Posts Tagged ‘colombian punk’

“Lokekeda” – “Espinas Assesinas” Music Video

// February 27th, 2012 // No Comments » // Videos

Lokekeda,  (roughly translated from Spanish to English means “leftover food”) hails from Envigado, a small and quaint suburb in the southern part of Medellin, Colombia which has it’s own distinct vibe including it’s own bars and restaurants, it’s own town square, it’s own little slice of Medellin life and it’s own punk scene.

It’s where I took Spanish classes and where I first met the guys from “Lokekeda” who thankfully, because my Spanish classes didn’t really stick that well, had an English speaking drummer, Cesar.

Cesar is actually a local English teacher. Cesar speaks with a decidedly British accent when he speaks English, having learned English himself from a British teacher.

Cesar’s English is not the only British influence on Lokekeda. They site classic punk bands like Sex Pistols, Addicts, The Damned as well as more mainstream bands like AC-DC as influences.

I first decided to sign “Lokekeda” to Punk Outlaw Records when I heard this song, “Espinas Assesinas” which very, very roughly translated means killer spine or killer thorns. Some things don’t really translate as well as others it seems but the thing I remember about hearing this song was hitting the play button over and over again until I wore down the “play” grooves out on my ipod player’s button.

Espinas Assesinas is a featured single on the “Punktology Volume 1 – Free Cuba Now!” CD Compilation put out late last year and it will be featured on our upcoming CD release for Lokekeda entitled “Medellin es Punk” which has been available in Colombia for a while, but will make it’s debut outside of the country on Punk Outlaw Records.

Word is, the guys are working on a 2nd follow up CD with our buddy Andres Ocampo, lead singer for legendary punks “Los Suziox” providing producing duties at his studio in Bello, the northern most suburb of Medellin.

So the guys from the Southern most suburb of Medellin are traveling all the way to the northern most suburb of Medellin to create punk/hardcore music that will find it’s way to laptops, stereos and ipods the world over?

Punk music, my friends, has become global and we should enjoy it, open our minds, hearts and our ears to music in other languages. Whether you speak or understand Spanish or not, I hope you dig this video from Lokekeda. Please stay tuned for news on their upcoming CD “Medellin es Punk” coming soon to Punk Outlaw Records.

Chemical Warfest in Bogota, Colombia

// September 26th, 2011 // No Comments » // Photos

No, I’m not in Colombia anymore but that doesn’t mean the punk scene ground to a halt!

My good buddy Luis from the punk band Kuchabomba in Bogota was cool enough to send me some pics from the show last weekend and I’m posting them here for your enjoyment and general viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

Oh and here are the bands…
Mullet
Pinchers
Sin Mente
Rebel Thugs
Eskipunkfrenia
Kuchabomba


Dang… looks like a damn good show! Wish I could have been there!

Alta Voz 2011 – GP

// August 18th, 2011 // No Comments » // Videos

GP @ Alta Voz 2011 - Medellin, Colombia

Well, I promised a video from Medellin’s Alta Voz 2011 and here it is.

These are punk veterans (25+ years) GP and as you can see, the crowd is digging it. Hope you do to.

Enjoy

 

 

 

 

Alta Voz – Medellin’s Punk Talent Showcase

// August 15th, 2011 // No Comments » // Photos

Ask anyone around the world about Medellin and I pretty much guarantee that the first thing that pops to most people’s minds isn’t punk music. Well, it should be!

Medellin’s annual music festival “Alta Voz” (Loudly) did not disappoint. This was my 2nd festival, having attended 2010′s which was headlined by my good buddies Los Suziox.

Alta Voz organizers tend to alternate bands each year. In a city like Medellin, brimming to the rim with Punk talent, it’s not hard to alternate bands and still have a kick ass line up.

I along with local punk royalty, Monica and Viola from the legendary band IRA and a few thousand punk fans headed over to the Park next to Parque Explorer on a beautiful Saturday to take in some kick ass punk and hardcore music.

