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Tag: Monkeys Music Club

… when the night before is good enough for you: Berlin Blackouts and Angry Agenda in a near perfect mix!
Cock Sparrer on a European Club Tour – that was a good enough reason for the Monkeys to put together a little warm up (though i would rather guess it was supposed to be a stocking up of liquids or training ground on beer consumption for many).

The mix was great: Berlin Blackouts with a Cock Sparrer like chorus quality and The Angry Agenda a solid Oi! street credibility.

First on the Blackouts (from Berlin, indeed) and whilst on social media it was like 156 people interested in the event the turnout was … i guess not more than 50. And most of them rather into the Oi! side of things, so the Berlin Blackouts had to face a rather empty dance floor.
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Berlin Blackouts
(Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 07.09.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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Since i saw them last time (2015, support slot for Bishops Green) they have shrunk to a 3 piece but without loosing too much. Actually, in my ears, they gained tightness and a bit more vocal diversity. What they do they to perfect and their sound indeed is so pleasant that sometimes i miss the edges. For some it also contained too much of whoahoah in he male vocals but hey – that’s his way of singing.

And it sounded like this:

For playing a mere 20 people in front of the stage they did a solid performance and they should be back in front of many more people all geared for some sing-a-long punk. That would give them what they deserve. And more people would also improve sound, without bodies to break the sound it had a bit of an empty closet type of sound.

Actually one member in the audience spotted a point here and noted “… i think we had more people in the rehearsal room back then at times than they have here“.

With just a little bit of changeover it was then time for Watfords finest: The Angry Agenda. They are around since 2011 and they had put a heavy marker with their first 12” “Here comes trouble“, a record full of angry barrages.

Whilst all that anger seemed to manifest itself in the front man (actually, a real Rampen-Sau as we say in German) the rest of the band was quiet (and almost shy) in the background.
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The Angry Agenda 
(Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 07.09.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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Indeed they have it: The backline delivers a rock solid Oi! with an emphasis on Rock: They got more of that Motörhead or Rose Tattoo sound than of almost pop like guitar works of Cock Sparrer. And they have a loudmouth on vocals who has a story to tell – in every fucking song.

To me that was the one item that made them stand out actually – they seem not to have songs but go back to old tradition of story telling in the pub (with a bit of fitting mu-sick in the backdrop). Quite unique and very much ok with me (though i would not do every effort to see them).

They had more people in front of the stage, they had a bit of dancing but in the end of the day they too suffered from the rather low turnout.

With them done people resorted either to more beer or went home. As i was to let go Cock Sparrer at the Knust for many reasons i had a final one for the road and did hit home.

Those who love Cock Sparrer, a pint and some more i am led to believe had fun over at the Knust the next day, though local news papers seem to make a bit of a fuzz about a full blown riot (and some football rivalry) – i hear it was less of that but some unjustified violence did occur. Nevermind, that was only the 3rd reason to let that one go by…

… another famous hardticket from the Monkeys!
2018/09/09
… they did not play Nellie, The Elephant (nor London Calling): Cockney Rejects Sauna Club, Volume II!
Last year it was a sweaty June Saturday to celebrate the Cockney Rejects in that small club in the danish part of Hamburg, Volume II had an even sweatier setup in one of the hottest summers over here ever. The Monkeys used the occasion to throw a little yard party and arranged for drinks, food and footie outside of the club. For some footie was already the past (“let’s concentrate on the league“), for others their team rose to occasion and defeated … a 5th league team.

Nevermind, everybody was happy and everybody had good vibes for the Rejects – loads of talking prior to the show and yet again one of these days where it felt that you know most of the people in the audience (and some for 35+ years).

To much surprise the Monkeys did ask in public for a support band just a few days prior to the show, i can only guess if that was because another idea had fallen through or because some local backline was needed. Nevermind, it was for Case 39 from Lübeck to open.
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Case 39 (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 18.08.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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They do Punk with an emphasis on Rock, they do linger in Motörhead territory as much as they do pull some AC/DC in. For me it was sometimes too much of that but a fitting mix for supporting Cockney Rejects. And their guitar player, who also did the main vocals, actually had a perfect voice. They got a good share of applause and where watched by a large contingent of the audience.

