Why You Should Know Wiretap Records and Attention Fest If You Don't Yet
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY JAZMIN LEMUS
So I guess there’s a reason why I’ve been putting this on hold. I owe a lot to Wiretap Records for several things in the time the label has existed and I’ve been trying to find a way to do this piece justice.
Attention Fest happened two weeks ago and although it was the inaugural year for it, it was the third celebration that Wiretap Records has put on during its five-year existence. It’s been a party every year and it’s a party that I look forward to every September. Why? Because it’s a celebration of the music community that has been created since the inception of the label. Not only is it about the music, but it’s also about the friendships and the memories. I should know. My mentor runs the label and founded this fest. He’s one of the best people you could ever meet. I met my best friend at the third-year anniversary show two years ago. I’ve met some of the best people because of this label. I believe in this label and the bands that have released music through it. I believe in the bands that have taken part in this community in any way. And before I forget, one of the coolest things the label has done is press records for the very first time that I grew up listening to such as Audio Karate’s Space Camp and Go Betty Go’s Nothing Is More. How cool is that?!
This year, the celebration took place over a two-day span at The Slidebar in Fullerton. Wiretap Records alumni, Spanish Love Songs headlined night one (recently signed to Pure Noise Records by the way!) and current A-F Records artist, Dead Bars, headlined night two. Accompanying these headliners, were Wiretap bands such as Get Married, Decent Criminal, Bristol To Memory, Divided Heaven, Odd Robot, Problem Daughter, The Lucky Eejits, and Wolves & Wolves & Wolves & Wolves. Other bands that joined in on the party were Sad Girlz Club, The Last Gang, Pity Party, and Worlds Greatest Dad.
Over the two-day festival, there was nothing, but love, support, and of course, positive vibes within the bands and all those friends and fans in attendance! That’s the goal of all of this, isn’t it? If there is one thing I wish I could’ve done during these two days is make some more time to make more friends and chat more with the old ones! But perhaps that’s an excuse to go see these bands when they play in town again, right? hehe
Some of my best memories in my adulthood life have been made because of this particular music scene. Thank you to Wiretap Records and Attention Fest for helping bring some light into our lives with every record released or show put on. Attention Fest is just one testament of all the hard work Wiretap Records and the bands put in. It’s not easy these days to run shows like this in this business, but to anyone who took part in Attention Fest, thank YOU.
If you missed out on the party or are not from California, you can check out the gallery of what happened. Most importantly, if you don’t know Wiretap Records, please cancel your plans for the rest of the day and check out the label’s roster, past or present by clicking HERE. TRUST ME, if you believe in independent music, the DIY scene, and/or are a fan of punk rock, you won’t regret it.
