MATT EVANS

Matt Evans plays guitar in Old Flings, a rock band from Asheville, NC.

What was the food highlight of your year?

My food highlight of 2014 was discovering this great Pho place in Asheville, PHO R US. I mean, it has a horribly great name. The pho itself is quite extraordinary. I've been there about 20 times after discovering it in late 2014.

What was the music highlight of your year?

My music highlight of 2014 was probably playing FEST in Florida. Fest is such a good time with the right ingredients: people, music. I got to see a lot of folks that I hold dear to my heart.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

We played a sushi place in Toronto. It was my first time in Canada, so that made it memorable. The meal that I had was pretty good too.

@mattbbqevans

JONAH BAYER

Jonah Bayer is a music journalist, plays in the band United Nations, co-hosts the Going Off Track podcast, and co-created the web series Sound Advice With Janessa Slater.

What was the food highlight of your year?

I took a family vacation this year to Santibel Island, Florida. There is not a lot to do there other than lie around and you could get a dozen gulf oysters at most places for a quarter of what they would cost in New York City. I ate a lot of oysters down there, like, a lot. Oh also my sister caught a fish (I think it was a trout) and we took it to a restaurant that night and had them prepare it. That was a highlight, too. This story probably would have sounded a lot cooler if I had caught the fish but everything I caught was either too small or got away. Story of my life.

What was the music highlight of your year?

This year my band United Nations played Fest again and I was lucky enough to get to see the Marked Men when they performed at Bo Diddley Plaza in between our soundcheck and set. The Marked Men are one of my favorite bands and almost never tour anymore so it was a real dream getting to witness how tight and solid they were live. They also closed with "Fix My Brain" which is probably one of the most perfect rock songs I'd ever heard. I'm sure if we had got in early enough the previous day when the Descendents played that would have been on this list as well but even though we were only down there for one day I still got to see The Melvins, Frameworks, Whores, Hot Water Music and a ton of other great acts.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

We did a west coast tour with a band from Los Angeles called Silver Snakes in November and they managed to know about every cool coffee shop or brewery in every single city. It was real amazing to get to hit some of the best spots in both of these categories and get to sample everything that they had to offer, even if it meant showing up to the shows extremely late in most cases. I'd also say getting fish tacos in Berkeley the day we played 924 Gilman was a huge highlight as anytime I have a chance to eat Mexican food on the west coast, it's a real treat.

@mynameisjonah

WARREN OAKES

Warren Oakes is co-owner of Boca Fiesta and played drums in Against Me! His new band, Sunshine State, is currently in the studio.

What was the food highlight of your year?

My food highlight was spending 6 days in Guadalajara, Mexico in early November with my business partner and buddy Jake. I really couldn’t pick out any one meal, just being immersed in such an enthusiastic food culture was amazing. The most surprising thing probably was how stoked everybody was about pizza and doughnuts. We got to see a soccer match and all the vendors are walking around selling pizza and doughnuts. There was not a single taco or churro in the whole damn stadium! We got to try home brewed pulque in a really small, off-the-grid, pulque bar. Its a strangely sour and funky and allegedly hallucinogenic potion made from the same plant mezcal is made from. I felt a little something weird in my mind, gonna have to drink more next time to truly test that claim. I also had the best torta, best tamale, best taco, best tortilla, and best tequila I’ve ever tasted. Can’t wait to go back.

What was the music highlight of your year?

My music highlight was Fest in Gainesville. I had the double pleasure of hosting rad shows at my venue and playing a very fun set with my sweet new band. So many great bands, so many nice folks. My favorite Fest so far.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

I’ve managed to arrange my life in such a way that the intersection of food and music is where I spend virtually all of my time. I own a venue that is connected to a restaurant, so coming up with recipes and menu development while booking shows and running sound is what I do for a living. And playing music and eating everything is what I do for a life. Living the dream!

@bocafiesta

CARLIN BROWN

Carlin Brown plays drums in Restorations and has cooked at Philadelphia’s Industry Bar, Good Dog Bar, Royal Tavern, Monk’s Cafe, and Memphis Taproom.

What was the music highlight of your year?

