is probably one of my least favourite songs on the record, but the strange tone does add something to the sombre feel of the following track, To Remember. Lyrically, Descendents may seem very surface level a lot of the time, but they always drop at least one deeper, slightly melancholic banger. To Remember has a fantastic chorus which pulls on the heartstrings.

As quick as they grew up and wrote something deeper, they come back down with Yore Disgusting – ‘You’re disgusting/you’re like the head of a dog/you’re disgusting/you know you look like a hog’. Classic. This is followed by It’s My Hair, another straight up punk song about doing what you want with your hair. I couldn’t help but feel like the record was winding down by this song, and there’s still 3 to go.

I Need Some has some nice vocal moments, especially in the chorus and, to be fair, with some more typical Descendents flavour, it could have appeared on Cool To Be You (Fat Wreck Chords, 2004). Ride The Wild isn’t bad but feels like it’s been shoved at the end because it’s not bad/not good. The final song is a cover of Glad All Over by The Dave Clark Five which they actually do a stellar job of performing. A very pleasant end.

After being quite skeptical about how good this record could be, 9th & Walnut was a surprisingly good listen. There were no massively standout songs, but it’s fairly solid throughout and there was some fantastic moments particularly with the bass and vocals. To say that 3 out of the 4 members were 17–18 years old at the time of writing these songs is absolutely crazy and goes to show why Descendents have become one of the most loved and respected punk bands of all time.

Stream and download 9th & Walnut on Bandcamp here.

Like Descendents on Facebook here.

This review was written by John O'Hare.

Album Review: Perfect by Mannequin Pussy (by Theo Martin-Herbert)

Sometimes it pays to be fearless and put out everything you can be in one release, a gamble that pays off with aplomb on Perfect from Mannequin Pussy.

It's been a long time since I've heard an EP that shows this much range, kept completely consistent and cohesive in quality and execution. Opening with the amazing grunge ballad 'Control', the group deftly work their way through a stunning variety of sounds and emotions, touching on the intense and fuzzed up 'Pigs Is Pigs' to the ambient pop of 'Darling' – hitting all they can in between.

The sheer variety on display lends itself to the sounds as well, with some raucous fuzz driven tones from the guitars showcasing the gritty production on display, something that I think helps keep the slower tracks edge. This strange consistency is definitely one of the most impressive things on display here, something to keep the listener hooked and pumped throughout. I'm so excited to hear what they do next based off of this, so if you need something fuzzed up and angry but with enough introspective moments to keep your head together, this is definitely a release worth checking out. You could say it's perfect.

Stream and download Perfect on Bandcamp here.

Like Mannequin Pussy on Facebook here.

This review was written by Theo Martin-Herbert.

Gig Review: Till The Fest Day One 8/10/21

As rewarding as being a DIY punk gig promoter can be it can often be thankless, frustrating and hit you very heavily financially. Speaking to many friends who have promoted gigs over the years, they have often become jaded and disillusioned and leave promoting gigs to the other people. To reach twenty years in the game is an incredible achievement and that’s something the legend that is Ollie Ward of Till The Wheels recently achieved. To celebrate the big milestone, Ollie decided to put on a three day festival in New Cross named Till The Fest.

Ollie originally announced Till The Fest whilst the UK was in the midst of a lockdown and, if I’m 100% honest with you, I was very sceptical on whether or not the weekend would be allowed to go ahead. As time went on and restrictions gradually began to ease, my confidence in the festival actually happening began to grow. I quickly bought weekend tickets and even began to get very excited. As the months went on, more and more amazing bands continued to get added to the line-up and it soon became a three day, three venue, over 50 bands behemoth of an event.

Till The Fest would be taking place at the New Cross Inn, The Amersham Arms and Matchstick Piehouse. There would also be a record fair happening upstairs in the New Cross House pub and a five aside tournament happening at Fordham Park. There was absolutely loads going on! It was also a wonderful opportunity to have a punk rock family reunion, with friends from all over the UK making the pilgrimage to South East London. As the weekend grew closer, I was just as excited to see people I hadn’t seen for nearly two years as I was to see some of my favourite bands. It was due to be an emotional weekend.

We arrived in New Cross, dropped our bags off at our Air BnB, freshened up and made our way to Matchstick Piehouse. This was our first time going to Matchstick Piehouse and Emma and I were very grateful to bump in to our pal Tommy of BaldHead And The Dreads to help show us the way. We arrived at the Piehouse and immediately bumped into loads of friends and it was a bloody lovely feeling. Music hadn’t even begun yet and we were already having a magical time.

