Bido Lito!

The Kazimier Krunk Fiesta

This Saturday, 16th June, sees our wonderfully wack friends at The Kazimier welcome in summer in their own inimitable way. For this day marks the KAZIMIER KRUNK FIESTA, a day long event held in the much loved venue. Boasting the title this year of The Day Of The Absurd, the Krunk Fiesta looks set to build upon the successes of last year's Krunk Carnival by hosting three stages of performances from bands and DJs, all designed to create a mini world of fiesta fun. There will also be a human tower, a goat drop from a belfry, and a brand new outside garden area with food, alehouse and music, that will run for the rest of the summer. For a taste of what to expect, have a look at this teaser film by Jack Whiteley.

THE KAZIMIER | Krunk Fiesta Teaser from Jack Whiteley on Vimeo.

This year's line-up features a whole host of talent across the stages (Club, Plaza d'Fumar and Garden), which includes JAMES CANTY, FLAMIN MAMIES, WHITE BICYCLES, AEMRiCANS, KING TWIT, LOVECRAFT, KRUNK ALLSTARS WITH JIMMY GOATFOOT, and LOOSE MOOSE STRING BAND. To get in the spirit with the right kind of attire for the event, try out the official Krunk Costume Generator. There will be DJ sets from MR PAUL/JAMES RAND, GOLD SOUNDZ and EAT YOUR GREENS, plus some special guest performances. MAMADOU AND THE SUPER LIBADOR BAND return for another Krunk Fiesta, and fifteen piece marching brass band HARLEQUIN DYNAMITES make their bow. Advance tickets for the event can be purchased here on bidolito.co.uk.

The RIVER NIGER ORCHESTRA also make an appearance that will surely be greatly anticipated. Bringing together a wide variety of West African music and cultural influences, the collective are famed for their live performances that include dance, poetry and recitals, and that perfect summer festival vibe. The video below is from their performance at a previous Africa Oyé Festival, and gives you a taster of what to expect.

Also featuring at the Krunk Fiesta are Sheffield/Leeds duo WET NUNS. Renowned for their heavily melodic stoner blues-punk sound, Wet Nuns have been a big hit on the festival calendar this year, and it's with good reason. Drummer Alexis Gotts and guitarist Rob Graham always put on a huge show, specialising in guttural, industrial-sized slabs of rhythm. We caught up with the duo with a quick chat ahead of their weekend Fiesta gig.

Bido Lito!: Hi Rob and Alexis, how are things in the Wild West (Yorkshire)?

Wet Nuns: Wet and boring. How's sunny Liverpool?

BL!: Positively radiant. You’ve just played No Direction Home Festival, how was that experience for you? Did Sherwood Forest provide a good setting for your pulverising music in the end?

WN: Everyone there seemed so wet and fed up that they appeared to be glad of a warm tent to stand in. It was one of the larger audiences we've played to, and it was really good fun. People seem to be more open to try new music at festivals, so we're happy to play them. Of course, it was a pure honour to play in Sir Robin Hood's own back yard. There were rumours he was there himself, but this was refuted by the Merry Festival Stewards, despite our repeated enquiries.

BL!: When you played Liverpool recently (Sound City Festival) you played in a converted garage. I’d think that kind of industrial space would lend itself better Wet Nuns’ sound than a outdoor festival, do you think the setting of your shows matters that much?

WN: We enjoyed that gig very much indeed. The setting is important, but indoors or outdoors doesn't matter. Both are equally dirty. Filth is perceived rather than conceived. What does that mean? We're not sure, but know it makes sense.

Photo by Keith Ainsworth

BL!: We described that show as being like “a live grenade: unpredictable and wild.” Do you consciously put more of an emphasis on your live shows to hammer home snarling, guttural nature on your sound?

WN: We don't do much consciously at our gigs, because we're usually off our tits on our own 'hyperhallucinogenic vibe sauce' (we make this using the key ingredients of an average band rider - Carlsberg, mild salsa dip, cheap humous and instant coffee - ground into a paste and smoked through a hollowed-out drum stick). We just enjoy playing gigs, because that's what we're in a band for. We wouldn't consider ourselves particularly wild or unpredictable, but that's possibly because we've never seen ourselves play, because we're blind.

BL!: With the modern music industry as skewed as it is do you think artists have got to make a choice, between building a live following and chasing commercial success from sales?

WN: Why wouldn't any band want to try and achieve both? Surely the two complement each other, and are all that is fun about being in a band?

BL!: You’ve got another Liverpool show approaching this weekend at The Kazimier Krunk Fiesta, which makes it three so far in the year. What are you expecting from this one?

WN: Excessive silliness? We haven't experienced a Krunk Fiesta before, so we're not entirely sure what to expect. We really enjoyed our last two Liverpool gigs so we're looking forward to this being the best yet. This time Alexis will try not to vomit on his own shoes on the way home after publicly insulting our driver. Thanks to those two stupid twins who gave us rum at Sound City.

BL!: Can we expect Wet Nuns to be indulging in the madness of The Day Of The Absurd?

WN: Absolutely not. We shall be sitting in our car with our eyes closed until it is time to play. And then we shall look around us and tut and roll our eyes and say "isn't Liverpool silly, let us leave at once".

BL!: They’ll be dropping a goat from a belfry so I recommend bringing a hat of some description.

WN: A hat hard on?

BL!: Perhaps.