Feature / Music
Caterwaul 2025

Each year in late May, the 4-day party and noise-rock festival Caterwaul takes over multiple venues in Minneapolis. It’s a stacked lineup this year, to put it mildly, with each night’s headliners FACS, Young Widows, Naw, Pissed Jeans, and Uniform -- and that’s leaving a ton of other great bands off the list in the name of keeping our intro short.

SPB teamed up with organizers Conan Neutron, Rainer Fronz, and Melanie Thomas to get a feel for the fest. In addition to the bands named already, hear from Deaf Club, Buildings, Kowloon Walled City, Violenteer, Unstable Shapes, Something Is Waiting, Upright Forms, and Tonguecutter.

--

Must-see bands at Caterwaul 2025

Matt K. (Pissed Jeans)

Wipes are fronted by Allentown legend Ray Gurz, gotta peep their set. Find a big enough piece of trash and he'll do a skateboard trick on it.

Uniform feel like bruthers from different muthers even though I only see those guys in person like once every four years at this point... dying to see them play their last album, it's their best yet.

Deaf Club seem like a real hoot, getting accidentally kicked in the face by Justin Pearson is the hardcore equivalent of the Pope dabbing ash on your forehead (RIP).

Big'n would be great to catch, understated legends for sure.

Justin Pearson (Deaf Club)

Obviously, Pissed Jeans as they are one of the coolest modern bands around. I'm also looking forward to seeing the homies Young Widows, Fotocrime, Conan Neutron, and Uniform. However Deaf Club is performing on Monday, so I can assume everyone will be mourning by that day. But one nonmusical thing I am looking forward to is running into that dork, Ian Smith, the guy who has that little label 25 Diamonds, and seemingly Minneapolis' "Punk Rock Mayor". He had this to say to me recently via Three One G's email:

"It's going to be hilarious to whoop your ass in front of your pals, get you kicked out and then watch Uniform play after I do. Bring weapons."

So that in itself should sell tickets. More importantly, who says "whoop your ass"? Sounds like a grandma.

--

Caterwaul 2025’s organizers sent 5 questions (+ 1 bonus) to several Caterwaul 2025 bands and here are the results:

Justin Pearson (Deaf Club)

Who are you most excited to see at Caterwaul?

Pearson: Ideally I would be most excited to see Pissed Jeans. They are a band that I very much enjoy, musically, and also their aesthetic or vibe is something that really resonates with me. However, I think I will only be there the day Deaf Club performs so, if that is the case, of course, the band I would pick is Uniform. I'm a big fan of Ben Greenberg and also Greg Fox, who I know is no longer in the band, but fuck it, I'll mention him as well.

Who would you like to collaborate with or start a cover band with at Caterwaul and why?

Pearson: Pissed Jeans, mainly because they managed to be successful with their good/bad attitude, which I have not been able to pull off yet in my life. I just have a bad attitude and, well... lack success.

What was your first favorite band?

Pearson: Is this a trick question, or a cruel joke? Do you mean ever as in when I started out on this planet?

Well, the first album I got was a Stevie Wonder triple LP when I was 5, and I have no idea why. Then I thought my favorite band was Kiss, but I also realized that they sucked. My first concert at age 7 was Chaka Khan, but I only liked one song of hers. So I'll go with the Sex Pistols, who I obsessed over when I was 10. I've since moved on.

Have you ever had performance anxiety? What is your secret weapon?

Pearson: Not really anxiety. I go into it assuming it will suck bad. Then it happens and some sort of transcending bullshit happens. Then it's over and I pick it apart and most often I realize that it did suck and I should do better. As for weapons, I don't really use weapons. I have no idea what I am doing most of the time, which is apparent.

What's the best part of playing an all-day/multiple day festival or gathering? And conversely, what is the worst part of doing it?

Pearson: I'm not sure what the best part is. The worst part is the size and how the bigger the event is, the more energy is lost in the performance.

Bonus multiple choice: Replacements, Husker Du, Halo of Flies or Prince?

Pearson: The Trashmen.

Brian Case (FACS)

Who are you most excited to see at Caterwaul?

Case: So many friends are playing, I wish were could be there for the whole thing. Purely based on band names I’d say Moon Pussy or Gaytheist,

Who would you like to collaborate with or start a cover band with at Caterwaul and why?

Case: Nick Sakes and I are starting a Wire cover band.

What was your first favorite band?

Case: Probably Guns N’ Roses if I’m being honest.

