Oakland’s This is My Fest is a mere month and a half away, give or take a few days (we run on punk time, who cares?). We wanted to do something to help celebrate one of our favorite West Coast DIY fests. So every Thursday, we will be releasing an interview with one of the bands that’s playing TIM Fest this year. Want to know what The Copyrights love to eat when they’re on tour in the Bay? We’ve got that. Want to know if NorCal or SoCal has the best burrito in California? We’ve got that. Want to know what Danzig’s fondest punk house moment was? We… well we don’t have that. But we’ve got other cool shit you’ll like.
We sat down with Chris Matulich, guitarist and vocalist for San Francisco’s Nothington, and chatted about the best place in the Bay to play shows, who he is excited to see play at TIM Fest this year, and more!
In case you didn’t know: the fourth installment of This is My Fest will commence on Thursday, September 28th and the party will continue all weekend through Sunday, October 1st. Four day weekend passes are now on sale for only $35, a huge discount from what the walk up price will be for all five shows! That’s so few dollars for so many bands! There are still more bands to be announced, as well as daily schedules and a few other surprises. Tickets are limited, so grab your pass today.
Interview
Where do you prefer to play shows between San Francisco and Oakland and why?
To be honest, we haven’t played Oakland very much. Whenever we do a tour kick off show or tour home coming show, we always feel like we want to play our home town, so we play in San Francisco. Since Oakland is so close, we can’t really do both,. So the only time we end up playing in the East Bay at all is when someone offers us a good show with bands we like. In this case, we are extremely excited to be playing This Is My Fest for the first time. I love playing in San Francisco, but I have a feeling that since so many people from the punk community have been forced out into other surrounding areas due to skyrocketing rents, Oakland might be “where it’s at” these days.
What bands are you most excited to see or play with this year?
I love seeing the Copyrights. I am very excited to see them again. Heartsounds and toyGuitar are also highlights for me. I will also be glad to check out Cut Up and Broadway Calls too.
What is your favorite place to wander around with a brown bagged beer?
I don’t like to wander around with a brown bagged beer. I like to follow the rules and not get in trouble. However, when I do wander around, I like to walk in the Mission District of San Francisco. I like the food, and there are plenty of interesting bars and coffee shops to stop into when you want to sit down for a bit. There are also a few cool book stores and other random unique shops.
Which has the better burrito, Northern California or Southern California?
In my humble opinion, Northern California has far better burritos than Southern California. There are some very good places down there, like Pokez in San Diego for example (amazing place!). But in general, there’s no competition. There is a reason the “Mission Burrito” is known beyond state borders; they are the best in the country.
If you could play with one Bay Area band – active or not – which would it be and why?
I would play with Pinhead Gunpowder. They have only played about twenty shows in twenty years and they embody the spirit of what I think East Bay punk is about. Smart, relevant lyrics, with simple but powerful chord progressions backing up melodic vocals. They also still play small venues when they play and have remained true to what started the sound here in the Bay Area, not to mention the band members are legends of the old East Bay scene. I have loved them since I was fifteen years old. They never put out a bad album, and hope I get a chance to see them again.
My mouth is watering just thinking about mission burritos. I have actually bought one and brought it home on the plane back to Chicago. They keep well. Just no sour cream.