Mest – 350 Fest
Now in its fourth year, 350 Fest was bigger and better than ever when it took over the Tinley Park Convention Center on Aug. 25, 2018. Music, mayhem – compliments of Freelance Wrestling – and mouthwatering brews inspired attendees to skank it up while sipping a cold one or two or, well, who’s counting.
A stacked line-up featuring Burn/Rebuild, Sincere Engineer, A Wilhelm Scream, Smoking Popes, Mest, Less Than Jake and the almighty Descendents provided a delectable array of punk rock sounds perfect for pairing with the delicious creations of 350 Brewing Company. All in all, 350 Fest 4 was fast, loud and unforgettable.
Here’s a look at the top five things we saw at 350 Fest 2018:
Local Legends
350 Fest organizers kept it local when booking a few of the most memorable sets of the evening. Smoking Popes – who hail from the northwest suburbs – delivered face-melting solos as front-man/guitarist Josh Caterer wailed glassy rock riffs on tracks like “Let’s Hear It For Love,” “Megan” and “I Know You Love Me.” His sprawling and slick guitar intro of “Need You Around” expertly wove in and out of drummer Mike Felumlee’s sharp, staccato hits setting the tone for an all-out sing-along of the mid-1990s tune.
Smoking Popes – 350 Fest
Blue Island natives Mest represented for the south suburbs with a setlist full of fan favorites accentuated by killer lighting. Before closing out their performances with “Rooftops,” singer/guitarist Tony Lovato announced that the group will be releasing their ninth album this spring.
Earlier in the event, Chicago artists Burn/Rebuild and Sincere Engineer added to the local flavor.
Delicious Brews
From the Chain Wallet wheat ale to the tart and tasty Sound the Alarm (a sudsy nod to Less Than Jake’s latest EP) to Dreamsickle – malty, sweet and scrumptious – each variety of 350 Brewing Company’s handcrafted beers was better than the last. Chugability Factor was among the best as the rich, chocalatey essence of this maple hazelnut pastry stout oozed indulgence with each satisfying sip.
Brews – 350 Fest
Fun with Freelance Wrestling
In between each set at 350 Fest, Freelance Wrestling hosted matches full of body slams, beat downs and epic battles in and outside the ring. Heels and heroes rallied the crowd to their corners to cheer them on until the best man or woman would win.
Freelance Wrestling – 350 Fest
Wrestling Ring Circle Pit with Less Than Jake
Speaking of the wrestling ring, Less Than Jake made good use of the sporty setting by calling for a circle pit to form around the ring while they played “Last One Out of Liberty City,” AKA the fastest song in the ska punks’ arsenal. Fans happily obliged and pit participants – who previously rocked in the round during “Plastic Cup Politics” – rushed to the ring.
Less Than Jake – 350 Fest
Elsewhere in the set, Less Than Jake highlighted tracks from their latest release Sound the Alarm, performing the melodic and punchy “Whatever the Weather” and their ode to Armageddon-induced anxiety, “Bomb Drop.” Hits including “Johnny Quest Thinks We’re Sellouts,” “Dopeman” and “All My Best Friends Are Metalheads” helped to make Less Than Jake’s 350 Fest performance one of the best convention center concert to ever come to Tinley Park.
Milo Goes to Tinley
In the world of punk rock, few bands are more iconic than the Descendents. Moments after the group took the stage guitarist Stephen Egerton uttered the famous words “I want to be stereotyped,” ushering in a blistering performance of “Suburban Home” to kick-off their unflinching headlining set. Lyrics fueled by sarcasm and discontent continued to flow from front-man Milo Aukerman on the title track off Everything Sucks before the group returned to their masterpiece Milo Goes to College for “Hope.”
Descendents – 350 Fest
In less than an hour, the Descendents surged through over 25 songs sending 350 Fest attendees off with a renewed will to ignore the system, coat cynicism with humor and listen to timeless punk music as loud as possible.
Three cheers to 350 Fest 4 – can’t wait to see what next year brings! Click here for more information about 350 Brewing Company and check out our photo gallery from 350 Fest below.
(Photos by Laurie Fanelli)