Have you ever had performance anxiety? What is your secret weapon?

Case: Solo performances are completely terrifying for me,but also exhilarating to be in such a familiar environment in that state. No secret weapon.

What’s the best part of playing an all day/multiple day festival or gathering? And conversely, what is the worst part of doing it?

Case: It’s great to be a part of the circus, worst part is playing at 1 AM.

Bonus multiple choice: Replacements, Husker Du, Halo of Flies or Prince?

Case: Replacements 100%.

Scott Evans (Kowloon Walled City)

Who are you most excited to see at Caterwaul?

Evans: FACS, for sure. Drum Clinic. Also stoked for powertakeoff, I've liked Gus and his music for many years. Also hell yeah Fashion Week.

Who would you like to collaborate with or start a cover band with at Caterwaul and why?

Evans: Anyone who wants to do a HANDSOME cover band. Failing that I'd love to do some collab thing with Uniform or Young Widows or FACS.

What was your first favorite band?

Evans: Black Sabbath. I was about 10 and I was right.

Have you ever had performance anxiety? What is your secret weapon?

Evans: I don't think so. My anxiety goes into logistics and banter regret. The secret weapon is playing in a band with friends you trust. After a few years of that I realized everything would always work out and I relaxed a lot. I've also honestly worked on being more present and taking in all the good, which hopefully is a good way to stop worrying about what might go wrong.

Evans: What’s the best part of playing an all day/multiple day festival or gathering? And conversely, what is the worst part of doing it?

Evans: Best part of any of this stuff is getting to do stuff with my friends. I'm actually not a huge fest person but I do love seeing bands and meeting people. There's no worst part. Unless you have to fly somewhere, or play a backlined Hartke cab.

Nick Sakes (Upright Forms)

Who are you most excited to see at Caterwaul?

Sakes: Pissed Jeans.

Who would you like to collaborate with or start a cover band with at Caterwaul and why?

Sakes: FACS! Brian Case is a longtime friend of mine and I want to do a Wire cover band with him.

What was your first favorite band?

Sakes: The Beatles.

Have you ever had performance anxiety? What is your secret weapon?

Sakes: Every single show. I am defenseless against it and try to harness the energy and internalize it. Makes for a better performance, I think. There is no stopping that anxiety.

What’s the best part of playing an all day/multiple day festival or gathering? And conversely, what is the worst part of doing it?

Sakes: For me, seeing old friends, discovering all the new great bands I've never even heard of! Taking photos! I took photos of Caterwaul 2024.

They are very long days and I have bad knees. That's the worst of it.

Bonus multiple choice: Replacements, Husker Du, Halo of Flies or Prince?

Sakes: Without hesitation: Husker Du.

Shaun Westphal (Upright Forms)

Who are you most excited to see at Caterwaul?

Westphal: FACS.

Who would you like to collaborate with or start a cover band with at Caterwaul and why?

Westphal: I've loosely discussed this idea with Unstable Shapes because half of this town already thinks we're the same band!

What was your first favorite band?

Westphal: KISS.

Have you ever had performance anxiety? What is your secret weapon?

Westphal: I never used to but it creeps in more and more as I get older. Picturing the audience naked always helps.

What’s the best part of playing an all day/multiple day festival or gathering? And conversely, what is the worst part of doing it?

Westphal: Best part: Caterwaul, in particular, is great because it always feels like a huge group of friends getting together to hang out and support each other.

Worst part: Performance anxiety requiring me to picture a bunch of sweaty punks who have been outside all day naked.

Bonus multiple choice: Replacements, Husker Du, Halo of Flies or Prince?

Westphal: Halo of Flies.

Noah Paster (Upright Forms)

Who are you most excited to see at Caterwaul?

Paster: Pissed Jeans.

Who would you like to collaborate with or start a cover band with at Caterwaul and why?

Paster: Big’N, because the rhythm section of that band is great!

What was your first favorite band?

Paster: Nirvana.

Have you ever had performance anxiety? What is your secret weapon?

Paster: Always have performance anxiety, but it’s gotten a lot better by not drinking before I play.

What’s the best part of playing an all day/multiple day festival or gathering? And conversely, what is the worst part of doing it?

Paster: Meeting new people and seeing old friends you don’t see too often anymore. Worst part is probably the load in, but Caterwaul makes it easy!

Bonus multiple choice: Replacements, Husker Du, Halo of Flies or Prince?

Paster: Morris Day & The Time.

