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Category: Shows

… not just boys fun: Ramonas & Bullshit Boy at the Hafenklang!
After having two week off (enjoying Danish sunsets and moving back into the vicinity of the Hafenklang) it needed a bit of lure to take the stroll downhill to the Hafenklang. The lure though was easy, one of the best Ramones cover bands was in town, so a neat sing-a-long evening was on the table.

Next to me they lured about a hundred odd folks down to the harbor front, some with 2020 tickets, some with 2021 tickets … and some with 2022 tickets. The show was moved twice … Covid times, sight.

Kick-off was with Bullshit Boy from Hamburg, 2 girls on strings and Carsten (Emils etc) on drums. I already came across them earlier in the year and took note of their EP on Bandcamp, as i do like Punk with female vocals and Girrrls in bands per se.

Sabine, the guitar, used to be around as a one girl band called Dark Horse, now she seems to have expanded and plays her songs under the moniker Bullshit Boy:
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„WE KNOW IT ALL – WE CAN DO IT ALL – WE LOOK SUPER FIT AND WE ARE TALKING RUBBISH ALL DAY – WE ARE BULLSHIT BOY!!!“
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Bullshit Boy (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 13.09.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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Unfortunately this evening i had a negative Déjà-vu – very often i do like bands live but not their recordings, here it was just opposite. I had to let go after a half of their set and was not surprised to meet a couple of me mates outside, who already left and equally did not get the groove.

By all means check them out yourself, here is their 5 song 10″ (still the coolest format around). I will give them another chance for sure, maybe it was just me or a bad day for them. Or both.

The Ramonas came next and they have already quite some length under their belt: Started in 2004 as a pure female Ramones cover band they have added since 2016 also own material – all worth to check out.

With them it was speed, power and sing-a-long – a visible and audible difference to Bullshit Boy. From the first chord they emitted fun and energy from the stage and took the audience on a Ramones memory trip.
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Ramonas (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 13.09.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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Having seen the Ramones 8 times (and every single Hamburg show but the 1978 Markthalle one) and having seen plenty of Ramones cover bands (from killer ones like Hamburgs own Ramones Revical Band aka Ramonez 77, Hamburg Ramönes and eg. Gabba to not so good ones i’d rather not name) i gotta say they are one of the better ones.

Without a doubt.

Their song selection from the vast Ramones œuvre is actually on the more clever side (as above with Bonzo Goes To Bitburg), though they missed two of my favorite gems: Highest Trails Above and Strength To Endure unfortunately where absent.
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Ramonas (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 13.09.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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The audience was happy though, so i did not complain. I anyway had zero complaints, the band was energetic enough (and getting the max out of their small amps). And by the smiles traded between them you could see that they like what they do. And when there where errors and mishaps – they just smiled it away and went on.

Sure thing they covered the cover (the best ever ode by a Band to another Band of a different genre) as their final song, well done.

If there was any complaint, then it may be my usual one: Dress code on stage. But that is just me and my anal view on stage related items. I guess they have better things to do then wash (or not) their stage attire after every sweaty show (and sweaty it was indeed).
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Ramonas (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 13.09.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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In retrospective i actually would have loved to have gotten more of their own material, i think it was only about 6 songs – the rest was from NYC. But hey, still a great set and and enjoyable Tuesday evening at the Hafenklang, that i guess we left as the last consumers after midnight.

Next to the short stroll home the best was actually chats’n’drinks with friends and regulars and the simple fact 6 out of 7 musicians on stage where female.

Not just boys fun, as ever!

PS: Nothing, nothing at all, can beat this live set from 31.12.1977
2022/09/17
… showboating with the Razors!
It will be a busy week for the Razors, they have a rather big show ahead at the Markthalle as support for Toxoplasma and Dead Kennedys (sans Jello). As a warm up they took largely Friends and Family in a perfect showboat setting through the Hamburg Harbor.

Best weather after another hot day in Hamburg, with a slight breeze coming from the east, calm waters and still beautiful sunshine … there ain’t not better way to cruise the harbor than that.

With a slight delay the MS Hedi took off for a first round towards the west, aiming to please the lot with a first “classic” set.

Razors – Set List 1st leg (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 23.08.2022)

As always on the MS Hedi it is the non-existent stage, the non-existent distance between band and audience and the need for steady feet (as the mighty river Elbe can be surprisingly bumpy, specifically for a tiny vessel like the MS Hedi) that makes shows so intimate and – with the right weather like on this evening – so joyful, almost like a holiday cruise.
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Razors (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 23.08.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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The Razors kicked off and had some rather sympathetic hick-ups, false starts and missed chords along the way, all of them simply smiled away and laughed off – both by the band the audience.

From the start it was rather sing-a-long, having an after work drink with friends and enjoying classic Razors songs and classic covers.
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Razors (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 23.08.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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After venturing out towards the big container ships moored at the Tollerort the Hedi slowly returned towards the landing bridge for allowing passengers off/on, just to start again.

This time round the Razors treated the lot with a different set and uncommon covers from Damned and Dirt Box Disco.

Razors – Set List 2nd leg (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 23.08.2022)

By now the Razors were in the groove and fueled the fun like a well oiled engine and the lot reflect the fun back to them … one happy family.
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Razors (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 23.08.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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And believe it or not, that engine ain’t an old, battered and rather powerless engine like in Sven’s motorcycle (a 1974 Japanese device) but has the ability to go boost. And boost it got on “No Brains” – they offered it fast and where challenged to complete it below 30 seconds (on the first LP from 1980 it is 0:36, the re-recording on “New Trash” (from 2021) clocks in at 0:34).

