Seth (left) and Clayton Peacock (right) of local band Rat Motel are preparing to host their second annual music festival, RATFEST, this Saturday. Credit: Michelle LoBianco
Rat Motel — a local garage-rock band comprising brothers Seth and Clayton Peacock — is hosting its second annual “RATFEST” Saturday.
Seth Peacock said the alternative-rock music festival will be hosted at both Summit Music Hall and Cafe Bourbon Street. All proceeds from ticket sales will go toward Restavek Freedom, a Cincinnati-based nonprofit working toward ending child slavery in Haiti, Clayton Peacock said.
Seth Peacock said the festival’s musical acts, which are split up between each location, will play 25-minute sets with 15-minute breaks; that way, attendees will have enough time to go back and forth between venues.
“We decided to use the same location as last year,” Seth Peacock said. “It’s the perfect venue setup in Columbus, I mean they are so close together they are basically the same building.”
Seth Peacock said this year’s lineup features eight bands: Rat Motel, Cellar Dweller, Joudy, Bomb Bunny, Shrine, Anemic Royalty, Henry Morris Band and Space Kid, all of which are new to RATFEST.
“We wanted to do all new bands this year,” said Seth Peacock. “There are too many bands in the Columbus scene to do repeats.”
Seth Peacock said the festival will also include local vendors, from artists selling original artwork and prints to secondhand clothing resellers. Additionally, merch tables will be erected for all participating artists, he said.
Patrick Gallaugher, lead singer and guitarist for Space Kid, said he looks forward to playing alongside many bands that Space Kid has long admired.
“We haven’t gotten the chance to play with Rat Motel yet,” Gallaugher said. “But it has been in the works for a long time, and we are looking forward to finally getting to play together.”
Clayton Peacock said the original idea for last year’s event was to bring together as many local artists as possible to showcase Columbus’ local, alternative-rock music scene.
“We have been in the Columbus music scene for a long time, almost eight years now,” Clayton Peacock said. “In that time, we have met lots of friends and lots of bands, and we wanted to bring as many of them together as possible.”
Both Seth and Clayton Peacock said they hope to continue RATFEST in the future, as it can shine a necessary spotlight on countless local bands.
RATFEST’s doors will open at 5 p.m., Saturday, with tickets selling at $10 per person if pre-ordered on Eventbrite or $15 per person if purchased at the door.