After saying lots of hellos to lots of people, we needed to get some food before the bands began. We met up with CPRW member Lara and her husband Nicky, who had travelled from South Wales for Till The Fest, and took them to our favourite falafel spot, Beirut. Unfortunately I got us lost on the way there, shout out to Tommy for helping out again, so we sadly missed SKIV. I’m sure they put on a 10/10 show to open up the festival at The Amersham Arms.

Thankfully we did get to New Cross Inn in plenty of time to see the band tasked with opening the festival there, our lovely friends Goodbye Blue Monday. Despite it not even being 7pm, a very decent sized crowd had turned out for the Scottish boys and were treated to another superb GBM set. Graham noted that they would be opening with a brand new song for their first show back since the lockdown. This new song, along with the couple of others, sound amazing and has me even more excited for their debut album, whenever they’re able to get it recorded and released out in to the world. Of course there was also big sing-alongs for favourites such as Misery-Punk Ruined My Life, Love Is A Noose For Two, Trigger Alert, Take Your Pills and Exile (which was my first time seeing it live since it was released). Seeing Goodbye Blue Monday always fills me with the warm, fuzzy feeling and leaves me with a sore throat. What a band. What a time.

We didn’t get a chance to hang around NXI and have a proper chat with the GBM boys as another of our lovely friends, Katie MF was taking to the stage at Amersham as soon as they finished. After a power walk for the five minute journey between the venues, we made it with a couple of minutes to spare. This was somehow our very first time in the Amersham Arms and I was immediately impressed with it as a venue. There was a nice wide stage, with no pesky pillar blocking the view of the stage. In fact, you could probably get a decent view of the stage from anywhere in the venue. Before the band started, Katie announced that the band hadn’t been in a room together since March 2020 so hadn’t practiced their set. If Katie hadn’t have said that I don’t anyone would’ve noticed as they played a cracking set. Playing the more uptempo tracks in the band’s catalogue, really tailoring for the punk crowd, for me it was another set of sing-alongs. I’ve said many times over the years that Katie has this magnetic quality on stage that cannot be ignored. Backed by one of the best rhythm sections in punk rock, this was another superb performance. Just like GBM before them, Katie MF have a load of high quality songs that are yet to be recorded and I can’t wait for them to get released.

Unfortunately we had to leave Katie’s set one song early as Just Say Nay were starting back at NXI. I always say that it’s a sign of a good festival to have clashes but, for me at least, this was a stinger. We arrived back at very full looking NXI to see Just Say Nay already well into their set. Sadly during lockdown trombone playing goblin king Mikey T decided to leave the band, so on this occasion they were only playing as a seven piece. Yes, seven members is the fewest amount of people I’ve ever seen on stage when I’ve watched Just Say Nay perform. This did allow lead singer Jak to move around the stage more freely and he did a magnificent job in getting the crowd amped up. Not that Just Say Nay need to do much to get a NXI crowd warmed up as they are much loved at the venue. We arrived back at the venue as the band were playing Tempted from their debut EP Shit Out Of Luck before moving on to crowd favourite, With A Twist Of Lemon. With A Twist Of Lemon has a great ending that gets the entire crowd chanting along with the band. It always goes down well but on this occasion it went down so well that the crowd did their own extra verse of the song. They probably would’ve done another one if the band hadn’t have moved on to the next song, Pass Me A Cloud. The band finished with Low Blow which earned another huge sing-along. Just Say Nay are one of the best live bands in the country – make sure you see them as soon as you have the chance!

We hung around at New Cross for the next band, The JB Conspiracy. We’d recently been able to see JB in Bristol for Fishstock but that didn’t dampen any excitement for seeing them again. I said in my review of Fishstock that JB get better each and every time I see them live and this trend continued once again. Playing a mix of old favourites and new ones from 2021’s Beginnings, this was the band’s second London gig since Beginnings’ release and it was clear that the crowd had spent plenty of time with it. It’s always tricky for a band releasing new music so long after they released two absolute beloved albums. Will people care about the new stuff or do they just want the classics? It really says a lot about just how good Beginnings is as songs like The Long Road To Zurich (one of my favourite songs of 2021) and Guiding Lights got just as good receptions as The Escape or This Machine did. It’s always nice to see a band on stage, who’ve been doing this for so many years, still clearly having the time of their lives. Between songs there was always a big smile on lead singer Lank’s face. I was sad that the band only had a forty minute set because I would have happily watched, sung and danced along with the band for much longer. Every time I see JB they prove that they are one of the very best ska punk bands that the UK has ever produced.

