Opinion: Accessible citizenship affects hardcore band the Zeta
Posted: by The Editor
Photo by Jeremy McGuire
Amid the posturing and political discourse that has reached the point of chaos, a van travels through every possible corner of the United States. The Zeta, a hardcore band hailing from Venezuela, has spent nearly two years touring each corridor of the United States. That might come to an end because the United States government did not approve the visa of founding member, Daniel Saud.
It started with work visas to tour the United States. Once all members were approved, they hit the road on their ‘Mil Anos en Tour,” which has taken them up every major city of the each coast, dotted the Midwest, and even each city in the Southeast, multiple times. Their drive is one that never ends.
After months on the road, the Zeta applied for permanent resident status. They clearly enjoy what the U.S. has to offer, and the members of the community they’ve built have embraced them equally.
Photo by Jeremy McGuire
Zeta is a band you don’t just see once. In fact, it isn’t a band you just see at all – it’s an experience. The band draws heavily from rich, percussion-laden influence that makes each rhythmic stomp more powerful than your heart has ever pumped. As the founding member and lead drummer, Saud is the heart of the band, the vitality of the energy that starts at the base, his drum kit.
Matched by soulful, gripping vocals and swirling strings, the Zeta can transform a tiny Orlando cafe into a spiritual dwelling, a St. Petersburg tattoo parlor into a haven, and months on the road into a mission. It’s not just a set you feel – it’s one you never forget, and one you seek again and again, because fortunately Zeta is the most accessible band you’ll encounter.
Immigration is a mess in the United States, but the truth of it is that this is self-inflicted by the government itself. Our government stifles and denies those looking for an honest opportunity, who go through the “system,” and worse happens to those seeking asylum. The government is sending a message by denying applicants that even by going through the proper channels and filling out the right paper work, it doesn’t matter – you’ll still get denied, because one person does not see the value in another human’s life. It’s an opinion of a person that determines who gets citizenship, and subjectivity should have no place becoming a citizen. In punk, that’s not only unacceptable, but it’s what we claim to push back against. So it’s time to step up and speak out.
There’s nothing more punk rock, or frankly, American, than exploring every corridor of the country. The grit to climb into a van, peering back at band mates tucked among instruments, and working together to share honest music is the most punk rock and valid experience one could have. Without the core of that experience, Daniel Saud, the band misses its central system, the core that beats out every emotion and guides the entirety of its sound.
Learn more about the Zeta and access their music at https://joinzeta.org/hogar/. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook.
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Amanda Starling // @StarlingAj
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