I, internet moron

I can honestly say I have no idea why this thing exists. I don't have anything especially interesting to say or whatever. I think I'm mostly looking for something more permanent than a notebook, that I'll probably lose, to lay down things in my head.

Barak Obama just became president of the United States. I guess that's pretty cool, I mean, I voted for him. He's still a part of the two party system and a politician doesn't even get close to being president without being a ruthless, egotistical dickhead. Worse things could have happened, and that's about that.

I've been a bit down today. Maybe it's that I'm back in reality. Maybe because I'm fucking exhausted. It's also that I miss my friends and family quite a bit and even though I had nothing to do today I couldn't get in touch with them because of a lack of a phone, and a lack of phone numbers once I got one. The only people I saw that I knew today beyond my roommates were Alex and Marcus on Mill. That was only for a minute. Beyond that, I had a class, I voted, was restless, and took a couple bike rides and walks to try to wear me out and get some fresh air. I got the antenna on the TV just right so I could watch the election. I didn't get much accomplished at all and I don't feel good about it, I actually want to go back to work.

So, I went to The Fest in Gainesville and Pre-Fest in Tampa, Florida. It was a mix of good things and bad things, but in hindsight it was rather awesome. I kept a very in depth journal during it, of which I'll probably post a condensed version at some point. Tonight I want to post the list of bands I saw with a bit of what I thought about each one. Here goes:

Wednesday, Pre-Fest night 1 in Tampa
Chillerton (from the UK, pretty average "beard punk")
The Cost of Living (UK, boring and completely awful. They kept calling each other names in English slang which was cool)
Landmines (Richmond hardcore, and it sounded like it. Not a fan)
O Pioneers!!! (fuck yeah, man)
The Menzingers (fun pop-punk. I was super impressed)
The Riot Before (too slow)
Bridge and Tunnel (made me a believer, completely amazing live)

Thursday, Afternoon basement show in Tampa
Dude Jams (really good, I'd never heard them before but was super in to it)
God=Genocide (Pretty alright)
The Anchor (always good)
Madison Bloodbath (oh fuck yes)
These are bands that stood out to me. There were like a million bands playing and they all ran together after a while.
Night show in Tampa
Paul Baribeau (great set, did a duet with Mikey Erg)
Lemuria (love 'em, but didn't get to see much of them because I fell in a moat)
The combination of me falling in water, all day drinking, and us having to leave early to get to Gainesville by midnight made me miss a bunch and forget some, bad call)

The Fest
Friday
Ringers (I didn't love them)
Chinese Telephones (This was their last show ever unless they find a new drummer. They were great)
The Falcon (the first band I got crushed by people during. Fun and quick set, they didn't seem too drunk)
Environmental Youth Crunch (fun songs and boy did they look smelly)
Cheeky (some real fun songs by these three girls and a dude from Brooklyn. Real dancy punk)

Saturday
10 am house show
Pink Razors (my first time seeing them with Erin Tobey, despite being sleepy they raged. They did a Misfits cover)
Brainworms (I don't know anything about these guys. An absolutely jaw-dropping mix of nineties emocore, hardcore, and punk. Beautiful guitar lines, tight and technical drumming, great yelled, spoken, and screamed vocals)
Cult Ritual (absolutely awful chaotic hardcore from Tampa)
Ampere (I wasn't as big of a fan as the people I was with but damn they put on a tight and intense set)
The Fest
Atom and His Package (I mean what can you say? It was great to see, and Dan Yemin did a song on guitar with him.)
During this time I saw a song each by Delay and Broadway Calls. They're good bands, but I wasn't around long enough to get a feel for their sets.
Lawrence Arms (maybe my favorite band. They put on an average set for them, a guy got really hurt though. I got kicked in the head quite a bit and got crushed again.)
None More Black (reunion show. Of course it was good)
Dillinger 4 (HOLY SHIT BEST THING EVER. They didn't seem that drunk either)
O Pioneers!!! (they sounded good, it was too packed to get a good look)
Bomb the Music Industry! (unfortunately the worst set I saw all five days. They didn't get through a single song and were way too drunk to function. Heavily disappointing)
Late night/early morning house show
Wingnut Dishwashers Union (sounded good through the window)
Spoonboy (the guy writes some alright to good songs. I wish he would lighten up and have a good time though)
Andrew Jackson Jihad (quiet set. They played very well and long considering they played The Fest earlier. The crowd was so loud and obnoxious it ruined it for me. Left before they were done.)
Sunday
The Fest
The Arrivals (pop-punk with Paddy from D4 on bass. I wasn't familiar but I thought they sounded like everyone else, but were good at it.)
The Monikers (nothin' special sort of pop-punk)
Off With Their Heads (they played a huge venue and I wasn't sure how they would translate as I've only seen them in a living room and a mostly empty art gallery. They destroyed it and sounded incredible though)
Drunken Boat (boring "beard punk")
The Ergs! (they played two sets and they were some of their last shows ever. These guys were really something special. The first set was a bunch of stuff from EPs, splits, U/D and just a general greatest hits sort of set. The second set was DORKROCKCORKROD IN IT'S ENTIRETY. It ended with a couple Descendants covers. People were crying, this band meant to much to so many people.)
Leatherface (my most anticipated band of The Fest. They did not disappoint. Mush and Horsebox heavy with stuff from other albums and splits. I shredded my throat during their set. Awesome beyond words)
Acoustic show in O Pioneers!!! hotel room
Andrew Jackson Jihad (short and sweet set. They're always good so there isn't much else to say)
Porches (Impressive set and one of the best sets by Ben I've ever seen. He was really great and captivated a group of people that most likely were not familiar with his songs)
Bridge and Tunnel (I really felt like I was seeing something special here. Also it's cool to see a band that normally seems so serious just being drunk and silly)
Jeff Rosenstock (BTMI!) (Made up for the awful full band set the night before by playing a super good set. He did a Mountain Goats cover and got Jihad up to do one of their songs with him)

There, wasn't that boring? More to come sometime.