 

The choice of the night’s headliner through up another tricky decision on who to see. It was between The Bar Stool Preachers and The Filaments. Both are phenomenal live acts so I shouldn’t complain about having to pick between two fantastic bands. We decided to go with The Filaments at Amersham Arms. The choice was made because BSP were the last band we saw before lockdown started and we hadn’t seen The Filaments for years. Plus I always love seeing Pook bounce around on stage and he was playing in The Filaments. We made the walk back to Amersham with our new friend and NXI legend Fred The Punk. If you’ve not made friends with him yet, this is something I recommend you do. He’s a lovely man who really understands what this whole punk community thing is about. Amersham was already pretty full when we reached the venue but we managed to find a good spot from the side of the stage. The Filaments were a little late to take to the stage, I didn’t mind this though as it gave us time to have a little chat with pals. When the band did get on the stage they quickly began to tear the roof off the venue. The set was mostly comprised of the band’s more ferocious songs which got the mosh pit going hard. Unfortunately there was one person in the pit who was going too hard and ended up causing a fight. This lead to the band stopping a song midway through and jumping in to the crowd to sort it out. I believe that the instigator of the fight was then removed from the venue. It’s a shame that after almost two years of not having nice things like Till The Fest there was an idiot who didn’t know how to behave but big love and respect to the band and venue for making sure everyone was safe and the show could continue. I feel like this incident could’ve put a lot of bands off their stride but not The Filaments who stormed through the rest of their set. The highlight for me was a rare run out of Trevor, a song I’ve not seen the band play for years and it remains my favourite Filaments song. This was a great way to finish off night one of Till The Fest.

Night one of Till The Fest had been a massive success and all around us there were big smiles everywhere. There were positive vibes all around and there was much excitement for what was to come for the rest of the weekend.

This review was written by Colin Clark. Photos by Colin and Emma Prew.

Column: Colin's Fest 19 Preview

We booked our tickets for Fest 19 way back when they went on sale back in April 2020. This was a time before most people really understood what effect COVID-19 would have on the world. We mostly decided to go due to our great friends Triple Sundae and Burnt Tapes getting booked to play the festival and we wanted to celebrate them accomplishing something they’ve worked so hard to achieve with them. Sadly, but understandably, Fest 19 was pushed back a year and our tickets rolled over. The effect the pandemic had on the world continued and more and more bands (particularly the international bands) had to drop out. I, being equal parts naïve and optimistic, still had high hopes that we would still be able to attend so I spent my summer listening to every single band on the line-up so I could work out what I thought would be the perfect schedule for me.

Heartbreakingly the day came when we had to make the decision to refund our tickets as it became clearer and clearer we wouldn’t be able to travel. Because of all the effort I’d put in to listening to all the bands, I still wanted to write a preview for the Fest. Perhaps anyone reading this will find a band they hadn’t previously checked out and be encouraged to go and see them. I’m writing this in a way that describes what I would have done if things could have got better and we could’ve jumped on the plane to Gainesville. Fingers crossed we can make it to Fest 20 instead.

Friday 29th October

I’d start my day and the festival with Plastic Flamingos at Mother’s Pub (15.10–15.40). Based in North Carolina, the four piece are a late addition to the festival and I was really pleased to see them added. Lead singer Brian has long been a popular member of the Fest Friends community and I know they must be absolutely delighted to get on the line up. Plastic Flamingos play a fun combination of surf rock and power pop that always puts a smile on my face when I listen to them. American Television (16.50–17.20) released my one of my favourite albums of 2020 in the shape of Watch It Burn. That title feels so appropriate given everything that happened in 2020. They play energetic pop punk music with big choruses. The majority of themes of the band’s songs are growing up and watching the world fall apart, something all of the Fest attendees will relate to I’m sure. Last year they also released a five song covers EP, I’d love to hear their cover of Officer by Operation Ivy live.

