Static Spirit has always been known for loud guitars, harder edges, and a streak of mischief, but this year the Peebles-based band has taken its creativity off the stage and onto the internet. In the weeks leading up to Old Timers Day, the group engineered a playful “campaign” for town council that was never real at all. What started as a series of tongue-in-cheek memes quickly snowballed into a full-blown “meme war,” sparking online buzz that has turned into the most unlikely promotion for this year’s scaled-down festival.

Bassist Matthew Mahoney, who also serves on the Lions Club committee that organizes the event, admitted that the whole thing began as a joke. Seeing a sudden interest in young people declaring as candidacies for town council, he thought Static Spirit might as well join

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