Gig Report: Pre-Fluff Hardcore Matinee 2019

Here we go again. As tradition dictates, the last week of July is reserved for traveling to Czechia, where the annual Fluff Fest brings together a diverse crowd of passionate souls from all over the world—kids like us who deeply believe in the positive, socially progressive, and always norm-questioning values of the international DIY punk community.

This year, being the festival’s 20th anniversary, Fluff was arguably the most talked-about topic within our close-knit group of hardcore punk nerds. The rumors and gossip surrounding the festival were getting out of proportion as we approached the start. Factors such as the festival’s expansion to include a series of official Fluff shows in Prague, the €60 entry fee, and especially 2019’s lineup—which was so different from what we had come to expect over the years—all contributed to a sense that Fluff felt weird this time. But it turned out to be great again anyway.

However, this isn’t meant to be a rant or a feature about Fluff Fest. It’s about another growing tradition that takes place in Prague right before the festival, and this year marks its ninth consecutive occurrence! I still remember the first time I attended the unofficial Pre-Fluff Hardcore Matinee—also known as Pavel’s Fest—at Café Na půl cesty, a tiny but charming DIY venue situated in a park in Prague’s Pankrác neighborhood.

That was back in 2011. Some top-notch hardcore bands were on the bill, and the small indoor space was soon filled with real hardcore energy and passion. In particular, the Stay Hungry set remains unforgettable whenever we discuss these shows. Now, we still have the same vibes that make us want to go again and again. The Star Wars-inspired poster, the pay-what-you-want donations for the bands, the amazing vegan food, and especially meeting so many friends who care about important things and are trying to change the world—all of these elements keep drawing us back.

Once again, thanks to Pavel Nezval (Slave X One DIY shows) for organizing this event, especially since most of the bands this year were not playing at Fluff!

Jodie Faster

This Thursday was a really hot day in Prague, but it was still beautiful walking beside the river, relaxing in one of the city’s botanical gardens, and doing some sightseeing. When my new friend from Chile and I arrived at Café Na půl cesty, we were right on time for the opening band: Jodie Faster from Lille, France.

There were already a bunch of people inside the venue, as well as others lying on the grass in the park outside. I had never heard of Jodie Faster before, so I was eager to catch their short songs. I used to know a lot of fast bands from France like Strong As Ten, Thrashington D.C., Ken Park, and Charogne Stone, so I was thrilled to check them out! Fastcore is still a thing, and I regret not having a skateboard anymore. Great energy and a lot of fun!

Desencadenar

After Jodie’s short set, the straight edge kids started to show up and put Xs on their hands. This is one of the reasons I feel so great in a place like this! You see, I come from a place where the number of straight edge kids could be counted on one hand. I don’t care if all youth crew-inspired bands sound the same, and I don’t care if the lyrics and attitude may seem a bit hilarious to an outsider. Straight edge is here to stay.

There are two straight edge bands from Chile and one from Brazil playing at the gig today! This is a place where I can see kids with X’d-up hands like nowhere else I usually go.

Desencadenar from Santiago are hitting hard and making everybody move. Their style is similar to bands like Chain of Strength, Ten Yard Fight, and In My Eyes. Their set is super tight, and we’re lucky to see that South American bands can still make it to Europe.

Wake of Humanity

Seattle’s Wake of Humanity are up next with their metallic hardcore assault, tackling a lot of political, environmentalist, and interpersonal issues. Their music is like a thunderstorm, and the singer, Chris LaPointe, makes bold statements against racism, rape culture, and animal suffering.

The sound, however, is not that good, and the mic is constantly breaking up. It’s not the best Wake of Humanity set I’ve seen so far, but they always have plenty of food for thought and crushing metallic riffs to offer. I’m sure that most people enjoyed their set that day anyway.

Disavow

Ever since that first show with Anchor and Stay Hungry here in 2011, bands from Sweden have always delivered the most memorable sets. However, this time we had only Disavow from Gothenburg to represent the Scandinavian scene.

Featuring ex-members of bands like Anchor, Gust, Oak, and Painted Wolves, this vegan straight edge force is spreading hardcore reality across Europe. Honestly, I didn’t stay for their whole set, as I was already in a hurry to grab some food and meet friends outside, but they definitely played a tight one.

CLEARxCUT

The 1990s were a prosperous time in hardcore, but we surely have a new legion of bands fueling passion and uncompromising politics back into the game.

