Author: Primož Novak
Location: Tolmin, Slovenia
Concert date: 07.08.2017
Attendance: 5000
Ticket price: 60€-99€
Punk Rock Holiday, number seven! Despite a not-so-great start, the festival has gained a lot of clout in recent years and has been sold out for a few years now. This edition sold out on the very day tickets went on sale. It was hard to imagine that there’d be this much interest in punk rock. But it looks like the punk rock scene is going through a revival.
Past editions of the festival have featured a whole sea of renowned punk rock bands whose careers started back in the eighties. Of course, this year had a few surprises too. First, punk rock heavyweights The Offspring announced their return to Slovenia after 16 years. The second big surprise was the comeback of Pennywise, this time with their original singer. And as the festival went on, it turned out there were even more surprises in the lineup.
On the warm-up day, a proper festival vibe was already in the air by the morning. Visitors were swimming at the confluence, the wooded part of the grounds was flooded with tents, and the booze was flowing in rivers. Honestly, everything was taken care of. The food selection was certainly varied, you could get a beer for one euro, and the card payment system made sure the grounds stayed clean by refunding you for returning your cup. The restrooms also deserve a shout-out, since they were cleaned every day. For an extra fee, there was even a regular toilet and a hot shower. You could go on listing what the festival offered for a long time, but before we get to the bands, we have to mention the little skate park, where those more skilled on a skateboard or BMX showed off their tricks on the ramp. On the last day, there was a tournament too.
Warm-up Day (August 7, 2017)
The music kicked off with Britain’s Thrash Boat, young punk rockers with one album under their belt. There wasn’t any real buzz yet, although the band showed that new punk bands are still coming up and will mean something on the scene one day. Next, The Kenneths made it clear that tradition is still alive. You could hear the influence of Ramones and The Clash. The trio didn’t overcomplicate things, putting simple guitars and drums front and center and showing off the virtues of old-school punk. Things took a sharp turn with the Australian outfit Clowns, who hit a lot harder. Like many Australian bands, Clowns bring something special with their punk rock, which also leans into hardcore elements. Their music demanded a bit more attention, since the songs were quite a bit longer and, as a result, more demanding. Clowns, with three albums behind them, bring a certain freshness to the scene, and the band will probably only get bigger over the years.
The grounds filled up more with each passing hour, and shortly before ten in the evening Jaya the Cat, took the stage and calmed the crowd down after the wild Clowns. Jaya the Cat served up a mix of punk, ska and reggae. The band, which has been around for almost two decades, had no noticeable trouble with the show. Above all, they made sure the crowd had a good time, even though you might have expected a few more »kick-ass« moments, but that didn’t spoil the impression overall, since the songs were relatively varied. The cherry on top was the charismatic bearded vocalist Geoff Lagadec, who occasionally tipped back a bottle of whiskey.
Next up were Slovenia’s Pigs Parlament, who have been working hard since the festival’s first edition and promoting it brilliantly. If Pigs Parlament were still a young band racking up mileage years ago, this year they showed they’ve gathered a whole sea of experience. There was no stage fright to be detected, and even the big stage didn’t give them any trouble. For three quarters of an hour, the band confidently presented its material, which touches on punk rock, ska, hardcore and then some. A varied repertoire for sure, but a chaotic one too, since the band draws on so many things. Without a doubt, though, Pigs Parlament thoroughly warmed up the crowd, which was waiting for the stars of the night.
By midnight the grounds were packed to the last corner. The slot was reserved for the legendary The Offspring, who went down in history in 1994 with the legendary album Smash. The band started its set with the hit »You’re Gonna Go Far Kid« from the album Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace, which wasn’t exactly the best choice for an opener, but they soon made up for it with All I Want. The crowd’s euphoria kept building with every song. During Staring the Sun the moshpit grew noticeably, and the crowd followed The Offspring with wild abandon and singing right to the end. The band is in solid form. The performance was more than good, with no mistakes to be heard. You might have expected Dexter Holland to struggle vocally, but his voice was incredibly strong and clear. It even felt a bit like playback, since Holland used to have vocal problems and now there were none. Despite the enthusiasm and a great setlist, it has to be said that The Offspring played the whole thing too much on autopilot. There was very little banter with the crowd, and most of the talking was actually done by the guest guitarist who filled in for the charismatic Noodles, who was absent because of parenting duties. Bottom line, The Offspring definitely threw a party, which makes sense when you hear classics like Walla Walla, Kids Aren’t Allright, Bad Habit and the eternal Self Esteem live after so many years, or even for the first time. The Offspring stirred up a sense of nostalgia, but next time you can hope for something more.
