Sound and Fury 2024: The Exit Interviews

Since its inception in 2006, Sound and Fury has grown to be one of the largest and most recognized hardcore festivals around the world, and yet, despite its massive scope, S&F finds a way to not only embrace, but truly represent the sense of community and connection that are the heart and soul of this subculture.

This year, I had the opportunity to speak with some of the festival participants and organizers about what sets Sound and Fury apart for them, and this incredible sense of community and the fest’s dedication to hardcore music and values were at the top of everyone’s list. They also shared some unforgettable memories (like that time Have Heart headlined but forgot to book a hotel room – oops) and moments that will stay with them for a lifetime. One sentiment that was echoed in almost every response was that it is the positive energy and overwhelming sense of friendship, camaraderie, and hardcore community that sets Sound and Fury apart as a truly special event.

Whether it’s seeing a new band play for the very first time or traveling from far to hear the songs that saved your life, reuniting with old friends or forging new friendships that last a lifetime, the connection between the music we love and the community we share creates an indelible mark on each of us. Keep reading for a glimpse into some of the unforgettable moments and memories created at Sound and Fury and click HERE to see more Sound and Fury 2024 coverage.

Sound and Fury 2024 Fest photos by Ray Camacho, God’s Hate S/F kick-off show photo by Greg Flack

Patrick Kindlon – Drug Church

Do you have a favorite Sound & Fury memory or story you’d like to share?

My stories are all boring because I stay outta the bullshit, but I do meet some interesting people when I play S&F. This year a guy dressed like Duffman from the Simpsons gave me advice I’ll never use about how to properly cycle steroids. 

What were you most looking forward to experiencing or checking out at Sound & Fury 2024?

Outside of catching up with friends, the big draw for me are the acts that I won’t get to see otherwise. I live in one of the most remote cities in the world, so not every band makes it out there. The bands with some hype around them are good to check out because you can finally have an informed opinion about something you hear people talking about. But, it’s just as worthwhile to check out the acts that are pure sleepers. It’s nice to be surprised by something you’ve only sorta heard about. 

What sets Sound & Fury apart from other fests for you?

It doesn’t aspire to be anything but a hardcore fest. There’s only a few acts that aren’t hardcore and you can typically draw a straight line from them to hardcore. I just don’t enjoy the mixed-bill festivals as much. Nothing wrong with having a broad palate, but I think festivals with focus just work better on a vibe level. And vibe is everything with fests. Are people having fun? Are they comfortable being themselves? Do they worry there’s someone to impress or someone who they can’t act goofy in front of? Are they worried about stepping on the wrong guy’s Sambas? You want people to feel energy but to feel safe enough to let their guards down, and I think S&F achieves that. 

What was your favorite moment from Sound & Fury 2024?

Not the most original answer here, but it gets no better than Have Heart. With some of the current acts, you get people in the crowd who just wanna have a good time. Nothing wrong with it. It’s what my band is built on. But, some of those people would just as soon go to a county fair or wet t-shirt contest or Halo LAN party. It’s a social thing and about enjoying yourself for a weekend. With Have Heart I got a really intense dose of the other thing. People traveled to see that band because it left an indelible impression on them at a stage in their lives and they feel it’s worth revisiting. That’s different and impressive. 

Pat Flynn – Have Heart, Fiddlehead

Do you have a favorite Sound & Fury memory or story you’d like to share?

There’s so many. But, one that stands out, and demonstrates how things change is from when HH headlined in 2008. We had driven out on tour to California the previous and first two years of headlining Sound & Fury 2006 and 2007, but this time, in 2008, we flew out because we had a full US tour planned a couple of weeks later.

We play the Friday night slot and it’s totally wild, but feels slightly off because we had flown, not driven. So, the night ends and we just sorta go, “alright let’s go to our hotel.” We then realize that because we were out of the routine of touring that we forgot to book a hotel.

There were zero vacancies in all of Santa Barbara and we’re standing there alone in the empty parking lot like morons two hours after the show had ended. A car rolls up, not to save us, but to comment real quickly, “hey didn’t you guys just headline this show tonight?” before peeling off.

This year, some sixteen years later, we got a nice hotel and went to bed at a reasonable time.

What were you most looking forward to experiencing or checking out at Sound & Fury 2024?

Honestly, I was most curious to check out the current era of HC in general at S&F. Seems like a boom time of new and old generations. Specifically for bands, Cosmic Joke was a real catch for me.

What sets Sound & Fury apart from other fests for you?

