Ah, Randall’s Island, where you can get a mouthful of dust and an earful of music, all in one day. Because it’s awesome and because it’s coming up this month, DWP asked Brian Walker of A Day Without Love, who’s playing the festival, to tell us about five bands you definitely need to see at Punk Island, which is June 23 this year. What’s not on this list that you want to see? Tell us!
Hello everyone, my name is Brian, and I sing in A Day Without Love. Today I am going to be writing about five bands you cannot miss at the 2018 Punk Island festival. I am playing the fest there myself, so feel free to check me out if you like acoustic alt rock vibes. Here are some bands I am looking forward to hearing, so check them out.
Stay Inside
Stay Inside is a Brooklyn, N.Y., post hardcore band with screaming vocals and nu wave darkness. Formerly fronted by singer Bartees Cox (Bartees and the Strange Fruit) this band will definitely rock the mosh pits and summer vibes at Punk Island.
Top Nachos
Top Nachos is not a Dorito, they are a damn rock band. Hailing from New Paltz, N.Y., they play a no-fucks-given, to-the-point rock and roll sound. Listen to their records and get ready to dance. I highly recommend a Red Bull and water in both hands to stay amped and hydrated during the sing alongs and gang vocals. Punk Island will enjoy this treat.
Trash Boy
A traditional punk band residing in Philadelphia (they are residents not natives) who sing about towns and locals. I am very much looking forward to how the Punk Island punks react to “Fuck New York,” which attests to the hustle and bustle nativism of the NYC lifestyle. Trash Boy is a three piece, and most of their songs are about day to day life experiences. I definitely hope the fest attendees relate.
Cold Wrecks
I feel like this band is talking to me, I am 29 and I need to go to therapy. The intro to their split with Trash Boyz (not Trash Boy who is Number 3) goes “When I am 29, I’ll start going to therapy.” Too bad the health insurance policies still make the cost of therapy too high. Anyways, this band gives me a 90s punk vibe, with songs that are exactly under the 3:30 mark. Not too dancey, not too hard, but just the right amount of punk crunch needed to have a good time.
The Jukebox Romantics
I may get slack for this, I may even get ripped off the internet. Jukebox Romantics sounds like they should have been on the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater playlist. The minute “Breaking Rad” started on their debut album, I just had memories of smashing the X and O button on my Playstation, kicking Japan Airs and Indie flips. I would totally score like 50,000 points on any skateboard game with this band. I hope people feel the same and get the vibe at Punk Island fest.
Happy Punk Island 2018!
Digital Wheat Paste 