Threat Fest is coming back to Smyrna on Aug. 24 and 25 with a lineup of some of the hottest indie/hardcore rock bands in Middle Tennessee. It’ll be the fourth installment of the music festival hosted by Idle Threat, a band that belongs to Nashville’s thriving roster of musicians. Threat Fest is locked and loaded with a stunning cast of 29 bands packed into an exciting weekend.

After a successful Idle Threat release show, Ernie Fabian, Zeke McKinney and Justin Jones—the three musicians behind Idle Threat’s melodic hardcore sound—founded Threat Fest to build a community with other music scenes in Middle Tennessee while encouraging artistic growth and prosperity.

“What really inspired us to actually go through with [Threat Fest] was our first EP release show,” McKinney said. “We thought that it would be worth it to just give throwing our own festival a shot.”

Threat Fest has no shortage of good artistry. The show pulls from a dense pool of the best musicians in the area. Some of the bands on the lineup include Bloom, Early Humans, Ghost Key, Pumpkinseed, Short Term and West Means Home. The festival will also feature Abbi Knell, Kevin Schlereth, Nicholas Wall and many other solo artists piled on to its impressive roster of local bands.

Threat Fest’s DIY atmosphere is sprouting into a keystone festival for rock, hardcore, indie, metal and other genres in Middle Tennessee. In fact, the festival outgrew its former location and is now held at Carpe Artista to cater to its sizable headcount. The wide range of variety should bring plenty of diehard music fans back to Threat Fest in 2018.

The music industry can be a competitive playground in which to maneuver, and there are few events that celebrate the hard work of being a musician. Instead of stepping on one another to move forward, Threat Fest gives bands a stage ripe with positivity and acceptance. Sharing the stage, instead of taking it, is what Threat Fest is all about, organizers say.

Knuckle Dragger

“Threat Fest attempts to radiate acceptance and positivity. If one of us succeeds, we all succeed,” Fabian said.

General admission is $10 a day, or festivalgoers can purchase a $15 pass to attend both days of the festival, Aug. 24 and 25. Carpe Artista is located at 101 Front St. in Smyrna. With more than two dozen acts scheduled, this is a great opportunity to hear lots of the best indie rock music in Middle Tennessee in one stop. Visit threatfest.com or find Threat Fest 2018 on Facebook for more information.

Threat Fest 2018 Schedule:

Friday, Aug. 24
Main Stage
6:50 p.m. – Early Humans
7:45 p.m. – Father Mountain
8:40 p.m. – LonelyYouth
9:35 p.m. – LOYALS
10:30 p.m. – Household
10:50 p.m. – Short Term

Stage B
6:30 p.m. – Mulligan’s Match
7:25 p.m. – West Means Home
8:20 p.m. – Eaves
9:15 p.m. – Pumpkinseed
10:10 p.m. – Author

Solo
7:10 p.m. – Burnsie
8:05 p.m. – Kevin Schlereth
9 p.m. – Nicholas Wall
9:55 p.m. – Formerly Bodies

Idle Threat

Saturday, Aug. 25
Main Stage
6:50 p.m. – Khamsin
7:45 p.m. – Embracer
8:40 p.m. – Moru
9:35 p.m. – Ghost Key
10:30 p.m. – Idle Threat

Stage B
6:30 p.m. – Knuckle Dragger
7:25 p.m. – Gaffer Project
8:20 p.m. – The Positives
9:15 p.m. – Bloom
10:10 p.m. – WellWisher

Solo
7:10 p.m. – Abbi Knell
8:05 p.m. – Portsmouth
9 p.m. – Overgrow
9:55 p.m. – Ponder