Steve Tulipana (Violenteer)

Who are you most excited to see at Caterwaul?

Tulipana: Comes down to a tie between Young Widows and Kowloon Walled City. I have not seen Kowloon Walled City yet (shame on me), so maybe they eke out the win.

Who would you like to collaborate with or start a cover band with at Caterwaul and why?

Tulipana: The idea of sitting down with Even Patterson of Young Widows and running through some Robert Johnson songs sounds pretty intriguing. I would say anyone that would be interested in starting a Birthday Party tribute...but I can't bend over backwards like Tracy used to do.

What was your first favorite band?

Tulipana: This is very difficult on my OCD...My first favorite band was Led Zeppelin, then it was Rush, followed by Killing Joke and The Cure, then the Jesus Lizard. A current fave is FACS.

Have you ever had performance anxiety? What is your secret weapon?

Tulipana: When I began touring in the ‘90s, I was just getting past having recurring panic attacks, so back then I would sometimes resort to using Clonazepam. But with that, the highs weren't as high. So liquid courage in the form of a beer or a vodka soda or two is good enough.

What’s the best part of playing an all day/multiple day festival or gathering? And conversely, what is the worst part of doing it?

Tulipana: Best part: Seeing so many good bands! Worst part: Having to make sure we eat something and pace ourselves when it comes to the adult beverages!

Bonus multiple choice: Replacements, Husker Du, Halo of Flies or Prince?

Tulipana: Husker Du – Zen Arcade all the way!!! That said, I've always loved Prince's music. I was in a punk/metal band from 1990-1992, and I insisted that we try to make our own cover version of “The Cross.” It sounded like shit!

Brian Lake (Buildings)

Who are you most excited to see at Caterwaul?

Lake: Uniform.

Who would you like to collaborate with or start a cover band with at Caterwaul and why?

Lake: Big’n. Beautiful chaos.

What was your first favorite band?

Lake: Sepultura.

Have you ever had performance anxiety? What is your secret weapon?

Lake: Yes. Beer.

What’s the best part of playing an all day/multiple day festival or gathering? And conversely, what is the worst part of doing it?

Lake: Pro: seeing cool bands / meeting interesting people. Cons: the waiting is the hardest part.

Bonus multiple choice: Replacements, Husker Du, Halo of Flies or Prince?

Lake: HUSKER DOO.

Chantal Roeske (Tonguecutter)

Who are you most excited to see at Caterwaul?

Roeske: There's an amazing lineup this year. That makes it really hard to answer this question and I'm definitely excited for lots of bands, but I'm really pumped to see and play in close proximity with Lung. Guessing we are the only two women traveling with classical instruments to 331 that day and I've been really digging them!

Who would you like to collaborate with or start a cover band with at Caterwaul and why?

Roeske: Lindsey from the Cell Phones, haha! We need to start a two-piece punk rock R&B cover band where we take turns singing and playing one floor tom, LOL. It's awesome to see those guys on the bill because, over a decade ago, our bands were playing together (and they rocked a Rihanna cover!). I sing a lot of soul & R&B and it's actually really influential for me. Since that time both Lindsay and I have been momming hard, getting married, and still doing the fucking thing. Super rad to be seeing each other again after all these years and playing the fest together.

What was your first favorite band?

Roeske: The Pixies. They've remained one of my ultimates of all time. There's enough complexity and flavor in there to itch just about every scratch I have.

Have you ever had performance anxiety? What is your secret weapon?

Roeske: Hell yeah I've had performance anxiety! I have a famous saying that I don't trust an artist who doesn't have crippling self-doubt, LOL. My secrets to success are A) you don't actually have to poop, that's just nerves. B). Believe that people want the chance to understand and value your art.

What’s the best part of playing an all day/multiple day festival or gathering? And conversely, what is the worst part of doing it?

Roeske: 100% it's the networking. Facilitating and attending a fest is a lot of work for everyone. (Heavy nod to the facilitating, LOL.) It's kind of like a marathon where there are a lot of t-shirts and beer. But the conversations and the connections you make along the way are worth their weight in gold.

Bonus multiple choice: Replacements, Husker Du, Halo of Flies or Prince?

Roeske: Sorry in advance for anyone I might upset, but I have to go with Prince.

Mitch G. (Unstable Shapes)

Who are you most excited to see at Caterwaul?

Mitch G.: FACS

Who would you like to collaborate with or start a cover band with at Caterwaul and why?

Mitch G.: Buildings or Upright Forms -- they're already pals.

