You may have noticed that yesterday we didn’t make any new postings at NCS. It’s not that we didn’t have anything to post, it’s because our editor (that would be me) just blundered through a lost morning and basically forgot about everything other than attempting to gear up for the first day of Maryland Deathfest 2022.
In part I blame the fact that DGR and I and four other Seattle friends were on some flights from hell that didn’t make it to Baltimore until 1:15 a.m. yesterday. We managed to drag our asses from bed in time to rendezvous for lunch with Andy Synn (whose flight from the UK got in at a more reasonable hour) and a crew of other MDF stalwarts that we usually hang out with.
I guess we were at lunch together for about 2 1/2 hours, which is actually about par for the course when this crew gets together, and maybe more than par because we haven’t gotten to do this for three fucking years. And who knows if we’ll ever get to do it again? For MDF, the future is cloudy.
For the first afternoon and night of the fest, it’s clear we weren’t the only people treating this as a long-delayed reunion. I’d say there was a palpable sense of joy in all the crowds, which were just as large outside the venues as inside them. I myself spent as much time talking with folks outside Ram’s Head and Soundstage as I did listening to the music. Honestly, I only caught the sets of five bands — Asthma Castle, Primitive Man, Mortiferum, Mortician, and Acid Witch, and not even 100% of each of those — before I hit the wall and went back to the hotel.
But I’m really not feeling any pressure to do anything this year. No bucket lists to check off. No compulsion to see anyone on stage or take photos for future blog entries, or to write any blog entries about the event (for the first time ever). Just enjoying the company and going with the flow.
DGR and Andy aren’t feeling compelled to write either, although they did do some advance work in an effort to keep the site from going dark while we’re here. DGR in particular wrote something like a dozen reviews before we set off on our east-bound journey. Which is why I had plenty of content I could have posted yesterday. But my ass is a bit more in gear today, and so you’ll see two more of his reviews today, and some more over the weekend and on Monday (along with the latest edition of The Synn Report) as we begin the treks back home.
Today there will be more reunions, including a new rendezvous at Edison Lot during the afternoon and earlier part of the evening. Being outside at that giant parking lot will be a mixed bag today, because thunderstorms are forecast, and I just saw that Baltimore will be under a tornado watch today! Fuck me. Maybe a visit to The Land of Oz is in my future.
Okay, so there’s a report. Conceivably I’ll do another one at some point while we’re here in Baltimore, perhaps one delivered by balloon from Oz.
10 Responses to “MDF BLOG ADJUSTMENT”
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Enjoy, y’all – maybe next year I’ll join and crash the party 😉 if there’s a 2023 MDF, of course.
They’ve already said there won’t be one in 2023. The question mark is whether they’ll revive it in some form after that or just bury it.
MDF is a blast so far (and no Wizard of Oz storms…yet). Posting this from the Edison Lot watching Demolition Hammer do their thing. Hope you guys are having a great time, Islander. This one bittersweet-as it feels like a swan song for the festival. If so, let’s go out in glory!
It does feel like a swan song. After the clusterfuck that happened last night after Obituary and Carcass got moved to Power Plant and then they tried to barricade more people from getting in (unsuccessfully), preceded by some other big problems, if I were running this thing I’d be at the point of saying “to hell with it.” Most of what happened was beyond MDF’s control, but it must have had them pulling their hair out.
They made the right call moving to Power Plant given the shitty hand they were given, weather-wise, but, yeah, the set up was not there for the much bigger crowd. When Carcass started, there was total pandemonium around me and, for those first two songs, I thought “well, this might be it…”. There literally was no escape and little chance of getting help in there if things had gone sideways. To be clear, not blaming – Evan and Ryan are amazing and try to think of ‘everything’ – love those guys and mdf. Having said that, hoping for a less chaotic day today (as I am sure they are, too). Have fun and be safe, everyone!
Today was a lot smoother for sure. Great weather for Edison, and no logistical hiccups that I could see. My only little gripe was them switching the set times between Triptykon and Autopsy. My plan was to see Triptykon and then get back to Rams Head in time to see Suffering Hour, but that didn’t work out due to the switch pushing their set to last. Made the call to stay at Edison and miss Suffering Hour, though that was a painful decision.
I wish I knew what you guys looked like as I’ll be there today and tomorrow at Edison for my first MDF and I’m a longtime reader. Myself and a couple of writer from where I write at Teeth of the Divine are going to be there and meet up. I was wondering if you guys were going to make it. Either way, have a blast!
Thanks. We will be there at Edison this afternoon for sure. I guess you could look for a guy with the tattoos shown in my headless photo, and the fact that I’ll also be the oldest guy at the lot.
Lol-you will not be the oldest guy at Edison (having seen the crowd yesterday). Are you wearing your Seahawks cap – that is usually the other giveaway. Just make sure to call him “Godfather” :).
Decided to wear a Mariners cap this time, but it’s black camouflage with a putrid green S. 🙂