From Mother’s Pub I would go over to Heartwood for an early evening of ska courtesy of Bad Time Records. First up is New Orlean eight piece Joystick (17.40–18.10). I Can’t Take It Anymore is one of the best ska punk releases of the year. Swapping between third wave ska punk and skacore, it’s fast, fun and aggressive. It’s also extremely thoughtful and touches upon some heavy subjects. Following on from Joystick are the mighty Omnigone (18.30–19.00). Former Link 80 guitarist Adam Davis’ newest project are one of my favourite bands in the world. Their debut album, No Faith, is a skacore masterpiece and some of the latest songs the band have released look to continue on in the same form. Omnigone were the band on the line up I was most excited to see and I’m so sad I can’t be down the front singing my heart out to the band. Also playing at the exact same time as Omnigone are Boss’ Daughter at The Wooly. They are another band I was very keen on seeing but clashes are always an inevitability on any decent festival line up. The third of a triple threat of Bad Time ska bands are Catbite (19.20–20.00). The Philadelphian band are on their way to becoming the biggest ska band on the planet and, again, I’m desperate to see them live. Taking on an updated version of traditional ska and two tone, I imagine every Catbite set is a super fun dance party full of massive smiles.

After catching a little bit of Kill Lincoln at Heartwood (20.20–21.00) I would make my way to Knockin’ Boots Saloon for The Eradicator (20.35–21.15). From the moment I first discovered the squash loving punk rockers I’ve been very keen to see them. I imagine it’s a very entertaining and unique live show that also results in the crowd getting all the kinds of rowdy. Musically I would describe The Eradicator as a super aggressive melodic pop punk style. Really catchy songs screamed into your face – often about squash. What’s not to love? I would have to leave Knockin’Boots a little before the end of The Eradicator’s set to head to Loosey’s for City Windows (21.00–21.40). City Windows were one of my favourite discoveries when researching all the bands on the line-up. The beauty of festivals is the chance to discover new bands you were previously unaware of. Overseas festivals add an extra bonus of getting the chance to see new bands before they make it to your own country. City Windows are a four piece based in San Diego, California, who play melodic gruff punk. They feature plenty of my favourite musical device – gang vocals. My memory of Loosey’s is that it’s a reasonably small room so I would be looking forward to getting sweaty with a room full of new best friends singing along to this awesome band. Speaking of new discoveries, next up is Bashful (21.50–22.20) at somewhere called Vecinos. Bashful play that wonderful kind of pop punk that you would expect to find at Fest. High octane and melodic with fantastic vocals and plenty of opportunity for singing along with the band.

As much as I love to check out new bands at festivals, it’s always fun to see old favourites as well. After Bashful’s set I would head back to Knockin’ Boots for Broadway Calls (22.35–23.15). I was excited to see Broadway Calls on their UK tour with The Flatliners in 2020 but sadly that got cancelled. Fest was my opportunity to catch them again but here I am stuck in the UK. In 2020 the Oregon based three piece released the excellent Sad In The City on Red Scare Industries and I imagine that the set would have been packed with songs from that album, alongside many of their bangers from their back catalogue. After Broadway Calls I would head back to the ska party at Heartwood for the legendary Mustard Plug (23.30–00.00). I love that headlining a day full of so many of the new bands who are dragging ska back into the punk scene’s attention is an act that’s been going strong for thirty years. I’ve only managed to see Mustard Plug once live (at Fest 15 in 2016) and I’ve been desperate to see them again. I’ve been hoping for a UK tour but alas, no such luck. Mustard Plug are a perfect pick to close the ska stage – I can close my eyes and imagine the massive “whoa-ohs” from the crowd during Beer (Song).

Following Mustard Plug I would rush back to Loosey’s for the final two bands of my day. Firstly The Slow Death (00.00–00.40). The Slow Death are a band I’ve been aware of for ages but for some reason I never checked out properly until I started my Fest research. It turns out that The Slow Death are a midwest punk rock super group with members of Dillinger Four, The Ergs and Dear Landlord among others. Three of my favourite bands, so I really should’ve been paying more attention. The band recently celebrated 10 years of their classic album Born Ugly Got Worse and I guess are celebrating by playing Fest. If you know what those bands I listed sound like then I’m sure you have a great idea of what to expect from The Slow Death. The final band of my Friday at Fest are Tiltwheel (01.00–01.40). Tiltwheel have the exact sound I think of when I think about a traditional Fest sound. Raspy voiced melodic punk to shout along to in a sweaty room. At this point in the day I’m sure that plenty of Festers will be on their last legs and Tiltwheel strike me as the perfect band to send everyone into the night after one final party.


