Hessfest To Be Held August 10th In Cleveland, OH
Agora PromoWest, Mission Media and 92.3 Extreme Present “HESSFEST” - Saturday, August 10, 2002 - Agora Theater and Ballroom
Agora PromoWest, 1300 and 92.3 Extreme is proud to present "Hessfest", an all-day event featuring 24 national, regional and local acts including H2O, Candiria, Hope Conspiracy, Disengage, Every Time I Die and many more. This year’s Hessfest will also include the Hessfest Gallery which will include art by Derek Hess, Obey/Giant, Glenn Barr, Bask, Stepehn Kasner, Punk and Hardcore Flyer exhibit from the late 70’s early 80’s and much more. The show will take place at noon in the Agora Theater on August 10, 2002.
Cleveland-based artist Derek Hess is a cornerstone of the city’s underground music scene. In his role booking bands at the Euclid Tavern 10 years ago, Hess has been instrumental in exposing this city to the best underground talent long before mainstream radio, press and music television outlets finally took notice. By default, he put his fine arts training to work designing eye-catching flyers for the bands that would play the Tavern. Soon, his reputation had spread across the planet via the word-of-mouth enthusiasm generated by traveling musicians appreciative of Derek’s visual (and fiscal) efforts.
Musical trends have shifted greatly since Hess booked the Cleveland debuts for bands like Green Day, the Reverend Horton Heat, Helmet and Soul Coughing. However, Derek Hess’ commitment to underground musicians is as strong and determined as ever. In 2000, he put together HessFest, a six-band bill of real aggressive rock, that had little to do with the cookie-cutter “nu-metal” now festering. The success of the event proved to Hess that a great number of Clevelanders want to hear music with substance. Last years event was an all day affair that featured 20 bands and pulled in three times the amount of people from 2000.
For this year’s event, Hess has put together an ambitious 20-band bill that offers some of the best bands in the hardcore, metal, and punk scenes, featuring: H2O, Candiria, Hope Conspiracy, Shai Hulud, Ringworm, Hopesfall, Atreyu, Fairweather, Lick Golden Sky, Disengage, Eighteen Visions, Norma Jean, Every Time I Die, Nora, Young & The Useless, When Sparks Fly, Stepsister, The Twirpentines, Love Is Red, Clockwise, Saved by Grace, Burnt By The Sun, Authority Zero, Madcap, and more tba.
In addition to the scope of music being offered, HessFest3 will also feature the Hessfest Gallery, of which consists:
DEREK HESS EXHIBIT (will appear)
Clevelander Derek Hess is best known for his rock poster art, but his talents extend far beyond the work for which that he is recognized. Instantly identifiable, Derek's distinctive art styling can be seen on many album and magazine covers that he has done over his short career. Derek's work has been featured in countless publications. In 1994, Newsweek did a story on Hess, which catapulted him into the national limelight, ultimately leading to the Louvre Museum in France requesting a portfolio of his work. Derek spends most of his time doing art for up and coming independent bands in which he believes. Derek's fine art and poster art collection can currently be seen in gallery tours throughout the United States and abroad.
OBEY/SHEPARD FAIREY EXHIBIT (will not appear)
The Obey project aims to succeed through artistic, commercial, and phenomenological methods of propaganda. Some of Obeys achievements are over 2 million stickers worldwide, 25,000 posters and thousands of spray paint stencils. Obey has been featured in numerous publications including Juxtapoz, Details, Raygun, Pop Smear and many others. Shepard has also done shows in most all-major cities including The New Museum of Contemporary Art in NYC and The London Chamber of Pop Culture. The Giant sticker campaign can be explained as an experiment in Phenomenology. Phenomenology is described as the process of letting things manifest themselves.
BASK EXHIBIT (will appear)
This is a self-taught multimedia artist known for his signature "outsider art" style that utilizes American icons and archetypal images of society. Inspired by classic punk-rock fliers of the early 80s, BASK tends to take the hand-made approach to advertising rather then the clean polished computer based techniques. As a nationally recognized artist, he has shown throughout the United States in cities such as San Francisco, Detroit, Atlanta, Tampa and Cleveland. BASK has also appeared in New American Paintings and has won several artistic achievement awards.