What was your first favorite band?

Mitch G.: Pavement

Have you ever had performance anxiety? What is your secret weapon?

Mitch G.: This is my first band and I didn't play a real show until I was 36, so uhhh yeah I've definitely had performance anxiety. During those first few shows my anxiety was off the charts -- I basically just stared at the floor and looked miserable the whole time. Now that we've been playing out for a few years I've gotten way more comfortable, even if it doesn't look like I am. But if anybody has a secret weapon, I'd love to hear it!

What’s the best part of playing an all day/multiple day festival or gathering? And conversely, what is the worst part of doing it?

Mitch G.: BEST: watching a bunch of bands outside with friends, what's not to love.

WORST: it's usually hot and sweaty and by the end of it my body hates me from standing all day and drinking beer in the hot sun for several days straight.

Bonus multiple choice: Replacements, Husker Du, Halo of Flies or Prince?

Mitch G.: Replacements.

Eddie Gobbo (Something Is Waiting)

Who are you most excited to see at Caterwaul?

Gobbo: Fashion Week. Played with them like 5 years ago with Unsane, stoked to see ‘em again.

Who would you like to collaborate with or start a cover band with at Caterwaul and why?

Gobbo: Here's like THE band I would make:

Chantal of Tongue Cutter (Guitar)
Great songwriter with super creative, mathy riffs. Was lucky to do a guest spot on Tongue Cutter’s debut LP out now on Learning Curve (plug) and write with Chantel a bit. It came out wicked. There's a few first time Caterwaul standouts every year and Tonguecutter will be one this year. Would be interesting to hear a band where Chantal just riffed (even tho her vox are top notch.) It worked for Pepper Keenan in DOWN.

Daisy from Lung (Drums)
Beast of a drummer. Warm, heavy rock drums -- the best kind -- all on a very unique kit (my good friend Ronnie from Disnerve is the only dude I've seen with a similar one). Lung crush, obviously. Daisy in a 5-piece setting rocking a lot of floor tom-driven beats [which] he has a tendency to use in Lung, doing something Annihilation Time-esque -- which is probably how this band is going to end up sounding -- would rule.

Scott of Bridesmaid (Bass)
I’ve known this dude basically 20 years. Bridesmaid are a Columbus, OH institution who are dusting it off for this year's Caterwaul and hopefully more in the future. Here’s the thing: Bridesmaid has TWO Bassists. Bob is the raunchier-toned bruiser, Scott is the smooth daddy. (Actually noticed how in the pocket Scott is when he did a stint in West Virginia’s Horseburner). I'd gladly jam with either but Scott gets the nod ‘cause he recently got pissed at a Blue Jackets game and the pic went viral.

Amanda of Naw (Lead Vocalist)
Yep. Two vocalists in this band ala Agoraphobic Nosebleed. Amanda is a sick vocalist and the closest thing on this year’s Caterwaul lineup to the sort of Wild 'N Out vocal attack I have, so I think that'd work very well. NAW is such a badass four on the floor noise rock band. I hear ‘80s crossover punk/HC, and have always loved that about them. If Beavis and Butthead heard NAW they'd immediately go "YESSS!" and start headbanging.

Me (Vocalist, DJ)
Yes, I am also a DJ. I tend to go apeshit on stage with Something Is Waiting. I usually hate being tied to a certain place on stage but with less vocal responsibility, I can fit in some samples, beats, etc between crowd surfing/killing with an extra long mic cord.

What was your first favorite band?

Gobbo: First favorite band/last favorite band = Pantera.

Have you ever had performance anxiety? What is your secret weapon?

Gobbo: I don't have performance anxiety. I usually bring a beer on stage that I promptly knock over within 90 seconds.

What’s the best part of playing an all day/multiple day festival or gathering? And conversely, what is the worst part of doing it?

Gobbo: Best part for us is catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. A fest reinforces a sense of community in this thing we do. Worst part is just putting yourself in the shoes of anyone working it. I know from heavy experience that's a HARD job. Venues have curfews, scheduling needs to run like clockwork, enforcing has to happen, where to load, store gear, set up merch. Not easy. Big props.

Bonus multiple choice: Replacements, Husker Du, Halo of Flies or Prince?

Gobbo: Replacements. If you listened to Sappy Songwriting with an Edge bands in the ‘90s -- Goo Goo Dolls, Third Eye Blind, Soul Asylum etc. -- their favorite band was The Replacements. Amazing and EXTREMELY influential band.