Little Big Fiction

It's no surprise that we are massive fans of all things sludgy, noisy and abrasive - what with Wantage USA's history of scuzz-heavy rock releases and bands like Hammerhead, Black Elk, Akimbo and others laying waste to Total Fest crowds every year. 


So when Big Fiction's new slab of rumbling thunder, Prison Van, arrived in our mailbox earlier this spring, we were overjoyed at the nascent group's take on an old familiar sound.  These four fellas call Arlington, Texas home, and though they've only been around for a couple years, their blown-out long player caught us off guard, hooking us right from the start. It's loaded with caustic riffing, a pummeling rhythm section and a raw, frenetic energy that harkens back to old Total Fest favorites, yet, carries a youthful punk rock spirit all its own. We're stoked to have them (and their prison van) out to Missoula this August for Total Fest XI - our little celebration of big riffs under a big sky.

2012 Begins Now

We've been promising this for a few weeks. Apologies for our delay.


We received an overwhelming number of great submissions this year. A few evenings spilled into a handful of marathon listening sessions, followed by days of talking through the crazy amount of talent that came through the submissions inbox. By no means is it a perfect system, but we, here at Total Fest, feel like we've come up with an awesome, well-rounded line-up that will get your blood moving. We have a limited amount of slots, and we're saddened by some of the bands that we have to leave out of the festival. It's tough, but it's a welcome problem to face. Thank you to everyone that put their hat into the ring. Submitting to a festival can be a tough, cold process, and we hope that we add a little more of a human element to things. We appreciate all the support  that you give us. Although it seems trite at times, it simply cannot be said enough -- Total Fest does not and cannot exist without you.


Lamentations aside, we're frickin' stoked about this year. We have approximately 45 bands lined-up, and there's not an out in the bunch. It's rewarding to see this come together, and we hope you'll erase that pencil and solidly ink in your travel plans for the 16th-18th.
A few changes: We'll be posting more as the days go by, but, unlike previous years, we'll throw-up a dozen or so bands at a time and follow-up with some write-ups and general musings on individual bands. So, without further ado here is the first installment for Total Fest XI:


Big Fiction    Arlington, TX
Brain Tumors    Minneapolis, MN
Broken Water    Olympia, WA
Buildings    Minneapolis, MN
Dikes of Holland    Austin, TX
Dreamdecay    Seattle, WA
No-Fi Soul Rebellion    Bellingham, WA
Pins of Light    San Francisco, CA
Rock n Roll Adventure Kids    Berkeley, CA
Roomrunner    Baltimore, MD
Sandrider    Seattle, WA
The Be Helds    Austin, TX


Stay tuned for blog posts on these bands with more updates to follow in the coming weeks!