A Taste of Colombian Hardcore

Text: Robin Finley. Photography: Metraphotography

No, not that type of hardcore! Think guys with chest tattoos, feverish growling, straight-edge X-covered fists pounding to the rhythm of heavy thundering guitars mixed in with the not-so-pleasant olfactory experience of sweat and adrenaline.

Jack recently went to a hardcore show in the capital city of Bogota which Colombia’s main hub for metal and hardcore (Medellin and Manizales have their respective talent but Bogota wins by numbers). Headlining the show was The Tryout who sing in English and have a large following screaming every lyric. Long time hardcore bands like Grito from Medellin have over 10 years in the game and tend to play larger venues shows such as Rock al Parque in Bogota, Altavoz in Medellin, and Manizales Grita Rock.  So it is new-generation of independent bands like The Tryout playing at small underground venues who are carrying the music scene forward.

Perhaps even more captivating than the music is the sub-culture surrounding the scene. Young and defiant and quick to throw punches in the mosh pit, yet at the same time embodying traditional heartfelt Colombian friendliness, the hardcore scene is refreshingly uncaring about smarmy hipster trends that have saturated most twenty something trendsetters. At the event the photography crew Metraphotography beautifully captured this in a series of black and white portraits that illustrates the face behind hardcore.

Want more hardcore? If you are in the Bogota area next Saturday the 26th be sure to check out the all-day Skate Punk Festival which will have over ten punk and hardcore bands.