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- Arrabio will be playing Solidarity Rock dates the next April 21 in Jatibonico with Cancerbero.
- May 3th in Trinidad as a wedding gift for our friend Darryl and his Leanne with the bands; Adictox, Akupunktura and Arrabio.
- May 10 in Sancti Spíritus at El Paso gallery as opening for the Solidarity Rock photo expo with 50 shoots taken by Sandy Phimister, Samuel Calvo, Aaron Bocanegra and Drew McIntosh.
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SCRAPBOOKER - KRANG - CATGUT photos!
Hey everyone. Here are some photos from the Wunderbar last weekend. As I mentioned, we raised enough to send a sizeable shipment of gear to our friends in Cuba. Thanks for playing, hosting and attending. You’re all beautiful. Here are some B&W’s.
SCRAPBOOKER
KRANG
CATGUT
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Solidarity Rock: Solidarity Rock Edmonton update! →
Solidarity Rock was born in Edmonton. We started with one show at the artery to raise a couple bucks to send a care package full of rocknroll implements to William and the crew in Sancti Spiritus, and has grown into a full on movement. Musicians, artists and other creative people across our city…
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Solidarity Rock: Calgary recap! →
On March 24, we had the great pleasure of showing our photo show at House Gallery in Calgary and then spending the evening with Forbidden Dimension, The Vibrating Beds and Miesha and the Spanks! It was indeed a great evening, and as the Solidarity Rock project grows and comes to…
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Rock 'n' Roll intervention helps Cuban musicians →
Rock ’n’ roll intervention helps Cuban musicians
The guitar player in Cuba band Arrabio poses with instruments donated by Alberta-based Solidarity Rock. Photo by Samuel Reina Calvo.
For the past five years Edmonton filmmaker and photographer Drew McIntosh has been staging what he calls a “rock ’n’ roll intervention” for the benefit of the young people of central Cuba.
He’s launched five punk rock tours through the region — featuring such western Canadian club bands as 7 and 7 is, Slates and Hang Loose from Edmonton, Kids on Fire from Winnipeg and Vancouver’s Vicious Cycles — something that was previously unheard of in that part of the world.
Perhaps more importantly, he’s worked hard to help central Cuba build up its own indie rock scene by donating instruments that were largely inaccessible to musicians in the restrictive communist country. Twenty electric guitars, a few drum kits, a couple of amps and assorted PA parts have gone a long way to helping develop a budding Cuban rock community.
All the while he and a group of fellow photographers have captured images from this mission, dubbed Solidarity Rock.
The best of those are on view Saturday at the House Gallery at 2607 35th St. S.W. The Solidarity Rock photo exhibition will be followed by a musical benefit at the Palomino Smokehouse that will feature popular Calgary acts Forbidden Dimension and Miesha Louie of Miesha and the Spanks, as well as Winnipeg’s the Vibrating Beds.
Proceeds from the show will be used to send another shipment of musical instruments into Cuba in April.
“This photography show highlights the first four years of the Solidarity Rock project in Cuba,” McIntosh says. “It captures the emergence of a real rock ‘n’ roll movement in a nation that was rooted in tradition.”
Adds the 32-year-old photographer: “Musicians from here have been able to do some interesting things in that country and we’ve been able to support the idea of free expression through art and creative interaction. I think it’s important to share these photos and this visual representation of what we’re doing in Cuba.”
McIntosh formed Solidarity Rock in 2007 when he accompanied the band 7 and 7 is to the central Cuban city of Sancti Spiritus, where friends had invited the group to play. McIntosh came to shoot a documentary of the adventure.
He was surprised to find that while there was a great desire for rock music among the region’s youth, they lacked the basic necessities needed to start local bands.
“Even things like guitar strings just weren’t available,” McIntosh says. Nor were microphones, cables and guitar picks.
“We put together a big care package with that stuff … and basically filled in the gaps with the things they needed,” he says. “And the idea of a touring band, going from one town to another for a show, that was a really big deal. Six or seven shows in a row was kind of beyond reach for what people could do… . They didn’t have access to a lot of infrastructure.”
Relationships were fostered during the first Solidarity Rock tour and a passion grew within McIntosh to build a music scene for the rock-deprived Cuban youth.
“That’s how this back and forth interaction started,” McIntosh says.
“It’s an interesting dynamic because when the (Communist) revolution happened the government tried to instil a uniform Cuban culture. Things like rock ’n’ roll were illegal.”
