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Category: Shows

  • … manahuu Dead Pioneers!

    … manahuu Dead Pioneers!

    I had a somewhat shitty work week and it was eventually crowned on Friday by a shitty away performance of my football team. Largely unhappy i strode into Saturday with some doubts if i could stand unknown mu-sick but the love of my life kicked me out and demanded that i go out and enjoy.

    And right she was. I was not alone, the show was sold out for quite some time and was to be packed. Good for the bands, better for the Hafenklang.

    Support was Bad Assumption from Münster, self proclaimed track suit punks.

    Bad Assumption (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 14.03.2026)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2026

    I got to a admit that it has been a while that a band was not able to touch me at all. From presentation, to the music itself and even down to the set list … it just did not make click at all.

    Bad Assumption – Setlist (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 14.03.2026)

    None of their songs worked for me, for some in the audience though it seemed to work. Check them out for yourself, i fear i will not be trying to see them again.

    Next Dead Pioneers out of sunny Denver, Colorado. Sporting a long set list and rumors of a fast set. Would work for me!

    Dead Pioneers – Setlist (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 14.03.2026)

    They are not your run-of-the-mill hardcore band on Alternative Tentacles, as they came about as a means of supporting an art performance by the lead singer Gregg. He is well known Indigenous artist of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe and wanted some real music to complement a performance piece titled “The Punk Pan-Indian Romantic Comedy”.

    He is known for Graphic and Spoken Word art and the latter is nicely mixed into what is by and large Punk (and when fast Hardcore), with plenty of elements of Rock (of the more modern side).

    Dead Pioneers (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 14.03.2026)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2026

    It did work for me, specifically as it came down hard and fast. And with some clear cut messages (sans preaching).

    And as a devoted fan of the books of Tony Hillerman i understood why Gregg greeted us in his tribe language and why he noted that his ancestors own him. And why he dislikes people noting that he does not look like … an Indianer.

    This is how they finished their set with … the song is called Dead Pioneers:

    It nicely summed up a great set by a great band (a well oiled engine) with a great messenger (aka story teller).

    Once finished they mixed and mingled and where utmost approachable. Genuinely interested in meeting people and getting feedback. Responsive. As such i chatted a bit, continued to be surprised about the audience (very different faces) and had my two post show beers.

    And then i rode home to the love of my life and thanked her for reminding me that #thereaintnuthinbetterthanlivemusic!

  • … happiest birthday party with Jærman Anxt and Es War Mord!

    … happiest birthday party with Jærman Anxt and Es War Mord!

    Nancy and Jörg are not only a lovely couple but also share January as their birthday month. And run the DIY shows at the Pretty Vacant HQ together with Eugen and Mike. So when it came to a throwing a birthday bash it seemed a natural choice.

    And that choice was so much easier when Hamburgs least best kept secret is that they are using the PVHQ also as rehearsal space for their little musical venture…

    … what was an unnamed greeting song performance back in September 2025 is now Jærman Anxt. A proper band with a proper set.

    They kicked off slightly nervous but Nancy did lead them through the set pretty much fully self assured. And with her single-handedly command of the lot, the rest of the band also lost that initial nervousness.

    Jærman Anxt (Pretty Vacant HQ, Hamburg, 06.02.2026)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2026

    The songs are all in German, venture between fun topics and clear stance messaging and by and large are mid-tempo.

    Whilst Nancy fronts, Jörg provides a solid bass, Eugen hits the drums and Mike pushes the chords (though his guitar at times was a wee bit too loud).

    Jærman Anxt (Pretty Vacant HQ, Hamburg, 06.02.2026)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2026

    For me it sounded quite different to the few Deutsch Punk stuff i know (and the even fewer stuff i own in my record collection). A friend who is an expert pointed out that the sound actually is straight out of 1980s East Germany and thus definitely far from my what my mu-sick-al receptors know.

    And frank, that made it much more interesting. I am looking forward now how they take it further, from where i sit it feels an interesting new cupboard to explore … not your run off the mill Punk Rock Hamburg sound.

    Punk Rock Hamburg Wall Of Fame!

    With Es War Mord we would keep it at least east of Hamburg, they hail from Berlin and to me they are just … puuuurfect!

    Here is what they set out to deliver:

    Es War Mord – Setlist (Pretty Vacant HQ, Hamburg, 06.02.2026)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2026

    From the start they sounded near perfect, very tight and – by the looks – enjoying the DIY setting.

    Plenty of smiles, plenty of banter (like the nod to “Hamburg & Wipers“) and relentlessly pushing forward.

    Es War Mord (Pretty Vacant HQ, Hamburg, 06.02.2026)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2026

    Where Jærman Anxt provided a narrow sound they provided something much more wide: On top of a rock solid back line of Drum & Bass the two guitars could venture about, push forward and provide a slick and sometimes flickering overcast.

    Es War Mord (Pretty Vacant HQ, Hamburg, 06.02.2026)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2026

    Sure thing they got many more shows under their belt, many more years of continued musical experience.

