Rustbelt Rock Review

By: Z.M. Delgado

Rustbeltrockreview.com

Volume #204: State Line Farm Fest 2025

August 23rd, 2025

1911 State Line Road, Pierpont, Ohio

Hello, my friends! It is with great pleasure and some residual exhaustion that I sit down at my keyboard to spin yet another astonishing tale. The exhaustion stems from the fact that I am still recovering from a most epic event indeed: State Line Farm Fest 2025!!! This is an annual event that I first attended last year. Suffice to say I had such a good time that I vowed to always return. But what is State Line Farm Fest? Well, I’m glad you asked, because I am always excited to talk about it. As it turns out State Line Farm Fest is an underground music festival in rural Pierpont, Ohio. It is located on a gorgeous piece of private property off a back road in Ashtabula County. It features camping, swimming, trails for hiking and off road vehicles, food and booze, a giant bonfire and of course lots of live music. It is an all inclusive Rock N’ Roll experience and it is all absolutely FREE! That’s right you get everything I described above and you don’t spend a cent. The proprietors don’t even ask for donations. In fact, as far as I can tell, the only requirement for attendance is you act cool and bring good vibes in with you.

Well I fully planned on meeting those requirements as I loaded up my ride and headed east. I followed the highways and bi-ways until I reached the fabled spot; nestled at the end of a secluded gravel road. I turned onto the dirt track and drove into the festival field. Up a hill I traveled and amazingly found myself in the same campsite I had used the year prior. It was some time after 11am when I began setting up my tent and laying out my belongings. Soon enough I was ready to party. I looked across the field and saw some familiar faces. Namely, Dill (HAMS/Saints of Lorain) & Marco (HAMS/After the Apocalypse). I sauntered over to greet them. Sadly they informed me the HAMS had been forced to drop off the show, due to an injury.

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I smoked a bowl and ate a couple gummies, as I contemplated the great sadness this news brought me. This is also the time when I laid eyes on an enormous bag of mushrooms. I’m not gonna say who owned this bag, only that it existed and it was guarded by agents of the mythical Baba Yaga… more on this later. Anyway, soon enough we were joined by the boys from Hyper Viper. They were really cool, I enjoyed talking with them and we kicked it off and on for the next few hours. Eventually the tell tale sounds of a band warming up began to pour over the field, so I decided to head down to the stage.

The stage is located beneath a sort of large gazebo. On either side is a wall of speakers that produces a more than ample amount of sound. It was about 12:45pm, and our first act Urban Cattle was just gearing up. They are a three man Rock N’ Roll outfit made up of Guitar/Vocals, Bass and Drums. They have a classic bar room sound that is a blend of Rock, Blues, Country and Psychedelic styles. Providing a variety of covers and original material, they launched the show on a smooth trajectory. As the music began, the concert goers who had been milling about, slowly drifted toward the stage. I observed the band, eventually wandering over to the grill, where Dill was cooking breakfast. Up on stage Urban Cattle were kicking out some serious jams. I heard stellar covers of “Cinnamon Girl” & “Goo Goo Muck” emerge. They broke into a country song about “Long Tall Texans” before returning to Rock N’ Roll.

While they rocked, I floated to the wine trailer with Dill. There I discovered four spigots, three for wine and one for water… I chose wine. A peach raspberry blend to be precise, then I returned to the stage to enjoy both the booze and the music. Urban Cattle closed out there set with some “Spy Music” followed by an excellent mashup of “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” mixed with “Psycho Killer.” It was a great way to end things. They began to tear down and I continued to drink. I ate another pair of gummies and made my way to a couch which faces the stage. I parked my ass there, packed a bowl and waited for the next band to begin.

