Los Fastidios are visiting Stroud as part of their UK tour, writes Tim Lezard.
The Verona-based ska punk five-piece play the Prince Albert in Rodborough on November 11, supported by local punks Chinese Burn and poet Johnny Fluffypunk.
The gig is a fundraiser for Medical Aid for Palestinians and is supported by Unite Community.
Los Fastidios singer Enrico said: “We’re looking forward to our first gig in Stroud. We have close links with the UK because a lot of our musical heroes – The Selecter, The Beat, The Specials, the Housemartins, Cock Sparrer – come from there.”
Los Fastidios share the politics of two-tone, as well as the musical style. An openly anti-racist band – their best-known song, ‘Antifa Hooligans’, is sung at every FC St Pauli game in Hamburg – they have been strong opponents of the far right in their homeland, and have watched with interest at the situation in the UK.
“At the end of the 70s, beginning of the 80s, racism was a really big problem in the world,” says Enrico. “Today the far right is doing the same for gender prejudice, which is why we fly the rainbow flag at our gigs.
“The young generation today is growing up with open minds, which is why fascists are opening to new ideas. When they talk about homosexual weddings or involve immigrants in their party, it is not true. It is a joke because they know the future doesn’t belong to them.
“But we are just musicians. We are not politicians. I decided to give my life to music because, for me, music is fun, first of all, but at the same time is an excellent way to spread our messages.”
Tickets are available here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/los-fastidios-chinese-burn-jonny-fluffypunk-at-the-prince-albert-tickets-1024631790267?aff=ebdsshios&utm_experiment=test_share_listing
