Local Music – The Fresnan

What I’m Doing This Weekend: Porchfest [Duh]

April 24, 2026April 24, 2026 The Fresnan

Yes, what I am doing this weekend is what everyone else is doing on Saturday, it’s Porchfest – it’s one of my favorite Fresno things.

I have not locked in planning my day yet (because I am not that kind of person), but I do know some things, my loose schedule of the day I will try to have:

Jonathan Low-Fi – Canal Market at 11:00.
Brother Luke and the Comrades – South Tower Hitching Post at 11:30.
Sleepover Disaster – The Belmont at 12:00.
Werebear – Planet Punk at 1:30.
The Sunburns – The Big Red Porch at 1:45.
It’ll Grow Back – Planet Punk at 2:30.
123 Death – The Big Red Porch at 3:00.
Bootlegger Folk – Medium Weldon from 4-6.
Talking Ghost – The Big Red Porch at 4:15.
Bill Clifton & the Chicken & Whiskey Band – Tower Live! at 5:00.
From Flowers To Flies – The Belmont at 6:30.
Strange Vine – Goldstein’s at 10 PM.

Think I can pull it off?

Also looking to use the Fresno Trolley at some point:

img_1556 What I'm Doing This Weekend: Porchfest [Duh]

Great coverage of the event can be found at Bandgeeeek and Valley Echos.

A good page on the website to plan your day with is this one.

Shout out to the one stage in the NW region of Tower (Hamilton/Daily block), holding it down for the whole area.

Shout out to the Medium WelDON porch for the best dad-joke stage/porch name.

Starts at 10 in the morning. I am going to ‘Dad you’ here and tell you to drink some water and wear some sunblock. And also, nobody needs to know what is in your water bottle.

P.S. Don’t forget there is something cool to do on Sunday, too, you just have to take the short drive up to Madera, it’s Spring Fling! Classic VW car show.

-Mike

What I Might Do At FresYes Fest 2026

March 20, 2026March 20, 2026 The Fresnan

It has become a big local event that is now in the same space as the big big big BIG Fresno Fair and a Fresno State football game, it’s FresYes Fest. (Saturday 1-11:00 pm at Tioga and the baseball stadium)

Lucky for FresYes to have some (even if a little hot for March) good weather. There will be everything you can think to have at a festival, here is what I might be looking to do:

Watch every damn band I can. I am most pumped for Strange Vine and Werebear. Sadly Werebear had to cancel but It’ll Grow Back is a fine ass punk replacement. There is a good chance I won’t be around still for Strange Vine’s set – that’s okay as I plan to see them at their album release show at Fulton 55 (April 11th)
Park in the Spiral Garage. I think I will be there early enough that there will be spaces in the garage, but we shall see. Also considering taking the trolley bus in from Tower.
Find shade. It will be impossible to do this while watching bands though, and won’t be easy at other times. The Chuk with be open though and there is shade under the concourse at least.
Drink water. And yeah, beer too. Not much of a Seltzer person but I do want to try the Tioga & Ampersand blueberry seltzer colab.
Eat. I don’t have a particular food truck I am looking out for. The shortest line will be the top ranking factor for me, if I am being honest.

Band info:

img_1200-1 What I Might Do At FresYes Fest 2026

If you see me out there, please give me your drink ticket or a beer, straight up.

-Mikey

P.S. I have chosen sunblock to be the affiliate sponsor of this post. Because you’re going to fuckin’ need a sport face out there.

Fresno Oldhead Uneventfully Watches Bands and Drinks Beer In Tower

July 23, 2025July 27, 2025 The Fresnan

Editor’s note: I will be doing more personal log style posts here on The Fresnan with expansions of some of the Fresno!Fresno! content. Hope you enjoy and check my website more often as a result.

I was one of 3 old dudes at Goldstein’s last night. I don’t know to think if this is pathetic or something to be proud of.

Probably a bit of both.

Pathetic: Why are you out in The Tower alone as a 50 something dude? Go home and pull weeds or do dishes or some shit.

Proud: Nobody else in my age group out here checking out local bands and enjoying a beer, walking miles home.

I got that video just as the Goldstein’s crowd gave up trying to start a little pit. That band was not playing pit appropriate music but, dammit, folks wanted to pit.

For the younger Fresno crowd, this has been a staple of every Fresno generation; Fresnans love even the tiniest excuse to start a pit. Bless our little hearts. Do we need to grow up? Maybe. But it makes us kind of adorable too.

I decided to check in on Livingstone’s (It has been a while for me) and have a General Sherman IPA from our own Tioga.

The bar had just enough people to give me a sense of enough going on that I wanted to stay. But soon enough, a large amount of people came in and it was too much for this guy, so I headed back over to Gold’s and caught some more Fresno talent:

As I wandered the streets home, contemplating life, I am pretty sure I saw Fresno Jesus wink at me as I walked by:

saintteresechurch-768x1024 Fresno Oldhead Uneventfully Watches Bands and Drinks Beer In Tower

-Mikey

Keep Fresno Brutal

5 Things I Will Do at Fresyes Fest [2023]

March 22, 2023November 10, 2023 The Fresnan

We can debate what our biggest festivals are some other time. But it might be Fresyes Fest. Biggest or not, I PLAN on going (I don’t get out much, so I am cautious with my optimism of leaving the house for something).

Fresyes Fes is this Saturday. It is centered around the Brewery District. Streets will be blocked. Beer will be drank. Music will be played. Tacos will be eaten.

Here are five things I plan to do, maybe you can to:

FresYES Fest 2022: Show Up Early, Like Always

March 22, 2022March 23, 2022 The Fresnan

If you are on ‘Fresno Internet’, I’m sure you have seen that FresYes Fest is Saturday.

If you haven’t been before, my number one tip is to go early. It starts at 1:00 so go at 1:00! (Unless you are not broken like me and enjoy large crowds then go whenever)

322e0f91-8101-4350-9b7c-f0c444957fb5 FresYES Fest 2022: Show Up Early, Like Always — This is an all ages event and free to get it, fyi.

I plan to stick around for Bill Clifton & The Chicken & Whiskey Band’s set there in the 3-4 mid-afternoon sweet spot, then I will have one foot out the door – time to hit the road.

Reason being, that is the time (4:30ish) when the lines really start forming. The mess starts happening. The youth begin to takeover. People from weird places like Clovis start showing up.

And that’s totally cool and stuff – I just don’t want to be there for it. My curmudgeon self won’t endure.

The only thing that might get me to stay is Joshua Tehee hosting a stage:

b5a64b3b-b839-44da-b724-026254bf0384 FresYES Fest 2022: Show Up Early, Like Always

I can’t say I have heard of any of those bands which is totally cool because I am ready to be impressed or whatever – it has been too damn long since I’ve seen some local talent live.

I also might stay for beer – if there are no lines. Also can stay for taco variants:

06f41928-95e0-4db1-b7b5-b80adc96428e FresYES Fest 2022: Show Up Early, Like Always

But again, you gotta be there early, even for tacos.

“Where the fuck do I park!?” Like, dude, wherever. Look at the map:

9b3b3e44-f39d-42d5-b768-79154d238cc6 FresYES Fest 2022: Show Up Early, Like Always

Alrighty, well, it doesn’t exactly hold your hand and show you where to park but just act like you’re going to a Grizzlies game or jury duty and you’ll be fine.

But also, maybe get your Uncle to give you a ride down there and just wing it for a ride home – make an adventure out of it. One year I walked over to The Raddison and got an Uber home from there.

Anyway, it will be fun, even for grumpy dudes like me. See ya out there EARLY. ✌️?