As Bear had committed off to Escanaba on 4/19, to visit with that crew and some potential clients, we felt we would be remiss if we left Resinator ’25 uncovered. Fortunately, friend of MMS & WUPX Music Director Jack was rarin’ to go. – Bear
Kognisjon is back, lighting up Marquette once again with its signature 420 (well, 4/19) festival and exclusive beer release. With a stacked bill of Michigan (and a little Wisconsin) heavy music and a fresh beer release to boot.
Caving Grounds started off the show and shocked the crowd awake with some songs off of their newest EP, “Northern Desolation.” Their blend of hardcore grit and post-metal atmosphere made for a unique, bleak but energizing experience and got the crowd more than ready for what was to come.
Following Caving Grounds was La Crosse, Wisconsin’s THE GREY AREA. They brought a powerful instrumental, atmospheric set, which would make you float with their spacey riffs, then slam you back down into the ground with their heavy breakdowns. Imagine if Pelican and Russian Circles had a Michigan cousin raised in a planetarium, constantly staring at the northern lights.
Next up was Negaunee’s The Hard. When they took the stage, you’d better have had your boots on, because they turned Marquette into the Bayou with their swampy riffs. Sludgy, groovy, and unapologetically filthy, their set really got the crowd moving with a circle pit in the middle of the bar room. This band has a soft spot in my heart as they were the first group I saw live when I moved to Marquette. Bonus points to Andy for complimenting my Eyehategod shirt.
Continuing to bring the heat was Lansing’s four-piece Room-101. I personally had never heard of this group before, but from their first song, it was like a magnet was embedded into my head, and the floor was made out of iron. A doom/death metal outfit with a sound that hits like a collapsing cathedral, they brought a thick, suffocating sound. If you were there, you know that even their equipment wanted to bang its head.
And what better way to end a “4/20” fest than the Stoner Metal band Bog Witch from West Michigan? From the first note, it was like a cloud of smoke smacked you in the face, and when it disappeared, you were back at the DnD table with their tabletop RPG and fantasy inspired tracks. Their sound was a slow moving beast, dragging through layers of fuzz. Each track felt like a journey through a fantasy campaign: dragons, graveyards, necromancers, you name it, they riffed about it. Think Sleep meets Dungeons & Dragons, and in classic Stoner Doom fashion, they pushed the time limits of the city ordinance, but I don’t think anyone was complaining.
Another year in the books and more necks that’ll need a brace come Monday. Kognition’s 420 Fest helps prove that the U.P. heavy scene is alive, loud, and louder than ever. If you missed it, well, to quote Caving Grounds Vocalist, “you’re a buster.” – Jack Wolgamott
From Elk Rapids, Michigan, Jack is the Music Director at NMU’s WUPX, where he’s majoring in multi-media production. In his free tiem Jack enjoys writing riffs and making music with his friends.
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