Kave to cram 15 bands into annual festival

Kathy Findlay hates to turn anyone down, judging by the jam-packed lineup this weekend at her Bucksport venue the Kave.

Some 15 local, regional and national bands are crammed into about ten hours of onstage time on Friday and Saturday at the third annual Kave Fest, a celebration of the club’s unique place in Maine, and in the greater punk, hardcore and metal scene.

“Since I opened the Kave I’ve tried to have [Kave Fest], and I’ve tried to coordinate it with the Bucksport Bay Festival,” said Findlay. “That didn’t work out this year because we had the chance to bring up Embrace Today.”

Embrace Today, which records with Deathwish Records, plays some of the most brutal contemporary hardcore currently on the scene. They’re also straightedge, rejecting alcohol and drugs in their personal lives and bringing that message to fans in their music.

Findlay didn’t want to miss the chance to have them come to the Kave, but she’s always careful to showcase local bands.

“It’s a great chance for the local bands,” said Findlay. “I want them to expand their fan bases and be professional. It’s not just about playing shows, it’s about marketing yourself and getting your name out there.”

At Kave Fest Friday, the bands slated to play are: Colin of Arabia, Cutthroat, On the Outside, Our Last Stand, Destined 2 Fight and Since the Fall. Saturday’s lineup includes headliners Embrace Today, Since the Flood and Cannae, with local support from the Red Death, the Banner, Last Chance to Reason, Over the Top, the Doldrumz and Can’t Stand Losing. It might be worth bringing a couple of cans of Red Bull or an extra large coffee with you so you don’t miss anything.

Kave Fest is just the tip of the iceberg for the fun stuff Findlay has planned for the rest of the summer.

“We’re doing Pirate Fest on July 30,” said Findlay. “We’re going to have a bunch of local bands and we want everyone to wear pirate costumes. There’s a big pirate ship coming in for the Bucksport Bay Festival, so we thought it would work out well.”

Shows through September can be found on www.thekaveclub.com, along with directions to the club, message boards and pictures from previous shows. If you’re looking for some bang for your buck, though, Kave Fest is the way to go.

Kave Fest will start at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 22 and Saturday, July 23. Tickets are $14 for the whole weekend.

Emily Burnham may be reached at eburnham@bangordailynews.net.