PUNISHMENT: FREE MUSIC

Wm. Statler.

Sound collage, performance art, exceptionally self-aware pop weirdness and a whole host of other adjectives of my own devising are popping up in my mind-brain while attempting to truly express how much Seattle's Free Music (nee Punishment) will completely surprise and wow you guys at Total Fest XIV this year. Musically, William Statler's one-man-magic-orchestra fits somewhere between the soundtrack to a Sega Dreamcast game and Brian Eno's emotional 1970's. It's a bizarre mix, sure, but the real neon icing comes into play when you see Free Music live and in person. I don't wanna give too much away; you really do have to see this.

Free Music is one of the true enigmas at the festival this year. While I did mention "performance art" and that phrase is sure to make more than a few of your eyes glaze over, you should trust me. Let's just highlight the word Performance for a minute. A few years ago, while Free Music was still known as Punishment, he played a show at the ZACC with Mega Bog and completely enraptured the room. It was one of the most amazing things I'd seen a solo performer do. There's a ton of humor in it, it's almost childlike, but the depth is there and you can tell this guy is completely serious about what he's doing. I seem to remember there was a basketball involved. "Not in my house."

Let me put it another way: Free Music is one of the most "punk" bands I've ever seen. This is the kind of punk that doesn't need a snarling beard or a half-stack. This is punk that doesn't need a band. This is punk like it really, REALLY, doesn't care what you think. It's confrontational but dressed up in a cartoon half-smile and completely one of the most unique things this festival has harbored in a good long while. CYA this summer, doods.

P.S. Don't just take my word for it: Julia Shapiro (of Total Fest alums Chastity Belt) included a song by Free Music (then known as Punishment) on a Seattle-centric mixtape she created for Hardly Art.

DEAD AND BEERS. WHAT ELSE COULD YOU WANT?

Total Family,

Hello! We've been a little too quiet for a little too long. Allow me to dispel some of your fears: Total Fest XIV will take place on August 20-22 at the ZACC, Badlander / Palace, and Big Dipper.

Until then, please join us this Tuesday, April 14th for our Cheers for Charity event at Draught Works Brewery. 50 cents from every pint sold between 5pm and 8pm will directly benefit Total Fest, allowing us to keep the event all ages, provide the soundtrack to your summer, and bring together all those folks you haven't hugged in a year.

There. Breathe. Step away from the ledge. Arise from the bunker. Stop stirring the Kool-Aid. Save the pills for a later date. Relax.

After thirteen years, we handled submissions a little differently this year. Like most years, each committee member targeted a handful or two bands and depended on word-of-mouth. Unlike past years, we didn't have an official open-submission period. There are pros and cons to each method, but, frankly, we attempted to simplify some of the process. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't. Either way, submissions are officially closed, and we're assembling the line-up, preparing to launch pass sales, and gearing up for another fun-filled Missoula summer.

What do we have in store for you?

DEAD.

That's right. Our favorite duo from the other hemispheres, Jem and Jace, have purchased tickets and are plotting out the details right now. We're super stoked to have them back.

For now, we'll allow them to speak for themselves. Stay Tuned

ZACC HOSTS EXCELENT BLOCK PARTY WITH A TOTAL (YARD) SALE.

Da ZACC, pre-Block Party

Unless you live under the proverbial errr, inanimate thing, you know about the ZACC. It's an all-ages show space (show this Friday, July 19th with some great bands), it's affordable artist studios, it's art classes, gallery space and so much more lodged deep in the heart of Missoula, on our North Side.

The North Side West Side Block Party's the ZACC's annual summer fandango and it's as solidly a fun time as you'll find in Missoula. Skin Flowers play, food is eaten, beer drunk, friends caught up with, art projects done, etc. etc. etc. It's a great time, and we're not just saying that because our friends work there. It really is Missoula at its best. This Saturday, July 20th. Right in front of the place. Get there.

T-Fest happens to have branched into the most shall we say, noble of lines of fundraising activities this year, that is the hawking of old junk used treasures from the organizers and pals that support Total Fest. We hope to have Colin Johnson's old gym socks and Faith No More T-shirts from high school. We hope to have Josh Harteis's prize copy of Frampton Comes Alive (with a white-out corpse-painted Frampton), we expect to have Bryan Ramirez's "rare" Poor School test pressings and Julie Tompkins' doubles of books on the Mansons. We're not sure if we'll have any of those things, but we'll definitely have a booth and it will have some weird stuff you can buy. Mikki and Adelaide Needlecraft will be taking stuff donations between 10AM and noon on N. 1st street at the ZACC, on Saturday the 20th. Feel free to stop by with your carefully-selected, someone-might-actually-want-it, stuff to drop off.

See you there!

ZACC HOSTING PUNK SHOWS, CRIMINAL CODE PLAYS THIS SUNDAY.

The Zootown Arts Community Center (or “ZACC”), a nonprofit arts organization just took a huge step and secured the basement space under their main-floor digs on Missoula’s North 1st street. It’s pretty awesome news if you’re like me and you consistently long for a more or less "informal," more of a hang-out-watch-bands, talk-about-stuff situation compared to the average show. Oh, and I’m stoked to see Criminal Code again.

They played Total Fest last summer and are a great, fast and kind of chorusy (the guitar effect) ala Hüsker Dü new wave punk group from the unassuming, sleeper hit-maker city of Tacoma, WA. The Funs from Chicago and two great locals, Needlecraft and King Elephant round it all out. $5, 8-11 PM. Event information is here

The thing I want to talk about is this: The ZACC is a registered 501C3, or nonprofit organization. It provides arts education to pretty big crop of young Missoulians and it’s important work they do. Missoula’s a fortunate place to have an organization that provides arts education as increasingly the K-12 system falls short of the mark for arts. It is a huge, huge deal (correct, two huges) that the ZACC has chosen to widen its scope of support to original, local and traveling musicians. Low-overhead show spaces are hard to sustain (see closures to shows of  Zoo City Apparel, the Lab, Eating Cake, Spruce St. etc. etc.) but among the most fertile ground for supporting a community of musicians and bands. That the ZACC is getting into this business is worth celebrating, supporting and respecting. Here’s how you can do all three:

Celebrate it: I know that sounds like a bullshit new ageism, and I cringe a little that I've used that language, but man, it's sincere. Come see the show, and other shows! These are great, informal times with awesome music. They’re truly structured to be safe, affordable and for all-ages, 8-80. Bring earplugs if you don’t do much loud music listening.

Support it: Come prepared to support the show, it’s $5. Dig it up and give it willingly. It's a worthy investment. And, hey, come to future shows. Buy some stuff from bands. Nearly everybody should have a record, shirt or CDR or something. Make a donation to the ZACC. They put the money to good use, keeping costs low, providing scholarships to students, and doing things like offering their basement for all-ages music. http://www.zootownarts.org/donate

Respect it: I’m an of-age guy, and somewhat unoriginally, a beer fan. However, I’ll be fine bringing along a water bottle to quench my thirst on Sunday. And don't mistake this for martyrdom. Watching some rad bands is more important than having a drink in my hand, and I think I'll get by! These events are alcohol free, and that’s the rule that's there to ensure that the environment’s safe for all-ages, and that takes a lot of trust. Shows like this are typically run by volunteers, and folks who care about DIY music happening. They’re not the authorities, but they are charged with ensuring the show follows the rules, and the alcohol rule is there for a really good reason.  If you’ve got time, help folks clean up.

Hope to see you there—