By Sydney Moyer and Lauren Moquin

Smash It Dead Fest is rounding its fifth year of celebrating identities that are often ignored for a vital organization in the Boston community. Last year, the Smash It Dead collective gathered $5, 789 for Boston Area Rape Crisis Center and they spared little time before they got back up to start organizing for the next year. Fundraiser after fundraiser, the Smash It Dead collective has built something much more than a festival— it’s a community of people with the same spark.

“Someday we hope that a variety of diverse shows will happen organically and that the valid critiques of many will be heard, respectfully. But until then we work to book shows and support artists that we believe in so we can all work towards a new normal,” organizer Ali Donohue stated on behalf of the Smash It Dead collective.

Below, we shared some, amongst the many, talented artists that we are dying to see at Smash It Dead Fest this weekend.

AYE NAKO

Maybe one of the most anticipated acts of the stacked lineup put forth by Smash It Dead, Aye Nako is a Brooklyn four-piece that has, at one time or another, been labelled “pop-punk.” But to describe the band as such would be as reductive as just calling them a four-piece from Brooklyn and leaving it at that. On their latest single, “White Noise,” singer Mars Dixon tackles both inner and societal conflicts related to race, all the while keeping a fierce pace with a blistering guitar riff that recalls Double Nickels on the Dime. If you turn out for one show at Smash It Dead, it should be this one (and, if you can’t make it to their set, you can preorder their forthcoming EP instead, here).

Smash It Dead set: Saturday // 9:30PM // Cambridge YMCA

RIYL: Chumped, Swearin’, Potty Mouth

Why they’re participating: “We’re participating because we’re friends with both several organizers and other performers at the event and it’s nice to perform with so many inspiring people in one place and raise money for BARCC.”

What they’re excited for: “Excited for everything but *most* excited about anti-blackness Workshop Saturday at 1:30 put on by our Friend Monika from who is a total badass and organizes Black and Brown punk show collective out of Chicago. Also to see our friends The Breathing Light (from Chicago as well) since that is a pretty rare and special treat!”

URSULA

For a two-piece combo of vocals, guitar, and drums, Ursula packs a big sound into their sprawling punk tunes. Local and inimitable in the flourishing Boston basement scene, singer Caity O’Hear shrieks with abandon like an early-days Kathleen Hanna over dissonant noise on the band’s latest Bandcamp output, “Cavegrrl.” If you’re planning on taking it easy at Smash It Dead, Ursula’s set is probably the last place you’ll want to be, because this band is nothing but energy.

Smash It Dead set: Friday // 8:10pm // Democracy Center

RIYL: Bikini Kill, Guerilla Toss

Why they’re participating: “Smash it Dead is a benefit for the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. It’s important to continue funding spaces like those. The services they provide are immeasurable. BARCC is a huge resource, and we feel it’s necessary to raise money for something that is important for a lot of people in our community.”

What they’re excited for: “Seeing Curmudgeon play their last show!!! Getting to check out truly sick bands. It would be a disservice to list a few off because they’re all SO GOOD.”

CURMUDGEON

Be sure to go the extra mile to see Curmudgeon at Smash It Dead this year, because it’ll be the powerviolence trio’s last show EVER as a band. As they’ve been a reliable staple in the Boston hardcore punk scene for the past several years, we’ll be sad to see them go, but we’re confident they’ll give us a proper send-off on Friday.

Smash It Dead set: Friday // 9:20PM // Democracy Center

RIYL: Congenital Death, Permanent Ruin

Why they’re participating: “We are participating to support SID Fest’s mission to smash rape culture while boosting the voices of those underrepresented in punk.”

What they’re excited for: “We are excited to play because Smash It Dead is our favorite show to play every year and this one happens to be our last show as a band EVER. We couldn’t be more excited retire our band amongst such great, powerful people doing wonderful, important things.”

BIRTH (DEFECTS)

This band will absolutely destroy you with heavy cymbal and unique fuzzy riffs. Vocalist Sean Gray, also stands as an especially prominent figure within the punk community. Born with cerebral palsy, he has fought to make handicap accessible venues visible for everyone with his site, Is This Venue Accessible?. Within the site, various aspects of venues sprawling across dozens of cities in the U.S. are documented. This includes the size of the bathrooms and specific concerns in which handicapped fans should take into consideration before the show. The band as a whole never takes a show for granted, and this set, in particular, would be a bummer to miss.

Smash It Dead set: Saturday// 5:20PM // Cambridge YMCA

RIYL: So Stressed, Perfect Pussy

Why they’re participating: “We believe in supporting resources for survivors of sexual assault and rape, and if we can use our position to help raise awareness or money in any way, then we want to do that.We believe that bands appearing at Smash It Dead are our peers and we’re excited to be playing among so many talented people. ”

What they’re excited for: “Sean and I are pretty stoked to be see Katherine, who’s playing right after our set. I’m personally thrilled for the fest to hear bands new to me, and we’re all excited to see friends in Boston,” – Robert Savillo.

MALPORTADO KIDS

Members Victoria Ruiz and Joey DeFrancesco might look a little familiar due to the fact that they are also members of another band that demands just as much urgency, Downtown Boys. Infusing some jazz and tropical beats, Malportado Boys will make you move while sharing the struggles of everyday Americans. “Malportado” is a spanish adjective meaning “of bad manners” and this band joyfully holds up to their name. Revealing the terrible ways in which minorities are held from their potential, you are sure to leave empowered and anxious to help drive change.

Smash It Dead set: Sunday// 9:30PM // Cambridge YMCA

RIYL: Downtown Boys, Selma Oxor

Why they’re participating: “We are planning to participate in the festival because it is a local festival that has a very direct and political message but also is dedicated to booking bands that are using music as a vessel to something deep and real in our community in some way.”

What they’re excited for: “We are looking forward to all of the bands playing, Olivia Neutron John, Slugbugs, Neonates, Moor Mother Goddess, especially as they all have friends and people who have really helped pave a big path for people in this Total Culture struggle.”