Historic Mexico City rock and counterculture hub closes

By FERNANDA PESCE
Associated Press

MEXICO CITY (AP) — After 27 years, the Multiforo Cultural Alicia in Mexico City has closed its doors _ marking the end of an era. It had become an iconic music venue and counterculture hub in the Mexican capital. Sixty-year-old Ignacio Pineda founded the Alicia in 1995 when he started inviting hardcore punk, ska and rock banks to perform. At the same time, Pineda organized talks and conferences to tackle social and political issues. Pineda says: “We always considered ourselves a political space, rather than a music venue.”  He says one of the main reasons he closed the venue was because of the changing character of its neighborhood, which has become increasingly gentrified in recent years.