Based in Germany, CLEARxCUT features members of Heaven Shall Burn, Implore, and King Apathy, and the band’s chugging metallic hardcore translates into an impassioned call to burn all prisons, slaughterhouses, and systems of oppression.

The band has been on tour in Europe for the past two weeks together with fellow XVX bands like Wake of Humanity, Disavow, Galeforce (just for selected dates), and the spoken word of Greg Bennick. This brings back memories of the Total Liberation Tour that Gather, 7 Generations, and other bands and speakers did in the summer of 2004 to make vegan straight edge a threat again!

Time And Distance

As I said earlier, bands from South America are usually not to be missed. Time And Distance is a political, vegan straight edge hardcore punk band from Brazil that reminds me of bands like X-Acto, Mainstrike, and especially Nations On Fire.

They talk about political subjects that we find depressing but still keep the positive spirit of hardcore that lets us get through all the crap with a clear mind and a dedication to change things from the ground up.

Protein

It’s evident that the straight edge scene in Poland continues to grow in size and scope as well as in breadth of interest. The folks at Youth2Youth Records seem to be behind some of the best material to come out of the country, with crew members playing in bands like Vicious Reality, Regres, and Protein.

Having released some excellent material on Youth2Youth and Refuse Records, Protein are probably the best youth crew-inspired band in Europe at the moment. Their live shows are just the bomb, and you can’t get enough of stage dives, sing-alongs, and all-encompassing hardcore energy—just like their set at the tiny venue in Prague that day.

Faim

Denver’s Faim are one of the tightest and most important bands in the new breed of feminist/political hardcore punk coming from the US. Their 7-inch was released in October 2018, making a bold statement that hardcore punk is a force of resistance to any atrocities and injustices in the world.

Definitely my top highlight from the show in Prague. A blistering hardcore punk attack with solid songwriting, the best speeches between songs I’ve heard in a long time, and a sense of urgency to take things into our own hands right now.

Galeforce (ex-Tempest)

Galeforce, formerly known as Tempest, is an international hardcore band consisting of long-time dedicated environmental, marine, and wildlife protection activists from different parts of the world. While other bands use their lyrics to inspire direct action and activism, Galeforce is a band born out of the need for a musical outlet for people already walking the walk. The first riffs of the band were actually written aboard a Sea Shepherd ship amid the waves while campaigning to protect the oceans.

The band changed their name to Galeforce after their former drummer Brian passed away. Surviving the loss of a best friend, the band continues to make ’90s-inspired metallic hardcore that carries the message of not giving up the fight till the very end.

Remission

Sharing members with Desencadenar, Remission is a melodic hardcore band from Santiago de Chile. They’ve already been present in the European scene through their previous tours and are known across the Atlantic for being part of the React! Records family.

It’s the kind of band that almost anyone loves, with early Dischord vibes and tons of energy during their live shows.

Sharp Knives

After having xTrue Naturex and Gab De La Vega play the hardcore matinee in previous years, there’s another acoustic/folk-punk project to calm down the hardcore dancing and stage dives today.

Sharp Knives come from Portugal and are all active participants in the Portuguese DIY punk movement. These same folks opened the Disgraça social center and are now spreading ideas of solidarity and resistance in many other autonomous spaces across the continent. They have songs in both English and Portuguese, as well as playing covers of Evan Greer, NOFX, and Mischief Brew. Always available for a good conversation about DIY and politics—because this is what our scene needs so much.

Greg Bennick (Spoken Word)

When you have a room packed with people waiting to hear a spoken word performance after a day full of music, dancing, and emotions, you know there’s something special that makes our scene stand out among the rest. Greg Bennick’s words always feel deeply personal, connecting, and welcoming. We’re no longer hardcore as hard in our core, but we let ourselves soften our core for the human conditions of suffering, anxiety, and vulnerability.

This time Greg starts with a personal story of how he was almost killed by a truck blasting into a library when he was looking for an easy, and thus insincere, way to make himself recognized as a writer. Then he goes into a series of personal stories and political events to remind us that we have a limited time on this planet and we shouldn’t waste it being insincere with ourselves but always try to live by our virtues and make the most of our potential to change the world.

As Greg Bennick said, we all have this empty space within our hearts that we’re desperately trying to fill with something real. The hardcore scene, and especially the live shows where we meet and connect with other people from all over, are a great start to experience something genuine, passionate, and creative in its own way.

It’s up to us to use that passion and creativity outside the spaces with mics, drums, and guitar cabinets, and commit acts of bravery, generosity, and creative passion when the world needs us the most.