Philadelphia Takes over Florida’s The FEST…again
It seems that everyone is catching onto the fact that Philadelphia’s music scene is not something to overlook. Even though it takes place in Gainesville, Florida, The FEST seems to be overrun with artists from our city. Last year, we talked to a bunch of local artists about why that is, then took a trip down to Gainesville to experience it for ourselves. This year’s lineup was recently announced, and Philly once again represented heavily in the lineup of over 330, we rounded up a list of must-see locals making the trip to FEST.
The Menzingers – This band came to Philadelphia by way of Scranton, and since the release of their 2012 album On The Impossible Past they have become one of the most highly-regarded bands in the current punk scene. They are known for putting on fun, high-energy shows and smart song writing.
Cayetana – This one should be an absolute given. There was a lot of buzz about Cayetana even before they released their debut album Nervous Like Me Last Year via Tiny Engines last year, and they definitely live up to the hype. Frontwoman Augusta Koch has a distinctly unique voice that propels the songs forward. The trio creates their own brand of punk that is surprising and completely captivating.
Beach Slang – Fronted by James Alex of Weston, this trio quickly rose to the top and became the darlings of local music. With two EPs under their belt, this Philly act harnesses sounds that are reminiscent of early Goo Goo Dolls while still remaining fresh and exciting.
Weston – Though not from Philly proper, they made a name for themselves in 1990 for producing some of the east coast’s most influential pop-punk of the time. Having played alongside Green Day, The Bouncing Souls, and Midtown, Weston met their untimely demise in 2000 after signing to a division of Universal Records. Since then, the band has sporadically reunited with no concrete plans for the future. It looks like FEST will be the band’s only 2015 performance, so if you weren’t already planning to make the trek down to Gainesville, that should be reason enough.
Goddamnit – FEST prides itself on being a festival that isn’t only about the headliners, and is a great place to discover your new favorite band. Enter Goddamnit. The quartet weaves together the most prized aspects of 90s emo and post-hardcore.
Podacter – These guys claim multiple cities as their “home”, but Philadelphia is one of them and that is good enough for us. Even though their bandcamp page only contains five songs, each one is a punch to the face in the best possible way.
Restorations – If you haven’t heard Restorations’ LP3 then you’re probably living under a rock. Produced by the highly revered Jon Low at Fishtown’s Miner Street studios, LP3 captures Restorations at their finest, and combines dreamy shoegaze influences with gruff vocals.
The Weaks – With the release of their debut EP The World Is A Terrible Place & I Hate Myself And Want To Die (an obvious tongue-in-cheek reference to the band The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die), it was apparent that The Weaks were not going to just fade away. This was solidified with Bad Year, a full length that plays homage to their influences and still manages to be completely unique.
FEST takes place October 30th through November 1st. Tickets and more information can be found on FEST’s website.