The Fest 4

The Fest 4: live in Gainesvillelive in Gainesville (2005)
No Idea Records

Reviewer Rating: 5

Contributed by: wehavecomeforyourchildrenwehavecomeforyourchildren
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on November 25th 2005This is the second review I've written of my weekend at the Fest. I don't know what I was thinking when I submitted the first one. It was a band-by-band account of the entire weekend that went six pages long. Had it been posted, I'd have looked like the dumbest motherfucker to ever write anything fo.

This is the second review I've written of my weekend at the Fest. I don't know what I was thinking when I submitted the first one. It was a band-by-band account of the entire weekend that went six pages long. Had it been posted, I'd have looked like the dumbest motherfucker to ever write anything for this site. For holding it back, I thank you punknews.org. I do want to write a review of the Fest though, so here I go on attempt number two.

I see the Fest as kind of the antithesis to all the other fests. It's the only major one that hasn't succumbed to the temptation of making some serious cash over hosting some seriously awesome bands. I don't think I need to cite any examples of fests that no longer have anything to do with punk rock. I got to see some of my favorite bands this weekend: Dillinger Four, Paint It Black, Grabass Charlestons, and many others who all played this 3-day blowout, and I've got to say that I don't think it could have been any better. Sure, there were some bands I would have rather missed in lieu of others (the Arrivals are one of those). There were some bands I would have loved to see but couldn't get in because of capacity restrictions (the Urchin, J Church, Radon). But there were also some of the most amazing sets I've ever witnessed.

Although Baronness were the last band to play Friday night, there was no use in me trying to watch them, as no one could have topped Dillinger Four's phenomenal set. They played songs off of all three full-lengths (nothing from 7"s, TSIG, or comps unfortunately). I wish I could express the fun of their set, but I just don't have the words. Just imagine a naked Paddy directing one hundred shirtless kids, flooding the stage, screaming every word, and having the best time of their lives. Dillinger Four played a second set on Sunday, but at that point I was too spoiled by Friday to enjoy it as much as I should have. Dillinger Four are always amazing live, but after the drunken mayhem of Friday, Sunday's set matched Paddy's introductory description perfectly: A hangover show.

The Grabass Charlestons also played on Friday and were the first band I got to watch that I really love. The drummer does all the vocals and it works out great, because it gives the guitarist and bassist the freedom to move around and play however they want. The expressions on their faces were priceless. Their sincerity glowed out of them and made me realize just how much and why I love the Charlestons. If you ever get the chance to see the Grabass Charlestons, go whether or not you know their songs. They have so much fun on stage it's a blast just to watch them.

The highlights of the second day for me were probably Fiya, the Loved Ones, Paint It Black, and Bloodbath and Beyond. Fiya played early in the evening and despite their guitarist who does lead vocals being too sick to sing, they put on a great set. Friends came up on stage and took turns with the microphone singing their favorite Fiya songs along with the other band members who did their best to make up for their handicapped vocalist. Despite a few mistakes and slip-ups, I couldn't have asked for a better set.

Around 8pm, I had to head over to the bigger venue Abbey Road for the Loved Ones and Paint It Black. The line was ridiculous due to all the Bouncing Souls fans who showed up to pay cash to get into just that one show. I was worried that I wouldn't get in on time to see the Loved Ones, but I did and they were really fun to watch. The guitarist/vocalist spent most of the time in between songs making fun of a fashion punk with a bleached mohawk and and an Unseen shirt. After they finished he went to shake his hand, and in true smartass fashion, pulled the old "too slow" move. The Loved Ones played the four songs from their EP you'd expect them to and played a few songs off the upcoming full-length, which showed a lot of promise. They have great stage presence, too. The guitarist wins the weekend's award for best frantic movement and their bassist wins the award for best sneer that refuses to leave face for even a moment. Don't be surprised if they blow up.

As soon as Paint It Black hit their first chord, 19 bodies fell on my head and they didn't stop pummeling me from above until the set was completely over. They played songs off both records and Dave Hause of the Loved Ones came out to sing his back-ups for "Memorial Day." Seeing them live made me love them about ten times as much as I already did. This is another band that oozes sincerity and reminds us that punk rock is alive and well.

When I caught Bloodbath and Beyond later at the Side Bar, they played a short, silly, shirtless set and it was everything you could expect from them. Considering the dudes that make up this band, you know they won't disappoint. I was too tired to stick around for the Timversion.

Day Three brought the aforementioned, second Dillinger Four set and the weekend's biggest disappointment: None More Black. I won't go into details, but expect them to be broken up within a year or two. And despite how much I like their album and EP, I still won't feel any great loss. Their live show was a serous let-down.