The fruits of Solidarity Rock’s mission can be seen in the photo exhibition, McIntosh says. The work of photographers Sandy Phimester, also from Edmonton, Aaron Bocanegra from Los Angeles, and Cuba’s own San Reina Calvo will also be featured.
Meanwhile, McIntosh continues to make big plans for Solidarity Rock. He hopes to bring a Cuban rock band called Arrabio to Canada in the near future and he’s taking a mobile recording studio to Cuba in the summer, intent on recording three albums of Canadian and Cuban collaborations.
“You see kids that were really young the first time we came there with a band, and they’ve learned that people can express themselves through their music and take the world in their hands and live the way they want to,” McIntosh says, explaining his motivation to make Solidarity Rock grow. “That’s a really powerful thing.”
Spotlight
The Solidarity Rock photo exhibition will be on view at the House Gallery (2607 35th St. S.W.) from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday followed by a concert at the Palomino Smokehouse.
hmccoy@calgaryherald.com
Twitter@VanHeathen
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald(Source: CalgaryHerald.com)
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Solidarity Rock: Nurturing Guitar Diplomacy in Cuba →
Solidarity Rock: Nurturing Guitar Diplomacy in Cuba
A Cuban musician with equipment donated by Solidarity Rock. Photo by Samuel Rema Calvo.
An Edmonton-based non-profit group is using music to bridge the cultural and political divide between Cuba and its North American neighbours.
Solidarity Rock, an organization founded in 2007, raises money to purchase instruments, amps and recording equipment for musicians in Cuba’s burgeoning rock and punk scene.
A photography exhibit showcasing Solidarity Rock’s work in Cuba premieres Saturday, March 24 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at House Gallery (2607 35 St. S.W.).
Following the art show, there will be a musical benefit for Solidarity Rock at the Palomino (109 7 Ave. S.W.). The concert will feature performances by The Vibrating Beds, Forbidden Dimension and Miesha Louie.
Drew McIntosh, founder and director of Solidarity Rock, says the photography project fits with the organization’s goal of facilitating “cultural exchange” between Cuba, the United States and Canada.
“A lot of imagery out of Cuba shows a preconceived style. We wanted to show Cuba as it really is, through the eyes of the musicians who live and perform there,” McIntosh explains.
Members of the Winnipeg rock group Kids on Fire perform at a concert in Trinidad, Cuba. Photo by Sandy Phimester.
Solidarity Rock’s Work
Solidarity Rock has organized five rock tours in Cuba since 2007. The tours showcase western Canadian bands in partnership with local Cuban rockers.
The photography exhibit chronicles these tours through the eyes of four photographers: McIntosh and fellow Edmontonian Sandy Phimester, Aaron Bocaegra of Los Angles and Samuel Rema Calvo of Sancti Spiritus, Cuba.
Audience members await a performance by Edmonton band SLATES. Photo by Aaron Bocaegra.
Music is Political in Cuba
While the group has no political affiliations, McIntosh admits that playing rock music in Cuba is an inherently political act that defies authorities on both sides of the border.
Basic equipment like guitar strings and picks are hard to come by in Cuba due to the ongoing U.S. trade embargo against the country.
“[Cuban musicians are] used to living with shortages because of the embargo, so they improvise and MacGyver things however they can.” McIntosh notes. “Still, it’s better to have the real thing.”
Delivering these seemingly harmless items to Cubans is still technically illegal, at least for American citizens. That point was driven home after Bocanegra, a photography and art professor from Los Angeles, was arrested in March 2011 and charged with trading with the enemy for his work with Solidarity Rock. His case is still pending.
The Solidarity Rock Tour Bus. Photo by Sandy Phimester.The Cuban government also frequently harasses and arrests rock musicians, whose music is seen as seditious in the communist state.
The artists caught in between the “just want to have their music heard,” McIntosh says.
“Our concerts give artists from three countries that don’t often get to work together a chance to collaborate and produce something positive for everyone.”
For more information about Solidarity Rock’s work in Cuba, go to solidarityrock.tumblr.com.
Photo by Drew McIntosh.
AVENUE MAGAZINE CALGARY - March 23, 2012 -
The Vibrating Beds playing in Calgary at the Palomino in support of Solidarity Rock.
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THE VICIOUS CYCLES - I LOVE MY BIKE in Cuba - Music Video
Billy Bones’ of the Vicious Cycles put this video together from their recent Solidarity Rock tour in Cuba. If you like bikes, good times and rocknroll, you should check it out!
