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… the return of boozing and dancing in front of the stage – don’t let it stop here!
It has been a while (since i attended a show standing) and it took a while until our local government set the new rules under a higher (but not high enough) vaccination quota. And then it took a while for clubs, regulars and bands to get their head around it and come to a conclusion.

The Molotow decided for 2G, specifically as their backyards counts as “outdoor” and thus allowed for standing, drinking and … no masks. The only funny (or odd, if you will) item was that i could stand unconstrained with the lot in front of the stage but should we be in need of a pee we had to wear a mask, as the loo is indoors. But an easy price to pay for that time travel back almost two years!

First on THIAVV, who are not really from my circuit but in their little corner of the mu-sick-al universe are treated as hot shit. I have seen all bands they originate from (Plastic Propaganda, Cavity/Search, Violent Instinct) and was surprised that THIAVV is not just a blend of everything but something unique (though like fallen out of time, eg. straight from 1985).

What did i get? Pounding drums managed by the Animal. A driving bass with almost feminine vocals exercised by the towering Pablo Boredom. And across all of that an overtone of high pitched flirting guitar, i guess full of effects, delivered by Julian Human Capital.

See for yerself how it looked and sounded:

They came together in 2017, took stage in early 2020 with the intend to go strong … and got cut short by Covid. As they did not give in, they seem to be earnest with what they are doing and continued to practice and get new songs under their belt.

It is not exactly what i look for in mu-sick but as ever i do recognize effort and determination and for that they got my applause. Their little niche is a niche that i avoided post punk, whilst others took that path i took on H/C rather.
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THIAVV (Molotow, Hamburg, 21.09.2021 (c) gehkacken.de 2021)
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They played a crisp set, did not wander off into endless soundscapes and by the looks of it they had fun. I guess as much fun as the audience in front of the stage, where everyone enjoyed live mu-sick with maskless walking around, direct social interaction and drinking – be it booze or not.

On came the headliners and local heroes Spitfire Stevens. They still are at odds with a single mu-sick-al cupboard, the best i ever heard is that Luke and his vocals stretch them between Ian Curtis dark room and GG Allins hate chamber. Indeed – he is a kind of a personality. By the way one of the most charming and positive persons around and the only one i know that can do the gum-knee-dance.
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Spitfire Stevens (Molotow, Hamburg, 21.09.2021 (c) gehkacken.de 2021)
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They delivered all of their spread: From slow, post-punk and Joy Division like all they way to short crisp snotty punk smashers. Here is a rather mellow song from their 2017 10″ (and you got to love them for their preferred vinyl format choice):

They played much longer than i thought, though both myself and other noted a little bit of stretching within it. Where other bands go bang-bang-bang, they take their time and enjoy their breaks.
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Spitfire Stevens (Molotow, Hamburg, 21.09.2021 (c) gehkacken.de 2021)
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They had the audience anyway but given the circumstances the audience had an almost normal setting back and was thus super-duper happy. That said i would guess that for quite a while we will continue to enjoy local heroes rather than traveling bands, as touring across all the various patches of rules is almost impracticable.

At the end both band and fans where happy and the net result could be seen scattered around the Molotw backyard tables …

And whilst the first young folks entered the place for a Friday night out dancing to indie mu-sick the Oldpunk lot kept bragging, drinking and largely enjoying the evening.

Many of the lot got ready to see Sixteen Again, Kücken, Sheep On A Tree and Razors the day after outdoor in the Harburg Harbor, i had to turn to a family thingy and had to let that opportunity go by. My hangover on Saturday anyway asked for a break though that little sun that started growing again on Friday did warm my day.

Now i want more of these G2 gigs, it is the right way forward as far as i am concerned. Next Stop: Jam Today / Sixteen Again on the MS Hedi, who luckily also starts to set sail again. And, double lucky, the Hafenklang also is open again.

Happiness.
2021/09/19
Bücher, schnell gelesen: Teil 1.546
Beth Ann Fennelly, Tom Franklin – Das Meer Von Mississippi (Heyne Hardcore, 2020)

Gelesen: 09. – 13.09.2021, netto 372 Seiten

Tom Franklin schreibt ganz wunderbare Bücher, dieses hat er mit seiner Frau geschrieben. Auf Deutsch erscheint es bei Heyne Hardcore und nicht bei pulp Master. Ist er damit in Deutschland entdeckt?

Das Buch ist irgendwie ein Zwitter: Schmalzige Liebesgeschichte und Krimi. Krimi und Historienroman. Historienroman und … ja, was eigentlich?

Ich habe mich beim Einlesen für “Historienroman” entschieden, die Liebesgeschichte ausgeblendet und die Verbrechen, die im Buch geschehen, als Teil der Historie akzeptiert.

Es geht um die größte Naturkatastrophe in den US of A, die Flut des Mississippi im Jahre 1927. Das ist auch der Einstieg: Regen, Regen, Regen … alles versinkt im Dauerregen. Und hier im Süden der US of A ist es eh dunkel: Eine offene demokratische Gesellschaft ist das jedenfalls nicht. Auf die Prohibition wird gekackt, es wird schwarz gebrannt. Das bringt die “Helden” an den Start, 2 Prohibitionsagenten. Sie erleben eine feuchte Hölle, in der sich kein Einwohner auf irgendwas verlassen kann.

