Nazi Punks Fuck Off: Live from Bay Fest 2018

DAY 1

 

A full summer of gigs and festivals this one, so here we go with another one, one of the biggest punk fests in Italy, BayFest at Bellaria-Igea Marina. It’s the first time for me here and I have high expectations. Let’s see how it went!

After many hours spent on the road, we arrived in the seaside city! Losing time finding a parking and picking up our wristbands we arrived just in time for the opening, and so let’s do a tour of the place, around the stalls, saying hello at everyone in the press area and then listening to the first band, Why Everyone Left. They are a young band, around since 2014 which proposes a fast and easy punk rock. That’s anyway a good start.

 

15-minute break and let’s start with Duracel, one of the most famous bands of the Italian punk rock scene. An experienced show, a lot of fun, and catchy songs.

 

Forty Winks are next and they come from a fast and hard punk rock while now they have elaborated their sound with some electric and new wave influences, which are not my cup of tea.

 

BeerBong instead have been playing together for 20 years now and their skate punk made in Friuli still rocks out! A very good show!

 

And now the first ‘big’ band, the Lillingtons, American band which still plays fast and catchy punk rock songs but, especially with their last album ‘Stella Sapiente’, they introduced new sounds, more complex and well, there’s something that doesn’t convince me but they still do a good show!

 

And now the first band that I really want to see tonight, the Mad Caddies. Funny, and so skillful on mixing ska, punk and reggae. Everyone jumps! Very well played also the cover song extracted from their last album ‘Punk Rocksteady’.

 

Then it’s time for the headliners, Lagwagon, godfathers of the punk/melodic hardcore who celebrate the 20 year anniversary of ‘Let’s Talk About Feelings’. Always in a good shape, with a good spirit and capable of a great show even if Joey’s voice was a bit out of shape, maybe due to tiredness. Anyway, a full hour in the spirit of punk rock!

DAY 2

 

We have time to enjoy the beautiful sea and the beach (and so the time to become like a crab) while we wait for the beginning of the second day of the festival. Which starts on time with Totale Apatia, a band which has been on the scene for some years now and who with their Italian punk rock makes me jump.

 

Followed by the Sardinian (almost Spanish now) band, Inarrestabili. A band that I have been following for some years now and with whom I have the pleasure to talk. First time that I see them live and I have to say that they now how to move on a stage and they spread all their energy in 30 minutes set.

 

It’s time for Second Youth, a band that has faced a real success in the last months, especially thanks to their album ‘Dear Road’. A punk rock/street punk sound with some melodic hardcore that makes me really happy! So, fuck yeah, good job guys!

 

We now move on with a street punk/oi band: Booze ‘n’ Glory from London (with members from all over Europe). They have been on the road for some years now and they know how to warm up the punks’ hearts with some fast songs and some melodic ones. Without any doubt one of the bands that I liked most during the fest.

 

It’s time for the godfathers of the NY hardcore: Agnostic Front! And when they jump on stage, they immediately set on fire the crowd. Roger, despite being under surgery, and Stigma are still full of energy. They played all the classics such as ‘My Family’, ‘Old New York’ and ‘Gotta Go’. A blow-mind setlist!

 

At a certain point of the show, Roger stopped everything because he noticed something strange in the crowd. And at this point I, and everyone else, noticed it too. As most of you already know, a group of Nazi entered the fest and started to pounce on people. A part from all the criticism to the organization (why they entered, why the security and the police didn’t stop them, what are the consequences…) I want to say that this kind of people should distanced form cultural and social spaces where other people give space to creativity, diversity and culture. Nazi, and in general, all kind of fascisms, doesn’t belong to a community and a movement that promotes tolerance, friendship, equality and overthrowing of the established system through the energy of creativity. Punks have always been against violence sqauds, and they will always be antifascists. So, it is necessary that we, and people that organize the events, call those people with their names, that keep them away and make the right action, not in the name of police, law and whatever ma in the name of justice and antifa movements. We can’t go back. Punk is not only a musical genre but it is also a culture, a way of living with a precise social and cultural background. Punk is against all violence and it is and always will be antifascist.

My thoughts go to all the people involved in the violence.

 

Back to the music, it’s time for the headliners, the Dropkick Murphys. They are one of the founders of celtic punk, and the Boston based band knows how to entertain the kids, and in one hour and a half they show off a beautiful setlist. I haven’t seen them for a couple of years, and despite the fact that Ken doesn’t play the bass, he is still a great frontman together with Al. A great show that cheered me up.

 

DAY 3

 

And while everyone is waiting to see if it’s going to rain or not, I have time to sit and enjoy the atmosphere at Beky Bay bar and also talk with people about the night before.

 

After a long chat with Frank, Booze ‘n’ Glory drummer (thank you!) we went to the main area where Sunset Radio started playing followed by Edward in Venice. Both are young bands but they are really good. I especially liked Edward In Venice and their punk hardcore.

 

The legendary Senzabenza tried to start the show but they had to stop it due to the rain. The storm is really coming. We find a shelter under the press area stand where we start to fool around. Yeah, well, even press and photographers can play around.

So, among photos, strange ideas on swimming and fishing under the rain, inflatable beds, raincoats, wines with strange names and sushi proposals, the storm goes away leaving space to a light rain that allows us to go out and watch some brave guys facing the bad weather playing with a ball, building sandcastles and drinking beer of course.

 

Finally, everything is back to normal. Unfortunately, Nothington needed to cancel the show (they will play an acoustic set on the American Socks stand). Millencolin start but they are interrupted many times because of the lack of electricity. No worries because Nikola comes up with some acoustic song and in one way or the other they are able to finish their set!

 

We wait a bit but finally Bad Religion are on stage! As everyone knows, they are celebrating ‘Suffer’ so they will play the entire album tonight. Of course, they play also classic songs such as ‘Sorrow’, ‘American Jesus’ and ‘Fuck You’. As usual, they are excellent, they are really one of my favourite bands on a live show.

 

The last band of this fest are Suicidal Tendencies, a hardcore milestone. Some people already went away, maybe due to the bad weather, but anyway, when the show sarted, a really dynamic show, you can still hear the people sing and scream! And, last thing, everyone on stage!

 

So, as I was saying the expectations were high, so let’s conclude my experience at the festival. Nothing to say on the bands and the locations, with all good services, regarding food, drinks and merchandising, especially for being a festival in Italy, because there are a few festivals left (so big) and which are always so difficult to organize (ok, the prices were a bit too high, especially for some of the kids). Well, I may suggest that next year some kind of daily camping pass can be introduced (50 euros for 2 nights is too much) and enhance the press area in order to let everyone work with a proper space and maybe also do the interviews there. Please, enhance also the disabled services, with proper parking and toilets. Regarding Monday night, I don’t have anything else to say, but I hope something like that will never happen again during a punk fest.

Of course, thanks to the great Romagna hospitality!

 

Stay punk, stay antifa!

Photogallery by Francesco Dose