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Category: Shows

… from the big stage into the not so big club: The fate of Togetherfest 2017!
It was first set to happen in the rather spacious Markthalle, a setting by some people called “ambitious”, and that was the reason why i did buy a ticket upfront at a rather high price.

But soon it was moved to that black shed near the University called “Logo”, a sweatbox with 1/4 (or less) of the capacity. And even that place was only like 3/4th full on a rainy Sunday night. And, with 5 bands on a stretched but small stage, the breaks and changes between the set was a to-come annoyance for sure.

First off WOLF x DOWN and the singer ruined it for me with a “Yo Hamburg, was geht” intro. 5 angry young man in black and with a cause, 3 die heart fans in front of the stage singing every song and … a sound that i do not really dig.

WOLF x DOWN (Logo, Hamburg, 19.02.2012 (c) gehkacken.de)

Whilst they where technically gifted and their songs where together i just did not like the beat and the bellowed vocals, that ain’t my shit.

Next on Walter Schreifels (ex-Youth Of Today in the late 80s), who orchestrated the Tour, with his new Band Vanishing Life, for the first time in Europe. And what a stark contrast that was against WOLF x DOWN! 4 really different and distinct stage personas: A gifted guitarist that was able to pull sounds from his axe (and his massive FX-board) that i have never heard before, a tall dark bass player in a very stylish outfit, a sturdy drummer in the back and … Walter in a non-hardcore outfit singing with loads of echo but getting across clear words.
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Vanishing Life (Logo, Hamburg, 19.02.2017) (c) gehkacken.de)
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Wow! I was taken away – great sound, grounded in Punk but expanding so wide out. On top of that some few choice words by Walter on life, the scene and music as such. They took me so much left wing – i had not recognised their fantastic LP at all, an error soon to be corrected! And i demand them for eg. Get!Lost!Fest!

Here is a snippet for those who missed their output too – and then go on and buy it for fucks sake!

And that paved way to Trash Talk, from Sacramento, who took the proceedings into a different direction: A mix between short Hardcore bursts lasting not more than a minute and of lengthier dirty rock songs – in almost perfect fashion!
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Trash Talk (Logo, Hamburg, 19.02.2017) (c) gehkacken.de)
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They also now had the crowd going, either individually or collectively and i also saw a rather slim girl running across the stage and throwing herself into the audience like a torpedo! Another Wow for the mu-sick and again the difference of the stage personas made it so much more worthwhile to watch.

If you need a reference – this is how it feels:

With Trash Talk being active, open and embracing the crowd it took only one change and the dimming of the lights to throw not only a complete different image but also a different style: Of music and of interaction with the crowd. None. Welcome American Nightmare, one of Boston’s finest outfits!
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American Nightmare (Logo, Hamburg, 19.02.2017) (c) gehkacken.de)
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Now we where in just another territory – rock solid 90’s Hardcore Punk with a deep grounding in Punk and done in perfection. The only items that did annoy me was the complete lack of interaction with the audience, by the backing trio and specifically by the singer – he did not even look into anybodies eyes. But still, great stuff and if i am not mistaken the first time they graced Hamburg!

Here is a little story line on their re-union:

And that took us to the headliner. Ray was busy in the afternoon to give a Yoga class under his assumed name of Raghunath Cappo, which he took on when he left the NYC H/C scene for a life as a celibate monk in India, studying old texts and Yoga methods. And what took the stage was their so called “classic 1988 line-up” with Ray, Porcel, Sam and Walter (who takes Bass duties in Youth Of Today).
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Youth Of Today (Logo, Hamburg, 19.02.2017) (c) gehkacken.de)
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They got the crowd finally forward and into flying mode but, as one of me mates mentioned prior to the show when he turned down attending, they or rather Ray spend also a fair time explaining some simple truths to the audience. So you got 50% classic NYC H/C and 50% something for your brain – an equation that actually could be worse although he was largely preaching to converts.

Fun moment was when the Italian Youth Of Today super fan Andrea from Turin was handed the mike and he could not manage that big cheque – Ray kindly reminded him that if he wants to sing than he needs to give it all to the audience and not keep it to himself!

Would this have been fun on the big stage of the Markthalle and say 300 people? Nope, far from. Would it have been fun with 1.000 folks – yes it would. So the move down to the Logo was ok though i would have loved if they would have taken the Hafenklang and split themselves up between upstairs and downstairs. That would have worked better.

As a diverse setting and branching out into different territories of Hardcore it did work for me, though i did have my problems with the styles (BEARDS!) of the audience and some dancing styles (trashing wings running into the boarder of the pit), specifically when it is hurting people and comes with a macho attitude.

Thanks for pulling this one together Walter, much appreciated. With two Amercian Nightmare T-shirts (one for me mate Frosch, who was in Portugal, and one for me Love) and the Vanishing Life LP (in coloured vinyl, record collectors are pretentious arseholes!) i took home, being positively infused for the workweek abroad in London (i may choose to see them again there).
2017/02/20
… of cunts, tits and Hard Skin: The tale of Riebe ruining the show circut!
Thanks to Riebe Hard Skin made a short stop-over whilst on a mini-tour through northern Europe and almost packed the Goldener Salon upstairs at the Hafenklang. Nice’n’cozy and quite full, coupled with the promise of a working club show to get us to bed early, so that we can be up early for work on Monday.

