XFest 24 Program
Friday 6/7/24
(reverse order)
Boston’s premier feminist, antiracist & antifascist folk band. Playing twisted folk music to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable. A group of songwriters from Boston, MA, who music very loudly, and then someone falls down. Their story began some time around 2011 or 2012 in a basement in Jamaica Plain, MA, but they’re not sure exactly when or how.
A Day Without Love is the brainchild of multi-genre and multi-disciplinary creator, Brian Walker, A Day Without Love is on a mission to spread good vibes and help others rise above their own struggles. A Day Without Love began in 2013 after experiencing homelessness for a short period of time. The words “A Day Without Love” came from a poem that Brian wrote after witnessing and stopping domestic abuse on his college campus. The idea of a music project started in 2013, when Walker decided he wanted to write music with more intention.
Anarcho-folk project from Philadelphia! Songs that fearfully and tearfully traverse the vast spectrum of human emotion! Diabolically and meticulously constructed propaganda for anarchists and the anarcho-curious! A better world is possible! Only YOU can prevent forest fires!
Queer Folk Singer-Songwriter from The South Shore Suburbs of Massachusetts, constantly on the road. Owner and operator of Together Press, a small screen print shop out of the South shore of Boston!
Sug Daniels is a Delaware born, Philadelphia based, singer-songwriter, story teller, and producer who is using the tools around her to capture the emotions of an era. Daniels’ work is as colorful, vulnerable, and charismatic as her personality. She thoughtfully combines elements of folk, rock, and soul alternatives to create personal and tender music interlaced with messages of truth and positive change.
Saturday 6/8/24
(reverse order)
Lore-heavy folk punk from the north. Rent Strike is independent and pushes boundaries. Their music is a wild dream, a fire spreading in every direction. They enjoy Chinese food, old movies, long walks in the rain, and confronting widespread alienation and disillusionment to sift for pieces of hope, resistance, and joy.
Crow Cavalier is a folk punk act from Colorado! Though they'll be playing as a four piece, their instrumentation includes electric guitars, banjo, bass, cello, violin, and drums!
Trash Boat and the Ambush are an anarchist folk punk band from Washington, DC, except sometimes they pay their electric bill and play other genres.
Public Transit is a singer/songwriter with a guitar. Sometimes they play folk punk. Sometimes they quit playing folk punk. Sometimes they were called something other than Public Transit. Today they are on stage at X-Fest.
Philadelphia's WXPN called Tubey Frank, "expansive folk," introducing elements of jazz, alternative rock and trip hop into their music. Tubey Frank tells us, "We're excited to start a relationship with an inclusive folk society that understands the evolution of music for the people."
Rasan In The Heyday play pop, punk and grunge. They're from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s largest city, which is notable for its rich history, on display at the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and The Betsy Ross's house.
Trantifa Terror folk from southern California.
Racoon Tyrant crawled out of the marsh in Savannah, GA to bring more trashy little songs to Philadelphia. Expect jaunty tunes with hopeless lyrics.
Zodiac inspired whimsical songs with a balance of somber and comedic influence. XFS's own Jimmy Gasper will be accompanying on the Bass!
“where you die i will die, and there i will be buried”
Orah Ruth is a South Philly dark folk artist steeped in a slurry of equal parts traditional Appalachian banjo, punk, heavy rock, and doom for a high-proof cocktail pouring out blazing frails and gender-transcending wails about death and wage slavery at the end of the american empire.
Matthew W Charles has been writing and performing his unique style of Americana Punk since 2010! MWC has toured extensively across the United States and Europe, showcasing his music to many small dank pubs, large music halls, and peoples backyards and living rooms. Matt's songs are packed with honest and thoughtful lyrics that make you question the confines of your perceptions.