First Day (August 8, 2017)
By the warm-up day the festival grounds had filled up almost completely, yet a few more tents popped up on the first official day. The action began early on the beach stage, which was set up at the confluence, more than fittingly. Visitors who headed out for a swim could check out young, promising bands too. The small stage saw Italian pop punkers Wasei Hey! Go!, Croatian punk rockers Fast Response, Belgium’s Altitude, French melodic hardcore act Adversity, and Austria’s 7 Dials Mystery and Deadends. The area filled up more with each band, and it was properly packed for Petrol Girls, who call themselves a feminist post-hardcore band. Musically it’s nothing groundbreaking, but the crowd received the band, which has two women in it, one of whom handled the angry screamed vocals, more than warmly. The potential is definitely there, but it’ll take some upgrading to make the whole thing appealing to an even bigger audience.
The action then moved to the bigger stage, and hardcore dominated musically. Jesus Piece; an American hardcore band from Philadelphia, hit hard and without compromise with powerful, metal-infused hardcore songs. Things calmed down with the next band, The Generators, who served up more traditional punk rock that also showed off the virtues of street punk. The band already drew a bigger crowd, which is well deserved given that they’ve been around for two decades.
Next up were old friends of the festival, The Real Mckenzies. As you’d expect, the band threw a proper party with its music, which pairs punk rock with bouncy Celtic influences. The band comes from Canada, but with the constant use of Scottish bagpipes, the spirit of Scotland is present the whole time, and some songs are even covers of Scottish tunes. As regular guests in Slovenia, they weren’t expected to draw a huge crowd, yet the grounds filled up nicely, and people were already stage diving, so it got pretty wild up front. Overall the band seemed in good form; at times only the vocals of Paul Mckenzie, the sole original member, kept things going, but the show was a success regardless.
A change of pace followed with the renowned Californian band Ignite, who served up an excellent combination of punk rock and melodic hardcore. The band first visited Punk Rock Holiday in 2014, and now they returned to present songs from the current album A Way Against You from 2016, although the biggest emphasis was on songs from the album Our Darkest Day (2006). In the hour they had, the band delivered more than a solid cross-section of their career. There was nothing to complain about in terms of tightness, and the sound had no hiccups either. Special praise goes to vocalist Zoli Teglas, whose speeches between songs called attention to various issues, mostly political. Luckily, Teglas didn’t ramble on endlessly; he named the problem short and sweet, and then the song followed. Even though Ignite are no longer a young band, they’re still energetic enough to put on a show to match.
That left the stars of the night, the long-awaited Pennywise with original vocalist Jim Lindberg. The band limited its setlist to the first six albums and left the newer ones alone. Although they’re practically punk rock elder statesmen, Pennywise got the crowd going wild right from the start. There was plenty of stage diving, and well-known songs like Fuck Authority, Society, Fight Till You Die, Same Old Story rang out loudly from the crowd. They also played a few covers, with Pennywise paying tribute to Bad Religion, Minor Threat, Beastie Boys and even Ben E. King. The setlist was certainly varied, and plenty of people were probably reliving their youth through the classics. Where it gets sticky is the band’s form. While the rhythm section held the tempo, guitarist Fletcher allowed himself quite a few mistakes. Jim Lindberg isn’t in the same vocal shape as he used to be either, but there we can blame the sound. More was expected of Pennywise, but instead of one more song, the crowd got Fletcher’s »humor«, and the low point came when he tore the shirt off a guy who jumped onstage. Pennywise wrapped up a solid setlist with Bro Hymn, which was sung at the end by a big crowd right on the stage. Expectations were high, but the muddy sound and feedback spoiled the impression a bit. Still, Bro Hymn echoed deep into the night, since the party continued on the beach, where Fletcher headed too.