I ended the night at the Side Bar with North Lincoln, Tiltwheel, and Billy Reese Peters (all of whom were great). When BRP's full-length comes out, you fuckers would be smart to get it. I know I can't wait. They were the perfect band to end the Fest. Their last song "What's Up Ding Dong?" brought all the kids up on stage (even though half of them were up there ever since Tiltwheel) and brought about a perfect ending to an awesome weekend. To all the kids who didn't make it to Gainesville last weekend…what the fuck is wrong with you???

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

pacer (December 6, 2005)

Here's the blog i wrote about the fest for myspace. For those of you who don't know (which is all i presume), i travelled from ireland for the fest this year.

***************************************************
Oh yeah, the fest/Orland blog. I started writing one earlier this week but frankly it felt way too self indulgent. It's been happening with people that they ask "how was Florida" and I just go "yeah, great"! I don't particularly want to hear the ins and outs of other people's holidays (get your fuckin holiday snaps away from me) so I don't see how others would want to hear mine.

However, this is a blog, and they are, by nature, horribly self obsessed SO... I'm going to reach a middle ground. No long boring stories. No "I did this, I did that". Here's what you get - things I thought were interesting, in bullet points, with music emboldened for those who, like me, don't really give a shit about anything other than music.

* Florida is hot, but nobody there realises it. Met this white trash dude on the bus who was from Chicago, said he spent his first three years sleeping naked with no sheets. Sometimes I felt like that while people were walking around in sweaters or with gloves on. 80 degrees in November? Cold? Encyclopaedia, under w, "WINTER". Look it up.

* Dillinger Four are one of the best bands in the world, and I had the rare honour of seeing them twice in one weekend. Friday night I barely remember as I got pretty drunk with Brian from North Lincoln (one of the nicest dudes I ever met in my life - no shit). I was on the side of the stage (cos I'm a scenester) and Paddy made everyone take their tops off. I vaguely remember singing the end of "Doublewhiskeycokenoice" with Eric. And me and Pat from latterman and a bunch more singing "Walkaway". Oh and lots of naked Paddy. Great gig.

* Speaking of North Lincoln, these dudes were all the nicest people i met all fest - every time they saw me they'd stop for a chat, offer me pizza, beer, a lift to a house show, whatever. They were pretty much my only company the whole weekend and damn did i need it. I was very nervous about seeing them sunday as i was afraid that they'd suck - they were such nice people, they had to suck, right? Nope, they fuckin rocked! Really really hard! And Dillinger Four came up after and bought their albums - how's that for a reccomendation! Go check them out, and if you go see them, buy them a beer from me.

* There are lizards everywhere in Florida. Walking down the street I had to constantly look at the pavement cos i didn't want to step on one. Not that i'm a hippy mind you, just that i played a lot of video games as a kid, so i figured i'd be looking at one giant lizard end of level boss later in life.

* Smoke or fire are way better on record than live. Don't get me wrong, they still rocked, but that album is A-MAY-ZING.

* If you are under 21... Don't fest. I'm sorry, but it's the truth. You may get kicked out before D4, and this is one occasion where you'll regret what you do more than what you don't do.

* Latterman.... I still can't talk about. Come back to me.

* On your first night in a new town, do not go to a show in the best record store, drink a slab of beer, and shout at the bands. Some people will think it's kinda funny, but you'll spend the next few days walking around having people you don't know say "hey brian, how're you enjoying the fest".

* Sub-note - you don't own this town and you can't tell these bands what to do

* Related note - the people in The Atlantic are really nice forgiving people. That's the bar, not the ocean.

* Bloodbath... Lets put it this way - ever seen a band with a combined weight of about 1300lbs do coke (no straw) in full view on stage, then take out half the audience with a well aimed bass? I have. And i have picures.

* English punk rockers can be nice, but don't buy them a drink. Maybe it's because we took ireland back, or maybe it's because they're tight arses (ooh!), but they'll never buy you one back.

* Paddy from Dillinger Four has an irish passport. I have no idea why i know that, but i do.

* I haven't seen Oscar from Nakatomi Plaza in a few years, and i've always wanted to see his band live. It's one of my only fest regrets that i left early to see Smoke Or Fire. Oscar is a very very nice dude and his band are wicked live. Tightest emo ever.

* Toshi is everywhere. Take note.

* The Draft are a bunch of drunk turkeys, but that one dude really knows how to hang a guitar. Oh and the songs are good. N shit.

* If you have "piss off!!!" tattooed across your fingers, you may well find yourself under a car soon. But thank you for locating the beers for me friday night.

