DISKULTUR nowadays not only book shows but also make zines, write books, design posters and have a tape distro.
BOOKING
Diskultur is book shows since 2013. The biggest achievements would be a summer tour in 2024 for .338 with 18 shows in 19 days, an European tour in 2023 for UK crust pioneers HELLBASTARD with Latvian punks PIDARI (10 shows in 9 countries) and PUNX PICNIC RIGA 2021 festival gathering 38 bands from 8 countries and 1000+ attendies in 5 days.
Diskultur is based in Riga, Latvia and works with mostly Baltics and Finnish scene, occasionally booking other European countries as well.
Contacts:
diskultur@riseup.net
ZINES & BOOKS
Since 2022 Diskultur is releasing PUVE books and GRÜST zines both in Latvian and English. The recent issues are still re-printed and available to purchase straight from Diskultur crackhouse in Riga. All zines are handmade and contains a lot of graphic design as well as plenty of text.
Bibliography:
♠ 03.2022. PUVE #1 (Latvian & English versions) book about the new wave (2020-2022) of Latvian punk scene with interviews and concert reviews. 125 pages.
♠ 12.2022. PUVE #2 (Latvian version) book about the history of Diskultur, celebrating the 10 years anniversary. 130 pages.
♠ 03.2023. GRÜST #1 (half Latvian, half English) zine with Latvian undeground album reviews, the history of Latvian punk zines by Jānis Daugavietis and an interview with German fastcore legends Yacøpsæ.
♠ 04.2023. GRÜST #2 (Latvian only) zine is a short promo for FILTHY HANGOUT fest with interviews and album reviews.
♠ 06.2023. GRÜST #3 (English only) zine about Latvian punk band PIDARI as a promo for their tour with HELLBASTARD.
♠ 08.2023. GRÜST #4 (English only) zine titled THE ULTIMATE LATVIAN CRUST ZINE is what it says. From first experiments in post-hardcore scene with d-beat patterns in early 2000s to crust only local shows with plenty of bands.
♠ 12.2023. GRÜST #5 (English only) zine with Latvian undeground album reviews, an interview with a local artist Tīna Ērenpreisa about their nude punk calendar, as well as personal thoughts of modern punk ideology.
♠ 05.2024. PUVE #2 (English version) Diskultur history 2013-2023 with additional chapter not included in the Latvian version
PUVE price is 10-15€ and GRÜST is 0-5€ but these prices are variable. Any kind of payment is accepted; cigarettes, booz, help or just ask if you are interested if you want a copy but can’t afford it, we will figure it out! Shipping available as well!
To order a copy, contact:
diskultur@riseup.net
BANDS
Besides booking shows for other bands I’m active with my own ones. Here’s the ones I’m playing with and managing in 2024.
♠ .338 is a Tampere, Finland based 5-piece internation d-beat project mixing thrash metal riffs with fast d-beat, intense solos, rhytms and song structures. The band has performed in Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. .338 has released a demo and a split album with Finnish band Mörv.
https://point338.bandcamp.com/
♠ PIDARI is an experimental jazz crust band based in Riga, Latvia. The band consists of 4 jazz, blues and metal muisicians trying to play crust. Songs variate from grindcore to crackrock steady, doom, drone, noise and other experiments. PIDARI occasionally performs with guest musicians, like trumpetists, keytarist, black metal vocalists etc. The band has performed in 11 countries around Europe and plan to record a debut album in 2025.
https://youtu.be/3A4jk9AgeA4?si=MPcNnycSz32SP4qy
♠ СМЕРТЬ (Smert) is the first Latvian crust band that started in 2019 and disbanded in 2023 but has recently reformed with a new line-up. СМЕРТЬ has performed in 12 countries around Europe, released a split with Baltics crust bands, as well as other releases with pre-СМЕРТЬ projects. The band reunited in 05.2024. The debut album is planned to be released in 2024.
https://youtu.be/cZWhpldBVio?si=NKEobUH-z7_6xMv6
♠DISRESPEKTS is a new d-beat band that plays in the style of caveman crust with nothing but high tempo d-beat and sludgy slow parts. The band has no recordings.
Ex-bands of Diskultur:
♠HATZ (ex-Erdiko Hatz) was a rock band from Riga that existed from 2012-2013. Members were Dāvis Krauklis (bass, vocals), Roberts Kits (guitar, vocals), Oskars Krūmiņš (drums).
live video
♠CUBA (stylized as cubA) was a punk band from Riga that existed in 2013. Members were Dena Doloresa (vocals), Jēkabs Vilnis (guitar), Dāvis Krauklis (bass), Elizabete Punka (drums). demo
♠OYTÖ (ex-Oytödedos) was an experimental noise band from Riga that existed from 2015-2018. Members were Marģers Zālītis (vocals, electronics), Dāvis Krauklis (bass, didgeridoo), Aleksandrs Barons (drums, percussions, poetry). The band took influence from The Body, Einstürzende Neubauten and Swans. Oytö recorded a live album “Oytö is dead” in 2018 and called it a day. live video
♠POLINÖIZ and ÖTYO were Oytö side-projects, consisting of Dāvis Krauklis and Aleksandrs Barons. Polinöiz played crasher crust (live recording) and Otyö was a more calm vesion of Oytö (rehearshal video).
♠WOODOOM (ex-Engage Your Mother) was a doom/drone band from Ikšķile from 2017-2020. The band had several line-up changes. The first line-up played more stoner influenced style. Members were Linda Elfonsī (female vocals), Daniels Dijevs (vocals, tuba), Reinis Švagris (guitar), Dāvis Krauklis (bass), Mo Aspen (drums). The line-up existed until 2018 and recorded a split tape with Lithuanian sludge band “Wifebeater”. The second line-up consisted of Ed Weird (vocals), Reinis Švagris (guitar), Dāvis Kristers (bass) and Rūdolfs Akermanis (drums). The line-up existed from 2018-2019 and recorded a debut album “Live Slow Die Homeless”. The third line-up existed of Dāvis Krauklis (bass, vocals), Reinis Švagris (guitar), Rūdolfs Akermanis (drums) from 2019-2020. The line-up gained some recognition with their touring. During the year of existence, Woodoom performed in Luxembourg, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Slovakia, Czechia, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. The late line-up changed bands name to Смерть and started to play d-beat. latest line-up live
Bands as a temporary member:
♠DŪMU ZĀRKA ZĒNI, a drone orchestra, lead by Dāvis Burmeistars from Tesa. Playing double bass and clarinet since 2021.
♠NIKOTĪŅI, a punk band with various influences from radio rock to thrash metal. Fill-in bass player during the summer of 2023.