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Category: Shows

  • … they deserved it: Sold out for Grade 2!

    … they deserved it: Sold out for Grade 2!

    This was on many fronts a surprise gig. Sold out – a positive surprise to me. Grade 2 at the Hafenklang – an upfront surprise to me. Paired with Death By Stereo – wtf? Also a surprise to me was that some trusted mates where absent, some with the rather weird inclination towards Grade 2 that they have been watered down by Tim Armstrong. Really?

    Indeed Grade 2 not gracing the Monkeys and/or the Indra was a surprise, but Sam was happily attending at the Hafenklang. That they were paired with Death By Stereo was quite a surprise to me, though wide choices in pairing normally give positive surprises.

    Death By Stereo is the other band of Efrem Schulz, who also sings for Voodoo Glow Skulls and Manic Hispanic. And frank, it is on an opposite spectrum and unfortunately i feel far from home in that territory.

    Death By Stereo (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 27.03.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    They are outspoken and put no stop on hating the bad sides of their home country. Some of their songs have elements i can relate to but many flirt with a mix of a bit of hardcore and loads of metal, including splitting vocals into high tuned (almost female) singing and muffled deep growling.

    What they do they do well and they do add some fun moments (including the strings resorting to the bar for a drink whilst continuing to play thanks to wireless connectivity). They where also thankful to the audience from whom their got a fair share of reaction (and some where only there to see them, they left once Death By Stereo left the stage). Not my thingy though – but make your own choice.

    Next and with minimal setup tricks Grade 2, who still look young (if i recall correctly they where like 16 when they played Hamburg for the first time). But whilst they do look young they have matured so much as individual musicians and as a band.

    They are now under the production wings of Tim Armstrong (and accompany Rancid on their 2023 Europe tour) for the most recent effort and that is far from being watered down – it is actually a nice mix of short banger and sing-a-long songs.

    For me they worked from the start, humble but well versed on filling a stage and engaging an audience. And they know how to write songs that are never dull, never boring and have an edge without needing to have that standing out.

    Grade 2 (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 27.03.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    As with many others the Covid hiatus gave them ample time – they used it wisely to perfect songs and then get ’em recorded and produced by Tim Armstrong in LA. It is a worthy effort that does not deserve to be called “toned-down” at all. Far from mate!

    What was also fun to see was that Jacob (Bass) and Sid (Guitar) constantly swapped position on stage and when Jacob was standing on Sid’s side he was operating the foot pedal for effects for Sid just like he was operating his own – that shows how tight they are as a band and much they are a well oiled machine.

    They played an hour and a bit, had plenty of movement and sing-a-long from the audience, it was a fun show to watch. At the end came a cover (Where Eagles Dare from the Misfits, though i got to say that there are even better redemptions) and a quick encore.

    And that turned my positive surprise into a well deserved one. Grade 2 are worth many efforts to see them, they are humble and unpretentious lads that continue to be very approachable. After the show thay handed thanks to most of the people leaving the Hafenklang and passing by the Merch table.

    From where i sit i wish they have big success now, even and specifically in the US of A so that they can do a decent living off the mu-sick.

    Also great that the Hafenklang can start to count on sold out shows again, they also need this after thew 2 1/2 years of not being able to bring the dough home needed to run the club.

    More of this please!

    PS: My loveliest song of Grade 2 remains this one – i have every ounce of trust that they will stick to it!

    Mr. Industry, Mr. Industry - your killing music like a disease
  • … kids day: Staying young and BEing WELL.

    … kids day: Staying young and BEing WELL.

    Setup indeed was for a kids show, early start (doors at 18:30, first band on stage at 19:00) and early finish. And, much to my surprise, there were a couple of kids out on parents day in the audience. And, also much to my surprise, it was a sold out show – but that surprise may stem from the fact that the bands are from another niche that i don’t follow that closely in my own little niche.

    Kick off was with Hard Strike and i new fuck nothing about the band. But hey, experiencing the unknown is part and parcel of enjoying mu-sick so i am always open to it.

