Another year gone by like nothing – prior to this one i had like 100 bands across 35 shows under my belt for 2019. And within that seen the Razors 4 times, Knock Off twice and Sixteen Again once. And guess what? I was still eager towards this one as besides loving all three of them in playing live it was the meet life long friends setting (and my dislike of YE Parties on 31.12. in general) that ensured it was a show not to be missed.
Kick off was very early with Sixteen Again, i barely made it on time to the Knust. From the small stage of the Hafenklang they jumped onto the vast space of the Knust stage, something they did not take full use of (as in roaming space).
Sixteen Again (Knust, Hamburg, 30.12.2019)
Their job was cheer leading and boy did they do the job well – people already at the Knust where lured from the bar and from chatting towards the front of the stage and into plenty of sing-a-long.
That’s sure a rather easy task if you play Buzzcocks songs but it also is about how it comes across. And here it is coming across with plenty of appreciation and love for the muzak from Messrs. Shelley and Diggle.
Great stuff, despite some chord hickups, some lost entry points for singing and other human failures that only ever brought bright smiles onto the audience faces. I dig what they do and i dig how they pay tribute to one of the greatest bands from the class of 1976 (and i did not even realize that Helge was paying tribute to the late Pete Shelley by sporting facial hair).
Next Knock Off, hand picked by the Razors for this occasion and i am totally with them: Whilst sporting a slightly different sound they share a lot of things with the Razors (though they write the more complex songs).
And that’s one of them – a great song about survival (and the one song that got me hooked on them). Super lyrics and perfect guitar. Those who aim to strum this at home … here you are:
Now get out there and do your own thing! Knock Off do it since 2013 and are going strong. An old mate of mine, who never saw them prior, asked me “are they the short haired Ramones?” and i had to correct him: There is more than three chords!
Knock Off (Knust, Hamburg, 30.12.2019)
Hamburg digs them, Hamburg loves them and that love is being mirrored. Andy T, Andy C and Lozz just get it across totally unpretentious, totally non-made-up and just refreshingly easy.
They devoted this hymn to Micky Fitz (now sadly gone for 3 years due to the big fucking C, something the Hamburg lot also had too much of it in 2019) and Hamburg joined in full force:
Stand up, Stand up, Sing it loud
This is our scene, we are proud
That feeling of unity that the Razors provide to us elderly, that feeling also Knock Off get across. Just perfect and fitting well for this year end occasion that is actually all about a (certain) scene coming together, talking, drinking and singing. And selectively some dancing.
Knock Off (Knust, Hamburg, 30.12.2019)
Knock Off did a long set though at times seemed speeding through it. They finished off with their high speed assault Jack The Ripper:
Well done lads, though a bit of a sad evening, as it was the last time that Lozz was on bass, he needs to step down due to health issues. I am sure the guys will pick a great stand-in on bass (just like the Razors did) and i also would like to see Knock Off back in Hamburg in 2020 – you guys are always welcome here!
By now the audience had been warmed up sufficiently, had taken in drinks and was more than ready for a class entry of the Razors:
Sufficient Pomp for the Circumstances i’d say, like dressed up for the occasion (hint: those with a sharp eye will note my involvement in dressing up one Razorette for the occasion). And nope – the well filled Knust won’t go away on you!
The Razors have played a lot this year and thus thrusted out their set like a well oiled machine – this time round with plenty of old hits and old audience favorites.
Razors (Knust, Hamburg, 30.12.2019)
What is forever striking me is that Wittes buzzsaw guitar sound is only ever getting better. Once i heard him back on 1982 on the Napalm EP he is one of my guitar heroes (only to sugar coat it later with eg. Noise Annoys). And that uptempo guitar also turns my favorite Razors song into the timeless beauty that it actually is:
Count me into the gang! And more traditions came upon us, it was Heiko joining them to take on the law (as the law is what we hate) and it was also time for more crowed favorites.
Razors (Knust, Hamburg, 30.12.2019)
It included Sven and Klaus bragging their way into their 1980 smash hit on their own little hate for DISCO:
And as tradition has it the end of the show was reserved for being “in it together”: Because You’re Young turned the stage of the Knust into a massive sing-a-long space and the Razors and their friends (which i guess was anyway everyone in attendance) said hello to the year end day (it was past midnight by now) and fuck-off to age.
Razors (Knust, Hamburg, 30.12.2019)
Great set, great fun and this year it felt even better than the years before. Maybe due to too much beer entrusted into my hands by friends, maybe because 2019 actually, besides all the painful losses, was still a great year for me.
From the stage the lot took the party to the bar, to the DJ and got treated with old classics to continue sing-a-long and dance-a-long.
I have not yet done a full tally but it was like 36 shows, 103 bands this year and this was the perfect icing on that mu-sick-all cake. I was home very late, sufficiently loaded and the best wife of all took on YE shopping without me (as i was neither alive nor presentable to the public). The perfect wasted feeling for a rather perfect year, both with music and in private life (for actually both me love and my humble self).
2020 – bring it on! 20 years of happy marriage, 41 years of Punk Rock for me. And it is only ever going uphill, so i consider myself utmost lucky.
