Back to Fluff: Highlights from Fluff Fest 2014

Fluff Fest is an annual DIY hardcore punk festival held at the airfield in the small Czech town of Rokycany, near Plzeň. Here, you won’t find any corporate sponsorship, big metal bands, barriers in front of the stage, or security guards.

I’ve been going every year since 2007, and although I intended to write a similar report last year, it didn’t happen because I was hitchhiking from Sofia to Rokycany and missed the whole first day and half of the second day of the festival.

This time, I arrived on time not only for Fluff but also for the matinee in Prague on Thursday. So here’s my report, highlights, rants, and whatever else about Fluff 2014.

Pre-Fluff Hardcore Matinée

After a long ride from Budapest—where we slept the night before because we got lost trying to exit the Hungarian capital—we arrived in Prague just in the middle of Kids Insane’s set, the first band of the day playing at the Pre-Fluff Hardcore Matinee. Most people were still chilling out in the park around the venue. Café Na Půl Cesty is a small house nestled inside the central park in Prague’s Pankrác neighborhood. The weather was pretty hot, and as usual, there was a nice vegan BBQ and vegan ice cream in front of the café.

But then I discovered that the better food was being served inside the venue: it’s called Vegebap! For €2, you get this really huge bap full of fake meat, vegetables, and veggie mayo. It was a great pleasure to finally be in Prague after two days of traveling by car, eating Vegebap, and watching Kids Insane from Israel play their fast yet melodic hardcore punk in front of kids from all over the world!

The next band of the day was Under Bad Eyes from Curitiba, Brazil, who also turned out to be really amazing people when I talked with them after their set. You should definitely check them out if you’re into melodic hardcore à la Lifetime, Kid Dynamite, etc. They play short, catchy, and memorable songs. Their bass player was an awesome dude who couldn’t speak English at all but was at the front of the stage for every single band during Fluff Fest and was really enjoying it.

Next in line was Rooftops from Moscow, but I decided to socialize outside and enjoy the sunny day in the park.

FOCUSEDxMINDS, a straight-edge youth crew-sounding band from the States, were originally not on the bill, but their show in Budapest was canceled. They were a great surprise for many people, but I wasn’t that impressed.

The name I was excited for was I AM A CURSE from France, and they were promoting their new record. The French guys were intense as usual, but their set wasn’t that great due to some technical difficulties.

The long-awaited overseas band for the day was Test of Time, a straight-edge band from Boston (!) featuring the famous hardcore punk photographer Todd Pollock on vocals, James from The Effort on guitar, and other notable people from the Boston hardcore scene. The guys from the USA announced a stage-diving contest with free vegan ice cream for the winner, played some of their explosive hardcore songs about drug-free living and vegetarian lifestyle, and then… played a set of Minor Threat cover songs! There’s no need to tell you what followed in the packed and sweaty room.

However, the band that was really the highlight of the day was Minority of One, and they come from Spain! The tiny space of Café Na Půl Cesty was packed, and the kids went crazy during their set. There was moshing, dancing, stage diving, and big smiles on all the young faces sharing the passion for hardcore and punk music, DIY ethics, and progressive politics. Minority of One were nailing one melodic youth anthem after another and then killed it with covers of Uniform Choice and NOFX.

Appraise was the other Spanish (or actually Catalonian) band playing that show, and they were also great—especially if you appreciate seeing a passionate youth crew band that puts meaning into their lyrics rather than just singing the same old clichés typical of that style of hardcore music. Yeah, Appraise is one of the few youth crew bands that I enjoy seeing live.

The closing act for that show was Gab De La Vega from Brescia, Italy. Gab is a well-known name in the European DIY hardcore punk scene, being the man behind Epidemic Records and the frontman of The Smashrooms. His solo acoustic project is also great. He sings songs about social justice, political resistance, and animal liberation with such passion that everyone was captivated in the room, thoroughly enjoying his performance.

After the show, it was time for more talks, jokes, and excitement for the days to come. We looked forward to Gab packing his merch so we could follow him to Rokycany, where we arrived around 1 after midnight.

Fluff Fest: Day 1

Friday morning started with shopping, a great breakfast, some time at the swimming pool, checking out the multitude of distros and activist tents, and then watching the first act of the day—Italian screamo band Volta, who were quite good.

