MakeWar

The world needs MakeWar right now more than it ever has. Comprised of three South Americans – vocalist/guitarist Jose Prieto, bassist Edwin Santacruz and drummer Alejandro Serritiello – the Brooklyn-based trio epitomize the nature of the American Dream perfectly. Not that capitalist lie about bootstraps and success and wealth, but the one where community is key, where people look after and out for each other, and differences are celebrated and nurtured instead of demonized. That’s the atmosphere the trio encourage at their shows. Passionate, sweaty and full of hope and heart, MakeWar’s gigs perfectly match the band’s heart-torn songs, combining the personal and political to devastating effect. On record, their songs already tread – and blur – a not-so-fine line between raw and melodic, scrappy and beautiful. But when the crowd joins in their wonderfully catchy choruses designed for full- hearted (and full-throated) singalongs, it feels – at least for a little while – that, despite everything, the world is yours and you’re unstoppable. It’s a wonderful, and very necessary thing.