It’s commitment to somehow growing it, keeping it HC, and not letting it fall into BS warped tour level ethics.

What was your favorite moment from Sound & Fury 2024?

Very blurry memories from the HH set, but meeting two kids from the hardcore scene in China who came out and sharing some common humanity with them against the divisive nature of our respective governments. That will probably stay with me until I die.

How was it headlining both nights with two different bands?

Strange! Good prank, Riley!

Martín Stewart – God’s Hate, Sound and Fury Production Team, and more.

Do you have a favorite Sound & Fury memory or story you’d like to share?

My favorite memories and stories are always going to be from the most recent festival, since they’re always the freshest in my mind, and I like to do my best to focus on the present. Every year is special to me in its own unique way, but like a musician that is always most focused on their newest creation, I feel something unique about 2024. A few stand-out moments off the top of my head would be: Cosmic Joke kicking the whole festival off on Saturday, Desmadre kicking off Sunday’s festivities, and Torture being able to step up and fill the spot of Kruelty, who weren’t able to secure their visas in time to make it over from Japan.

What were you most looking forward to experiencing or checking out at Sound & Fury 2024?

This is an EXTREMELY tough question because there’s so much to look forward to. I mean… EVERYTHING. Every band generous enough to lend us their time and get up on stage, every single person that comes from far and wide looking to make some memories, so much friendship happening for the entire week and through the weekend, all the amazing food that was present… every single thing deserves its own novel of appreciation and praise.

What sets Sound & Fury apart from other fests for you?

Well, for me, it’s the only festival that I have a hand in making happen. I’m lucky enough to experience many different festivals in many different parts of the world and all of them play their part. I can’t say what sets us apart, if at all, for other people, but I like to think it would be cool if there’s something distinctive people see in what we’re doing.

What was your favorite moment from Sound & Fury 2024?

I guess for this year I would say the week leading up to the festival was collectively my favorite moment. We stepped a bit outside of our comfort zone and did our best to provide a wide variety of different experiences for people that were either local or in town early for everything. We had several different shows, a comedy event, live podcasts, movie screenings, parties, AFTER parties… it was just one of the most fulfilling and fun-filled (and exhausting) weeks of my life.

Jeremy Bolm – Touché Amoré

Do you have a favorite Sound & Fury memory or story from a past year that you’d like to share?

We feel pretty lucky to have been asked a few times over our career – so it’s a little hard to choose – but, if I was to pick one involving the band, it would be the first year we did it (2009). We felt extremely out of place and figured we were going to get eaten alive. We were still so new and had just released our first album and were positioned between bands who sonically were a very different beast. We start the set and out of no where comes our crop of kids to the front. As absurd as this sounds – but for those fifteen minutes Sound and Fury felt like the scene we were coming up in had carved its little section which, over time, made way for us and the bands we came up with. The set caught the attention of Tre McCarthy from Deathwish, who approached us after and our relationship blossomed with them into a couple albums. Incredibly special time.

As for a set not involving us – in 2010 when the motorcycle incident happened – Tigers Jaw and Bracewar got moved to a backyard and all of S&F showed up to see it. When cops arrived, Bracewar was playing “In A Rut” and you could hear what sounded like the neighborhood yell “BRACEWAR!” as cops entered the property.

What were you most looking forward to experiencing or checking out at Sound & Fury 2024?

Seeing friends I never get to see regularly, first and foremost, but as for bands, probably Drug Church. They sounded incredible. I wanted to catch Chat Pile the following day but sadly didn’t end up making it.

What sets Sound & Fury apart from other fests for you?

It’s the California of it all. You get a particularly West Coast/laid back energy to it. It runs smoothly and it’s chill. Jeff Spicoli as music fest.

What was your favorite moment from Sound & Fury 2024?

We experienced some technical issues just before starting and the kind guitarist from Anxious bailed us out and lent us some of his gear. That kindness from a stranger you’d only find in this scene.

Bonus question: How did the Touché Amoré secret set happen for 2024? How far ahead did you know you’d be playing?

We knew we wanted to do a something live to promote a new single/album tease. We saw Madison (a head of S&F) in May when TA played with Citizen and his band, Fury. We talked out the idea and they made it happen! It was a dream come true.

Josef Alfonso – Sunami

Do you have a favorite Sound & Fury memory or story you’d like to share?

SNF 2011, I don’t even remember how I made it down to Santa Barbara, but I traveled and met up with Brandon (Big Boy) and had no plans of where we were going to stay. Randomly, we met two other people from the Bay and stayed at their hotel for the whole weekend. Saw Rival Mob, No Tolerance, and Minority Unit’s last show. Just an awesome spontaneous weekend that I’ll remember forever.