It was getting really hot outside and inside the tent stage. Deadverse (I thought they were Bastions) played their upbeat hardcore, delivered brilliantly by their singer, who touched us with amazing stage presence and a priceless British accent. I missed Gulfer because I was standing impatiently in front of the main stage, where the first band was going to be Mort! Mort! Mort! (ex-Aussitôt Mort), a band I’m pretty familiar with. However, they turned out to be my biggest disappointment at Fluff Fest. With significant lineup changes and a new name, the band wasn’t as good as they used to be when I’ve seen them before—especially compared to Fluff Fest 2012, where they were one of the best bands of the whole festival. They played some of their old songs and some new ones, but as I said, I wasn’t impressed at all.

The next band on the main stage was a complete surprise for me: Thränenkind from Germany, who play post-metal with eco-anarchist, anti-civilization, vegan straight-edge lyrics and messages. It was quite good.

I missed Sugartown Cabaret to see another French band instead, and it was totally worth it! It was time to have some fun with SPORT from Lyon, who play the best indie-rockish melodic punk rock I’ve ever heard. I have to admit I was listening to their Bon Voyage and Colors records every single day since the beginning of this season, and they’re definitely the soundtrack of Summer 2014 for me! It was absolutely amazing—not just for me but also for all the people singing, dancing, and stage-diving with them. It was probably the most memorable show they’ve ever played (they also played at Fluff Fest last year but on the open stage rather than the main stage).

On the tent stage, Appraise and Rooftops—whom I’d already heard in Prague—performed, but on the main stage, Hierophant sounded like hell! I was left speechless after their set. Bow down to the devil who possessed this band!

Beyond Pink was the next band on the main stage, and they were flawless. Girls and boys danced together to the rhythms of this awesome all-girl and all-fun hardcore punk band. Then I immediately ran to the tent stage to catch Old Soul from the USA—definitely a highlight for me at this year’s edition of Fluff Fest. The beast was unleashed, and Old Soul took my poor young soul and left me breathless.

Back on the main stage, Heaven In Her Arms were about to play. Waiting… and then the Japanese guys started to perform—charming, beautiful, passionate music touching the audience on many different levels.

The headliners for the day were Mean Season, the legendary ’90s hardcore band from Orange County, California. The influential band was active during 1992 and 1996, and now, almost two decades later, I’m seeing them live at Fluff Fest. I tried not to think too much about it and just dive into their music, whatever they might sound like now. And it was one of the greatest reunions I’ve ever seen. The band was fantastic on stage—the songs were tight and powerful… they even played a Slayer cover. I felt great hearing, feeling, and moshing to one of the living legends of political hardcore—a main influence for some of my favorite bands like Gather and 7 Generations. I don’t care what others might say about Mean Season at Fluff; I really enjoyed their set, and seeing this band will stay in my mind for a long time.

Two more bands at the tent stage: Lentic Waters are a truly great band, and it’s a pleasure seeing them every chance I get. Powerful and moving music, and the songs from their new split with Old Soul are just amazing! Then Test of Time hit the final nail for Friday’s hardcore punk schedule with their explosive set, followed by another Minor Threat jamboree! An amazing end to the day—or not, because there were still D.I.S.C.O. parties, the Queer tent with electro-punk and all kinds of intriguing art, noises, and total fun!

Fluff Fest: Day 2

Saturday morning started at the swimming pool. Brothers And Sisters In Crime (B.A.S.I.C.) were playing vegan straight-edge anthems on the island. People were diving off the island and singing together, “Vegan straight edge, or no straight edge at all!” If you haven’t been there and you’re not a vegan straight-edge warrior, you might not get that part of my report.

Then I ran back to the campsite to not miss Deer In The Headlights, an awesome crusty screamo band from Banja Luka, Bosnia. They are wholeheartedly real skramz, and they’re awesome—check them out!

