Winona Fighter at Minnesota Yacht Club Festival

Imagine the sun dipping just low enough to cast a golden haze over Harriet Island Regional Park on that sweltering Sunday afternoon, July 20, 2025. The Minnesota Yacht Club Festival is in full swing, the air thick with the scent of sunscreen, river breeze, and that unmistakable thrill of a crowd syncing up to the beat. It’s 1:20 p.m., right on the dot, and the stage erupts like a storm cloud bursting—Winona Fighter bursts onto the scene, all fire and fury. Frontwoman Coco Kinnon charges out screaming, her voice a raw howl that slices through the chatter, backed by a wall of punk distortion that hits like a freight train. She’s everywhere at once, dramatic and unapologetic, sprinting across the stage and down the runway, ponytail whipping like a battle flag, sweat already gleaming under the lights. It’s like watching a fighter step into the ring, gloves up, ready to throw punches at the universe itself.

The trio—Nashville’s punk powerhouse—doesn’t ease in; they dive headfirst into the chaos, their sound a blistering blend of grunge-tinged riffs and anthemic hooks that demand you move. Coco’s energy is infectious, a whirlwind of anger and irony that turns every lyric into a performance art piece. She’s acting it all out, the sarcasm dripping from lines about heartbreak and hustle, inviting the audience to scream right back with them. “Let it out!” she yells between songs, her grin fierce as the crowd—mostly twentysomethings in band tees and ripped jeans—roars in response, fists pumping like they’re part of the rebellion. The irony in their words, those sharp jabs at modern malaise, lands with a wink even as the volume cranks to eleven. It’s cathartic, you know? Like yelling into the void and having it yell back, but I’ve seen a lot of angry young women on the stage this year, and it wears thin quickly.

Mid-set, as the adrenaline peaks, bassist Austin Luther steps up to the mic with a sly smile, catching his breath long enough to introduce the crew. “On lead guitar, laying down those killer riffs, is Dan Fuson,” he says, gesturing to the shredder who’s been weaving solos like threads of lightning. “And on vocals—ripping our hearts out—is Coco Kinnon.” The crowd cheers, a wave of recognition rippling through, because by now, they’ve all bought into this family’s fight. It’s those little touches that make the show feel alive, not just a gig, but a shared uprising against whatever’s weighing you down.

Winona Fighter’s rise feels like a punk rock fairy tale scripted in dive bars and late-night sessions. Born from Coco’s roots in the gritty Boston scene, where she cut her teeth drumming in underground bands, the group coalesced in Nashville around 2022. What started as DIY demos in cramped apartments snowballed into their debut EP, Father Figure, that same year—a raw collection that captured their ethos of self-production and unfiltered emotion. By 2025, they’d leveled up with My Apologies to the Chef on Rise Records, a full-length that polished their edges without dulling the bite. Tracks like “HAMMS IN A GLASS,” a fizzy rant on fleeting connections, and “Johnny’s Dead,” with its morbid humor, became festival fodder, while “You Look Like a Drunk Phoebe Bridgers” turned heads with its clever nod to indie angst. They’ve toured relentlessly, opening for punk heavyweights and building a rep for shows that leave you bruised in the best way—exhausted, exhilarated, and a little less alone.

As the final chords fade and Coco throws a mock salute to the roaring crowd, you can’t help but feel the spark. In a lineup loaded with nostalgia acts, Winona Fighter was the jolt of now—fierce, funny, and fiercely unyielding. They didn’t just play; they ignited. And as the next band tunes up, you’re already humming their hooks, plotting your next dive into the fray.

Brief History of Winona Fighter

Winona Fighter is a Nashville-based punk rock trio formed in 2022 by frontwoman Coco Kinnon, drawing from her Boston punk upbringing. They released their debut EP Father Figure that year through DIY efforts and followed with their first full-length album My Apologies to the Chef in 2025 via Rise Records. Known for high-energy performances and ironic, introspective lyrics, the band has gained traction through relentless touring and viral tracks blending grunge and pop-punk.

Band Members

• Coco Kinnon – Vocals, Guitar, Drums
• Dan Fuson – Lead Guitar
• Austin Luther – Bass, Production

Verified Setlist (Partial)

• You Look Like a Drunk Phoebe Bridgers
• I Think You Should Leave
• R U FAMOUS
• Subaru
• (Don’t Get) CLOSE
• I’M IN THE MARKET TO PLEASE NO ONE
• Sabotage
• Swear to God That I’m (FINE)
• Wilburn St. Tavern
• Talk
• Johnny’s Dead
• Hamms in a Glass

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