An Undertaking OG and an Idle Threat Drummer Attend a Music Festival

(Trailer voice) In a world… where corporations run the music industry… one festival… remains independent… this is the story of… Furnace Fest. (Insert mosh shots and water tower imagery)

Furnace Fest rules. We didn’t go this year, but we had some friends go. 

1 - Meet James Cavalier. OG friend of the band and the second singer of The Undertaking! James yelled on two unreleased demos in 2007 when I (Austin) was on bass, Brent was on drums and our perpetually 16 year old baby boy, Chris, was on guitar. Brent’s dad exchanged some HVAC work for some studio time and we recorded two songs with the guy who did some work on the soundtrack for “The Rock” - yea, the Nic Cage movie. Here’s one of the songs and here’s a YouTube clip of us playing at a kids birthday party. This form of the band never took off. James has been flirting with a trip to SLOSS for a few years and finally went, thanks for the encouragement of another friend, Jesse, who attended in 2024. Here’s James’ recap: 

——

I touched down in Birmingham for my very first Furnace Fest with a mix of awe and anticipation. I dreamed of this weekend since I was a teenager, pouring over lineups and reading recaps from past years, waiting for the moment I could finally experience it myself. The choice of SLOSS Furnaces as the backdrop was poetic: overcast skies, the looming industrial silhouettes, and a hint of soot in the air all felt like the right setting for a heavy-music pilgrimage. The grounds were alive from the moment the gates opened. Merch booths lining the underpass walkway, fans stalking limited-run shirts and prints, and three stages constantly pulsing with the tension of what show to hit next.

Three days zipped by in a blur of riffs, circle pits, and musical surprises. In the iconic Shed venue I witnessed one of my personal highlights, a hardcore trifecta: Speed (Australia) kicked things off with ferocious velocity; Mindforce followed, bringing their tight, bristling energy; and then Comeback Kid (Canada) closed in explosive fashion, leaving everyone hoarse and elated. That set alone was worth the trip. But it didn't stop there, Horse the Band unleashed their chaotic, genre-bending mayhem on the main stage, Terror transformed a large crowd into an old-school two-step pit, and Norma Jean celebrated 20 years of “O God, the Aftermath” with a set of fan favorites and deep cuts. I also found myself unexpectedly moved by Petey USA, whose lyricism and the sincerity of his performance stood strong even against the harder textures surrounding him.

What struck me more than any single show, though, was the feeling of belonging. Across reunions, farewells, and new discoveries, the weekend felt like a living archive of what made me care about heavy music in the first place. I bounced from stage to stage, nonstop, chasing that spark. I made small connections with strangers in the crowd, spent hours browsing merch, and just sat in stunned silence between sets more than once. I left Birmingham exhausted, hoarse, and incredibly grateful for the bands who still show up and share their art, for the community that still shows up in numbers, and for the chance to finally be part of something I've longed for. Furnace Fest didn't disappoint it lived up to every dream and then some.

—

2 - here’s Justin from a stupid band called Idle Threat. Justin and I met in 2020/2021 when both The Undertaking! and Idle Threat were releasing albums on Solid State/Tooth & Nail. They survived the massacre of all small bands and have an album coming out next year (editors note - Justin, that album is actually coming out, right?). The album is awesome. If you like IT, you’ll love this album. Funny thing about Idle Threat is we’ve never played a show with them. We’ve tried but it’s never meant to be. Ernie is the only Idle Threater who has seen TU! play a show and ironically, it was a show in Detroit and he doesn’t even LIVE IN DETROIT! Justin refuses to watch us. He and Mason from the Black Sheep podcast have a weird thing where they can’t bring themselves to watch greatness, I guess. I love Idle Threat. I got to sing with them at Furnace Fest in 2024. Got me in the shed. Was awesome. Would love to do it again. Here’s Justin’s recap:

— 

I have been exceptionally delighted to attend Furnace Fest the majority of the years since its lovely revival, both as an attendee and as an artist. This festival and the community it has created is undoubtedly unmatched, and it would be damn near impossible to concisely articulate the impact it makes on so many music lovers. In just a few words that I can offer in a limited space, I want to shed light on what all Furnace Fest has to offer. Arguably, most noteworthy would be how compassion is tangible; you can feel it as you walk through the grounds of Sloss - which isn’t just special because Zak Bagans once graced it with his presence exploring the sights! Whether you are there to catch the heavier bands like Zao in the Shed or want to enjoy a groovy gig with The Rocket Summer at the pond, most likely you are joining in and sharing the love of all sides of the musical spectrum with people new and old. It is one of the most beautiful experiences of my year, and you should absolutely indulge in it too. It’s imperative that people are going to shows and forming new connections, and Furnace Fest rejuvenates me every year - to speak for myself.

Some of my favorite sets included (but are not limited to): DRAIN (the most fun band currently in hardcore) and Kublai Khan in the Shed, my good friends in Meadows on the main stage bright and early on that fine Saturday morning, and my favorite band in the history of the world - Jimmy Eat World - who delivered a discography-spanning masterpiece of a set. What a treat! 

I would be remiss, however, if I did not make it abundantly clear that there has never been (and may never be) a greater four-band-run on a fest than having Norma Jean, Converge, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Knocked Loose play back-to-back to end the fest with a bang. I am pretty sure that I had a spiritual experience while we got the majority of "O God..." I could fill a book or two discussing all of the aforementioned, but I will spare you all the eye-exercise and potential boredom. 

Getting down to the nitty gritty, I just want to express that this is a festival that cannot be missed and a community that should not be taken for granted. To my knowledge, there is no other weekend that grants the opportunity to both stuff your face with Bad Luck Burger and listen to the heaviest riffs that are humanly possible. How could you not want to be a part of that? I hope to only see and continue to be a part of an influx of people that pour into this fest, adding to the fruition of something truly so magical.

Oh, and I hope to see idle threat and The Undertaking! rocking, rolling, and anding on next year's lineup!

Much love!

—

Glazer time is over. Go next year? Yea?

TV SHOWS: Holy hell, that episode of Task was goooooooood. Y’all gotta catch up if you haven’t. I was floored. One more episode.

MUSIC CONCERTS: This Saturday at Garcia’s Tire Shop. See you there.

New Song October 24. 

New Merch - the Ghost is back after 6 years away

Join our discord