Saturday 30th October

My Saturday starts off early and peacefully with a trio of acoustic acts. Tim Browne of Elway (12.00–12.30), Jen Pop of The Bombpops (12.40–13.10) and Kali Masi (13.20–13.50) will all be performing at 4th Avenue Food Park. This seems a great way to ease into another long day watching some of the best bands in the world. The first full band performance of the day for me would be Goalkeeper at Fox Lounge (14.20–14.50). Goalkeeper are a three piece from Philadelphia. The band play more of a cleaner sounding pop punk style similar to the likes of The Ataris, New Found Glory or Real Friends and I feel like they would have a nice nostalgic feel. Let’s face it, most of us grew up listening to this sound and still enjoy it from time to time. I will get the opportunity to see Goalkeeper at Bristol Booze Cruise next summer so that’s something to look forward to. Staying at Fox Lounge for something completely different, up next it’s Hans Gruber & The Die Hards (15.10–15.40). Hans Gruber & The Die Hards are one of the few ska bands playing that aren’t signed to Bad Time Records. Playing a bit of ska, a bit of punk, a bit of thrash and any other sound they fancy, HG&TDH are one of the most unique sounding ska bands in the scene currently and I would expect a wild and crazy live show where anything could happen.

Next I’m off to the Heartwood stage for Dollar Signs (16.00–16.40). Dollar Signs were my must see act of the Saturday. I’ve been dying to see them for years and their newest album, Hearts Of Gold, is currently my album of the year. Even on recoding they are this incredible ball of frenetic energy so I can only imagine what they are like live. I very much feel like this could be one of those big Fest moments that people will be talking about for a long time. The band write hugely relatable songs about growing up, trying to fit in and living with mental health problems and they do it all whilst putting big smiles on the listener’s face. Luckily for me the fine folk who organise Booze Cruise are bringing Dollar Signs to Europe next summer.

At the conclusion of Dollar Signs’ set I will rush over to The Wooly for Telethon (16.40–17.10). Telethon are an Emma Prew favourite, she loves the band’s last two albums Hard Pop and Swim Out Past The Breakers. The five piece don’t seem to confine themselves to one particular sound, combining power pop, indie, punk, folk, ska and anything else they feel like. This makes me think that they’ll be very entertaining to see live. Staying at The Wooly, Madison Turner (17.30–18.00) are up next. This is another band I only discovered thanks to my extensive Fest research. Madison started out as a solo artist before going full band on their latest effort, A Comprehensive Guide To Burning Out. Much like Telethon it seems that no genre is off limit for Madison Turner, mixing together folk, scrappy indie, pop punk and ska upstrokes. There are also loads of delightful harmonies on the record which I think will translate brilliantly to a live setting.

I’d probably have to leave Madison Turner a little early to head over to High Dive for Nightmarathons (17.50–18.30). I’ve been a big fan of Nightmarathons since hearing their 2019 album Missing Parts. It’s been on regular rotation at CPRW Towers since its release and I’ve never got to see them live. Something I really enjoy about Nightmarathons is their use of multiple vocalists and, of course, their gang vocals. The style creates such a big opportunity for a big sing-along that you would always expect from a band playing Fest. Next I would head to Vecinos for Almost People (19.00–19.30). Almost People play fantastic pop punk music with very smart lyrics. They remind me a lot of Spraynard whenever I listen to them and that’s always a good thing. As I mentioned earlier, whenever I go to a festival abroad I always make a point of checking out bands that aren’t as likely to find their way to the UK and Almost People fit into that category.

Dikembe (20.00–20.40, Heartwood) seem like a band you have to see at Fest at least one time. The band are a big part of The Fest team and play every year. The four piece play a crossover of jangly emo and alternative grunge music and their discography offers a lot of varying sounds. This should make for a very interesting live set in front of a passionate hometown crowd. Following Dikembe I would head back to High Dive for Devon Kay & The Solutions (20.50–21.30). I can only imagine the amount of fun that this set is likely to be. I’ve seen Devon play a few times with Direct Hit in the past and he is always great to watch on stage, so it would be great to see what he’s like as the actual front man of his own band. Something that I think is really cool about DK&TS is how much their sound changes between albums, this has got to make for a spectacular live set.

