Overview:
The pioneering indie music festival will be back at Wiseacre Brewery and the Overton Park Shell this September 24th-27th.
Goner Records announced the first lineup of bands for its annual Gonerfest, with the 23rd iteration of the gathering slated to take place from Thursday, September 24th through Sunday, September 27th. Last year’s new locations, with all but the last day’s events happening at Wiseacre Brewery on Broad Avenue, and the grand finale show at the Overton Park Shell, proved to be such a good fit that they’ll be hosting this year’s fest as well.
As for the bands, the curators at Goner have struck again, offering a lineup that should prove irresistible to any lovers of daring music, from punk to pop. One great booking coup was landing none other than Toody Cole, wife of the late Fred Cole. With Toody on bass Fred on guitar, and Andrew Loomis on drums, the punk-infused psych rock band Dead Moon won over many fans from 1987-2006 and 2014-2017, screeching to a halt in that final year with the passing of both Fred Cole and Loomis. Yet today, Toody soldiers on, her mere presence onstage exuding a rock spirit so uncompromising, and so on-point musically, that only she and her current band can conjure up the unique Dead Moon sound.
Another score for the festival is Man or Astro-man?, the Alabama combo that has perfected a blend of surf, sci-fi, and harder rock elements that is all their own. Many will remember their more frequent Memphis gigs in the ’90s, sharing bills with bands as diverse as the Oblivians and Big Ass Truck. While their heyday was from 1993-2001, they’ve been playing shows more frequently again in recent years, and have not lost any of their manic energy.
There are others in the lineup, of course, including local gems like Ibex Clone. More hometown acts will surely be announced as September approaches and the four days of musical mayhem come more into focus. Until then, here is the full lineup as of now, with brief descriptions of each band provided by Goner Records.
Animal Piss, It’s Everywhere (Turner’s Falls, MA)
Cosmic country carnage from Western Mass
Carrion Kids (Mexico City, Mexico)
Ragin’ punks from Mexico!
Hélène Barbier (Montreal, Canada)
Exquisite indie rockin’ from Montreal
Horsegirl (Chicago, IL)
Sophisticated indie rock from up-and-coming Matador stars
Ibex Clone (Memphis, TN)
Unique Memphis postpunkers, 3rd LP en route from Goner!
Man or Astro-man? (Outer Space)
Twangy surfy spastronauts return! Legends!
Mod Lang (Detroit, MI)
Amazing Motor City garage rockers unafraid of harmonies
Outer World (Richmond, VA)
Ex Dahlia Seed pop from Virginia
Powerplant (London, UK)
Scary dungeon punk / metal hybrid monster
Retail Simps (Montreal, Canada)
Lovable agents of Canadian musical chaos
Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band (Louisville, KY)
Top of the crop of current psychedelic country
Slippers (Los Angeles, CA)
Irresistible pure pop on K Records
The Drags (Albuquerque, NM)
’90s Estrus punks are back with a vengeance!
The Lotts (Warrington, UK)
Unreal UK garage pop band
The Sleeveens (Dublin/ Nashville)
Beloved Dublin / Nashville punkers return!
Toody Cole And Her Band (Portland, Oregon)
Legendary Dead Moon bassist plays Dead Moon and more!