Bringing the Dust Home: Bindle Fest III

Music | July 20th, 2022

By Michael Strike

michaelstrike.solo@gmail.com

Bindle Fest is coming back to Fargo, and the third time's the charm for this sprawling DIY fest hosted across the Fargo/Moorhead area. Since its first inception in 2016, it's been an on-again-off-again showcase of some of the most original and DIY-centric musicians from across the midwest and beyond. Originally started by a couple of the original Dusty Boys of Fargo, Ethan Rooney and Owen Broke were able to book M.B Johnson, run their own sound, and feature a line-up including underground heroes like Ludlow (CO), Marissa Sendejas (Doom Scroll and Chad Hates George), Pour Choices (WI), and locals Ethan Rooney, Mr.MEANER and more.

After traveling and living on the road and meeting other folk musicians, Owen returned to Fargo and saw the lack of folk-centric shows in general in the area. With Bindle Fest bringing unique and community-driven music Owen admits it was truly just an attempt at having a "family reunion of all the great acts we've been fortunate enough to call friends that we've met on the road". From a one-day music fest and typical pot-luck in 2016 to its return and its beginning as a two-day fest in 2019, we've had to wait another three years for its triumphant return and the news this year couldn't be bigger or better.

The first night of Bindle Fest, set for Friday, August 19th, is being hosted at downtown Fargo's Aquarium. $15 at the door and with presales available for $10; the first day includes a lineup that you can't miss. From Bottle Wound's final show featuring their original lineup, Fargo's rapping heavy-weights Cold Front, North Dakota's fastest growing super group Straight Line Arrival, Radical Fun Time bringing their twin-cities hardcore, to the triumphant reunion of Fargo's legendary SuperCruiser. Not only that, but featured that night, and MC-ing the whole event will be THE Timmy Williams, South Dakotan son and famous for being an integral part of the comedy troupe The Whitest Kids You Know.

Day two of the festival this year features a lineup fit to burst, and is ALL AGES thanks to the generosity of Harold's on Main in Moorhead. With a set price of $10 at the door, you can expect an amazing deal of a dollar per band on the second day of Bindle Fest featuring Brian Hoffman (SD), Chairman Chair and the Chairmen (MN), Ethan Rooney (OK), Hemlock Chaser (WI), Jeremiah Savage (Fargo), KC D Weasel (MN), The God Damn Band (Fargo), Mike Defendant + Katrina Jo (OH), Mr.MEANER (Fargo), Pour Choices (WI), Summer Teeth (SD), Teacher (OH), and Windsor Diets (Fargo).

While Owen and Ethan created the event, the second year was mostly handled by Will Burns the drummer of Mr.MEANER, Shit on top of Shit, and Under Seige. While the second year was almost entirely handled by Will alone, he's thankful for the help that he's had this year, especially for the transition into handling events like this post covid. With Owen moving to Cincinnati to pursue Jazz in its entirety, Bindle Fest is transferring completely into Will's hands, and he's ready to finally grow this festival on a yearly basis and is looking forward to a three-day-long event that is already in the planning stages for next year.

So get ready, get your dust on, and prepare for some of the best music you'll be a part of this year at Bindle Fest III.

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