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. I intended to write a similar report last year, but it never happened because I was hitchhiking from Sofia to Rokycany and missed the whole first day and half of the second.

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

Pre-Fluff Hardcore Matinée

After a long ride from Budapest, where we had slept the night before after getting lost while trying to leave the Hungarian capital, we arrived in Prague right in the middle of Kids Insane’s set. They were the first band of the day at the Pre-Fluff Hardcore Matinée. Most people were still chilling 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.

Then I discovered that even better food was being served inside the venue: Vegebap! For €2, you got this really huge bap filled with fake meat, vegetables, and veggie mayo. After two days of traveling by car, it was a great pleasure to finally be in Prague, 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, and so on. They play short, catchy, and memorable songs. Their bass player was an awesome dude who couldn’t speak any English, but he stood at the front of the stage for every single band during Fluff Fest and clearly enjoyed every second.

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 not originally on the bill, but their show in Budapest had been canceled. They were a great surprise for many people, though I wasn’t that impressed.

The band I was really excited to see was I AM A CURSE from France, who were promoting their new record. The French guys were intense as usual, but their set wasn’t that great because of some technical difficulties.

The long-awaited overseas band of 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 a vegetarian lifestyle, and then… played a set of Minor Threat covers! There’s no need to tell you what followed in that packed and sweaty room.

However, the real highlight of the day was Minority of One from Spain! The tiny space inside 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 a passion for hardcore and punk music, DIY ethics, and progressive politics. Minority of One nailed one melodic youth anthem after another before finishing with covers of Uniform Choice and NOFX.

Appraise were the other Spanish, or actually Catalan, band playing that show, and they were also great. This is especially true if you appreciate seeing a passionate youth crew band that puts meaning into its lyrics rather than repeating the same old clichés typical of that style of hardcore. Yeah, Appraise are one of the few youth crew bands I really enjoy seeing live.

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

After the show, it was time for more conversations, jokes, and excitement about the days ahead. We waited for Gab to pack his merch so that we could follow him to Rokycany, where we arrived at around 1 a.m.

Fluff Fest: Day 1

Friday morning began with shopping, a great breakfast, some time at the swimming pool, and a look around the multitude of distros and activist tents. Then it was time to watch the first act of the day, Italian screamo band Volta, who were quite good.

It was getting really hot both outside and inside the tent stage. Deadverse, whom I initially thought were Bastions, played upbeat hardcore carried by a singer with an 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! (formerly Aussitôt Mort), a band I knew pretty well. 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 when I had seen them before, especially compared with Fluff Fest 2012, where they had been one of the best bands of the entire festival. They played some 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, and vegan straight edge lyrics and messages. They were 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 that I had been listening to their Bon Voyage and Colors records every single day since the beginning of the summer. They were definitely the soundtrack of summer 2014 for me! The set was absolutely amazing, not just for me but also for everyone singing, dancing, and stage-diving with them. It was probably the most memorable show they had ever played. They also played Fluff Fest the previous year, but on the open stage rather than the main stage.

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

Beyond Pink were 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 that year’s 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 began to perform, creating charming, beautiful, and passionate music that touched 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 between 1992 and 1996, and now, almost two decades later, I was seeing them live at Fluff Fest. I tried not to think too much about it and simply dived into their music, whatever they might sound like now. It was one of the greatest reunions I’ve ever seen. The band was fantastic on stage. The songs were tight and powerful… and they even played a Slayer cover. It felt great to hear, feel, and mosh to one of the living legends of political hardcore, and a major influence on some of my favorite bands, including Gather and 7 Generations. I don’t care what others might say about Mean Season at Fluff. I really enjoyed their set, and seeing them will stay with me for a long time.

Two more bands followed on the tent stage. Lentic Waters are a truly great band, and it’s a pleasure to see them every chance I get. Their music is powerful and moving, and the songs from their new split with Old Soul are simply amazing! Then Test of Time drove the final nail into Friday’s hardcore punk schedule with another explosive set, followed by another Minor Threat jamboree! It was an amazing end to the day, or maybe not, because there were still D.I.S.C.O. parties and the Queer tent, with electro-punk, intriguing art, strange 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 understand this part of my report.

Then I ran back to the campsite so that I wouldn’t miss Deer In The Headlights, an awesome crusty screamo band from Banja Luka, Bosnia. They are real skramz through and through, 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 people from the band were selling lottery tickets by donation, with all of the 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 handing out leaflets about the arrested Dutch activists, 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 walls at the festival site that read, “Antifascism is not a crime.” It expressed solidarity with arrested antifascists across Europe (#soli2401) and took a stand against state repression and the rise of neo-Nazi movements everywhere. Josef had been released after six months in a Vienna prison, but injustices across Europe continued.