I arrived in time to see another legendary band, GP take the stage. GP is a band that’s been playing punk  music in Medellin for over 25 years. Yup, that’s over a quarter of a century! While Punk may be big in Colombia but it is not new.

Next up was a relative newcomer on the scene (who isn’t compared to GP!), Herida de Guerra (War Wound). Well actually, they are not THAT new, I checked their site and they’ve got a few CDs out and the crowd seemed familiar with the guys.

After Herida de Guerra was our good old buddies, hardcore mainstays Desestra Capital (Capital Disaster).

These hard core heavyweights were followed by my favorite “new to me” band of the evening, Atrofia (atrophy).  The energy these guys put out was contagious and I really dug the songs. I hear the lyrics are pretty potent as well, so I’d love to get my hands on their CDs.

After a brief pause wisely used by the guapa (cute) and very punk Telemedellin TV hostess to give back a couple of odd, mismatched  shoes that had somehow made their way from the punk pit to the stage (gee, wonder how that happened? No one would throw a shoe at a punk show would they?), the show cranked back up.

This time it was my good buddies Lokekeda (leftovers) who rocked the place. Lokekeda came out rocking to one of my favorite punk songs from Latin America, “Espinas Assassinas” (Spine Killer?) which set the tone for the rest of the high energy set.

The thousands of screaming, moshing, out of control fans must have inspired these guys because I’ve seen them play a few times and this was by far the best set I’ve ever witnessed them.

My only regret of the evening was missing industrial punks “Neus” who were on the bill but I couldn’t really get a read of when they were supposed to play AND missing legendary hard core band “EstoyPuto” (I’m Pissed).  Gotta love these punk band names and sometimes google translate just doesn’t do them justice.

I had to leave a little early but I hear the place rocked til 1AM. Maybe next time.

Enjoy the pics below and stay tuned for a couple of videos coming up later in the week!

 

Saturdays are made for punk

// August 12th, 2011 // No Comments » // Photos

It’s a beautiful, summer day in Medellin, Colombia. Yet scores of young punk, metal and rock fans are inside a dingy, dark bar listening to their favorite local bands.

Yep, Saturdays are made for punk music in Medellin, Colombia. Hell last Saturday there were 2 going on at the same time. I happened to be in in the neighborhood of Laureles when my new buddy, Felipe from Nitro Music called me and alerted me to a little punk show going on just a few blocks from where I was.

Me being the lazy f***er that I am, I decided to hit that particular show in Laureles over the one in the north of Medellin, Bellos even though I wasn’t the last familiar with the bands playing.

It was a young crowd, really young. First up was a hardcore band “Langarutho”. Hardcore is big in Medellin and you know when I see my buddy Faber, the organizer of Rock Medellin, at a show, I pretty much know it’s the real deal.

Next up was Nuevaonce (911). Felipe introduced me to Alex, lead singer, backstage before the show and we got to chat a little.

Don’t let 911′s young looks fool you. These guys have been around for over 12 years! Wow, that’s like since 1999! Now that’s a stretch. As a result of this incredible longevity, they’ve got dozens of songs recorded and have opened for some notable bands like “MXPX” and “Less Than Jake”.

911 is also unique in that they play a more pop / skate genre of music than one typically encounters in Latin America and they’ve even got a couple of songs in English. I honestly think with their sound they would have sounded right at home on the Warped Tour in the U.S.

Instead they were playing a dark, dingy little bar in the middle of the afternoon in Barrio Laureles in Medellin, Colombia. And you know what, there are a lot worse places to be!


Lucky me! my last weekend in Colombia before heading to Peru and there is a big Alto Voz festival going on with some of my favorite bands like “Lokekeda”, Neus and more playing. Stay tuned for pics and vids from that big show!

Colombia’s I.R.A. – Punk Legends or Punk Royalty?

