Wiretap Records celebrated their ten-year anniversary with Attention Fest: a free, all-ages, two-day concert on September 21 and 22nd at Hangar 24 Brewery in Irvine, CA. I was unable to make the first day, but was able to make day two.
The first band, the Nervous Kids, came out swinging. They have a 1990’s pop punk sound and have done their homework with bands from that era. The band played tracks off of their self-titled EP. Songs like “Mediocre at Best” and “Anyone But You” went over well with the small crowd. I had a lot of fun hearing them, and it’s a shame they were given a short time to play and put on early because they put on a great set. Definitely keep them on your radar.
The crowd had doubled in size by the time Orange County’s Taken Days had started. Their set was very energetic and melodic. A lot of the bands that played had some fun riffs, this band especially. They were able to throw in a decent cover of the Killers’ “Mr. Brightside,” which sounded very full despite coming from a three-piece.
A late addition to the bill was Art Barrios of Audio Karate. He played an acoustic set mostly consisting of songs from Audio Karate’s 2002 album, Space Camp. It was a nice little trip back. I always forget how good those songs are until they randomly pop up every few years. Closing the set with The Zombies’ “This Will Be Our Year” was a nice little surprise. If it’s been some time since you’ve seen them, now is a good time to revisit them.
Odd Robot came out on stage dressed in skeleton onesies to organ music and a pre-recorded voice intro by Vincent Price. They launched into a cover of Sam the Sham & The Pharaohs’ song, “Woolly Bully.” It was a complete left turn. Their synth-driven pop punk was a great addition to this show. They had a lively set which included songs “Break in Period,” “California Emptiness,” and bookended their time on stage with another cover, Chapelle Roan’s “Hot To Go.” Comparisons could be made to Alkaline Trio, but there is much more humor in their set and they take themselves way less seriously. The crowd showed a lot of love, and Odd Robot sent it back, saying things like, “We’re still Odd Robot and you’re still fun.”
The biggest surprise of the day for me was Wicked Bears, from Salt Lake City, UT. This three-piece took all of those 1990’s punk rock and Lookout Records albums to heart and have written fun songs. They reminded me a lot of Squirtgun, playing songs about the future, their car being broken into, and the nickel arcade. Songs like “Lucky” and “Hypothetically” kept the show moving. Wiretap Records did a great job of setting the line-up. In a show packed to the gills with bands, fatigue could have set in at any point. This was my first time seeing Wicked Bears, and I will definitely be on the lookout for them next time they come through town.
Ska band, The Goodwin Club, led by vocalist Tami Demaree, came out with a lot of energy and a bin full of confetti shooters. They probably had the most energetic set of the day. The crowd was dancing and having fun but were temporarily slowed down when the venue asked them to stop with the confetti shooters. This didn’t stop Tami from throwing them out to the crowd to shoot off before the confetti shooters were finally confiscated. The band got the crowd back by doing a cover of Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” and closing with the title track from their latest EP, “Join the Club.” Fans of 1990’s ska should give them a look if they missed them the first time around.
By the time Codename: Rocky came out, the crowd was at the biggest it was going to get. They played second to last. Like most of the sets for the show, song choices leaned closer to songs of their Wiretap Records releases. Foundation songs “Killing the Chemist” and “Little Devil” went over well with the crowd. Codename: Rocky slowed it down a bit with a cover of the Cure’s “Just Like Heaven,” which was an interesting take, but not bad by any means.
Closing out the night was Los Angeles band Go Betty Go. Their set was the perfect cap to the night. The band’s line-up looked a little different with Adam Bones filling in for founding member Betty Cisneros, who has been out for medical reasons. Nicolette Vilar led them through a fantastic set. Also on hand was Emily Valentine, who sang with the band while Nicolette went to art school. She sings on two of the songs, “City Lights” and “Am I To Blame,” on Go Betty Go’s new EP, “Black and Blue.” They sounded really good with both singers trading lines and harmonizing together.
You really have to hand it to the bands on the back half of this show. By the time they hit the stage, some people had already been there for about four to six hours on a school night, not including anyone who may have been there the previous day for Attention Fest’s first day. It was my first time hearing most of the bands, while with others, it was a great revisit. Congrats on ten years, Wiretap Records, and here’s to many more.