At Least There’s Fest

We did it! Welcome to episode 100 of At Least There's Fest! To mark the occasion Blake and Mark welcome Jose Prieto of MakeWar to the show.
Jose was kind enough to put off watching the Knicks in the NBA Finals to chat with us and had plenty to share. We discuss the formation of MakeWar as a band out of what was a solor project and the early years of the band.
From there he shares another Red Scare Industry story, their jump from Red Scare to Fat Wreck, and Jose even gives us his best impression of Fat Mike...you don't want to miss that.
You can catch MakeWar on Friday at Vivid and you can see Jose solo on Sunday at Fest 24.
**Itsa Coookie on Instagram**
**Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**
**Check out Anthem Tattoo in Gainesville, FL**

Greetings and welcome back to ALTF! Joining the show for this one we have Steve and Mason from the Michigan band, Bike Tuff. 
Bike Tuff has been around for over a decade now and were regulars at Fest about ten years ago. However, life happened and things slowed down for the band so they could handle life. Coming out the other side the band is back with some singles recently and they will make their triumphant return to Fest 24!
Steve and Mason talk about how the band got together and a bit about their earlier recordings. They also tell us about some of those early days playing shows and what it was like to first play at Fest.
They share a bit about future plans for the band and who they are excited to see at Fest this fall. The set times get released tomorrow, make sure to look for Bike Tuff and circle that set, it'll be a good one.
 
**Itsa Coookie on Instagram**
**Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**
 

Hello and welcome back to At Least There's Fest. Joining Mark and Blake today are Sean, Chris, and Beau from the Jacksonville, FL band, Tides.
The band has been around for just a few years, but the band members have been friends for decades and the stars finally aligned for them to all be in a band together.
We talk about their formation, their writing process, we receive all kinds of sage medical advice/tips, and the band also shares some tips they received from Chuck Ragan of Hot Water Music.
They also talk about their new record "How to Survive A Fall" which comes out next month on ADD records. They talk about how the album came together, the lead singles from the record, and their music video for the track "Undertow".
Tides has a massive split coming out featuring six bands that have ALL appeared on this podcast: Tides, Unseemlier, Dead Bars, The Carolyn, Back Teeth, and Her Head's On Fire. The massive split has the potential to be our favorite way to release music ever invented.
You can catch Tides playing shows with You Vandal and Dikembe in the near future along with a host of other dates. If all else fails, you can always catch them this year at Fest 24. 
 
**Itsa Coookie on Instagram**
**Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**

Greeting and welcome back to another episode of At Least There's Fest. Joining the show today are Matt Burns and Chris Pfister of the Orlando band, Debt Neglector.
The band will be playing Fest for the 10th (!!!) time this fall and they released their terrific "Kinda Rips" full-length last spring.
Matt and Chris share their collective musical past, the influences they pull from in the band, the importance of political punk, and how their message continues to evolves as their lives change.
You can catch the band this fall at the Whatever, Dude pre-Fest shows in Orlando and Gainesville and then, obviously, again in Gainesville for Fest 24.
**Itsa Coookie on Instagram**
**Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**

Happy July! In addition to our weekly episodes on Monday we will now have episodes up every Thursday as well! That's two episodes a week until Fest to help you get ready for Fest 24.
Joining the show for this episode is Joseph Grillo of Her Head's On Fire. The supergroup of sorts is back and playing Fest again this year on the heals of their new album, "Am I Not Your Girl?" which comes out on July 17 via Iodine Recordings.
Mark and Blake talk to Joseph about how the group came together and where everyone has been before joining the band. Joseph does as a good a job as anyone else in summing up why community is such an important part of Fest AND our bigger scene as a whole.
The band has been very active, releasing three full length records since 2022. Joseph talks about their writing/recording process as a band and how they are able to keep things moving like they do. 
You can catch Her Head's On Fire in the UK this summer with Back Teeth as well as at Fest 24 in just a few short months.
 