2013 was a busy and exciting year for just about everyone I know in music, in food, in anything really. The most memorable time in music is a no brainer. That would be Fest 12 in Gainesville, Fl. I was lucky enough to snag a job as tech for all the backlined SJC drum kits, so I was extremely busy running around the various venues. Even so, most of my band and some of my closest friends in music all piled in the Gainesville Theatre for the long haul on Saturday to see a marathon of completely different bands: Plow United, Paint it Black, Night Marchers, Braid, BoySetsFire, Dillinger Four, and more. I was also lucky enough to catch some of Ceremony, Torche, Bouncing Souls, Menzingers, Sundowner, and finally got to see Cayetana live. Every year seems to be a pretty consistent incline of fun.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

Food and music came together in September. Philly friends and their dogs converged upon and took over the huge warehouse where my band practices for what was deemed “Smoked Meats Day.” Musicians and people who write and/or obsess about music all participated in smoking any and every kind of smokable food imaginable. We hooked up a PA for music listening, tapped the keg, and got the smoker going around 8:00 AM. There were so many exciting things to eat. We smoked chicken, wings, pork shoulder, seitan, almonds, chick peas, various veggies and hot peppers. There was a deep fryer so we we roasted, smoked, and deep fried coconut to make vegan bacon. And of course there was the vegan wing off. There were also regular grills for obligatory burgers and hot dogs. The highlight of the day was a whole beef brisket that smoked for fourteen plus hours only to have it still be perfectly rare in the middle. It was a marathon day of talking about life, music, and food, all while listening to music and eating food. It ran all morning, noon, and late into the night. I can’t wait for next year!

restorations

JORDAN LUFF

Jordan Luff plays bass in the band Old Flings

What was the food highlight of your year?

I have to include two highlights: the first is my hometown Asheville, NC’s only vegan restaurant, Plant. It’s a little out of my price range for an everyday dinner, so I keep it in my back pocket for special occasions. The hazelnut crusted seitan is quite possibly the most decadent food I’ve put in my mouth since becoming vegan. Served with whipped cauliflower, grilled broccolina and romesco, pickled onions, and shiitake bacon. Absolutely breath-taking dinner.

Second, Farmburger, another Asheville favorite. They serve a vegan burger made up of sea island red pea, Smiling Hara smoked tempeh (local brand), and black eyed peas, topped with clover sprouts, red cabbage, and a basil tofu spread on the bun. It’s like it melts in my damn mouth.

What was the music highlight of your year?

My band Old Flings got to play a lot of regional and national festivals this year, including Fest 12 in Gainesville, FL. I got to see some of my all-time favorite bands play, including Torche, Iron Chic, Knapsack, Hop Along, and Restorations. But the best band I saw this year was probably Superchunk in Asheville at the Grey Eagle Music Hall on August 23rd. Watching them was about as close to a religious experience as seeing Coalesce back in 2009 at FEST 8. It’s been a great year for music!

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

Any time Old Flings gets to hit the road, be it for a weekend, a tour, or a festival trip, I try to incorporate food into my adventure. While down at Fest, we had the opportunity to dine at Harvest Thyme, a vegan-friendly sandwich and smoothie joint, and Reggae Shack, one of the best Jamaican-style restaurants I’ve ever had. And I can’t forget Richmond, VA. We only played there once in 2013 (which sucks), but we hit up Ipanema Cafe, Panda Veg, Strange Matter, and Harrison Street Coffee Shop. Richmond has great, great food.

@oldflings

MAX STERN

Max Stern fronts the bands Signals Midwest and Meridian.

What was the food highlight of your year?

I spent a month in Israel in January and what amazed me the most there was how good all the produce is. Dates, bananas, cucumbers, carrots, radishes - everything tasted completely different and fresh and sweet. There were no chemicals or preservatives or anything. I got to go to a strawberry and carrot farm near the Gaza Strip and just pick things out of the ground, clean them off and eat them. Completely different than buying produce at a grocery store here in the States.

The lowlight was probably a cheese calzone that our guitar player Jeff and I ordered at 2 AM in Hoboken, NJ in May. That thing was the saddest excuse for a calzone I’d ever seen. It looked like it had been run over by a truck and then someone had tried to cover it in parmesan cheese to distract from the disfigured blob it had become. Somehow, we still ate the whole thing. Tour diet. No rules. No regrets.

What was the music highlight of your year?

Our set at Fest 12 this year was wild. We had just released a new record a few days beforehand and were worried about playing new songs, but they were received just as well as the old ones, which was very validating. The entire set was just a total mess of crowd surfers and stage divers and people stealing my microphone. It was exactly what I had hoped it’d be. 

I also got to spend a week on the road with The Smith Street Band from Australia while they were out with Frank Turner in October. Their band is incredible and they were the nicest and most accommodating group of people. Definitely developed a few too many inside jokes and a bunch of really great friendships.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

We went to Montreal on tour this summer. We’d never played in another country before and Montreal was great because it felt so European and foreign. We had an incredible, packed basement show and were all just ecstatic and buzzing the entire night. We’d been hearing about poutine ever since we booked the Montreal show, so the next day we had a day off and went on a search for the best example we could find. We found a great little spot in a cool neighborhood but right as we all got our orders, the skies opened up. There was no sitting or standing room left, so what I’m left with now is a very fond memory of the four of us huddled under an awning in a doorway in Montreal stuffing ourselves with french fries and cheese curds and peppers and various spiced meats.