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On The Road In Cuba with Solidarity Rock →
Sandy Phimester wrote an awesome article which is being run in on a Cuban culture site called Cuba Absolutely. Check it out!Canadian photographer, Sandy Phimester provides a fascinating portrait of life on the back of the bus in Cuba touring with Canadian punk rock band, Kids on Fire and Cuban punk rock band Arrabio as part of Solidarity Rock’s effort to spread the love in rock & roll Cuban style.
Lead singer and guitarist for Kids On Fire, jumps during a solo at the AHS in Trinidad
This year, Drew, myself, and a few others went to Cuba and witnessed the first tour across Cuba by a Cuban rock band. A defining moment in rock and roll history, in Cuba and beyond. If you know anything about Cuba, about it’s history, then you know that this is no small feat. It’s a great thing, and I know that this will not be the last time. A Canadian punk band from Winnipeg, KIDS ON FIRE, in partnership with the new Winnipeg chapter of Solidarity Rock had been staging benefit shows. These shows raised the funds required to get Kids on Fire to Cuba and to facilitate the joint Canadian/Cuban tour of the country.
We had a tour bus waiting for us when we got there (wait until you see it!, it’s a huge old school bus painted all over on the outside with amazing political images). A far cry from donkey and cart, we would spend the better part of two weeks in it, traveling Cuba with two punk rock bands. The Cuban band is ARRABIO, I’d say a healthy mix of punk rock and classic heavy metal. A great band, a truly amazing set of guys, and now I’m proud to say… some really great friends too.
We toured across the country for 11 days. Our home base was Sancti Spiritus, a wonderful place, which up until only two years ago was called “a sleepy little city with not much happening in it” by the tour guides and travel books. Now, the same travel books hail it as “a cultural hub that is a place for musicians and artists to gather”. What a difference some gear and some courage make. The town is amazing. The main square, where we’d meet every day around noon, was where we consumed many fresh beers, lots of laughs and formulated plans for the day. It was a ritual, and it felt like home. We had our casa particulares (private accommodation with a Cuban family), two people per place, and it was like having a second little family. So friendly, so much respect and a ton of smiles. Lots of good food too.
The tour bus! Waiting for us at the airport in Veradero.
It’s hard to write down all of my experiences there: the park during the evenings, meeting new people, having some amazing conversations. Ten cent pizzas, the music, the bus, the wacky folks we met, the cheap alcohol (oh jeez), the beach, the cities, the shows, the venues, the beaming sun and +42C weather, and most importantly the new friends we made.
We had two days on the beach, seeing the hotel patrons was funny to us, they go to a resort or hotel and see nothing of Cuba, we were fortunate enough to get two rest days out on the beach (not the hotel though, just the beach near it) that’s about all I can handle though, it gets boring after that much time. I sit on the beach, and it’s great, but after a while all I can think about is what’s back there in the real part of the country that I’m missing out on.
It all boils down to the people you share things with. Don’t let me forget a tour bus full of people yelling “super hambergasa!” over and over and over… and over, while the Cuban’s around us look at us like total aliens. The stories are endless. Literally.
A live show, packed to the roof with all ages and types. Our tour bus waiting for us in the morning to take us on the road.
I did all the rocking out I could, I went into incredibly crazy mosh pits with my camera to get some shots. I dangled myself out the bus window. I drank my fair share, stayed up late and made life long friends. I guess it was just a lot of things all going on at once. I’ll never forget any of it.
This year has been a hard one for me. I’ve been getting really busy with photography and the whirlwind of life had caught up to me. My father just passed away suddenly a few weeks before I was supposed to go on this trip. Drew had a similar loss in his family as well, a year ago, right around a similar trip to Cuba too. One night, having climbed to the roof of a broken down building, we stood up there, looking over this incredible city at night, shaky, covered in dust and debris from climbing up there. We started talking about how it is to be here, what it means. He offered me his thoughts and strength through this time, and I started to cry, I didn’t want to, but I had to give in. He talked about his loss, and he was crying too, two big tough looking guys wearing rock and roll t-shirts, standing on a roof crying. But honestly, it was a moving moment for me. It’s tough. People treat you differently, you just want to escape, but you can’t. We cried for a minute or two, but then realized what we were doing and started laughing a bit. I went back to our casa that night and broke down a little bit inside. Darryl, who was my roommate for the trip talked me down a bit and we really connected. I don’t know how to express how much I appreciated everything from both of them that night.
