Crash Festival

Sometimes my life is incredibly random and strange in the best way. Like picking up Obadiah Stephen Bowling, current guitarist of legendary East Bay punk band Fang, in my uber.

I had Green Day’s Insomniac playing when I picked him up.

“Green Day, my brothers.”
Me: “What?”

Turns out he booked their return-to-Gilman show back in 2015. I told him how lucky I was to be at the SWMRS show the Friday before, overhearing someone say “If you like Green Day, come back on Sunday.” I never would’ve known about that show otherwise, and it was one of the best I’ve ever seen.

We spent the whole ride talking about Green Day and Gilman, and how we must’ve met at Gilman meetings back when I used to go (honestly I do remember him, but he didn’t remember me. It’s fine), and he told me about Fang and what they’re up to these days. They were starting a West Coast tour that week.

That Saturday, there was a festival at the Oakland Metro Operahouse featuring mostly British punk bands. And the East Bay’s own Fang. Obadiah told me he’d put me on the guestlist.

And so that’s the most recent story of how bizarrely amazing my life is.

It’s a festival, so it started at 3pm, but I got there around 6ish, so I missed a handful of the first bands. The Exploited actually couldn’t make it, but the rest of the bands on the flier were there.

I told the girl at the door (who I’m assuming is Veronica) that I should be on Fang’s guestlist, and she just handed me a wristband no questions asked. Like, didn’t even ask my first name.

IS IT REALLY THAT EASY?! SHOULD I JUST CLAIM TO BE ON THE GUESTLIST AT EVERY SHOW I GO TO?! HOW?!

And tickets at the door were like $45 too, not even like a $10 show she’s trusting I should be at for free. How is this my life?

(Obadiah: “Nah, Veronica’s cool. She could’ve verified with us if she wanted to.”
Me: “But she just trusted me!”)

I couldn’t tell ya who the first two bands I saw play were. They probably announced themselves, but I didn’t catch it. Whoops.

The first one I was there for kept saying things like “Fuck the US government!” and something about how it’s been a year and a half since the last time he was in the US and he can already tell how much more we’re being censored now. That’s kinda a scary thought.

This was the band after them:

I was just really happy to be at an actual punk show. Everyone there was wearing vests with patches, and a lot of people had crazy colored mohawks.

And the music is just fun. I’ve always thought that about punk. I don’t need to know the songs beforehand to enjoy them. There’s just something about the chaotic nature of hardcore punk music that’s always connected with me and I love it.

I wasn’t in the circle pit at all, but I got sore really fast just from standing there. I am definitely getting old.

The 3rd band was the Defects from Belfast. I really liked them.

Then it was Fang. They were AWESOME. They had a lot of energy, good stage presence, and the crowd was pretty wild for them. There was a big circle pit going. I stayed out of it, but I was really enjoying their music and energy.

They played “I Wanna Be On TV,” which I know because Green Day covered it. I didn’t record it because I was too busy singing and dancing. I was happy about that one for sure.

At one point during this song, a guy jumped onstage to sing with them and they let him, until frontman Sam “Sammytown” McBride pushed him off.

There were a few crowdsurfers, but it was mostly just wild in the circle pit. They had us move closer to the stage toward the end of their set. I believe this is the title track off their latest album, Rise Up.

After their set, I bought their Landshark/Where the Wild Things Are CD. Obadiah got me in the show for free, the LEAST I can do is buy a $10 CD. Besides, I wanna know all the old East Bay punk bands. It was a good show, I’d definitely see them again.

I went out to the bar area after that to get some water. Obadiah saw me and got all excited I had made it and saw their set. He told me he’s been in the band for three years, that he’s an engineer (he recorded Fang’s last album), he was the head of sound at Gilman for (I think he said 6?) years as well as a booker, and that he still sometimes books shows there even though he’s living in Mexico these days.

Then he apologized for talking too much, and in my car.

Me: “Oh no, I think it’s interesting! I wanna hear about it!”

He just seemed really happy and thankful I was there. He’s really sweet. He went back in to watch the next band as I was heading out to uber for the rest of the night. As we parted ways, he said, “You have a Master’s Degree, you can look us up on the internet!”