Guatemala City - Union Stricken Rehearsal

My friends from Union StRicken let me sit on a rehearsal after their interview in downtown Guatemala City earlier this month.

Youth Brigade in NYC

So I'm all amped for the big Youth Brigade/Casualties show at Cafe Europa in Brooklyn, NYC on Saturday 9/19/09. I mean, I literally postpone a couple of trips to catch one of my all time favorite hard core bands the Casualties. I just bought their recent CD off i-tunes "We are all we have" and i have to say it is excellent stuff. I also want to see Youth Brigade, I mean these are two legendary punk bands, why aren't they playing in Manhattan?

Well, I figure its going to be a packed show, so I prepare for the day by going to see a special documentary screening of "Let Them Know" the story of the Youth Brigade and BYO Records. I don't regret spending a couple hours of a beautiful college football Saturday holed up in a dark theater checking this doc out. This is one good documentary and it deals with the often overlooked West Coast punk scene so often overshadowed by the scenes in NYC and England. With interviews with Fat Mike from NOFX, Seven Seconds, Bouncing Souls and of course the Stern brothers from Youth Brigade, it is a truly entertaining, mostly hilarious and slightly uplifting documentary. It really made me appreciate what punks went through in the 80s in the U.S.

I arrived at Cafe Europa around 8:30PM and was dismayed to find out I arrived just in time to hear the last :20-:30 of the Casualties "Unknown Soldier" with about 100 or so punks in full fury in the pit. That was it? Final song!? WTF? What kind of punk show is over at 8:30PM on a Saturday in NYC none the less? What do punks have to be in bed by 10pm or something?

I was really dismayed, proceeded to down 4 beers in a row but the evening was almost salvaged when I met Shawn Stern, lead singer of Youth Brigade, who was out mingling with the crowd before the show.

I congratulated him on an excellent documentary (he executive produced and got the most air time). We also discussed the punk scene down in Central and Latin America. Shawn's a big surfer and he indicated he's ready to tour down there and get some good surfing in.

He's a cool guy, as expected and YB proceeded to put on a hell of a show. Here are a couple of clips for your viewing pleasure. YB and Shawn, thanks for all you've done for punk… oh and thanks for salvaging my night.

Youth Brigade - "I Hate My Life" (NYC)

Brooklyn, NYC 9/19/09

Guatemala City - "Warning" Rehearsing "Punks Never Die"

I really like this song by Warning.. its even more intense live!

Gautemala Punk Tour

Big Gracias to my new punk amigos in Guatemala City. They have a small but growing and vibrant tight punk scene and I couldn't ask for any more support and hospitality than I got there.

I shot lots of interviews (some in English), got good footage from the punk concert on Saturday (videos on their way) and it was topped off by a "punk tour" of downtown Guatemala city, AT NIGHT nonetheless, something I'd probably never attempt on my own. Here are couple of clips from the punk tour of Gautemala City (AKA Guate).

More video clips from the concert and interviews are on their way soon and be sure and check out the "Pics Gallery" at www.Punkoutlaw.tv as well as www.flikr.com/punkoutlaw and the you tube page for videos www.youtube.com/punkoutlawtv.

Thanks again to my amigos from "Warning", "Union Striken", "Destruccion Social" and "Sudor de Huevos" (Ball Sweat), Bris, Nerf, Hector, Felix, Maria Jose and all the punks down in Guate! I hope I can get back down there soon guys!

Yup, Punk is worlwide and we plan to cover it all.