A concert is being held as a tribute to one of Malta’s biggest pioneers of the punk genre, Eric il-Punk, an icon on the local scene who passed away last February. The event is being organised by Abstrass – a band that is also synonymous with the genre – on Tuesday at The Garage, Żebbuġ.
“Eric was known for his kindness and his commitment to punk. He left us too soon, but our only way to properly honour his memory is by holding a concert to celebrate his life like he would have wished to, through music and charity,” Ray Xkembri, another musician considered a legend on the local scene said, adding that philanthropic events were very important to Eric. Throughout his life he had contributed to a considerable number of charities without ever seeking any exposure.
“The aim of this concert is to raise funds for students who require special attention. During the concert, we will be releasing a limited-edition number of CDs titled Hard To Understand – The Final Chapter,” he said.
The CD incorporates various audio clips of interviews throughout Eric’s musical career, Abstrass works and a previously unreleased bonus track by the same band.
The concert will be featuring the following line-up: The Alazo Bombs as the opening act and Abstruse, consisting of former Abstrass members from the 1980s, who reunited especially for this gig. X-Vandals willl be hitting the stage for the first time with their newest addition Albert Bell on guitar. The final band to perform will be made up of the remaining Abstrass members, who will be closing the concert by playing all the tracks from their repertoire. Karen ‘Grinder’ Micallef will be joining the Abstrass tribute band and X-Vandals to pay her respects to Eric il-Punk along with a special guest announced during the night.