Fest 23 in review by Chuck Coffey
While Loren went big picture, Chuck was at FEST 23 as a performer, playing with SPELLS on Friday evening.
Fest is one of my favorite events of the year. I’m not a big music festival person these days really, so Fest is an exception for me. The bands are almost secondary to the fact that you can see and meet friends from all over the world in an easily navigated town with nice weather. There are always a lot of great bands though. Every year there’s at least a handful of bands on my list that I want to see. I may or may not see them, depending on the day. I like to go where the universe takes me at Fest, so that may be to a band on my list or to meet a friend watching a band that’s new to me. A good time will be had either way.
This year, there was one band on my list that was must-see: Swing Kids. For those unfamiliar, Swing Kids were a relatively short-lived mid-'90s band from San Diego, CA. Depending on who you ask, you’ll get a different answer for what kind of band they were. Screamo? Hardcore? Other? They were all that and more, really. Swing Kids was a band near the beginning of frontman Justin Pearson’s story, the founder of the long-running Three.One.G. record label. He would also go on to play in other notable bands such as The Locust and Deaf Club. It’s no secret to those that know me that Three.One.G. is an influence for (my label) Snappy Little Numbers. I was surprised to see Swing Kids on the list of bands for FEST 23 as their reunion shows have been few and far between.
I was not going to miss out, so a group of friends and I showed up early at Vivid Music Hall and grabbed a spot by the side of the stage. The band walked out and set up. Once their line check was complete, the sound person said they still had a few minutes before they had to start. Justin replied they were just going to go ahead and start. Drummer Jose Palafox counted off and the next 25 minutes were nothing short of transcendent. The energy and precision radiated off the band and into the crowd. It was probably only halfway through the second song when everyone realized they were witnessing something special. Swing Kids do not have an easy sound. They are a band for dorks and loud/fast lovers. What’s more, they incorporate a jazz influence that somehow fits seamlessly into their chaos. That was on full display during their set, especially with the aforementioned Jose Palafox. As great of a front person as Justine Pearson is, Palafox’s drumming was the highlight for me from a performance standpoint. The emotion and creativity with each hit and every pause was captivating. The entire band was on point and it almost seemed effortless. It wasn’t though, as the band played very intentionally. They even brought in a sax player for my personal favorite song from their catalog, "Disease." To add to the brilliance, the band had a rotating slide behind them in support of Antifa and defiance of ICE.
Swing Kids were powerful, smart and utterly electric. Best set of the festival by far.