// June 13th, 2011 // 4 Comments » // Photos, Videos

MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA - Last Friday I received a last minute invite by my good friends Andres (Los Suziox) and Faber (Rock in Medellin Festival) to a private concert by the incredible local punk band  I.R.A.

David from I.R.A

For those of you who don’t know I.R.A., here is a little info. It is so hard to believe from looking at them but the band has been around for over 25 years, since the 1980s and the early days of Medellin’s punk scene.

Monica from I.R.A.

They’ve toured the U.S., including the legendary CBGB’s in NYC. They’ve had books written about them, been featured in several documentaries and most importantly they have put out some incredible punk music over the years and continue to do so.

Duvan from I.R.A.

But the thing I think I like most about I.R.A is their attitude. I first met them all, David (vocals/guitar), Monica (vocals/drums) and Duvan (bass/vocals) at The Casualties show in December 2009 and they gave me a short interview for Punk Outlaw (which you can see HERE).

Later that day I saw them play a kick ass set as they opened for The Casualties. Since then, I’ve seen them a few times doing things that really embody the spirit and solidarity of punk rock; like supporting their friends  Fertil Miseria to Rock Al Parque (Rock in the Park) in Bogota, creating a compilation CD to benefit a sick friend of theirs who had no place to live, etc.) and on and on.

Boom Box Licker

 

Not to get all sappy or emotional here but I.R.A. represents everything I love about Punk Music. They play really good, raucous and socially conscious punk music and the fact that they care passionately about the world around them is obvious in their actions on and off stage.

But watching them play a small, private show for their punk friends (it was in a small but very cool video production studio), you could tell how the punk scene in Medellin really sticks together and I.R.A. provides much of the glue. There were people from many of the local bands like Los Suziox, Nacion Criminal, Dorados Rockabilly Trio, etc., and there were many familiar faces I’ve seen at shows here over the past couple of years covering the Colombian punk scene.

As I said, I.R.A. is the glue. They help hold the scene together and after over 25 years, I think their role as punk ambassadors for a city that has seen a lot during that period of time can’t be overstated.

Watching David being carried around on the shoulders of the crowd… watching the punks joking around with Monica’s “Boom Box”, but more than that.. feeling the positive energy from the crowd which was by and large sober (it was early), very mixed (plenty of punk females) and just overall putting out nothing but good vibes.

Paisita Punk Beauty with Andres (Los Suziox)

I had just come off a rough week. Feeling a little homesick for the U.S. for the 1st time really.

I was tired of living in small, cramped hotel rooms and dealing with my horrible Spanish which seems to have not improved one single bit in my 6 months in Latin America. Dealing with issues with my other project, Raw Travel, thinking maybe I’m doing nothing but wasting time and money and why am I here? I don’t belong here, etc.

Then I go to an I.R.A. show. I see my old friends. I feel the vibes. I hear the music. I see the show. Suddenly things get back into focus. This is why I’m here. To experience this and to try to communicate this to others. Maybe a little self important, probably very myopic and selfish and definitely over dramatic and emotional, but that is the way I felt at the time.

And if I had a rough week, I imagine how many others had it even rougher. Maybe no cramped hotel, in fact no place to stay and not enough money to get through the week? My problems were nothing. This is real, this is punk, this is I.R.A.

Unfortunately I had to leave early because I had a previous commitment on the other side of town.

Coincidence or not, my taxi driver that night was the coolest, funniest dude who felt obliged to play (and sing along to) some North American metal and rock music for me. I could barely hear the guy speak over the Metalica, U-2 (the old stuff, the good stuff, not the recent garbage) and eventually, The Ramones singing “Sheenah isssss a punk rocker…”, much less understand him but I didn’t ask him to turn it down. “Mas alto por favor” (more higher please, my Tarzan Spanish way of saying “turn it up”).

All in all the rest of the evening was one of the best nights I’ve had since coming to South America. I’m not sure why, can’t pinpoint it exactly, but I think it had something to do with seeing I.R.A., who are (I think I can safely say this without critique) a legendary punk band not just from Medellin but from Colombia..from South America.. actually, a legendary punk band period.

