PUNK AGAINST CAPITALISM
Radicalized, politically engaged, and with a no compromise policy, the “Punk Against Capitalism” accurately represents the essence of Greek DIY concerts : straight out of the squat environment, firmly attached to the anarchist movement’s ideas as well as close to the autonomous and anti-authoritarian circles.
The organization is active more than ever despite the ferocious repression which the scene is currently facing.
They don’t do interviews, however, they made an exception to the rule for Karton’s team! The answers have been written collectively in meetings.
The next edition of the festival will be in Athens in September 2025!
| By Polka B.
Can you introduce Punk Against Capitalism a bit? How long has the collective existed, why and how did you create it?
Punk Against Capitalism as a Festival was started by members of the Anarcho-Syndicalist Initiative so called “Rocinante” 5 years ago. In 2023, the Festival decided to become independent from the initiative and continued its course as a self-organized music group, with the participation of people from different collectives and backgrounds.
Our common goal is the organization of a central self-organized concert which is governed by the values of solidarity, mutual aid and participation against the capitalist reality and the culture of commercialization.
As a self-organized music group, we do not see the Festival and other actions solely as “alternative entertainment” but as a form of politicization, socialization and radicalization.
“Based on the DIY ethics, we effectively break down the divide between artist, audience and event. Αs we all, as a community we build the punk scene we dream right now with safe and free spaces accessible and inclusive for all. The Festival is not an end in itself, but a crystallization of the society and relationships we want in the present.»
The Greek alternative music scene seems particularly dynamic. Could you explain to us the specificity of the local punk scene? What are the punk aesthetics that developed the most?
One of the main characteristics of the local punk scene is its intense politicization. More generally, punk in Greece has been linked to the wider anti-capitalist/squat movement and its dynamics are an offshoot of domestic socio-political movements.
Greek punk as music is an expression of movements while at the same time stands in solidarity with social struggles (court costs, medical costs, etc.).
The DIY punk scene in Athens seems to have been particularly influenced by gigs from foreign bands (we think, for example, of the Tragedy concert at the Polytechnic University in 2009). Does the greek scene also benefit from this international opening?
We would not say that there was any specific benefit, as the scene cannot be judged pointwise but holistically through its continuous course. Certainly there have been (and will be) great acts that left a musical imprint on the international and domestic scene, but what benefits the self-organized punk scene is the community itself, the values and strong bonds that grow within it.
Why are DIY concert organizations so well managed in Greece? (which encourages foreign groups to come and come back).
An important feature that makes bands from abroad come to Greece is the massive and practical support from the scene that surrounds the various concerts. Also, the existence of a strong network between the various self-organized music groups of each city, allows these bands to tour the country, directly without the need for managers, tour bookers, etc.
Those big “illegal” concerts, installed in public spaces, has long been the “seal” of DIY concert organizations in Greece.
Today, outdoor concerts are in danger (including in universities), threatened by repression. What triggered this change? Since when has it been particularly difficult to organize outside of clubs?
The attack of Capital and the State against self-organized events and free spaces is nothing new. However, in recent years the state repression has intensified in every way to everything that escapes and disrupts the normality of the capitalist narrative.
For this reason, the coordination of the struggle concerning the re-appropriation of free and public spaces must give a collective response to the aspirations and practices of Capital.
“Let’s not allow parks, squares and universities to turn into sterile spaces where only puppets of mega-establishments will fit, marketing apolitical alternative entertainment in hipster terms.»
As part of the organization of your festival, how have you changed the logistical realities of the event into this context of repression? Can we talk about “resistance”?
For the organization of this year’s Festival, we faced the reality we described, with the result that we found before us many obstacles as well as unprecedented conditions.
Our goal was to ensure the DIY character and ethics of the Festival, i.e. open donation entry and the absence of capitalist wage labor relations within the space. Without making concessions regarding the political status of the Festival, promoting the participation and radicalization of individuals.
As for the resistance part, the fact that the festival has maintained its self-organized character is an act of resistance, critically acknowledging its contradictions. However, in the context we live in, our resistance must be direct and collective.
On the first day of the Festival, an open discussion was organized about the current situation and how we could respond to the all-out attack of Capital. During the discussion, experiences were heard from people from all over Greece and bonds were created, which are also the basis of our collective counterattack.
One of the particularities of Punk Against Capitalism is to bring in “professional” bands from Europe who requires a fee, and who for the most part come with planes (ZSK, The Oppressed, Stage Bottles…). How do you go about refunding expenses, without a entry fees or tickets?
Indeed the cost for the main Festival in September is high. These costs are covered by self-organized financial aid concerts held throughout the year (donation box, bar, merch, etc.).
The aim of the Festival is to ensure its working class character. As the Festival breaks the separation between artists-audience-organization, so it recognizes the bands as members of its class. That is, the Festival does not reproduce any salaried relationship with the bands, but is willing to cover all the necessary expenses (accommodation, living, transportation, leaves from work), so that bands that could not due to financial limitations also participate.
What are Punk Against Capitalism’s goals in the years to come?
In the first phase, to continue its course maintaining its DIY ethics based solely on its community, continuing to develop as part of the wider libertarian counterculture.
At the same time, self-criticism is for us a tool that without this Punk Against Capitalism would lose its contact with social reality.
In addition, we want to intensify the struggles for free and public spaces and connect more (qualitatively and quantitatively) with corresponding self-organized music groups, further intensifying the struggle for a society without exploitation.