Break Free Fest Spotlight: Body Pressure
“For years punk and hardcore have been deemed white genres of music,” write the organizers of Philly’s Break Free Fest, “pushing aside and ignoring people of color who have been shaping it for years.” The festival, which takes place on Saturday, May 27th at The Rotunda in West Philadelphia, seeks to bring those marginalized artists together and to the front. All week long leading up to the event, we’re highlighting some of the performers on the bill.
Body Pressure / Austin, Texas
bodypressure.bandcamp.com
1. Who is in the band, how long have you been around for, and how would you describe what you’re doing to someone who might not be familiar?
Body Pressure is a band whose message and lyrics are the forefront of our existence and the driving force. I (Faiza) write about my experience as a femme and person of color as well as deconstructing societal constructs created to continue colonization and perpetuate white supremacy. We played our first show in October 2015 with G.L.O.S.S at our favorite queer bar, Cheer Up Charlie’s in Austin, Texas and went on our first tour a couple of months ago.
Body Pressure is Bryan Taylor, Faiza Kracheni, Melissa Curtis and Thomas Rabon.
2. What are you most excited about when it comes to Break Free Fest?
Break Free is important to exist because people of color are most often bound in communities that are the majority white people and because of that, I personally (often) feel I have to have some sort of guard up or silence myself in ways to appease the white masses. Not anymore. We are here, we exist and we refuse to bow. Being in a space that was created by and for us is a feeling that I am so excited to feel.
3. Talk to me about your local scene, some bands you want to rep, and some cool shit that’s happening either in your community or with your band or whatever.
We are from Austin. Austin gets a lot of attention so I’d like to use this moment to rep other Texas communities such as McAllen/the valley, Corpus Cristi, El Paso, and San Antonio. Bands often skip these cities because of one excuse or another but these cities consist of predominately people of color who work hard and create amazing art including sick bands! Stop just playing for white punks, play these cities!
Body Pressure is in the middle of writing songs for an upcoming record. We hope to tour Mexico and the West Coast before the end of 2017.
Break Free Fest takes plays Saturday, May 27th at The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut Street, from 2 to 11 p.m.; tickets and more information are available here.