@signalsmidwest

JONAH BAYER

Jonah Bayer is a music journalist who’s served as music editor of Alternative Press and head writer of Stephen’s Untitled Rock Show (MTV). He is co-host of the Going Off Track podcast and co-creator of the Sound Advice web series.

What was the food highlight of your year?

This is a tough one for me since I mainly subsist on take-out within a two-block radius of my apartment, but earlier this year I ventured to Asia and had some amazing meals in South Korea. I got extremely lucky by making some friends who lived there on my connecting flight from Taiwan and they helped me have some super authentic dining experiences that ranged from Korean BBQ joints to nondescript food stalls on the street. From my experiences you can’t go wrong with anything that’s served on a stick. Plus you don’t have to deal with utensils, which is a huge bonus for me. 

What was the music highlight of your year?

Seeing Saves The Day play a super late secret show at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn was pretty incredible. I wrote my first cover story on them for Alternative Press over a decade ago so it was pretty surreal to be able to hear them play a lot of that material again live in a small club setting. They performed Through Being Cool in its entirety and Chris even dedicated my favorite song “Banned From The Back Porch” to me since it was my birthday. I still kind of can’t believe this happened but I’ve seen a bunch of photos from that night so I’m pretty sure it did. 

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

A few months ago my band United Nations played Fest in Gainesville and had some amazing meals at a place called The Jones, which served a ton of delicious local food. Better yet since so many bands were in town for the festival, every time we went we’d run into someone that we knew and hadn’t seen in a while. I remember one meal in particular where I had some amazing biscuits alongside the guys from Paint It Black and Octaves. Oh also some band called Knapsack played at one point, you should check them out. I think they’re pretty new. 

@mynameisjonah

JEFF TAKACS

Jeff Takacs runs and hosts the punk podcast Rocket Fuel. 

What was the food highlight of your year?

For me, the best part of this year for food has been stepping out and trying local restaurants that I haven’t been to in my own backyard of Tallahassee.  Believe it or not, Tallahassee is actually a pretty great food town and we have a lot of options of locally owned and run places to eat.  So this year, I wanted to go to more of them and see what they had to offer.  My favorite is Voodoo Dog, which has amazing hot dogs (duh) as well as hamburgers, fries, etc.  I absolutely love their Jefferson dog, which is a bacon-wrapped dog topped with mac-n-cheese.  My arteries hate me, but it sure is delicious.  Another great thing about the place is their décor.  It’s totally kitsch with awesome items from the 80s and 90s.  How can you not love a place with framed portraits of each of the Golden Girls?  

What was the music highlight of your year?

Getting to see a reunited Rocket From The Crypt in a 400-person club in Chicago.  I only got to see them once before they called it quits in 2005, so getting to see them again was not only unexpected, but really special.  The venue was packed with die-hard fans who were singing along with every word.  The band ripped through their set with the energy and their patented big sound as I had remembered them doing when I saw them some 17 years ago.  Reunion shows are always a gamble, but it was one that I was definitely willing to take and was ecstatic with the show.  It was icing on the cake for me when a month later, I got the chance to interview Speedo (John Reis) on Rocket Fuel when he was in Florida for Fest 12 with one of his other bands, The Night Marchers.  

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

Every year, food and music come together in an amazing way for me when I travel down to Gainesville for The Fest.  Not only do I get to see a ton of my favorite bands and friends from across the globe, but the restaurants in downtown Gainesville make it an even more memorable experience.  Whether it’s the authentic Cuban food at Flaco’s, to the amazing island flavors of Reggae Shack to the outstand gator burritos at Boca Fiesta, the food choices at Fest are always the perfect complement to a weekend filled with the best punk rock and PBR.

@rocket_fuel

CHRISTOPHER CHAISSON

Christopher Chaisson is singer/guitarist of The Young Leaves

What was the food highlight of your year?

This year was a big food year for me! Although it’s kind of funny, I’ve been struggling with food phobias since I was a kid, which has limited me significantly in terms of my diet and what I can/will eat. This year I decided that I was going to tackle some of my phobias head-on by trying different foods, in hopes of branching out and expanding my palate. 

Particularly, I made the brave leap into burritos, which contain a ton of ingredients that have freaked me out for years. Turns out, after a few bad experiences, I absolutely LOVE burritos! This self-discovery has been relatively huge for me because through conquering the burrito, I’ve been able to add several core foods to my diet like beans, rice, and lettuce. It may seem ridiculous and unimpressive to some, but it was a personal milestone which I’m super happy about.

