Photo courtesy of Brown University

Smash it Dead Fest is this weekend to benefit the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. In case you’re living under a super lame rock, Smash it Dead is in its fourth year, it’s three days of music, workshops, and other community-oriented events, and it features over 30 amazing bands whose subject matter often relate to issues of rape culture and sexism in the punk scene and beyond. It’s all ages, so bring everyone. All are welcome who welcome all. To see the full lineup and schedule for the festival, go to Smash it Dead’s site.

We hit up the organizers and some of the bands to get the scoop on what shouldn’t be missed at this year’s festival:

Organizers of Smash It Dead Fest

Downtown Boys – This Providence ensemble features a saxophone and plays real catchy punk rock that makes you want to dance and smash patriarchy all at once. Check out their music video for their song “Slumlord Sal” which features lots of glitter and cops getting slapped in the face. Catch ‘em Friday night of the fest @ the YMCA.

Permanent Ruin – In a word, California’s Permanent Ruin is ferocious. Don’t miss their set on Saturday night!

Collective members of Downtown Boys

We’re psyched for Smash it Dead because this is what punk should be doing, using music and culture to call attention to politics and challenge norms. We seem to be finally emerging from a spell during which punk was an aesthetic choice, not an activist ethos. We’re so happy to be playing our music during a moment when more bands seem seriously ready to talk politics, and events like Smash it Dead are helping to ensure the culture remain radical.

It’s impossible to pick a band we’re most excited about because we love them all too much. Funeral Cone is the best band in Worcester, all of whose members now live in Boston or Providence; they play these ridiculously short songs that somehow cover a huge amount of territory in only 45 seconds. Peeple Watchin’ play straight up pop-punk anthems that you feel good about shouting along with (instead of feeling like you’re part of a dumb mob). Neonates are our Sister Polygon labelmates from LA via DC who play this off-kilter pop-music that sucks you in because you never know where it’s headed next. Finally, Shady Hawkins, also our labelmates, bring together fun and politics in a way that really inspires us. They have ridiculously catchy and inventive songs that feel like hearing punk for the first time; add a healthy dose of radicalism, and their shows feel like you’re experiencing something truly important–because you are! Also Crabapple and Young Trynas and Permanent Ruin and literally every other band on this amazing lineup.

Ony, Chemical Peel

We’re really excited to play with and see each other again. We don’t all live in the same state anymore so we haven’t played in a while. Aside from this, we’re also super stoked to be around a bunch of awesome folks and sick tunes all weekend.

Curmudgeon played in SC this past New Years and killed it so I’m pretty stoked to see them again. There are so many other good bands playing too.

Sophie, Leather Daddy

We are psyched to play with Negative Impulse again, we played with them on one of their first shows (and our first shows) and it was awesome. Downtown Boys should be sick. Also definitely wanna see Distract. Hell yeah.

Smash it Dead Fest 2014 takes place Friday night at the Cambridge YMCA and Saturday and Sunday at the Democracy Center in Harvard Square. For more information on accessibility, lineup, and directions, go to Smash it Dead Fest’s site.