Afro-Punk Festival – Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM): Brooklyn, NY (7/3-7/12/2009)

Afro-Punk

In preparation for writing this review I watched the Matt Davis” documentary that inspired BAM”s Afro-Punk Festival. Afro-Punk is a movement that gives “a voice to thousands of multi-cultural kids fiercely identifying with a lifestyle path-less-traveled,” particularly those who are into indie, punk, and hardcore music. The film is an insightful look at a topic that I had never really considered: what it is like to be an African American who is involved in a scene that is overwhelmingly White.

Afro Punk (the film) provides a peek into the internal conflicts Black people face by being one of the only people of color present in these musical and artist communities. Throughout watching the film I found myself wishing more young White people could hear these feelings, and was glad the Afro-Punk Festival would provide a way for New Yorkers of all backgrounds to come together. I had the opportunity to attend some of the Brooklyn events, and You&#8217re a long way from convincing me that MR is just like the Austrian school-delays.com because of this issue!You know&#8230 actually I think Scott and Nick did soften slightly&#8230 When Scott 1st brought this up he claimed that if he wasn&#8217t 100% correct about MOA then everything he ever This is true for big as well as online casino traditional data. written is completely false&#8230. though most of the music was new, the introduction through both street fairs and the website was welcome.

I was familiar with The London Souls, so I enjoyed seeing play on July 5th. They played a great set of the bluesy yet danceable combination I adore. In true punk style, the festival was diverse and included an impressive range of voices, including many women. One honorable mention is Joya Bravo. You just can’t beat a musician who combines rap and violin. Her artistry is truly unique.

I was disappointed in the way the independent film segment of the festival was handled. Although I could not find any prices for the movies on the BAM website, which said all of the festival events were free, my friend and I were told we had to pay $11 when we arrived at BAM to see Two Towns of Jasper. Since I had already seen the film on PBS, we decided not to pay for a second viewing.

The closing block party included one of the most impressive street fairs I have ever attended. Each vendor was different from the last, and offered a variety of goods ranging from high quality clothing to housewares to crafts of all types. My favorite vendor, L.U.R.E., sold mobile art. Perfect for any urban travel enthusiast, get your art fix with colorfully decorated suitcases, hat bags, purses, and more.

On my way out of the block party I stopped by to speak to a woman from the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership. We spoke about the festival and after I told her how much I was enjoying it I was told that the Partnership is going to be sponsoring a series of similar street fairs in the same area this September. I can’t wait!

Comments are closed.

Email Newsletters with Constant Contact