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 and known for his bands Fall of Efrafa, Light Bearer, and Momentum, was performing with Carnist. The band are 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 are a band I hold dear to my heart. They play and sing with all their hearts, souls, and minds on stage. Guitar player Honza had a birthday, and if you’re curious about how the band wished him a happy birthday, you should watch the following video.

Minority of One once again proved what an awesome band they are. Great set, so much fun, and 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 all good bands, especially the Italian skramzsters.

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 would love to see them again and again. I remembered Goodtime Boys from their tour with Dangers in 2011, while Vestiges were definitely the band I had been eagerly waiting to see at that year’s Fluff Fest. They didn’t disappoint me. Vestiges are monsters not only on record but also on stage. Massive sound and a slaying performance.

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

Celeste were the complete opposite of Landverraad. Darkness, smoke, and blitzkrieg drums made the projectors dazzle the audience. It sounded like the world and all of humanity being destroyed. I couldn’t stand the music for more than five minutes, so I left to get some fresh air, 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 were one of the best surprises I saw 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 that day and night.

Fluff Fest: Day 3

Going to the pool at 9 a.m. with 30 bananas in my tote bag was a great idea during the final sunny hours before the rain tried to drown us at the festival site. After three and a half hours at the swimming pool, I headed off 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, bringing melodic and political punk rock from the Netherlands and featuring members of Landverraad. Really nice band, nice talks between songs, and a totally DIY punk attitude. Just For Being from the Czech Republic played on the tent stage, alongside some nice bands on the psych stage. Then the rain came down in torrents, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the poor Fluff campers’ tents. The rain of biblical proportions only made the festival more interesting. This Routine Is Hell, a really great band if you don’t know them already, were the first to play on the open stage, followed by Empty Handed, whom I missed. Unfortunately, I also missed Amalthea from Sweden, a band I had really wanted to see.

Barren from Germany were great, playing ’90s-sounding vegan straight edge hardcore with plenty of energy and a message that made them totally worth seeing.

We Came Out Like Tigers were one of my favorite bands that year. I had missed them when they played Fluff the previous 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 seemed like amazing people and a great band, and they were touring with Ruined Families.

Drom from the Czech Republic were cool, but then came TØRSØ, who were absolutely incredible! I can’t describe the intensity and madness of TØRSØ. They’re great on record and absolutely fantastic live.

Then it was time for No Omega on the main stage. They had parted ways with their former singer, and after some lineup changes, Oscar was now singing. It was still good, and they had some new songs, but I was kinda disappointed. They weren’t 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 “founders” of hardcore music. You know, the Canadian guys who “invented” the term hardcore back in the late ’70s and early ’80s. It was really weird, and I don’t know what to say about their set. Songs about political subjects and marijuana, combined with an old-school punk rock attitude. Their singer thought they were the headliners and that no other band was playing after them. He had probably never heard of Bane. Hopefully, they learned something from Fluff. They had probably spent years playing shitty festivals all over the world, but now they ate vegan food and met lots of 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 returned to Fluff Fest. Timeless classics, including “Count Me Out,” alongside new songs from their latest record, Don’t Wait Up. Everything was in its place, with 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 for changing 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 final song at Fluff Fest, and they probably won’t return to the festival again.

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

During those three days of Fluff Fest, there were also some rad experimental, indie, and 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 discover so many underground artists 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 great memories. That 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 none in English. The previous year, Brian D. (CrimethInc./Catharsis) had spoken about the contemporary anarchist movement, while Greg Bennick of Trial/Between Earth And Sky had given advice about starting a hardcore band, becoming a better singer, and writing meaningful lyrics. This time, all the lectures, workshops, and political discussions seemed to be in Czech. On the other hand, there was a very well-organized zine library.

The food was still tasty, but in my opinion, it was mainly junk food. For someone like me who follows a high-carb, low-fat vegan diet, all those 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: people hurting others in the pit and stage-diving like complete morons, people making the festival and camping areas look like a landfill, people smoking at the tent stage, and people ruining everyone else’s fun in other ways. There were also “punx” making a 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 in the zine library, dancing at the Queer tent, buying zines from Max and Staffan, giving free hugs, learning new words in Czech, and discovering 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.