Gonerfest 19 Program Guide

WELCOME GONERFESTTO19!

We are so excited to have everyone back out for another four days of music in Memphis. Whether it’s your first time or your fifteenth, we’ve packed together another great batch of bands sure to please everyone from wild Big Band followers to the crustiest of the hardcore punks. And everyone in between! Be sure to schedule some time to mix in some side trips to get barbecue, check out some Memphis landmarks, and hang out with friends both old and new.

As always, it’s the people that make Gonerfest special, the people in the audience and the people in the bands - often one in the same! Please treat the festival and your fellow guests with respect - follow CDC Guidelines after any potential Covid exposure, and please sit out the fest if you do have any symptoms. We want everyone to get through this safely. Last year went great- let’s keep everyone’s safety and good times in mind, and we’ll have a great fest.

Thank Now

Gonerfest is open to all ages.

CHECK-IN!

PLEASE CHECK IN EARLY IF YOU CAN!

Come by the Goner shop to pick up your Golden Pass starting Wednesday, September 21.

And if you get your wristband early - do not take it off! You need that for access through Sunday.

CENTRAL STATION CHECK-IN PARTY: THURSDAY 2-4PM

We are getting people set with wristbands at CENTRAL STATION LOBBY with THE BIG C - Greg Cartwright -starting the fest off right DJing righteous tunes in the Hotel Lobby!

Please try to come by! Avoid long lines at Railgarten and check in early!

AFTERPARTIES

After the party... the afterparties!

The amazing psychedelic hip hop DJ EDAN from New York will be spinning at the official Goner afterparty at Central Station Friday and Saturday starting at 10PM - fans of turntable craziness - and wild records- will definitely want to check him out.

Bars with other shows include DKDC, B-Side, Hi Tone, and the Lamplighter. Look for schedules or go by word of mouth- some amazing bands are only appearing at the afterparties, including Ace Of Spit, Easy Action, Optic Sink, True Sons Of Thunder, Cherry Cheeks and tons more!

GONERFEST 19: STREAMING

We are again sharing our awesome lineup with all the people unable to come to Memphis to do this thing in person. Last year’s streaming Gonerfest 18 was a huge, unexpected success! Believe me, running an “IN REAL LIFE” and online festival at the same time presents a whole bunch of new challenges. We’ve planned for months, took what we learned last go-round, procured some of the Mid-South’s top talents, and we’re ready to present Gonerfest 19 online in a way that captures the fun without killing the vibe with too much tech. $20 for four days of music is a great deal! See all your favorites in the comfort of your own couch! In your pajamas, if you want!

Drunk off your ass in the middle of the afternoon if you so desire! Chatting with Gonerfesters from around the globe at the same time. Great! Go to Gonerfest.com to get your ticket.

Streams will remain up for 24 hours so that people in weird time zones can catch up… but the festival will not be archived for people to watch after that. Don’t miss it!

Scan the QR Code to go to the Virtual fest or head to https://goner-records.com/pages/livestream-faq !

We are lucky to have access to a venue who can host as many people as want to come to Gonerfest this year outside, safely, and also can put up with all our nutty ideas. Hats off to you, Railgarten! Please be courteous of all servers and everyone helping out- they are here in difficult times and are in for much longer, harder days than usual. We know Gonerfesters are great but we just wanted to make the pointthese people are really busting their butts so we can have a great festival and we need to recognize it! Tipping encouraged!

TRANSPORTATION / PARKING

We recommend taking UBER, LYFT, or cabs to the venue. There is parking but it is limited. If businesses are open please do not use their parking lots. There is also parking along Cooper. Don’t get towed. Be safe.

BeerGONERFESTRAILGARTENBEERandgreatmusic.Youknowitworks!

We’d like to thank our friends at MEMPHIS MADE for once again providing a special beer for Gonerfest 19, using the great graphics from our Sara Moseley!!

We can’t thank Memphis Made enough for all they do for us!

Go by their spot- right around the corner from Railgarten at 768 S Cooper St, Memphis, TN (901) 207-5343

TAPROOM HOURS:

MONDAYS & TUESDAYS: CLOSED

WEDNESDAYS: 4-7 P.M.

THURSDAYS: 4-7 P.M.

FRIDAYS: 4-10 P.M.

SATURDAYS: 1-10 P.M.

SUNDAYS: 1-7 P.M.

You can also grab a sixer or more at most of the liquor and grocery stores in town!

Louie Bankston / Shawn Cripps

We lost two of our long-time Goner family this past year, King Louie Bankston & Shawn Cripps. It’s hard to imagine doing a festival without either of them around. much less both of them. They will be in our thoughts and memories forever. They were both totally unique. Here are some notes from Andria Lisle on Louie, and some sketches and memories of Shawn from Harlan T Bobo. Listen to King Louie, listen to The Limes. Their voices live on.

KING LOUIE

BY ANDRIA LISLE

When I got word that King Louie Bankston died late last winter, the news was delayed, due to the pandemic and a lack of communication between old friends. By the time I found out, via social media, the message felt flat, almost muffled, as if Louie had sucked all of the sound out of the world with his final breath. Due to the state of the world, I struggled to remember the last time I even saw Louie face-to-face. Enough years had passed that he’d grown out his TERF-styled baby bangs into the Kool Aid red flattop I spotted in his final Facebook posts.

Many of my best memories involve Louie: times spent careening around New Orleans or Memphis, late nights I spent dancing at a Royal Pendletons or Loose Diamonds show, stupid stuff like the morning he showed up at my house during Gonerfest with boxes of Gibson’s doughnuts, blitzed out of his mind after 24 hours of partying. One March morning, he and his girlfriend Rebecca piled into Eric’s SUV with me and Jeannine for the long drive to SXSW, and Louie regaled us the entire ride with stories that somehowwe’d never heard, decadesdespiteoffriendshipunderourcollectivebelts.Armedwithaguitar,hisdrumkit,ora

skateboard, Louie was goofy and brilliant and untameable, like some combination of Apollo and Dionysus who was beamed down from Olympus to enliven the earthly drudgery for us mere mortals.