What was the music highlight of your year?

My musical highlight of the year was easily the release of my band’s new full-length, Alive and Well. As with any release, I was extremely excited to get the record out, but this one was such an incredible process and ultimately felt more rewarding than anything that I’d done in the past. It was the first record that I did with my new drummer (and one of my best friends), Rico Delgado, and the chemistry and enjoyment we had while writing and recording these songs was truly awesome. I think we both feel like we accomplished something, and there’s not a greater feeling in the world. My runner-up musical highlight was playing Fest 12 and getting to see several of my favorite bands. It was an amazing experience and I’d like to thank Tony and everyone else who helped make it happen. I’m already stupidly excited for the next one!

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

Yes! Earlier in the year, I had a moment in which I considered quitting The Young Leaves and giving up on playing music in general. Our bassist had left us (on amicable terms) and I was undergoing some rough personal stuff, so I called up Rico and asked him to hang out, preparing to give him the whole “this band is over” speech. We met up at this place in my hometown called Outpost Farm, which neither of us had ever been to. I remember we both ordered these $4 Thanksgiving-style turkey sandwiches and they were quite possibly the greatest sandwiches that we’d ever had. While we were eating, I started to drop the bomb on Rico and, almost immediately, he told me to shut up and stop being irrational. I don’t know what it was about the combination of tough love and a delicious turkey/cranberry sandwich, but it ultimately saved the band. I’ll always remember that day.

@youngleavesma

SERGIE LOOBKOFF

Sergie Loobkoff plays guitar in Samiam, Knapsack, and Felled Trees.

What was the food highlight of your year?

I love a restaurant in Silverlake called Cliff’s Edge. From the outside it looks like a muffler shop next to a 99¢ store…but when you walk through the gate, you discover this Tolkien-like outdoor multi-tiered garden with tables build around a giant Oak tree (maybe it’s more like the tree from Pan’s Labrynth without the gross toad). There is a full bar to get sloshed from and at the end the chocolate lava cake is retarded-good. In the middle part of the evening, meat and fish is awesome and the salads are of the yummy variety. Each February, the discussion comes up to where to go for Valentine,s Day… can’t go there every year (according to my girlfriend) but 2013 was a Cliff’s Edge…which made it a good year.

What was the music highlight of your year?

I went out to Florida again for The Fest. It was my third time. Samiam played a couple of shows, Knapsack played, and I have little quartet with George from Hot Water Music and my bubs Mike and John called Grievers. Playing was fine and dandy, but I also got to see Iron Chic, who were awesome….and Off With Their Heads who were also awesome, and a new favorite, Old Flings. I made a new buddy from Michigan called Kevin, which is fun. I hate seeing bands usually, it’s so 1988 for me….but this was a good time.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

Speaking of Knapsack, we went out to Chicago a few weeks ago to play a show. This famous chef guy likes the ’90s emotional rock music thing, of which Knapsack was a part of, so he invited us to his restaurant for a feast. Graham Elliott is his name and he treated us really, really well…like we were ‘somebodies’ even though everyone knows we are ‘nobodies’. Drunk? Yes. Full? Yes. Tummyache? Surprisingly, no…go figure.

@deadcosmo

MATT EVANS

Matt Evans plays guitar and sings in the band Old Flings.

What was the food highlight of your year?

This is such a hard question, because I’ve eaten so much great food this year. Being from Asheville, NC, the food game is on a new level, and it takes a lot for other places to meet the bar.  Even after mentioning that though, my food highlight of the year was homemade.  

I recently had to cut dairy out of my diet which meant that I couldn’t eat pizza like a college slob anymore (because what is pizza without pounds of cheese). My girlfriend helped me in the woe process by convincing me that we could make homemade pizza.  It ended up being delicious!  We crammed so much stuff on there.  I never would have thought that chorizo on pizza would be amazing! 

What was the music highlight of your year?

I would say the music highlight of my year would be around the release of our new singles.  My band worked really hard to write a string of songs that we would release on 3 different 7”s.  It meant that we had to push ourselves and I was nervous about where our music would land after our first LP.  Getting to play FEST 12 was a close 2nd though.  It was quite possibly the best show I’ve ever played in my life.  

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

I once did an acoustic show at Cook Out, a local fast food chain in the south - kind of like IN-N-OUT. It was myself and the glorious PJ BOND. If you’ve never eaten at Cook Out then you should and if you’ve never listened to PJ BOND then you definitely should. 

@oldflings