Second to the stage was Against Language. They are a four man act constructed from Vocals, Guitar, Bass and Drums. I observed them from the sofa, as Dill and I got stoned and enjoyed our wine. Here’s what I learned. Against Language play an aggressive style of Nu-Metal that is hard edged and deadly serious. They have a big fuzzy sound, with squealing Guitar and plucky Bass that is indicative of their genre. Their frontman uses a fairly complex pedal board, employing a variety of FX on his Vocals. His delivery is passionate. He raps, rants and shouts at the crowd all while performing elaborate hand movements to the music. All in all I have to say Against Language was heavy, intense and they absolutely Rocked! I remember really enjoying their set. People all around me were flipping out over just how great it was. I believe they played a total of 8 tracks, each one containing a significant punch. Their closing number, began slow and melodic. With whispered Vocals it put out an almost chill vibe, but it was building. It gained momentum slowly before hitting an eventual break point and erupting. My notes read: “It explodes! Fucking Killer Track!” They finished the set to strong applause from the crowd, myself included. With Against Language now done I returned to the wine trailer and decided to sample the Peach Apricot Blend.

Returning to the sofa, I made myself comfortable and prepared for our third act of the day: Hyper Viper. This is a four man Rock band made up of two Guitar/Vocalists, Bass and Drums. They opened up and my first note reads, “Bitchin’ Rock N’ Roll.” They have a style that is equal parts Punk and Rock and they serve it up it with ripping energy. Vocal duties alternate between the two Guitarists, and they both had a strong delivery. With driving tempos, hammering percussion and they moved through their set, impressing me along the way. It was hard and fast and even had some nice Guitar solos along the way. My notes say things like “Fucking Excellent,” “Nice Riffs,” and “I dig Hyper Viper.” I think they played a total of 11 songs closing out with a bonafide “bad ass track!” The crowd loved them! They received strong applause and I for one was blown away by the whole thing. At some point in their Face and Swamp Donkey of Vandalizard arrived and together we returned to the camp site. I packed a pipe and we discussed the finer points of our intoxication. Soon I heard the echos of Rock N’ Roll rolling over the hill, and I knew it was time for our next performers. We concluded our business and trekked back down the slope on a return trip to the stage.

Fourth on the docket was Cardboard Caskets. This is a five member act formed from Guitar/Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Keyboards and Drums. I think they were starting their third song by the time we fully addressed the stage. They play Rock N’ Roll, straight up with no chaser. Their set was a blend of upbeat energy and mellow vibrations. They have great melodies, positive vibes and emotive Vocals. I know it may be sacrilege to invoke the legend, but I have to acknowledge that Cardboard Caskets gave off strong Bruce Springsteen vibes. I really enjoyed how hard they Rocked and how passionate each and every song was. We arrived late, so I don’t know exactly how many cuts they played, but it was more than nine. They closed out with a track, that I believe was entitled “Cigarette Windjammer.” This was a bang up song, that really Rocked and ended the set on an incredibly high note. The crowd seemed to love them and I thought they were great. Good solid Rock N’ Roll to help diversify the line up. I dig it! It was during this set, hilariously with 4:20 on the clock, when Jimmy “The Dook” Fedor from Roxxxstarradio arrived. With him by my side I roasted another bowl of fine ganja and relaxed as the day continued to unfold.

Fifth to the stage was Star Viper. They are a six man band made up of Vocals, two Guitars, Bass, Keyboards and Drums. Let me tell you right now, I was not prepared for what Star Viper was about to unleash. First of all, there genre was… I dunno. I would put them down as some kind of Blackened Power Thrash. The Vox were a snarling rasp delivered with a vile intensity. The music was hard, fast and very Thrashy, with the keyboards adding diversifying layers of sound. Their delivery was high energy and their stage presence was excellent. My notes read things like “Nasty Guitar work,” “Hard charging” and “Pulse pounding!” The music wasn’t the only thing entertaining about this set. I couldn’t help but laugh midway through when the Drummer abruptly left the stage to go grab some beers. And then, while performing their sixth song, the singer accidentally hit himself with the mic. He split his head open and spent the rest of the set with blood spilling down his face.

It was supremely Metal! They played a total of ten songs, closing out with the self titled jam, “Star Viper.” The singer dropped to his knees and insanly belted out the final song. Fans down in front were Rocking our and two stepping to the music. In a final furious burst they brought their set to a climax and then finished strong. The crowd screamed in approval sending Star Viper off with their heads held high. With the set at a conclusion, The Dook and I returned to the campsite. It was about quarter after six when we met agents of the Baba Yaga, who gifted us with psilocybin infused chocolate bars. We devoured these, then set about burning down.

