Sub-zero temperatures could not withstand the heavy metal heat from Jeff Fest 5 at Papa Pete’s in Kalamazoo.
Jeff Fest 5
It may have been cold enough to freeze a tauntaun in thirty minutes, yet that didn’t stop folks from gathering at Papa Pete’s in Kalamazoo for Jeff Fest 5. For those who may have missed our coverage of Jeff Fest 1 and Jeff Fest 4, this is the annual celebration of Jeff, an all-around awesome person, sound magician, and guitarist for Drink Their Blood.
The merciless winter weather extracted a toll from Jeff Fest 5. The less than optimal weather conditions forced the bands Pit Lord and Disco Behemoth to cancel. This did not deter the crowd, which chanted “Jeff, Jeff, Jeff” between sets. Actually, they may have also been chanting during some of the set. It is a Jeff Fest tradition.
As in prior years, there was an award for the “Best Jeff”. Winning again for the fifth year in a row was none other than Jeff. In honor of this fantastic achievement, Jeff was awarded a trophy belt.
Politics of Dancing
Starting off Jeff Fest in fine fashion was Politics of Dancing. The guitar and drum duo played an intriguing and eclectic set of covers. The mix included “Cars” by Gary Numan, “Cult of Personality” by Living Colour, and “The Hand That Feeds” by Nine Inch Nails. A fun set to get you ready to boogie.
Westnedge
Taking their name from the street in Kalamazoo (which gets its name from Colonel Joseph Westnedge), Westnedge fired up a set of vigorous punk rock. Focusing on original material, their music was earnest, melodic, and invigorating. They put their souls into their set, and it showed.
Supergrudge
While the whole lineup at Jeff Fest 5 was stacked, I was most intrigued to check out Supergrudge live. I picked up a copy of their EP on Bandcamp, and it rocked. Their live set was vivid and infectious. Throat-punching bass and drums, thrumming Deftones-meet-Soundgarden guitar riffs, and powerhouse vocals reminding me of Mike Patton and Chino Moreno. The combined effect is sonic waves of heavy groove.
Kill Tomorrow
Muskegon’s Kill Tomorrow holds no punches. These guys came out swinging with a firestorm of skull-crushing riffs driven by sledgehammer rhythms. Their brand of death thrash blends elements of Slayer, Cattle Decapitation, and Morbid Angel into a miasmic concoction of corporeal demise.
Drink Their Blood
The triumphant conclusion to Jeff Fest 5 came with a monstrous set of heavy music by Drink Their Blood. The band seemed possessed by a rabid intensity, making their hyper-aggressive amalgam of metal and jazz that much more potent. The insistent drums and mauling bass radiated ferocity. The high-velocity guitar notes and riffs were both mesmerizing and earth-shattering. Once you add in the intuitive sax line and menacing vocals, you have the makings of an unstoppable musical force that instantiates its own form of a reckoning.
Pictures
Happy Birthday, Jeff!! Thanks to you, Ben, Jennie, Drink Their Blood, the crew at Papa Pete’s, and everyone else at this show for making it special. We have more photos from Jeff Fest 5 at Papa Pete’s in Kalamazoo in our gallery.
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