For the first time in seven years, the local hardcore/punk music festival, Krazy Fest is returning to Louisville. Krazy Fest was started by Andy Rich in 1998 and took place annually until 2003.
Seven years later, the idea of Krazy Fest was reignited by Mark Beemer, a friend of current Krazy Fest producer Andy Tinsley. “Last year the band Endpoint did some reunion shows as a benefit for our friend Jason Noble, who has cancer,” Tinsley explained. “I invited Mark and his organization, Shirts for a Cure, to come to raise awareness [about cancer] and he asks me, ‘Whatever happened to Krazy Fest? You know who should bring it back? You should!’”
Tinsley was at first skeptical of the idea of reviving the music festival. “I told him no way on earth, until a week later I called him to yell at him because I knew what it was going to take to get this festival to happen again,” said Tinsley. “I realized it was something I really wanted to do.”
Even though Tinsley became dedicated to bringing back Krazy Fest, he was still worried about how well the show would do. He made a Facebook group and a website for the festival to test the waters on how the public felt about Krazy Fest once again becoming a reality. “I left it up to the people to suggest which bands to perform,” said Tinsley. “I was surprised at how many people were excited at the possibility of it happening.”
People in the Facebook group, which as of this week had over 5000 “likes,” left numerous comments showing their excitement for the festival. “My 30 hourr expedition to KrazY FEST starts at 4am tonight. See you Friday morning,” commented Anthony Alvarez of Miami, Florida.
On the Facebook group, some members spoke of needing rides to the concert, either due to lack of transportation or lack of funds to take themselves there. Tinsley saw their plight and started discussion groups within the fan page for people in certain regions and cities. These discussions included members collaborating and discussing the possibility of carpooling together and sharing hotel expenses.
While Krazy Fest includes many local Louisville bands, people are coming from across the globe to attend. “There are people on the Facebook page saying they’re coming from Australia and Italy,” said Tinsley. He hopes to have a turnout of 2000 people per day.
To concertgoers, bands, and even Tinsley himself, Krazy Fest is more than just a local music festival. Tinsley hopes that it will help put Louisville “back on the radar” as a destination for bigger name bands in the punk/hardcore scene to play at. “I think Louisville gets passed over a lot,” says Tinsley, “and Krazy Fest is a way to bring quality bands back to Louisville.” The band Hot Rod Circuit will play their first show since they broke up, and Disembodied has announced this will be their second to last performance. According to Tinsley, one couple is spending their honeymoon at the festival. “I think (they) originally met at Krazy Fest,” he said.
Krazy Fest runs from Friday to Sunday at Expo Five (click here to see it on a Google map). Tickets are available online at the Krazy Fest website, and cost between $37 and $45, depending on which day the ticket is for. Three day passes are $109.
Friday’s schedule (click on band names to see a video of the band performing)
3 PM Lions Lions
3:30 PM Reading Group
4 PM Moving Mountains
4:30 PM End of a Year
5 PM Xerxes
5:30 PM Kevin Seconds
6 PM Bane
6:40 PM Tiger’s Jaw
7:10 PM Chamberlain
7:50 PM Small Brown Bike
8:30 PM By the Grace of God
9:10 PM Strike Anywhere
9:50 PM Against Me!
10:50 PM The Bled
Afterparty at the Chestnut House, 714 E. Chestnut Street, featuring Written Off, Late Ones, Damaged Goods, Brave Youth, and Overrule PLUS some special surprises that you will NOT want to miss.
Saturday’s schedule (click on band names to see a video of the band performing)
12 noon Another Mistake
12:30 PM Evolett
1 PM Hostage Calm
1:30 PM Dead End Path
2 PM Native
2:30 PM Pianos Become the Teeth
3 PM Former Thieves
3:30 PM Fireworks
4 PM Defeater
4:30 PM Lemuria
5 PM Make Do and Mend
5:30 PM Anti-Flag
6:15 PM La Dispute
6:45 PM Hot Water Music
7:30 PM Touche Amore
8 PM 7 Seconds
9 PM Title Fight
9:40 PM Cave In
10:40 PM Disembodied
Afterparty at the Chestnut House, 714 E. Chestnut Street, featuring The New Mexico, Tomahawk Chop, and Via Animo.
Sunday’s schedule (click on band names to see a video of the band performing)
1 PM Straight A’s
1:30 PM I Hate Our Freedom
2 PM Daytrader
2:30 PM This is Hell
3 PM A Great Big Pile of Leaves
3:30 PM One Line Drawing
4 PM Dave Hause
4:30 PM Hot Rod Circuit
5:15 PM Frontier(s)
5:45 PM Coalesce
6:30 PM Ensign
7 PM Bouncing Souls
7:45 PM Samiam
8:30 PM Lucero
