The underground music scene can be as diverse as it can get, from new bands playing oldschool death metal to pop-punk to alternative trap. And when you find such a fascinating array of subcultures, all gathered together for a good cause, then you know that the kids are truly alright. With this in mind, we will deviate from our usual metal-focused news to present to you an exciting new initiative.
The recently created Love Hate Love Collective is planning a two-days charity festival, just in time for Easter: it will take place on the 12&13 of April, at the I-auzi Una bar in Bucharest and all profits will go to the Kola Kariola NGO. This non-profit animal wellfare organization was founded in Romania in 2014, and their main focus is on rescuing and rehoming stray animals, efforts which include building animal shelters, rescuing dogs from public shelters that are in danger of being put down, offering free sterilisations and many more. If you want to jump the line and help this NGO out, check out their official website. Now that we’ve covered the pawsome cause behind this effort, let’s check out the bands, DJs and after-parties announced so far.
Pistol cu Capse
Pistol cu Capse might tickle a teenage nostalgic nerve for some readers, as they were one on the cool kids back when they first launched, in 2003. Their earlier style was a mix between pop-punk and emo and, even if they were firmly rooted in the punk-rock ethos, with the passing years their style has slowly changed toward reggae-rock with electronic elements.
The surprise is that, only for this mini-festival, their set will exclusively consist of their old punk songs.
The band has four albums under their belt, and are currently preparing to launch their latest effort, Învăluit de fum.
For a true blast from the past, check out the video for În Locul tău, filmed in 2005:
Asincron
From the younger gang, Asincron is a band formed by four former school mates and their sound blends grunge, punk, indie, shoegaze and emo with a certain enthusiasm that is harmonized by cosy lyrics with alternative instruments.
These underground newcomers have been active for the past two years. Asincron means Sara on vocal duties, Andrei on bass guitar, Tavi on drums and Rareș on guitars. Joining their forces with bands such as Private Venganza and Taxawal among others, they are bringing fresh energy to the local scene.
Rotheads
Founded in 2014, Rotheads delve into the oldschool death metal soundscape, with slow and crushing parts peppered with tremolo riffs, sinister melodies, pshychedelic solos and gutural vocals. Their most recent album is Slither In Slime from 2022.
For this Charity Blast, they have hand-picked songs spanning their 8 years of activity and 4 albums to recreate that specific death metal atmosphere from the early 90s.
Tusol
The United States of Leo (TUSOL) is a one-man act from Bucharest which brings to the table a slowcore/emo show with a lot of pedals, mathy vibes and a wall of sound approach.
Leo has been a part of many punk and emo projects in the past, one of which was TBA. His set will consist both of original TUSOL songs as well as some TBA materials.
Bluebell Creeper
Another recently-formed group that shows great promise from the very start, Bluebell Creeper was founded as recently as last year, in 2023 and it is formed by ex-members from already-established names in the underground scene such as Church of Chtulhu, Tragic, Vandaal and Visions of Madness.
As you might expect from such a recent project, their sound is still in the development stage but can be loosely described as mixing alternative, grunge, post-punk/hardcore and experimental rock.
Serotone
Serotone is well-known by his fans for successfuly combining trap with alternative rock. Something different than you might expect, right?
An independent artist whith heavy psychedelic influences and a glam rock attitude, Serotone‘s debut material was launched in 2019 under the name of “TOANE“. His music is enhanced by his well-crafted lyrics that delve into intense topics in a care-free manner, while still managing to pull at the emotional heartstrings of the audience. His hip-hop background surely helped Serotone to create his own unique universe which you can explore and maybe even relate to.
Slicer
Formed in Bucharest in 2017, Slicer is a metalpunk/rock’n’roll quartet that loves to play fast and dirty and to sing about love, death, and substance abuse.
With their identities so far hidden, when they first emerged on the scene nobody knew what to make of their sound. Combining punk and metal in a shockingly good way, with a sound that reminds you of Midnight, they surely bring a fresh rock’n’roll attitude that may be found lacking in the local scene.
Last autumn, Slicer released their most recent album Stalking the Night and went on the road to promote it during their Fast & Bleah tour. With their Flying V guitats, animal print straps and executioner’s hoods and riffs, their show is not one to be missed at this mini-festival.
You canlisten to Stalking the Night in it’s entirety below:
Tourist
Tourist decided to express their inner turmoils and experiences in front of an audience around 2018, and their style of choice is melodic-hardcore. So far, the band has released one eponymous EP and their latest musical effort is the single Zero, released last year together with a music video.
While most of their songs are still unreleased, Tourist have started gaining steam in the Bucharest underground scene – a good example of this would be last’s weeks gig from Underworld club which was jam-packed. The growing hype around them is more than well-deserved: their live shows are overflowing with attitude, passion for music, and their delivery is on the soul-spitting, cathartic side.
Lvx Machina
The last announcement for this charity mini-fest breaks the rock/metal mould again and throws in some glitter and swag in the mix. Lux Machina is one of the most unconventional, modern acts from Romania. Signed to a major label, Cat Music, their song Golan de Lvx held the no.1 spot on Radio Guerilla Top 40 for 11 weeks, while Hello Holla was number one for 9 weeks.
Their sound is a blend of electronics, rap, trap and folkloric tunes. While this mash-up of conflicting genres might sound like a lot, Lvx Machina‘s live shows and lyrics truly make them stand out. Their visuals are signed by Chris Corvin, an actor/director/musical producer and DJ which worked with Francis Ford Coppola, among others.
After-parties
Isn’t it more often than not the case that you have a lot of energy left to give, even if the concerts are over? If you can relate to that, then you should be thrilled to learn that after both nights, there will be two after-parties. On April 12, the two DJs Turist and Pălărie, under the moniker Ferma Animalelor will provide their characteristically eclectic sets by mixing balkan rythms with drum and bass, trap, punk and many, many more.
On the 13th, the closing party will be the Emo Kid’s Reunion. It’s all in the name, but here we go: it is more than a party really, these events provide a backdrop for nostalgics to dance it out on the tunes of their teenage years, or for newcommers to discover the recently-revived emo culture. It’s a safe space where anyone and everyone is welcomed to recharge and connect with other people that share the same passion for music.
Tickets
As stated before, all profits made during this event will go to the Kola Kariola NGO. With that being said, the prices are:
- One day ticket & after-party: 50 lei
- Full festival pass (including after-parties): 80 lei
- One after party pass: 20 lei minimum donation recommended. Please note that this tier is limited to only after the live shows and availability is limited.
You can find the full-pass tickets online on the OGR website. Daily tickets will also be available soon.
I-auzi Una bar address: Bărăției street number 33. The bar is on the first floor and the entrance is through the garden, on the right.
