X! Fest - Bohemian National Home

The vitality of punk music and the punk philosophy cannot be emphasized enough - it is, in a sense, protest music - sensing man's inner anger and exorcising it in musical expression: it is more forthwith than pop music, cutting out the cheese; it is tougher than metal, cutting out the camp; as profound as classic rock and proto-garage styles, but free from nostalgia...a wholly separate ravenous beast here to exude society's pains and perils and air out the maddening self-destructive drollness of everyday life in this shambled, bedraggled joke of a dreamless nation.

This summer, we've had a cordial festival (Detour), a psychedelic festival (Fiberglass Freakout), an all-over-the-map festival (Blue Moon In June) and a cordially corporate festival (CityFest.) We're in need for a bit of a therapeutic shake-up of psychologically and slightly-physically damaging proportions: And so, Detroit-based X! Records arrives just in time for the wavy and wild dog-days of Summer to bring us X! Fest, at the Bohemian National Home, Friday (doors, 8pm) and Saturday (barbeque at 6pm). You can read about the legend of X! and it's founder, (Frustrations drummer) Scott Dunkerly, here.

Or, take Scott Boyer's word for it: "X! has documented some of the most uncompromising, abrasive, hilarious,haunting, and exciting sounds to emerge from the 'alternative' music scenein the last few years, garnering international critical acclaim in theprocess. Scott Dunkerley has put together a back catalogue that recordcollectors drool over..."

The festival's line up includes many local punk/alternative and indie acts, ranging from scuzzed-out deconstruction-ists to more technical, genre-splicing experimentalism, as well as some sturdy national bands of similar flavors:

FRIDAY (July 25th)

Doors at 8pm, bands begin SHORTLY AFTER
TYVEK
FRUSTRATIONS
SIC ALPS (San Francisco, CA)
PSYCHEDELIC HORSESHIT (Columbus, OH)
THE MAHONIES
HEROES & VILLAINS

SATURDAY (July 26th)
Saturday Barbecue in the Bohemian parking lot begins at 6pm! Hot dogs and
other eats will be cheap. Music starts PROMPTLY at 8pm.

TERRIBLE TWOS
GUINEA WORMS (Columbus, OH)
FONTANA
NECROPOLIS (Columbus, OH)
DRUID PERFUME (featuring 3 guys from the PIRANHAS + 2 other rad dudes)
TIMMY V LAMP (of HUMAN EYE)
THTX
BEEKEEPERS

This is all going on at the BOHEMIAN NATIONAL HOME (3009 Tillman St.) in
DETROIT, MI, USA. $8 per night. E-mail info@x-recs.com if you have any
additional questions.