Many of my worst memories involve Louie: phone calls where he sounded moments away from death, shouting in all caps; living room brawls when something undetected set him off;  mind-numbing barroom conversations watching him nod off mid-sentence. Once out of the box, Louie’s colossal personality would darken, then explode. I never knew what to do to make the situation better, and as time went on, I’d bypass the good times with Louie to avoid the bad times. I adored Louie, but his unpredictability wearied me.

Something horrible happens at a certain age, when your address book begins to fill up with names of the dead. Twelve years ago, it was Jay Lindsey; last year, my uncle Sammy and my cousin Virginia; this year, Shawn Cripps and Louie Bankston. It kills me that Louie’s body gave out just before his fiftieth birthday, that I didn’t realize he’d died while I went about my weekend chores on the day before Valentine’s Day. I’d give anything to see KLOMB once more, to watch Louie yuk it up onstage sporting that weird Paul ThetheRebennackPrudhomme-meets-Macklookhepickedupjustbeforeend.Bringonthetrombone,brah!Kingisdead;longliveKingLouie.

SHAWN CRIPPS

BY HARLAN T BOBO

Typical phone conversation with Shawn... HARLAN....“ if I had a gun, I’d kill every last one of these mother fuckers”. SHAWN....”if you had a gun, you would have put a bullet in your head a long time ago”. We had so much fun. Shawn often showed up at my house for coffee, conversation and a poop. Sometimes just poop. Friendship Touring Europe, Shawn was like a kid in a candy store. An already magnificent ego, well polished and firing on all pistons. The planned lineup was, Limes, Harlan then Jack. Before every show Shawn would put his hand on my shoulder and say, “man, I’ve

got a lot of fans in this town, I better go on second tonight “. This happened every night. We could have changed the schedule but Shawn enjoyed charming me out of my slot so much I didn’t have the heart to stop him.

For the Blue Blood recordings Shawn had a plan. “ this is a 10am coffee songs, this one is beer at night, pot at dusk, take this pill”, etc. After waking up at noon with a guitar feeding back in my lap I knew Shawn’s plan was not sustainable.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER

2:00-4:00PM

CHECK-IN PARTY AT CENTRAL STATION

Get your Gonerfest Wristbands, avoid the crush at the gate. GREG CARTWRIGHT will be DJing.

4:45 OPENING CEREMONIES WITH ROSS JOHNSON MC Billups Allen / DJ Modern Girl

5:00 DAVID NANCE & MOWED SOUND

5:45 RESEARCH REACTOR CORPS

6:30 BENNETT

7:15 ROSALI

8:00 THE KING KHAN & BBQ SHOW

9:00 SHANNON & THE CLAMS

DAVID5:00 NANCE & MOWED SOUND

(OMAHA, NE)

Who They Are: Fearlessly Fried Psych guitar band, sometimes in the same garage barn as Neil Young on Jolt Cola, sometimes out on their own.

What They Do: Fearless, fried, folky Midwestern psych, with occasional lapses into all-out blowout attack.

Where To Listen: Albums out on Ba Da Bing, Grapefruit, Trouble In Mind, and countless self-released CDrs and stuff.

RESEARCH5:45

(SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA)

REACTOR CORP

Who They Are: Australian hi-NRG blast-ordinance squad.

What They Do: Post-Coneheads lo-fi frantic Garage Synth Punk! Devocore, Egg Punk, Weird Punk, Punk tags. Choppy drum machine shit-fi garage punk from an alternate reality/post apocalyptic (nuclear...hence the moniker) wasteland wherein they are sort of like the Cenobites from Hellraiser: Neither good nor evil but def nasty. Fast, furious, fun.

ABOUT OUR MC: Billups Allen is the star of the hit online series GONER TV. A dog-walker and an author. His work can be seen in Razorcake, Ugly Things, and his ownCramhole zine. We can sometimes tell when he’s joking.

ABOUT OUR DJ: Modern Girl hosts the Modern Girl radio show on WEVL, with musicby women artists across era and genre, for everybody (and every body),

BENNETT6:30

(MEMPHIS, TN)

Who They Are: Bennett Foster, leader of the Magic Kids, member of The Barbaras, and they even played in the mostconfounding version of the Manateees!

What They Do: Elegant Style-Rock, like a blissed slinked-out budget version of Brian Ferry / Richard Papiercuts / Orange Juice glam pop!

Next Up: Record On Goner?

ROSALI7:15

(PHILADELPHIA, PA)

Who She is: Rosali is a red-hot guitarist, formerly of the Long Hots, record on Third Man. She’s got albums out on such labels as Siltbreeze and Spinster. She’s backed by an excellent band who bears more than a passing resemblance to David Nance & Mowed Sound!

What They Do: Soul-slashing adult rock… and you thought that was a bad thing. Hold on. In a real world, Rosali would be huge. She’s going to destroy Gonerfestd with old fashioned country-tinged rock n roll.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER

THE8:00 KING KHAN & BBQ SHOW (CANADA / BERLIN)

Who They Are: Couple of Canadian bad boys originally in Les Sexareenos... now all the way through two brilliant careers with numerous projects- but nothing beats the magic of Mark Sultan and King Khan together.

What They Do: Meet the Kings of two-man rockabilly / garage / doo wop craziness! Their “Waddlin Around” was a viral hit when it came out on Goner in 2004… it only took 18 years for Tik Tok to be invented and the rest of the world to catch up.

Where They Were: We did the first Gonerfest to celebrate the release of King Khan & BBQ Show’s 1st Lp and King Louie’s Chinese Crawfish album in 2004. A lot has happened since then, but Goner’s still going and The King Khan & BBQ Show are bigger than ever! We are super, super stoked to have ‘em back at Gonerfest!

SHANNON9:00 & THE CLAMS (SAN FRANCISCO, CA)

Who They Are: Fantastically odd, supremely talented combo that’s been tearing up stages since forever. We had them at Gonerfest 8 in 2011!

What They Do: Crazy Great Space age Psychedelic DooWop Garage Punk! What We Want To Say: We love you Shannon & The Clams!