Arrabio playing to a full venue at the AHS in Trinidad
This was Drew’s 6th trip down to Cuba for Solidarity Rock. I met his friends, and now they are my friends. I will never forget you guys, and I hope I get to see you all every year. That’s a good dream. You made us feel more than welcome. I know Solidarity Rock has helped you all so much in Cuba, but I also know that you guys (and gals) have helped us as well. Live shows aren’t the same there as they are here, for many reasons, but the big one is… turn outs. Tons of people come to these shows. Crowds are not so content in Cuba to just stand at the back of the room and nodding their head, they get up front, yell, scream, sing, dance, and crash around. They really know how to let it all go! I miss you guys, I miss everything there, except maybe that one bathroom in Santa Clara…
William, Irina, Sam, Fendu, Drew, Darryl, Kids on Fire, Arrabio, everyone else, our bus driver, the amazing people we met and shared our stories with, the women who ran our casas and fed us, the rockers we partied with… we are all brothers and sisters!!
It’s not often we go to the beach, but it’s a good time to relax on the hectic tour About Solidarity Rock
Solidarity Rock is an artist run organization working to partner musicians, artists and creative people in Cuba, Canada and beyond. It was started by Drew in 2007. The core of the movement is to help rock and roll thrive in Cuba. Sure, rock and roll has been there. But not too long ago, being a punk rocker, a metal head, a rocker, was discouraged. Solidarity Rock, with the support of Canadian musicians, hold benefit shows, raise awareness and funds, and collect gear they might not need anymore. A patch cord, guitar strings, an old amp, a bass, drum pieces, no donation is too great or small! The equipment is taken down to Cuba and distributed to the people who need it the most. In the past, something as simple as a guitar string could put an entire band on hold for a few weeks, while phone calls were made across the province(s) in Cuba looking for someone who might have a solution. While that is still the case in some parts of Cuba, things are changing, a lot. There is now equipment for bands to share, and people have access to music and expression like never before. The initiative has been a huge success.(Source: CubaAbsolutely.com)
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Banda canadiense Vicious Cycles. Un viernes 13 con punk-rock en La Punk-Rock →
Here is a write up from the AHS’s national page about the Vicious Cycles show that didn’t end up making it past two bands, because the power blew. They tried to re-route some juice from the street lights, but it was clear that it wasn’t going to happen. Either way, interesting words from the AHS site.
Banda canadiense Vicious Cycles.Un viernes 13 con punk-rock en La Madriguera
Lázaro J. González González
La Madriguera, sede capitalina de la Asociación Hermanos Saíz, prepara para este viernes 13 a las seis de la tarde el gran concierto de punk-rock William Fabián in Memoriam. El espectáculo, que tendrá entrada libre, contará con la presencia de las bandas Kallejeros Kondenados, Limalla, Akupunktura, Eskoria, Gatillo, Arrabio y como invitados espaciales a la banda canadiense Vicious Cycles, de gira por Cuba en estos momentos.
El punk- rock es un género musical dentro del rock que emergió a mediados de los años 1970, caracterizado por su actitud independiente y amateur. En sus inicios, el punk era una música muy simple y cruda, a veces descuidada: un tipo de rock sencillo, con melodías simples de duraciones cortas, sonidos de guitarras amplificadas poco controlados o ruidosos, pocos arreglos e instrumentos, y, por lo general, de compases y tempos rápidos. A la vez, el punk ha creado una cultura: la de la libertad individual, que tiende a generar creencias en conceptos tales como el individualismo y el pensamiento libre.
William Fabián era el cantante líder de Escoria, agrupación que lideró ese movimiento musical en Cuba y falleció en el año 2010. A él se rinde este homenaje, el cual se realiza por segunda ocasión.
One Friday 13 with punk-rock at The Madriguera
J. Lazarus González González
El Madriguera, home of the Associacion Hermanos Saiz in the Cuban Captial, is preparing for a great punk-rock concert in memory of William Fabian, which goes on at 6:00 Friday January 13. The show, which will have free admission, will feature the bands Kallejera Kondenados, Limalla, Akupunktura, Eskoria, Gatillo, Arrabio and special guests from Canada, The Vicious Cycles, who are touring Cuba right now.
Punk-rock is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s, characterized by its independent and amateur attitude. In its beginnings, punk music was a very simple and crude, sometimes discounted, a simple type of music, with short songs, simple melodies, guitar sounds and loud, uncontrolled amplification. Few complex arangements or instruments, and generally bars of fast tempos. At the same time, punk has created a culture: that of individual freedom, which tends to create beliefs in concepts such as individualism and free thought.
William Fabian was the lead singer of Eskora, a group that led the musical movement in Cuba and died in 2010. This show is a tribute to him, which is done for a second time.
theSUNDIAL
Drew McIntosh Creative
The Sundial is a mechanism designed to cast a shadow.
