Gig Review: Till The Fest Day Two 9/10/21

Day two of Till The Fest (read day one here) started with a 5-a-side football tournament organised by Giles Bidder. I won’t talk too much about the highs and lows of the tournament but I will say my team, Atheltico Shit Show, battled bravely to a third place finish with Be Sharp’s Paul Smith finishing as our top scorer and Harsh Buzz’s Adam “sixpence” Dray as the assist machine.

After the football tournament finished we hurried up to The Amersham Arms to catch Our Lives In Cinema. Because of the timing of the football I was unsure whether or not I’d have time to catch OLIC, this made me sad as they’re a great band and their lead singer Mark Bartlett is the biggest sweetheart in punk rock. I haven’t seen Our Lives In Cinema since they kindly opened Do It Together Fest in January 2020 (that was potentially the last time they played?) and I was keen to have another sing song with them. This was also their first show with Mike from Müg on drums, a fantastic addition to the band. The band opened their set with the amazing It’s Always Sunny In Patterson Park and I was immediately loving the set. The set was made up of tracks from their two exceptional EPs. They may have also played a brand new song but I could have potentially made that up? It was a joyful start and set up what was going to be a lovely day brilliantly.

After OLIC finished their set, I rushed back to the Air BnB to get showered properly after football. There was no way I wanted to spend another eight or so hours in my sticky football gear so off I went. Definitely the first time I’ve showered between sets at a festival!

I made it back to Amersham with plenty of time to spare for what was one of my most anticipated sets of the entire weekend – the return of Triple Sundae. I was actually back in plenty of time as the band were only just getting ready to set up when I got back to Amersham. It was nice to have more time to catch up with folk we’ve not seen for ages! Soon enough, after drummer Zandro had sorted out some drum stool issues, the band were ready to go. The band had only had one practice prior to the gig and had a stand in bass player in the form of Connor from SKIV so you could forgive the band if they were a bit rusty. Instead they played what was potentially the best Triple Sundae set I’ve ever seen. From the opening of Fabricated to the end of Indecisive it was all big, passionate and emotional sing-alongs. They took us back to 2014 with a rare play of Unseen from The Brainfreeze EP which included New Cross regular Theo jumping on stage to sing with the band. Other highlights included the huge singalongs for Everything’s Cool and Dazed and just seeing the smiles on the band members’ faces throughout. You could see there was a feeling of “this is why we do this” whilst the band played their set. Triple Sundae were due to have a massive year in 2020 only for the pandemic to cruelly ruin all of their plans but on this evidence they seem to have a new wind in their sails, ready to go bigger than ever before. It’s something they really deserve; the folk of London have known for years just what an amazing band they are and it’s time for the rest of the UK and beyond to find this out as well. I can’t wait to see them get back on stage again with their friends in Burnt Tapes on November 13th at the Old Blue Last. See you all there.

When I originally worked out my schedule for Till The Fest I had planned to see Transit Plan next but unfortunately they had to pull out of the festival. Instead of seeing another band we decided to take the opportunity to grab some dinner at Radio Delicious which is a pizza place just across the road from New Cross Inn. The pizza was delicious and gave us a great opportunity to hang out with some friends in a quieter location. Great pizza, great friends, great times.

After our pizzas, we made our way down to Matchstick Piehouse for the first time today to see Party Boss. Party Boss are a three piece from London who had spent the week on tour with Dutch punks Sweet Empire. We arrived at the venue a little while after the band had started playing and it was great to see an enthusiastic crowd had gathered for them. Kyle of Resuscitators was having a particularly good time dancing around in front of the band. The set up in the Piehouse had the band on the floor, which gave the venue a fantastic DIY punk feeling that worked so well for Till The Fest. I imagine Ollie has promoted many floor shows over the years so it seemed very fitting. Despite only being a three piece I was very impressed with the band’s stage presence, they had me captivated throughout. I think the only time I looked away from the band was to tell John Allen of Disconnect Disconnect Records (who released the Party Boss single) how good I thought they were. So far Party Boss have only released two songs, both are melodic punk bangers that are crying out to be shouted along too. This was the theme of the entire set and they got me so excited to hear more from the band.