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

Afternoon MC: Timebomb Tom Smith (Green Bay, WI) is singlehandedly responsible for Green Bay having one of the best live garage rock and punk music scenes for the past 30 years, as well as serving as a longtime musical guru through his tenure the Exclusive Co record store. Uber Fan, we salute you!

Afternoon DJ: Byron Coley (Northampton, MA) is a world-renown writer and music critic and a partner in Feeding Tube Records.

noon HUE JOYLESSBLANC’SONES

12:45 FREAK GENES

1:30 PARTNER LOOK

2:15 FREEZING HANDS 3:00 AQUARIAN BLOOD 3:45 SERFS

Evening MC: Drew Owen (New Orleans, LA) is the frontman for the great Sick Thoughts and drums in Total Hell.

Evening DJ: Timmy Vulgar (Detroit, MI) is the leader of Human Eye and Timmy’s Organism with an ear to weird and wonderful sounds.

HUEnoon JOYLESSBLANC’SONES

(ALGOMA, WI)

Who They Are: Garage rock vets including ex-members of Mystery Girls & Strong Come Ons… with a City Councilman in there, too! What!

What They Do: Solid hooky fuzzed out Midwest rock / garage rock. Excellent new album on Bancroft Records.

4:30 SWEET KNIVES 5:30 GREEN / BLUE 6:15 AWFM 7:00 GEE TEE 7:45 SPRAY PAINT 8:30 SNOOPER 9:30 FRED LANE & HIS MONKEYBITERSDISHEVELED

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

FREAK12:45 GENES (MANCHESTER, UK)

Who They Are: Formed in 2016, Freak Genes has released music on Alien Snatch, Drunken Sailor and Feel It Records. Charlie Murphy has graced bands like Isolation, Red Cords and Internal Credit, while Andrew Anderson’s résumé includes Proto Idiot, KAKE? and The Hipshakes.

What The Do: If Jay Reatard had navigated a deep inspirational run through pre-fame Human League, early Cabaret Voltaire and prime O.M.D., then perhaps it would have sounded like this. Or not, but you get the idea.

PARTNER1:30 LOOK (MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA)

Who They Are: Partner Look are a Melbourne-based band made up of German sisters Ambrin (Cool Sounds) and Anila Hasnain (Studio Magic), who are joined by their partners Dainis Lacey (Cool Sounds) and Lachlan Denton (The Ocean Party).

What They Do: Enthusiastic and very enjoyable Australian sophisto take on VUinspired indie pop… Kick back to the snaky clean guitar lines and punchy rhythms of their debut LP “By The Book” on the always reliable Trouble in Mind Records.

FREEZING2:`15 HANDS

(TUCSON, AZ)

Who They Are: Arizona’s finest purveyors of Power Pop / New Wave with that 1979 sound: Featuring Desert Guru Matt Rendon, who also graced us with his presence last year with Exbats!

What They Do: Devastating 70s influenced hookfilled pop/ punk that’ll give you chills, Beach Boys here, New Wave there, Freezing Hands deliver a Powerpop clinic. Song after song after song! So many bands wish they were this band!

AQUARIAN3:00 BLOOD

(MEMPHIS, TN)

Who They Are: Memphis cult folk rockers, now rocking with a full band, lead by JB Horrell (ExCult) and his wife Laurel.

What They Do: Creepy sing song incantations and rock n roll explorations.. pretty much what you wanted New Weird America to sound like… Unique and expansive.

SERFS3:45

(CINCINNATI, OH)

Who They Are: Cincinatti band sharing members with Crime Of Passing & The Drin, big part of vibrant Cincy underground.

Who They Aren’t: Not Goth, according to sources.

What They Do: Excellent live act that does a fine job coating some contemporary DIY dirt all over the lesser-known but still rewarding Factory Records margins circa 80-85.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER

SWEET4:30 KNIVES

(MEMPHIS, TN)

Who They Are: S.K.’s started out with the ex-Lost Sounds band core, but they’ve gone their own way into great, punky Alicja Trout / Rich Crookness. Recent touring has their blades sharpened… watch out!

WHAT THEY DO: Killer post punk pop with the Memphis edge.

GREEN5:30 / BLUE

(MINNEAPOLIS, MN)

Who They Are: Blind Shake member Jim Blaha and ex-Soviettes Annie Sparrow

What They Do: Excellent, Propulsive Futuristic Post Punk.

What They’re Saying: Chilling vocal harmonies resonate atop melodic guitar leads and a razor-sharp rhythm section as the album stretches to just under twenty-five minutes. Green/Blue evoke

AWFM6:15

(MEMPHIS, TN)

Who He Is: AWFM ; A Weirdo From Memphis

What He Does: Oddball Memphis hip hop from the uber-talented Unapologetic crew. A Gary Wilson fan, AWFM has been known to throw down with MonoNeon and other wild-ass free funk jammers. Live show is full-on… watch out!

GEE7:00

TEE

(SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA)

Who They Are: Budget Punk Rock Rulers Of The World

What They Do: Spazz attack lo-fi punk rock with cheap synths, the most fun band since the Mummies? Whatever it is, they’ve got it!

What’s Coming: LP ON GONER!

SPRAY7:45 PAINT

(AUSTIN / MELBOURNE / NEW YORK)

Who They Are: Idiosyncratic trio originally from Austin, now spread around the world.

What They Do: ATX’s Spray Paint perfected an atonal rhythmic thump and punch that is equal parts classic Butthole Surfers, the Country Teasers’ take on The Fall and the early 90s visceral antisocial uneasiness found in the AmRep/ Trance Syndicate margins.

Spray Paint’s Cory owns the excellent Tubby’s restauarant /

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER

SNOOPER8:30

(NASHVILLE, TN)

Who They Are: Sick Nashvillians Out Of Place Except Rockin’.

What They Do: Sped up cartoon crazy, pogo-friendly avant-punk! They played one of their first shows ever at Gonerfest last year. Since then, solid touring behind Cobra Man has made them a crazed machine!

What’s Next: Album on Goner!

