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Category: Shows

… been to a rock show: Abwärts, after all these years!
It is quite some time that i have been to a rock show and it has been so much more time that i saw Abwärts live. I saw them a couple of times in the early 80s and i saw them once i believe in the early 90s. Early on they where one of the reasons why for me it was Neue Musik rather than Punk alone and one of the corner stones of a much wider mu-sick-al spectrum. But as much as they hated to be linked to NDW in any shape or from i did and lost closer sight of them, though they where hometown heroes.

They graced the Nochtspeicher, a neat location near home that sports a very stylish big room for entertainment. That said, the setup was ROCKSTARS, as the support had to setup in front of the main act. Given the enormous width of the stage (and the tiny depth) it meant for Shirley Holmes that their drummer was on the far right and the girls with the twang where more left. Odd.
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Shirley Holmes (Nochtspeicher, Hamburg, 17.11.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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Shirley Holmes had to start very very early due to the early curfew at the Nochtspeicher, driven by it’s location within the backyard of a living quarter. It was also odd to see that after 25 minutes the stage hand of Abwärts signaled “stop” rather then letting them complete the set. What did i get? No clue, it was modern pop on the rock side with various elements mixed in.

OK to watch but almost nuthin’ that hit on with my mu-sick-al tastes. And all tries by the band to get engaged with the audience somehow ended odd, including a conversation about the main guitar make and model.

With a quick turnover (aka support needed to rush their stuff off the stage with no help) Abwärts took the stage at 20:15 sharp. By now the sold out place was actually packed and people where eager to see Abwärts (and on the far right some younger girls where eager to see Rod).
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Abwärts (Nochtspeicher, Hamburg, 17.11.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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Abwärts have gone a long way, both in band composition (with Frank Z. being the only fixture) and in sound. By now they are seasoned hard hitting rock band that is centered around Frank and his dry vocals and his consciously negative, offensive and just plain great lyrics.

In my humble opinion he has penned down some of the greatest German lyrics that are being showcased on stage. Almost every song hits a theme, a nerve and a line that i not only can relate to but also buy. And how did it sound? It sounded like this – here is “Terror Beat” from the 2004 effort on WEIRD System:

The audience in front of the stage got going and many (older) people further down just smiled away. For me it was somehow odd: The music was too much rock for me, though at moments still perfect. On the other hand every song had the clear voice of Frank coming through, with his neat local dialect, providing his words of wisdom (and wisdom they are, trust me).

Sharp 21:45 all was done, including two encores (or was it three?). It left me somehow satisfied and not satisfied in one go but all on a basis of appreciation for Frank Z. running his show and being a message of pain within a large mainstream. Question is if he will be heard.

This is actually how i remember Abwärts (and Hamburg in the early 1980s):

And the fact that they moved on is actually fully ok – as standstill is always a step back.

Fun fact:

Over the years Frank Z. has been quite good in scamming money out of bigger record companies, just look at the 1994 record on EMI: How could he get away with placing this great affront vs. the Ex-GDR Zombies as starting track?
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Zonenzombie, wie gehts dir jetzt? Hast keine Arbeit und kein Brot
Wie wär's denn mit dem neuen VW-Modell, mit Luftsack und in feuerrot
Wie wärs denn mit der Eurocard in schwarz, rot und in gold
Ist doch klasse so beschissen zu werden, hey, wir sind ein Volk
Hol dir dein Scheißhaus vom Designershop für deinen konservativen Kot
Zombie, komm ich küsse dich, du armer Vollidiot

Hey Zombie, du liegst ganz weit vorn
Hey Scheißer, zum Verlieren geboren
Hey Zombie, du liegst ganz weit vorn
Hey Scheißer, zum Verlieren geboren

RTL empfängst du schon, du siehst was von der Welt
Du träumst nur von dem ganzen Scheiß, du weißt, du hast kein Geld
Und ihr wart alle bei der STASI, das wisst ihr ganz genau
Ihr gehört nach Bautzen, hinter Mauern, in den Bau
Da glotzt ihr dumm, ihr Zombies, ihr seid doch sonst so schlau

