Fest 21 Festival

That’s a great lineup.

 

Lineup goes crazy. So stoked

 

Missed the last two Fests after going nine years in a row so there's no way I'm missing this year. Big thanks to past me for booking my hotel months ago.

 

Looking like I won't be able to attend this year, but IMHO... This is their strongest line-up in at least 10+ years.

It's a strong mix of "classic" Fest bands, newer standards, and younger bands with some "they've played Fest before but it's been a few years" sort of acts.

If my schedule changes I would love to make it down. Being able to see Descendents and ALL in the same weekend is a bucket list thing for me, hah.

 

I forgot the passes went on sale this morning, just got mine. I guess they are 2/3 sold out already and a few of the hotels are already gone.

 

I didn’t realize this thread existed so I had posted this in the dead Fest 20 thread

Who else do we think is playing? The lineup is already amazing but I keep remembering this is only about half of it.

I’m not expecting this to happen but the addition of Bright Eyes and/or Bane would put this in the top 5 festival lineups I’ve ever seen.

 

We are supposed to get the rest of the line-up tomorrow, I'm hoping The Lawrence Arms are added since 2/3 of the members are already going to be there. I thought Off With Their Heads would be likely this year since they are celebrating 10 years of Home, but they just announced a Gainesville show in early October so they are out. I'd also be cool if a CIV set was announced since Biscuits are there and I'd love see some CIV songs live.

 

Did they seriously not add any artists in the top 5 lines?

 

PIB got added looks like that's it for the top five lines

 

I wasn't expecting many "top tier" bands to get added based on the line-up from previous years it seemed like they announced the bigger draws in the first announcement. That being said, it was very difficult to discern who was newly announced versus previously announced. Anyhow, some pretty cool bands announced in phase 2...Paint it Black is rad, I've never seen Negative Approach or Screaming Females and hoping the change that, and Suzie True also got added I listened to them a bunch prior to last years Fest and they were great live, hoping to see them again this year with some new material. Sometimes it is better to have fewer "must sees" because that is when I stumble upon a bunch of cool new shit.

 

They posted what bands were added in in the second announcement on their socials.

 

Hope to see some of y'all at our set! Praying that somehow we get put on the same showcase as Eve 6 (we got an email that we're playing the same day as them but still a long shot I'm sure). Would be the most fun band to open for but tbh there's so many cool acts on here so I'm confident we randomly get thrown on next to somebody sick. Really looking forward to this weekend!

 

I'd definitely check out your band...schedule willing of course! I'm a from the doors open until they kick me out kind of guy so I see ton of bands that weekend. Honestly, I don't think there has ever been anything I didn't like or made we want to leave...such good a good vibe the whole weekend everywhere.

 

The Fest21 app was released this afternoon, so much easier to see all your conflicts in the palm of your hand now

 

Any food/drink recs for a first timer?
Anything I must do while in Gainesville?

 

Food recs for me are Flacos, Boca Fiesta, Reggae Shack, and Pop-A-Top. Apparently 5 Star Pizza next to the High Dive moved but I think they'll still set up near there selling pizza outta tents which can be a lifesaver if you need a quick bite between bands.

I've heard good things about visiting the UF Bat House and Paynes Prairie. If you're on facebook there's a group called Fest Friends where people share info about group activities or recs for places.

 

I'll echo everything in the post above. Flaco's and 5-Star Pizza are basically a right of passage, you may have to make time for Flaco's but 5-Star is definitely the choice if you are on the run (presuming they are still setting up this year after they re-located). If you are into coffee, there is Wyatt's Coffee, and Maude's Cafe that do specialty drinks and are good stops for breakfast. I've never been but people rave about Karma Cream which is an organic dairy bar that also has coffee/specialty drinks and ice cream (always a line when I've passed by during Fest). There is also a good BBQ place called Mojo Hogtown BBQ, it is a sit down restaurant so if you have the time the food is good and they have a healthy bourbon selection if that is your thing. I'm a beer snob but at the price you can't beat the $4 PBR's at Fest but if you want a break from that there are some decent beer options, you'll see First Magnitude and Swamp Head beer available at some of the venues that offer draft beer, both breweries have good offerings...and additionally Swamp Head brewery is very close to Depot Park (where FEST registration is)

 

This is all very helpful for me as well, thanks! Can’t wait for this fucking fest.

playing 10:40 Saturday night @ Loosey’s right after a “mystery band.” No clue what to expect but am so excited

 

Love being from Gainesville and seeing all these folks in random local spots. Dan Campbell of TWY (and most of the band) just explorin’

 

How was everyone's FEST? I know not a lot of people from this site attended this year so this thread has been pretty quiet. Cody how was your set @ Loosey's? I had Grocer on my schedule but you clashed with my first time experiencing Gorilla Biscuits so I couldn't make it, but it was cool to see Tony Weinbender name your band as Fest first timers he was most excited for in the Fest program booklet! I caught 45 sets between Thursday night and Sunday, most of them full sets...decided not to try and play the catch 1/2 of this and 1/2 of that game, and just be present with where I was. My Saturday night was perfect...Less Than Jake deep cuts set, into Dillinger Four, into Gorilla Biscuits, into Signals Midwest, and closing it out with Paint it Black. Every band I saw this weekend was great and everyone killed it per usual. A few other standouts were The Wonder Years acoustic set, Screaming Females (they should be HUGE), and Hans Gruber & the Die Hards (2nd time seeing them and they have tightened their live show significantly). My biggest regret was skipping out on Laura Jane Grace, heard some of her set as I was walking by and it looked at capacity so I decided to do the Taking Back Sunday cover set by You Vandal which was also lit, but seeing some of the footage from LJG set gives me a little FOMO...and that one last PBR I had on Saturday night, could have done without that one.

 

It was my first fest and I loved it. Sounds like we probably shared several sets as I was at the wonder years acoustic set and the You Vandal TBS set as well. Went feral with my friends during Gorilla Biscuits. My buddy told me to get on his shoulders at one point and the next thing I knew he was spinning in circles like a madman. I got the mic for a whole verse & chorus during the minor threat cover & got on stage for a quick 2 step at the end when Civ told us it was okay. All in all it was the best weekend of my life but now me & my whole group are fighting a pretty bad case of festival flu.

 

I think I got lucky with Fest Flu this year. I got it really bad after Fest 19, and now I do this 5 day EZC Pak+D immune support that boosts the immune system, and I start it the Weds before Fest and take it through Sunday. I've had a mild cough that started Wednesday and that is about it. Pretty sure I saw you piggybacking, because I was on the right edge of the pit during all of Biscuits.