By Christopher Woodford

Skull Fest is THE showcase for punk in Pittsburgh. Not just punk, but also a celebration of its offshoots and culture. The yearly festival embarks upon its fourth iteration and is organized by the collective efforts of musicians and fans. There are both word-of-mouth and public events, cookouts, and a colorful array of bands all happening during the three-day span of August 24 through the 26.

The fest truly feels disengaged from the rest of the word, while uniting a legion of supporters under a single banner: punk. Like last year, Skull Fest 4 will occupy itself in the neighborhoods of Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, and Polish Hill.

The shows themselves range from all-ages at Bloomfield’s The Shop to 21 and over at Lawrenceville’s Belvedere’s Bar. Kopec’s Korner, Howler’s Coyote Cafe, and Caliente will also play host to the hooligans and head bangers. Walk, bike, or skateboard, distance between shows is relatively short and makes it a breeze to concert-hop between venues.

As for the bands themselves, the choices are widespread and intermixed. Oldies but goldies, New York’s Urban Waste, Boston’s F.U.’s, and Pittsburgh’s Submachine are lined up to make Friday night an evening to remember.

Kopec’s Korner will be a haven for crusties on Saturday with d-beat and dirty bands like Appalachia Terror Unit, Wrathcobra, Barren Scepter, and Parasytic. Other notable beauties and beasts will be Sickoids, Occultist, Cülo, Icon Gallery, Oh Shit They’re Going To Kill Us, and Killer of Sheep.



By no means are these the only bands to go check out during Skull Fest. There will be ample amounts of punk that will infect like a disease and leave like an addiction.


For more details on all of the happenings at this year's Skull Fest, check out the Skull Fest 4 Facebook event page