The next bands on the tent stage weren’t as important to me because I was hanging out at the Landverraad merch tent. Their singer, Marina, and I were writing birthday wishes on a Landverraad patch because my friend in Sofia had a birthday that day. The other folks from the band were selling lottery tickets by donation, with all money going to their arrested friends in Amsterdam. Eleven people were in prison for squatting a house and allegedly setting 11 police cars on fire. I was leafleting about the arrested Dutch people, and Fluff-goers came by to buy tickets for the Landverraad lottery.

A group of punks who looked like Pussy Riot hung a banner on one of the festival site’s walls that said, “Antifascism is not a crime.” It was about solidarity with arrested antifascists around Europe (#soli2401) and taking a stance against state repression and the rising neo-Nazi movements everywhere. Josef was released after six months in a Vienna prison, but injustices across Europe continue.

Reka from Russia played on the main stage, followed by I AM A CURSE from France—both bands were absolutely great! Eaglehaslanded from Serbia performed on the open stage. I didn’t stay for ACxDC on the main stage because Carnist were playing at the same time in the tent. Alex, one of the most amazing people in the hardcore punk scene—known for his bands Fall of Efrafa, Light Bearer, and Momentum—was performing with Carnist. They’re all about veganism, animal liberation, and exposing the invisible belief system called carnism that justifies exploiting, killing, and eating certain animal species.

Remek from the Czech Republic is a band that I hold dear to my heart, and they play and sing with all their hearts, souls, and minds on stage. Guitar player Honza had a birthday, and if you’re curious how the band wished him a happy birthday, you should watch the following video.

Minority of One once again proved they’re such an awesome band—great set, so much fun, mad props to them! I really love this band now. I didn’t stay for the next bands on the tent stage—Throwers, FOCUSEDxMINDS, and Øjne—though they’re good bands, especially the Italian skramzters.

On the main stage, I was interested in Trainwreck, Goodtime Boys, and Vestiges. Trainwreck produced one of the best records of 2014 and have always been a crushingly good band, so I’d love to see them again and again. Goodtime Boys I remember from their tour with Dangers in 2011, and Vestiges was definitely the band I was eagerly waiting to see at this year’s Fluff Fest. They didn’t disappoint me—Vestiges are monsters not only on recordings but also on stage. Massive sound and a slaying performance.

My mind was blown by what I’d just seen from Vestiges, but it was time to go back to the tent stage for Landverraad. Putting the fun back in anarchism—short songs, long speeches. Disco party, punk lottery with happy people winning toilet seats, toy helicopters, Bluetooth speakers, or a blender for their raw vegan juices. Kids were going crazy with stage-diving, culminating in a Beastie Boys cover. One of the best moments of this year’s Fluff was definitely the Landverraad set.

Celeste is the total opposite of Landverraad. Darkness, smoke, and blitzkrieg drums making the projectors dazzle the audience—the sound of the world and all humanity being destroyed. I couldn’t stand that music for more than five minutes and left to take a breath of fresh air outside, grab something to eat, and wait for Avvika to play on the so-called psych stage. Taking influences from Fall of Efrafa and Light Bearer and giving them an even more radical twist, the Czech band Avvika was one of the best surprises I’ve seen at the festival.

Star Wars-themed cupcakes, more vegan fast food, the Queer Fluffy Noises Tent, and the greatest disco party at Fluff were the other highlights of this day and night.

Fluff Fest: Day 3

Going to the pool at 9 am with 30 bananas in my tote bag was a great idea during the last sunny hours before the rain tried to drown us at the festival space. Staying at the swimming pool for three and a half hours was great, then heading to see Ruined Families from Greece, who played first on Sunday. They are amazing people and one of the best bands in the world right now! I’ve never seen Orchid live, but I’ve seen Ruined Families several times, and they’re better! I love Ruined Families!

Lawine played second—melodic and political punk rock from the Netherlands featuring members of Landverraad. Really nice band, nice talks between songs, totally DIY punk attitude. Just For Being from the Czech Republic played on the tent stage, along with some nice bands on the psych stage. And then the rain came down in torrents, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the poor Fluff campers’ tents. The rain in biblical proportions made the festival only more interesting. This Routine Is Hell, a really great band if you don’t know already, was the first to play on the open stage, then Empty Handed, whom I missed. Unfortunately, I also missed Amalthea from Sweden, a band I wanted to see.