As we smoked the sixth band started to blast. From our perch atop the hill they sounded great, and so we hurriedly finished our business and made our way back to the stage. All ready throwing down hard was Crossface. This is a five man monster made up of Vocals, two Guitars, Bass and Drums. My first note on the subject is “This band is ripping hard!!!” I quickly discovered that Crossface was some serious American Hardcore. Early in the set a group of kids came down and began dancing in front of the stage. The percussion was relentless and the chords absolutely chewed the listeners ear. The stage presence was fantastic as their singer threw down, Rocked out and jumped around to the music. In my notes “Badassery” is the word I chose to describe Crossface’s sound, and I will stick with that now. Heavy slamming chords, thunderous Bass, jackhammer Drums and Vocals like a chainsaw had the fans enthralled. I heard calls and outcry all around the pavilion. The fans were blown away, astonished and utterly flabbergasted. We were frankly shocked by just how hard Crossface brought it. By the time they finished up, I was picking my jaw up off the floor. The set was just that good!

Our seventh performance of the night was brought to us by The Cheats. This is a five man Punk act made up of Vocals, two Guitars, Bass and Drums. They opened up hard with great backing vocals and a powerful tempo. They delivered bad ass Punk Rock with one hundred percent fire right from the get go. The crowd ate it up; cheering, screaming and applauding liberally. The efforts of The Cheats even inspired a “Moshpit” on the couch between Swamp Donkey (Vandalizard) and Dill (Saints of Lorain). They thoroughly rocked Farm Fest on songs like “Day After Day,” “I Wanna” and “The Only Thing I’m Fucking is up.” At one point in the set the singer left the pavilion with a flaming stick. He them began to spit fire up into the sky! It was without a doubt the best display of stage theatrics that we got to see all day. Plumes of flame aside, The Cheats kicked ass and left us all begging for more. I believe that played a total of eleven songs, closing out with a cover of “Surrender” by Cheap Trick. Personally, I thought they were great and I wasn’t alone. The crowd loved it all and The Cheats received an outstanding ovation upon the completion of their set. With the Cheats now behind us, it was time for another pipe. I smoked it up and turned around to see that the bonfire had been lit.

By now the Baba Yaga’s magical mushroom bar was kicking like Bruce Lee. I felt my mind begin to melt as I approached the stage ready for our eighth act of the evening: Punching Moses. The sun was down and the fire was blazing. Beneath the pavilion the heaviness was about to be unleashed by one of Cleveland’s best. Punching Moses is a five man murder machine made up of Vocals, two Guitars, Bass and Drums. They play a style that is a severely potent Punk/Metal fusion. Their set began with some guy doing a fairly convincing Donald Trump impersonation. He introduced the band and they tore into the set like a pack of wild dogs. It was all fire and brimstone from there on out. The lights beneath the pavilion beguiled my mind while Punching Moses initiated a state of terror and shock. The chords were crushing; the Vocals like a buzzsaw. The Bass rumbled and the Drums slammed. It was intense and maddening. My mind was on the edge of sanity as Punching Moses dominated the pavilion. All the intensity of the sound was served up with incredible stage presence. The frontman threw down, jumped around and Rocked out while dishing out vile blood curdling roars. I was in my glory! I headbanged and screamed and nearly forgot to take any pictures or make any notes; I was too busy enjoying the set. I think they played a total of eight songs before calling it quits. Sending the crowd into fits of appreciative applause. At the end of it all I could only say, “Dude, that was fucking awesome!”

