There’s Punk After the Storm – Decentes Live at The Fest 16
Back in February 2017, when I first reviewed the debut album, Alegoría Conceptual (2017), from the Latin pop-punk band Decentes, I set a goal to catch one of their live performances as soon as I could. After months of trying and failing to successfully sync my travel schedule to coincide with one of their shows in their native Puerto Rico, I got news that they had been confirmed to play at The Fest 16 in Gainesville, FL. Being only about two hours away, in Tampa, I immediately marked my calendar and invited some friends that I knew were also fans of the band.
Decentes/Photo by Jen Cray
Before I get into their performance at The Fest 16, I must address a key fact about this show: Possibly only someone living under a rock for the past couple of months would have missed that Puerto Rico was completely devastated by a major storm (Hurricane Maria), and as of the date of this writing, most the island is still without power and other basic necessities. Why is this relevant to punk rock performance, you may ask, but I have to note that Decentes are from Puerto Rico, and they traveled to fulfill their commitment at The Fest 16 amidst the terrible situation that is affecting them directly back home.
Decentes/Photo by Jen Cray
Decentes took the stage about five minutes before their scheduled time of 8:50 pm and quickly gathered a crowd that kept growing bigger with every note. With a set comprised of songs in both Spanish and English (from their former days as D-Cent Jerks) and with some of my personal favorites such as “Heridas En Sal,” “Luces De La Cuidad,” “Inalcanzable,” “En El Ayer,” and “The Still Frame,” the band delivered exactly what I expected and a bit more. Everyone in the band (who could move) was constantly jumping and singing along with every song through the entire set. For a group of guys who have been thru so much in the past few weeks, it was clear that they were genuinely happy to be there, and their energy on stage was perfect evidence. The crowd enjoyed their set just as much as the band, from beginning to end, and we were all definitely left craving for more.
Decentes/Photo by Jen Cray
I’ve been listening to punk rock for over 25 years, and Decentes have the potential to gather international attention. With an excellent album already out and a stage presence that can satisfy the most demanding punk rock fans, I keep wondering when their major break will come knocking. Who knows, perhaps it will happen soon, and we will see them at a major event such the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC) in 2018 or maybe a major music festival such as Vive Latino in the future. These guys are that good, and if leaving their own home and family in the middle of the current situation in Puerto Rico is not proof of their dedication, and as punk as it gets, I don’t know what is.
Decentes/Photo by Jen Cray
Decentes/Photo by Jen Cray