Grand Rapids’ Bong Mountain takes its punk attack on the road, eyes major vinyl release

The emerging punk act will share stages with some “heavy hitters” on its current tour, with more big festival appearances and a special vinyl release on the docket for 2016.

 

West Michigan punk band Bong Mountain has carved out a niche in the regional music scene with its high-energy shows, ripping guitars and roaring vocals.

Now, the four-piece band is ready to join some “heavy hitters” nationally as it embarks this week on a major tour while preparing for a special vinyl compilation of its music in a bid to have “as many people as we can hear our stuff in different mediums,” says drummer Matt Stacks.

Bong Mountain kicked off its nine-date tour Wednesday night in East Lansing at Replay Entertainment Exchange.

Guitarist and singer Chris Lidstone, guitarist Alex Ewigleben, bassist Adam Schurman and Stacks began practicing in a Grand Rapids basement just over a year ago.

The musically compatible Ewigleben and Stacks had started jamming together, and roped in Schurman after witnessing his Pinhead Gunpowder cover band at Mulligan’s Pub in Eastown. Lidstone was convinced to join after a few months of the trio practicing in the basement of the house he and Stacks share – a time period during which their musical chops improved and the band’s sound began to take shape.

So far, Bong Mountain’s discography consists of the band’s debut EP “You’re Doin’ Great!” That EP and four tracks from splits with Junior Battles and Protective Left are being pressed to vinyl through Stonewall Records as the slyly titled, “You’re Doin’ Great! (for the record)” on Sept. 23. Later this month, 30 test pressings will be up for sale via the Stonewall website.

A 2016 TOUR THAT HAS THEM PLAYING ‘FESTIVAL PUNK DE MONTREAL’

To build excitement for the record – along with playing a slot at Pouzza Fest in Montreal – the band has embarked on a tour that will take them through Canada, the Northeast and back home through the Midwest.

Stacks, the drummer, shed some light on the release and tour.

“ ‘You’re Doin’ Great (for the record)’ is a vinyl release that spans all of our recordings up until now, a five-song EP and two tape splits with two songs each,” Stacks said. “My goal with all of this is to have as many people as we can hear our stuff in different mediums.

“I’m a huge music collector so I like CDs, tapes, vinyl. A lot of people say that tapes are dead and nonsense like that, but just because someone doesn’t collect something doesn’t mean it’s dead. There are still many people out there that collect this stuff. Just look at the vinyl resurgence in the past few years. I always thought it was another way to appreciate and connect with a band you like.”

Bong Mountain fans also can expect a booklet with the record “that will have a slew of different things in it. Nothing’s been finalized yet, but we are definitely planning it out.” (Listen to some tracks from band online here.)

The current tour, he said, was planned around the band’s appearance at Pouzza Fest, also known as “Festival Punk de Montreal.”

“Pouzza has some pretty heavy hitters playing: The Suicide Machines, Less Than Jake, Brendan Kelly, Dead to Me. The lineup is incredible and we’re stoked to be a part of it,” Stacks said.

MORE FESTIVAL APPEARANCES ON TAP

Along the way, Bong Mountain will share the bill with some favorites, new and old, and play several venues for the first time.

“I’m really excited to play Brooklyn with a band called CUTTERS. We’re playing Chicago with Eradicator, so that should be pretty dope. We’re hitting up a lot of new places we haven’t played, so it’ll be awesome to make some new friends,” he added.

Bong Mountain is also on the docket at June’s Vehicle City Fest, a fund-raiser in Flint for children affected by lead-tainted water there.

Vehicle City Fest is set for June 3-5 with a slate of emo/indie heavyweights including The World is a Beautiful Place, I Am No Longer Afraid to Die and Koji. That event is being organized by Danny Moilanen, a friend of Bong Mountain.

“When he came to us asking if we’d be involved we said absolutely,” Stacks said.

Bong Mountain also plays The FEST 15 in Gainesville, Fla., in October. Headliners include Propagandhi, Braid, Off With Their Heads, and fellow Grand Rapids band, Mustard Plug, a legendary ska group.

“I’ve been going since Fest 7, so this is a real dream come true for me,” Stacks said. “The FEST spans over three days … and features something like 300 bands. It’s like a punk rock mecca.”

Bong Mountain Tour Dates:
May 19: Toronto, at The Central wsg Bike Tuff
May 22: Montreal, at Katacombs (Pouzza Fest)
May 23: Boston, at Charlie’s Kitchen wsg Bottle Kids
May 24: Newton, Conn., at Dorazio’s
May 25: Brooklyn, New York, at Goldsounds wsg CUTTERS
May 26: Philadelphia, at TBD
May 27: Columbus, Ohio, at Carabar wsg Boxing and Whiny
May 28: Chicago, at Quenchers wsg Eradicator

Copyright 2016, Spins on Music LLC