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“They Grew Frustrated With The White-Dominated Hardcore And Punk Scenes” – Break Free Fest

By on April 22, 2023

“This is for the punk and hardcore kids who were told they were listening to “white music”.
This is for the bands who speak their native tongue and are told no one will understand them.
This is for those who constantly find themselves shoved to the back.
This is for the misrepresented in a music scene that they feel so passionate about.
This is for us.

For years punk and hardcore have been deemed white genres of music, pushing aside and ignoring people of color who have been shaping it for years. This fest wants to bring those people together and to the front to represent the many different groups who make this music the most diverse genre many claim it to be.”

We love coming across any event in the West where profound things are happening in order to change (update/improve) the landscape of this world of “hardcore” that we love so much. So when we came across something called Break Free Fest with the tag “POC Hardcore Punk Fest” being held this June in USA, you know we had to find out more. Check out this short video that Hate5Six also released regarding the fest from last year:

And check out how the fest even made it to the cover of MRR:

Luckily, the peeps behind the event were quick to give us the lowdown. So read below:

“Break Free is a POC hardcore/punk festival in its 5th year with the mission to give a platform to POC-fronted bands.

In recent years they have booked Soul Glo, Escuela Grind, Listless, Thirdface, 700 Bliss, and many other amazing bands. Break Free was started in 2018 by artist Scout E. Cartagena after they grew frustrated with the white-dominated hardcore and punk music scenes they were a part of. To make a difference, they wanted to spotlight POC artists who have been shaping music since the beginning but have been pushed to the back.

The fest has grown every year, adding more bands and growing the community. This year, with a larger team including Scout, Darby Cox, Adesola Ogunleye-Sowemimo, Alex Aguilar, Phylix Almentero, and Antonio Williams, they’re hoping to have their biggest year yet.”

Currently, the event is trying to raise money to help fund the 3 days of music so if you can help out – go send them some cash HERE.

Tickets etc can be picked up HERE.

 

UniteAsia.org is an underground Asian music news website created for the sole purpose of supporting our own world. We support all bands and genres HOWEVER we do not support nor have any sympathy for homophobic, racist, sexist rhetoric in lyrical content or band material. UNITE ASIA!
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