What are you most looking forward to experiencing or checking out at Sound & Fury 2024?

Honestly just excited to see all my friends from all over the country/world!

What sets Sound & Fury apart from other fests for you?

It’s undeniably the biggest HC fest in America. It’s also undeniably in the best state in the USA.

What was your favorite moment from Sound & Fury 2024?

My favorite moment of Sound and Fury, other than just hanging out with all my friends, was for sure just witnessing the crowd during Big Boy. I’ve never seen that level of crowd participation, it was awesome. The only thing that could have made it crazier is if people were stage diving from the other stage! lol

Connie Sgarbossa – See You Space Cowboy

Do you have a favorite Sound & Fury memory or story you’d like to share?

Well this was my first Sound and Fury, so I don’t really have a myriad of memories, but I think the World Of Pleasure’s set was a sight to behold, and it’s truly sick seeing a band that’s that outspoken about veganism in today’s day and age. Really, it was just cool seeing a bunch of my friend’s bands playing insane sets at a fest like this.

What were you most looking forward to experiencing or checking out at Sound & Fury 2024?

There were too many bands I watched to pinpoint, every single set was amazing and the energy of those two days was unlike anything I have ever seen, even after going to hardcore shows for 15 years of my life.

What sets Sound & Fury apart from other fests for you?

It’s amazing to see a fest this big that centers around hardcore and that’s really embracing the feeling that comes with the scene. It doesn’t feel like other big festivals, there’s no barricade, no separation from bands and crowd, no big production or rock star shit. It really just feels like the entire two days are for the love of the music, the energy, and the community.

What was your favorite moment from Sound & Fury 2024?

I’d probably have to go with playing the fest, it was an experience I will never forget. We were all hella nervous because we don’t quite fit into traditional hardcore, but that 20 min was some of the most fun I have had on stage, and the energy from the crowd, and getting completely piled on top and dove over are moments that will stay with me forever.

Ray Lee – End It

Do you have a favorite Sound & Fury memory or story you’d like to share?

My favorite Sound and Fury memory is being here this year, since it’s our (End It) first time attending.

What are you most looking forward to experiencing or checking out at Sound & Fury 2024?

I’m looking forward to seeing the crowd go apeshit for a full day in the blistering heat. Nothing better than that.

What was your favorite moment from Sound & Fury 2024?

My favorite moment from Sound and Fury was watching so many bands crush it and hanging out with good friends.

Stin – Chat Pile

Do you have a favorite Sound & Fury memory or story you’d like to share?

STIN: This is our first year to attend, but we’ve always heard great things about the fest. We’ve seen the infamous on-stage barricade footage from last year and thought that was funny.

What were you most looking forward to experiencing or checking out at Sound & Fury 2024?

STIN: Oh man, the list for this is so long! Thanks to Sound and Fury, we were able to play our first ever headline show in Los Angeles, which is something we’ve been dreaming about doing since the band first started. On top of that, we were curious (and maybe a little nervous) to see how a dedicated hardcore audience would respond to our particular, weird take on heavy music – luckily that seemed to go pretty well. We were also really excited to see fellow Oklahomans, Peeling Flesh, play in front of a huge festival audience and catch up with our boy Paul “The California Kid” Slater, who was helping manage the yellow stage this year. But, of course, the list of cool bands we wanted to check out was long and everyone really knocked it out of the park (no pun intended).

What sets Sound & Fury apart from other fests for you?

STIN: Well, of course the focus on hardcore really sets it apart – obviously there are other hardcore fests out there, but people really seem to wear the S&F badge with a sense of pride in the community. We noticed it a lot here in Oklahoma City in the hardcore scene by how excited everyone was to see that Chat Pile and Peeling Flesh had been announced on the bill. You would have thought we were about to receive the congressional medal of honor or something. haha It made me feel really good to know that we were representing our local community to the world at large in some small way.

What was your favorite moment from Sound & Fury 2024?

STIN: Well, I’ve mentioned it a few times already, but the Peeling Flesh set for sure gave me a sense of local pride, so that was really cool. Like just about everyone else, I really enjoyed the Torture set and that that was a ton of fun. Harms Way covering Sepultura made me dance around like a little kid. Hanging with the Prize Horse folks at the merch booth was really enjoyable. The true best part of the fest, though, was seeing Paul manage the absolute fuck out of that stage!