Gallery: Misfit’s Mini Festival Basically Turned Into A Riot

It was never going to be a lazy Sunday afternoon.

The moment the mini-festival lineup was shared on Misfit’s social media the fate of the day had been decided. It was to end in a bath of sweat, beer, blood and stickers at the Lansdowne Hotel.

Two days into promotion and the event was completely sold out, unsurprisingly given the bill consisted of multiple bands that could max the double storey venue independently.

The Sunday session began with an honest and obviously unrehearsed introduction from artist Jack Irvine and Jake Vincent, who wore crotches with a cleverly secured VB stubby cooler, after blowing his knee doing a cheater five on a one foot burger a week ago.

After a few awkward exchanges and a few giggles from the audience, the pair handed the mic to openers, Crotch, who began warming the downstairs stage while bodies piled in, rushing for refreshments from the bar.

Before Crotch had switched off their amplifiers there was a mad dash upstairs to catch OG punk rockers, Cosmic Psychos, who were on far earlier than expected. The bass was dirty, the guitar tone dirtier and the lyrics, well, let’s just say what was said on stage, stays on stage. 

The venue began to heave, Neighbourhood Void did their thing downstairs and the fantastically named Ute Root mesmerised upstairs (owing perhaps to their powerful front-gal) and things started getting hazy. 

By the time Jake Vincent and his band Cloacas (who just so happened to release a new EP the other day) anarchy had taken hold. Vinny sat, keyboard balanced on his lap. He growled, screamed and basically swallowed the microphone. He was possessed. Someone’s head exploded with blood (see above).

Asher Wales and Jack Irvine tossed Misfit goodies to the crowd who had began to lose their footing in the chaos.

It was somewhere during the first number from the Pist Idiots that venue security started to panic. Lighting and audio equipment came under threat from flying limbs and sweaty long-haired youth, who were now being tossed over each other’s heads.

Back downstairs and order was restored. Buzz Kull released his one man dark wave assault with loops, synths, punchy programmed drums and eery, doubled vocals. He moved erratically, adding to the drama. He faded out. It was time for Skegss.

The three piece blasted all the bangers. There really wasn’t a dull moment during the entire set. While things seemed almost violent for Pist Idiots, angst headbanging was replaced with smiling faces mouthing lyrics, all drenched in a room of perspiration.

Asher Wales rode a Misfit board through the crowd, then generously handed it over to some lucky lad. Nobody knows if he made it out alive.

Scabz closed out the show, the crowd started to thin. Misfit’s giveaway bags were empty and tomorrow was a Monday.

Heads are sore (and in some cases stitched) but we’re not regretting any of it.