After Party Boss finished their set, we left the Piehouse to make our way to the New Cross Inn to see Redeemon. On our way there I had a message from the beautiful Matt Speer of Ear Nutrition fame telling me that unfortunately they were stuck in traffic and wouldn’t be able to make the show. Disappointing news but it did mean we would be able to see all of Sweet Empire who were the next band at Piehouse. It was great to see Sweet Empire back in the UK. There’s an amazing amount of great bands in Europe and since the morons of the UK decided to vote to leave the EU, there’s been a real concern on whether they could come over here for shows. Sweet Empire found a way though and played a brilliant set. The Dutch four piece play a unique brand of melodic skate punk and always impress when I’ve seen them live. A big crowd squeezed into the Piehouse to see them. It seems that Sweet Empire have made a lot of great friends in the UK who were all very pleased to be able to see them live again. One of my highlights of the weekend for sure.

Next for us was Drones at the NXI. I have to be honest and say that Drones aren’t a band I often listen to at home but whenever I see them live I’m always extremely impressed. The band were in the middle of a UK tour so they were really on form. A decent sized crowd had gathered at the New Cross Inn for Drones who were already tearing the roof of the venue. Drones are one of those bands that always seem to kill it live, playing with so much passion and energy. Each member of the band is extremely watchable on stage, it doesn’t seem to be one person doing the bulk of the performance work (if that makes sense?). During the last year the band released their latest album, Our Hell Is Right Here, on Lockjaw Records and it was great to hear some of these songs live. During the set I popped down to the downstairs bar, when I returned I noticed the crowd had split down the middle and singer Lois was perched on top of the bar singing Rorschach from the Exiled album. Drones have earned themselves a reputation for being one of the best live punk bands in the UK at the moment and it’s clear to see why on this evidence.

Soon it was time for Call Me Malcolm to once again take to the NXI stage. We were fortunate enough to be able to attend the band’s album launch show a few weeks earlier but were just as keen to see the band again. This was also a great chance for a lot of the people from out of town to see Malcolm play at their home venue. If you’re a regular reader of CPRW you will know that Malcolm did not disappoint. As you might expect, the set was packed with songs from their newest album, Me, Myself & Something Else, as well as some favourites from I Was Broken When I Got Here. As soon as the band kicked off the capacity New Cross Inn crowd really lost it. I don’t think there was a stationary body in the room. Lucias and Mark’s dual vocals were on top, top form and every word was lovingly sung straight back at the band. When I reviewed Me, Myself & Something Else last year I commented on how Mark seems to have taken extra vocal responsibility, and this has enhanced the Call Me Malcolm live experience even more. It was already a pretty special thing but now, wowzas! The way the crowd reacted and the way the band played, you could’ve been forgiven for thinking this was a headline slot but there was in-fact another band to go. Call Me Malcolm are gigging all over the place for the rest of the year, make sure you go and see them ASAP.

I think you have to be one hell of a live band to follow Call Me Malcolm and still keep the energy in the room high. That was the task for UK ska punk legends Sonic Boom Six. Amazingly the band were making their very first appearance at the New Cross Inn. This was also the band’s first live appearance in two years. Any worry I might have had about the band keeping the energy up after Malcolm was soon forgotten as soon as the band started Bigger Than Punk Rock and the crowd, especially some die hard Boom fans down the front, began to move. I did feel like Laila’s vocals were a bit quiet but that was most probably down to where we were stood at the side of the stage. SB6 were showing exactly why they’re so highly thought of in the UK scene, bringing out big tune after big tune. It’s easy to forget just how many great songs the band have written throughout their career. From old favourites such as Sound Of A Revolution and All In to newer tracks like No Man, No Right and My Philosophy to everything in between. It was nice for the band to bust out Sunny Side Of The Street, I joked with a friend that it was because they hadn’t played a show for two years and needed a breather. It was awesome to hear that track live again. Another highlight was For The Kids Of The Multi-culture, a song that is still so relevant despite being released nearly a decade ago. Barney Boom added an extra, updated verse to the song which was a nice touch. The band then finished with Piggy In The Middle followed by a special surprise cover of Operation Ivy’s Sound System. A great way to finish the day…or was it the end?

