Curious what notable personalities in the scene think was great this year? So is TGEFM! So we reached out to some of our favorite luminaries ranging from musicians, label personnel, and more for their “Best of 2025” lists. Now, listen: TGEFM is not a taskmistress. Contributors can write these out however they want. So if it doesn’t actually look or read like a list… and sometimes it really is just a list with no other observations! Who cares?
Long Island acoustic-punk duo Bitters and Distractions continue carving out a lane all their own, pairing bare-bones instrumentation with the conviction and catharsis of a full-throttle punk band. Built on the creative chemistry between Jeremy Quitko and Travis Johnides, the project filters aging, family life, and hard-won perspective through melodies that hit as hard as they resonate. The duo, known for killer live performances have shared their top live sets of 2025, their own and ones they experienced.
Top 5 Shows Bitters and Distractions Played in 2025 (Travis Johnides)
1) October 26 – FEST (Gainesville, FL)Without question, our top show of the year was FEST. Playing this legendary event in Gainesville has always been on our bucket list, and we’re incredibly grateful to Andy from Sell The Heart Records for giving us the opportunity to be part of something so meaningful.
2) November 15 – Fest at the Farm (Yaphank, NY)This festival, which was organized by our friends Half Dizzy, supported the Suffolk County Farm – a cause we were honored to contribute to. The day was made even better by sharing the stage with so many friends, including Gone Stereo, Clover’s Curfew, and Jared Knapick.
3) September 20 – Mr. Beery’s (Bethpage, NY)This show was all about friends! We shared the bill with incredible bands like Gone Stereo, Playing Dead, Jared Knapik, and Dust and his Demons. Beyond playing a great set, we loved getting to watch our friends perform their amazing music.
4) June 7 – Lindenhurst Music Festival (Lindenhurst, NY)There’s nothing better than an outdoor summer festival – except maybe one where every set is recorded! Despite the pouring rain, this event was packed with great performances. You can now stream Live from the Lindenhurst Music Festival on all major platforms.
5) March 22 – The Calling Bell (Huntington, NY)Playing at The Calling Bell, a tattoo parlor in Huntington, was a unique and unforgettable experience. The staff was welcoming, the crowd was fantastic, and the energy was electric. It was an awesome night from start to finish.
Top 5 Live Performances I saw in 2025 (Jeremy Quitko)
1) Tired Radio – FEST (Gainesville, FL) This band has been on my radar for a while. I have listened to them on my drive to work and have even met them at some shows, but seeing them live was more than I expected. Pure energy! Even in a festival atmosphere everyone knew the lyrics to their songs, and Tony right there in the crowd sharing the microphone with the fans.
2) Hot Water Music – AMH (Amityville, NY) I will always go see Hot Water Music when they are in state, but next door in Amityville was a special treat. I have seen them on all sizes of stage but this time i stood front and center and felt every word hit as it came out of Chuck and Chris’ mouthes. They smiled through the whole set and Chuck Ragan shook every hand and thanked every one of us as they finished up. Don’t sleep on last year’s VOWS, they continue to make amazing music.
3) Drug Church – The Paramount (Huntington, NY) Playing in support of Pain of Truth, at one of The Paramount’s first bunch of hardcore shows, I didn’t necessarily come to see Drug Church. I had listened to their most recent album, CHEER, but did not expect all of Patrick Kindlon and the band brought to the stage. You can’t take your eyes off them!
4) Wolves&Wolves&Wolves&Wolves – FEST (Gainesville, FL) This is an example of how important it is to listen to your friends! Thank you to Micah from Music Dies Here for dragging us away from our intended show choice at that time to see this powerhouse. I had never heard of them at the time and I have not stopped listening to them since.
5) Frank Black – Brooklyn Steel (Brooklyn, NY) Frank Black toured this year to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Teenager of the Year. I saw Frank black for the first time as a freshman in high school, right after this album came out, and he played the whole thing straight through as an acoustic set. This year I got to see him revisit this masterpiece with the entire original band he recorded with. He told stories, and made every song come to life all over again. This was special and i’m glad I got to share it with my brother too.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed’s musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he’s self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/
Thank you, That’s Good Enough For Me!