Mikki's Top 10 for Total Fest

Mikki Lunda's Top 10-ish bands she's most excited to see at Total Fest XIII:

(in particular order)

1. Greco- Fri. 8pm, Palace
I hear from a reliable source that he wears a full-body-tiger-print-cat-suit, when he plays live.  And he's a bigger shameless self promoter than I am. All of his songs are about how rad he is.
[Editor's Note: You can listen to a couple of his tracks here at the Total Fest band camp.]

2. Obnox- Thurs. 9:15, ZACC
Dane Hansen (Bad Naked) told me "you can't miss this set."

3. Shannon & the Clams- Thur. 10:45pm, ZACC
I love this band's live energy. I've seen them bunches of times and they still made my top 3, that's saying something.

4. Underground Railroad to Candyland- Fri. 9:45pm, Palace
Last month I played with these guys in Pomona, CA. They are a party on stage, super fun to watch and are super tight. (multiple drummers)

5. j sherri- Sat. 12pm, Big Dipper
I'm just going to come right out and say it. These hotties have been my favorite local band for the last 2 years. I'm stoked to see them in the HOT HOT summer sun while licking a melty ice cream.

6. Woolen Men- Thur. 8pm, ZACC
I've never seen them live, but I NEED YOU TO KNOW: I really dig their sound.

7. Toupee- Sat. 8pm, Badlander
My pop idol, Richard Album, was in town last week and he said "in Chicago, anyone with our musical integrity will have this band on their list of favorites". I trust that.

8. Dreamsalon- Fri. 10pm, Palace
I've never seen them live, but I NEED YOU TO KNOW: I really dig their sound.

9. Kitten Forever, Sat. 10:15pm, Badlander
This band does it right. How they figured out how to transition instruments like that, is a straight up miracle.

10. Wimps- Sat. 9:15pm, Badlander
I've never seen them live, but I NEED YOU TO KNOW: I really dig their sound.

11. Dear Rabbit- Sat. 12:35pm, Big Dipper
Love his stage persona, he has a great booming voice and I'm impressed by people who can play 2 instruments at once. (Accordion/ trumpet)

12. Chemical Lawns- Fri. 8pm, Badlander
Another of my FAV locals.

Wowie, I can't wait to see all these amazing bands and more!
See you all there!
- Mikki "internet" Lunda

Check out Kate's Top 10 for Total Fest over at Missoula Punk News and Tom "T. Money" Helgerson's Top 10 over at Weird Missoula.

Q: WHAT IS IT THAT YOU LACK? A: WIMPS!

Seattle's Wimps attack the banality of existence with a serrated party knife, leaving all the various sinews and tendons sprawled out on the floor.

Bored with life? Swimming in the cold sweat of ennui? Eat it.

Wimps drums up a pop-filled, dance party that presses up against the mundane bullshit of paying bills, waking up, working lame jobs, hangovers, unemployment, laundry, saying hello. Featuring members from The Intelligence, Consignment, Meth Teeth, Butts and Partman Parthorse, Wimps run through a host of short, punk driven songs with distinct guitar, catchy vocals, and just enough playful bitterness that it can be easy to miss the serious affirmation of living. Try as we might, we have to wake up sometime. The curtains have to be opened. The trivial provides us with compelling narratives and moments of joy that, if we fail to acknowledge the absurdity of it all, drive us to dark, negating spaces rather than basking in the hysterical, exuberant joy of taking a breath or catching someone shitting in the alley. Wimps find a perfect balance between self awareness and raw, punk desolation. Their songs are short, ear-blistering, pop-infused, middle-finger acts of defiance. Like our favorite scrivener, Bartleby, they prefer not to; unlike him, Wimps devours the world in satiating bliss.

Party at the wrong time? Well, things could be worse.