By Hornby
Born of a time when conflict ruled the streets the Warzone
Centre (aka Giro’s) placed itself at the heart of the city, deciding to not let
the bastards grind them down.
They offered a beacon of light to all in the city who were
tired of fumbling around in the dark. Right from the beginning the goal was
simply, a safe haven to share music, idea’s and food. Where you were from was
irrelevant, what school you went to did not matter, how you pronounced the
letter ‘H’ meant nothing. They wanted to encourage who you were, explore what
you thought and find a way to contribute, for every one’s benefit.
Lofty goals for a group of punks from various parts of
Northern Ireland, but what started as an idea grew into the most essential
space in Belfast’s city centre.
“When we first started out there were no computers or mobile
phones - you had to meet people face to face, or walk down the road to a phone
booth.”
In 1985 it was the do-it-yourself ethos of punk forefathers
CRASS that galvanised the burgeoning collective.
“Crass played in Belfast in 1982, twice actually, and their
ideas took root in the local punk scene…It was this influence which led to the
formation of Warzone Collective; that philosophy of doing things for yourself
and being confident as individuals and as a community; working without
hierarchy and giving everyone a say in that process became central to
everything we did.”
The centre provided Belfast with the exact thing it was
missing, an autonomous DIY hub of creativity. Offering not just a gig venue but
a drop-in centre/café, rehearsal facilities, a dark room and screen-printing
equipment, and most importantly, a place for people to go and interact.
It was this loss of interaction that struck most in the
years preceding 2003. The volunteers had committed a lifetime to what had
become their second home, often to the detriment of a life away from the
centre. With increasing rents and landlord pressure, and the reality of a
further 10-year lease, people needed a break. It was hoped a new group would
rise up and take the reins, unfortunately this didn’t happen and the doors
closed. 6 years went by and the pace of the world steadily increased.
Advancement were made in almost every aspect of life with one notably
exception, the quality of human interaction.
“People, and especially young people, can lose sight of what
life is - life does not really exist on a screen - it should surely be about
interaction with community and environs, rather than endless texts or the
nonsense on Facebook - people talk about the most banal and utterly irrelevant
things rather than the stuff that might actually matter or count. In a sense
this is one aspect of why we felt the need to get things going again.” So they
did.
“When we folded in 2003 there was a major gap in Belfast's
alternative culture and it was difficult for local bands, particularly of an
alternative nature, to find venues to play in, as well as having to put up with
overpriced beer, greedy promoters and macho-bouncers. We knew the need was
there...”
Re-established in 2009 activities are beginning to move at
pace. Secured in new premises on Bruce Street gigs are increasing, with a
number of benefits being held to help fund the centre. New releases are planned
for the record label including a major compilation of Warzone bands accompanied
by a book looking at anarchist ideas in the North from the late 1800s to
present day, and an online archive on their publication Warzine.
According to the Little Prince, “what is essential is
invisible to the eye”, sometimes though, it is just waiting for the right
people to pick it up and run with it.
Read the full interview with the Warzone Collective here.
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