Hail The Conquering Heroes: The 10 Best Bands Returning To The Fest 10

When attending an event such as THE FEST 10, it's important to have one's priorities in order—namely, the schedule. With nearly 300 bands to choose from over the course of three days, it's extremely likely that some are presently suffering from option paralysis and frantically searching for a virtual helping hand in deciding what sets to watch and why. Never fear! With The Fest looming this weekend, AP editors/Fest veterans Scott Heisel and Bryne Yancey offer a selection of bands performing this weekend that barring injury or family emergency, should not be missed.

TOUCHÉ AMORÉ – Friday, 9:50 p.m. @ Double Down Live

There’s often talk of bands bubbling under the surface having a chance to break through at Fest, and while said talk occasionally comes to fruition it’s far from a sure thing. Los Angeles, California’s Touché Amoré may just be one of the few exceptions, however; they’ve got a lot of variables working in their favor, including a well-received new album in Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me that impressively merges the brevity and urgency of classic hardcore with a certain catharsis more often associated with post-hardcore, not to mention a killer live show that’s been refined over the last year through tours with Title Fight, the Menzingers and others. It’s probable that frontman Jeremy Bolm will have fans hanging all over him during “Home Away From Here,” and chances are he wouldn’t have you crazy kids any other way. [BY]

HOT WATER MUSIC – Friday, 11:25 p.m. @ the Florida Theater Of Gainesville

While Less Than Jake and Against Me! might come close, no Gainesville band truly embodies Fest culture as much as Hot Water Music do—which is why it's a damn-near travesty that the band haven't performed as a part of the whole thing since Fest 3 way back in 2004. Now that they're back in gear with a new 7-inch to boot, expect HWM to deliver a set on Fest 10's opening night that will be talked about for the rest of the weekend. [SH]

POLAR BEAR CLUB – Friday, 12:50 a.m. @ 8 Seconds

The mighty men of Polar Bear Club last played the Fest at the tiny, tiny, tiny Atlantic in 2009, which was loud, sweaty and packed to the gills. (This writer had to wring out his T-shirt afterward.) What a difference two years makes: PBC are now headlining 8 Seconds, the Fest's second-biggest venue, and it's sure to be a rager. But don't take our word for it: Tune in to our Fest 10 Livestream on Friday night to see all the action as it happens. [SH]

NONE MORE BLACK – Saturday, 7:30 p.m. @ the Florida Theater of Gainesville

With a touring schedule as limited as None More Black’s, demand is always high, and when fans are clamoring for the chance to see a band live, it’s not hard to realize that these sorts of sets belong under the umbrella of special occasions and deserve to be celebrated as such. It helps that NMB released what was probably the hardest-rocking punk record of 2010 in Icons and have a reputation for memorable Fest sets—their impassioned performance at Fest 5 which almost immediately preceded their hiatus springs to mind. Do the right thing and watch them instead of some other band that’ll likely be rolling through your hometown on a Wednesday night in April. [BY]

TED LEO & THE PHARMACISTS – Saturday, 11:30 p.m. @ the Florida Theater Of Gainesville

The last time Ted and his crew ventured down to the Fest, it was way back in 2005 for the Fest 4; and while the crowd was relatively stodgy (although this writer did get a boot to the face during TL/Rx's encore of Stiff Little Fingers' “Suspect Device” that left him wandering around Gainesville, most likely concussed, looking for his friends), all that will change this time around. Ted's an elder statesman of modern punk, and you better believe the crowd is going to go off for him. [SH]

SCREAMING FEMALES – Saturday, midnight @ 8 Seconds

Guitarist/vocalist Marissa’s Paternoster’s playing style could perhaps be described as pure wizardry–has anyone been able to confirm or deny that she sold her soul to the devil in order to wail that hard?–and her immense talent is no doubt the backbone of Screaming Females’ devastating wall of rock. (She’s also self-taught, did we mention that?) The band is primed for bigger things in the near future, so catch them in this setting while they’re still on the verge instead of over it. [BY]

BOMB THE MUSIC INDUSTRY! – Saturday, 12:50 a.m. @ 8 Seconds

Sure, they're going on opposite Against Me!, but the similarly punctuated Bomb The Music Industry! gets our vote for the must-see headlining set of Saturday night (and again, you'll be able to watch the madness live thanks to our Fest 10 Livestream). No band has better ascended the Fest ladder—BTMI! have gone from headlining the extremely small 1982 at Fest 6 to bringing down the house at the Kickstand for Fests 7 and 8 to completely stealing the show at Fest 9 while playing the Venue (now the Florida Theater). Still split on who to go watch? Consider this: The odds of Against Me! covering a BTMI! song during their set are next-to-none. The odds of BTMI! covering an Against Me! song, however, are surprisingly high. [SH]

THE EMOTRON – Saturday, 1 a.m. @ The Laboratory

There's no really good way to describe the Emotron. Punk-rock performance art? Maybe. Laptop pop that owes more to GG Allin than the Postal Service? Yeah, sorta. Just know that if you're brave enough to witness the spectacle that is the Emotron, you may see the following things: genitals on fire, urine, chocolate sauce enemas, vomit and super-creepy baby masks. On second thought, maybe you won't see any of that—mainly because that's all stuff that the Emotron has incorporated into his previous Fest sets, and he's certainly not one to repeat himself. You've been warne—er, prepped. [SH]

THE MENZINGERS – Sunday, 5 p.m. @ 8 Seconds

One quick search of YouTube will reveal that the Menzingers’ past shows at the Fest are likely the best they’ve ever played outside of their Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, homebase. Festgoers in attendance will inevitably put their arms around each other and scream along–just wait for the reaction when the opening chords of “Sunday Morning” exit the amplifiers. Even if you’re not a fan of the Menzingers—unlikely, considering they’re one of the most exciting and engaging punk bands on the planet right now—it’s hard to not get caught up in the moment. With a new full-length on the way in 2012 via Epitaph and superstardom likely to follow, there’s no time like the present to hop on the bandwagon. [BY]

A WILHELM SCREAM – Sunday, 7 p.m. @ the Florida Theater of Gainesville

Pack your gym shorts, flip the brims on your baseball caps and do some warm-up exercises on your spirit fingers, because A Wilhelm Scream’s set at Fest is sure to go off. The band, which should have some new material out in 2012, bring it at Fest every year, and there’s no reason to believe that won’t be the case at this year’s event. Expect multiple stage dives, rampant dual guitar solos, frontman Nuno Pereira to sprint around the stage like a madman, and for those in attendance to revel in all of it. [BY]