Who says music festivals with dozens of acts are just for summer or outdoor spreads where fans can camp, cook out and party all weekend?
Ferndale has a four-day punk and heavy metal blowout, called Berserker, that starts tonight and is sheltered from the storms.
"I really liked the idea of a winter-time fest," organizer Shawn Knight tells Adam Graham of The Detroit News. "There’s not as much going on, and we wanted to take advantage of this untapped season as far as big fest-type events.”
Knight, who fronts Detroit rock group Child Bite, has pulled together more than 50 bands for Berserker, which will be held at Ferndale’s Loving Touch and next door at the Woodward Avenue Brewers through Saturday.
Headliners include Chicago death metal outfit Macabre, Detroit rockers Wolf Eyes and Cleveland hardcore outfit Ringworm, while Detroit favorites like Old Gods, Nice Hooves, Thunderbirds are Now! and Knight’s own Child Bite round out the bill. . . .
Knight wanted to focus on punk, hardcore and metal bands, “because that’s the kind of stuff I’m into and that I grew up on,” he says.
Knight also talks with Ryan Clancy of Real Detroit Weekly about the acts:
We have 13 out-of-state bands. Nearly half of those are from Chicago, while the rest are coming from Louisville, Toronto, Cleveland, Buffalo and Providence.
Aside from the headliners, these are mostly bands that I've met on the road with Child Bite. It was important to me to have a healthy dose of touring acts involved, so the lineup wouldn't become too incestuous. This is the kind of show I would love to play on tour, so it pleases me to be able to offer a slot to some of my out-of-town buddies.
What behind the name, you wonder? So did Graham, who shares what he learned:
“Berserker” — the name given to Norse warriors who fought in fierce rage-like states, often as a result of taking drugs — was a word Knight had long wanted to use in his music but was never able to, so he revisited it for the festival.
“When I was reading up on berserkers, it kind of made sense with this, as far as a bunch of punk and metal dudes going nuts."
The festival:
- Where: The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward, and Woodward Avenue Brewers, 22646 Woodward (both Ferndale)
- When: Doors open 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday
- Tickets: $15 for one day or $20 for all four
- Website: berserkerdetroit.com
