Gilbert, PA – 06 July 2024
When family day comes to the punk rock sleepaway camp
Day 2 of Camp Punksylvania had some of my favorite moments, but most didn’t have much to do with the music. Ya know in the TV shows when a Camp hosts “family day”? People who wouldnt normal be a part of something get to take part, get introduced to new things and new friends and start to look at things in a different way? Well Saturday at the punk rock sleepaway camp was my family day… literally.
Bit of back story, I left Day 1 after A Day Without Love closed the night on the Shadow Stage. I made the 2 hour drive home, rolling in right around 330am and setting an alarm for an early morning swim meet for our youngest daughter. (Nobody asked, but she did very well: one first and two second place finishes). When the meet ended just after noon, my oldest daughter and I hopped in the car to make the 2 hour drive back to Camp. She’s been to a couple stadium tours, but Camp was set to be her first show, and I couldn’t wait to watch her experience the scene that I love.
The whole ride there we talked about the band’s she was excited for (The Karens and We Are The Union were her top picks for today). We listened to a Camp Punksylvania playlist on Spotify. We spoke about how hopeful I was to get there in time to see No Complyance, who stole the show for me last year and Camp. Most importantly though, we enjoyed each other’s company. Two hours of driving from Jersey to Penn has never passed so quickly (but not quick enough that we didn’t miss Meanderthal, Matt Pless, Career Mode and the Wax Pax stage Open Mic sessions).
Remember how I said I was really looking forward to No Complyance? We got there pretty late and then there was a brief argument about whether she needed to wear her earplugs. We only had the chance to really watch the last 2 No Complyance songs. They were great… really high energy and a ton of fun but I was half focused, worrying about my legacy being a lifetime of tinnitus.
The set ended and I had to do the asshole dad thing and pull her to the side to preach the virtue of earplugs at these things. It went about as well as it goes whenever a 42 year old dad tries to explain why a 15-year-old needs to make good decisions that seem insignificant at the moment, but then Mr P from DCxPC Live Records came by, overheard the convo and convinced her that it’s better to hear when you’re 20 than to look tough when you’re 15. Sometimes having someone cooler than dad say the dad things goes a long way, and thanks to Mr P. and his sage advice, her earplugs stayed in the rest of the day.
Next up on the Riot Stage was The Karens. With Dr Chud (Misfits) on drums, the remaining three of the quartet donned manager-demanding wigs and sang sarcastic songs of anti-vax stupidity and demanding divorces. This was not some silly novelty act singing songs about broken ice cream machines. I mean they’re that too, but wow did they put on a fucking banger of set, and my kid, well she was in her glory thanks to The Karens.
Remember earlier when I mentioned that Day 2 was less about the music for me than it was about the experience for her… and part of the experience was a walk through the Misfits Market to see the wares being peddled by small, local businesses.
The walk through the pop-up shops was great, but it did keep us from part of Ship Of Fools, the Canadian punks on the Riot Stage. What I was able to catch was a beer-soaked melodic punk act with gruff vocals and steady beats. I wish I’d given them more of my attention, but I do not regret letting Maddy follow her interests.
Opening the Main Stage on Saturday was FEA. The bilingual punks were a highlight of the day. Bouncing across the stage in a cacophony of hair and riffs. The kiddo left the set with more than a pep in her step and a smile on her face.
The smile turned to an elated slack-jawed bemusement as SOJI took over the Riot Stage and ho-o-o-o-ollly fuck, what a show! The 4-piece are an experience to take part in. The individual aesthetics of each member (anime hair, bandit mask, cat eyes sharp enough to kill a man and a gorgeous Donnie Darko tattoo) come together with full parcels of energy, anger and melodies. Even in the blazing heat, SOJI never once slowed down their set.
A quick walk back to the car to grab more water and then back to the main stage for Kill Lincoln. The DC ska-punks owned the stage for the whole of their set, with their hype man/dancer and brass section putting on an aerobic performance that seemed impossible in the brutal temps.
