Create to Destroy! DEADFEST 2013
DEADFEST is fast approaching for the Bay Area. It will be at The Metro in Oakland, this Friday the 16th and Saturday the 17th. There will be a range of bands from long-running punk staples like DROPDEAD to locals like DERAS KRIEG.
Is this the first year for DEADFEST?
No, 2011 was the first year for DEADFEST. I did one night at The Church of the Buzzard and the other at The Oakland Metro. I think it might have been 30 bands between the both nights. In 2012, I did 40+ bands. The last two years have all been booked at The Metro.
Have you booked fests before?
Nope, first one ever for me.
Do you do a lot of Bay Area booking?
Umm, I guess I do??? That said, I am not a booker/promoter. I’m just a dude in bands in Oakland that tries to help out his community when he can.
How did you start booking shows?
It was my friends in TRANSIENT from Portland. They hit me up and asked if I could help book a show. I am from Providence, Rhode Island and had booked shows back home. So, I figured why not try and see if I could help out.
Why do you think Oakland (and the Bay Area in general) is a good place for a fest?
Well, initially I didn’t think it was a good place for a fest. I felt like Oakland was missing an event that showcased a lot of the DIY bands and people in the community as compared to some giant corporate sponsored overpriced disconnected fest. I saw how many epic bands there are around here and wanted to bring it all under one roof and make them all play for 15 minutes, hahahaha…
How did you find a venue?
Just asking the rite people around town. I must say big respect, love, and undying thanks to Tom & Mia Dean and the entire staff at The Oakland Metro. They have really given a home to the underground/DIY scene in Oakland.
How did you get money together to get bigger bands to come out?
Now, now, isn’t that my secret? I can’t reveal all my info, but this year DROPDEAD are good friends of mine from back home in Providence. So, I told them about my crazy idea and they fully got behind it. Also, saving some tax return money and my homies Jason and Yong-Son help me out as well.
What bands are headlining and where are they from?
This year it’s DROPDEAD (Rhode Island). They are playing both nights and doing a different set each night. Also bands like GRAVES AT SEA (PDX), BRAINOIL (Oakland), NOOTHGRUSH (Oakland), ENDLESS DEMISE (LA), AGENDA OF SWINE (SF), TRANSIENT (PDX), WAR MASTER (TX), NIGHT NURSE (PDX), and TURBOKRIEG (TX).
Did you already know a lot of the bands? Was it easy to get in touch with people?
Yeah, I know just about all of these bands in one way or another. It seemed like this year almost booked itself after the word about last year’s fest got around. Bands started hitting me up about playing the 2013 fest. I’m way stoked and honored to work with such an epic group of people. Thank you all again!!!!
How are you promoting this? Flyers? Internet?
Any thing I can to get the word out. I must say sorry to all those I have spammed over the last few months!
How has the local scene reacted?
Stoked beyond stoked. It’s because of the locals this whole thing started and are why it is growing to what it has became this year.
Have you gotten a lot of help from people in the Bay Area community?
I don’t know what ya mean by a lot of help, but I like to think bands and such are passing out flyers and spreading the word about shows I book for them and especially for DEADFEST since I’m not doing this for any other reason than to help out my community. There are definitely a few people I’d like to say thanks to…Jason Stormcrow, Yong-Son, Tamara, Jason Pancakelizard, Jorge Hash Crimes, Tom And Mia Dean, Negative Standards, Connoisseur, Reivers, Your Enemy, and Dead Pressure.
What genre of punk do you think this fest is geared toward or do you think it represents a cross section of different types of punk and metal?
It most definately represents a cross section of all types of underground punk/crust/metal/doom/grind/hardcore/powerviolence/death/thrash. I am from a town were we had all types of bands playing with all types of bands. For me, an all grind show or all doom show or all punk show is boring.
I just want to thank you for putting this together! The Bay Area needs a lot more stuff like this going on… How can we best get in touch with you and stay up to date on DEADFEST and the shows you book?
Just keep checking The List, any local show, bars, record stores for flyers, and always ask a punk. You can find me on Facebook; I hate using it, but in this day in age, it is a way to reach a lot of people in a short amount of time. You can make online events and flyers and you don’t have to waste paper making tons and tons of flyers that mostly get thrown away. I guess just look up Gregg Deadface!
Any final words?
STAY PUNK!!! STAY GRIND!!! FUCK SCION!!!
DON’T FORGET THE STRUGGLE, DON’T FORGET THE STREETS, DON’T FORGET YOUR ROOTS, AND NEVER SELL OUT!!!