Triple Sundae’s Hassan would be performing a special after party set as Lounar down in the NXI basement. A small and hardy crowd gathered to watch Lounar perform their hip hop songs, assisted by Till The Wheels Ollie on the decks/laptop. I know that earlier in the day Hassan wasn’t really feeling doing the set so late as he was tired but was convinced to do it anyway and I’m glad he did. This was such a nice, chilled way to finish what was an exhausting day surrounded by friends watching one of the most talented people I know perform his second set of the day. If you haven’t yet, check out Lounar’s debut EP, Daye3, here. All proceeds go to Medical Aid for Palestinians.

This was another brilliant day at Till The Fest, I was starting to feel broken but was also really excited for the third and final day. Also known as Lightyear day!

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

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.

Gig Review: The Specials at The Roundhouse, Camden 23/9/21 (by Chris Bishton)

I honestly couldn't remember buying tickets for this gig. Was it pre-Covid? During lockdown? During lockdown II? And if I did, had it been rescheduled at any point or had I requested a refund? Who knows, but it was a bit of a jolt when my mate texted a week before asking "was it you that brought The Specials tickets or me"?!

Then it came back. It was me. I vaguely remembered having to apologise for sleeping on them and only managing to get tickets for the Thursday night rather than our preferred choice of Friday at the same venue, The Roundhouse, in London. Cue frantic searching through emails for confirmation and booking references, followed by endless hours of shuffling my life around so I'd be able to make it and, finally, this was it... back at a live music gig for the first time in over 18 months!

And what a way to come back! One of my all time favourite bands in one of my favourite venues. To my mind, The Specials are living legends and their gigs are as welcoming as they are boisterous. The Roundhouse is probably my favourite mid-large sized venue. Originally a railway turning point, it always seemed derelict when I was a kid, but the listed building is now restored holding around 2,000 people. It seems vast inside, with a cavernous roof space and numerous supporting pillars, but because it's circular, even if you're standing towards the back, you're never that far from the stage. As we queued to get in, I couldn't wait for it to get going.

So, first up is Freedom Highway. A jaunty start, it's the first track off their new Protest Songs album. Always politicised, always 'protesting', I guess it was to be expected they'd start with this or something similar, but I can't help thinking I wish it was a song of theirs that I *really* loved. Not to worry, the second song is Rat Race, and we're right into classic Specials. The crowd sways, bounces and skanks in its appreciation before more favourites, Do Nothing and Friday Night, Saturday Morning, follow.

"Warning, warning nuclear attack" cries Lynval Golding providing us with the crucial introduction to the wonderful Man at C&A. It's at this point in the evening I hear the first shout of "Rude Boy" signalling we're in the full swing of things now. Stereotype and International Jet set come next, both familiar, before a song from 2019's Encore album. This release had me nervous a few years ago. Bands releasing new material after such a long time is always tricky, but I'd loved that new album and it was great to hear something from it live for the first time.

Most of the band then leave the stage as Lynval and the drummer lead the crowd on a mellow singalong of Bob Marley's Get Up, Stand Up – a classic that is also covered on their new Protest release. Then, before everyone else returns to the stage, Lynval gees up the audience again with crowd pleasing anti-Tory comments, although his scolding of that week's climate change protests is not received as well as I think he anticipated, as my mate an I exchange a WTF glance to each other.

Back with the full band, they continue with absolute belters including A Message To You Rudy, Nite Klub and Too Much Too Young before concluding with the adored Monkey Man before they leave the stage. There's nothing quite like a Specials crowd dancing and singing along to this cover.

The encore starts with a slower song that I don't actually know, possibly another from their new album, but then the penultimate song is Ghost Town, another classic crowd pleaser. Unsurprisingly, Terry Hall hasn't cracked a smile all night. This continues right to the final song as he urges the crowd to sing with more gusto with each verse of You're Wondering Now. Finally, as what seems like the entire audience shouts it at the top of their lungs, he's satisfied, breaking out into a fabulous grin. His and our night is done and we've all loved it.

