The presentation of a record label that stands out in the worldwide music business is an important feature of every edition of East of Culture – Different Sounds. This time, we’ll be welcoming true hardcore punk titans – Dischord Records of Washington, DC, and their excellent representatives – Scream, Soulside, Girls Against Boys, and Escape-ism. We’ll meet the artists in Lublin between 7-10 July at the 15th edition of Different Sounds and its 9th iteration as part of East of Culture, a joint initiative of the National Centre for Culture, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, and the local authorities of Lublin, Białystok, and Rzeszów.
About the label
As part of East of Culture – Different Sounds’ yearly showcase of distinctive record labels, we focus on labels that are creative, original, and brave in following their own musical pathways, regardless of passing fads and popularity polls. The famed DC label Dischord Label undoubtedly falls within this category. It was founded in 1980 by members of the band The Teen Idles (headed by Ian McKaye and Jeff Nelson) to distribute their own music and, later, recordings by local punk rock and underground bands. Dischord Records has made it their speciality to produce genres like hardcore, punk rock, indie rock, emo and post-hardcore, represented by bands like aforementioned The Teen Idles but also State of Alert, Minor Threat, The Faith, Void, Youth Brigade, Embrace, Rites of Spring, Nation of Ulysses, Scream, Soulside, Gray Matter, Jawbox, Dag Nasty or Fugazi. Because the label is known for its DIY work ethic, affiliated musicians often self-produce all of their albums and sell them at affordable, low prices without the help of major distributors. Graphic design, concert tours, distribution, and other associated artistic activities, such as making documentaries, follow a similar model. The label’s showcase at the festival will include concerts, film screenings, exhibitions and a panel discussion with the label’s extraordinary representatives and artists whose records the label has been producing for years
Scream – one of the flagship bands of the iconic label Dischord Records, and a key representative of the famous DC hardcore punk scene. Scream was formed in the early 1980s, making it one of the oldest and most iconic bands of the movement. The Stahl brothers, Peter (vocals) and Franz (guitar), have been leading the band continuously since its formation; Skeeter Thomson is still the bassist, and Kent Stax remains the drummer. Over the years, the band has also had many other excellent musicians, including Dave Grohl – the drummer for Nirvana, a crucial band for the entire scene, and the current frontman of Foo Fighters. Scream’s long-awaited new studio album is already in the works. Before then, however, the band will make a special appearance at Different Sounds in Lublin, which will add to the splendour of Dischord Records’ showcase.
Soulside – another legend associated with Dischord Records. The band, which was formed by a group of high school friends in the mid-1980s, has since proven to be one of the most influential representatives of the American hardcore and post-hardcore scene. As the years passed, the members began to explore individual musical interests, resulting in the birth of another band invited to Lublin – Girls Against Boys, and other groups, such as Seven League Boots, led by Bobby Sullivan and expertly combining punk and reggae. Soulside, like Scream, is gearing up to release a new studio album. The musicians have already completed their studio work, which was overseen by Jawbox J. Robbins, while Ian MacKaye himself is said to have contributed his own ideas and suggestions.
Girls Against Boys – A DC hardcore punk band made up of three members of Soulside and Eli Janney. The band is currently based in New York and they play a fusion of post-punk, noise, and indie rock. One of the group’s defining characteristics is that they employ dual bass guitars, which gives their music a distinctive sound. For years, Girls Against Boys have been a key representative of the heavy guitar scene and toured with the genre’s top artists, such as Rage Against The Machine, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Foo Fighters, Interpol, Jawbox, Fugazi, Garbage or Atari Teenage Riot. They will come to Lublin in July, promoting, among other things, the anniversary edition of the album “House of GVSB” and it will be the only opportunity to see this incredible band live in Poland.
Escape-ism – Ian Svenonius is without a doubt one of the most colourful personalities in DC’s alternative music scene, however his work has effectively gone global over the years. Starting from the 1980s, he was a member of a number of iconic bands, including Nation of Ulysses, The Make-Up, Weird War, and Esacpe-ism,. The latter group, performed as a duo with photographer and filmmaker Alexandra Cabral, will appear in Lublin in July. Apart from the concert presenting what they call “found-sound dream-drama”, the artists will also show the film “The Lost Record,” which is linked to their album of the same name and features legends from the alternative music scene, such as Henry Rollins and Kid Congo. Svenonius will also participate in the panel discussion about the history of Dischord Records.
Once again, the announcements will be accompanied by comic strips introducing our artists. The comics are the work of Maciej Pałka, a visual artist, illustrator, and award-winning creator of graphic novels. They will present this year’s stars in inventive and original ways. Additionally, limited edition posters will soon be available in our online store.
East of Culture – Different Sounds 2022 will also feature the legendary British duo Godflesh and jazz-punk supergroup Lean Left.
Look forward to more announcements about concerts and non-musical events, including excellent films, exhibitions, panel discussions and book launches, activities for children, and workshops for music industry professionals.
Festival
East of Culture – Different Sounds 2022
When: 7-10 July 2022
Where: Lublin – Błonia near the Castle
Free admission
Organisers:
Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, National Centre for Culture, The City of Lublin, Workshops of Culture in Lublin and Kultura Dostępna
The Mayor of Lublin, Krzysztof Żuk, has assumed honorary patronage.
The festival East of Culture – Different Sounds is part of the Keychange network and guarantees a 50:50 gender balance in the festival’s programme until 2022.