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- Arrabio will be playing Solidarity Rock dates the next April 21 in Jatibonico with Cancerbero.
- May 3th in Trinidad as a wedding gift for our friend Darryl and his Leanne with the bands; Adictox, Akupunktura and Arrabio.
- May 10 in Sancti Spíritus at El Paso gallery as opening for the Solidarity Rock photo expo with 50 shoots taken by Sandy Phimister, Samuel Calvo, Aaron Bocanegra and Drew McIntosh.
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SCRAPBOOKER - KRANG - CATGUT photos!
Hey everyone. Here are some photos from the Wunderbar last weekend. As I mentioned, we raised enough to send a sizeable shipment of gear to our friends in Cuba. Thanks for playing, hosting and attending. You’re all beautiful. Here are some B&W’s.
SCRAPBOOKER
KRANG
CATGUT
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Solidarity Rock: Solidarity Rock Edmonton update! →
Solidarity Rock was born in Edmonton. We started with one show at the artery to raise a couple bucks to send a care package full of rocknroll implements to William and the crew in Sancti Spiritus, and has grown into a full on movement. Musicians, artists and other creative people across our city…
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Solidarity Rock: Calgary recap! →
On March 24, we had the great pleasure of showing our photo show at House Gallery in Calgary and then spending the evening with Forbidden Dimension, The Vibrating Beds and Miesha and the Spanks! It was indeed a great evening, and as the Solidarity Rock project grows and comes to…
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Rock 'n' Roll intervention helps Cuban musicians →
Rock ’n’ roll intervention helps Cuban musicians
The guitar player in Cuba band Arrabio poses with instruments donated by Alberta-based Solidarity Rock. Photo by Samuel Reina Calvo.
For the past five years Edmonton filmmaker and photographer Drew McIntosh has been staging what he calls a “rock ’n’ roll intervention” for the benefit of the young people of central Cuba.
He’s launched five punk rock tours through the region — featuring such western Canadian club bands as 7 and 7 is, Slates and Hang Loose from Edmonton, Kids on Fire from Winnipeg and Vancouver’s Vicious Cycles — something that was previously unheard of in that part of the world.
Perhaps more importantly, he’s worked hard to help central Cuba build up its own indie rock scene by donating instruments that were largely inaccessible to musicians in the restrictive communist country. Twenty electric guitars, a few drum kits, a couple of amps and assorted PA parts have gone a long way to helping develop a budding Cuban rock community.
All the while he and a group of fellow photographers have captured images from this mission, dubbed Solidarity Rock.
The best of those are on view Saturday at the House Gallery at 2607 35th St. S.W. The Solidarity Rock photo exhibition will be followed by a musical benefit at the Palomino Smokehouse that will feature popular Calgary acts Forbidden Dimension and Miesha Louie of Miesha and the Spanks, as well as Winnipeg’s the Vibrating Beds.
Proceeds from the show will be used to send another shipment of musical instruments into Cuba in April.
“This photography show highlights the first four years of the Solidarity Rock project in Cuba,” McIntosh says. “It captures the emergence of a real rock ‘n’ roll movement in a nation that was rooted in tradition.”
Adds the 32-year-old photographer: “Musicians from here have been able to do some interesting things in that country and we’ve been able to support the idea of free expression through art and creative interaction. I think it’s important to share these photos and this visual representation of what we’re doing in Cuba.”
McIntosh formed Solidarity Rock in 2007 when he accompanied the band 7 and 7 is to the central Cuban city of Sancti Spiritus, where friends had invited the group to play. McIntosh came to shoot a documentary of the adventure.
He was surprised to find that while there was a great desire for rock music among the region’s youth, they lacked the basic necessities needed to start local bands.
“Even things like guitar strings just weren’t available,” McIntosh says. Nor were microphones, cables and guitar picks.
“We put together a big care package with that stuff … and basically filled in the gaps with the things they needed,” he says. “And the idea of a touring band, going from one town to another for a show, that was a really big deal. Six or seven shows in a row was kind of beyond reach for what people could do… . They didn’t have access to a lot of infrastructure.”
Relationships were fostered during the first Solidarity Rock tour and a passion grew within McIntosh to build a music scene for the rock-deprived Cuban youth.
“That’s how this back and forth interaction started,” McIntosh says.
“It’s an interesting dynamic because when the (Communist) revolution happened the government tried to instil a uniform Cuban culture. Things like rock ’n’ roll were illegal.”
