Cuba's digital destination
By John Walters. Photos by Alex Mene
A festival that insists on letting the world know that Cuban music is not only salsa and reggaeton, but also has a heavy metal tradition with enthusiastic fans
Back in May 2008, an unprecedented event in the history of rock in Cuba took place: the Salón Rosado de La Tropical was taken over by a dozen national metal bands to promote the launching of the compilation “Not Salsa, Just Brutal Music,” by the French label Brutal Beatdown Records. The concert turned into a veritable fiesta and was forever dubbed “Brutal Fest.”
Brutal Fest takes place twice a year (originally it was done only in February, but because it has been so successful, it was done again in August) and is the most important international metal music festival in Cuba. It consists in a 10-day tour of Cuba with both Cuban and international bands. Seventy-five bands from France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, the UK, Denmark, Finland, Costa Rica, Sweden, Canada, the US, Chile, Hungary… have been touring Cuba through Brutal Fest.
Organized by the French Brutal Beatdown Record Label in association with the Agencia Cubana de Rock (Cuban Rock Agency) and the Instituto Cubano de la Música (Cuban Institute of Music), this year’s festival includes Cuban bands Switch, Tendencia, Mortuory, Adictox and Arrabio, just to name a few, plus Get the Shot from Canada; ValeTudo, Uberyou and The Strapones from Switzerland; Ratbomb from France and Joliette from México.
The festival will start off in the city of Holguín on the 14th and will travel to Bayamo, Santiago de Cuba, Camagüey, Santa Clara, Havana and Pinar del Río, until August 23, which is very much appreciated by fans everywhere.
Since 2012, Tattoo’s Party runs parallel to Brutal Fest and is held at Maxim Rock in Havana, headquarters of the Cuban Rock Agency and Brutal Fest. This tattoo convention and contest is organized by Brutal Beatdown Recs, Toy Store Producciones and the Cuban Rock Agency and has been gaining in popularity ever since.
| Preview of the Brutal Fest Summer 2015 |
| Lineup:
Get the Shot (Canada) ValeTudo (Switzerland) Uberyou Switzerland) The Strapones (Switzerland) Joliette (México) Ratbomb (France) Switch (Cuba) Tendencia (Cuba) Mortuory (Cuba) Adictox (Cuba) Arrabio (Cuba) |
Gigs:
Fri, Aug 14: Holguín Sat, Aug 15: Bayamo Sun, Aug 16: Santiago de Cuba Tues, Aug 18: Camagüey Thurs, Aug 20: Santa Clara Fri, Aug 21: Havana Sat, Aug 22: Havana Sun, Aug 23: Pinar del Río
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Fans will enjoy the most radical sounds of contemporary metal such as grindcore, death metal, hardcore and black metal. And like the name of the CD launched in 2008, this is Not Salsa, Just Brutal Music.
Brutal Beatdown Records: Booking & Production
First and only Production & Booking Agency to date dedicated to Cuban extreme music, Brutal Beatdown Records is a 100% independent label entirely managed from Havana, Cuba. Its main purpose is promoting Cuban extreme music and bringing extreme music to Cuba through rcord productions, concerts and the international extreme music festival, “Brutal Fest”.
The festival is organized by Brutal Beatdown Records with the collaboration of Cuban Rock Agency and is sponsored by Cuban Music Institute, French Embassy in Cuba, French Institute, Havana Club, Cuba Autrement and Los Portales.
Contact:
BRUTAL BEATDOWN RECORDS
9B, Allée des Narcisses
45770 – Saran – France
e-mail: brutalbeatdown@gmail.com
www.brutalbeatdown.com
www.facebook.com/brutal.beatdown.records