    For me they looked like something randomly assembled (remember, i love consistent stage attire) and sounded to a certain extend like something thrown together from all ingredients that make up Hardcore, Metalcore and related niches.

    Hard Strike (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 18.03.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    At moments it sounded surprisingly bad (and i guess a not optimal sound mix was part of that experience), at other moments just dull. Best moments where went they actually did let go the driving element and one guitar tried some flirting overcast – those where moments where multiple things actually fitted together.

    Here is a snippet, a short blast that sounded actually on the better side for me:

    Checking upon them after the show i realized that they actually never wanted to be a live band in the first place but are a circle of friends spread around Germany and the US that was initially focused on recording only.

    So my feel was not too far off and listening to their recorded output that comes accross a wee bit more pleasing. And, also worth to account, it was their 3rd live show only.

    Next Giver from Cologne and they pleased me already with consistent stage attire, so they had a bonus early on. They also used intro muzak for getting ready on stage, another little nugget of consistency.

    Their sound was much more consistent too and i would guess could be filled under “Modern Hardcore” (if only ever such a mu-sick-al cupboard existed). They have two nice guitars with balancing sound, an energetic bass and an active singer – plus a pretty good drummer that turned out to be the real asset, keeping things together and pushing forward.

    Giver (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 18.03.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    Here is a short blast, rather untypical as their songs tend to be longer and much more complex:

    For me they definitely had something, besides relentless energy also some few choice words, though their English lyrics are rather something to check out than to be able to understand from the performance.

    They played a very short set and as much as Hard Strike got not too much audience feedback. Actually it very much felt that the audience was in it rather for Be Well than to enjoy and provide feedback to the support stints.

    Not even 20:30 on the clock and it was time for Be Well to blast off, right from the first song with a lot of action from the audience and singing-a-long. The only thing i know about them was that the singer used to be in Battery (a 90’s DC hardcore outfit), is a well known producer and that one of me mates likes them very much.

    That mate also loves the other football team in Hamburg, so his love choices are at least debatable. But he loves them so much that he took his son with him, so that tells you how much he believes in them (and that he wants to influence his son, who sported a Samiam hoodie) quite early before he hits 16.

    Be Well (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 18.03.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    For me they were a blank sheet of paper, as they went on that sheet did fill actually with some good melodies, some harsh breaks and a singer keeping it all together with a unique stage presence.

    The mu-sick sure is not 100% up my alley but what they do and how they do that is far off from being annoying. For me it looked and sounded like this:

    They got loads of action, they got 10 year old girls crowd surfing and they looked after the smaller kids in the audience too. And the singer emits a lot of personal touch and seeks contact with the audience a lot.

    That said, on a much more personal level he did a sort of confession as the lead up to one of their signature songs (that many in the audience where able to sing-a-long):

    He is depressive, struggles with depression for a long time and has a hard time to live the life he wants to live (and that includes a small girl and a wife, giving him all the love he could ask for but him having problems to mirror that).

    That very personal song has a great sing-a-long:

    Depression is haunting and I’m not ok
Everything is going to be alright
Is just a thing people that don’t know say

I’m lost and worried and I feel afraid
Of all of the things that are inside my head
That I have been far too ashamed to say
But I want to get better, I want to change

    Thanks Brian, that was brave and outspoken – well done.

    From there on on-stage and off-stage where fully united and the Hafenklang literally exploded when they performed their encore with a class repetition of “Young ’till i die” from 7 Seconds. Apeshit galore!

    Way to fast it was over and for a Saturday i was home very early. As it was a kids show, i stayed off booze and that was a good feel too. Be Well worked quite well for me, though they won’t be my first love. I guess not even my 2nd. But as ever, if you do not dare to seek mu-sick that you have not seen before than you will loose out.

    Give them a try, it may be worth it!

  • … Damned, been to a psychedelic rock show!

    … Damned, been to a psychedelic rock show!

