After having two week off (enjoying Danish sunsets and moving back into the vicinity of the Hafenklang) it needed a bit of lure to take the stroll downhill to the Hafenklang. The lure though was easy, one of the best Ramones cover bands was in town, so a neat sing-a-long evening was on the table.
Next to me they lured about a hundred odd folks down to the harbor front, some with 2020 tickets, some with 2021 tickets … and some with 2022 tickets. The show was moved twice … Covid times, sight.
Kick-off was with Bullshit Boy from Hamburg, 2 girls on strings and Carsten (Emils etc) on drums. I already came across them earlier in the year and took note of their EP on Bandcamp, as i do like Punk with female vocals and Girrrls in bands per se.
Sabine, the guitar, used to be around as a one girl band called Dark Horse, now she seems to have expanded and plays her songs under the moniker Bullshit Boy:
„WE KNOW IT ALL – WE CAN DO IT ALL – WE LOOK SUPER FIT AND WE ARE TALKING RUBBISH ALL DAY – WE ARE BULLSHIT BOY!!!“
Bullshit Boy (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 13.09.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
Unfortunately this evening i had a negative Déjà-vu – very often i do like bands live but not their recordings, here it was just opposite. I had to let go after a half of their set and was not surprised to meet a couple of me mates outside, who already left and equally did not get the groove.
By all means check them out yourself, here is their 5 song 10″ (still the coolest format around). I will give them another chance for sure, maybe it was just me or a bad day for them. Or both.
The Ramonas came next and they have already quite some length under their belt: Started in 2004 as a pure female Ramones cover band they have added since 2016 also own material – all worth to check out.
With them it was speed, power and sing-a-long – a visible and audible difference to Bullshit Boy. From the first chord they emitted fun and energy from the stage and took the audience on a Ramones memory trip.
Ramonas (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 13.09.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
Having seen the Ramones 8 times (and every single Hamburg show but the 1978 Markthalle one) and having seen plenty of Ramones cover bands (from killer ones like Hamburgs own Ramones Revical Band aka Ramonez 77, Hamburg Ramönes and eg. Gabba to not so good ones i’d rather not name) i gotta say they are one of the better ones.
Without a doubt.
Their song selection from the vast Ramones œuvre is actually on the more clever side (as above with Bonzo Goes To Bitburg), though they missed two of my favorite gems: Highest Trails Above and Strength To Endure unfortunately where absent.
Ramonas (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 13.09.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
The audience was happy though, so i did not complain. I anyway had zero complaints, the band was energetic enough (and getting the max out of their small amps). And by the smiles traded between them you could see that they like what they do. And when there where errors and mishaps – they just smiled it away and went on.
Sure thing they covered the cover (the best ever ode by a Band to another Band of a different genre) as their final song, well done.
If there was any complaint, then it may be my usual one: Dress code on stage. But that is just me and my anal view on stage related items. I guess they have better things to do then wash (or not) their stage attire after every sweaty show (and sweaty it was indeed).
Ramonas (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 13.09.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
In retrospective i actually would have loved to have gotten more of their own material, i think it was only about 6 songs – the rest was from NYC. But hey, still a great set and and enjoyable Tuesday evening at the Hafenklang, that i guess we left as the last consumers after midnight.
Next to the short stroll home the best was actually chats’n’drinks with friends and regulars and the simple fact 6 out of 7 musicians on stage where female.
Not just boys fun, as ever!
PS: Nothing, nothing at all, can beat this live set from 31.12.1977