* House shows are cool, asian band who's name starts with a B that i can't remember were super cool, and beer box wrestling sounds like a date for next year.

* Billy and Eric from Dillinger Four are incredibly tall and built people. As brian from North Lincoln said "they look like the kinda dudes my dad drinks with.

* I wish my dad drank with Dillinger Four

* Never use a phone in a hotel. 45 second local call costs $8. Not good.

* Latterman played in a small club called the Atlantic. If you look around you will find a video of me stagediving to them. Apparently they don't like stagedivers. I'm sorry, i just got carried away (well, not actually - watch the video). And anyways Matt dived a little at the end of "my bedroom" (with his crotch around my neck, WASH BOY!!!) so whatever. That's about all i can say about them right now.

* If you're going to walk for two hours through the dodgy neighbourhoods of a city the size of Orlando to find one of the three record stores in the whole town that sells vinyl, ring first to make sure they're not an exclusively dance shop run by a five foot mess of hair and pill-sweat who, in a roundabout way, infers the classic line "you're not from around here boy", or else you'll find yourself saying something really stupid like "do you have any european stuff? Like trace stuff?", so that you don't look like the lost tool you are.

* Bent Outta Shape are sloppy as hell, and their van is in serious need of repair, but god damn are they good. And their records are even better.

* Things i learnt from other's mistakes (or how not to miss Radon) (1) Don't drink yourself into a 36 hour coma friday night thus missing Radon (hi tara!!) and (2) Don't drink a bottle of Jim Beam for breakfast in a hot tub thus dehydrating self into a coma for 24 hours and missing Radon (hi dude who's name i don't remember and now that i think of it have no idea how i met). Finally (3) Don't assume you can just walk in before Radon start, completely ignoring every florida person all weekend who would only talk about Radon and how amazing Radon are and how they can't wait to see Radon (hi floyd!!)

* Radon were meh to me. I left early *evil evil cackle*

* Dillinger Four on sunday was excellent for a whole bunch of other reasons - most notibly that i can remember all of it, particularly almost creaming myself shouting "IT'S ALL WRINKLED ELBOW SHIRTS AND POKER FACES ON THIS BUS" while splitting atoms with my right index finger. In-freaken-credible. Hadn't been that into a gig since i saw lagwagon when i was 17. This was before latterman though.

* Eating pizza for a week straight will fuck you up (like you needed me to tell you that). Budget at least two meals in The Top into your fest experience, your body will thank you for it (plus the staff are super nice and don't look at you funny when you've drank four beers by the time you get to ordering your meal, even when you're on your own).

* Paint it Black are fuckin incredible live, even if that dude from lifetime comes across as very macho and aggressive. And the stagediving was super cool, especially the girl trying repeatedly to get back into the crowd, but failing as people repeatedly caught her and sent her back up front. She saw the funny side so so should you.

* Internet on the TV in hotels sucks. Typing on those things sucks, thus all the messages people got from me along the lines of "ME USA RAWK HOT GUD TYM U?". Two people got long mesages, and they should count themselves lucky, both took me an hour (i was bored).

*The following i have not too much to say about other than that they were brilliant live: The Arrivals, Grabass, Fiya, Glass And Ashes, New Bruises, and J Church.

* Actually scratch that, i met people from most of those bands and they were really nice people, expecially the drummer from Fiya who was very nice to me despite my abusing him thursday night. Oh and the guy from Glass And Ashes who's shirt i still have (sorry!)

* Oh and don't drink draft in the states. They don't clean the lines. Ever.

* Ok latterman. Phew. I have the tshirt i wore for the gig at home. Two weeks later it's still soaked with sweat. I've never sung so hard in all my life. It was adrenaline rushes for 20 minutes (though it felt then and seems now like an hour). They played all my favourite songs off "No Matter Were We Go" except for "We're Done For", but that's ok, because i got to sing "Fear And Loathing In Long Island" with a few hundred people who felt the same. Apparently the gig was packed with all the friends the band made on this tour. It felt like it, singular of purpose and raw of throat. Inspiring stuff.

* Finally: Being home is ok because there's another fest next year...

Anonymous (December 5, 2005)

Drummers who sing are awesome.
The best set of the weekend was The Ergs at the Sidebar.

NMB's set was pretty mediocre, although I love their record and really enjoyed the last time I saw them play live. I think they have a new -- or fill-in? -- guitarist, and the power went out during their set, which, although it was not their fault, seemed to epitomize the clumsiness with which they played.

All in all, I loathed Abbey Road as a venue, based on the sub-par sound and atmosphere. I didn't think anyone had a killer set at that venue, including NMB and D4.