**Itsa Coookie on Instagram**
**Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**

Welcome back to At Least There's Fest! We've got the full Fest 24 lineup out now. We are nearing peak summer weeks and as an extra-special treat you get to hear from Tim Browne of Elway today!
The Colorado band has been turning out clever punk tunes for almost 20 years and they will be playing Fest for the twelfth time this fall.
Tim talks with us about their newest record, "Nobody's Going to Heaven" which is is one of the best albums to come out in 2025. Tim digs into the stories behind some of the songs as well as the history of the band and what they've got cooking.
We also dig into some of the more entertaining Fest stories you will ever hear on this podcast. This was our first time ever talking with Tim and we sincerely hope it is not the last, he is thoughtful, funny, and makes terrific music.
You can catch Elway at Fest 24 this fall and on tour starting in a few days with Tired Radio.
 
**Itsa Coookie on Instagram**
**Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**

Welcome back to At Least There's Fest! Great show today with Trevor Reilly from A Wilhelm Scream. Hailing proudly from New Bedford, MA, the group has been crafting their blend, of punk, metal, thrash, and everything else for over 25 years at this point. Somehow, they just continue to raise the bar.
Trevor talks to us about the formation of the band, the friendships that keep things churning along, recording new music, and memories from the road.
We also spend a very healthy amount of time talking about Fest as Trevor recalls getting passed on in the early years of the band, before finally breaking through and getting the call for Fest 7. He tells us all about that first show and some of his favorite Fest memories from the last 20 years. 
Trevor talks about the new AWS album, "Cheap Heat" and tells us why this cannot possibly be the last A Wilhelm Scream record (yay!). You can check the band out in Europe this summer and of course you'll see them at Fest 24 this fall.
 
**Itsa Coookie on Instagram**
**Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**

Fun episode today as we Blake and Mark are joined by Kevin Athas of Oh The Humanity! The band has been around for over a decade now and they have been mixing metal riffs with punk choruses with the great precision the entire time.
We talk to Kevin about the early years of the band, the highs and lows of touring, recording their first albums, and how one GREAT show can sustain you for months.
Kevin also talks about working with Trevor Reilly from A Wilhelm Scream, some of his favorite Fest memories (VERY fun), and what the band is now working on (hint, it's NEW music). 
You can catch Oh The Humanity! on tour later this month as well as at Fest 24 this fall. Get there early, it will fill up with MA folks.
 
**Itsa Coookie on Instagram**
**Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**

Really fun show today for everyone! To celebrate round two of of the lineup reveal, we've got Sam Russo joining the show today.
Sam talks about life as a solo artist and how he really enjoys the the solitude of traveling solo and with friends. We also talk about how he has begun to introduce more full-band arrangements on his albums and how this has been a joy and also really pushed him as a person and an artist.
You can check out Sam's PERFECT album "Hold You Hard" over at Red Scare and I suggest STRONGLY that you swing by their online store and pick up that record, it really is terrific.
You can catch Sam touring around the UK this summer and of course you'll be able to catch him at Fest 24 this fall.
 
**Itsa Coookie on Instagram**
**Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**

The Fest 24 lineup is out! I hope all of your favorite bands are playing this year.
We try to be fun and helpful here at ALTF and I think we have a fun and helpful episode for all of you today. Joining the show is Jordan Shroyer. You know Jordan from his bands Teen Agers and Virginity. However, Jordan also heads up Whatever, Dude Productions and for 12 years now he's put together some dynamite pre-Fest shows.
Like years past, Jordan is putting on a pre-pre-Fest in Orlando on Wednesday, October 21 and an unofficial pre-Fest in Gainesville  on Thursday, October 22. Both shows are absolutely STACKED and will take place across multiple stages. 
This is your chance to see a bunch of Fest 24 bands a day or two early in relatively small, intimate venues. Tickets are on sale now and you can buy them right here for Orlando and here for Gainesville.
The Gainesville show ALWAYS sells out, so if you know you're going to be in GNV on Thursday anyway, do yourself a favor and grab yourself a ticket. They do wristbands so you can come and go as you please at both shows.
 
**Itsa Coookie on Instagram**
**Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**