Guardian contributor George Chen made it to the No Fun Fest at the Hook in Brooklyn, May 17-20. Here are a few pics and thoughts from the brain behind Chen Santamaria.
This was John Wiese, Jesse Jackson (I am assuming that is his real name), and Corydon Ronnau (Obstacle Corpse). Jackson destroyed his already partial guitar, and some crazed fan walked off with the neck and guts. By the way, he would like them back – no questions asked.
Rat Bastard has done time in To Live and Shave in LA and Laundry Room Squelchers – he also has the lowdown on how Miami changed New York noise. Carlos Giffoni organizes the No Fun Festival and the No Fun label and he performed.
Trevor Tremaine and Robert Beatty (also of festival headliners Hair Police) accompany Burning Star Core founder Spencer Yeh and Zaimph’s Marcia Bassett (Hototogisu, Double Leopards, Zaika).
Gerritt Wittmer and Ryan Jencks have been touring across country with their respective solo acts (Gerritt and SIXES) and piling together as Deathroes. East Village Radio personality, AMillionKeys blogger and former SF ingenue Ceci Moss was in the house as well.
Leslie Keffer invited a bunch of women onstage, cranked a Madonna party song, and basically turned No Fun into “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Partner-in-crime Rodger Stella glared menacingly and dropped his pants in the hip-hop fashion of the day. The ladies, including Tarantism’s Angie Edwards, smacked him with a stuffed dolphin. Thank you, Freud.
Raionbashi and Kutzkelina were the highlight of my Friday evening. Female yodeling, processed and delayed. Raionbashi did push-ups as well. “We’re here to pump you up!”
Twig Harper represents for the Nautical Almanac Sound System. That Brite Spots record looks dope. The DJ booth is like a cage.
Aaron Dilloway, a.k.a., Killoway, a.k.a., Hanson Records’ fearless leader, nails it home on the last night of No Fun. One of the highlights.