The Ridgelands, courtesy of Sexy Baby Records
This week brings a stacked lineup of some of punk rock and hardcore’s best to Milwaukee. No, this isn’t in reference to Wednesday’s Warped Tour stop, wherein the vast majority of acts belonged to major record labels and were paid handsomely to play tween-friendly pop-rock songs beneath the cushy canopy of Van’s sponsorship (among dozens of other corporate contributors).
Rather, this weekend marks a local convergence of D.I.Y. bands, a variety of small independent record labels for what’s to be “three days of chaos, oi!, pogo, punk, hardcore, and rock and roll” – better known as No Coast Mohawk Fest 2012.
According to co-promoter Ryan Richard, the first such fest took place in Denver, Colo., in 2007 and was known as Jeremy Jay Roscoe Punkfest, named in memory of the brother of Bad Engrish’s Gordy Roscoe. Since that inaugural event, JJR Fest took on a new name ad resurfaced in a different place the former festival namesake loved, including St. Paul, Michigan and, now, Milwaukee.
“We do this to keep the music alive, and if we aren’t doing it, nobody is,” Richard says. “The Midwest has the strongest punk scene in the country right now, and this is our contribution.”
Milwaukee’s own Get Rad is headlining Friday’s show. The DUI’s, also local, hold down the 6:30 p.m. Saturday slot, and fellow Milwaukeeans, Burning Sons, will strike Mohawk Fest’s final notes, as the headliner Sunday night. Between local sets, though, a myriad of non-Milwaukee bands dot the Fest’s lineup, including acts hailing from as far away as Denver, Colo., (where the aforementioned Bad Engrish calls home) and Kennebunk, Maine, punkers The Pinkerton Thugs.
“We have bands from Austin, Denver, Michigan Minnesota, Milwaukee, Madison, Boston, Oklahoma and more, all over really,” says co-promoter Johnny Ragonese. “I think this is going to be an awesome turnout. A lot of people know each other in different cities, so fests are always like a big family reunion.”
Jeremy “Germ” Lowe, co-owner of Chicago label Sexy Baby Records, will be in attendance for this weekend’s festivities. A pair of Sexy Baby bands, Modern Day Rippers and The Ridgelands will play Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Lowe considers No Coast Mohawk Fest to be a positive for both his upstart record label, as well as the punk rock community in general.
“The promoters, the bands, the record labels all came together and worked together to help put together the best line up of Midwest and national touring acts that represent the true spirit of punk rock and rock n roll, Lowe says. “There are no corporate sponsors. This is punk rock. This is real.”
Cover charge is $10 a night or $25 in all three shows, which is quite the bargain to see 25 bands in all (or seven to nine band lineups, nightly). Considering the variety and the quality of the acts involved, Milwaukee’s turn at Mohawk Fest offers something for everyone to enjoy. Well, almost everyone.
“If you aren’t into this genre of music, at all, it’s probably not worth it,” Ragonese says. “But if you have any interest in punk or oi, it’d be dumb not to check it out. It’s 10 bucks. Get off your ass and do something, instead of complaining how your city is dead, do something cool.”
Friday’s show takes place at Quarter’s Rock And Roll Palace (900 E. Center St.) and starts at 7 p.m. Festivities continue Saturday at 3 p.m. at Marian Center (3195 S. Superior St.) and 3 p.m. Sunday at Miramar Theatre (2844 N. Oakland Ave.). For more information and a complete schedule or bands, consult No Coast Mohawk Fest’s official Facebook invite.
