Last Friday, Eau Claire underground music lovers came together to celebrate Rash Fest 7, an annual music festival.

Rash Fest took place in the basement of the Masonic Temple and included a mix of bands from Eau Claire and out of state.There were some Minneapolis bands and a couple of groups from as far as Missouri and Connecticut.

The crew went all out decorating for the show with all kinds of props, spooky decorations, candles and eclectic lighting. A large number of the attendees were in costume. 

Local art vendors and stores set up tables to sell merchandise that fit the grunge atmosphere of Rash Fest. One of the vendors was Meatcastle, an artist who designs handmade merchandise for Rash Fest, such as custom lighters. 

One side of the Masonic Temple basement also functioned as a bar and attendees could order drinks and beer on tap, though the event itself was for all ages. 

The show was nonstop music and went from 7 p.m. until almost 2 a.m. In order to keep the show going, there was a stage set up on each side of the floor so the next band could set up during the current one’s show. 

The bands covered a wide variety of genres, from hard rock and shoegaze to slower synth sets. Loud and hard sets were offset by slower sets.

Luc Larson, whose one-person band’s name is Lesh, played a synth set with occasional trumpet early on in the festival. Luc Larson also does DJ sets locally at spots like The Firehouse. 

Lesh played at Abraxas Wax last weekend as part of the Rash Fest 7 pre-show and fundraiser. 

Although for the last few years Rash Fest has taken place in the Masonic Temple, Luc Larson said it actually started out as a house show. 

The members of the band Gash started inviting other bands to their house for a yearly festival called The Rash and it expanded from there. The yearly music festival owes its existence to Gash.

Since Gash is from Eau Claire but spends a lot of time touring, Luc Larson said this is a good time for them to come back to their hometown to perform and host the festival. 

Luc Larson said they appreciate Rash Fest’s existence and that they can operate in a bigger venue now. They also helped run sound during the festival.

 “I love it,” Luc Larson said. “I love playing with a bunch of bands that I sound nothing like and having an appreciative crowd.” 

Another band that played was Bella Larson and the Scene Kids. They are a seven- person band from Minneapolis and were all wearing pink cowboy hats. The band described their genre as “power pop.”

Logan Nyberg is a member of Gash and one of the main organizers of the festival.

“I’ve known Logan for about 10 years,” Bella Larson, the lead singer, said. “I’m glad Logan is able to throw something every year.”

Bella and the band said performing in Eau Claire is different from performing Minneapolis shows. 

“It’s a great crowd — it can be better than Minneapolis. It’s like a DIY festival in a weird Kwik Trip highway town,” Bella Larson said.

Bella Larson and the Scene Kids said they were having a great time, like many of the other bands in attendance.

“We don’t care who wins the presidency, but we hope there’s a Rash Fest 8,” Bella Larson said. 

Sonnek can be reached at [email protected].