Barren from Germany were great—a ’90s-sounding vegan straight-edge hardcore band, very energetic and totally worth it message-wise.

We Came Out Like Tigers was one of my favorite bands this year. I missed them when they played Fluff last year, but this time they were on the main stage, and it was a great experience. Blackened screamo with meaningful lyrics and the unusual use of a fiddle in their songs. They seem like amazing people and a great band, and they’re touring together with Ruined Families.

Drom from the Czech Republic were cool, but then there was TØRSØ, who were absolutely incredible! I can’t describe the intensity and madness in TØRSØ—they’re great on recordings and absolutely fantastic live.

Then it was time for No Omega on the main stage. They parted ways with their former singer, and now after some lineup changes, Oscar is singing. It’s still good, and they have some new songs, but I was kinda disappointed—not as good as before with their original singer.

Backtrack were super boring to me. It seems I wasn’t at Fluff Fest to listen to Backtrack or any other band like that.

It was weird to watch D.O.A., the living legends and the “founders” of hardcore music—you know, the Canadian guys who “invented” the term hardcore back in the late ’70s, early ’80s. It was really weird; I don’t know what to say about their set—songs about political subjects, marijuana, old-school punk-rock attitude. Their singer thought they were the headliners of the festival and that there was no other band playing after them… and probably had never heard of Bane. Hope they’ve learned something from Fluff (they probably have been playing lots of shitty festivals all over the world throughout the years, but now they ate vegan food and met many cool DIY kids at Fluff—or at least that’s what I want to believe). Anyway, D.O.A. played Fluff, and that’s enough.

And then… ta-da-da-dam! Bane coming back to Fluff Fest. Timeless classics including “Count Me Out” and new songs from their last record Don’t Wait Up. Everything’s in its place—people moshing and stage-diving from the first to the last second of their intense set. Aaron Bedard gave inspirational talks about the hardcore scene being a place for rejects and passionate kids from all over the world. Bane’s music and lyrics serve as a vehicle to make a change in this fucked-up world. You’ll probably read or hear about Bane’s performance at Fluff Fest from many other people, so I’ll just stop here.

Bane played their last song at Fluff Fest, and probably they’re not coming back to this festival again.

HOLY, the political powerviolence band from Italy, played on the tent stage, and they were brutal. Thanks, Fluff Fest, for inviting such bands as TØRSØ and HOLY! A great finish for this year’s festival.

During these three days of Fluff Fest, there were also some rad experimental/indie/noise bands and artists on the psych stage: Batalj, Guantanamo Party Program, Hissing Fauna, Kiss Me Kojak, Obelisk of Light, Les Rhinocéros, and many more. It’s always great to see so many underground artists that I’ve never heard before, especially those from the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Conclusions…

There were amazing bands, many old friends, some new friendships, and nice memories. This year, there was absolutely no camping on stage and almost no photographers at all.

Unfortunately, there weren’t any interesting events in the Infoshop tent, or at least not in English. While last year Brian D. (CrimethInc./Catharsis) was speaking about the contemporary anarchist movement, and Greg Bennick of Trial/Between Earth And Sky was giving directions to anyone interested in starting a hardcore band on how to be a better singer or write meaningful lyrics, this time all the lectures, workshops, and political discussions seemed to be in the Czech language only. On the other hand, there was a zine library that was very well organized.

The food was still tasty, but it was mainly junk food in my opinion. For a person like me who is into a high-carb, low-fat vegan diet, all these tofu burgers, seitan, french fries, and white bread were a nightmare. I hope there will be more high-carb and healthy food next time.

And there were, of course, the usual assholes hurting other people in the pit and stage-diving like complete morons. Those who make the festival and camping area look like a landfill, who smoke at the tent stage, or who ruin other people’s fun in any other way. There were also “punx” making fire and grilling meat (dead animals) near my tent—big FUCK YOU to you, guys!

Props to all the kids hitchhiking, coming to Fluff for the very first time, having fun, reading zines in the zine library, dancing at the Queer tent, buying zines from Max and Staffan, giving free hugs, learning new words in Czech, or many interesting things about different people, cultures, and places around the world. And thanks to Georgi Tanmazov for the videos.

Some cool photos can be found here.