Structuring the Subcultural

Abstract

I am at a show at this abandoned industrial warehouse that has been turned into an alternative meeting place for political activists and subcultural participants. Tonight’s a punk show and there’s roughly a hundred people gathered to see three bands: two Swedish bands and one American. Everyone is happy and drinks beer, eats vegan food, and chats. This place is in a rough neighborhood far from the city center and the people who have made it here tonight know each other well. The first band starts to play and I am standing in the back, observing. The band plays standard scando-crust punk, it’s loud and fast with the lyrics being shouted out by the two singers. The crowd watches in silence, nodding their hands and sometimes raising their fists. There is no mosh pit, there seldom is in this place, as it is considered macho and excluding. Suddenly two male punks enter the venue and it is safe to say that they stand out in the crowd. In the sea of black clothes, shaved heads and dreadlocks, these two guys looks like a color explosion: one has a green mohawk, the other blue spikes. One is wearing a white singlet with a spray painted circled “A” over chloride bleached blue jeans. The other wears a leather jacket and a white torn t-shirt. They both have what appear to be 16 hole Docs. Both are pretty drunk. As they approach the stage they stop. They look around and then they move in closer to the band. They start jumping around, throwing beer at people standing next to them.