Stay Sweet Fest 2011
April 15, 16, and 17 at The Camel
In order to get the best understanding of everything that went down over the course of the three-day weekend that was Stay Sweet Fest 2011, we solicited multiple perspectives on the event: one from a member of a touring band who played the fest, one from a member of a local band, and one from a local showgoer. Without further ado, here are their reports:
Daytrader
Paige Baxter
“Three days of music, sweat, fun, friends, and a few bruises” is a phrase that describes the Stay Sweet Fest in a nutshell–or, at the very least, my experience. When I found out it would be taking place at The Camel, I was a little worried, especially when Alex Wilhem, the organizer, made the 52-band lineup public to the Facebook world. I expected it to be packed like sardines. But luckily, it was not nearly as full as I feared. People came and went for the bands they wanted to see the most.
Stay Sweet Fest 2011
April 15, 16, and 17 at The Camel
In order to get the best understanding of everything that went down over the course of the three-day weekend that was Stay Sweet Fest 2011, we solicited multiple perspectives on the event: one from a member of a touring band who played the fest, one from a member of a local band, and one from a local showgoer. Without further ado, here are their reports:
Daytrader
Paige Baxter
“Three days of music, sweat, fun, friends, and a few bruises” is a phrase that describes the Stay Sweet Fest in a nutshell–or, at the very least, my experience. When I found out it would be taking place at The Camel, I was a little worried, especially when Alex Wilhem, the organizer, made the 52-band lineup public to the Facebook world. I expected it to be packed like sardines. But luckily, it was not nearly as full as I feared. People came and went for the bands they wanted to see the most.
Slingshot Dakota
On Friday, I was not super set on seeing a ton of bands, so I went with the flow for the most part, and as I did, my worries were set at bay. My favorite sets that day were from Slingshot Dakota and Daytrader. Slingshot Dakota is a two piece (drums and keyboard) from New York/PA. They always have so much energy that they exert through their music. I am never let down. Daytrader hails from New York and this was the first time I got to see them. They put on an awesome show and all the band hype was worth it. Singalongs and crowd surfers filled their 30 minute set. Although the fest was completely off schedule, getting out at 2am was not so bad.
The Sidekicks
The highlights of Saturday were sets from Captain, We’re Sinking, The Sidekicks, Tigers Jaw, and The Menzingers. Pretty much every set after Captain, We’re Sinking played was intense, filled with crowd surfers and a few stage dives. All of those bands had so much energy, especially after a long day of rain, wind, and talks of tornados. By the time Sunday came around, my body was exhausted and my energy was depleting fast. I was glad that it was starting late and was hoping it would not go nearly as late as the previous two days had.
Hold Tight!
Richmond’s own Hold Tight! kicked the day off, but unfortunately I missed their set due to exhaustion. I was really stoked to see Everyone Everywhere, an indie rock-ish band from Pennsylvania. Unfortunately they had some technical difficulties in the beginning of their set, but they made up for it after they borrowed a kick drum. Other awesome sets include Spraynard, The Wild, Mischief Brew, and Algernon Cadwallader. Each set was absolutely amazing and incredibly energy filled. Even though I was tired, I still thoroughly enjoyed them. Algernon Cadwallader ended the night and Stay Sweet. They were a perfect band to end a fun filled weekend.
Algernon Cadwallader
Overall, Stay Sweet was a blast and I cannot wait for the next years to come. People came from all over. New friends were made. Music was shared and good times were had. It is about time Richmond is known for another awesome music festival besides Best Friends Day.
The Wild
Diana Settles (The Wild)
Being in a touring band and looking for shows can be difficult. As long as we have been playing, though, for the last couple years or so, Alex Wilhelm has been super friendly and helpful, and has always made sure that we had a show. We have never played a bad show in Richmond. We’ve made friends there and consider it to be like a second home. The hard work put into making a decent show is evident in the turnout and the energy we see every time we play. Even when touring gets frustrating and there’s a string of bad shows, we can always count on Richmond. The shows we’ve played here have been amazing, whether it’s been in a basement, a sushi place, or at the Camel. Stay Sweet Fest was inspiring. The bands who played put everything they had into their sets, and I think it’s because we’ve all experienced the benefit of that same sort of hard work and consideration when passing through this city. It was a marathon of music and a little bit like a punk rock family reunion. We all left for home feeling extremely grateful and a little sorry to leave so soon. Can’t wait to for Stay Sweet RVA 2!!
This Is Your Life
Derek Shelton (This Is Your Life)
So what exactly made Stay Sweet Fest, for lack of a better phrase, so sweet? Was it the 50+ punk and indie bands on the bill, the intimately sized venue, hanging with friends from all over the country, the pioneering spirit of a first time fest, the gracious hospitality at every turn, or an entire weekend of crucial partying? As this loaded question implies, it was a culmination of all of these and more. My name is Derek Shelton and I sing in Richmond’s This is Your Life. As a longtime friend of Stay Sweet’s mastermind Alex Wilhelm, I’d been excited about this thing since hearing about its conception many months ago. I was also honored to be asked to open this inaugural fest. As a skeptic at heart, I really didn’t expect this bash to run half as smoothly as it did; Murphy’s Law spares no soul, and punk festivals always seem to get the short end of the stick. In reality, though, everything worked out swimmingly, and I left on Sunday night damn proud to have been a part of it. Stay Sweet Fest will no doubt blossom into an annual party that challenges Best Friends Day’s dominance in the realm of “nice guy” RVA punk festivals.
Direct Hit
Speaking as someone who played the fest, I was honestly blown away by the hospitality of the weekend. Finding free food and beer in Richmond is striking gold, and when the well is running, you keep replenishing your cup. Just thinking back on all the PBR and cheese pizza I consumed during those three days makes me shudder in satisfaction. There is something special about huddling in a basement with bands you’ve played with all across the map, knocking back booze. Punk festivals are notorious for crucial benders and gatherings of borderline alcoholics, so it was pretty rad to bear witness to the debauchery from the VIP perspective. I’m not implying that you had to be drunk, or even drink at all, to enjoy this gathering immensely, but it was certainly nice to clank beers with the people, which I did.
The Menzingers
All partying aside, what made this festival really special to me was the people I shared it with. Waking up every morning to my friends from New York making dick and fart jokes or planning trips to Waffle House was powerful inspiration to roll out of bed on barely a wink of sleep and make every second count. Getting to show old friends and bands alike “my” Richmond was a treat. It made me appreciate what we have here even more. It also made more than a few heads pretty jealous of the fest’s brick laid backdrop. When I moved here three years ago, this particular scene did not exist, and it is amazing to see what we have accomplished in so little time. Witnessing kids from out of town go nuts and sing every word of songs by my favorite RVA bands was a special sight, and something the bands well deserved. This wasn’t just Stay Sweet Fest, it was our fest, and we showed the punk rock world what we are made of.
The Riot Before
If I were to get into specifics about each night I would end up filling far too many imaginary pages with writing, so I will keep it brief. This was an amazing weekend in which I saw countless super talented, super fun bands that work their asses off to make great music and share it across the country. Every band had an incredible amount of heart, and that is something to write to home about, or even wear on your sleeve. This festival was about friends, community, and future, and we championed all three. Can’t wait to do it all again.
The Front Bottoms
Words by Paige Baxter, Diana Settles, and Derek Shelton
Article Concept, Images and Editorial Assistance by Jacob Cunningham
Top Image: Pedals On Our Pirate Ships
