Q&A: Winona Fighter Revives Punk’s Rebellious Spirit at Riot Fest
REINVENTING PUNK FOR A NEW GENERATION – Nashville-based punk trio Winona Fighter is making waves, and they brought their raw, no-holds-barred energy to Riot Fest, one of the premier stages for the resurgence of punk rock.
The band, composed of frontwoman Coco, guitarist Dan Fuson, and bassist Austin Luther, is on a mission to make punk music inclusive and accessible to all – something that speaks to the heart of the festival’s rebellious roots.
At the core of Winona Fighter is their unapologetic attitude, both in their music and performances. They reject any pretense or elitism in punk, opting for an open invitation to anyone willing to let loose and be part of the experience.
Their live shows are a sight to behold: high-energy, full of adrenaline, and a firm command for the audience to leave their inhibitions at the door. Winona Fighter has turned their concerts into safe spaces, where fans are not just spectators but active participants – equal, welcome and expected to get on their feet.
With songs that reflect raw emotion and social commentary, Winona Fighter taps into a punk ethos that’s timeless, yet feels incredibly urgent today. It’s punk with purpose – rebellious without being exclusive, hard-hitting yet community-driven. Their Riot Fest set embodies that ethos perfectly, offering fans an explosive performance full of chaotic fun and meaningful defiance.
LUNA: Thank you for sitting down and talking to Luna. Our readers would love to get to know you and your music more. For any readers who aren’t familiar yet, what kind of atmosphere or emotional space do you aim to create for your listeners?
COCO: I think we aim to create an equal space, whether it's at our show or even on social media. We're very much in the mindset that everyone, even us, we're all in the same room and we're all there for the same purpose. We're all equals. We're all dealing with shit. Let's just forget about it all for an hour.
LUNA: This has been a busy year for you with non-stop touring, playing major festivals, and releasing new music, including your latest track, “Swear To God That I’m (FINE).” What can listeners expect from Winona Fighter in this new era of your music?
DAN: A bunch more tunes. Maybe a couple fun, quirky little bits from us, from the team, and a couple funny things. More touring, more touring.
LUNA: How has your sound evolved from your debut EP Father Figure? What new elements or influences did you incorporate?
COCO: I think we're getting a lot more comfortable with making harder music. Our whole point is to create something that is pure, raw punk, but accessible to all listeners and music lovers. I think we're slowly getting more comfortable with like, ‘oh well, everyone really likes this harder song, so maybe we could dive into that a little bit more deeper.’
LUNA: What inspires you to push boundaries within your sound? Are there any specific experiences,
artists, or moments that have encouraged you to explore new musical territories?
AUSTIN: We want to be unique. We want to have our own lane and do our own thing and be fresh and fun and different.
LUNA: Riot Fest has a unique atmosphere that draws punk and alternative music fans from all over. Can you describe the energy and atmosphere at Riot Fest from your perspective? How does it compare to other festivals or shows you’ve played?
COCO: The cool thing about Riot Fest is that it's an all punk rock and metal festival, whereas other festivals have been all genres, so it's really cool to be surrounded by like minded people, like minded fans.
DAN: I have a Megadeth t-shirt on, so I've been able to have a conversation about Megadeth with about six people already which is pretty rare.
LUNA: Do you have any specific pre-show rituals or routines that help you prepare for a big performance like Riot Fest?
DAN: Gotta have a real crisp shoe tie right before we hit the stage.
LUNA: How do you prepare for a festival performance compared to a regular concert? Are there any differences in your approach or setlist? Did you do anything different for Riot Fest?
COCO: It's all the same. We approach a festival with a couple thousand people the same way we would approach a house show. We don't play to attract, we just put on a raw punk performance. I think it really resonates in both settings.
AUSTIN: I think the Turnstile cover we did was pretty special, which we don’t do often.
LUNA: You’ve built a solid reputation for your live shows. How do you keep your performances fresh and engaging for both longtime fans and new listeners seeing you for the first time?
COCO: I would have to give it up to the fans. I think we do a lot of crowd engagement, and they're the ones who keep it fresh. We're just there to lead the ship. They are at the helm of it there.
DAN: It's still so fresh to us that there's people that are here and know our songs, that it's easy, I think at least for me, to tap into being like I'm so lucky to get to do this.
LUNA: Touring and performing at festivals can be physically and mentally exhausting. How do you stay grounded and maintain a sense of balance while on the road?
COCO: I think we all know our own boundaries and we're okay with vocalizing them.
LUNA: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like for you that you would love to share with Luna?
COCO: I'm just so fortunate and feel so lucky. We're doing exactly what we want to do, and having courage that we want to have. I get real emotional about these things. We really are so lucky.
AUSTIN: Next weekend we have Oceans Calling and South Star.
DAN: In October, we've got Aftershock in Sacramento, and then at the end of the year, playing a festival in Nashville, where we're from, and that'll close out our live shows this year. 2025 a couple of cool tours.
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