Single-day tickets and weekend passes are available to purchase online or at the door. Both shows are all-ages with a 6 p.m. door time. Lineups are subject to change.
While everything falls under the punk umbrella, Gwen Downing-Groth, owner of Blind Rage Records and organizer of the event, says that she tries to have something for everybody (i.e. every brand of punk): traditional, hardcore, sludge, metalcore, straight edge, crust and even some indie rock-leaning bands.
Headliners for the weekend include national touring bands Hammered Hulls, Bed Maker, Frail, SECT, Usurp Synapse and Prevail.
Some hail from Washington D.C., the land of Dischord Records; one is a profoundly influential 1990s straight edge hardcore band; and others have Brendan Canty from Fugazi filling in on bass (i.e. just Hammered Hulls).
Prevail, hardcore from South Carolina, will ostensibly be playing its first show since the late ’90s. Bed Maker played last year’s fest and will be returning for this one. SECT, described as a punk “supergroup,” has members of Earth Crisis, Cursed, and Fall Out Boy.
Regional bands, as well as bands with releases on Blind Rage Records, will also be performing at the fest, including Oh Condor, So Automatic, Exit Angles, Wounded Paw, and Caught Dead. There are also more local bands featured this year than at previous festivals, including Butcher’s Dog (Cincinnati) and Disnerve (Columbus).
Bending Body, a brand new band, recently played its first show at Blind Rage and will be on the bill for the weekend.
In addition to the music, merch booths will be set up under a tent outside.
On Saturday, there will be a punk flea market, a returning concept. Last year, someone was selling taxidermy. This year, it will more than likely be records, studded bracelets, belts and other punk apparel, handmade goods and art that will be for sale during the festival.
It’s not certain whether punk haircuts — mohawks or shaved — will be offered at the event this year.
Downing-Groth has founded several other festivals aside from Blind Rage Weekend. When asked what it means to organize an event like this for the fifth year in a row, for a genre of music that may seem based on chaos to an outsider, she said:
“It feels like I have to explain that it only appears that way to people. We’ve definitely had hurdles getting venues to stand behind it, but Yellow Cab is great. They’ve been great to us for a long time. Some venues hear that it’s a punk festival and they think it’s automatically people destroying the place. That’s not really the case at all. It’s much more chill than people expect.”
In other words, just because someone is wearing a leather jacket over a Misfits tee doesn’t mean they’ll push you into the mosh pit — but they might politely ask you to join.
Brandon Berry writes about the Dayton and Southwest Ohio music and art scene. Have a story idea for him? Email branberry100@gmail.com.
HOW TO GO
What: Blind Rage Records Weekend 2025
When: May 9-10
Where: Yellow Cab Tavern, 700 E. 4th St., Dayton
Cost: $35 advanced, $40 day of show. $60 two-day pass
Tickets: blindragerecords.limitedrun.com
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