Second Day (August 9, 2017)
The festival’s pace was relentless. Once again it started on the beach stage at noon. First up were Austrian punkers Never Been Famous, followed by Spanish fast melodic punkers Acid Snot, Greek punk rockers Bandage and Day Oof. The latter added a bunch of interesting melodies and guitar solos to fast skate punk, which gives them nice potential going forward and also makes them stand out from the average. German band Teenage Love Guns complicated things less, sticking to simpler moves. Around four o’clock, young Slovenian hopefuls Start At Zero took the stage and blasted through half an hour of dynamic skate punk, letting everyone know there’s lovely potential among young Slovenian punk bands.
The area around the beach stage got fuller and fuller, and fans of melodic hardcore got their money’s worth, as young English hopefuls Higher Power took the stage, with a style reminiscent of nineties hardcore. Their vocals brought to mind the legendary Life of Agony.
The action on the beach stage was fittingly closed out by Israel’s Not On Tour. The band deals in fast, uncompromising hardcore with angry female vocals. With short songs, the band made the point that they’d put simple punch up front and no unnecessary extras. Although they’re not a well-known band, the area was packed to the last spot, and the moshing was already going strong up front.
After Not On Tour’s wild show, No Trigger took the main stage, an American punk rock/hardcore band that played songs from both albums and this year’s EP over 40 minutes. With an energetic show and good melodic vocals, No Trigger convinced everyone they’re worth seeing.
Those who swear by harder-hitting hardcore were taken care of by the next band. The stage was reserved for hardcore veterans, Boston’s Slapshot, who started their musical journey back in the eighties. In an hour, Slapshot more or less summed up their musical career. The songs were varied, some with an old-school flavor in the style of the likes of Warzone, and a few were already flirting with something rawer, bringing to mind Blood For Blood, Sick Of It All and even Agnostic Front. Despite their years, Slapshot put on a more than solid show and defended the colors of hardcore.
The atmosphere at the festival only kept building. More melody and catchy singalongs followed, as Face to Face took the stage, Californian punk rockers who emerged in the nineties flood of punk rock but somehow never came to the forefront like other bands that landed under the Fat Wreck umbrella. Face to Face quickly dispelled any doubts when the band played a few older songs, occasionally throwing in something newer. The crowd joined in nicely, singing the choruses and stage diving, so Face to Face got a well-deserved good response, fitting for such a long career.
American punk rockers Anti-Flag are old friends of the festival. This time they took the festival stage for the fourth time, which doesn’t mean they’ll do it on autopilot. The band releases new albums on a regular basis and tours regularly too, so with every show Anti-Flag offer something new in their repertoire, while not forgetting well-known songs like 1 Trillion Dollar$, The Press Corpse, Broken Bones, Cities Burn and Power to the Peaceful. Once again the security guys had loads of work keeping too many people from ending up onstage during the show. The ever politically critical Anti-Flag thrilled everyone again. The band can boast excellent communication with the crowd and a tight performance. The songs are catchy and punchy with strong lyrics. Anti-Flag may not focus so much on fast songs, but their sense for throwing a party is incredible.
For those who swear by fast punk rock, the midnight slot was reserved, when Good Riddance, who already wowed the crowd in 2012, took the stage as the last band of the festival’s third day. In the meantime, the band recorded the new album Peace in Our Time and played a few songs from it. Above all, the most interesting thing about the setlist was that the band put mainly fast songs up front, while the slower ones barely got a chance to shine. The years are starting to show on the band a bit, especially with vocalist Russ Rankin, whose voice is no longer as strong as it once was. Special praise goes to drummer Sean Sellers, whose speed and precision often drew attention straight to himself. At times it seemed like the guitarist and bassist could barely keep up with him, while Sellers never ran out of energy. Good Riddance wrapped up their set in a good hour and once again showed what real, uncompromising, »pumped-up« punk rock is all about.
Third Day (August 10, 2017)
The second-to-last day of the festival also started at noon, kicking off with Italy’s Actionmen, who drew quite a few people. Actionmen cranked out fun punk rock, and judging by the good turnout, we can expect them to entertain us on the big stage one day. After the entertainers Actionmen came Italian pop punkers Why Everyone Left, and then Slovenia’s Real Life Version took the stage, showing once again that Ajdovščina is strong in punk rock.
