I dig bands where girls sing and i do love it when all the Hamburg Oldpunks come to a show just after having returned from Rebellion Festival in Blackpool. The visit by The Avengers was a thus a treat, with an icing that was me old mate Rudi – he now lives in sunny Perth but does the trip to Rebellion and Hamburg more or less every other year.
I guess same logic for The Avengers – being invited to Rebellion meant they could pack some UK shows prior to Blackpool and some German dates after.
I’llness (rumor has it the deadly waters of Blackpool are accountable) did rob the audience of Plastic Propaganda as the support, so it was early doors and late start … and that only ever allowed to talk and talk (and being sweet talked again around “next year, 20 years Rebellion and 40 years Punk – come on, join the pilgramage“).
The Avengers kicked off with what people thought was a mellow version of “Cheap Tragedies” but in real it was the original thing – listen to Rat Music for Rat People Volume 1 (you greedy record collector scum):
They also played lesser known songs – a nod that i do like. Here is “Desperation“:
But sure they provided the audience with some sing-a-long (fist in the air):
Way to quickly it ended and left not only myself behind a wee bit drawn apart. Same as with their last show in Hamburg two or three years ago somehow bass/drums and guitar/vocals are not “as one”. Bass and drums are hitting hard and driving forward, guitar and vocals somehow are mellow – the sum of the two somehow is add odds.
The Avengers (Hafenklang, 13.08.2015 (c) gehkacken.de)
All in all an ok show and a solid stage performance but it was missing some kicks. But then – still big time thanks to The Avengers for coming over and actually being super friendly (whilst on stage and after the show). That had style.
I continued to enjoy talking and i enjoyed a subway ride home with 2/4 of Die Knallschoten (something not done after a show for about 30 odd years – Rudi now lives far away down under and Biber is busy in research and scholarship at Hamburg University).
Fun fact: Another 1/4 of Die Knallschoten was in attendance of the show too – singer Kayan. So what did we miss: Drummer Pizza for sure! Else it might have been a surprise Die Knallschoten reunion…grabbing instruments and trashing out a single song on stage would have been a unique experience!
And The Avengers? Forever icons with me, be it the looks of young Penelope back in 1978 in SF or be it the songs (and that is lyrics and sound). Just class.