At Least There’s Fest

Happy July! In addition to our weekly episodes on Monday we will now have episodes up every Thursday as well! That's two episodes a week until Fest to help you get ready for Fest 24. Joining the show for this episode is Joseph Grillo of Her Head's On Fire. The supergroup of sorts is back and playing Fest again this year on the heals of their new album, "Am I Not Your Girl?" which comes out on July 17 via Iodine Recordings. Mark and Blake talk to Joseph about how the group came together and where everyone has been before joining the band. Joseph does as a good a job as anyone else in summing up why community is such an important part of Fest AND our bigger scene as a whole. The band has been very active, releasing three full length records since 2022. Joseph talks about their writing/recording process as a band and how they are able to keep things moving like they do.  You can catch Her Head's On Fire in the UK this summer with Back Teeth as well as at Fest 24 in just a few short months.   **Itsa Coookie on Instagram** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**

Welcome back to At Least There's Fest! We've got the full Fest 24 lineup out now. We are nearing peak summer weeks and as an extra-special treat you get to hear from Tim Browne of Elway today! The Colorado band has been turning out clever punk tunes for almost 20 years and they will be playing Fest for the twelfth time this fall. Tim talks with us about their newest record, "Nobody's Going to Heaven" which is is one of the best albums to come out in 2025. Tim digs into the stories behind some of the songs as well as the history of the band and what they've got cooking. We also dig into some of the more entertaining Fest stories you will ever hear on this podcast. This was our first time ever talking with Tim and we sincerely hope it is not the last, he is thoughtful, funny, and makes terrific music. You can catch Elway at Fest 24 this fall and on tour starting in a few days with Tired Radio.   **Itsa Coookie on Instagram** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**

Welcome back to At Least There's Fest! Great show today with Trevor Reilly from A Wilhelm Scream. Hailing proudly from New Bedford, MA, the group has been crafting their blend, of punk, metal, thrash, and everything else for over 25 years at this point. Somehow, they just continue to raise the bar. Trevor talks to us about the formation of the band, the friendships that keep things churning along, recording new music, and memories from the road. We also spend a very healthy amount of time talking about Fest as Trevor recalls getting passed on in the early years of the band, before finally breaking through and getting the call for Fest 7. He tells us all about that first show and some of his favorite Fest memories from the last 20 years.  Trevor talks about the new AWS album, "Cheap Heat" and tells us why this cannot possibly be the last A Wilhelm Scream record (yay!). You can check the band out in Europe this summer and of course you'll see them at Fest 24 this fall.   **Itsa Coookie on Instagram** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**

Fun episode today as we Blake and Mark are joined by Kevin Athas of Oh The Humanity! The band has been around for over a decade now and they have been mixing metal riffs with punk choruses with the great precision the entire time. We talk to Kevin about the early years of the band, the highs and lows of touring, recording their first albums, and how one GREAT show can sustain you for months. Kevin also talks about working with Trevor Reilly from A Wilhelm Scream, some of his favorite Fest memories (VERY fun), and what the band is now working on (hint, it's NEW music).  You can catch Oh The Humanity! on tour later this month as well as at Fest 24 this fall. Get there early, it will fill up with MA folks.   **Itsa Coookie on Instagram** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**

Really fun show today for everyone! To celebrate round two of of the lineup reveal, we've got Sam Russo joining the show today. Sam talks about life as a solo artist and how he really enjoys the the solitude of traveling solo and with friends. We also talk about how he has begun to introduce more full-band arrangements on his albums and how this has been a joy and also really pushed him as a person and an artist. You can check out Sam's PERFECT album "Hold You Hard" over at Red Scare and I suggest STRONGLY that you swing by their online store and pick up that record, it really is terrific. You can catch Sam touring around the UK this summer and of course you'll be able to catch him at Fest 24 this fall.   **Itsa Coookie on Instagram** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**

The Fest 24 lineup is out! I hope all of your favorite bands are playing this year. We try to be fun and helpful here at ALTF and I think we have a fun and helpful episode for all of you today. Joining the show is Jordan Shroyer. You know Jordan from his bands Teen Agers and Virginity. However, Jordan also heads up Whatever, Dude Productions and for 12 years now he's put together some dynamite pre-Fest shows. Like years past, Jordan is putting on a pre-pre-Fest in Orlando on Wednesday, October 21 and an unofficial pre-Fest in Gainesville  on Thursday, October 22. Both shows are absolutely STACKED and will take place across multiple stages.  This is your chance to see a bunch of Fest 24 bands a day or two early in relatively small, intimate venues. Tickets are on sale now and you can buy them right here for Orlando and here for Gainesville. The Gainesville show ALWAYS sells out, so if you know you're going to be in GNV on Thursday anyway, do yourself a favor and grab yourself a ticket. They do wristbands so you can come and go as you please at both shows.   **Itsa Coookie on Instagram** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**

