“We believe in inclusion and equality for everyone”: Inside the true punk power of Decolonise Fest

After two years away, Decolonise Fest has made its eagerly anticipated and high-volume comeback. A DIY event in London spotlighting punx of colour, there’s nothing quite like it. After taking a pause due to the pandemic, the UK’s first-ever festival curated by and for people of colour is returning to Haggerston’s Signature Brew. It’s intimate, busy and the whirring electric guitars are loud enough to snag the attention of those passing by, who curiously peer in to see what’s going on. The noise, camaraderie, small talk of politics, resistance and weekend plans are the building blocks of Decolonise. It’s forthright, unapologetic and makes sure you know it’s there.

This past weekend (September 13 – 15), organisers, bands and alternative fans are soaking up back-to-back nights of raw music, raising funds for Palestine, and promoting a DIY counter-culture ethos; a belief that everyone, no matter their skin colour or sexuality, deserves to be embraced in alt. music.

The magic of this fest didn’t happen overnight, though – in fact, it's a process that began way back in 2016. Through perseverance and a determined grit, it took like-minded musicians (Stephanie Phillips of Big Joanie, Ray Aggs and others) to create the Decolonise Collective, a group with big plans to start their own festival. Since the debut event in 2017, that initial spirit has continued to bring acts of all levels – new or established – under one roof to celebrate the statement of belonging to the same community. It’s here that they set the record straight: rock, alternative music, sleaze, metal – you name the genre – doesn’t belong to just one audience.

Live on the ground, we're diving into what Decolonise organisers and artists call a “lucky charm festival”. After all, the its inclusive space has given a platform to some of today’s hottest acts like Bob Vylan, Nova Twins, Big Joanie and SPIDER.

A Palestinian woman stands proudly, wielding an electric guitar, with a defiant smile on her face. Her hijab is an intentional blood red and the instrument is held proudly up in the air, a symbol of resistance. This is the message (and image) Decolonise have hand-printed on their event posters. Their image of solidarity is unmissable. Posters line Signature Brew’s entryway. Indoors, they’re dotted around. You can even find the official print on sale at the merch table – with all proceeds going to The Sameer Project, a Palestinian donations-based aid initiative.

There’s something special about this place. The venue is buzzing with people – nearly at full capacity – who are dressed in dark tones, paying homage to their punk roots. People float by sporting the Kerrang! x Spotify misfits 2.0 merch, while others wear My Chemical Romance tees or rock all black and Dr. Martens – keeping it simple yet effective. There’s no wrong way to show up at Decolonise, everyone is eager to embrace you, no matter if it’s your first time or if you’re a festival regular.

“My face hurt when I left yesterday because I was smiling all night,” Big Joanie’s Estella Adeyeri tells us, outside the bustling venue. It’s the second day of Decolonise and she’s expecting an even bigger turnout than the night before. Her outfit is cool and chic, showing up as a long-time collaborator with the collective, but also someone who understands how difficult it can be for people of colour to get on festival bills.

“I find it heartwarming to see the next generation coming and supporting new artists, because that's the sort of thing that sustained me when I was a young person getting into music,” she says gesturing to the venue, adding that at its core Decolonise is about more than music – it's about connection.

“It's not just about being a safe space for people of colour, we want it to be somewhere where queer people of colour aren’t experiencing any harm and, if they do, a bunch of people will have their back. We want to acknowledge how so many of our struggles are interconnected.”

Decolonise continues to pave the way for its stage and line-up to be exclusively for people of colour and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. A Pride flag hangs in one corner, behind the pop-up merch table, next to T-shirts and zines. It’s a passing message that this festival is for all.

After her incredible, rousing set, Maya Lakhani slips outside to join Kerrang!. Still reeling from the rapturous reception, she’s not feeling nervous energy, but excitement.

“A lot of the time, the rock scene is very white-dominated, but here, you look out and you see lots of different people from different backgrounds enjoying rock music and feeling comfortable to be in this space,” she says, smiling. “Events like Decolonise are so important, especially with everything that's been going on in the UK lately. It's really important for diverse voices to be lifted in this community and for us to be celebrated.”

The celebratory feel is palpable. Festival-goers show up with custom-made light-up signs, many of them whooping for acts they’ve never heard of before, while others trail off to grab a drink or donate at the merch table. It’s all community in motion. And the helping hands are no different to those that have bought tickets, either. Many of them are artists on the line-up, yet you can find them giving directions to people spilling through the doors, handing out wristbands, and volunteering to keep the festival going smoothly.

Go-to man Alex Ekong is one of the everymen who got involved with Decolonise in 2021, after being booked to play it the year prior. It’s early evening and he is in a rush to make it to the stage with his band, Sunday Best, but quickly steps aside to chat with K! and share how important the festival is to him.

“I always wanted to be involved as someone who has grown up loving punk music and alternative music. As a person of colour, I never necessarily found my community, and finding Decolonise Fest was like an oasis after being in the desert for so long,” he says thoughtfully. “There's a DIY ethos that's very core. Here at Decolonise Fest, we celebrate punks of colour that paved the way for the current generation, but we also embrace a radical ethos, and we are activists. We believe in inclusion and equality for everyone.”

As Alex sprints to the stage, Lip Stain lead singer Moni Serneabat flashes us a thumbs-up and joins our conversation. She too finds a sense of wonder in today’s artists, and is volunteering here alongside performing at the festival tomorrow.

“I've been a member of Decolonise Fest since 2019. I wanted to get involved because I've always been quite into punk and pop-punk music growing up. But, you know, it's been a very white space…” she admits.

Growing up listening to the likes of Paramore, Fall Out Boy, The Clash and Sex Pistols, Moni realised the scene she loved didn’t always represent her and, at times, felt like it wasn’t a genre she could comfortably claim as her own.

“It's nice being able to celebrate culture and diversity in an industry, not just as a person of colour, but as a woman and someone who identifies as queer. You don’t have to explain yourself, you’re not here to tick a box – you’re here to make good music. It’s nice to be completely honest and unapologetically yourself in a space.”

The high-flying energy of Decolonise is immeasurable, and there’s an unwavering feeling of togetherness packed into Signature Brew’s 150-capacity space that fiercely makes a statement. In this intimate venue in Haggerston you can find the defiant, beating heart of POC punk music, grassroots ambitions, rising star acts, activists and all.

As festival fan Jasmine Isa Qureshi succinctly puts it to us: “There’s an infectious, chaotic, beautiful, true punk power – it’s like falling in love with punk all over again watching Black and brown bodies headbanging to the genres we invented.”

We couldn’t have said it any better.

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