FRED9:30 LANE & HIS MONKEYBITERSDISHEVELED

(CHATTANOOGA, TN)

Who They Are: Legendary Dada jazz on from early 70s University Of Alabama miscreants. For decades, no one knew who Fred Lane was!

What They Do: Formed in opposition to the culture in Tuscaloosa, Fred Lane’s surrealist songs were laced with a large amount of weaponized satire and anger. The music is a twisted No Wave take on Big Band jazz, like Spike Jones on a mean streak, with a visionary, absurd agenda.

What You Should Know: Fred Lane has done fewer than five shows in the past forty years. This is a very special occasion!

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER

noon OD-EX 12:45 LEOPARDO

1:30 SCREENSAVER

2:15

3:00 CLONE

3:45

4:30

5:30 NEW BUCK BILOXI 6:15 MICHAEL BEACH 7:00 SICK THOUGHTS 7:45

8:30 TYVEK 9:30

GAMBLERSCOMPULSIVE

Afternoon MC Ryan Haley (Memphis / Los Angeles) is a legit famous Youtube celeb, editor for Funhaus Youtube show and creator of genius Memphis videos, but he’s mostly just a big goofy music fan to us. Forgive his jokes, but they are very funny.

Afternoon DJ Michael Bateman (New Orleans, LA) knows more about records than you and your Old Timey R&B Buy/Sell/Trade group combined. Also hip hop cassettes. And caveman metal 7”s. He’s put on a bunch of brilliant shows in New Orleans and loves powerpop.

Evening MC Violet Archaea (Louisville, KY) fronts Louisville’s amazing Archaeas with true rock n roll style and abandon. First album out on Goner, new album in the Eveningworks!DJ

Annaliese Replica (Melbourne, Australia) is a DJ for Melbourne’s legendary RRR Radio Station. Her show Neon Sunset runs Noon to 2PM on Saturdays.

LEOPARDO12:45

(FRIBOURG, SWITZERLAND)

Who They Are: Off-kilter wobbly avant Swiss psych pop collective cramming hooks and swagger of 70s glam into a Tall Dwarfs lo fi blender. Kaleidoscopic album on Feel It. Addictive!

What They’re Saying: Providing the mids between Eno’s highs and Ayers’ lows, it’s a stunning display of both art and artisanship, and like a kid who aces his test without studying, it seamlessly incorporates the crisp aural aesthetic of Chrome and layered nonchalance of Velvet Underground without stepping into the gated communities of those bands’ wannabees. – Brandon Gaffney from Bandcamp

SCREENSAVER1:30

(MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA)

Who They Are: Christopher Stephenson (Spray Paint / Exek) + Krystal Maynard (Bad Vision / Polo) + Giles Fielke (Low Tide) + James Beck (Personal Touch / Rat Columns).

What Do They Do: Amazing classic post punk. Maynard’s voice stands out amongst a million other singers.

What They’re Saying: “Sonically, screensaver are an amalgamation of goth, synth, and post punk. On a macro level The Cure, Joy Division and Siouxsie and the Banshees, are some of vocalist Krystal Maynard’s musical influences as a teenager. However, on a micro level you’ll find Constant Mongrel and Nun, UK label mates Es, and almost anything and everything released on Nihlistic Orbs. At the same time, this band is like no other.” - Tristan Birrell, 4ZZZ

RETAIL2:15 SIMPS

(MONTREAL, CANADA)

Who They Are: The Garage Punk Funk Band you’ve been clamoring for!

What They Do: “What if the Velvet Underground had written ‘Wooly Bully’ and Sam The Sham ‘Sister Ray?’ If Ron House picked up some bongos and joined CCR or If Half Japanese and Hasil Adkins started a Meters cover band?” –Total Punk

Despite having released one album (this year’s “Reverberant Scratch: 9 Shots in Tha’ Dark” on Total Punk) and hailing from “North Nebraska” (Canada....Montreal to be precise), the Retail Simps’ are diligent students of Ohio’s Great Plains/Mike Rep/TJSA/ Jim Shepard verge-of-collapse garage/folk/punk/skiffle weirdness of yore (aka 80s-90s).

Why They Do It: Because they love you.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER

IBEX3:00 CLONE

(MEMPHIS, TN)

Who They Are: George, Alec, and Meredith- they were in Hash Redactor, too!

What They Do: Warped blend of pastoral pop and post-punk that is somehow both wildly unique and strangely familiar.

What’s Next: LP coming out on Goner- stay tuned!

CRIME3:45 PASSINGOF

(CINCINATTI, OH)

Who They Are: Winning this year’s unofficial Best Band Name contest, Cincinatti’s Crime of Passing have a seemingly second-nature ability to meld classic Souxsie & the Banshees, early Sisters of Mercy and 90s stompers like Th’ Faith Healers with modern DIY grit.

What They are saying: A stunning combination of style, vision, and execution. Crime of Passing, alongside related projects like The Serfs and The Drin, are at the helm of Cincinnati, Ohio’s vibrant post-punk underground. Led by Andie Luman’s fervent vocals, Crime of Passing’s self-titled debut album is a wondrously textured web of sound. Shades of early 80’s post-punk, synthdriven electro pop, and heavier Industrial/Krautrock tones combine across an album both instantly memorable and futuristic. Nine cold tracks for a new dark age. LP on Feel It!

MSR4:30 JEFFREY EVANS

(COMO, MS)

Who He Is: Coming out of the Columbus, OH scene with the epic Gibson Bros, who started to do for hillbilly country / rockabilly what the Cramps did for garage, then turned it on its head. Jeff moved the Memphis, appropriately formed the great 68 Comeback with members of Gories, Royal Trux (future version) and Monster Truck Five, and then settled into a succession of smaller bands and solo gigs. Jeff & Ross Johnson’s run of Wednesday nights at the Buccaneer in the early 2000s contained so much debauchery that they might never be equalled, let alone topped.

Why He’s Here: Jeff’s a captivating, confounding artist- one with exquisite attention to detail one minute, and an uncontrolled squall the next. We are always overjoyed to hear him perform.

NEW5:30 BUCK BILOXI (NEW ORLEANS, LA)

Who They Are: New, old, Fucks or no fucks, it doesn’t matter. Buck Biloxi comes to mess up the party.