In 2019 Gainesville punk legends Hot Water Music (21.30–23.00) did two nights at the Camden Underworld in London. One night they played Caution in full and the other they played A Flight And A Crash. I only managed to go to the Caution night so Fest would have given us the opportunity to see A Flight And A Crash in full. And to see them do it in Gainesville would have been such a special and unique moment. Like the time I got to see Less Than Jake play Gainesville Rock City in Gainesville. Obviously this will take place at Bo Diddley Plaza, in front of what I’d expect to be a capacity crowd.

I have to admit, I’ll probably leave HWM a little early to go and catch Rad Owl (22.40–23.10) at Fox Lounge. Rad Owl are one of a number of fantastic bands I’ve discovered due to being on this line up. Featuring ex-members of bands such as Samiam, Gratitude, Align, The Stereo and The Tank, Rad Owl play melodic punk rock packed with big hooks and plenty of moments to sing-along to. I’ll continue to hang out in Fox Lounge for the next band Bricheros (23.30–00.00). The band are originally from Peru but now are based in Denver and LA. Another great discovery for me due to them being on this line-up, they play some of the best Ramonescore pop punk I’ve heard in some time. I feel like they offer the Fest line-up something a little different whilst also fitting in perfectly. If it wasn’t likely to be super hot, I fully expect the room to all be wearing their leather jackets, straight jeans and Chuck Taylors for the Bricheros set.

My penultimate band of Saturday at The Fest will be Debt Neglector (00.00–00.40) at The Wooly. Debt Neglector are a politically charged melodic punk rock act that perhaps also fall into the skate punk bracket. Every time the band came on on my shuffled playlist they really made me stand up listen. I especially enjoyed the vocals from the band. There is a sharpness to them that really make you take in every word they say and have you itching to scream them back at the band – if you’ve got the energy to do it that is, it’s way past my bed time at this point. The last act of the day for me would hopefully be Radon (00.50–01.30) at High Dive. Radon are Fest legends and I feel like I would be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t go and see them at Fest. I would fully expect this set to turn into a big sweaty mess with massive pile-ons and big sing-alongs. If you don’t know Radon, they play straight forward punk rock with elements of country fused into their sound. They definitely make for a late night drunken sing-along in a room full of friends, old and new.


Sunday 31st October

My Sunday would start off with seeing the wonderful Raging Nathans (14.00–14.30) at Vecinos. I’ve been a big fan of The Raging Nathans after seeing them at Manchester Punk Festival a few years ago. Unfortunately I’ve managed to miss them every other time they’ve been to the UK since so I’ve got to take this opportunity to see them. Since I last saw them, the band have been very busy releasing the excellent Oppositional Defiance and Waste My Heart – two albums packed with pop punk bangers. Next I would head to Knockin’ Boots for Wolf-Face (14.50–15.30). Wolf-Face are a band I feel like you need to see before you die. It looks like such a fun experience. I’m amazed the band haven’t found their way to the UK yet as I imagine they would go down an absolute storm. The band dress up as wolves and many of their songs feature wolf puns but I think it’s very unfair to class them as a gimmick band due to the strength of their songwriting and musicianship. The songs definitely stand up on their own without the theatrics. A must see band.

Next I would head back to Vecinos for two bands. First would be Atlanta’s Reconciler (15.50–16.20). I’ve been a fan of the three piece since discovering their album Set Us Free in 2019. Reconciler play a mid-tempo brand of punk rock with a vocal that really sets them apart from many of their peers. I’d argue that Jospeh Lazzari has the best voice out of almost everyone playing the festival and I’d love to witness it live. Following on from Reconciler we have Xed Out (16.40–17.10) who have recently released an excellent EP titled Give Me The Night. Xed Out hail from Richmond, Virginia, and feature former members of Smoke Or Fire and The Bled. That shows a band with some fantastic calibre. Listening to the EP, I’m really impressed with the way the band use a smooth, clean vocal alongside a raspy harmonising one. It creates such a cool sound and stops the band sounding like a lot of other acts. Give Me The Night could be one of my favourite EPs of the year and I’m gutted to miss this opportunity to see the band live.