The fruits of Solidarity Rock’s mission can be seen in the photo exhibition, McIntosh says. The work of photographers Sandy Phimester, also from Edmonton, Aaron Bocanegra from Los Angeles, and Cuba’s own San Reina Calvo will also be featured.
Meanwhile, McIntosh continues to make big plans for Solidarity Rock. He hopes to bring a Cuban rock band called Arrabio to Canada in the near future and he’s taking a mobile recording studio to Cuba in the summer, intent on recording three albums of Canadian and Cuban collaborations.
“You see kids that were really young the first time we came there with a band, and they’ve learned that people can express themselves through their music and take the world in their hands and live the way they want to,” McIntosh says, explaining his motivation to make Solidarity Rock grow. “That’s a really powerful thing.”
Spotlight
The Solidarity Rock photo exhibition will be on view at the House Gallery (2607 35th St. S.W.) from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday followed by a concert at the Palomino Smokehouse.
hmccoy@calgaryherald.com
Twitter@VanHeathen
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald(Source: CalgaryHerald.com)
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Solidarity Rock: Nurturing Guitar Diplomacy in Cuba →
Solidarity Rock: Nurturing Guitar Diplomacy in Cuba
A Cuban musician with equipment donated by Solidarity Rock. Photo by Samuel Rema Calvo.
An Edmonton-based non-profit group is using music to bridge the cultural and political divide between Cuba and its North American neighbours.
Solidarity Rock, an organization founded in 2007, raises money to purchase instruments, amps and recording equipment for musicians in Cuba’s burgeoning rock and punk scene.
A photography exhibit showcasing Solidarity Rock’s work in Cuba premieres Saturday, March 24 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at House Gallery (2607 35 St. S.W.).
Following the art show, there will be a musical benefit for Solidarity Rock at the Palomino (109 7 Ave. S.W.). The concert will feature performances by The Vibrating Beds, Forbidden Dimension and Miesha Louie.
Drew McIntosh, founder and director of Solidarity Rock, says the photography project fits with the organization’s goal of facilitating “cultural exchange” between Cuba, the United States and Canada.
“A lot of imagery out of Cuba shows a preconceived style. We wanted to show Cuba as it really is, through the eyes of the musicians who live and perform there,” McIntosh explains.
Members of the Winnipeg rock group Kids on Fire perform at a concert in Trinidad, Cuba. Photo by Sandy Phimester.
Solidarity Rock’s Work
Solidarity Rock has organized five rock tours in Cuba since 2007. The tours showcase western Canadian bands in partnership with local Cuban rockers.
The photography exhibit chronicles these tours through the eyes of four photographers: McIntosh and fellow Edmontonian Sandy Phimester, Aaron Bocaegra of Los Angles and Samuel Rema Calvo of Sancti Spiritus, Cuba.
Audience members await a performance by Edmonton band SLATES. Photo by Aaron Bocaegra.
Music is Political in Cuba
While the group has no political affiliations, McIntosh admits that playing rock music in Cuba is an inherently political act that defies authorities on both sides of the border.
Basic equipment like guitar strings and picks are hard to come by in Cuba due to the ongoing U.S. trade embargo against the country.
“[Cuban musicians are] used to living with shortages because of the embargo, so they improvise and MacGyver things however they can.” McIntosh notes. “Still, it’s better to have the real thing.”
Delivering these seemingly harmless items to Cubans is still technically illegal, at least for American citizens. That point was driven home after Bocanegra, a photography and art professor from Los Angeles, was arrested in March 2011 and charged with trading with the enemy for his work with Solidarity Rock. His case is still pending.
The Solidarity Rock Tour Bus. Photo by Sandy Phimester.The Cuban government also frequently harasses and arrests rock musicians, whose music is seen as seditious in the communist state.
The artists caught in between the “just want to have their music heard,” McIntosh says.
“Our concerts give artists from three countries that don’t often get to work together a chance to collaborate and produce something positive for everyone.”
For more information about Solidarity Rock’s work in Cuba, go to solidarityrock.tumblr.com.
Photo by Drew McIntosh.
AVENUE MAGAZINE CALGARY - March 23, 2012 -
The Vibrating Beds playing in Calgary at the Palomino in support of Solidarity Rock.
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THE VICIOUS CYCLES - I LOVE MY BIKE in Cuba - Music Video
Billy Bones’ of the Vicious Cycles put this video together from their recent Solidarity Rock tour in Cuba. If you like bikes, good times and rocknroll, you should check it out!