Welcome back to At Least There's Fest and we are officially closing in on our 100th episode. We hope you've enjoyed this non-stop thrill ride as much as we have. Joining the show today is Rory Phillips from the Austin, TX band, The Impossibles. The band formed over 30 years ago and put both ska and non-ska records out on Fueled By Ramen back in the day. Rory walks us through the history of the band, why they left and why they are now coming back, the reason(s) for switching away from ska, and why they are so excited to be back. The group is playing Fest for the first time and will play their first shows outside of Texas in 25 years this coming August.    **Itsa Coookie on Instagram** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**

Welcome back to the show! This is quite frankly a bucket list show for Blake and Mark. As college students during Bear Vs Sharks recording time, this has been a favorite of their's for about a quarter-century and this was just a total treat. We have four members of the band joining the show today in Ashley, Brandon, Derek, and Nick and they share with us the humble beginnings of the band, their decade absence, what it's been like coming back and how in the world they explain their surge in popularity after breaking up (spoiler alert: they have no idea at all). The band is playing Warped Tour in Long Beach this summer along with a show at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco. They are making their triumphant return to Fest this fall for the first time since Fest 4. That is a 21 year gap between Fest appearances. There will be people at Fest this year that were not alive the last time BVS played. Wowzers. Anyway, this is a terrific episode and the band is both forthcoming and humble. Just the best dudes. We hope you enjoy the show.   **Itsa Coookie on Instagram** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**

Greetings and welcome back to another episode of At Least There's Fest! We are excited to be joined by Phil Dalton of the Gainesville band Drosera. Drosera makes blistering metallic hardcore that will make the perfect soundtrack to your next run, gym visit, pit session, or rage room visit.  Phil tells us about how the band formed, their process when making music, his love for Poison the Well, and the release that takes place when playing live music. He also talks to us about the new Drosera album "Outlier" which came out on Friday, their legendary set at Swampfest, and of course we talk about Fest.   **Itsa Coookie on Instagram** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**

Very fun show for Mark and Blake today as one of their podcast heroes, Keith M stops by to chat about music, life, and Fest. Keith fronts the NY based band, Memory Entry who will be playing Fest for the first time this year. He also is the man behind The New Scene podcast, the BEST music podcast in our scene. This was a real treat for us. Keith talks about the formation of the band and how some of the best things in life can come from the ashes of things falling apart all around us. He also talks about how their first EP came together and how they have gather momentum around writing and recording their first full-length record as well.  We also spend some time talking about podcasting, and to me, this is riveting stuff, I hope you all agree. Finally, this is Keith's first time coming to Fest, let's make sure we show him a good time at Fest this fall.   **Itsa Coookie on Instagram** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**  

Hello and welcome back to At Least There's Fest. Joining the show today is Nic Maroulis of Hit Like a Girl. The band has stayed busy over the last decade, releasing four full-length records and playing as many shows as possible. We talk about what it's like to tour so much, the why behind touring for Nic, recording and putting out music, and the fact that you could build two full soft ball team rosters out of people that have at one time been in this band.  We also talk Nic's non-profit No More Dysphoria, Nic and team do great work there. For more information on this work, please check out the link below. You can catch Hit Like A Girl on tour almost of the time and at Fest 24. **Itsa Coookie on Instagram** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics** **No More Dysphoria**

Joining the show today we have Jordan Hill from Hell Beach returning to the those and he brought along his good friend Devon Kay of Devon Kay and the Solutions as well as Direct Hit! Jordan and Devon both fill us on what they have been up to with their projects as well as giving us some hints of what may lay ahead (new music!). We also discuss the ups and downs of touring and how you find the rights bands with which to hit the road. To that end, Devon and Jordan will be touring together starting this weekend at Stoop Fest in Lansing, MI as both of their bands travel to Pouzza Fest. You can find their full schedule of stops on their socials, and both bands put on a terrific live show. If you cannot make to any of those shows, I do have some good news: Hell Beach is playing Fest 24! **Itsa Coookie on Instagram** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics**