Welcome to Deathfest is a labor of love profiling Maryland Deathfest. We need to clear music rights to ensure that bands get their fair share. In the DIY spirit of the fest and film, we are raising funds to bring this movie to market. 100 % of proceeds go to bands and fees. Please help us get there.
Welcome to Deathfest is a labor of love profiling Maryland Deathfest. We need to clear music rights to ensure that bands get their fair share. In the DIY spirit of the fest and film, we are raising funds to bring this movie to market. 100 % of proceeds go to bands and fees. Please help us get there.
in partnership with
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Story
Mission Statement
About The Project
EVERY YEAR, METALHEADS AND MUTANTS DESCEND ON BALTIMORE’S INNER HARBOR LIKE A BROOD OF CICADAS.
They make the pilgrimage from across the region, country and world. They come to see bands like Bolt Thrower, Electric Wizard and Neurosis. They wait all year for the four days that make up Maryland Deathfest, and then they rage.
But metal is more than blast beats and riff worship. It’s about community, passion and exploration. Sure there’s corpse paint, beer and piss. Fights break out and some people get arrested, but this isn’t “Heavy Metal Parking Lot.” This is two high school friends who love music and all that it inspires.
What started out as a small death metal festival has turned into the country’s premier extreme music ritual. While other fests depend on corporate sponsors and beer banners to pay for everything, Ryan Taylor and Evan Harting have dedicated their lives to doing it on their own. They book the bands, they book the hotels, they book the vendors and they book the venues. Their staff is made of friends that work for free or in exhance for tickets. It's as DIY as you can get. This is what goes on behind the scenes when no one is looking.
Incentives
$5
Social media shout-out + digital stream
Thanks for being a member of our DIY community! We'll make sure everyone in your social network knows you support independent art. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
$25
Get your face on a metal album + digital stream
Always wanted to be on the cover of a record? I'll photoshop you onto the cover of an iconic (or not so iconic) metal album. Maybe we'll even throw a pun or two. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member! on there.
$30
Welcome to Deathfest Koozie + digital stream
Keep your beer cool with this very grimm koozie. Bring it to MDF this year - it's always hot out there. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Claimed: 25 of 250
$30
Saturday Rams Head VIP access (doesn't include ticket) + Digital Stream
If you already bought a Ram's Head ticket for Saturday but still wanna contribute to the campaign, come hang out in our VIP area. Skip the line, come hang out! Get some rest away from the crowd drop off your merch and chill. Tom & Alicia might even buy you some beers. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Claimed: 24 of 27
$30
Sunday Rams Head VIP access (doesn't include ticket) + digital stream
Sunday Rams Head VIP access (doesn't include ticket)
If you already bought a Ram's Head ticket for Sunday but still wanna contribute to the campaign, come hang out in our VIP area. Skip the line, come hang out! Get some rest away from the crowd drop off your merch and chill. Tom & Alicia might even buy you some beers. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Claimed: 10 of 30
$45
Soundstage Single Day Pass + digital stream
Single day entry to Soundstage, valid any day. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Sold Out!
$50
MDF 15th Anniversary T-Shirt + Koozie + digital stream
Show everyone that you are a MDF superfan with this sick t-shirt. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Sold Out!
$65
Rams Head single day pass + digital stream
Single day entry to Rams Head Live, valid any day. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Claimed: 3 of 5
$90
Single Day Bundle to MDF 2017 + digital stream
$90 will get you a single-day pass to both venues at MDF 2017. Only bundle of its type! If you want to go to both venues in a single day, it's the best deal around. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Claimed: 2 of 10
$125
Saturday Pass, both venues w VIP Access + digital stream
Saturday pass for Ram's Head and Soundstage. Access to the VIP area set aside in Rams Head for VIP backers, as well as MDF swag for everyone. Early Entry to Saturday at Ram's Head. Skip the line, come in and pregame for MDF. Alicia and Tom might even buy you beers! You'll get a special lanyard too so everyone knows you're a superfan. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Claimed: 3 of 10
$275
Four-day pass to MDF 2017 + Saturday Pre-Party + digital stream
4 Day All Access MDF pass for Ram's Head and Soundstage. Access to the VIP area set aside in Ram's Head for VIP backers, as well as MDF swag for everyone. Early Entry to Saturday at Ram's Head. Skip the line, come in and pregame for MDF. Alicia and Tom might even buy you beers! You'll get a special lanyard too so everyone knows you're a superfan. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Sold Out!