Below is a little video clip from their show and for more photos check out the album on our flikr page HERE.

 

 

 

 

Bots @ Warped Tour and Other Genius Ramblings

// April 29th, 2011 // 1 Comment » // Events

UPDATE:
Here is an update from the previous post. The concert in Rio Negro in Medellin Colombia was canceled due to heavy rain in the area which is causing flooding. It’s been one of the wettest “winters” on record in South America and the result is many, many people on flood plains and near rivers have lost their homes. Just goes to show you that disaster comes in many forms, big and small and if you don’t hear about something, it doesn’t make it any less real.

I’m not sure how to help out but I do know that the good people of Vision Mundial (AKA “World Vision” in the U.S.) do a great work here in Colombia (and all over) for people in need and are a good start.

Secondly, a bit of better news, the fine people from the Bots sent me some photos that, how should we say are a little better quality than my little BS digital that I used last summer at the Afro-Punk Festival in Brooklyn (damn, now why was I so lazy not to bring out the big guns, the Sony or the Cannon?).  Oh, and they have the additional benefit of being from this year’s warped tour.. so not only are they of better quality, they are more timely as well.. so my good fortune is yours. Ladies and gentlemen, the Bots on the warped tour.. Thanks Emily for the fine pics.

 

 

 

 

After a brief stop in Miami I’m back in my new home away from home,  Medellin, Colombia, and just in time too as there is, tadaahhh… a big punk show on Sunday which I’ll be hitting and if you happen to be here, you should too. Now it starts @ 9AM (won’t be there for the opening act I can tell you right now) and it goes until 9PM (But I will be there for the final act!).

Los Suziox

It’s 12 hours of good old fashioned local Colombian punk including a rare 2011 appearance by our buddies “Los Suziox” , now that my friends is punk to the core!

CLICK HERE for more info and hope to see you there but if you can’t make it we’ll have photos and videos up for you next week.

Now if you are one of the many folks who read this humble little blog and are in the U.S. this summer then you gotta get out to the Warped Tour.

The tour is going into it’s umpteeth year and is really first rate and I dare to say the organizer, Kevin Lymon has done more to keep punk alive in the U.S. than most anyone. Of course there are lots of non punk rock acts as well. Still, when I grow up I want to be just like Kevin.

You may remember last summer that I raved about a young duo called “The Bots” after seeing them perform live at the Afro-Punk festival in Brooklyn? (see POST HERE).

The Bots

Well this year, the Bots are on the Warped tour and I predict will probably be bustin’ out as more people get to sample ‘em. I’ve been listening to songs off their debut CD and the more I listen the more I like.

So if you hit the Warped Tour make sure you go see these guys and let me know what you think.

That’s it for now. Lots of good stuff coming up including a couple of new videos and a long, long overdue review of Social Distortion’s no longer new CD… so stay tuned!

These Punk Chicks Show How It’s Done…

// March 22nd, 2011 // 1 Comment » // Events, Photos

Medellin, CO

"Insurgentas" Backstage Before the Show

Last summer I interviewed the ladies of “Insurgentas” (Insurgents) a Medellin, Colombia based all girl punk band. (SEE THE POST HERE) This quartet of lovely ladies seemed like the real deal at the time, but unfortunately they were not playing that particular day. Since then I’ve tried to catch them play but something came up each and every time that prevented it and I was beginning to think it just wasn’t in the cards.

But that all changed Sunday night at the Alcaldia Festival in Envigado, a cool little barrio on the outskirts of the Gringo Zone of Poblado in Medellin.

The festival got it’s name and served as a celebration for the release of  a DVD Documentary about the history of punk in Envigado called “Alcaldia Punk”. I missed most of the screening so I ended up buying a copy for the very reasonable price of $6 U.S. (which included entry to the concert). While the documentary doesn’t have English subtitles yet, should prove helpful in my continuing effort to learn Spanish.

