San Diego, CA

This is absolutely monumental. The duo of John Reis (Rocket From The Crypt, Night Marchers, The Sultans) and Rick Froberg (Obits) has somehow managed to produce three seminal post-hardcore bands in Pitchfork, Drive Like Jehu and most recently, Hot Snakes. They are complete mathmagicians, making math punk appear transcendentally at once human and magical, interweaving intricate and propulsive guitar lines over top the most thunderous rhythm section in years. One of the most mind-melting, relentless and jaw-droppingly tight live bands to ever lay waste to a stage, honestly, Hot Snakes are a blessing and a curse to every other musician attending Sled Island. Watching them makes one simultaneously want to do nothing but make music, but also feel completely inadequate at doing so.