I remember going to Hellfest back in 1999. It was awesome. And what I considered, at the time, ridiculous. The venue changed a million times, and it seemed like it was going to implode. But it all went down, and I got to see great sets by Ten Yard Fight, Fastbreak, Buried Alive … Even Piebald and Grade sounded great that weekend. It also helped that there was a Wegmans in between the place we were staying and the venue. Wegmans is a sure sign of a great fest (ie Posi Numbers in Wilkes-Barre). The next year was also great. The Booker T. Washington Center was GIANT and the crowd really jammed into that place. Again, a million memorable sets: Bane, Hope Con, Reach The Sky .. just fun times.
The next year, the show got big. The following year it became HUGE. I think they rented out some fairground. It was obnoxiously large. I can’t even remember what bands played. I can tell you that I got a ride to the gig from Rob Woods and Al Barkley. It was odd. They happened to be driving from my area in Mass PAST the venue in Syracuse. Who drives THAT route? No idea. Rob talked a lot about fishing. Al talked about Alone In The Crowd. One topic was obviously better than the other. Peep youtube for any videos of that show and you’d think you were viewing some Warped Tour gig. It was over the top big.
The next Hellfest got straight FUCKED. Out of Syracuse and down to Jersey. Yes, Jersey. The venue kept changing, the insurance policies kept getting fucked with. They canceled the event, then they un-canceled it. It was a clusterfuck and a nightmare. In the end, it was handled very well by the promoter and many kids were left wondering whether it would happen or if it wouldn’t. In the end, it did NOT happen. And this fucked a lot of kids who flew from far away. Like the seller of this auction. He appeared to have flown all the way from Puerto Rico (shoot outs to A. Ortiz) for this one! Not a short or inexpensive flight. Some other gigs replaced Hellfest and a few bands played. Kids got their chance to mosh, but not in the way they wanted, I’m sure.
Geoff TDT told me to commemorate that incredible fucking, TDT Screen Printing (a great place to get your band merch done up right) printed up less than 50 of these shirts. They also just gave them away to people, including people who looked clinically depressed by the lack of hellfesting.
LOL. I suggest heavy bidding on this item. I’m sure in the 6 years since that memorable date, the seller has gotten over it, but just in case, a fat wad of paypal credit will surely make him feel better.
I think you’re compressing your memories. 99 was the year of TYF, no venue problems, a no-go Grade set (due to DNA b33f) and what I thought was a Fastbreak no-show, though on that last point I admit I could be wrong. 2000 was the year of the venue carousel.
Didn’t it get moved twice in 99? I feel like I remember driving down the street and someone saying, “that’s where it was supposed to be.” I may have dreamt the Fastbreak set. But I’m sure Ten Yard Fight had an ill set (I don’t recall DNA b33f). I also met a guy with a prosthetic testicle.