In 2017, local band ¡No Acción! released a record full of energetic, passionate, political music that was also quite fun. It was called Hymns of the Working Class. Not exactly punk, not exactly rock, it still thrives in both worlds and is unrelenting as it powers forward.
“We have a punk rock attitude with a rock ’n’ roll soul,” says guitarist Lazaro Andrade. “We all grew up in working-class families in the Salinas Valley or Santa Cruz County, like in Pajaro or Watsonville. We have songs that talk about the struggles that working-class families endure.”
Some of the songs are rallying cries to get you on your feet and do something about the problems of the world. The band’s name in fact is a reference to a line that embodies this sentiment: “No action, no revolution.”
“If you do nothing, nothing will happen,” Andrade explains.
The name isn’t just about calling people to stand up, it’s also a way to draw attention to the band’s bilingual lyrics and the musicians’ dual Latino and American identities. They liked the name ¡No Acción! because although it is in Spanish, it’s so close to the English translation that anyone can understand what it means.
The band hopes to draw as many people as possible into their music, English and Spanish speakers alike. They also mix in some of the calls for revolution with some fun.
“We tend of write about working-class families. We have songs about everyday life and just having fun,” Andrade says.
INFO: 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4. Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. $8. 429-6994.
