Photos by Alfredo Alvarado
There are bands that seem to get stuck in a specific space and time. That for many they are a legacy and legend for their weight at a certain moment in the past, but that only those who follow them most closely know that they are actually still active and playing whenever their agendas allow it, and with new material that has had more diffusion in other countries and even continents than in Mexico itself. This is the case of Massacre 68 that while it is true, it marked a milestone on the scene punk national of the eighties, his most recent album “El Muro” (of course inspired by Donald trump) has not been widely disseminated, at least in our country, which has prevented it from reaching new audiences. And it is that even though the band resumed activity since 2015 and released the aforementioned recent album in 2018; at his concert in the Skull Cat It became clear that those who are following what is left of the band at this time are those rebellious high school graduates of the eighties, today turned into gray-haired gentlemen of whom not all have in their adult life priorities to attend events. But it was also evident that it is these people, the real fans, that Massacre 68 you are interested in arriving regardless of the massive reach or are considered a legend.
The night punk began with the performance of national bands Inexorable Cry and Bastard Fans, to then receive as an unannounced surprise on the poster Superdeaf originating in New York. Finally the power of AK-47 It would leave everything ready for the starring band of the night to endorse the stage, where a blanket with a photo of the President of the United States looks down on us.
Massacre 68 take the stage with an alignment made up of the founding members Thrasher and Virus on bass and guitars with vocals respectively, and July on drums, who joined the band's history in the early 1990s on the promotional tour for the legendary album “No estamos conformes”. What makes it difficult for shows like this to be repeated frequently is that their members live in Mexico, the US and Finland; and they have only met sporadically to tour since their reunion in Colombia, Europe, Canada and this year Mexico; one tour per year. The band started their presentation with “Escuadrón de la Muerte” and then give way to the topic “Fiesta de Represión”. “We dedicate this song to the idiot of Donald trump” anuncia Virus before playing “El Muro”, which gives its name to what is currently the new material of the band. And it must be said: the followers of Massacre 68 They are those who identified themselves with the letters about the massacre in Tlatelolco, the abuses of the DIPD and the authoritarian PRI in power. That is why in the setlist we can appreciate cult themes like “Víctima del Vicio” and “Policías Corruptos”, and then add “Sembrando Muertos” which is a topic that is included in the last work.
“¿Dondé anda el Agnez? Un saludo a él con todo respeto” question Virus when he hears some fans chant the name of the already absent vocalist. And it is that the shadow of the lack of that anarchist demon seems to weigh even quite a lot among the people who acclaim him, and who even mentioned that the singer was visiting hours before the show at the Skull Cat. The night runs its course and we can hear “Sistema Podrido” and its first slow and danceable composition that then explodes in total chaos, and then continues with “Elecciones Fiesta de Represión” and the classic “Massacre 68”; and then with a special dedication to Syrian refugees in Europe continue the night punk with “Refugiados de Siria”. “Vamos a tocar un tema de allá de 1985, cuando el PAN puso de moda en aquel entonces en las marchas eso que decía “hambre, miseria y depresión” y se volvió un himno” narrates Virus antes de ejecutar “No estamos conformes”. Already without a shirt and sweating with jets, the truth is that the guitarist / vocalist seeks to deliver as much rage as possible on his strings, both vocal and on his instrument.
After a short break in which the group members joke with their age saying they need water, oxygen and even a “lonol” , the presentation resumes with “Comunidad Infectada”, the inevitable “Ejercito Nacional” and “Crimen Capitalista”. The already low audience decreases a little more when the time to leave to reach the metro is approaching, but those of us who remain continue to shake our heads and jump either attached to the barrier or assembling a slam few but seasoned on the subject “Un día en Pekín“, en el que la gente enloquece e incluso le quita el micrófono al cantante y “palomea” el tema en su totalidad, salvo cuando deciden sostenerlo para que Virus I can finish the song that actually seems to announce the end of the performance.
“Ya nos fuimos a tomar un viagra” jokes Thrasher as he comes back low in hand, and then July en la batería anuncia que si quieren siga tocando le traigan cerveza. Y como resulta que de inmediato un fan le lleva una pues tiene que cumplir su palabra, y la noche sigue su curso con varios temas no planeados en el set inicial empezando por “Missing“. “¿Quien se quiere subir a cantar “pelones”? “ question Virus people and a fan gets up and sings the original theme of the Mexican band Hysteria. Then bassist and guitarist exchange their instruments to play the song “Liberación”, and the auditory massacre comes now if at the end of its course with a closure consisting of “Nunca Cambiaré” and one more topic. Massacre 68 Thanks and says goodbye, and shows that although their legacy seems fossilized in the Mexico of Díaz Ordaz in the eyes of those who have not followed them, the band has new material to offer and that in fact in other parts of the world it has been much more diffused than in Mexico itself. So attending this show is an experience dedicated to the true fans of the band marked by their message at some point in their lives.
If you want to listen “El Muro” , we leave you below the link of the bandcamp of the group where you can appreciate it:
https://massacre68.bandcamp.com/
