There was a bit of buzz around the return of Go!, namely because Go! Singer Mike did spend some time in Hamburg in the early 90s and thus to some is a known figure.
Still, it was a rather low-key show upstairs at the Hafenklang, ahead of the Monday Ping-Pong DJ Fixture Go! would play supported by outspoken Go! Fans GxUxTxSx from Brno (home of the famous Brněnský drak), who sport a matching name to Mikes last effort TxWxOx.
The Hafenklang was quite empty when GxUxTxSx kicked off and sneaking into their setlist i could make a good guess at what was coming.
My assumption where double confirmed when the singer added skate helmet and knee protectors to his outfit – it’ll be skate fueled hardcore was my (rather safe) bet.
And how did it sound? It sounded like this (and that song is a neat reference to a 1977 horror movie by Wes Craven):
Wow – that sounds pretty good! The singer goes AWOL in the space of the only half full room, the Bass and Drum provide a rock solid drive and the guitar, well, the guitar was very capable and provided the icing on the cake.
They almost rushed through their set, i guess their assault did not take more than 20 minutes. But these 20 minutes where actually very entertaining!
GxUxTxSx (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 22.07.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024)
They did not have anything in terms of merch with them, they are currently trying to get a record done. Time being thus you need to refer to their demo:
Great stuff and proof that a surprise support from far can be a very joyful and convincing affair. If they play near you – go and see them!
Next Go! and Mike went at great length to decorate the stage with Go! Posters, all hand placed and hand taped to whatever he deemed fit. The setlist looked huge but some of the songs where give/take less than a minute.
And who did it sound? For a large part of the show it sounded like this:
At the start of the song you can hear an interaction with the audience about the mike that Mike was using. Next to quite some deep feedback between songs the sound, specifically on the vocals, was less than optimal. Later in the set he changed over to the backup mike (cable, rather) and by magic the sound improved.
Still, compared to the support, they where less together and it sound less like a well rehearsed machine. But how could they, they life thousands of kilometers apart.
Go! (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 22.07.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024)
At some moments they sounded actually on top of their business, at others more often it sounded just not right (both sound off stage and the mu-sick-al presentation). They played for an hour i guess (out of which Mike covered some part chatting ahead) and left a somewhat awkward feeling with me (and me mates).
Mike was open down from the stage that they did not want to end up standing there, for say 20 people, and be bad. They scored more than 20 in Hamburg (at the end the Goldener Salon was reasonable filled) and they were per se not bad but somewhat not convincing.
I checked with friends outside of Hamburg and got feedback like this:
I didn't write anything specifically about Darmstadt, I like Mike, but Go! was simply too old and finished last Thursday and was only drawing on the splendor of days gone by. I didn't think they played particularly well either. Kind of heartbreaking - with Go! the resolution is very personal. Shit. Depresses me so much that I don't even want to nag. And that actually never happens.
Was touring travel stress indeed a too heavy toll on them? Nevermind, there is still enough good output (all and more for free on their Bandcamp site) like below – a collaboration between Mike and guys from Crippled Fox in Hungary.
And that being presented in a near perfect form factor for greedy record collectors being pretentious arseholes: Green vinyl, stochastic shape. Go and score it on Every Chord Counts Records. It is a full worthy effort (and limited).
I got that record a while ago and effectively it triggered with me the urge to definitely see Go!. And – taking all in – it was still a neat and not too hot Summer evening out at the Hafenklang with friends.
So nothing wrong with it at all!