    And how did it sound? Here is a small snippet:

    Bäng!

    They have been able to almost define their own niche and what they do within that (fast, slow, simple, complicated) all sounds hand-in-glove and with utmost clever (and relevant) lyrics.

    Es War Mord (Pretty Vacant HQ, Hamburg, 06.02.2026)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2026

    And as an extra they even did one of my favorite songs of theirs, Aua is a rather unsual but fun capture of the harsh day-to-day Berlin reality (i guess).

    Get your dose of Es War Mord over at the fine folks of Sounds Of Subterrania, the trusted local dealer (and publisher). The records are worth it, from start (packaging, design) to finish (sound, lyrics)!

    Perfect evening out among a grateful and friendly audience and indeed the essence of a perfect 1980’s DIY show say in a school hall or a tiny pub (taken over by Punks).

    … another cool DIY ticket for another cool DIY show!

    Kudos to the good people who make this happen, continued and very much in perfect DIY fashion. Keep going!

  • … R.I.P. Witte!

    … R.I.P. Witte!

    It was a blow to the community last year, when the news crept through social media that Martin Witte passed away. He had his song writing & guitar playing fingers in so many bands plus he also had his fingers on the mixing desk for so many bands.

    In short, he was a mainstay.

    Following a short and intimate farewell at the Pretty Vacant HQ already last year close friends setup a rather big tribute night at The Hafenklang, with 8 bands taking a deep bow.

    And to no surprise it was sold out in record time.

    The audience was greeted by this lovely picture, wall size.

    For me Witte was always up there on stage (or in my record collection). The first time i really took note was when i saw Napalm at the Graffiti on 09.09.1982, supporting The Insane. I already was sold on their “It’s a warning” EP (and i had both the Punkenstein EP and the first Napalm EP with the novelty song “Tolle”).

    And the reason another trustworthy source has determined exactly right:

    Keine andere deutsche Punkband hatte damals den knackigen Gitarrensound der Cockney Rejects so gut drauf wie Napalm. Kein Wunder, dass auch John Peel die zweite EP »It’s a Warning« in seiner Radioendung spielte, wo ich sie praktischerweise auch gleich auf Kassette mitschnitt. Ein Erwerb der Platte war also nicht nötig, sie in die Finger zu bekommen, wäre auch nicht leicht gewesen. Später wurden beide Napalm-Platten teure Sammlerstücke.
    Andreas Michalke

    They sounded so perfect like an English band (though, Lui’s accent on the vocals gives away that they ain’t).

    Over at my other page i have two picture from the show, they look less impressing than i have it in my memory i gotta admit.

    (from www.oldpunks.de)

    Summing all the bands up is too much, from the top of my head i would think of Screamer, Punkenstein, Napalm, Torpedo Moskau, Noise Annoys, Ramones Revival Bands / Ramonez 77 and sure later Razors. And his own venture, Witte XP. I am more than happy to have seen most of these live.

    Out of that rooster of long lasting friends and collaborators both this show and the setup came about, trying to max many sides of music and Witte into a single rooster.

    Tribut to Witte (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 29.01.2026)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2026

    Östro 430 started and gave a short but deep from the heart acoustic set, including a Witte XP cover. Zusy Jones, self proclaimed maritime cartilage core with a geriatric drive, put up a nice out-of-town surprise as the 2nd band.

    But not as big as Yacøpsæ. Their powerviolence/grindcore might have been pain to some ears (that are not accustomed) but boy, did they hit hard. And fast. And precise.

    Also they put a nod forward to Witte, they covered a Torpedo Moskau song and got Stephan and Arne to sing:

    Mahler/Fondermann and The Beast then gave the audience some relaxation with something that ventured more on the Power Pop side than on fast grind. And, surprise, it was their first ever live show. Check them out, next chance is 28.02.2026 at the Cafe Treibeis in Altona.

    C³I grounded it back into clear cut guitar driven Punk and Scholle from Platzangst sang a Torpedo Moskau song with them, a double cool reference to Witte.

    Die Augen next with some Guitar/Vocals Punk covers before Antikörper took the stage for their final ever show, hitting a large part of the audience up for dancing along.

    Blut + Eisen i needed drop in favor for the long ride home, the planed timeline at that point in time was some 30+ minutes behind schedule already.

    It was really cool to see all of the little nods and reference to Witte, he indeed had a lasting impact on many in Hamburg and beyond.

    Here is a great Radio feature on Achim’s London Calling show, it carries plenty of Wittes own words:

    Big thanks to those who made the evening possible (i believe Ritchy Fondermann and Arne Wagner) and provided the opportunity for a very touching farewell. And as ever, we need to keep the names mentioned, then those who left these shores are not yet gone as long as we do.

    I was somewhat lucky to capture the energy in the room on a single picture – click for high-res download:

    nb: My lovelist song with Witte? Thats “Window” by Noise Annoys, for both lyrics and guitar work actually.

    Here is it as great live action – you need to head over to Youtube for that.