The program continued nicely on schedule. Austria’s Barrier Reef the Great played, followed by a more aggressive approach from English hardcore band Bono! (no, the band doesn’t play hardcore covers of U2). Swiss hardcore band Nofnog drew a lot of interest, and luckily got to play their set to the end, after which a storm hit that brought nothing but chaos and interrupted the varied program.
The long-forecast storm caused quite a bit of confusion; the show by Brazil’s 69 Enfermos was moved to the next day, while California’s Get Dead got a slot on the main stage after the day’s headliner. Luckily the storm didn’t do any serious damage, so the main stage program could continue on schedule.
A little before seven in the evening, the action on the main stage began with Pears, a young American hardcore punk band with two albums behind them, the latest released on the renowned label Fat Wreck Records. Pears didn’t seem to be discovering anything new, sticking to proven patterns, but this is a young band that still has a lot to say.
With Teenage Bottlerocket, who already played two years ago, the area visibly filled up, which makes sense since the band goes for catchy, melodic music. There was also more emphasis on vocal melodies, which the crowd knew well. The band’s mileage showed too, as they’ve been touring for more than 15 years. Teenage Bottlerocket definitely satisfied those who swear by No Use for a Name, Lagwagon, Bouncing Souls and the like.
There was certainly no shortage of hardcore at the festival, apart from a legendary NYHC name or two, and for that the legendary Madball were on the bill. They’ve played in Slovenia many times, and in Tolmin at Metalcamp too. In the hour they had, Madball didn’t hold back. Energetic vocalist Freddie Cricien stood out, holding up surprisingly well and not struggling vocally either. The instrumental side was more than solid, the rhythm section hit decently hard, and guitarist Mitts reeled off a whole pile of fast, punchy riffs, just as hardcore should have. The setlist covered everything from the early releases to the latest album Hardcore Lives (2014). Madball are more than worth seeing even today.
The real party started with the next old friends, Less Than Jake. The band expertly combines catchy punk rock with ska and reggae, helped along by the saxophone and trombone. Less Than Jake delighted all the way through with their extremely upbeat music. The word catchy takes on its true meaning with them. Special praise goes to guitarist Chris DeMakes and bassist Roger Lima, who traded vocals excellently, and Lima in particular has a great sense for vocal melodies. Less Than Jake also won everyone over with their banter, as Roger Lima constantly joked at his own expense. Among other things, he said that if the crowd is drunk at their show, they’re automatically a better band to listen to. About Punk Rock Holiday, he said it’s such a good festival that the rest of their tour will be miserable. In short, Less Than Jake always delight.
The legendary Toy Dolls provided even more fun. The legendary trio, whose only original member is guitarist/vocalist Michael Algar, formed back in 1979. With their music, Toy Dolls brought a whiff of old-school punk with simple guitars and rhythms. You could feel the Oi influences too, of course. The whole thing had a jokey vibe, and at times it sounded like they were making music for some cartoon. Despite their years, the trio didn’t hold back and played a more than convincing show. From what we saw, Toy Dolls can be a role model for young bands, showing that you can put on an energetic show even at an older age.
The fourth day’s program was supposed to end with Toy Dollls, but because of the storm on the beach stage, Get Dead didn’t play, and they were given a late slot on the main stage. Despite the late hour, the band, which landed on Fat Wreck a few years ago, tried to win over those who had enough energy left for one more dose of punk rock.
Fourth Day (August 11, 2017)
Unstable weather played tricks already in the morning, and so Brazil’s 69 Enfermos were pushed to a later slot again. Luckily the downpour was the only one that day, so apart from the Brazilian hard-luck case, things on the beach stage went ahead according to the planned program. Belgian punk rockers Corbillard played, and the colors of hardcore were defended by La Armada, who were formed in the Dominican Republic but moved to the US after a few years. La Armada served up truly angry hardcore that also flirts with death metal and grindcore.
Around two o’clock Sled played, a promising band that brings elements of stoner rock into punk rock, proving what range punk has in general and that there’s no shortage of combinations. English skate punkers Sombulance, America’s After The Fall and Germany’s Straightline followed. It wouldn’t be surprising if the latter played at Metaldays. The band deals in fast hardcore moves with noticeable crossover thrash metal influences. Straightline are definitely a band with a lot of promise, because they simply stand out from the average.