What they do: Punk rock, initially informed by Killed By Death-styled “screaming from a corner” approach, but that has never kept them from greatness.

Who They Are Part II: At various, often unexpected times: The best band in the world.

MICHAEL6:15 BEACH

(MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA)

Who He Is: Charismatic and supremely talented Goner Recording artist.

What He Does: Magic underground rock n roll, somehow combining literary leanings with punch-to-the-stomach song moves. Ever since former Shovels (check them out too) bassist Michael started dropping solo albums in 2013, he has built a body of work of both devastatingly beautiful balladry and ready-to-scrap guitar pop bangers drawn from what is proving to be a bottomless well of songwriting genius.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER

SICK7:00 THOUGHTS

(NEW ORLEANS, LA)

Who They Are: Young Baltimore-to -Finland-to-New Orleans rocker Drew Owen backed by the best New Orleans punkers, ie most of Trampoline Team.

What They Do: Crash & Burn punk and pop that takes Reatards and Dead Boys power and piledrives it into the dirt. Albums on Goner, Dead Beat, and latest on Total Punk, which maybe turns the corner towards pop ala the 2nd Dead Boys LP? You tell me!

Didn’t They Play Last Year? Yes they did. With a brand new album on Total Punk, we needed them back for more!

APPROACHNEGATIVE7:45

(DETROIT, MI)

Who They Are: Pinnacle of Midwest 80s hardcore punk, in a class by themselves in power, aggression, and legacy. Who’s That Guy: It’s John Brannon! He’s a legend! Negative Approach, Laughing Hyenas, Easy Action... whoa!

Can They Still Do It: Yes, they can! Get in the pit, or get out of the way.

TYVEK8:30

(DETROIT, MI)

Who They Are: DIY kingpins headed by Kevin Boyer and a revolving cast backing him up. Have seen him with a number of different musicians and they are all always EXCELLENT.

What They Do: Ramshackle, propulsive punk songs with sneaky hooks. Not afraid to fall apart. Songs about a Honda. Will leave you with some rant/ chant you can’t get out of your head!

GAMBLERSCOMPULSIVE9:30

(MEMPHIS, TN)

Who They Are: Greg Cartwright & Jack Yarber’s pre-Oblivians ramshackle Rock & Soul combo who initially played with a violin player and supremely out of tune horn section. Oh it was glorious. Original songs proved they could write in formats other than 4/4, playing waltzes and covering Fugs and Tom Waits and others. This was the band that wrote “Stop & Think It Over.” They shoulda been huge… they were just way ahead of their time, and no one knew what to do with ‘em.

What They’re Doing: The more streamlined version of this band, as they morphed into more of a traditional rock band as touring with horn section and violinist became difficult as time went on without any success, joining up with some Detroit hot shots like Jeff Meier to bring the rock.

Why People Are So Excited: Not many saw Compulsive Gamblers back in the day as they were doing their thing. Now, after the Reigning Sound, Oblivians, and Jacks’ Tearjerkers and current stint with the Shieks, more people know what geniuses these two are. Any time to see ‘em on stage together we have to treasure.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

ABOUT OUR DJ: Big Bizzle Blueband is the nom de DJ of a very busy, very excellent Program Director at WYXR. In a previous life, he was a very excellent journalist for the Daily Memphian. He is a master of seque and swing. We’re lucky he puts up with us.

2:00 MINT MILE 3:00 THE FALSE STARTS

(TIM PRUDHOMME / STEVE SHELLEY / TRIPP LAMPKINS)

4:00 RL BOYCE 5:00 CLOSING CEREMONIES 5:30 GONERFEST ALLEY SHOT

DJ COME DOWN PARTY @ DKDC

MINT2:00 MILE (CHICAGO, IL)

Who They Are: Tim Midyett spent the 90s and first half of the 00s in one of underground rock’s greatest still-secret weapons, Silkworm. Tragedy ended that band in 2005, followed by the surviving members’ 8 year run as the amazing Bottomless Pit. Since 2015, Midyett has further worked out his unique marriage of New Order and Neil Young with Mint Mile (and joined drone metal masterclass Sunn O))) on bass, it should be noted).

What They Do: Baritone guitar, pedal steel, rock solid rhythms predominate, with keyboards, strings, horns, and atmosphere woven into the mix, bringing a potent rollercoaster of emotions.

THE3:00 FALSE STARTS

(MEMPHIS / NEW YORK )

Who The Are: Underground All-Stars from acts like FUCK, THE GRIFTERS, SONIC YOUTH, THE CRUCIFUCKS, SIMPLE ONES, and too bad Tripp wasn’t in a band with FUCK in it, too. Almost had a flush. Tim Prudhomme on guitar, Steve Shelley on drums, Tripp Lampkins, bass. What To Expect: Fast and slo motion Tim Prudhomme jams, quirky, funny, and fearless.

RL4:00BOYCE

(COMO, MS)

Who He Is: One of the last master Hill Country Blues guitarists, in the tradition of RL Burnside, Fred McDowell, and Jr Kimbrough. Played Gonerfest 15 with Lightnin Malcolm. Tore it up.

What To Expect: The everlovin, everlasting, riff upon riff of the Hill Country Blues. NOT the Sweet Home Chicago Blues Brothers Blues, mane. Get out your dancin’ shoes!

THINGS TO DO IN MEMPHIS

First timer? Revisiting places you’ve been? Have some time to explore? Planning to come back? These are some highlights; landmarks of Memphis Music and Memphis History. Wander around, check out the city. Tell them you’re here for Gonerfest!

SUN STUDIO

706 Union Ave

True American original Sam Phillips founded Sun in 1950. A year later, he produced Rocket 88 – the Jackie Brenston jam that, with the help of Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm, spawned this whole rock and roll thing. Howlin’ Wolf, Johnny Cash, Elvis, Little Milton, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and countless others made their historic contributions thanks to Sun. Current tour guides include “drummer in all bands” Graham Winchester and brilliant singer songwriter Mark Edgar Stuart. Soak it up.

STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC

926 E. McLemore Ave

A great museum created on the location of the original studio. A space where black, white, male and female musicians created music during heated times. It’s hard to comprehend the influence these studios had on American music. A trip to the museum sure can help. Otis Redding, Wendy Rene, Booker T. and the MG’s, Johnnie Taylor, Rufus Thomas, and so many more recorded on this site, and their effects on history run deep. Isaac Hayes’ car spinning on a massive Lazy Susan is fun to watch, too.

ROYAL STUDIOS

1320 Willie Mitchell Blvd

Still an active studio- Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson cut part of “Uptown Funk” here – Royal was where Poppa Willie Mitchell cut Hi Records hits from Al Green, Ann Peebles, Syl Johnson, Otis Clay, and OV Wright, as well as his own killer instrumentals. Not set up for tours like Sun or Stax.

ARDENT STUDIO

2000 Madison Ave

Yes, Big Star recorded their magical albums here! And drummer Jody Stephens, one of Memphis’ greatest ambassadors, is the current VP of Production. A legendary place for many, with Alex Chilton’s Like Flies On Sherbert, The Replacements Pleased To Meet Me, and ZZ Top’s Eliminator recorded there. Among many, many others! Not set up for tours. Hopefully in years to come we can again set up some walk-throughs for Gonerfesters!

GRACELAND

3717 Elvis Presley Blvd.

Pushed out of his 1034 Audubon Dr. home due to an increasing need for privacy, Elvis settled down for the rest of his life in Memphis at Graceland; an expansive plot of land where myth, memory, and Elvis himself are interred. Never mind the kitsch and capitalist grip they have on his name-what can be gleaned from his time on earth can be felt in the walls of Graceland.

METAL MUSEUM

374 Metal Museum Dr.

On the bluff of the Mississippi just south of Beale St. is the Country’s only museum dedicated to the fine art of decorative and conceptual metalwork. There’s a smithy on site and an excellent view of the river from the gazebo. Native American ceremonial mounds are right across the road.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER

From the Greenbelt Park in Harbortown to the strange nooks and crannies behind the Church on the River, there are some spectacular places to enjoy a sunset on the Mississippi. Find a place to chill while you’re here, the Air BnB or Motel 6 can only do so much for the soul. This river is the whole reason Memphis is here. CHECK IT OUT! PS The northern “New” bridge is fixed and open. And lights up at night! The “Old Bridge” to the south has a killer walking path across to Arkansas.

FULL GOSPEL TABERNACLE

787 Hale Rd.

Provided he’s in town, Reverend Al Green can rectify any wrongdoings that may have occurred while you were here. If you can stomach waking up on Sunday Morning, that is.

JAY REATARD’S GRAVE: MEMORIAL PARK CEMETERY

5668 Poplar Ave.

Take a trip out east and pay homage to someone very special to the Goner name. Isaac Hayes is buried right next to him, and across the road is the bizarre Crystal Shrine Grotto. Hallowed grounds!

See also the cool Jay mural at South Main St & Vance downtown, a short walk from Central Station Hotel.

OTHER THINGS TO DO IN (AND AROUND) MEMPHIS

Should a quest for the more obscure tickle your fancy, here’s a few places to get you started. The following locations give Memphis the glimmer in the diamond of its magic.

ELVIS’ FIRST GRAVE: FOREST HILL MIDTOWN

1661 Elvis Presley Blvd

Before Elvis was interred at Graceland, he was alongside his mother at the haunting mausoleum in the back of Forrest Hill Midtown. Take the winding road past decadent monuments and through rolling hills to get to it. It remains an off-the-beaten-path holy space for Elvis fans and another mythic locale for his legendary life. Allegedly people would attempt to break into his grave here.

FURRY LEWIS’ GRAVE: HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY

2012 Hernando Rd

Behind Forrest Hill Midtown is the abandoned Hollywood cemetery. Despite its terrors, it is the final resting place for Walter “Furry” Lewis; Memphis Blues legend. His grave is difficult to find, but some online sleuthing and a keen eye can reveal his humble tombstone.

CHARLIE FEATHERS’ GRAVE: FORREST HILL SOUTH 2545 E. Holmes Rd

Any Rockabillies looking to pay their respects to their king can find him out past the airport in an unassuming branch of the Forrest Hill cemeteries. He’s in the back and on the right- ask the staff!

CHRIS BELL’S GRAVE: MEMPHIS FUNERAL HOME AND MEMORIAL GARDENS

3700 North Germantown Parkway Bartlett, TN 38133

The 27 Club has its famed members; Morrison, Joplin, Cobain...even Amy Winehouse. Fixed on that list is the lesser known (but more relevant??) Chris Bell--Big Star’s founding member and “I Am The Cosmos” singer. Ignore the mural on the side of Otherlands and pay respects at the above address. See also the Big Star tribute section of Mortimers Restaurant on Perkins if you’re a Big Star fanatic.

JOHNNY CASH STATUE

999 S Cooper

Right around the corner from Goner, a Johnny Cash statue near the site of his first public performance. The bronze statue was carved by first-time sculptor Mike McCarthy, famous for his great sleazy movies and comics, including the great Sore Losers starring Jack Oblivian.

JERRY’S SNO CONES

1657 Wells Station Rd

For a true Memphis experience, get out of Midtown and get a Sno Cone at Jerry’s. Is it great? You tell me, but you’ll be mixing and mingling with all kinds of Memphis folks. They have food, too, if you’re hungry. A Memphis institution!

BIRTHPLACE OF ARETHA FRANKLIN

406 Lucy Ave.

Though her family relocated to Detroit when she was two years old, Aretha Franklin was born here in Memphis; just down the street from what would become Stax Records (now the Stax Musuem.) Man, what a neighborhood! The house still stands, barely. See it while you can.

SUMMER AVENUE

Restaurants, antique stores, thrift stores, and etc!

Summer is an excellent example of Memphis business at its finest and a wonderful stretch to explore and discover. While Midtown homes flip and renovate, Summer Avenue mostly remains the same, incorporating new immigrants and Memphis natives in a great patchwork of trailer parks, liquor stores, import stores, thrift stores, antique stores, and more.