Hey Zombie, du liegst ganz weit vorn
Hey Scheißer, zum Verlieren geboren
Hey Zombie, du liegst ganz weit vorn
Hey Scheißer, zum Verlieren geboren

Hey Zombie, du liegst ganz weit vorn
Hey Scheißer, zum Verlieren geboren
Hey Zombie, du liegst ganz weit vorn
Hey Scheißer, zum Verlieren geboren

Und den ganzen Krempel hier, bezahlen könnt ihr den doch nie
Ihr seid am Ende angekommen, ihr fickt euch immer selbst ins Knie
Ich treff dich im Sozialamt wieder morgens um halb Acht
Trink doch erstmal 'n Bier du Arsch, damit die Sonne für dich lacht

Hey Zombie, du liegst ganz weit vorn
Hey Scheißer, zum Verlieren geboren
Hey Zombie, du liegst ganz weit vorn
Hey Scheißer, zum Verlieren geboren
Hey Zombie, du liegst ganz weit vorn
Hey Scheißer, zum Verlieren geboren
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Luv it!
2018/11/22
… poor attendance and weird scifi punk from 2077: Surprises on all fronts!
I missed the Get! Lost! Fest last year yet again due to overlap with my annual pilgrimage to Odsherred, so the Poor & Weird fest caught my eye early on … but only when i realized that it was Head from Seattle on the rooster i got really exited. Head, one of the coolest Ramonescore bands and with their early records forever a deep love of mine (and i never caught them live before).

The show was supposed to happen on the main stage of the Molotow but due to the tiny pre-sales (37 tickets if i understood correctly) it was moved up into the Sky Bar (and Lene Lovich took the main stage).

Kick off was early with Hamburgs own Küken and they faced more fellow musicians than paying customers i bet. But that did not stop them to deliver a very tight set, almost feeling like a block of metal: solid, no frills and coming at the audience!
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Küken (Molotow, Hamburg, 10.11.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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To me still one of the best things Hamburg has to offer and quite off the beaten track with a unique sound. If only they would get a perfect setting in terms of stage, sound and a packed and eager audience. They deserve it.

They did max 30 mins (but i bet 15 songs or more) and then dropped it.

Next So What and i had no clue what to expect. What took the stage looked like something that would fit much better at the Monkeys, a few roads up west; A bit of skinhead look and plenty of sideburns (actually making them the “sideburns of the night” winner). I had no clue what to expect but they sounded like this:

And they have a great own cupboard to name their style: HARD GUM!
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SO WHAT's debut LP is filled with stompers, hand clappers, and all the riffs that matter. Co-released by Just Add Water Records (USA) and Surfin' Ki (Italy). From the GLAMTASTIC pounding drums, Moogs, and big fuzzy riffs of "Where We Going" and "Why Can't I See You Tonight", to the EQUALS-esque "Don't Come Back" and "What You Said", this album is chock-full of HITS! 
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Go and check them out – they are worth it! Only after the event i learned that actually they struggled a bit: They bass player could not travel and was replaced plus their drummer had other touring duties and also had to be replaced – not the best setting but they did show that they have also found their own niche, somewhere next to Guida and more rooted in high energy rock.
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So What (Molotow, Hamburg, 10.11.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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First surprise of the night for me, i will definitely check them out in more detail. And yet again another brick in that wall that is spray painted “you got to see bands to learn new sounds“!

Next Slander Tongue from Berlin Neuköln and with that a familiar face from the Get! Lost! circuit. And for me an almost immediate dislike: It took them way to long to get set and the guitar player on the left to me somehow made the impression that he was pissed off by something and was not happy.
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Slander Tongue (Molotow, Hamburg, 10.11.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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The singer had a neat Billy Idol snear but their mu-sick meant nothing to me. Besides making a not happy impression they did have a Buddha like rhythm section of Bass and Drums that carried them along. I have no clue in reality of the working of that band but i would not have been surprised if they had split right in the stage. Sorry, not my thingy.

