At Least There’s Fest

71: Mynor Gonzalez of The Grool Brothers

Joining Mark and Blake on the podcast today is Mynor Gonzalez from the Chicago-area band, The Grool Brothers. 
The band played their first Fest the past fall and we look forward to seeing them at further Fests down the line. Forming a decade ago, the band was slowed by Covid like everyone else, but came back strong with their latest EP, "Ghost in the Radio Waves" in 2024. 
Mynor talks about the formation of the group, the changes over the years, and how their sound has evolved and continues to change. Look out for new music and shows from them this year. You can find all of their stuff over at Bandcamp.

70: Danny Lore (Against All Authority/The Valterra Dragons)

Sometimes the stars just align in the podcast universe and you get to talk to someone who has been making terrific music dating back to your youth and this episodes captures one of those moments.
Mark and Blake talk with Danny Lore of AGAINST ALL AUTHORITY and THE VALTERRA DRAGONS. We talk about the early days of punk, specifically in South Florida where Danny spent his early years. We walk about how things have changed and how they have stayed the same. Danny crams 40 years of stories into about 45 minutes here and you do not want to skip any of this one. Truly outstanding to talk with him.
He also tells us a bit more about his new band, The Valterra Dragons. We talk about the formation of the band and what they've got cooking for 2026 and beyond. You can find new record from them later on from Smarkpunk.

69: 40 Reps

Welcome back to At Least There's Fest and our second episode of the week. Joining Mark and Blake today is the entire crew for 40 Reps!
The Richmond, VA band has been at it for awhile now and has played the last two Fests. The band released their debut full length, "Heads Up" at the end of 2023 and it was one of our most listened to albums of 2025. Go check that thing out, it is very strong.
The band talks about their formation around Covid, what it's like being a punk band in an established punk location like Richmond, what they've got in the works going forward, and why the love Fest just like all of us.

68: James Scott (Photographer)

**We have some mild sound issues on this and the next episode, so I'll put up two episodes this week instead of just the one**
 
SPECIAL SHOW ALERT! Two firsts on this one:
1. I am joined by my new co-host, Mark! Please join me in welcoming Mark to the At Least There's Fest, make him feel like family.
2. Today we welcome James Scott, the first Fest photographer to join the show.
James is based in Jacksonville and has been shooting the Fest for years. We discuss his love of hardcore, how you manage to get the shot AND stay out of the way, and we talk about the logistics of shooting Fest (spoiler alert: It's a lot).
You can support his work by swinging by his Instagram (elev8d_view) and by purchasing his Fest photo book. As a proud owner of this book, I can tell you, it makes a great addition to your at-home Fest collection. 

67: Tsunami Bomb

Thank you for listening! Fun show today as we are joined by Andy and Dom from the Bay Area band, Tsunami Bomb.
Tsunami Bomb formed last millennium and, a few breaks aside, have consistently been creating and performing their unique style of punk adjacent tunes.
Dom, with the band from the beginning, shares the history of the band, which honestly could have been its own episode. He talks about how the band has changed over time in terms of members, styles, and just how touring bands now operate.
Andy joined the latest iteration of the band and talks about what it was like to join a "veteran" band and how the band finds joy and fun in what they do now.
Dom shares what's next on the horizon for Tsunami Bomb and you know we talk about Fest!

66: Matt Stacks of Bong Mountain

Welcome back! Joining the show today is Matt Stacks from the Michigan band, Bong Moutain. Most Festers are familiar with the band and Matt talks about playing Fest, how it has changed over the years, and why it is always so fun to play.
We discuss the bands beginnings, playing with North Lincoln, the story behind their iconic/silly logo, and the challenges and joys of recording their albums live.
Matt shares what it was like playing Fest for the first time and how he felt Bong Mountain was received when they first played, seeing D4 at the Florida Theater way back when and a lot more. You can find their music in all of the familiar spots. Support their grind.

65: Jordan Hill of Hell Beach

Hell Beach's Jordan Hill joins the show today to discuss their extensive pre-Fest tour spanning Arizona to Florida The New Hampshire-based band shares insights into their post-pandemic evolution from studio project to touring act, featuring occult-inspired punk tunes.
Jordan reveals their prolific songwriting with 22 demos in progress for a 2026 release, upcoming projects including a vinyl reissue, plus future touring plans through the Midwest and Canada. The conversation highlights FEST's unique community energy and Hell Beach's approach to touring. You can check out their latest album BEACHWORLD in all of the places.

64: Nat Lacuna of The Holy Ghost Tabernacle Choir

Hello and welcome back to At Least There's Fest! Joining the show today is Nat Lacuna from The Holy Ghost Tabernacle Choir and Rosemary Nods Upon The Grave. 
Nat and I chat about being an artist in Savannah, touring in the South, and the formation of The Holy Ghost Tabernacle Choir. We also get into how the band grew and change over the years, their multiple performances at Fest, and the importance in finding community. 
We also talk about Nat's new band, Rosemary Nods Upon The Grave and how the band differs in an important way for from Holy Ghost. We dig into Holy Ghosts farewell show, happening this Saturday in Savannah. It is an absolutely stacked lineup, get to that gig if you can.

63: Mike Natoli of Timeshares

Welcome back to At Least There's Fest! Our guest today is Mike Natoli from Timeshares.
The band just celebrated the 16 year mark as a group after forming in NY back in 2009. We discuss the bands beginnings there as well as their change from a NY band to a NY and Philly band. We talk about how weather influences what we feel like listening too as well as how Fest has changed since Mike first attended way back at Fest 8.
We also talk about how being in a band as you near 40 is different from when you are in your 20s and the bands influences. More than any other guest, Mike also has a TERRIFIC memory of past Fests. He talks about playing at a laser tag building and some of the great shows he has seen over the years. 
Timeshares released two new songs around Fest this year, check that out.

62: Jared Knapik

Thank you for coming back for our final episode of 2025. Today's guest is Jared Knapik a songwriter from CT. We discuss his musical evolution from childhood influences like Blink-182 and Green Day to his current solo career.
Starting with guitar after receiving a bass from his brother, Jared was inspired by Dashboard Confessional's MTV Unplugged to pursue acoustic music. He began releasing original music under his own name in 2011, eventually embracing this identity despite initial regrets.
Jared discusses his strategic approach to touring from Connecticut, his preference for quality over quantity in releases, and his collaborative recording process. He's currently working on new material targeting a spring/summer release.