As back histories go, the origins of Hammerhead Fest seem fairly innocuous: a few touring bands meet, establish a connection, and decide to party and play shows together. In this specific case, the bands involved were Dallas rockers House Harkonnen and Atlanta groups the Vaginas and Ron Mexico who discovered in one another a mutual affinity for pounding beers and cranking out rapid-fire punk riffs and heavy slabs of head-banging noise. Over time, these shows came to be known as the Superbowl of Hammerheads, which, according to Death of Kings drummer and local promoter Amos Rifkin, was originally billed as the “greatest night of Hammerheads, Metal, Punk and other Shit that has ever happened.”
But what began as tongue-in-cheek hyperbole and an excuse for like-minded fans and friends to gather for an evening of debauchery and ear-splitting music, started to grow and take on a life of its own. By 2014, as the slapdash fest was heading into its fourth year, the Vaginas’ Adam Pointer approached Rifkin, then the fledgling founder of local booking company A. Rippin’ Production, about taking on a larger role in properly organizing and promoting Hammerhead Fest. Through their joint efforts, the pair expanded the event to its current two-day format and began to attract larger regional acts, such as this year’s pair of headliners—dark Southern rockers Beitthemeans from Birmingham, and Savannah sludge titans Black Tusk, who were forced to cancel last year’s appearance when guitarist Andrew Fidler’s wife was struck with cancer.
As Hammerhead Fest steamrolls into its seventh year, the event continues to gain momentum and generate a high level of interest among local lovers of loud rock, punk, and metal. Asked about what they believe to be spurring that growth and success, Rifkin and Pointer point to Hammerhead’s hedonistic party atmosphere and the consistency they’ve been able to maintain within each year’s bill.
“When putting together the lineup, there’s a few staple bands that we usually start with,” Rifkin explains. “Bands who play every year like the Vaginas, SheHeHe, Old Thrones, and typically Death of Kings, although other commitments prevented our inclusion this time around. To fill out the bill, we’ll try to grab a few bands whose shows are a notoriously wild party or an intense performance—this year’s headliners Black Tusk and Beitthemeans DEFINITELY fall under that category. The proper soundtrack can make or break a good party, and this year’s lineup is absolutely unrelenting.”
“Over the years we’ve created this idea that it’s the ultimate party,” Pointer adds. “And it is. The band’s are going balls to the wall. The crowd is drinking in an unsafe manner. It’s like a Jimmy Buffet concert, but for pieces of shit like us. I love people telling me stories about how they took work off on Monday because they need a day to recover. I don’t want people to get hurt, but I love when people post their Hammerhead bruises. I love seeing a commitment to partying.”
With this year’s event already set to be one of Hammerhead’s largest, you have to wonder what the future holds for the fest. While the two-day format seems to fit its mix of drunken revelry and pummeling guitars quite nicely, don’t put it past Rifkin to expand the festival if the circumstances are right. “Interest in the event is at an all-time high, so I’d never rule out adding another day if there are enough bands and fans willing to support it!”
Hammerhead Fest kicks off tomorrow night at the Basement. Admission at the door will run you $12 with two-day passes available online for $20. Check out the daily lineups for this weekend’s festivities and festival poster below.
Friday
Beitthemeans
The Vaginas
Hellrad
Duell
Spray Tan
CANOPY
Saturday
Black Tusk
Ectovoid
SheHeHe
Steel Bearing Hand
Old Thrones
Useless Against
Hammerhead Fest 7 goes down tomorrow, Mar. 30 and Sat., Mar 31 at the Basement. Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is $10-12 per night or $20 for a weekend pass. 18+ to enter.
More Info
Web: hammerheadfest.com
Facebook: Event page