Together Pangea plays the main stage in Garden Grove Ampitheter for Nothing Fest IV (photo by Jess Rodriguez)
Outside of the backstage passes, VIP rooms, and over-specific food requests, is the raw, untethered DIY music scene. DIY, or Do-it-yourself, is a requirement for a majority of bands early in their career, typically a mixture of chaos, creativity, and camaraderie.
The band never got in trouble that summer. Since Danny Bengston had the master keys to the art studios at CalArts, he was able to repaint any dings in the wall and mop spilt beer off the floors if he needed to. “I had the key to Hogwarts, the key to the city,” laughed Bengston.
Bengston, the bassist of Together Pangea, used to attend CalArts in Santa Clarita. One summer he was the studio manager’s assistant.
“And I remember like, we did a couple shows that summer where I found an empty studio, with my master key and was like, ‘we can do something here,’” said Bengston.
Danny Bengston on bass at Nothing Fest IV (photo by Mitch Von Rohr)
William Keegan on guitar, Nothing Fest IV (photo by Mitch Von Rohr
William Keegan, the lead singer from Together Pangea said, “We had bands from, like, all over that would play in these studios at CalArts.”
. . .
Most people are risk-averse enough to avoid fines and trespassing as much as they can. However, in the music world, bands aren’t left with much of a choice.
An industry notorious for gatekeeping, 360-deals, and pay-to-play venues, ultimately corners bands into a DIY attitude. Not that any of them are really complaining. This era in their career usually marks when bands have the most fun.
Thru the Years
Keil Corcoran on the left and Josh Hodges on the right (photo by Jess Rodriguez)
STRFKR, (pronounced starfucker) a band who got their name to put off any mainstream label, still does most of their functions independently. They are 15 years into their career and have 1.6 million monthly listeners.
“We kind of came up doing everything ourselves,” said Keil Corcoran, multi-instrumentalist. “Like the first tour we booked ourselves.”
Corcoran continued, “Our ethos, still kind of is [DIY]; we never had a manager. We tried a couple times and it was always, like, dumb, for us anyway.”
STRFKR performs at Nothing Fest IV (photo by Nadya Diaz)
A band manager usually helps the bands with behind the scenes tasks like booking shows, communicating with venues, and figuring out transportation.
“It just feels more yourself to do it that way,” said Corcoran. “We tour in buses now, but, like, for the longest time I was like, ‘fuck that, I’m never touring in a fucking bus.’”
Before they would use a van, crash in shady motels, or if they were lucky, a friend’s couch.
STRFKR doesn’t shy away from tasks outside of music or touring either.
STRFKR on Day 2 at Nothing Fest IV (photo by Nadya Diaz)
Josh Hodges, the founder of STRFKR said, “We’re really hands on with everything, like the merch we make. Shaun and Keil design the whole light show.”
Though there are few minor changes, most of the band operations remains a tight crew of friends.
“It’s all friends of ours that we knew before. It’s never, like, we reach out and hire people we don’t know,” said Corcoran. “Which makes it really fun to tour ‘cause then it’s like hanging out with friends.”
On the Come Up
Mexican Slum Rats at Garden Amp for Nothing Fest IV (photo by Jess Rodriguez)
Mexican Slum Rats hail from Granada Hills, a Los Angeles suburb with a 30-minute drive from Downtown LA. Without many bars or venues in the area, Mexican Slum Rats emerged from a series of backyard shows.
Mexican Slum Rats was one of the most anticipated bands for NothingFest IV, generating the rowdiest mosh pit of day one.
Benjamin Schlesinger, the guitarist said, “looking back, we did a lot of parties and backyard shows. And we just let it grow on its own. And I think now, with the bigger shows, we sort of let people come to us.”
Ben Schlesinger on guitar (by Mitch Von Rohr)
Kevin Villalba, the lead singer added, “I think we’ve always maintained that standard, of just being very on-stage.”
They’ve been getting booked for bigger and bigger venues. Regardless, Mexican Slum Rats still decided to book a backyard show on a tour miles from home.
“We went to Texas for a tour recently,” said Schlesinger. “I think the band could agree that one of the better shows was a backyard show. The one-off backyard show.”
“There is a different energy. If you know what I’m talking about, you know what I’m talking about,” Schlesinger said, as the band laughed in agreement.
If you’ve never been to a house show, they always feel like the culmination of music and freedom. No security, no venue managers, nor pressure, just a party unless the police show up.
Kevin Villalba singing while Raco Mendoza plays drums at Nothing Fest IV (photo by Mitch Von Rohr)
“The energy that happens in a backyard show, it’s rarely ever replicated on a stage. It can be, but y’know it’s so cramped and chaotic in the best way,” said Raco Mendoza.
. . .
During NothingFest IV, a DIY music festival thrown in Garden Grove, California, these bands were able to hang out in the same place.
Even though Together Pangea has a song in the Marvel series, “She-Hulk,” they don’t separate themselves from newer bands.
The members of Together Pangea could be seen in the stands, throughout the festival watching the upcoming artists play.
