Is that time between Christmas and New Year a good time for a festival?

Phantasmagoria (collectively): I think so. Last year, a bunch of our friends made the drive from Detroit to Ypsi to celebrate New Year's with us and it was a lot of fun.

McCauley: The timing is great. Anyone who has lived in Michigan their whole life has a lot of friends who've moved away. It's a great chance to reunite with some friends from my musical past who are back in town for the holidays. There's always a warm holiday glow at MittenFest.

Sheefy McFly: It's the perfect time for a festival! All the Michigan natives coming back home from college, everyone is getting a break from work, and during the holidays everyone is trying to party — they will need somewhere to rage at, MittenFest will be that place. And everyone is in more than a festive mood, it's like ... a revolution happening, man, we are living in the future and, shit, it's mind-blowing to me.

Lyn: I think it's a great time for a festival! It's a break from family events to go see great live music, support an awesome cause, drink and see some faces you haven't seen all year. Everyone is feeling festive! The decorations make the atmosphere warm and fuzzy. At least in my experience! And New Year's Eve is always amazing.

Bad Indians (collectively): The festival does have a very "festive” holiday vibe to it. It's a good way to send the old year off.

The Handgrenades (collectively): Between Christmas and New Year's is a great time for a festival, especially because people are home for the holidays. Everyone is feeling festive, there's a lot of love going around.

Jax Anderson (Flint Eastwood): I think post-Christmas into New Year's Day is a great time for a festival. The majority of people are home from their collegiate duties and everyone's sort of lazing around, waiting for life to start back up. It's like a weeklong version of Thanksgiving Day: The fun stuff happens then you're sort of happily waiting for it to be over so you nap a lot. I think having a festival during that time, especially one with such an amazing lineup of artists each night, is an intriguing opportunity to grab a group of people and break the boredom cycle that occurs every year with some awesome music at an equally as awesome venue.

Passalacqua (collectively): As good a time as any! Spirits tend to be pretty high, people aren't overly stressed, drinks are flowing freely ... everybody's loose and ready to party, which works out well for us. We like to see people shakin' their butts.

What can we expect from your set?

Stollsteimer: Since we are on stage when the ball drops we are planning something very '80s.

Phantasmagoria: You can expect some new songs and some new versions of old songs, lots of improvised transitions, and lots of dancing, hopefully. Our set is made to make you dance.

McCauley: We haven't played Ypsi since summer, so we should have a bunch of new songs for the folks. I'm super excited about the new material. Plus, we are a much better band now. Things are clicking much more these days. And finally, we have a new-old 1960s Farfisa organ that our drummer Danny fixed up. That thing sounds awesome.

McFly: Expect a life-changing performance. Women will have to change their panties and men will have to refrain their girlfriends from them giving away their goodies to me. I am focusing on blowing minds that day when I touch the stage.

Spencer: We're playing on New Year's Day, so I'm pretty sure everyone's feeling strung-out or hungover.

Butterfield: I really don't know what to expect — wouldn't show ya my cards anyway. That's for next year. I can imagine Ypsilanti's keymaster, Anthony Gentile, will want to hug. We like that guy.

Anderson: You can expect the most adrenaline-inducing, fist-pounding, inviting dance party you've ever experienced on New Year's Eve (that might be an exaggeration, but your head may or may not explode a little).

Nuccilli: Since our guitar player Josh moved to Nashville last winter, we've added Neil Laperriere on bass. Before joining Deadbeat Beat he had played in metal and noise-drone projects; it's nice to play music with someone coming from a different background than yourself. It forces you to grow creatively. Bands evolve the more they play together, so I guess you can expect that! Also, we're planning a secret surprise with one of the other bands playing that night. Ssshhh.

Passalacqua: 70 percent rapping; 20 percent masks; 9 percent confetti; 1 percent slow-motion high-fiving.

MittenFest VII takes place Dec. 28-Jan. 1
at Woodruff's Bar; 36 E. Cross St., Ypsilanti;
www.mittenfest.org.

Brett Callwood writes City Slang
for Metro Times.  Send comments to
letters@metrotimes.com

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