239 Fest Punk Ska Reggae
A two-day music event in downtown Cape Coral will feature bands from around the state.
Marking its fourth year, the 239 Fest will kick off at Rack’em Billiards today at 7 p.m. and pick up on Saturday at 5 p.m. A free event, it will spotlight 25 bands who perform punk, ska and reggae music.
“It’ll be a good mixture,” Eric DeMayo, event organizer and member of one of the bands, said.
“Upbeat feel-good music – some music a little heavier, a little dirtier – music that really kind of shows what a lot of Florida underground music sounds like,” he said.
All of the bands are based out of Florida, hailing from Orlando, Tampa, Miami and elsewhere.
“All the surrounding cities, even as far away as Gainesville,” DeMayo said.
Ten of the bands will perform today, while the remaining 15 will take the stage Saturday.
“We have two stages,” he said. “What that allows us to do is pretty much have nonstop music.”
“When one band ends, the other is up and ready to take the stage,” DeMayo said. “You’ll see that at the bigger concerts. It almost, in a way, gives it that mini-festival feeling.”
The event will wrap up each day at 2 a.m.
Saturday’s portion will coincide with the city’s first Cape Bike Night of the 2014-15 season.
“It actually makes for a fun-filled night in downtown Cape Coral,” he said.
According to DeMayo, Rack’em owner Andrew Gray appreciates local music and supports it. So, a group of them came up with the idea of hosting a local music festival a few years ago to do that.
“It’s almost like a kickoff party for what’s in store for the rest of the year,” he said. “It kind of almost kicks off the season.”
Some of the returning bands this year include Victims of Circumstance, UNRB and Stop The Presses.
Victims of Circumstance plays a blend and actually covers “Let It Go” from the movie “Frozen.”
“I’ve never heard a Disney song rocked out so much,” DeMayo said of the Tampa band.
UNRB, which hails from St. Petersburg, is made up of schooled musicians.
“They also play a blend,” he said. “Almost with a little bit of jazz feeling to them.”
Miami-based Stop the Presses is one of two bands playing the festival that are lead by a female.
“They have a really good, kind of laid back, reggae ska band (sound),” DeMayo said.
Some of the new bands on the lineup this year include The Freecoasters, F and Muphin Chuckrs.
The Freecoasters, the only other female-fronted group at the event, is local to Fort Myers and the Cape.
“They’re excited,” he said of the local group performing. “They’re a newer band.”
A combination of Fort Myers and Miami musicians, F is described as old-school punk.
“They’re just really straight to the point – the leather jackets, the spikes and all that,” DeMayo said, adding that the lead singer is highly energetic and worth coming out to experience.
“The front man is something to see,” he said.
Muphin Chuckrs will be heading to town from Sarasota.
“They play a good blend, Sublime-esque style of reggae,” DeMayo said.
His band, Bargain Bin Heroes, will also take the stage.
“It will be the first time for my band playing the 239 Fest,” he said.
On Saturday, the Fort Myers Derby Girls will have a booth set up at the festival.
“They will be there and on their roller skates,” DeMayo said.
Drink specials will be available both nights.
Last year, an estimated 300 to 400 people turned up for the festival.
Organizers are aiming to hit the same attendance this year.
“Hopefully even more,” he said.
Attendees must be 18 years of age or older to get in.
“It’s a great musical mini-festival. You definitely won’t be disappointed,” DeMayo said. “Great bands both nights, and it’s free. There’s really no good reason not to make a weekend out of it.”
Rack’em Billiards is at 1011 S.E. 47th Terrace.
For additional information, visit: www.facebook.com/239punkskafest or www.facebook.com/RackemCapeCoral.