STRAIGHT EDGE NIGHT
STRAIGHT EDGE NIGHT
AT THE WARSZTAT CLUB
PRIMITIVE LIFE
TIME AND DISTANCE
CYCLAMEN
Krakow, October 17, 2016
Another wasted Straight Edge night!! No, really, just kidding. The gig took place at The Warsztat Club, a relatively new, but already a supercool independent space on the cultural map of Krakow. Most of their events are good or very good and Warsztat has a constant series of great independent/DIY music concerts, something that is uparalleled in our city.
This one was organized by Wyrak, a seasoned DIY activist. He is the most hardworking and effective individual of the local indie scene tha t I know of and a frequent Warsztat collaborator. So when the two join forces the result must be more than satisfying.
The first band on the bill was Primitive Life. They are a new straight edge hardcore fourpiece from Berlin. The music they offer centers around classic old school HC and they deliver a solid shot of energy with their set. But for me, one more aspect was important as well. I mean, their secret weapon, a bass player named Julia. This female element is something that is usually so desperately missing. The hardcore scene is so totally male dominated that it is almost unbearable. And I really don't know why. We've been working on it for forty years now and the situation hasn't changed much.
If I was a teenager from Mars who fell to Earth and went to a typical hardcore punk gig in any country on this planet I would think that it is populated by male animals only!!! What a shame! Forget Girls vs Boys and let's work together!! Otherwise this is going to be a damn Primitive Life for you and me.
The next set was by Time and Distance from Brazil. A cool name for a band, though not very original. I guess there is another punk group by that name from the US, so that might be a problem sometimes. Anyway, they are five São Paulo guys who know how to punk pretty well. Their music is a combination of old and newer school with a melodic edge to it. Two guitars make the overall sound stronger and the singer does a lot of talking between the songs, explaining the lyrical content and giving some interesting comments on what inspired him to write it. For example the band sings about the Bolivian "gastarbeiters" in Brazil who come in the hope of finding a better life and what they find is oppression and exploitation. They also dedicated one song to the early Krakow Hardcore scene which was cool. Thanx guys!!
The last band was a French trio called Cyclamen. They came late but were justified to do so as they had to travel 1000 kilometers straight. The music they play is a fine blend of screamo punk with some emo elements and a bit of psychedelia. Pretty loud and using various moods and tempos.
So, as you can see it was another great night at The Warsztat club, a place you should support whenever you can.
ALL TEXTS AND IMAGES © PIOTR SIATKOWSKI
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