    It has been a while that i have been to a Rock Show. And it’s been a while that i have been to the Grünspan (a place that i normally connect with Rock Shows only). Reason was lure by those who saw The Damned rather recently and where actually full of praise.

    I saw them the last time early to mid 80s in the Markthalle and i think it was a show that had playback in it (at least that is my vague recollection). Never bothered about them after and Another Great Record From The Damned (1981) is the last Damned record in my collection.

    But as always, sometimes it is good to challenge choices and habits, hence i choose to take them on. At the Grünspan.

    Kick off was with the locals from The Jaded, who had to setup their gear in front of the Damned gear, in best Rock Show tradition. In contrast to that tradition they had a near perfect sound, maybe nowadays they guys on the mixing desks are more professional (and less influenced by the main band).

    Known faces on stage and a very crisp set. Actually they grooved rather fast through their set and where done way ahead of the allowed time, so two encores where added citing some of their references.

    The Jaded (Grünspan, Hamburg, 07.03.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    They claim they play Rock ‘n’Roll which i guess technically is true, i think they play a nice mid-tempo with loads of references to the sound of the UK towards the end of the 70 and early 80s, call it Punk Rock, New Wave or else. Their biggest asset sure is the native Englishman on vocals, it gives the whole thing a great glue, the needed banter and fits the sound perfect.

    I never saw them before, i think i would not run away from them next time they take the stage.

    After a quick turnaround it was time for The Damned, this year with Dave, The Captain, Paul Gray on Bass, Monty on Organ/Synthesizer and Will Taylor on Drums. All but the drummer came as stage personas, whereby the stage personas of Dave and The Captain sure being known icons. Monty sported a nice Skull nightgown (i’d say dressed for the occasion!).

    The Damned (Grünspan, Hamburg, 07.03.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    They started of slow and with stuff years outside of the initial Punk Years. That said, the sound was near perfect and all of them are absolutely gifted musicians. And that made the whole thingy more pleasant.

    For my ears though it was too much of both that Gothic and Psychedelic style that actually is way off my liking though sometime with great melodies, nice choruses and surprisingly well glued song structures. Albeit, way to the right of the 02:20 mark of a proper pop song. Yes, sometimes lengthy for my ears.

    The Damned (Grünspan, Hamburg, 07.03.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    Towards the end they did throw some of the old stuff in, sometimes super fast, sometimes as a nice deconstruction of an old hit. They played for i guess almost 2 hours, something that i did not expect, so cudos for that.

    Within that and towards the end another Rock Show moment did happen, Paul had problems with his Bass and was trying to get first attention and sure then resolution of the Guitar Roadie that was stationed next to The Captain.

    Paul Gray vs. Guitar Roadie, 3rd Round (Grünspan, Hamburg, 07.03.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    And from there it went sour, downhill and – for us at the front on the stage side where Paul was – rather funny (for an observer). I guess Paul pointed out he wanted the replacement Bass waiting for action on the side, the Roadie seem to have deducted that the problem was the sling on Pauls current Bass and worked on taking the sling off the replacement Bass.

    More than once Paul point out that he needed the new Bass rather, but that fell on death ears. At the end it ended in a song break with Paul basically going on strike and Dave and The Captain taking the piss out of him for not being able to master his gear and the sling.

    Although Paul had sun glasses on you could see that he was angry, furious and about to kill the Roadie. It took a disastrous amount of time (at least for a professional rock show) to get resolved.

    Bets where taken if the Roadie survives the tour, some assumed he would be lifted home immediately. Lets hope he survived.

    Did i like the show? Not too much. Did i enjoy the show? Yes i did somehow but more as an outside observer. Will i volunteer to see The Damned again? I guess not. Did i enjoy the company around me? Yes i did, plenty out of the Punk Rock Hamburg community where around.

    The only odd item was the aftermath, as i had to fly out to Amsterdamned on the red eye flight at 06:00 in the morning, facing a long work day. But it was not too cumbersome as i choose to stay sober and did not sip on beer nor booze. Lucky me!