… the fate of an April Wednesday!

April. Weather shenanigans. And thus keeping people at home. Though when i strolled down to the Hafenklang i was greeted with a stellar view towards the sunset in the West.

But as empty as the streets the turnout at the Hafenklang would be. Next to a couple of friends of the Slanders it may have only been 30something good people. And half of them i knew by name. Pitty, as the rooster was an excellent one. Though definitely something that work so much better on a hot summer evening, best a Friday (or in Bergamo, i guess most of the Punk Rock Raduno regulars where at the Hafenklang).

Sharp at 21:00 Slanders kicked off with their very own Pop Punk, deeply grounded into the US of A, 1990’s and … on Lookout Records. Screeching Weasel anyone?

Slanders (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 17.04.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024

Their stance on stage remains feet wide, strings low. And this night it was quite fun to see two of the members sporting a shirt of The Haermorrhoids. Who just finished a very successful short tour. And where Greg plays and sings too.

Nice appreciation (or simply cheap shirts). How did it sound? It sounded like this:

Pleasant indeed, the speed, the dual vocals – it all works well. The songs are crisp and short (more or less) but the sound overall does not carry too many variations, they tend not to break out of their style a single note.

I dig them, though that lack of variation sometimes annoys my single-minded mu-sick-al brain.

The Yum Yums took the stage next and despite the fact that it was feeling a wee bit empty upstairs at the Hafenklang they did smile from the start. And that is the upbeat feeling of their songs anyway, singing about love, girls and everything that goes with it.

The Yum Yums (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 17.04.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024

On stage they are much more active compared to Slanders, though Morten stood center stage like a rock and did not move at all.

The amount of variation i missed with Slanders was there but somewhat it was all covered in a layer of sugar. Even up to the point that it was too sweet.

They played quite long, did throw in a couple of extras (but not all from the setlist) and took a rest. Well deserved. In all honesty a shorter (and crisper) set would have worked too.

As they had their brand new LP with them i scored it (on red vinyl, pitiful #recordcollectorsarepretentiousareseholes me), also the repress of their first LP now finally sits in my shelf.

Relaxed evening surrounded by largely friends (and friendly people), just a tad bit too empty.

Still, that is how music should be enjoyed.