That they are an amateur band came through after the set, whilst the roadies from Cockney Rejects wanted to setup the gear they took time to pack up, no hassle, no need for speed. They even opened a little shop on stage, trying to sell merch. At the end one of the roadies just had enough and packed up for them and shoved the gear into their hands (and them off the stage). Funny moment of professionals meeting amateurs, just like the footie prior to the show

And without too much fuzz the brothers Geggus and Vince Riordan took the stage, together with a young lad on drums. If there is anything as a single word that sums it up it is unpretentious: They know were they come from, they know how many hours of labour one has to put it to earn the money for a ticket and a pint – and they appreciate it.

The show itself was unpretentious too – sold out, packed, party mode to the max. And people enjoying to the max too, without even the tiniest scent of a brawl (though an exhibit was in attendance whom i would have liked to setup the wrong person and get some – but that is a different story from a different show)
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Cockney Rejects (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 18.08.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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They sounded ok, though one semi-professional musician from the audience did complain “vocals like Undertones mixed with a Professionals guitar sound” – i rather take that as a compliment that Jeff never ruined his voice and Micky actually is in full control of his guitar.

And what did they play? They played a nice cross of old (Vol. I and Vol. II) sounds paired with some Power & Glory:

Cockney Rejects – Setlist (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 18.08.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)

For myself it was just pleasure, for many around me it was the same amount of fun. And the lucky number this time was 6 instead of 5 but i was able to cope with that…

It was singing, sweating, dancing and – once the Rejects where done (and actually cutting the gig short by two songs) it was drinking. I guess up on the stage it was even hotter performing under the stage lights – so replenishing with isotonic drinks was a sheer requirement for health and safety!

I had a couple of pints and some extra booze (too much) and some nice talks. Just a perfect Saturday (and having the football loss on Friday already behind me) and yet again the best reason why you should endeavor to enjoy your mu-sick live and loud, in front of a stage.

Thanks to all for making this possible and enjoyable. You know who you are!
2018/08/20
… Bonecrusher: What you pay for is what you get!
This July is a very busy July for shows in Hamburg, almost every day there is a show worth considering and for me it is about every other day that i plan to attend … much higher frequency than normally for me. On a warm and sunny Friday it was time for Bonecrusher at the Monkeys and for some hope that more people would attend than last time round, where it was a very lonely Sunday.

Support was for The Analogs from Poland and i had no clue about them: Neither that they existed nor how they sound. But that is the good thing if you go out into a club – you get to see something new every once in a while. Just be open for that!
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The Analogs (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 20.07.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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They are around for some time, since 1995 according to a rather funny Wikipedia entry, and they are a recognized Street Punk Legend in Poland. They mu-sick-al style ventures a lot into what i would call rock but never on the boring side. The one item that did stand out was that they like their songs long and complex, i guess none was shorter than 4 minutes.

I captured what felt the longest one, in order to put it here i had to tone down the quality to reduce hosting size. But hear yerself:

They were tight, together and well rehearsed and many people in the audience seemed to dig them (besides their polish fans i noted a couple of locals smiling away and getting some merch after the show).

Next on Bonecrusher, that hard working working class outfit that does not need a lot to be ready: They took the stage, they adjusted little bits and off they took. Off went also the shirt by one member of the audience, a moment some feared. This time round he annoyed again but got some push back from some of the audience. His own fun did not impact the fun of others that much, still at moments yet again it was at the brink of a non-verbal communication.
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Bonecrusher (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 20.07.2018 (c) gehkacken.de)
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Bonecrusher provided a neat and complete set of old and new material and delivered their set as a well oiled engine. Both guitars celebrate a near perfect sound and bass/drums provide the solid pushing backdrop it needs. And Michael takes the front, engages the audience and delivers the message. And what they do not have is even a scent of a gap between “on stage” and “off stage”.

Just perfect if you ask me. The only item that did make me unhappy was not the shirtless contingent but the fact that despite more people attending compared to last time round it was still more “half empty” than “half full”. I keep my fingers crossed for the next time and hope that Mike and Co choose weeks off work that – at least in Hamburg – gives them a slot without any competition left or right of that date. They deserve it.

I took a final beer and plundered the merch stall, as Bonecrusher had the perfect item in stock: A Polo Shirt. The friendly lady handed me one labeled as “3XL” and i complaint that i would not need a tent. She said “honey, it comes out much smaller, that’ll do for you“. Little did i know until next day when i realized it compares to M and my six pack (and my wide shoulders) won’t fit ever.

Mike – that’s the only customer complaint!
2018/07/23