Es ist schon ein wunderbar atmosphärisches Buch, bei dem die Figuren aber einfach nur flach sind. Aber die historische Wahrheit ist alles andere als flach: Eine Gesellschaft ohne Zusammenhalt, Stark gegen Schwach, der Dammbruch des Nachbarn ist meine Rettung, also sorge ich für eine Flut woanders. Verlierer sind dennoch alle, weil alle alles im Wasser verlieren.

Mhhhhh, echt ein komisches Buch. Wer aber Historie mag und Stichworte für weitere Recherche nimmt, der findet was interessantes. Wer Crime erwartet liegt leider falsch.

Soundtrack dazu: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Tupelo, was sonst? Warum? Weil er diese Flut referenziert.
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Looka yonder! Looka yonder! Looka yonder! A big black cloud come! O comes to Tupelo. Comes to Tupelo

Yonder on the horizon. Stopped at the mighty river and. Sucked the damn thing dry. Tupelo-o-o, O Tupelo. In a valley hides a town called Tupelo.

Distant thunder rumble. Rumble hungry like the Beast. The Beast it cometh, cometh down. Wo wo wo-o-o. Tupelo bound. Tupelo-o-o. Yeah Tupelo. The Beast it cometh, Tupelo bound.

Why the hen won’t lay no egg. Can’t get that cock to crow. The nag is spooked and crazy. O God help Tupelo! O God help Tupelo!

Ya can say these streets are rivers. Ya can call these rivers streets. Ya can tell ya self ya dreaming buddy. But no sleep runs this deep. No! No sleep runs this deep. No sleep runs this deep. Women at their windows. Rain crashing on the pane. Writing in the frost. Tupelos’ shame. Tupelo’s shame. O God help Tupelo! O God help Tupelo!

O go to sleep lil children. The sandmans on his way. O go to sleep lil children. The sandmans on his way. But the lil children know. They listen to the beating of their blood.

They listen to the beating of their blood. The sandman’s mud! The sandman’s mud! And the black rain come down. Water water everywhere. Where no bird can fly no fish can swim. Where no bird can fly no fish can swim. No fish can swim. Until The King is born! Until The King is born! In Tupelo! Tupelo-o-o! Til The King is born in Tupelo!

In a clap-board shack with a roof of tin. Where the rain came down and leaked within. A young mother frozen on a concrete floor. With a bottle and a box and a cradle of straw. Tupelo-o-o! O Tupelo! With a bundle and a box and a cradle of straw.

Well Saturday gives what Sunday steals. And a child is born on his brothers heels. Come Sunday morn the first-born dead. In a shoe-box tied with a ribbon of red. Tupelo-o-o! Hey Tupelo! In a shoe-box buried with a ribbon of red.

O ma-ma rock you lil’ one slow. O ma-ma rock your baby. O ma-ma rock your lil’ one slow. O God help Tupelo! O God help Tupelo! Mama rock your lil’ one slow. The lil one will walk on Tupelo. Tupelo-o-o! Yeah Tupelo! And carry the burden of Tupelo. Tupelo-o-o! O Tupelo! Yeah! The King will walk on Tupelo! Tupelo-o-o! O Tupelo! He carried the burden outa Tupelo! Tupelo-o-o! Hey Tupelo! You will reap just what you sow.
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PS: History!
2021/09/15
Bücher, schnell gelesen: Teil 1.545

Chris Offutt – Unbarmherziges Land (Tropen, 2021)

Gelesen: 08. – 08.09.2021, netto 211 Seiten

Im englischen Original ist das “The Killing Hills” und das würde auch viel besser passen als der deutsche Titel, der doch arg reißerisch daher kommt.

Im Grund geht es um die Hinterwäldler von Kentucky, die entweder auf den steilen Bergflanken wohnen oder aber ins Tal gemacht haben. Wo immer sie sind, Blut und Familie ist dicker als alles andere. Um in diesem Milieu einen Mord aufzuklären muss Mann (oder auch Frau) das schon verstehen.

Mann ist Mick Hardin, der schon lange aus den Tälern weg ist und eine Karriere bei der Army gemacht hat. Dort ist er bei der Armee Polizei, im CID. Frau ist Lisa Hardin, seine Schwester, die der erste weibliche Sheriff im County ist.

Mick ist zuhause, weil seine Frau schwanger ist (aber das Kind nicht von ihm sein kann, da er in Übersee stationiert war). Lisa nutzt seine Fähigkeiten, um einen Mord aufzuklären. Dazu das übliche: Meth, Coke, H. Oxi. Korrupte Politiker, die Lisa beeinflussen wollen (die nächste Wahl und so).

Eine einfache Geschichte, schnell abgehandelt. Leben tut das Buch von der Natur und den Eigenarten der Menschen: Blutlinien zählen hier mehr als alles andere. Dazu Respekt. Auch vor Arschlöchern.

Eine kleine und feine Geschichte, nichts besonderes aber schon mit einem eigenen Touch. Für mich dennoch zu wenig Gewalt, zu wenig Überraschung in den Charakteren. Aber eine gute Abwechslung.

Soundtrack dazu: Pegboy – Over The Hills, was sonst?

PS: Und Chris Offutt so?

2021/09/09