DARREN DOANE (will appear)
Director Darren Doane "is" independent hardcore filmmaking. His music videos for Thursday, Snapcase, AFI, Poison the Well, Pennywise and Strife have shaped the look of hardcore. With over 150 music videos, feature films (Godmoney, 42K) and documentaries (Strife: one truth tour, Pennywise: home movies) Doane continues to push the medium of independent film. Currently Doane is finishing his latest feature, BROKEN, starring Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs, Donnie Brasco) with music from Jonah Matranga, Thursday, Snapcase, Thrice and Grade. Look for exclusive trailer on Hessfest. Doane will also have a limited "Hessfest" DVD "Doane" Video compilation featuring: THURSDAY, STRIFE, FAR, PROJECT 86, SNAPCASE, GRADE, AFI, THRICE, POISON THE WELL, STAVESACRE, ILL NINO, LIVING SACRIFICE, SICK OF IT ALL & ATREYU. Only available on Hessfest!
HARDCORE/PUNK FLYERS
The Hessfest gallery will be teaming up with Christopher Miller, the author of “Fucked Up and Photocopied” to present a body of Hardcore punk flyers from the late 70’s early 80’s to give patrons a visual history from where the music they listen to originally derived. This exhibit will feature Black Flag flyers done by Raymond Pettibon, Misfits flyers done by Pushead, Circle Jerk flyers done by Shawn Kerri and much, much more.
STEPHEN KASNER (will appear)
Since 1993, Stephen Kasner has contributed his dream-inspired imagery to a host of record album releases working with companies including Century Media, Osmose Productions, and Relapse Records. He has contributed images to newspapers and periodicals including the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Orange Coast Gazette, Ohio Magazine, and High Society. Features on his work include the Washington Post, Art Alternatives, Seconds Magazine, Art Visionary and many others internationally. His work has also been exhibited in Cleveland, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Melbourne, Australia.
GLENN BARR (will appear)
Glenn Barr of Ferndale, Michigan exhibits paintings, drawings and fine art prints of his urban scenarios, ‘replete with car crashes, bohemian dives, gearhead ne’er do wells and dangerous dames. Barr has illustrated album covers for MCA records, Epic Records and others. He has illustrated posters for Marvel Comics and worked on a successful series for DC Comics as well as DarkHorse Comics and Paradox Press. Barr has also done animation for the network and syndicated cartoon shows including working as the background artist for Nickelodeon’s “Ren and Stimpy,” and the syndicated cartoon “Baby Huey.” His work could be seen in the animated intro for the Fox TV series, “Home Improvements.”
STEVEN CERIO (will appear)
After a decade of working as an illustrator in New York City, Steven Cerio has moved his studio to the small town of Baldwinsville, New York, just north of the city. There he can concentrate on his work and toy collection. His impressive list of Clients include, Nickelodeon, Disney Enterprises, the group The Residents, Musician Magazine, Details, A&M Records, Warner Bros Entertainment, Village Voice among others. Cerio’s work spans all mediums from book illustrations to posters, to CD Roms. Currently, Steven is working on five children’s book proposals that he has written and designed. Cerio’s “Happy Birthday Wishes” animations appear each morning on Nickelodeon.
LOCAL ARTS
Hessfest will extend opportunities to undiscovered visual artists. In each market Hessfest with the help of the promoters, will reach out to the local arts scene to give two artists in each market the chance to also display their work at the Hessfest art gallery.
Hessfest will also feature various foods and merchandise vendors, as well as contest giveaways of Derek Hess artwork. After achieving international art world acclaim via exhibitions in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Paris and Germany, why would a respected visual artist want to undertake the logistics of an all-day underground-rock festival? “Much of my work has been influenced by or created on behalf of musicians who were true to their art by following a creative vision and not a dollar sign,” says Hess. “I don’t forget that, and neither do the bands. And I think the fans appreciate that, as well.”
Portion of the proceeds will benefit the Greater Cleveland Aids Task Force.