Insurgentas

Who knows if it works, I may offer a 3 step course called “Spanish for Punks” incorporating some of the techniques I’ve learned, which include:

1) Listening to punk music in Spanish

2) Watching English language TV Shows with Spanish Subtitles

3) and now, watching punk documentaries in Spanish w/o subtitles

If your interested, my secrets to learning Spanish without any of that lame stuff like trying or studying, can be yours for the low, low price of $19.99. Just email me and I’ll tell you where to send the money.

En Serio (seriously… see it’s working already) however, the documentary looked really decent, it’s 100% DIY and I can’t wait to sit down and see it. If you want a copy you can email my amigo Juan Camilo and his crew at Punky_HC at the mail that is really hot (hope you get that because spambots need not apply).

Insurgentas

Now back to Insurgentas, after hearing these guys were on the bill, I knew I had to see them play and this time no excuses and I’m really glad I did. Their music ranges from straight up, throaty hardcore metal to melodic punk melodies, some straight up instrumentals without lyrics. These ladies are no novelty act at all, they are true musicians who really know how to play, and more importantly, you can tell they are dedicated to punk music.

Insurgentas

The crowd recognized it too, as a good mix of girls and guys came to see watch them do their thing. I have some video I hope to get up soon, but I’ll have to wait until I get back in the U.S. near a decent internet connection so in the meantime, enjoy the pics and use your imagination.

But Insurgentas weren’t the only kick ass band at the festival, not by a long shot.

Nacion Criminal

There was Nacion Criminal (Criminal Nation), a hardcore band I had the pleasure of also seeing for the first time. The lead singer gave me one of their cds so I’m really looking forward to listening to that once back in the U.S.

Alkoholemia

Also, my good buddy, the drummer (and lawyer) David from Alkoholemia had given me a CD a while back and I finally got to listen to these guys live. They also range from hardcore to melodic punk and provided a good opportunity for some of the rowdier crowd to start a wrecking pit.

Lokekeda

It was my amigos from Lokekeda that wound up the night and this was their hometown crowd, you could tell by the reaction. They ripped through their songs including “Medellin is Punk” which for obvious reasons is a crowd favorite. It was too dark to shoot any decent video of Lokekeda but if you want to see a video from a few weeks ago when they ripped through their song “Espinas Asesinas” then you can  CLICK HERE. Otherwise the fellas and I hope to film a proper music video for the song when I return to Medellin.

Punk Pit

A punk show in Medellin is always an enjoyable experience for me, more so than say a punk show in NYC or almost any other place.

Maybe it’s because I’ve gotten to know so many of the punks there and they are so cool.

Maybe it’s because I know that I don’t have to worry about some of the BS I’ve had to worry about at other punk shows (violence, arrests, out of control drunkenness,etc.).

Lokekeda

But I think its because Medellin punks are authentic. They are the real deal and we share a love of good, punk music. Getting together to enjoy it with the punks in Medellin never fails to be a good, positive vibe. It was a Sunday after all, so maybe it was a little bit like going to punk church.

For more pics from the show be sure and check out the set on FLIKR HERE.

 

 

 

Medellin’s “The Rockadores” Have It Covered

// February 15th, 2011 // 3 Comments » // Photos, Videos

Before we head to Uruguay and Argentina to reconnect with our punks friends, we have an update for you from Medellin, Colombia, our current home base.

At Battle of the Bands

This past Saturday was picture perfect day for punks and my new hood, Barrio Laureles was the spot.

There was a battle of the bands just down the street from where I was staying and while I’m really bummed I missed the all female hardcore/punk group “Insurgentas” (Insurgents), I did see some of the other talented bands and it was pretty first rate, if not necessarily punk.

Tequila was involved

Later that evening my good buddy Andres O’Campo from Los Suziox invited me to catch a rehearsal of his side project, a punk cover band called “The Rockadores”.

