Friday
The line outside the Holiday Inn forms earlier in the morning each year. While registration doesn’t officially begin until noon, I showed up at 11 and the line was already halfway through the lot. There were people sweating out their hangovers on the hot asphalt, as well as merch people walking the line, handing out free cozies and flyers. Of course, the hotel’s partner bar was also outside hawking PBR tall cans. I hit the flea market, skipped the pool party, and hit up a brand new Fest venue to kickoff Fest 9: The Lunchbox.
International Dipshit (listed as Davey Tiltwheel-acoustic)
The Lunchbox is a small coffee/sandwich shop downtown with a walk-up counter and a fenced in back patio that overlooks a city park. With open air, green grass, and a few sleeping homeless people, I was afforded a relaxed view as Tiltwheel’s Davey Quinn and drummer Allison played an acoustic set. The setting provided a relaxed beginning, with the city of Gainesville playing a more prominent role than it does in an enclosed, dark club. The quiet setting allowed locals to bring their children and the feel was certainly more adult than elsewhere at Fest.
The set held true to his other band’s heart-on-sleeve, driving songs, but with toned down volume and more emphasis on craft and emotion instead of madcap rock. It was a heartfelt and incredibly fast twenty-minute set before I had to trade the clean air and bright skies for the smoky Atlantic—a far more traditional rock venue
Soviettes
The Soviettes are back. Or maybe they’re not. There really hasn’t been an official announcement of any kind. Regardless, the Minneapolis band who have gone on to share members with Gateway District, That’s Incredible, and Awesome Snakes played a mid-evening set at The Atlantic that felt as if it was still 2004. The band was tightly knit, alternating vocalists in their unique, poppy fashion—all with substitute drummer Mikey Erg.
Too Many Daves
Immediately following Soviettes were Too Many Daves—more or less a joke band that features a bunch of dudes named Dave. The reason for singling out their performance is mostly due to the chemistry amongst friends that the band embodies—it’s a gathering of like-minded people from across the country who come together for love of music, celebration, and more than a little debauchery. The band, who just released their first LP, carries an impressive energy and gleeful chemistry. Their cover of “Copkiller” was only icing on an already immensely entertaining and fun set that celebrates the important things in life: beer, sweat, and expanding waistlines.
