just a thought on punk scenes, music, and the spaces we make
i love music. i really do. and i love that people are making it, sharing it, showing up for each other. iām not here to put anyone down for doing what they love.
but iāve been thinking a lot about how we label thingsāespecially in underground scenes. like, calling a show āpunkā doesnāt make it punk. punk isnāt just a vest or a mohawk or a loud pit (though those things have their place). punk is purpose. punk is resistance. punk is community. punk is absurdity. punk is askingĀ why are we doing this at all?
and when shows feel like theyāre justĀ entertainment, with fancy Canva posters and no backbone behind them, i get confused. likeāwhereās the message? what are we saying here? is it punk just because it's loud? because weāre all wearing black? iām not trying to gatekeep, just trying to ask⦠are we thinking about what weāre doing, or are we just vibing with an aesthetic we saw online?
iām not saying punk canāt be fun, or chaotic, or just-for-the-hell-of-it. but i do think it needsĀ somethingāa spark, an ethos, even just a little weirdness for weirdnessā sake. otherwise it becomes just another scene, like any other.
and then thereās the whole music industry thing. how did we get to this point where one viral song = arena tour? no slow build, no playing in basements, just instant industry plants on massive stages. i think about artists like gracie abrams (nepo baby pipeline in full force) and how easily people justĀ acceptĀ that. whereās the critical thinking? whereās the challenge?
i know this might sound bitter, but itās not. itās love. itās love for music and for scenes thatĀ couldĀ be something real. iām just thinking out loud. something to think about.
not everyone has to agree. i just want more people to ask: āwhat are we really doing here?ā
















