By Joe Courter
The CMC will be quite a busy place during the Fest weekend. I hope some of you will come down and share in the fun.
The informal kick-off will be Thursday, Oct. 31, with Queer the Fest, themed “interGAYlactica,” and featuring touring and local musicians – more of the LGBTQ variety than most of Fest –starting at 5 p.m.
And as if that wasn’t enough, the Stetson Kennedy Annex will also be a haunted house for the night.
The regular Fest stuff at the CMC runs Friday through Sunday, November 1-3, with a donation of $10 Friday and Saturday, from 6 to midnight.
Sunday will be a special show featuring Laura Jane Grace as the closer, and it will probably sell out at $20.
Each day will feature six to eight performers. In addition, the CMC courtyard will host an afternoon showcase from noon to six of full bands. That will be a busy day!
The Civic Media Center is an acoustic venue in the Fest, so those that think of Fest as only loud punk rock — which may not be their cup of tea — need to come down to the CMC at 433 S. Main.
Participating in the Fest are performers from both across the nation, and international, all playing short sets, giving you the opportunity to meet great people from all over. Each year I am stunned by how few locals I see that take advantage of this great event.
Want samples of the music? Go to the amazing website www.the festfl.com for all venue schedules along with a listing of each band or musician. Click on the artist and you will hear a song.
This is not to say the rest of Fest – all the other bands and venues – are not worthy of attention. There are entire worlds of music out there, ignored by the mainstream, but dear to the rock and roll hearts of those who love them.
It is beyond cool that our Bo Diddley Plaza is a venue. Different venues have day passes as well, so it isn’t just getting an all-venue wristband. Just come down and be part of it.