SADfest 2016
July 30th - July 31st, Hammonton, NJ
By Alex Bradley
“SADfest has changed our lives in ways we never would’ve guessed. It has opened our eyes to the issues and stigma surrounding mental health, that many people have never taken a minute to acknowledge, but now recognize. Most importantly SADfest has built the community — a family — that has been there for one another when necessary. July 30th and 31st; mark the days we can make all the difference. Come together; come as you are; be a part.”
— Grandaire Booking
Grandaire Booking has worked timelessly to be able to bring the South Jersey music scene together, in order to raise awareness on suicide, addiction, and depression.
- In 2004, suicide was the third leading cause of death among adolescents between the ages of 15-24. About 24% of high school students have seriously thought about attempting suicide.
- In the United States, last year, there were 150,000 accidental drug overdoses reported among teenagers 13 to 24 years of age
- 20% of adolescents have a diagnosable mental health disease
- 20-30% have a major depressive episode sometime before adulthood
- 50-70% have anxiety disorders or impulse control disorders
These are all vital issues that people should be aware of.
The second annual festival will be on July 30th and July 31st from 12pm to 9pm. The event will be held at the Hammonton Soccer Field located at 1100 Moss Mill Road in Hammonton, New Jersey. Proceeds from SADfest will be donated to different non-profit organizations that have to do with the cause.
The festival weekend will be compact with 40 local bands of all genres imaginable, as well as mental health workshops, vendors, displayed and for sale art, tents, etc. There will be something for people of all ages to enjoy. Grandaire invites people to talk about their personal battles with either suicide, addiction, and depression, and lets them know that they are comforted.
Saturday’s Music lineup includes:
- Hometown: Mount Royal, NJ
- Genre: Brock-n-Roll
- Hometown: Sicklerville, NJ
- Genre: Alternative Rock
- Current Location: Montclair, NJ
- Genre: Rock, Alternative, Ambient, Emo, Post-Hardcore, Post-Rock, Screamo
- Hometown: Hammonton, NJ
- Genre: AltRock/EmotionalHardcore/PostRock
- Hometown: Hammonton, NJ
- Genre: Post - Everything
- Hometown: Hammonton, NJ
- Genre: Heavy, Punkish
- Hometown: Oyster Bay, NY
- Genre: Experimental Rock
- Hometown: Atlantic City, NJ
- Genre: NJ Sing-Along Dude Rock / Indie Prog Funcore Fusion
- Hometown: Woodbridge, VA
- Genre: Post Rock/Instrumental
- Hometown: Boston, MA
- Genre: Experimental / Ambient Hardcore
- Hometown: Hammonton, NJ
- Genre: Not another Nirvana cover band.
- Hometown: New England
- Genre: Post-Hardcore/Experimental
- Hometown: New Jersey
- Genre: Indie/Alternative Rock
- Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
- Genre: Alternative / Post-Hardcore / Progressive
- Hometown: Barrington, NJ
- Genre: Progressive/Experimental/Alternative
- Hometown: South New Jersey
- Genre: Metal / Metalcore / Melodic Metal
- Hometown: Atlantic City, NJ
- Genre: World Rock
- Hometown: Jersey
- Genre: Alternative, Dreamy, Indie, Post, Shoegaze
- Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
- Genre: Folk, Indie, Indiefolk
- Hometown: Voorhees Township, NJ
- Genre: Acoustic, Alternative, Chordcore, Emo
Sunday's Lineup includes:
- Hometown: South Jersey
- Genre: Metal
- Hometown: Port Republic, NJ
- Genre: Alternative Emo
- Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
- Genre: Rock/Alternative/Pop Punk
- Hometown: National Park, NJ
- Genre: Alternative
- Hometown: Cherry Hill, NJ
- Genre: Alternative
- Hometown: West Berlin, NJ
- Genre: Alternative/Soul/Funk/Pop
- Hometown: Mays Landing, NJ
- Genre: Pop Rock / Alternative / Rock
- Hometown: Houston, TX
- Genre: Post-Hardcore, Screamo, Post-Rock
- Hometown: Sicklerville/Williamstown, NJ
- Genre: Vigilante Hero Metal
- Hometown: Tabernacle, NJ
- Genre: Ambient, Indie, Rock, Emo, Noise Rock
- Hometown: Laurel Springs, NJ
- Genre: Rock
- Hometown: Doylestown, PA
- Genre: Genreless
- Hometown: MA
- Genre: Rock, Garage Rock, Indie, Post Punk
- Hometown: Ocean County, NJ
- Genre: Alternative/Punk Rock
- Hometown: West Chester, PA
- Genre: Psychedelic Rock / Grunge / Indie
- Hometown: Northfield, NJ
- Genre: Alternative-Rock / Post-Hardcore
- Hometown: Medford, NJ
- Genre: Rock/Progressive/Metal
- Hometown: Atlantic/Cape May County, NJ
- Genre: Alternative, Rock
- Hometown: NJ
- Genre: Alternative
- Hometown: Hammonton, NJ
- Genre: Indie Rock
About the Writer
Alex Bradley is a student at Camden County College. For years she has been attending local shows and much larger concerts. At only 18-years-old, with a passion for music and all things included, she has been consistently booking performances under Grandaire Booking, both around Hammonton, NJ and also at Coffee Works Too. With years of experience under her belt already of being involved in the local music scene, Alex is beginning to book her own shows independently as well as writing about her experiences and adding music journalism to her repertoire.