The Wilmington Exchange Festival known as WEFEST has been a Memorial Day tradition since the mid-9teen 9tees, and I've played it something like 5 or 6 times since then. I have made tons of friends, hooked up tons of shows all through networking & partying with the people there. Many bands have played and gone on to major things, like Dismemberment Plan & Lamb Of God, but mostly festival grandfather Kenyata Sullivan started the festival with a stone hard streak of D.I.Y. in his veins. Over the years there's been bands of all shapes & sizes, from metal to folk to crazy homerecording underground tape traders who never play out. There's been film screenings, air hockey tournaments, art shows, poetry readings. Generally a little something for everyone... You can leave the festival with tons of free zine & music & stickers, all piled up on the free merch tables; this was always one of my favorite aspects... The overarching vibe is one of open-mindedness, I have seen 3 piece jug bands that have blown my mind right after an explosive indie punk show on the same stage & it all makes sense. Over the winter I have pleasurable memories of midnight beering and swimming in the ocean until the sun comes up in the neighboring Wrightsville Beach area.
Jim Testa of Jersey Beat zine even made a song about WEFest!
I made this comp cd to hand out when the Flashing Astonishers played there for the last time in 2002. I probably only made about 1000, I don't recall. All of the bands are WEFest veterans and mostly are extinct... Bands (and a poet!) included are Kenyata Sullivan, Landspeedrecord!, Punch Drunk Monkeys, Mil Mulliganos, Plug Spark Sanjay, D Michael McNamara, The Secession Movement, Aviso Hara, Sidedoor Johnnies, Cropduster, First Night On Earth, All The Dead Pilots, Astronaut Lost, Pandora's Lunchbox, Worm Quartet, Dufus, Jim Testa, Pacer, 71 Sunbeam, Second Sky, & The Cogs. I should've made a 4 cd box set because I've seen so many good bands there over the years!
free download: Look What The WE FEST Dragged In 2002 compilation cd
Gregg Yeti
