We're just over six weeks away from this year's Fuzzstival, and the final numbers are in: 30 bands, two days, one Middle East, and more fuzz than we know what to do with. Seriously, the city will need cleanup crews lined up and down Massachusetts Avenue with all the motherfucking fuzz that's about to ooze out of Central Square next month.
As usual, the lineup and efforts from Illegally Blind Presents organizer and Middle East booking agent Jason Trefts are outstanding, with many new bands and artists taking part in this year's festivities. In its fourth year, the Fuzzstival has grown from a psych and garage rock party to something that goes beyond genre limits, amassing an impressive collection of rock bands of varying degrees of fuzziness from Boston and the Northeast region.
Before we get to the music below, here are some added details: The Fuzzstival takes place Friday, August 19 (6 p.m., $15, advance tickets) and Saturday August 20 (2 p.m., $20 advance tickets) at the Middle East Downstairs (two-day passes), which we're told will be reconfigured to host multiple stages. And with the lineups as packed as they are, expect little downtime in between bands.
Here's who is playing on Friday: Lyres, The Monsieurs, CREATUROS, Mr. Airplane Man, Dent, NICE GUYS, (New England) Patriots, Midriffs, Scully (pictured up to), Kid Mountain, and Birthing Hips.
And Saturday: Quilt, Doug Tuttle, Mini Dresses, Major Stars, Ghost Box Orchestra, Painted Zeros, Black Beach, BOYTOY, Las Rosas, Ravi Shavi, Sunwatchers, JAW GEMS, WAY OUT, Zip-Tie Handcuffs, High Pop, Bat House, Weakened Friends, Milk (band), and Beach Toys.
That's some weekend right there. In addition to the Boston contingent (Quilt, Doug Tuttle, and Ghost Box Orchestra are worth the price of admission alone), there are a handful of intriguing New York bands (BOYTOY, Painted Zeros, and Scully among them), the best band in Rhode Island right now (Way Out) and the best band from Connecticut in a hot minute (High Pop). Shit there's even a Rumble winner (Zip-Tie Handcuffs). And there are Lyres. We can go on for days.
But we won't, because it's 2016 and you can make all the cool decisions on your end. Listen to all the participating bands below, listed in no particular order.
Think of it as band roulette.