$500
Live music video for your band + digital stream
Like the perfomances in the doc? We'll make you a video just like that. If your band playing the eastern seaboard any time soon (Baltimore, Philly, DC, NYC) the Welcome to Deathfest crew will shoot - and edit - your music video. We'll promote it on our social channels too! If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Claimed: 2 of 5
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$5
Social media shout-out + digital stream
Thanks for being a member of our DIY community! We'll make sure everyone in your social network knows you support independent art. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
$25
Get your face on a metal album + digital stream
Always wanted to be on the cover of a record? I'll photoshop you onto the cover of an iconic (or not so iconic) metal album. Maybe we'll even throw a pun or two. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member! on there.
$30
Welcome to Deathfest Koozie + digital stream
Keep your beer cool with this very grimm koozie. Bring it to MDF this year - it's always hot out there. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Claimed: 25 of 250
$30
Saturday Rams Head VIP access (doesn't include ticket) + Digital Stream
If you already bought a Ram's Head ticket for Saturday but still wanna contribute to the campaign, come hang out in our VIP area. Skip the line, come hang out! Get some rest away from the crowd drop off your merch and chill. Tom & Alicia might even buy you some beers. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Claimed: 24 of 27
$30
Sunday Rams Head VIP access (doesn't include ticket) + digital stream
Sunday Rams Head VIP access (doesn't include ticket)
If you already bought a Ram's Head ticket for Sunday but still wanna contribute to the campaign, come hang out in our VIP area. Skip the line, come hang out! Get some rest away from the crowd drop off your merch and chill. Tom & Alicia might even buy you some beers. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Claimed: 10 of 30
$45
Soundstage Single Day Pass + digital stream
Single day entry to Soundstage, valid any day. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Sold Out!
$50
MDF 15th Anniversary T-Shirt + Koozie + digital stream
Show everyone that you are a MDF superfan with this sick t-shirt. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Sold Out!
$65
Rams Head single day pass + digital stream
Single day entry to Rams Head Live, valid any day. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Claimed: 3 of 5
$90
Single Day Bundle to MDF 2017 + digital stream
$90 will get you a single-day pass to both venues at MDF 2017. Only bundle of its type! If you want to go to both venues in a single day, it's the best deal around. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Claimed: 2 of 10
$125
Saturday Pass, both venues w VIP Access + digital stream
Saturday pass for Ram's Head and Soundstage. Access to the VIP area set aside in Rams Head for VIP backers, as well as MDF swag for everyone. Early Entry to Saturday at Ram's Head. Skip the line, come in and pregame for MDF. Alicia and Tom might even buy you beers! You'll get a special lanyard too so everyone knows you're a superfan. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Claimed: 3 of 10
$275
Four-day pass to MDF 2017 + Saturday Pre-Party + digital stream
4 Day All Access MDF pass for Ram's Head and Soundstage. Access to the VIP area set aside in Ram's Head for VIP backers, as well as MDF swag for everyone. Early Entry to Saturday at Ram's Head. Skip the line, come in and pregame for MDF. Alicia and Tom might even buy you beers! You'll get a special lanyard too so everyone knows you're a superfan. If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Sold Out!
$500
Live music video for your band + digital stream
Like the perfomances in the doc? We'll make you a video just like that. If your band playing the eastern seaboard any time soon (Baltimore, Philly, DC, NYC) the Welcome to Deathfest crew will shoot - and edit - your music video. We'll promote it on our social channels too! If the project is green lit, you can watch it on Seed & Spark, just for being a member!
Claimed: 2 of 5
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
Tom Grahsler is an NYC-based producer/editor from Philadelphia. He has done everything from post production, location audio, and field producing. His work has appeared on Discovery, National Geographic, Viceland and Animal Planet. He is currently a producer for Travel + Leisure at Time Inc.
Alicia Lozano is a producer and multimedia journalist from Los Angeles. She covers everything from Gwar to cannabis policy. Her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, POLITICO, PBS NewsHour, WTOP and La Opinion Spanish-language newspaper. She likes metal and mythology, and is currently based out of Philadelphia, PA.
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Media
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Community
Supporters
Followers