The devotion and affection towards The Specials, rightly, continues to endure. This was the first of two sold out nights at the Roundhouse, followed by another third gig in London at the Troxy. So lastly, if I may, just an observation that continues to grate on me. I've no time for people bemoaning Jerry Dammers, Neville Staple et al are no longer in the band. If you don't like the formation of the band now… don't go to live gigs and sound off about it loudly in the pub beforehand. Yes, we all have bands that we'd like to see play with their original line-up, but The Specials first split in the early 80s. You'd have to be in your late 50s or older to have seen the original band live. So don't go to gripe, go to Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think)!

This gig review was written by Chris Bishton.

CPRW Playlist: October 2021

CPRW Playlist: Here's what Brett, Chris, Dan#2, Emma, Ilse, John, Lara, Lee, Marcus, Omar, Rich, Richard, Robyn, Theo and myself have been listening to in October.

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.

Album Review: Model Citizen by Meet Me @ The Altar (by Ilse R. Smit)

In case you’re a pop-punk fan and haven’t come across Meet Me @ The Altar yet, you’re in for a treat and you’re welcome! I get to say that because I started listening to them before they got signed to Fueled By Ramen late 2020, so I guess you could say I’m kind of an OG. Although I suppose I do have okayafrica.com to thank for that. Anyway, Meet Me @ The Altar is a three piece pop-punk (with breakdowns) band located in Florida. When I first heard their track Beyond My Control on their Bandcamp I remember that I was really blown away by 1) the quality of the songs (both in music and production), and 2) Edith Johnson’s amazing voice. The band seems like they have great live-energy without seeming like they’re trying too hard (not unimportant if you’re a pop-punk band) and are just overall a great addition to the pop-punk landscape. Their music reminds me a lot of fans of “old school” pop-punk while they modernized the genre and made it their own at the same time. They’re on several tours over the next couple months, hitting the US and the UK, and you have no idea how much I envy anyone who is able to go see them. Back to the review though, here are my thoughts on Model Citizen by Meet Me @ The Altar.

Model Citizen is all about acknowledging mental health issues, that “it’s okay to not be okay”, but also about being hopeful that it’ll get better and wanting to work on yourself. Although there is some fluctuation, the energy level of the EP is fairly consistent overall. It’s very easy to listen to it on repeat as the transitions between the tracks is so smooth, you’ll be surprised when you’ve reached the final track if you zone out just a little bit.

Feel A Thing covers the realization that something isn’t right and you need help. The song is very high-energy, starting off with a bit of old school video game music (you’ll get what I mean when you hear it) which is a lot of fun, and dives right into the pop-punk pool after that. Mapped Out is about feeling lost and trying to find your way back. The title of Brighter Days (Are Before Us) speaks for itself. That song is followed by Now Or Never, but more on that one later. Never Gonna Change reads to me as a low point in the recovery process (perhaps induced by the events of the previous song? Who knows!). Recovery isn’t a straight line and it sounds to me like Never Gonna Change is about slipping up and being overly critical of yourself. It’s easy to get lost in a negative thought spiral when that happens. It’s okay to dwell in it just a little though, and this song could help you do just that. The transition to the next song is just great. Wake Up starts with a whisper telling you to, well, “wake up” and get out of that negative thought spiral. It’s the closer of the EP and it’s all about self-reflection, acknowledging what you’ve done but also not being too hard on yourself and trying again. Overall these are fun, relatable songs, delivered to you in heavy pop-punk riffs with lyrics that sound like they come straight from the heart. And what a voice!

Now Or Never strays from the thematical path. In an interview with SPIN, drummer Ada Juarez mentions it was important for them to include a love song on their EP. I think the song breaks up the EP well, as it comes fourth on the six song EP. I love that they specifically mention that it can be interpreted both romantically as well as platonically. They did a great job encapsulating that feeling when you’re with someone and it’s just like you’ve entered this state of mind that’s all about having a good time in the here and now. Like your brains forgot how to worry about things, and not wanting that to end (which, for dramatic purposes, of course it does). I don’t know what to say, it really hits me and I’m not sure if I love or hate that because it reminds me of some really good times but it also makes me miss my friends! Oh well, I’m all about letting my heart strings get plucked, without the drama, so the verdict is: I love it. I also just think it’s a very enjoyable song!

