@ZackTeibloom It’s ballsy to put an exclamation point in the title of your festival. It’s not ACL! or Bonnaroo! An inaugural festival in November deserves to have an exclamation point in its title if done right. Oh Snap! was all kinds of right. And not just because there were free hot dogs and pancakes. It was the first festival I’ve ever been to where the bands were far ahead of schedule. A full half hour at one point. And the bands that filled the two-stage set-up where Fader Fort usually is on E. 5th shined like the mid-November sun on another warm day in Austin.

Bright Light Social Hour dripped sex and blues rock. Little Lo was all high. Marmalakes dazzled with the song of the fest and The Eastern Sea insisted they would be better next show, but sounded just fine to me. It was the kind of  festival where the front row of the crowd was often filled with members other bands who were also playing. Not because they got a special VIP pass or anything. It was just that these were bands who knew and loved each other and that feeling. An inaugural festival in November deserves to have an exclamation point in its title if done right. Oh Snap! was all kinds of right.

I’d like to say I crashed it, but I have a hard time crashing a benefit show for someone who passed away that generates scholarships.  Also, it was only $6 if you bought tickets through Localiter in advance and I had no idea how easy it would have been. Oh, well. Let’s hand out some awards to the best of the fest.

Best in Show:Bright Light Social Hour If I told you they played Mannish Boy, but made it far more explicit, pumped it full of Austin references and closed with a vicious “Young Man Blues” would you be intrigued? I didn’t even tell you about them insisting you sit on their face and go face down, ass up. Click through for full review

Most Likely to Break Out at SXSW: Little Lo – Think of a younger Freelance Whales with sax instead of accordion. Hearts of gold, constantly endearing themselves to the audience and each other. Read the full review.

Best song: “Vittoria” by Marmalakes You know how The Beatles had all their other friends in bands come in for the recording of “Yellow Submarine?” This song deserves that treatment and gets it whenever their friends in Little Lo are around. I bought this song on iTunes before ever seeing them play it. It is literally the first song I ever bought on iTunes. That has to count for something.

Best Free stuff: Three way tie between the hot dogs, pancakes and Kind bars. I feel the need to promote Kind bars after how many free ones have been at festivals lately and how awesome they are.

Most Surprising: I had a streak of about 5 festivals without having to use a port-o-poty. I wasn’t holding it or anything, I think I was just mildly dehydrated. I went twice in this day festival in which I even went home for a couple hours. Shocking. Don’t tell anyone.

Worst Costume Choice: Frontier Brothers – Suspenders with gems and no shirt – I never thought I’d long for a day when a band would still be wearing all spandex, but yikes. Not a good look, sir.

Related posts:

1. Bright Light Social Hour @ Oh Snap! Festival – Men Among Boys
2. Was Chasing the Festival Crasher Dream Worth it?
3. Many Highs for Little Lo @ Oh Snap! Festival
4. Festival Crashers Music Festival