Celebrate indie, hardcore, punk and more at this weekend’s Today’s Mixtape Festival. Already in its fourth year, the 2015 festival takes place on Saturday, August 15 (2-11pm) and Sunday, August 16 (noon – 11pm) at The Emporium in Patchogue. Saturday’s highlights include influential Long Island band The Movielife’s first hometown show in 13 years, Kill Your Idols first show on the Island in eight years and A Loss For Words will play its last show.
‘Real-life party god’ Andrew W.K. will be performing at the after party on Saturday night, and a portion of the ticket sales will go to The Safe Center in Nassau County. The comprehensive victims’ services agency offers confidential and cost-free services to victims of child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.
Melodic hardcore band The Movielife originated in Long Island in 1997 and disbanded in 2003, briefly got back together in 2010 and played what was said to be their last show in August of 2011 at NYC’s Best Buy Theater—with special appearances by Brand New and Crime in Stereo. The quintet—frontman Vinnie Caruana, guitarist Brandon Reilly, bassist Phil Navetta, drummer Evan Baken and guitarist Daniel Navetta—has been reunited since 2014.
Long Island Pulse: Why did you decide to get back together after so many years? Did you need to practice much?
Vinnie Caruana: Brandon and I were very keen to play together again and we contacted the other guys about the possibility of Movielife activities. Everyone was super down and we practiced a lot before the first shows. Now we usually get together a few days before a show and jam.
Pulse: Have your crowds changed since you last played together?
VC: There are some people that were around back in the day, but there’s also some that were too young and are seeing us for the first time.
Pulse: Where did you originally get the name The Movielife?
VC: Daryl from (LI band) Glassjaw and I played music together a lot when we were younger and one of our imaginary projects was called The Movielife. So I took the name later on when The Movielife started.
Pulse: What’s been your favorite live show so far?
VC: Probably Manchester, UK. We were over our jetlag and feeling like ourselves. The crowd was basically Manchester, Liverpool with a huge contingent of Scottish people. So you know it was live. We were powerful that night.
Pulse: Have you been in, or at, a Mixed Tape Festival before? What do you like about it?
VC: I’ve been to a Fall Mixtape Festival and I’ve performed solo. It was great. I’m very proud to be from Long Island (North Merrick). I’m happy to be at Long Island fests because I’ve been going to shows here since I was 11. It’s cool to see people still going to shows on the Island and to see the newer bands coming up.
Pulse: Any plans for new material, or going in a different direction genre-wise?
VC: I’ve been curious about new material but we’ll see if anything happens. It could be interesting to see what we would write together now. It certainly wouldn’t sound the same as back then… that would be silly, I think.
Today’s Mixtape Festival – 2015 Daily Lineups
Saturday, August 15
The Movielife
Kill Your Idols
Crime In Stereo
Incendiary
A Loss for Words
Iron Chic
Giants at Large
Gates
Microwave
Makeshift
The Cavalry Is Us
Andrew W.K.* (*Saturday Night After Party)
Sunday, August 16
Every Time I Die
Real Friends
Stray From the Path
State Champs
Counterparts
On Broken Wings
Cryptodira
Knocked Loose
Brigades
Gatherers
Broadside
Commonwealth
Shorebreak
Young Graves
Purchase single day, VIP and weekend tickets starting at $20.