What's That?

Gwar, Goatwhore and Story of The Year Head Up First South by So What?! Fall Lineup Announces.

Back in May, when we caught up with Third String Productions' Mike Ziemer to find out why he was adding a second South By So What?! festival to his company's annual calendar, Ziemer explained it like this: “It's just 'that festival' for so many people.”

Or, basically, he swiped the punchline from the old “Why do dogs lick their balls?” joke. (Spoiler: Because they can.)

Ziemer told us, too, though, that we could expect some changes from his programming — namely due to the fact that his once-solely pop-punk-focused entity's crowd was starting to get a little older. And, well, that certainly goes a long way in explaining a few of the heavier bands already announced as playing the first day of the fall edition of South By So What?! this year on October 25 and 26 at LaGrave Field in Fort Worth.

Gwar will headline that first day's offering, performing on a bill that also includes Finch (performing their album What It Is To Burn in its entirety), Story of the Year (performing their album Page Avenue in its entirety), Goatwhore, Whitechapel, Dance Gavin Dance, Miss May I, The Almost, Iron Reagan, Band of Orcs, Sylar and locals Urizen.

More bands for the 25th will be announced as the festival approaches, Ziemer says. Second-day acts, meanwhile, will be announced on August 5.

No need to wait on tickets, though: Various packages — from single-day passes to weekend-long VIP bundles — will go on sale this coming Monday, July 22, right here.

Gwar cover photo by Karlo X. Ramos.