Blackout Fest 2019 is just over three weeks away, and we wanted to get a little background on the festival. We chatted with its founder, Jamie Mittendorf about how the festival got started, how they pick the bands you get to see, his all-time favourite acts, and more!

Before we get started, check out this stunning limited edition hoodie which will be available at the festival. It’s pretty sweet!

Q: First, let’s talk about you. I’ve read you’ve been booking shows since you were 14. Do you remember the first thing you booked?

JM: My name is Jamie Mittendorf, and for the last 13 years, I’ve been running Blackout Fest in Brantford, Ontario. But my promoting career started a few years before the first festival. I remember it was November of 2004 I put on my first show at The Ford Plant, a small DIY community space in the heart of downtown Brantford. All I can remember is that my band at the time, Social Weapon, also played.

Q: How did you get started?

JM: I started my first band when I was 13, and there weren’t many punk rock shows happening at the time, so the band I was in put together a show and then I was the only one who wanted to keep throwing on more shows, and 15 years later, here I am.

Q: Can you tell me about the beginnings of Blackout Fest?

JM: I would attend other local music festivals such as SCENE Fest (St Catharines) and KOI Fest (Kitchener) and wanted to create something along those lines. So I started small, a one-day event all at one venue. It was mostly metalcore and pop-punk in the start. Now it’s grown into a multi-day, multi-venue event where I’ve been able to host some of my favourite bands.

Q: Talk to us about your team?

JM: My right-hand man, Josh Bombay – who also plays in my band, there’s a lot I couldn’t do without him. Callum Clark and Allastair Keddy who have been running sound at the festival for YEARS now. Matthew Brett and Oli Carter, who have been stage managing/running sound. We also have a lot of great door people and miscellaneous helpers as well. It’s also important for me that everyone who works for the festival is a paid employee. We have zero staff who are unpaid volunteers. It’s a ton of work to run a festival like this.

Q: What’s the biggest challenge putting on an event like this?

JM: Making sure everything runs as smooth as possible. We have so many bands and a lot of moving parts, and we need to ensure everything runs on time. It’s up to us to make sure bands are on and off stage and that everyone is safe and having a good time.

Q: You’ve got a great lineup, how do you pick who gets on the bill?

JM: Thank you. Hard-working bands who promote themselves well.

Q: Are there artists that you’ve tried to get but haven’t been able to book?

JM: Oh definitely. I’ve put in many offers for many different bands. This year was one of the easier festivals to book for me. Everything just sorta fell right into place, which is nice for a change.

Q: In 2017 you did three days, and in 2018 you went back to two days, can you tell me why?

JM: Three days was just too much work for everyone involved. Even two days is a lot, but we can manage it better.

Q: Besides size, what’s the most significant difference between now and 13 years ago?

JM: We were predominantly a hardcore/metalcore festival for the first 6-7 years. It’s just what was most popular at the time, and we went with it. Over the years, we have switched gears a bit and have focused on punk rock and pop-punk.

Q: 13 years, can you believe it?

JM: No, I really can’t. Its a ton of work and sometimes I question why I do it, but I know I’ve gotta do it. Festivals like these are dying every year. I feel like I need to keep this going for the young music lover in me who found some of his favourite bands at music festivals just like these. The community and friendship that revolves around festivals like these are unmatched. I do this for the love of music and to keep the Southern Ontario music scene alive.

Q: What do you think it is about Blackout Fest that makes it successful?

JM: We go above and beyond to make sure everyone has an amazing experience at Blackout Fest. It’s a place where you can see some of your favourite bands at a cheap price, and you might just find a new favourite band.

Q: Do you have an all-time favourite (so far) Blackout Fest performance?

JM: Hawthorne Heights is a big one for me. Also very excited to have Seaway back for the second time.

Q: Is there anything else you want to share with our readers?

Tickets for Fri Oct 18 w/ Direct Hit! are $20. Sat. Oct 19 w/ Seaway are $25. Weekend passes are just $40. Tickets and information can be found at www.blackoutfest.net

Thanks to Jamie for taking the time to answer our questions. You can check out Jamie’s band Harbour on Saturday at Blackout Fest.

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Trish Cassling

Writer/Photographer/Editor

Toronto Music Blogger