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On The Road In Cuba with Solidarity Rock →
Sandy Phimester wrote an awesome article which is being run in on a Cuban culture site called Cuba Absolutely. Check it out!Canadian photographer, Sandy Phimester provides a fascinating portrait of life on the back of the bus in Cuba touring with Canadian punk rock band, Kids on Fire and Cuban punk rock band Arrabio as part of Solidarity Rock’s effort to spread the love in rock & roll Cuban style. Lead singer and guitarist for Kids On Fire, jumps during a solo at the AHS in Trinidad
This year, Drew, myself, and a few others went to Cuba and witnessed the first tour across Cuba by a Cuban rock band. A defining moment in rock and roll history, in Cuba and beyond. If you know anything about Cuba, about it’s history, then you know that this is no small feat. It’s a great thing, and I know that this will not be the last time. A Canadian punk band from Winnipeg, KIDS ON FIRE, in partnership with the new Winnipeg chapter of Solidarity Rock had been staging benefit shows. These shows raised the funds required to get Kids on Fire to Cuba and to facilitate the joint Canadian/Cuban tour of the country.
We had a tour bus waiting for us when we got there (wait until you see it!, it’s a huge old school bus painted all over on the outside with amazing political images). A far cry from donkey and cart, we would spend the better part of two weeks in it, traveling Cuba with two punk rock bands. The Cuban band is ARRABIO, I’d say a healthy mix of punk rock and classic heavy metal. A great band, a truly amazing set of guys, and now I’m proud to say… some really great friends too.
We toured across the country for 11 days. Our home base was Sancti Spiritus, a wonderful place, which up until only two years ago was called “a sleepy little city with not much happening in it” by the tour guides and travel books. Now, the same travel books hail it as “a cultural hub that is a place for musicians and artists to gather”. What a difference some gear and some courage make. The town is amazing. The main square, where we’d meet every day around noon, was where we consumed many fresh beers, lots of laughs and formulated plans for the day. It was a ritual, and it felt like home. We had our casa particulares (private accommodation with a Cuban family), two people per place, and it was like having a second little family. So friendly, so much respect and a ton of smiles. Lots of good food too. The tour bus! Waiting for us at the airport in Veradero.
It’s hard to write down all of my experiences there: the park during the evenings, meeting new people, having some amazing conversations. Ten cent pizzas, the music, the bus, the wacky folks we met, the cheap alcohol (oh jeez), the beach, the cities, the shows, the venues, the beaming sun and +42C weather, and most importantly the new friends we made.
We had two days on the beach, seeing the hotel patrons was funny to us, they go to a resort or hotel and see nothing of Cuba, we were fortunate enough to get two rest days out on the beach (not the hotel though, just the beach near it) that’s about all I can handle though, it gets boring after that much time. I sit on the beach, and it’s great, but after a while all I can think about is what’s back there in the real part of the country that I’m missing out on.
It all boils down to the people you share things with. Don’t let me forget a tour bus full of people yelling “super hambergasa!” over and over and over… and over, while the Cuban’s around us look at us like total aliens. The stories are endless. Literally. A live show, packed to the roof with all ages and types. Our tour bus waiting for us in the morning to take us on the road.
I did all the rocking out I could, I went into incredibly crazy mosh pits with my camera to get some shots. I dangled myself out the bus window. I drank my fair share, stayed up late and made life long friends. I guess it was just a lot of things all going on at once. I’ll never forget any of it.