The weekend as a whole, however, was incredible.

Anonymous (December 1, 2005)

the first band i saw when i got there was smalltown, and then toys that kill and D4. god, that friday night was amazing. what an awesome fest.

Anonymous (November 30, 2005)

"lil' champ is the worst gas station ever"

Definitely. That place fucking sucks.

Anonymous (November 30, 2005)

PS - Fest 3 will be a 2 DVD set. :)

Anonymous (November 30, 2005)

Fest 3 DVD is likely to be January at the earliest, followed by the Fest 4 one later in 2006.

crackpotdemagogue (November 29, 2005)

Great review, enjoyed reading it. I am one jelous bastard though. Sometimes i hate being from Europe :-(

Anonymous (November 28, 2005)

my memories:
barnoness as the ultimate experience.
camp blackburn
so much pbr/old mill
circle takes the square is boring
savage brew isn't
fuck yeah for j. page
sweet tyrone at futurehouse
'lil champ is the worst gas station ever.

Taylor (November 28, 2005)

I didn't get to see this but i saw Paint it black Bouncing souls and the Loved ones the very next night in Charlotte and they were amazing. BS looked like they were highl though. I've been trying to go to the fest since the second one. Next year will be the year. The score is for the bands at the fest. Baroness is soooo good.

Anonymous (November 28, 2005)

"Does anyone know if that Fest Dvd is out yet?"

Apparently according to No Idea

THE FEST 3 • DVD (November 2005)

http://www.noidearecords.com/

Anonymous (November 28, 2005)

did anyone catch fifth hour hero? how were they?

SomeoneAnonymous (November 28, 2005)

Does anyone know if that Fest Dvd is out yet?

SalsaShark (November 27, 2005)

I would have killed to go to this. It's a wonder I didn't.

MrStabone (November 27, 2005)

wow. i'm really glad i stayed in my podunk little town to see VT destroy my beloved hoos during this weekend. somehow the gods of punk rock are taking out the sins of My Chemical Romance, Simple Plan, and Bowling for Soup all on me.

D4 has played in Virginia ( at least twice that I know of and I was out of town (out of the country actually) every time that i know of. fuckit. here's to waiting another two years before they leave town and play some shows. oh well, i have never been to minneapolis, so it'll be a good excuse to go there when they play their last show one day. and i still don't even know what the fuck those guys are saying 90% of the time, but i know i love it.

and i'll jump on the wagon now and say that i can't wait to go next year, but please - all of you - take your vitamins, and say your prayers to make sure that this does not turn in to some indie rock fruitcake pitchfork sponsered hipster fest. i know it's in good hands, but i've seen what happened to macrock in va and i just don't want the same thing happening to this little piece of punk rock perfection.

maverick (November 27, 2005)

My Fest 4 experience:

I waited in line for D4 on Friday for close to 90 minutes (missing both the Arrivals and the Cardinal Sin -- goddamnit!), and it was completely worth every second of their set. Paddy needs to do a fucking stand-up comedy tour or something, because shitdamn, that guy is hilarious. D4 were actually the only band I even watched on Friday, due to getting to Gainesville late and waiting in line. Their set alone was still worth the 6-hour plane ride followed by the 6-hour car ride I had to go through to get there.

Saturday, I saw the Setup (fucking AWESOME), Wow, Owls! (not bad, but I guess their singer was sick?), Snack Truck (like Hella, but listenable), Ultra Dolphins (good stuff), Tiny Hawks (also good stuff), the Loved Ones (totally sweet), Paint It Black ("Whoops, I guess I just talked shit!" -- Dan Yemin), the Draft ("C'mon, ya TURKEYS!" -- Chris Wollard), Brandon Butler (okay alt-countrish stuff from the guy who used to front Boys Life -- weird) and Ted Leo/Pharmacists.

I got kicked in the face during Ted Leo/Pharmacists' cover of "Suspect Device." Like, foot square to the right eye/cheek. Holy fuck, that hurt. I was walking diagonally for the rest of the night, but it was totally worth it.

Due to my ride having to get back to Miami (fuckin' Miami!) for a school thing on Sunday night, I was unable to see any bands on Sunday (go fig -- the most bands I wanted to see were on Sunday). I spent somewhere around $400 total in travel, food and expenses to watch 11 bands' sets, some merely partially.

Was it worth it?

Fuck yeah, it was.

I'm already counting down to Fest V.

Also, Floyd (the one and only, from Fat Wreck Chords) saw me in a Punknews.org T-shirt during D4, and, in what I can only assume was a drunken stupor, lifted up my shirt and gave me a raspberry on my stomach.

I love Gainesville.

-Scott