Ninth on the evenings agenda was Vandalizard. This is a four man act made up of Guitar/Vocals, Guitar/Backing Vocals, Bass and Drums. This Punk Rock wrecking crew strapped in and set to work with some delay. I don’t know what the problem was, nor did I care. In our profound intoxication my sister and I began to heckle the band mercilessly and threatened to pelt them with cans if they didn’t get their shit together. In time they did start, and just in time too. We had reached the point of lunacy and were preparing to shower the stage with all manner of objects. FInally they opened with “Jenny Destiny” and immediately I could tell this was going to be an awesome set. The sound was on point and the boys seemed dialed in. “Walk the Earth” was next. Here I noted about the bands outstanding stage presence, as they jumped about and Rocked out with verve. As “Dissonant Dude” played out I was approached by a random girl. She placed a glow bracelet around my wrist and did the same for The Dook. In my current psychedelic state of mind I was most appreciative of the gift. Returning my attention to the music I noticed the backing Vocals on “Bad Influence” sounded great... but looking back now maybe it was just that I heard myself as my tripping ass was singing along obnoxiously loud. Anyway, the Bass work was unreal on “Good Deeds.” Without a doubt Swamp Donkey is a rare talent. Next they hit us with their interpretation of the classic sea shanty, “Show me the Way to go Home.” I banged my head to the slamming percussion of “The Grove,” and pumped my fist to “On the Tracks.” Following that they made my night when they played my two favorite jams back to back:“Coyote’s Teeth” and “Roaches.” I absolutely love both of these tracks and hearing them in line was just what I needed. Finally closing out the set they broke out the always intense “Heartless.” Ripping it down one last time Vandalizard owned the stage and ruled the night! The crowd screamed and applauded heavily as the boys finished strong. It had been an excellent set, one of the best I have seen them play. A fact that I repeated many times over the course of the evening.

Closing out the evening, our tenth and final act was the mighty Saints of Lorain. This is a five man Punk Rock pulverizer built from Vocals, Two Guitars, Bass and Drums. They opened up hard and fast with a ranting auditory assault. Their music was incredible! It was quick and driving. The Vocals were clean and were delivered at high speed. They had excellent Backing Vox and sick Bass work all the while. On top of all that they had great stage presence with everyone moving to the music. Especially their frontman who exists in a state of perpetual motion. He rocked out, left the stage and walked the pavilion, even climbing up on the tables for a while. Midway through the set I noticed Dill was performing with an unlit cigarette hanging from his lip. I took it upon myself to walk up to the stage, reach up and light it. Dill was smiled as he puffed away appreciatively. Saints of Lorain were amazing from front to back. From the first notes to the climactic finale, they were on fire. They killed it. Period. On songs like “I.O.,” “Running Out of Time” and “Thrice the Fool” they showcased the best of their album. They brought out some new material as well, closing the set with “Pens” and “Unstable.” All told I think they played nineteen songs of unbridled righteous Punk Rock fury. I loved every minute of it. It was an incredible end to an incredible concert.

The music faded out and the people dispersed. We wandered and smoked and smoked and wandered. Eventually we settled near the remains of the bonfire and joined others who were in a similar state of mind. The minions of the Baba Yaga returned not once, but two more times sharing sacred fungus among the late night psychopaths. The night unfolded from there. We wheeled our nuts off and blazed bowl after joint after blunt for many hours. In good time the exhaustion, booze and weed outweighed the mushrooms and my tent began to call. I said my good nights and made for the safety and warmth of my sleeping bag. There I hovered in a half waking, half dreaming state until daylight crept in. I broke camp and headed home.

There you have it people. A brief and much redacted account of my time at State Line Farm Fest 2025. If you haven't figured it out based on what you’ve read here, I had one hell of a time. It seems that everyone I talked to did. In fact that was the main subject of discussion around the campfire when the night wound down. We all agreed SLFF was the one of the best events of the year. And what a perfect way to end the summer! With a free underground music festival, loaded with great talent and good people. I want to thank Andy, the dude who puts on the event, for all he does. I hope he reads this and knows how much fun we all had. So here’s to the good times. Here’s to booze and weed and the blessings of the Baba Yaga. Here’s to good friends and great music. Here’s to State Line Farm Fest! And here’s to many more. Thanks for reading.

Until next time, Rock on, Rustbelt,

-Z.M. Delgado

Rustbelt Rock Review

Rustbeltrockreview.com

8/25/25

Links:

Urban Cattle

https://www.facebook.com/UrbanCattleCleveland/

Against Language

https://www.instagram.com/againstlanguage/

Hyper Viper

https://www.instagram.com/hyperviperband/?hl=en