Northwest Folklife

Punk as Folk

Saturday, May 23, 6:10 - 9:00 pm

Fountain Lawn Stage

Punk Culture is transmitted worldwide entirely by word-of-mouth from one small community to the next through home-produced literature and music. Over the past few years a growing number of punk artists have challenged themselves to re-enter the folk music soundscape, combining multi-faceted punk sounds with the music of folk icons and Irish, Old-Time, Country Blues and Gypsy styles.

In the abandoned buildings and alleyways of the Northwest, there brews a new breed of bands. These bands utilize the D.I.Y. approach of true punk rock, playing at house shows or parking lots, silkscreening their own merchandise, and performing music as part of a distinct community.

Come hear the fervency and passion of four bands. Below the Salt’s jazzy, gypsy style pulls Moroccan rhythms together with Russian campfire songs. Rowdy performers the Dandelion Junk Queens sound like Iron Maiden performing an anarchist off-Broadway musical on instruments they found in the garbage. The Hail Seizures bring influences from underground pop punk and crust to recreate punk sounds with acoustic guitars, a suitcase drumset, cello and violin. Blackbird Raum pulls sounds from 80s anarcho punk, blackened sludge metal, Celtic fiddle tunes and other incongruous sources and sets them into the context of a 1920s string band.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Here's what's coming up:

August 21: Family Days - West African 1-3PM at the EMP - FREE
November 13: 2nd Annual A Night for Folklife, a benefit for Northwest Folklife

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