To conclude: this EP is really great y’all! It tells a story, it hits you right in the feels, it’s comforting, it’s fun, and I love that they decided to write about these hard topics and managed to make it sound uplifting. This band is gonna go places and I’m very excited to see how many young people have found the representation they were looking for and will be inspired by them to follow in their footsteps.

Stream Modern Citizen here.

Follow Meet Me @ The Altar on Instagram and Facebook.

This review was written by Ilse R. Smit.

Album Review: Hands Off! by Jet8 and The Shifty Grifts

I first became aware of Czech skacore band Jet8 in 2019 when they made the trip to South London for Level Up Festival. I instantly became a fan of the band following their high energy performance. After that performance I made the extra effort to keep up with what the band were up to. In 2020 they released the incredible Chasing The High album. Now, in 2021, they’re back again with a new split EP with a band I wasn’t previously aware of named The Shifty Grifts – who are also a skacore band from Prague. I’ve said countless times on CPRW how much of a fan I am of split releases, they are such a great way to discover new bands. The split EP is titled Hands Off! and features two new Jet8 songs, two new The Shifty Grifts songs and a collaboration between the two bands.

Jet8 kick the EP off with their song Sixty Pounds. As I’ve come to expect from the band, the track starts with pounding drums, a shredding guitar and a big horn line. This creates so much energy from the outset. It’s not long before Martin’s powerful vocals come in which brings the intensity to the song. The song is about fighting to live your own life the way you want to despite the powers that be trying to hold you down. The breakdown that then leads to the big finale is classic Jet8. Their second song is titled Rise Up. This is another song about being your own person and fighting for what you believe in. Jet8 do these songs so well and this is another fantastic example of that. The track starts off in a very horn heavy manor which really caught my attention and then saxophonist Daniela takes a turn on lead vocals. This was a nice surprise and added a fantastic extra element to the band’s sound. Jet8 are fantastic at writing ferocious choruses that will have a crowd shouting them back at the band with real passion.

The first of The Shifty Grifts songs is titled Kill The Rich. This was my first time listening to the band and I was instantly in love with them. The band are more than happy to jump between melodic punk rock to bouncy ska and even a bit of reggae on the song, showing they have no borders when it comes to their songwriting. Kill The Rich starts with some real intensity before switching to some upbeat ska that will get everyone skanking and then jumping to a more high octane chorus. This is one of those songs that has so much going on and will leave you breathless. The theme of the song follows what Jet8 were also singing about – standing up for yourself and not getting downtrodden by folk who believe they are better than you. Next is The Hunger, The Rent, The Hate. This sees The Shifty Grifts showcase some crack rocksteady in their sound. Once again, the song looks at being downtrodden by “the man”. In this particular case, they sing about how the hardest workers are the ones on less pay and are struggling to make ends meet just so the people with the most money can make more of it. This is a song I really relate to a lot.

The final song, Keeping Me Sane, sees both bands team up. This is such a cool way to finish the split and I wish more bands would do the same. This is an upbeat ska song that gives thanks to the music that helps you find your way through life. There’s a really upbeat and positive feeling to the whole song and it had me smiling throughout. I’m a sucker for easter eggs in songs and there are plenty sprinkled throughout the lyrics that I loved picking out. I really want to hear this song live at some point, with both bands performing it.

Hands Off! is a superb EP. Easily one of my favourites of the year. It shows off two brilliant bands from Prague and it has me wondering what the rest of the Czech scene is like. There has been a lot of talk about the ska scene “returning” in recent months and these are two bands you definitely shouldn’t be sleeping on.

Stream and download Hands Off! on Bandcamp here.

Like Jet8 on Facebook here. And like The Shifty Grifts here.

This review was written by Colin Clark.