This year has been a hard one for me. I’ve been getting really busy with photography and the whirlwind of life had caught up to me. My father just passed away suddenly a few weeks before I was supposed to go on this trip. Drew had a similar loss in his family as well, a year ago, right around a similar trip to Cuba too. One night, having climbed to the roof of a broken down building, we stood up there, looking over this incredible city at night, shaky, covered in dust and debris from climbing up there. We started talking about how it is to be here, what it means. He offered me his thoughts and strength through this time, and I started to cry, I didn’t want to, but I had to give in. He talked about his loss, and he was crying too, two big tough looking guys wearing rock and roll t-shirts, standing on a roof crying. But honestly, it was a moving moment for me. It’s tough. People treat you differently, you just want to escape, but you can’t. We cried for a minute or two, but then realized what we were doing and started laughing a bit. I went back to our casa that night and broke down a little bit inside. Darryl, who was my roommate for the trip talked me down a bit and we really connected. I don’t know how to express how much I appreciated everything from both of them that night. Arrabio playing to a full venue at the AHS in Trinidad
This was Drew’s 6th trip down to Cuba for Solidarity Rock. I met his friends, and now they are my friends. I will never forget you guys, and I hope I get to see you all every year. That’s a good dream. You made us feel more than welcome. I know Solidarity Rock has helped you all so much in Cuba, but I also know that you guys (and gals) have helped us as well. Live shows aren’t the same there as they are here, for many reasons, but the big one is… turn outs. Tons of people come to these shows. Crowds are not so content in Cuba to just stand at the back of the room and nodding their head, they get up front, yell, scream, sing, dance, and crash around. They really know how to let it all go! I miss you guys, I miss everything there, except maybe that one bathroom in Santa Clara…
William, Irina, Sam, Fendu, Drew, Darryl, Kids on Fire, Arrabio, everyone else, our bus driver, the amazing people we met and shared our stories with, the women who ran our casas and fed us, the rockers we partied with… we are all brothers and sisters!! It’s not often we go to the beach, but it’s a good time to relax on the hectic tour About Solidarity Rock
Solidarity Rock is an artist run organization working to partner musicians, artists and creative people in Cuba, Canada and beyond. It was started by Drew in 2007. The core of the movement is to help rock and roll thrive in Cuba. Sure, rock and roll has been there. But not too long ago, being a punk rocker, a metal head, a rocker, was discouraged. Solidarity Rock, with the support of Canadian musicians, hold benefit shows, raise awareness and funds, and collect gear they might not need anymore. A patch cord, guitar strings, an old amp, a bass, drum pieces, no donation is too great or small! The equipment is taken down to Cuba and distributed to the people who need it the most. In the past, something as simple as a guitar string could put an entire band on hold for a few weeks, while phone calls were made across the province(s) in Cuba looking for someone who might have a solution. While that is still the case in some parts of Cuba, things are changing, a lot. There is now equipment for bands to share, and people have access to music and expression like never before. The initiative has been a huge success.(Source: CubaAbsolutely.com)
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Banda canadiense Vicious Cycles. Un viernes 13 con punk-rock en La Punk-Rock →
Here is a write up from the AHS’s national page about the Vicious Cycles show that didn’t end up making it past two bands, because the power blew. They tried to re-route some juice from the street lights, but it was clear that it wasn’t going to happen. Either way, interesting words from the AHS site.
Banda canadiense Vicious Cycles.Un viernes 13 con punk-rock en La Madriguera
Lázaro J. González González
La Madriguera, sede capitalina de la Asociación Hermanos Saíz, prepara para este viernes 13 a las seis de la tarde el gran concierto de punk-rock William Fabián in Memoriam. El espectáculo, que tendrá entrada libre, contará con la presencia de las bandas Kallejeros Kondenados, Limalla, Akupunktura, Eskoria, Gatillo, Arrabio y como invitados espaciales a la banda canadiense Vicious Cycles, de gira por Cuba en estos momentos.
El punk- rock es un género musical dentro del rock que emergió a mediados de los años 1970, caracterizado por su actitud independiente y amateur. En sus inicios, el punk era una música muy simple y cruda, a veces descuidada: un tipo de rock sencillo, con melodías simples de duraciones cortas, sonidos de guitarras amplificadas poco controlados o ruidosos, pocos arreglos e instrumentos, y, por lo general, de compases y tempos rápidos. A la vez, el punk ha creado una cultura: la de la libertad individual, que tiende a generar creencias en conceptos tales como el individualismo y el pensamiento libre.
William Fabián era el cantante líder de Escoria, agrupación que lideró ese movimiento musical en Cuba y falleció en el año 2010. A él se rinde este homenaje, el cual se realiza por segunda ocasión.
One Friday 13 with punk-rock at The Madriguera
J. Lazarus González González
El Madriguera, home of the Associacion Hermanos Saiz in the Cuban Captial, is preparing for a great punk-rock concert in memory of William Fabian, which goes on at 6:00 Friday January 13. The show, which will have free admission, will feature the bands Kallejera Kondenados, Limalla, Akupunktura, Eskoria, Gatillo, Arrabio and special guests from Canada, The Vicious Cycles, who are touring Cuba right now.
Punk-rock is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s, characterized by its independent and amateur attitude. In its beginnings, punk music was a very simple and crude, sometimes discounted, a simple type of music, with short songs, simple melodies, guitar sounds and loud, uncontrolled amplification. Few complex arangements or instruments, and generally bars of fast tempos. At the same time, punk has created a culture: that of individual freedom, which tends to create beliefs in concepts such as individualism and free thought.
William Fabian was the lead singer of Eskora, a group that led the musical movement in Cuba and died in 2010. This show is a tribute to him, which is done for a second time.