Zegema Beach Records Fest 2023
~additional videos and review
Location: Empty Bliss
Subterranean
Dates: May 5th
May 6th-7th
Bands: Apostles Of Eris, Closedown, New Forms, Gossip, Crowning + Eyelet battle set
Victor Shores, Nerver, Mouthing, Scenario, Terry Green, Vientre, Coma Regalia, Crowning, Black Matter Device, Rainmaking, Orphan Donor, Meth, Jeromes Dream
Venus Twins, Rotting In Dirt, Amitie, Massa Nera, Dreamwell, Eyelet, Malevich, Heavenly Blue, Euclid C Finder!, Blind Girls, Closet Witch, The Sawtooth Grin
Okay, wow. That was insane. Even four and-a-half months after, I'm still in shock and reeling from euphoria shockwaves. The hype was intense. The gatherings were hella positive. The bands were incredible. It was like a three-day birthday party. I can't thank everyone who supported ZBR Fest 2023 in any way, whether it be attending, playing, promoting, or even just telling others positive things about it. We've already started booking 2024 and it's looking absolutely ridiculous.
Wanna see more fest footage? Here's the 2022 post and the 2022 official ZBR documentary video. More still? Here's the 2023 official ZBR documentary video. Let's get on with it. By the way, all photos are by Bret Backus aka the man. You rule and so do your pictures 💓
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DAY 0 = May 5th, 2023
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APOSTLES OF ERIS - full set
First full-band performance ever? You betcha. Ma boi Jesse Mowery recruited friends from Euclid C Finder! and In Wolves' Clothing (one of his other bands) to flesh out the five-piece and after a single full-band practice (with no vocals) and we opened the fest. I stuck my camera on a speaker and snagged our entire set...cuz obviously I couldn't film. Cuz I scream.
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The Daves love their Eddy, so this was a no-brainer. CLOSEDOWN is from Ohio and have been releasing stellar songs for years at this point, and their continuous experimenting and refining have pushed the band into a realm all their own. Each song is unique and this video is no exception, as it dabbles in post-punk, screamo, post-hardcore, and I don't even know what else. A little bit The Cure, a dash of Mars Volta, and remnants of Wolf Teeth.
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Flying in all the way for the west coast to play the pre-fest was a band that Apostles Of Eris has actually done a 12" split with (titled 'Drone and Cull'...which you can jam/buy below). The more I watch this video the more mesmerized I become. And I shall never forget how blown away I was by the closer...that shit was truly next level. Except some new wax in 2024. For fans of Nuvolascura, Guidelines, Crowning, etc.
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Everyone was looking forward to this, the highlight of the evening and arguably the coolest thing about ZBR Fest 2023. Two bands where everyone is friends, and both of them fucking rule. It was hot...and the pipes were sweating. Everything was red. It was spectacular. My full video includes the encore tacked onto the end of the set.
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DAY 1 = May 6th, 2023
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When Nate from No Funeral asked if we wanted to corelease the new VICTOR SHORES, it led to a massive influx of CanaDave love for this awesome three-piece. Self-described "hard emo-punk" is a very fitting genre classification, and I couldn't help but take a few extra videos including my absolute fave "Bleach". You can even hear me make a garbled scream right before the catchy-as-fuck outro. We still got some tapes! Snag'em below.
tapes
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I'd been excited to witness the post-Celebrations band NERVER for ages - especially after helping release 'Believer's Hit' a few years back. Luckily for me they happen to play my favourite song when I hit the record button. And I was standing next to none other than Bobby Johnson of The Ghost Is Clear while it all went down. Awesome memory captured forever. Sorry about all the video movement I was dancing up a storm.
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This band was basically an enigma until I met them at the fest (all smiles and gratitude) and then proceeded to get my ass handed to me during their live set. Raw as fuck and absolutely vicious, the four-piece tore downstairs apart and played some new jams that are effing incroyable.
