NATEFEST

Gamechanger World, Howell, NJ. March 21st, 22nd 2015

Stag Party, Full Speed Ahead, The Banner, Old Wounds, None More Black, 45 Revolutions, For The Love Of, Strength 691, Nora, Farside, Big Wig, Shai Hulud, Mouthpiece, Ensign, Undertow, Indecision, Purpose, Endeavor, Floorpunch, Grade, Killing Time, Sheer Terror, Sick Of It All, Kill Your Idols, Cro-Mags

GRAPHICS BY: BAS SPIERINGS. WORDS & PHOTOS BY: JOSEPH CAREY... JC PHOTO MEDIA

CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO SEE ALL OF JOSEPH CAREY'S PHOTOS FROM BOTH DAYS

Killing Time battled a bit of rust and technical difficulties and won. The crowd acted like it was 1989

The sound wasn’t great. The location was a million miles from anywhere. The lighting was kinda shitty.

Now that I got the negatives out of the way there was not another bad thing to say about a collection of 25 bands and a ton of people coming together to live up to what the best parts of what hardcore is all about.  NY and NJ hardcore (with some help from the rest of the hardcore world) came together to take care of one of their own over the weekend. No fights, No bullshit, lots of fingers in the air, stage dives, and unity.

The cause of this love fest: Nate Gluck of Ensign, Strength 691, Vision (who couldn’t play due to scheduling conflicts), and a bunch of other NJHC projects is battling cancer. Aside from the physical battle is the economics of trying to keep a positive outlook while dealing with this. Natefest was part of a multi-pronged attack to help with both. To donate please visit Nate Gluck Fund.

This isn’t a band by band review as that was not what the weekend was about. The weekend was exactly what drew me to hardcore over 25 years ago and the buzz amongst the attendees showed me this thing will never die. Get well Nate. #FuckCancer

Grade led sing alongs from start to finish

Mouthpiece bringing the PMA to the audience. Crowd and band brought their A game

Don’t Hate Him Cause He’s Beautiful – Paul Bearer and Sheer Terror bringing the smiles

Kill Your Idols was an hour of stage dives and finger pointing – great set 

John Joseph of the Cro-Mags

Shai Hulud

45 Revolutions (with Mike Judge) played a solid set of classic punk until the crowd erupted as they covered "Break Down The Walls" and Mike’s own "The Storm"

Full Speed Ahead led off Day 2

Does Sick Of It All ever take a day off? "Clobberin’ Time" was in effect

For The Love Of

Tim Shaw leads the fist pumping finger pointing sing along during Ensign’s set

Floorpunch was stage dive city with X’s out in force

John Pettibone did a set of Undertow songs with an intensity almost unmatched over the weekend

Popeye returned to do a set of Farside songs and the crowd wanted to know why he left

Nate took the bass for a few songs during Ensign – Get well soon

Click the flyer below to find out how to help out Nate!