Recap: NEO Fear Fest 2017

On October 28, I took part in the revitalized NEO Fear Fest at the NEO Youth Center in Grass Valley. I've worked on and off with NEO for the past few years, from NEOFEST to the Nevada County Fair, and I was happy to receive the call to perform for them once again.


For those that don't know, NEO (New Events & Opportunities) was founded in 2008 as a drug prevention program and has since grown to be a beacon for the youth of Nevada County. Their goal is to promote a healthy lifestyle by hosting "new events and opportunities" that are safe, fun, and encouraging.

I was contacted by Tanner Day, the music coordinator for NEO, and lead singer and guitarist for local punk band, Student Driver, who was headlining Fear Fest. We met earlier in the month to discuss advertising and show etiquette, including the encouragement of wearing a costume. Since NEO has a reputation for being a safe environment for all ages, all performers are obligated to follow basic guidelines to keep the show family friendly, which for me isn't too much of an issue. At this meeting, I also met the rest of Student Driver. I've known Tanner for a while now, but this was my first time meeting the band as a whole, and what a pleasure it was. They are all quality dudes. I was also thrilled to learn that another band booked for Fear Fest was my good friends and rock enthusiasts, The Hype. I've done gigs with them before and they always bring what they are called to any show. I was proud to be opening for these show stoppers.

The NEO Youth Center (Courtesy of NEO)

The NEO Youth Center is only a few years old, a repurposed retail store space turned youth sanctuary. A walk through the front door leads to a small lobby space with a pool table and bean bag chair circle. Walk forward and turn right through the opening and you enter a larger room that housed the stage. It's a humble space, and perfect for open mics and small gigs like this one. Since my planned costume wouldn't be ideal for gigging, I decided to dust on my Rey Mysterio mask and just wear that. It's not cheating, it's using your resources.

Me in the lucha spirit
performing on the NEO
Stage (Courtesy of NEO)

I started off the show promptly at 7:03pm, in typical acoustic Talen fashion, opening with a cover of Dead Man's Party by Oingo Boingo. My set consisted of covers, originals, and parodies. In typical opening act fashion, I started the set performing for 20 people, and by the end, I was playing to a full house. I'm very satisfied with how I performed and I am glad to have my name back out in the local music scene.

Me with The Hype after the show

I stuck around after my set to watch the rest of the show. There were about fifteen minutes between me and the next act, The Hype. They have gone through some personnel changes over the past few months, and I was curious to see where they were at with the loss of their original front man. Not to my surprise, they put on a great show, leaving everyone musically fulfilled with their infectious melodies and their musical prowess. The fact that they are personal friends of mine just makes watching them all the better.

Me, moments before my
inevitable defeat in the
costume contest
(Courtesy of NEO)

Before we were scheduled to be rocked by Student Driver, there was a costume contest. My girlfriend, being the supporter she is, talked me into entering. To no one's surprise, my lowly luchador mask didn't impress anyone. In fact, I was booed off the stage, or rather, I booed myself off stage. All in good taste, of course. Besides, someone has to be the charity case.

Student Driver partake in a selfie with
El Talen after their set

For the main event, Student Driver took the stage, dawning KISS-esque face paint in celebration of the frightful occasion. As leaders of the local punk scene, they asserted their place atop the palace of punk in Nevada County with their performance at Fear Fest. With their high octane playing style and powerful vocals, there was no better way to close the show. They even had a double encore. Like, for real.

I am so glad that I decided to do this show, and I look forward to being a part of this show for years to come.

Myself (crouching in front), Student Driver (in face paint), and The Hype (right of zombie)
(Courtesy of NEO)

For more information on NEO, visit www.ncneo.org

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