Hard Skin seemed a wee bit tired (after a lengthy drive from sunny Malmö) and Fat Bob being a bit under the weather from a cold. Nevertheless they armed the stage just short after 21:00 and blasted into their sing-a-long hits – but not without complimenting Exhibit A for the nice tits (and making it clear that in some jurisdictions shirtless dancing means being expelled from the premises, something that in hindsight might have been a good idea in the first place).

But all of that did not stop them to tip off to Status Quo:

Besides some awful behaviour in front of the stage by Exhibit A, Exhibit B and Exhibit C it was all that a Hard Skin show needed, though sans some of the lectures normally given.
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Hard Skin (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 22.01.2017) (c) gehkacken.de)
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Whilst Hard Skin where Hard Skin the Exhibits made themselves … Exhibits. A was taunted from the Stage, B was moved into the silent corner by force at one stage and C tried to take it on with Fat Bob and got removed. Following the removal Hard Skin suggested to bring everyone back altogether and set sail into “If the cunts are united”:

… and because Exhibit C decided to take some fights with himself, with Exhibit D (like Drunk) and the world as such outside the club the song got stopped. Exhibit A by now had a shirt on, Exhibit B was no longer seen … it is quite a long time ago that i did see so many Exhibits at a show. Odd.

Hard Skin and one of the exhibits ( Pic by Alan Ford, (c) gehkacken.de)

Nevermind, after a break Hard Skin came back and provided some encore, but still finished the show early enough so that people would get home in time. And thus they gave us (and them exhibits) “Taken Away“:

And, any morale? Nope, there ain’t no lesson hard enough to penetrate them brains (of them Exhibits) – so we better not waste time on that one. We’d rather pass the blame to Riebe for bringing violence, drugs, nudism and … let’s make it wanking to our little, peaceful and quiet community (on our pleasant and flat earth).

… an audience with a problem …. ( Pic by Alan Ford, (c) gehkacken.de)

So thanks for that Mate! And for the show. The flyer. And the cardboard posters!

Hard Skin Flyer ( (c) Riebe 2017)
2017/01/24
… Sgt. Peppers Loud Punk Rock Band returns with a twang!
Colt, who runs Colturschock, dared to take on re-issuing old Hamburg Punk mu-sick – be it rather well known bands like Razzia or complete unknown legends like Art Of Tin Toys (active around 1988-1992, with a sole 7″ in 1990). To sum it all up he threw a little label fest, providing Art Of Tin Toys with a return after 25 Years.

First on Plastic Propaganda, now also a Colturschock band, who filled in for Stahlschwester. They are young, they are bright and they have indeed something to say. Their sound ain’t hardcore punk, but they provided the perfect contrast to both Art Of Tin Toys and Razzia.
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Plastic Propaganda (Knust, Hamburg, 20.01.2017) (c) gehkacken.de)
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They have come a long way and if they are lucky then can even grow further – they managed to find their own niche: Grounded in 77 Punk, added with a scent of Wave and Post Punk and very clear vocals. Not bad, actually good – though still not my thing. But check out for yerself!

And that gave way to Art Of Tin Toys. By now the Knust actually was decent full, i guess it was namely Razzia that pulled around 400 odd folks – but whilst Public Propaganda provided their set into a lot of space Art Of Tin Toys had the front of the stage packed. And a surprise introduction:

Already now it was clear that is was supposed to be a grand show, with a focus on show, and that was what they entered into with their one and only hit single:

Whilst the start was a wee bit like finding feet it went only ever uphill from there. I do love bands that endeavour to create a show with stage outfits and/or stage personas and Art Of Tin Toys did that in perfect setting.
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Art Of Tin Toys (Knust, Hamburg, 20.01.2017) (c) gehkacken.de)
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They got plenty of cheers and loads of applause. Next to the songs of Hake themselves i take it is the setting of the different vocals to go with it: Whilst Heiko bellows it out and Mis Minerva provides a real singing voice (already a contrast in itself) it is Hake and his almost talking vocals that provides the last element in a huge spread – and that makes it so entertaining!

Now let’s hope that Art Of Tin Toys (and actually Spitfire Stevens) get their drummer back with a healthy wrist and that it does not take another 25 years for such a grand show!

Headliner clearly where Razzia and looking at the audience (and having listened into some conversations on the subway to the Knust) it was their 1980s following coming out to see them again. I never was able to warm up with them, though i have to give them that they had a distinct career (if such a thing exists) and largely did it DIY (and putting our records on their own label). But their mu-sick never did stick with me.

Razzia (Knust, Hamburg, 20.01.2017 Photo by Luke, (c) gehkacken.de)

They have gone through many changes and when their initial setup from 1979 folded around the beginning of the 90’s it was a “B-Team” using the Name Razzia until 2004. From 2008 onward most of the old Razzia where back at the helm but by now this has changed again. Frank – just like many of the UK bands, ain’t it?

They sound like Razzia, they had enough speed but it still was not to my liking. Some people enjoyed it big time (and where dreaming back 25 years), some made naughty comments like “… they look and sound like Kettcar“. I’d say both is unjust – they try to enjoy and i take they try to make their sound available to people.

Was the night worth it? Yes it was. Namely because of pairing bands from opposite spectrum, age and sound. That setting is the best setting there is, if that is paired with meeting and chatting with friends then it is great. Still loving live mu-sick!
2017/01/22