It’s off to Downtown Fats for the first time of the day for the next two bands. First is Saint Augustine’s Kid You Not (17.00–17.40). It seems as if Kid You Not have become a Fest staple over the years. This makes sense as they certainly have a big Fest sound. I’ve loved the band since discovering Never A Dull Movement in 2017, playing that melodic sing-along punk style that I love so much. The gang vocals give their music a huge sound and the band get better with each and every release. Kid You Not feel like they could be one of the best kept secrets in punk rock, it baffles me that more people in the UK aren’t talking about them. We then switch things up with a return to some ska punk. I couldn’t not go see more ska bands could I? Flying Racoon Suit (18.00–18.40) are a seven piece band from Ocean Springs, Missouri, who play their own unique style of ska punk. Featuring dual vocalists and an extremely tight horn section, I imagine that you don’t get the full Flying Racoon Suit experience unless you’re witnessing them live. With influences ranging from metal to indie to jazz to raucous punk rock, nothing is off limits for the band which will make for a fun and exciting set.

After a fun skank I’d head off to Boca Fiesta’s for Articles (18.30–19.00). Articles were probably the first new band I discovered when I originally bought my Fest ticket in early 2020 and I was so excited to see them live. From the moment I heard them I knew they were a band for me, playing melodic pop punk music with a super raspy vocal – that’s my absolute jam. There’s a no thrills approach to their sound that I always enjoy, it’s dirty and raw with plenty of fist in the air moments. Next I’ll return to Downtown Fats to resume the skanking with Matamoska! (19.00–19.40). Matamoska! are a band I’ve been aware of for years but never got round to checking out until they appeared on the Fest line up. I would describe Matamoska! as Latin America’s version of The Toasters. They’re not fully punk sounding and take elements of traditional ska music and bring them to the 21st century. The band sing in a variety of languages which I think will do the thing that ska music is supposed to do, unite people.

Next I’ll walk back to Vecinos for another two band stint at the venue. First up is Moonraker (20.00–20.30). If it wasn’t for that pesky pandemic I would have had the opportunity to see Moonraker three times in 2020. The chance of going to Fest gave me one chance in 2021. Hopefully I’ll have better luck in 2022 when the band are currently due to come to the UK for Bristol Booze Cruise. Another raspy voiced punk rock band with multiple vocalists, Moonraker are another band that seem to go under a lot of people’s radars and I have no idea why. I have had many conversations with my good buddy Matt from Ear Nutrition about just how good they are and how more people should know them. Get to know them! Next on at Vecinos are Lightweight (20.50–21.20). Another band I discovered because of their involvement with Fest, when I first heard Lightweight I was quickly reminded of my friends Forever Unclean. Each song that popped up on my playlist was an absolute banger and I can see big things in the future for Lightweight. Brilliantly blending indie and pop punk into a sound that will please everyone, I can’t find anything not to love about this band. Unfortunately I’d have to leave Lightweight a little early to run to Loosey’s for what will be my final band (that aren’t cover sets) of the entire festival. It feels kind of fitting that it would be Rutterkin (21.20–22.00) who are essentially my festival headliner as they’re probably my favourite new discovery due to this year’s Fest. They have just a week ago released their phenomenal debut album, A Portal For Spirits, and I guess their set at Fest would act as an album launch party for them. You’ve read this far, you probably know what I’m going to say here. Raspy vocals, multiple singers, gang shouts, plenty of opportunities to shout along with my fist in the air – what more could a person possibly want? I’m gutted I can’t be at Fest for this. Hopefully they’ll be back next year.

I’d finish the festival at Downtown Fats (assuming I can get in) for two huge cover sets. The first being Catbite performing as No Doubt (22.00–22.40). I’m going to admit that I’ve never been hugely into No Doubt and don’t know much of their music aside from the hits, but I can definitely imagine Catbite having a lot of fun with the set and it going down an absolute treat. After Catbite’s set We Are The Union, with the help of some friends, will be performing an Arrogant Sons Of Bitches cover set (22.50–23.40). The Arrogant Sons Of Bitches are cult heroes in the ska punk world and this is likely the closest we’re ever going to get to them coming back. It feels right that Fest (for me at least) would finish so ska heavy. Ska has re-emerged into the punk world, thanks in a big part to Bad Time Records, and I think it’s great that Fest has welcomed the scene into the festival with open arms. Ska is going to play a big part in Fest 19 and I imagine it will in many more Fests to come.

So, that’s what I’d do if I was able to get to Fest this year. Hopefully you will check out some of the bands I was looking forward to. I will be fully living vicariously through many Festers thanks to the beauty of social media this weekend and hope you all have amazing (and safe) times. Fingers crossed we’ll finally be able to make it back over for Fest 20!

This column was written by Colin Clark.