Kirby’s Meat Fest brings the rock, but mainly the meat

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Matt Cooper

Local Wichita punk veterans False Flag blow through a set at Saturday evening’s Meat Fest.

Saturday night was the high point of the annual Meat Fest at Kirby’s Beer Store, the bar just across 17th Street from WSU.

At the yearly food extravaganza, dozens of bands turned out to rock Kirby’s for four nights straight. Audiences come out to Kirby’s to feast on a deluge of cooked meats, provided by donation. Wichita locals Karen and Dave Hinz braved the cold Saturday evening through the wee hours of Sunday to keep all the hungry punk rocking stomachs soothed.

“It’s really a labor of love, and it’s all about the benefit,” Dave Hinz said while slaving over the patio grill.

All the proceeds from Meat Fest go towards the Steve Schroeder Scholarship for the arts at WSU.

“It helps with the endowment,” Dave Hinz went on. “It’s good people and it’s a good time. People donate all the meat and we bring enough supplies to meet everyone’s needs.”

Rock veterans False Flag was among the dozens of bands on-tap during Meat Fest.

False Flag drummer Rhea Sewell has been playing at Meat Fest since its inception in 2000.

“This is my favorite,” Sewell said. “This is why we are in rock and roll.”

Wichita local Les Allen commented on the personality of the shindig.

“There are lots of bands and cool people here,” Allen said. “And lots of interesting stories.”

Another local chowing down so voraciously that he neglected to give us his name, had this to say:

“Just look at all that meat.”