I'm at the Fest in Gainesville, Florida, sitting in some shitty budget hotel waiting to head the No Idea records BBQ and kind of feeling like a giant pile of fast food and PBR tall boys. It's not especially pleasant and, word to the wise, don't start mixing beer and whiskey at 5:30 in the afternoon. That said...

1. I finally got a chance to see Ringers live. Detention Halls was one of my favorite albums released last year and their set was everything I had hoped it would be. They were tight, energetic, and sold those sing-along punk songs about the drudgeries of everyday life. Despite that a 6:00 PM crowd is largely sober and probably preoccupied with who they're going t see later that evening, people moved, danced, and even did some stage diving (which was weird considering how small the venue was). Anyway, I've been meaning to write about Ringers for a while, but until I can, everyone should check them out via Myspace.

2. I saw Ann Beretta's final show last night. They were amazing, although the vocals were mixed too low and they play live as a three piece, which doesn't allow those songs to really fill out the way country and folk inspired punk rock demands. That's fine. The set largely featured songs off their first album, Bitter Tongues, which has always meant a lot to me. I remember walking from my father's apartment in Chicago down to the Clubhouse, the Metro's old record store, and buying a copy because I had heard "Forever Family" on WNUR's Fast and Loud and was floored. That album frequently found its way into my CD player over the following few years. Despite being pretty popular within my circle of friends, Ann Beretta never got the attention they deserved and played in front of small crowds, at least in Chicago, for much of their run. Last night was much different. The crowd was alive and the Fest crowd of loyal (perhaps obsessive and awkward) punk fans from around the country paid the band the kind of respect they deserved. Too little too late, sure, but it was nice to see. Here's "Forever Family."

3. I'm not in love with A Wilhelm Scream, but DAMN are they good live. DAMN. They've been constantly touring and playing these same songs for years, but they put everything they have into it and, although it looks completely exhausting, it pays off. I've found myself wanting to go back to those records and try to rediscover what initially drew me in. I'm starting to think that the "poor man's Thrice" analogy is a bit unfair, especially now that Thrice isn't the band they once were and A Wilhelm Scream has kind of found their own niche. I don't know if I need more skate punk in my diet, but if I'm going to add any, it's going to be skate punk with sweet metal guitar playing. A Wilhelm Scream - "The Rip".

4. We were all too tired and drunk to see the Paint It Black late show and way too sleepy to catch the Measure [SA]'s 6 AM show at the record co-op in town. They're both on the list today, so that's good.

Oh yeah, and it's cool to be at a giant punk rock festival that has consumed all of downtown Gainesville. I think it's something like 8 venues having shows all day all weekend. Cheap merch, overpriced beer, and nasty food. What more could you want?