At Least There’s Fest

93: Kevin Athas of Oh The Humanity!

Fun episode today as we Blake and Mark are joined by Kevin Athas of Oh The Humanity! The band has been around for over a decade now and they have been mixing metal riffs with punk choruses with the great precision the entire time. We talk to Kevin about the early years of the band, the highs and lows of touring, recording their first albums, and how one GREAT show can sustain you for months. Kevin also talks about working with Trevor Reilly from A Wilhelm Scream, some of his favorite Fest memories (VERY fun), and what the band is now working on (hint, it's NEW music).  You can catch Oh The Humanity! on tour later this month as well as at Fest 24 this fall. Get there early, it will fill up with MA folks.   **Itsa Coookie on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/itsacookiebakery?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==]** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics [https://linktr.ee/Jukeboxromantics]**

92: Sam Russo

Really fun show today for everyone! To celebrate round two of of the lineup reveal, we've got Sam Russo joining the show today. Sam talks about life as a solo artist and how he really enjoys the the solitude of traveling solo and with friends. We also talk about how he has begun to introduce more full-band arrangements on his albums and how this has been a joy and also really pushed him as a person and an artist. You can check out Sam's PERFECT album "Hold You Hard" over at Red Scare [https://redscare.net/release-info/?album=Hold-You-Hard] and I suggest STRONGLY that you swing by their online store and pick up that record, it really is terrific. You can catch Sam touring around the UK this summer and of course you'll be able to catch him at Fest 24 this fall.   **Itsa Coookie on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/itsacookiebakery?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==]** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics [https://linktr.ee/Jukeboxromantics]**

91: Jordan Shroyer of Whatever, Dude Productions

The Fest 24 lineup is out! I hope all of your favorite bands are playing this year. We try to be fun and helpful here at ALTF and I think we have a fun and helpful episode for all of you today. Joining the show is Jordan Shroyer. You know Jordan from his bands Teen Agers and Virginity. However, Jordan also heads up Whatever, Dude Productions [https://www.instagram.com/whateverdudeproductions?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==] and for 12 years now he's put together some dynamite pre-Fest shows. Like years past, Jordan is putting on a pre-pre-Fest in Orlando on Wednesday, October 21 and an unofficial pre-Fest in Gainesville  on Thursday, October 22. Both shows are absolutely STACKED and will take place across multiple stages.  This is your chance to see a bunch of Fest 24 bands a day or two early in relatively small, intimate venues. Tickets are on sale now and you can buy them right here for Orlando [https://www.ticketweb.com/event/orlando-pre-pre-fest-12-wills-pub-tickets/14964053?pl=willspub&utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGnD7XMw_shKtTjEOnaqLoBeWz5l5Pb14k4IW4i_ubSRpzgTfmpcEb3HnmpBjo_aem_67PcRAuCQWD1c9LDT14s3A] and here for Gainesville [https://www.ticketweb.com/event/gainesville-unofficial-pre-fest-8-the-backyard-tickets/14963963?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGnJBspxFTAArEQLxFdd7d_siR_wBjljBj0UnrBCRqEFKFdIEGh_NpmxoMpfyA_aem_syA9XLzGoKGTpTE2YM81GQ]. The Gainesville show ALWAYS sells out, so if you know you're going to be in GNV on Thursday anyway, do yourself a favor and grab yourself a ticket. They do wristbands so you can come and go as you please at both shows.   **Itsa Coookie on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/itsacookiebakery?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==]** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics [https://linktr.ee/Jukeboxromantics]**

90: Rory Phillips of The Impossibles

Welcome back to At Least There's Fest and we are officially closing in on our 100th episode. We hope you've enjoyed this non-stop thrill ride as much as we have. Joining the show today is Rory Phillips from the Austin, TX band, The Impossibles. The band formed over 30 years ago and put both ska and non-ska records out on Fueled By Ramen back in the day. Rory walks us through the history of the band, why they left and why they are now coming back, the reason(s) for switching away from ska, and why they are so excited to be back. The group is playing Fest for the first time and will play their first shows outside of Texas in 25 years this coming August.    **Itsa Coookie on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/itsacookiebakery?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==]** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics [https://linktr.ee/Jukeboxromantics]**

89: Bear Vs Shark

Welcome back to the show! This is quite frankly a bucket list show for Blake and Mark. As college students during Bear Vs Sharks recording time, this has been a favorite of their's for about a quarter-century and this was just a total treat. We have four members of the band joining the show today in Ashley, Brandon, Derek, and Nick and they share with us the humble beginnings of the band, their decade absence, what it's been like coming back and how in the world they explain their surge in popularity after breaking up (spoiler alert: they have no idea at all). The band is playing Warped Tour in Long Beach this summer along with a show at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco. They are making their triumphant return to Fest this fall for the first time since Fest 4. That is a 21 year gap between Fest appearances. There will be people at Fest this year that were not alive the last time BVS played. Wowzers. Anyway, this is a terrific episode and the band is both forthcoming and humble. Just the best dudes. We hope you enjoy the show.   **Itsa Coookie on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/itsacookiebakery?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==]** **Theme song "The Walk to Heartwood" by Jukebox Romantics [https://linktr.ee/Jukeboxromantics]**