Consequence’s Punk Week continues with a look at five emerging punk bands making waves in 2021. Keep checking back throughout the week for interviews, lists, editorials and videos — it’s all things punk, all the time.
In a pandemic world, the infrastructure of live music has changed, and the punk and hardcore scene has been especially affected. From major corporate venues to crusty DIY holes, shows remain a risky proposition as variants rise and pockets of the U.S. remain largely unvaccinated.
Booking a tour in the current climate requires immense resources that many underground bands can’t access or afford. The DIY handshake of booking a band in your basement and in then playing a show in their town sounds like an idyllic memory from simpler times.
Inversely, the ethos of punk — the political commentary, the musical directness, the cultural awareness — remains as vital as ever, in an age where protests are leading to fundamental changes throughout the U.S. and beyond.
The scene we once knew is changing, but these five emerging punk and hardcore bands prove that the ethos and music is still alive and kicking, despite all odds.