Sven took that challenge and indeed battered them home below 30 seconds. Only to be challenged again for an even faster version. And they did! “No Brains” again, even faster, and reaching towards the 0:20 mark. Almost Weinerschnitzel territory!
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Razors (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 23.08.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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And to the sing-a-long ode “Because You’re Young” the MS Hedi took back towards the mooring, alongside the Promenade that was full of tourists. Those tourists looked quite astonished down towards the tiny vessel full of singing people (being backed by blaring noise). Home bound we where – never walking alone!

Perfect evening out with perfect companionship. I do hope the Razors can play an at least half full Markthalle on the weekend and get the same cheering support. I will miss it, both due to not being really fond of the other bands and the simple fact that me and me love take off for some well deserved battery recharging at Jammerbugten.
2022/08/25
… sans prétention et avec une joie enfantine: Les Bolokos se donnent à fond!
Ever since i stumbled upon them in 2021 through their video for “Caribbean Dream” i was convinced that i must see them live. Some good people around me where in the same mood and took the chance to see them at Rebellion 2022. I had hopes that whilst in Europe they would grab the opportunity to come to mainland Europe like many other bands from Oversea doing a Rebellion stint .. and lucky i was!

They are the first Punk band from Guadeloupe and they set the scene themselves like this:
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The Bolokos is a Punk band formed in 2009 in Goyave, Guadeloupe (French West Indies). Pioneers of the genre in their island, their sound is a blend of Punk, Rock, Ska, Country and influences from Creole and Celtic Music.

Their self-titled first album was produced by the Martinican artist Kali.

Since they continue to tour the Caribbean and overseas (England, France…)  
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I was really keen to see them and Sam from the Indra made it happen (and was surprised that the band trusted him after just two emails and a phone call). Unfortunately on that Friday there was loads of other live mu-sick opportunities around so only ever 30+ people made it to the Indra. Damn. Not a good turnout Hamburg!

This is how The Bolokos kicked off at 21:30 sharp:

It is worth to note that somehow their drummer could not travel and they picked up a stand-in in Europe, with just a couple of practices and two shows together. It worked quite well and you could see throughout the set that drummer and guitar kept eye contact for guidance.

Their look against the simple black backdrop of the Indra also was an absolute fit, black trousers, white shirts and their makeup – all in all a great visual (and pleasing my selfish viewpoint that bands should dress for the occasion).
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The Bolokos (Indra Music Club, Hamburg, 19.08.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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From the first songs onward you had a clear felling that the lack of audience did not hamper them, they rather emitted a lot of joy from the stage and took an easy approach towards errors, failures or wrong chords (though there weren’t many)

Their songs generally do not break any speed record (and with a stand-in drummer mid-tempo anyway is a safer road) but they are indeed as broad mu-sick-ally as their claim of influences.

And many eventually land in sing-a-long territory, even when you do not get the lyrics. What they did not expect (not knowing the persistence of the Hamburg lot) was then when invited to sing-a-long then Hamburg sometimes plays back at you.

And that what the lot did, invited to provide a “la-lala-la” like chorus it did not stop when the song ended, upon the last chord the lot carried on, the band had to restart. Once. And again. Thought they would get away with it. Nope – yet again. After the 4th reprise the singer just gave up, fell back to the amp and declared “You got us done now”.
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The Bolokos (Indra Music Club, Hamburg, 19.08.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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And they simply just did not stop, though – upon advice from the audience – they put a 30 minute break in for a smoke, a chat and a drink in the beer garden of the Indra. Only ever to come out and requesting presence in front of the stage again.

And back inside they gave us what i consider their signature song:

Class, just class.

I was happy throughout, the people around me where happy too and best thing, the band was also in a happy mood, very humble and enjoying every minute. Sure some “what-if” came to mind, eg. could they have been paired at the Monkeys with The Movement and thus had a bigger audience?
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The Bolokos (Indra Music Club, Hamburg, 19.08.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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Nevermind, a great show by a band from far away, from a tiny sunny island, having sat in a car to drive to Hamburg from Düsseldorf (and knowing they got to drive back in the night) and pushing 22 songs onto the lot. Wow!

The Bolokos – Set List (Indra Music Club, Hamburg, 19.08.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)

They played for what felt like another 45 minutes and invited everybody onto the stage for a final sing-a-long to “If The Kids Are United”, something that most likely everybody in the audience can sing verse by verse.
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The Bolokos (Indra Music Club, Hamburg, 19.08.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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Remember the start at 21:30 sharp? They played until 23:50, relentlessly and without showing signs of exhaustion. As they said later “We’ll sleep well enough when we’re dead”. Point made!

And after the show they sat at the bar, chatting, helped their family to sell merch, signed records and generally where just friendly, approachable people from far interested in those who came out to see them.

Lets hope they come back soon and lets ensure they play a crowed, wild and sweaty house in a hot summer (anything below 28° is cold for them).

PS: Unfortunately the liquid merch was not available at the Indra, i will now try hard to find some of their rum via my trusted sources.

… rum is a big thing in Guadeloupe, so here is to yours!

PPS: And they have a song about the local signature dish, a fried sandwich called Bokit (“The Soul Of Guadeloupe In A Sandwich“). I will try that one too, looks nice.

PPPS: I do not speak French, hence thanks to an online translator for the headline, if it does not make sense at all please let me know (and if someone volunteers to translate all of this to French then please be my guest).
2022/08/22