MANSFIELD – “Anywhere in Ohio, I feel like it’s hard rock central.”
Those are the words of prominent SiriusXM radio host Jose “Metal Ambassador” Mangin, who also hosted Inkcarceration last weekend on the grounds of the Ohio State Reformatory.
Richland Source had a brief opportunity to interview him, and here’s what he had to say about Mansfield and the festival.
“I love being here with so many amazing fans. I love getting the chance to say ‘Thank you’ to them to their faces,” Mangin said. “It’s a big community, close-knit, and I just love being here.”
This was Mangin’s first year at Inkcarceration and as such he decided to stay in a nearby hotel instead of at the festival’s campgrounds.
“I haven’t gone camping and hosted a festival yet. Maybe one of these days. I don’t know, man, that’s a whole different beast for me,” Mangin said.
Richland Source also had the chance to talk with singer Stef Huschka – also known as Stef with an F– of City of the Weak, a rock band originally from Minneapolis.
City of the Weak drove from Arizona to be at Inkcarceration, where the group had a meet-and-greet alongside the festival’s CEO and played at the campground after-party.
“The after-parties get so wild and so crazy, you know we’re playing at like midnight, people are just starting to get super lit and they want to rage all night and so we’re there to bring the party,” Stef said.
“I’ll gladly take on the challenge of bringing the party and making it a night that people are gonna, you know, think about for a long time.”
While this was their first time at Inkcarceration, City of the Weak is no stranger to north central Ohio due to an extensive touring history.
“We always play Akron. There’s a club called the Empire Club so it’s a small club, perfect for our size, it’s probably like capped at 200. They always have like a special shot for the band … so we love playing like Akron, Cleveland area,” Stef said.
When City of the Weak isn’t touring, Stef and the band’s bassist Cody Hoffman teach music at the School of Rock in Gilbert, Arizona.