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Immediately following the band's 2022 set I ran after them and begged them to play this year's fest. They fucking killed it and showed why their new 12"LP 'When All Is Said and Done' is held in such high regard. I definitely asked too much of the band when it came to borrowing equipment and one piece was actually misplaced for a day before we found it after they had returned back to Ohio. Sorry fellas, we love ya!
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Following a major bummer letdown in 2022 (the Canadian passport office essentially mis-mailed a members passport and then didn't tell them it was sent back to their office) we decided to rectify the hurt in our collective hearts. Showcasing two new songs and three faves, they wowed new and old fans alike. I should also mention I've seen this band like 30 times and this was the first with more than one guitarist...and they had three!!! Cannot wait for new Terry, holy shit. New song below!
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This was without a doubt the most emotional set from the band ever, and considering the time-frame this was all going down it totally makes sense. Edie's performance was electric, as was the rest of the band, matching her intensity perfectly. I can't say enough great things about Coma Regalia and Middle Man Records. Just the freakin' best.
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Making quite a trek from Portland was this three-piece, who we we've been ecstatic about since releasing their debut EP on tape awhile back. The intricate nature of the music obviously stifles movement and eccentricity, but holy moly is it worth it to hear the tightness of everything with so many sick riffs over top of it all. I shot this one from upstairs so it's also kinda stationary but the sound is great, and it's one of my favourite jams. We are eagerly anticipating their next material!
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The Daves love Jared, that's a well known fact. So when they asked to play this fest it was an obvious yes, and good god of science almighty was that a good call. They absolutely floored me with their mesmerizing/pummeling music and performance. Plus they're awesome people. What a time!!!
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This staple of ZBR Fest took their double-EP performance from 2022 and seriously upped it. Playing their entire new/unreleased record in full a year ahead of its release, the six-piece tore the room apart for about an hour. Jumping into the crowd, lying on the floor, swinging mics around - this set was fucking fantastic to witness and yet again there was just a sea of people afterwards muttering "what the fuck just happened to me?"
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---extra video #1---
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DAY 2 = May 7th, 2023
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After releasing the band's most recent EP on 12" we were ecstatic to see them play and they definitely refused to disappoint. Bringing two sick new songs to the set, I found my way from the balcony down the back spiral staircase through the green room to shoot. Such a sick, genre-mashing group of great human beings.
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Amitie's trajectory has been on an upward slope of ridiculousness since adopting their name change showed that their intense, new material translates even better live. A wicked, complete set with sing-a-long fans and heaps of passion. Twas also fun hanging with them outside and shootin' the shit, thanks my friend <3
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After ripping into the mind (and body) melting battle set during the pre-show, this Baltimore four-piece played 'The Devil Shining Out Your Eyes' in full and showed why it's one of the best and most progressive screamo albums of the last decade. For this one I cozied up next to my boy Matt.
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No band I have ever seen reigns in their imposing, explosive, and dark energy like Atlanta's Malevich. Devastating is an understatement. We somehow have a couple of tapes, split 7"s, and 12"s left. I dunno when their new LP is dropping but count me in for utter annihilation please.
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Traveling all the way from Australia and touring with Heavenly Blue, this five-piece play the most visceral set I've seen by them. At one point Mark (bass) was getting up and he looked at the crowd and just screamed like a madman...it was fucking intense. It's also kinda funny because those folks are the nicest people, but holy moly is their set something else - god-tier.
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This Iowa band has been on the Daves' radar for a fucking decade, so having them play and just obliterate downstairs was awe-inspiring. This is another example where the band is just ferocious live but also super sweet. They'll have a new vinyl by the end of the year and I can attest that's it's the best thing they've ever done. Truly sensational. Easily one of the best active bands.
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Fresh off of a Japan mini-tour and almost zero sleep, this three-piece from Florida still brought it. I sidled up nice and close to Bob to get a decent stage video. I love how they just keep getting heavier, and they're ridiculously huggy to boot. Screamo Care Bears, I say.
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________________________________________SAWTOOTH GRIN - full set
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