YOOP! Fest or DAWGFEST?
That is the question. If you’re unaware, YOOP! Fest is Keweenaw’s biggest annual music festival, featuring 23 bands over Friday and Saturday from across the UP, and from areas like Madison, Duluth, and Minneapolis. The festival is largely focused on hardcore punk music. Tickets are $50 for both days or $30 for a single day, with a 20 percent discount for students. DAWGFEST, on the other hand, is a free-to-attend smaller affair with just six bands from the immediate area on Saturday. DAWGFEST is organized by Houghton’s own STARDAWG, and also features Bees! Bees! Bees! Bees! Bees!, Redhouse, Humility, Weber, and The Christmas Subcommittee. For more info, see Instagram @stardawg_band.
Vanessa “NESS” Trevisan, the lead singer of STARDAWG, made it clear that they’re not trying to compete with YOOP! Fest. “I’d say it’s a celebration of local talent,” she said. “Less direct competition, more additional celebration.”
In fact, for some students, it may not be YOOP! Fest or DAWGFEST, but rather YOOP! fest and DAWGFEST. With how DAWGFEST is situated, it’s possible to attend YOOP! Fest in the early afternoon on Saturday, leave after seeing Isle Royale Mining Co., watch the entirety of DAWGFEST, and be back for YOOP! Fest in time for Bimbo.
In addition, there’s another show on Sep. 19, Wolven Fest. Located at Wolven Wood Axe Bar in Hancock, this free show features Jettisunn, Dryhouse Ruins, Pony Worm, and Northern Daze. For more info, see instagram.com/p/DcdizLCqQAX.