Second to last on the beach stage were Darko, who’ve played in Slovenia a few times already. The English melodic hardcore band drew a pretty good number of people to support them, which confirmed the band’s popularity. After Darko, it was finally the turn of the twice-postponed 69 Enfermos, who clearly had no energy left, and the performance was well below par too, so with 69 Enfermos you’ll just have to wait for a better opportunity.
The first band on the main stage on the last day was the Netherlands’ Undeclinable Ambuscade, who woke up after 2009 and set off on a dignified farewell tour. The sextet, which boasts three guitars, delivered a solid setlist; musically it was nothing extraordinary, but as far as the playing went, there’s nothing to complain about.
Canada’s Chixdiggit were an interesting surprise. Mostly in the fact that the band even exists. Chixdiggit became more noticeable when they appeared on the renowned compilation Short Music for Short People (Fat Wreck) at the turn of the century. Chixdiggit haven’t released a decent album in more than ten years, so they played songs from all four albums. The band offered a slightly softened version of punk rock, quite in line with the pop punk bands that play prom dances in the US. That’s not a bad thing; Chixdiggit were pleasantly tight, only the vocals didn’t seem to be in the best shape.
A pleasant surprise were 88 Fingers Louie. The band revived a few years ago and became active again. This year they even released a new album, their first in nineteen years. In an hour, the band delivered a good combination of punk rock and melodic hardcore. Most of the attention went to the hyperactive long-haired guitarist Mr. Precision, who used to play in Rise Against. With his precise playing and clear tone, Mr. Precision considerably overshadowed the other members, who couldn’t keep up with his precision. 88 Fingers Louie won people over not just with their music but also with good banter with the crowd, and they liked to joke at their own expense too. Many will certainly remember the band’s show, so let’s hope we won’t have to wait another 19 years for a new album and a return to Slovenia.
Next came punk rock elder statesmen Snuff, who returned to Punk Rock Holiday after four years. Similar to Less Than Jake, Snuff threw a proper party too. The band, formed more than three decades ago, offered an interesting combination of punk rock, skate punk and ska. What makes Snuff special, as they energized the crowd well and played varied songs, lies in something else that’s rare in punk rock. The band also has keyboardist Lee Murphy, who added a jokey touch and layers to certain songs. Of course, when Murphy wasn’t playing keys, he played guitar. Snuff more than convinced in an hour, and the crowd welcomed them warmly again with all sorts of wild behavior.
That left only Propagandhi, a Canadian band that started out as a punk rock band and then began developing a new style with every album, which shows most clearly on their newer releases, which are progressively minded and correspondingly complex. Propagandhi opened with the song Speculative Fiction, which starts out calm and then develops into hardcore-flavored music full of interesting twists. The band’s tightness was undoubtedly top-notch, and with the newer songs they let everyone know they don’t recognize any limits. Above all, the newer songs have all the attributes that define progressive music: unusual structures with no distinct chorus, changes in rhythm, prominent bass lines that weren’t merely a backing for the guitar, and a heap of varied riffs that weren’t based on just a few chords. The newer songs didn’t get the best response, but they made up for it with older fans through songs from the album Less Talk, More Rock, where the crowd started moving a bit more. But after that, Propagandhi went back into more complex waters and let everyone know that neither metal nor post-hardcore is foreign to them. The band also made its first appearance with guitarist Sulynn Hago, who took over the second guitar for live purposes. With their demanding repertoire, Propagandhi both thrilled and disappointed, since they put too little emphasis on the first albums. But however it was played, it was at a distinctly professional level.
Of course, the partying wasn’t over yet. Some had packed their bags earlier because of the morning downpour, while those who still had some strength left headed to the confluence, where Pigs Parlament entertained with karaoke, which has already become something of a tradition.
Punk Rock Holiday 1.7 was undoubtedly a success. Over five days, a rich and varied lineup brought together plenty of renowned veteran bands and promising young acts, so the outlook for future editions of the festival is more than good. What the next edition will bring remains a mystery for now.
Photos: Anastazija Stepić
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