SOUTHLAND CASINO

550 North Ingram Boulevard, West Memphis, AR 72301

If rocking and rolling just doesn’t quite scratch your degenerate itch, take a trip to the casino! What used to be a dog racing track is now a full-fledged casino. Sammy Hagar’s restaurant is there, too. Enticing?

Disgusting? Sure! Keep West Memphis West Memphis! It’s in Arkansas!

EBBO SPIRITUAL SUPPLY

1331 Madison Avenue.

Candles, cards, herbs, and incense. Cleanse yourself, you’ll need it.

LIQUOR / BEER STORES

BEER/LIQUOR

TIPS: Liquor stores open at 8am! Close at 11:00PM. Liquor & wine is not sold in convenience stores and gas stations.

Wine is now sold in Memphis supermarkets. Beer is sold til 3am - but not until noon on Sundays. Wine is not sold on Sunday in supermarkets. Liquor stores can open on Sundays after Noon.

Open containers are not allowed on the street, unless that street is Beale Street, and you probably don’t need to be on Beale Street unless you really need that Hurricane and another version of “Mustang Sally.”

Joe’s 1681 Poplar Ave. Knowledgeable staff, Amazing Greatselection.Sign-Carries Gonerbrau!

Tip Top 1883 Madison Ave. Small Bottle Shop for a grab-and-go Half Pints/Pints available on floor.

Buster’s 191 S. Highland Large Store with extensive wine/ accessories selection

Cash Saver 1620 Madison Cheap and extensive local beer selection, across from old Gonerfest location Murphy’s.

Kimbrough Liquor 1483 Union Avenue Has Goner guy Cort Williams in their ranks, solid neighborhood liquor store, right next to Little Italy Pizza joint.

MUSIC STORES

Martin Music 2659 Poplar Ave Guitars, amps, strings, etc! Nice folks! Not GS A-Holes!

Memphis Drum Shop 878 S. Cooperaround the corner from Goner!  Biggest drum shop for hundreds of miles! Tell ‘em you’re here for Gonerfest!

BBQ SPOTS

Payne’s 1762 Lamar Ave. The Real Deal. Near Goner. Atomic yellow slaw. Now takes credit cards! What? Get there early- meat sells out. Souvenir alert: Get a Payne’s BBQ T-Shirt, coveted worldwide. They will sell their sauce, too! Gifts for Xmas – DONE!

Cozy Corner 735 N. Parkway  Get the Cornish Hen! Or ribs! Tip from Tim Prudhomme: Rib tips are the best deal per pound. But gristley… choice is yours! Note: They also have killer T-shirts. They also sell their sauce!

Rendezvous 52 S. 2nd Street  Memphis Institution, In an alleyway, underground. Dry rub BBQ.

Central BBQ 2259 Central

A few more locations around town but this one is almost directly across from Railgarten! Besides the very tender BBQ, the wings are quite good.

BBQ Shop 1782 Madison BBQ Spaghetti? BBQ Spaghetti! Plus Texas Toast! Fun to say and quite fun to eat, Authortoo! Robert Gordon recommends their ribs!

Tops multiple locations

Fast food BBQ but still good! Cheeseburger is their secret weapon- grilled to order.

Bain BBQ 993 Cooper St

Around the corner from Goner, Bain is Texas BBQ, specializing in beef brisket, but they also have smoked pork and turkey. A new addition to the neighborhood, they also make delicious kolaches. Don’t delay- meat sells out early!

MEXICAN

Tacos Nganas 2120 Central Ave

Latest Mexican joint, right down the street from Railgarten. All tacos, no burritos, very popular. Fast & Good!

Maciel’s 820 S Cooper

Around the corner from Railgarten, down the street from Memphis Made… good tacos, watch out for the burritos, tienen French fries y un huevo. But Tacos!

Burrito Express 1675 Madison Ave Burrito Express is legit taco truck & cash only.

Los Comales 1322 Madison Avenue

Los Comales good for margaritas & decent tacos & sitdown fare.  Scott Rogers’ Margarita Mistake is a Gonerfest Sunday post-alley shot tradition!

Also if you find yourself down Summer Avenue, all taco trucks are good. Everything on Summer Avenue is good. Be careful, but have fun.

TACOS NGANAS

EVERYTHING ELSE

Beauty Shop 966 S Cooper St

Perfect for a brunch- in an old Beauty Shop!Patron of Goner projects forever. Check out Bar DKDC next door. Right around the corner from Goner Records.

Gus’ Fried Chicken 310 S. Front Street / 730 S. Mendenhall Killer fried Chicken with 40’s to wash it all down.

Kwik Chek 2013 Madison Avenue Sandwich shop frequented by the locals, Korean Noodles next door at Crazy Noodle. Go see Gally!

Soul Fish 862 S Cooper

Excellent, simple seafood and Soul Food done right.

Fino’s Italian Deli 1853 Madison Italian sandwiches, pizza, and deli. Barely hanging in there. Billups’ fave.

Young Avenue Deli 2119 Young Ave. Extensive menu and beer selection, close to Goner. Big, greasy burger.

Pho Binh Vietnamese 1615 Madison Ave Cheap Vietnamese. Staple of Memphis artists / musicians forever.

Arcade Restaurant 540 S Main Oldest restaurant in Memphis, a classic diner for breakfast / brunch. Across the street from the Central Station hotel & train station. As seen in Jarmusch’ Mystery Train film. True trip back in time.

Hot Chicken

Now you’re just getting us worked up for no good reason. If you want hot chicken, there are places to get it. But that’s a Nashville thing, and we’re kinda wondering what you’re doing in Memphis. Go to Paynes for some BBQ and get your head straight.

MEMPHIS MUSIC

1. Which Memphis musician(s) features prominently on the debut by AOR inoffensive boogie rockers, Foreigner?

A. Booker T. Washington

B. The Memphis Horns

C. His Hero is Gone

D. David Porter

2. At which crushingly mundane local restaurant chain did each member of Big Star work at some point (due to parental nepotism)?