When the next group, The Scaners from sunny Lyon in France, prepared the stage it started to look different, namely as they setup some electrical stuff: Next to a keyboard with some effects they also mounted a Theremin, which is coolest thing since time travel was invented. The last band i saw with that was Man or Astro-man? and that means an immediate like!

And once they where done they also took on a unique stage uniform and that made them kings of the night by all counts (of mine, sure). And they sounded like this:

Bingo – i did hit jackpot! Scifi Hardcore! I always liked Scifi Surf but paring the theme with fast paced punk from 2077: Just a grand idea and just puuurfect! And speed they had, the songs on their first LP are about 1:something on average and here they packed like 20something songs into their set.
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The Scaners (Molotow, Hamburg, 10.11.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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Just a great show with all showmanship ingredients (and details) it needs: The drummer counting into the songs like DeeDee Ramone, the bass player putting the power into the songs, the guitar wandering around and making use of the Theremin with his guitar neck and the singer (with a Michael Jackson glove on one hand) providing the fancy sound from effects.
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The Scaners (Molotow, Hamburg, 10.11.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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I did not expect this and i had no clue that such a little niche existed and was actually manned by those boys from France of all places. Now i see a Man or Astro-man? return tour to Germany and them Scaners as support in me brain, i guess i need to start playing lottery to make up the money for that event!

The Scaners got the crowd moving for the first time though it was not more than 50 people (and within that a large contingent from Italy that only ever flew in to see Head). Great Band, great show and indeed a unique kind of fun. You must trust me and check them out, now (or be poor forever)!

And the next surprise followed suit: That Head where a 3 piece by now i knew but when they setup their gear they looked … almost non-descriptive. Evading identification. But it must be Head, as they setup the barest of things: A guitar left, a bass right and the drummer only a bass drum and a snare, paired with two sets of cymbals. No toms whatsoever.
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Head (Molotow, Hamburg, 10.11.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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Soundcheck was done by doing three chords and asking the audience “is it loud enough?“, that’s how i expect it from a band with some routine. And they delivered a set that was somehow also surprising, first see for yerself:

I had a bit of an itch, a nagging in the back of my brain and i could not make out what it was until one of me mates asked me “… we have been to shows now for almost 40 years, we have never seen a band with less charisma haven’t we?” that i realized what itch was nagging me. In some form it was the essence of bare bone, the core of reduction, the … nevermind, it felt strange. It was strange.

What was not strange was the songs, though they had some hick-ups within them (they seemed not fully oiled). The Italian fans in front of the stage where decently loaded and did not mind, they sang away with joy (as i did silently) and had their fists in the air.

Sure thing i took on to get the vinyl on offer: The 2xLP Version of the discography (somehow not needed as i have all stuff on Evil Clown Records from them) and the new German styled tour EP. Neat.

#recordcollectorsarepretentiousarseholes

And after Head i was done (and i was not the only one). The day started with a first beer at 12:00 (for a 13:00 home game kick off) and by now had stretched quite far into the night. I decided to stroll home and miss Derv Gordon. Two mates stayed and reported later that it went on to become a bit of party fun with old Equals songs … not sure if it would have been enough for me to sustain further on.

It may have sound like this aka Derv Gordon with So What as backing band:

And that against the original sound from the B/W times (and a funny video from the Bremen Beat Club filmed in the old part of Bremen):

In sum a neat and diverse package that Otis Tours put on the road, it just did hit Hamburg on the wrong day (against shows in every other club in town) and thus with a tiny turnout (and a loss for those putting it on). I can only forever urge people to come out and try something – there may be surprises friends, just like on this Poor & Weird Fest!
2018/11/12
… the return of the away crew: Hamburg does Dag Nasty (at Bremen, of all places)!
As i have not done this for a shitload of years i felt an uncontrollable urge to go back to away game circuit when it comes to shows. Actually being located in beautiful Hamburg makes you lazy as it gives you unlimited advantage of many clubs and many shows, as eventually most of the travelling bands hit our shores.