"Insurgentas" getting ready!

Happily for my lazy ass, this was also in Barrio Laureles and within walking distance so I grabbed my camera and headed over.

Rehearsals in Medellin can be fun

Most of the crew from the rehearsal had been at the Battle of the Bands all afternoon and as you can see by the photos, tequila was involved . For the record I successfully declined numerous invitations to take some shots from the bottle being passed around.

Andres from Los Suziox plays bass and sings for "The Rockadores"

This had nothing to do with hygiene. I got over that little issue a few trips to ago when the Latin punks would grab my beer, take a big swig, pass it around to another punk I hadn’t even met yet and then return it to me half or a quarter full.

Working Hard

No, my restraint instead had to do with shooting tequila in the middle of the day after a long night out with little sleep. And maybe, just maybe, with the fact that, yup, I am getting older and just can’t hang like I used to.

Paisa Punk Power

Anyway, if I took a shot of liquor every time a punk offered it to me, you’d probably never see another post on here again.

The Rockadores

Unlike me, however, these guys can hold their liquor and despite the tequila drinking the rehearsal was pretty damned tight and as you’ll see everyone from some old timer, gnarly punks to some much younger (and decidedly prettier) punk paisas enjoyed the private show.

Out of focus? Blame the tequila.

Here is a little video clip of mi amigo Andres and his amigos from “The Rockadores” at rehearsal.

Be you young, old, pretty, ugly or in between, I hope you enjoy!

We’ll check back in with you from Argentina.

Lokekeda performing “Espinas Asesinas”

// February 8th, 2011 // 1 Comment » // Videos

Punks are always helping out. This is a message that probably doesn’t get out very often, I mean its not as if punks have a big Public Relations Department spinning all the good stuff that punks do. There is no Global Association of Punks for Good Causes or anything like that (that I’m aware of).

Lokekeda

But one thing that I’ve learned traveling around a few different continents interviewing punks is that no matter if the punks are into hardcore, street punk, classic punk, California punk or whatever, a general theme is helping out.

As I’ve written before, helping out seems to be a very punk thing to do. Talking about it, not so much.

Last year, legendary Medellin punk band I.R.A. organized the recording of  a CD compilation featuring about 20 local Medellin punk bands like themselves, Los Suziox, Desadaptadoz and more.  The proceeds of the CD went to a local punk who had been really sick and unable to work to help him build a house to live in.

Cesar of Lokekeda

We happened to be in Medellin during the recording session, and over 20 bands had been scheduled over a 2 day period to lay down new music. Each band had an hour of studio time to do their stuff.  I was impressed with the industry and professionalism that each band demonstrated.

Nobody was getting paid, everyone was volunteering their time and creativity but everyone shows up pretty much on time and (mostly) sober to lay down their tracks.

Lokekeda performs "Espinas Asesinas"

I think getting 20 punk bands to do anything in an organized fashion is pretty damned cool.

When I returned later that summer, the CD was out and I purchased one. I always get a kick out of hearing new punk music, especially from a punk hotspot like Medellin with so many young, good bands playing in the scene.

For me, one song that immediately stuck out was called “Espinas Asesinas” from a band we had interviewed just a few months prior, Lokekeda (I have no idea what the English translation is sorry, I’ll ask my Spanish teacher or maybe Cesar, Lokekeda’s drummer who is also an English teacher).

Last Saturday at the punk show in Milagrosa punks were collecting notebooks for some local school kids who couldn’t afford them (another example of punks helping out that probably didn’t make the evening news).

Punk Show in Barrio Milagrosa - Medellin, CO

Well, I finally got the chance to hear Lokekeda perform “Espinas Asesinas” live and while it doesn’t have the same crystal clear sound as the recording on the CD compilation (as most live performances don’t), it still kicks some serious ass so I recorded and uploaded the video for you.

Give em a look and a listen and let me know what you think.

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