A. Cafe Ok B. Adequate’s

C. Serviceable’s

D. Danver’s

3. What band was a very young Jay Reatard intending to see when his life was changed by seeing (unlikely) openers, the Oblivians?

A. Helmet

B. The Jesus Lizard

C. The Offspring

D. Bootsauce

4. Digging up a copy of this Memphis private press power metal LP from 1984 will cover many of your GF expenses:

A. Wet Hairshirt Contest “s/t”

B. Tennis Elbow “The Wood Sargent”

C. Medieval Steel “s/t”

D. Quarter-Horsed For Less “Future Nest Egg”

5. Cover art for an LP by this early70s UK power-prog-proto-metal trio featured he band performing live at the Memphis (now Levitt) Shell:

A. Trapeze

B. Atomic Rooster

C. Free D. Fishwife

6. William Eggleston’s famous cover photo for Big Star’s “Radio City” was taken inside of what local eating/ drinking establishment?

A. Barnacles

B. The Lamplighter

C. T.G.I. Fridays

D. The Complicated Pilgrim

BONUS QUESTION:

The photo was taken during an unofficial after-party (where Big Star performed) for an event scheduled earlier at the Mid-South Coliseum. What was it? (Hint: It was 1973)

A. Todd Rundgren w/ Ambrosia & Wishbone Ash

B. The first (and last) annual Rock Writers Convention

C. Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton

D. An Amway Diamond Distributors awards ceremony

MUSIC TRIVIA

7. Memphis’ entry into the 80s novelty rock/Dr. Demento runnings, Dog Police, specifically the video for the “band’s” eponymous 1983 “hit”, conceptually found itself optioned as a sitcom pilot a few years later. Which householdname actor/comedian had a pre-fame starring role in said pilot?

A. Aziz Ansari

B. Bob Zany

C. Adam Sandler

D. Joey Diaz

8. Which band represented Memphis in the 80s hair metal sweepstakes?

A. Tora Tora

B. Rock City Angels

C. Cobra

D. All of the above

9. In 1976, a local DJ (name withheld to maintain integrity of question) on Memphis commercial FM radio penned a novelty song that would promptly reach #1 on the Billboard Top 40 and was titled... (Hint: The satirized subject matter was....music. Elaborating further will....you know....)

A. “AOR Annaconda”

B. “New Wave Nutria”

C. “Disco Duck”

D. “Heavy Metal Ham ‘n’ Egger”

10. “Black Sabbath meets Dr. John! Brilliant!” Which legendary Memphian said this about Gonerfest alumni, Mudhoney?

A. Jay Reatard

B. Jim Dickinson

C. Jeffrey Ames Gunn D. Two-time Golden Globe winner, Kathy Bates

THANKS

FIRST OF ALL, THANKS FOR COMING TO GONERFEST. We appreciate the effort it took to decide to come here and actually do it!

Thanks to Sara Moseley for the great Gonerfest look and designs! Sara set the tone for this thing and just nailed it. Lollipops, stickers, stage set… all Sara!

Thanks to our Goner staff for working through all the ridiculous logistics Gonerfest creates, especially Alec McIntyre and Cole Wheeler, but also Eillo, Billups, and Dane for dealing with everything at the store as we rush around making Gfest happen. Thanks to Dan Holloway for handling the music industry wheeling and dealing and Andrew McCalla for making the fest sound so good! Thanks again to Brent Shrewsbury for coordinating the Gonerfest Stream, and to John Pickle for returning to help make this crazy online thing work. Thanks to all the folks who lent a hand with camera work or

behind the scenes livestream action. Thanks to Ryan Hailey for the band interviews… a media superstar using his powers for good, not evil. What a guy! Thanks to Brendan Spengler and Marsh Nabors for the great online animations. Thanks to Railgarten for putting us on, for listening to all our crazy ideas and never blinking. Brandon Seavers at Memphis Record Pressing obviously is insane because no one else could put up with all the stuff Goner puts him through, and he is always helping us out of jams we make for ourselves. The posters and tote bags rule! Thanks to Drew and Andy at Memphis Made Brewery, the greatest partner a festival could have. Beer + Music… it works! We are still so excited to have our own Gonerfest beer. SO COOL!

Thanks to Central Station for again being our home base and hosting the Early Sign-In on Thursday and Afterparties on Friday and Saturday. Thanks to Colin Butler and Chad

THANKS

Weekley for setting up Edan to DJ those afterparties! Thanks to Memphis Tourism, Tamara & The Memphis Business Association, Corkey Sinks for program layout, Karl Baioni at EM Printing, Miguelito at Five In One Printing for the amazing posters, Ron & The Paynes at Paynes BBQ, Eric at The BBQ Shop, Tim Sampson at Stax, the Unapologetic crew for endless inspiration & motivation, Paul Wiseman for all the t-shirt printing, Karen Carrier at DKDC and Beauty Shop always, Stevan & Devinn for check in help, all the bars and folks running the afterparties - important shows! Thanks to Tennessee Tourism, Guaranty Bank, Downtown Memphis Commission, WYXR FM, and the Memphis Flyer. Thanks to all the volunteers, bartenders, food truckers, clean up crews, Lyft & Uber & taxi drivers, booking agents, caterers, publicists, door people, beer sellers, Event Ticketing Shopify app folks, and everyone at our streaming site who helped us make the online event happen. Thanks to Andria Lisle and Harlan T

Bobo for the tributes to our fallen Goner angels, King Louie Bankston & Shawn Cripps. Thanks to Andy Earles for cranking out band descriptions and Memphis Music trivia. Thanks to Duane The Rock Johnson. Thanks to our families who haven’t seen us for a few months as we got ready for Gonerfest. Thanks to all the folks we’re forgetting because we always do forget some people because it takes SO MANY PEOPLE to make this thing happen. THANK YOU! WE LOVE YOU! We know there’s a reason people come back year after year and it’s not just the great music- it’s the great people and the great atmosphere. To pull that off year after year is just incredible. Thank you.

Please go back safely to where you came from and tell them you had a great time. Hopefully we will see you again next year for Gonerfest 20. It’s going to be a complete blowout. Stay safe and take care!

AUTOGRAPHS