Kill Lincoln were followed by local act Amora on the Riot Stage. With a sound different from much of the fest, the post-hardcore act were a welcome change to the ska-punk heavy sounds. The band took their chance to stand out and made the most of it with performance perfection, great sound, tight musicianship and a charismatic presence. I can not wait to see and hear all the great things inevitably coming the way of these dudes. To top it off, after the performance Maddy got to meet Fred Mascherino, of Taking Back Sunday, The Color Fred, Breaking Pangea and a gazillion other acts (who also happens to head up Amora’s Record Label, Heading East Records). The smile that formed at that moment didn’t fade for 3 days. It was awesome.
We Are The Union held court at the main stage, and I’m not sure a horn section has Ever had so much fun! There’s really something special about performers that can be so high-energy and not feel choreographed but WATU were something more. It was genuine and honest and what the scene needs more of.
It was then time to cool off with Car Bomb Parade and their water gun fights set to their New World hardcore sounds. Leading the band of feral raccoons singer, Rev. Nicky Bullets wasn’t really on the stage. Instead he took his pulpit and roamed and growled his way throughout the overheated and overjoyed congregation.
Watching my daughter see Catbite for the first time was a heart string tugging type of moment. I can only imagine that the light in her eyes as the band worked it’s way through classics Like “Asinine Aesthetic” and covers like Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie” matched the twinkle I had the first time I saw Less Than Jake. Some moments are pure magic and this was one of those moments for her. I can never repay Camp Punksylvania or Catbite for providing the backdrop to that moment for us.
Camp veterans Vulture Raid took to the Riot Stage with passion and exuberance as the sun began to set behind them. While the highlight of the performance was definitely their cover of “Gangsta’s Paradise,” every moment of the set introduced a new element to the band’s talents.
Next up on the Main Stage, we’ve got Boston ska legends Big D and the Kids Table. The New Englanders’ set was full of wicked hijinks, the crowd feasted on bandleader David McWane’s Big D energy. There was skanking, there was moshing, there was crowd surfing, and even a circle pit or two… it was everything Big D has become known for in their long careers.
Working Class Stiffs took to the stage next, and showed off Buffalo’s best ska-punk before headliners The Bronx took the stage. The Bronx attacked the crowd with aural savagery and destructive energy. They spoke to the crowd, they controlled the energy in the audience and engaged throughout their set.
Unfortunately the excitement and heat were a bit too much for the child we call “Blanche” because she is more like an septugenarian than a teen. As The Bronx’s set began to close out, she asked if we could skip the Shadow Stage. I tried to explain how excited I was for Beef, Cardboard Homestead and The Dirty Nil, how much I thought she’d Enjoy the singer-songwriting of Matt Pless and Dead Dead Swans, but she was spent and I’d rather miss a few performances than to see her turn sour on the idea of accompanying me to shows in the future. I took the calculated loss and made the long drive home, excited to spend the next few months reliving these performances with her.
Ive spent the last 25-plus years romanticizing the family elements of the scene, but getting to share that community with my child? Well, I think I just stumbled upon the true dream.
Big thanks to the following for helping making her trip to Camp Punksylvania extra special:
*Justin (Mr. P) of DCxPC Records for chatting her up about ear plugs, drumming and bands that sound like Paramore.
*Zach (Suburban Downgrade) for taking a few moments between acts at the Riot Stage to speak with her about your own kids.
*Liz and Madison of the Punk Rock Photographer family for offering blankets, chairs and badminton if she wanted to decompress and get out of the sun for a short break.
*Swam (The Karens) for not getting weirded out when she fawned over how much she loved your set in the midway.
*Jessa (SOJI) for the stickers and smiles.
*Fred Mascherino for taking the time after Amora‘s set for taking a picture with her, showing interest in her interests and fooling her into believing I may not be as big of a nerd by remembering our interview from a few months back
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/