Not so Dag Nasty on this short burst into Europe and as such the Punk Rock Hamburg connoisseurs took on an away trip thanks to me mate TKO, who provided some group ticket matching service via email.

Hamburg Inter City Firm (Bremen, 03.11.2018)

2/3 of the Hamburg lot took the train from Hamburg and safely arrived ahead of time in Bremen. To my surprise noise levels during the ride where moderate and alcohol consumption secretive. What surprised me most was the sheer fact that our group tickets (giving every member a damn cheap 8€ ride back and forth) where actually never checked.

At Bremen central station we where not only greeted by masses of people attending the local fun fair (at different levels of enjoyment and drunkenness) but also the local football team made an effort of pissing off the black-white-n-blue part of our troops.

We did let go the fun fair and circumvented the area to get to the Schlachthof. It was supposed to be an early show, so a quick beer outside and then into the club.

It was fond memories for me, in the 80’s i saw a number of shows there, including the great Bremen vs. Hamburg fight show (aka Bad Brains 1983), the first Toy Dolls tour (bypassing Hamburg) and a large number of smaller shows at other places in Bremen eg. Buchstraße. The place now looks much more shiny, much more polished and technically up to date.

What has not changed is the rather large stage (in terms of width) that is fronted by a too small dancing area before the ascent of the terraces happens – something that was to hit one of the Hamburg lot later (but luckily he was back home ok after an ER medical intervention).

On time and way too early Fights & Fires from sunny Worcester (UK) took the stage and played towards no more than 100 people i guess. If you are a regular reader then look at the pics and guess my view…
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Fights & Fires (Schlachthof, Bremen, 03.11.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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… indeed to much facial hair and too much long hair. The mu-sick to me was exactly that type of music that can’t choose what it wants to be. The way it was done was very professional, good sound, good breaks, on time leads etc – all to the point that it felt more professional than say … human. Or natural.

Someone next to me tucked a lable “Nu-Metal” on them, no clue what cupboard that comes from but it somehow seems to sum it up. Not really a perfect match with Dag Nasty and nothing that meant a thing to me (but as ever, you need to see all bands because there may be surprises).

Go and check them out for you dare.

Next on Dag Nasty and by now we had maybe 250 people in attendance – hard for me to guess. About 50+ folks where from Hamburg but still in total a way too small number for such a great band. And a great band they are: Brian, Shawn, Colin and Roger are back at where Dag Nasty started in 1985 and are less the polished and pop infused one they graduated to later (which, as a matter of fact, i still dig too).
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Dag Nasty (Schlachthof, Bremen, 03.11.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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They took the stage and from the first chord they took the audience with them. Loads of energy, loads of great songs and all of that done with precision (rather than pure professionalism). The lot loved it and and the Hamburg lot took on to crowd the dance floor (and specifically the two Teams N&N – both a female and male outfit – outsmarted the rest).

I stood directly at the stage and had more of Shawn and Brian, actually more of Brians guitar. Sound wise it overshadowed a bit the rest but that was because the PA was basically way left & right and behind me. Never mind, i knew all songs anyway and enjoyed singing them.

At the end all of the audience sang a “Happy Birthday” for Roger and we got a couple of encores.
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Dag Nasty (Schlachthof, Bremen, 03.11.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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Great show, great band and as someone from Bremen pointed out after the show “…the show has been rescued by the Hamburg lot” (which is in nice contrast to the early 80s where the Hamburg lot away tended to ruin shows). A lot of happy faces though a very tough local club: People where forced out instead of being allowed a few more beers.

For us on the train it meant back to the station, grabbing some drinks and food and taking a very early 23:15 train home.

And with a descent rebel attitude we ignored the signs of order and at least had a couple of drinks on the train.

Back home in Hamburg some actually made it quickly down to the Moltow to catch the encore of Defekt Defekt, so those won the double crown that day.

For me it was a great away trip: Great people around me, enthusiastic support for the band and smooth travel back. Just a perfect way to enjoy perfect music.

I’d say: Let’s do it again soon!

nb: In 1985 Dag Nasty sounded like this …
2018/11/06