Johannes Groschupf – Die Stunde Der Hyänen (Suhrkamp, 2022)
Gelesen: 11. – 14.03.2023 (netto 256 Seiten).
Die ersten beiden Bücher von Johannes Groschupf hab ich mehr oder weniger bewusst links liegen lassen, ich glaube das muss ich nochmal überdenken.
Das Thema “Autos abfackeln” ist ja sowas wie ein Berliner Volkssport, gerne auch gepaart mit aufrichtiger politischer Meinung (beware, cynical commentary incomming), und dient in diesem Buch als Backdrop.
Dazu frustrierte Männer, Jungs und Beschützer des Viertels (oder auch ihrer Familien resp. ihre Autos) und starke Frauen. Geschickt zufällig kreuzen sich die Wege und entlang der Kreuzungspunkte kommt Spannung und Kraft in die Geschichte,
Ein frustrierter Jungpostbote, gefangen in einer Sekte die Jahwe anbetet, fackelt Autos ab weil er seine große Liebe (ebenfalls eine Jüngerin von Jahwe) nicht erreicht. Ein versoffener Pole wird in seinem Bulli abgefackelt und entwickelt sich zum trocknen Propheten. Denkste. Und die Bürgerwehr – Bürgerwehrt.
Dazu eine Polizistin, die zu den Brandermittlern strafversetzt wurde. Eine Journalistin, die sich gegen Gewalt in der Beziehung nicht wehren kann. Und eine Jüngerin von Jahwe, die von den Gemeindeältesten missbraucht wird.
Eine ziemlich street smarte Story, die am Ende aufzeigt warum weibliche Solidarität so viel stärker ist als männliche Stärke resp. Gewalt.
Ach ja, weibliche Hyänen sind die eigentlichen Bosse bei der Jagd!
Spannendes Buch, flott im Lesevergnügen und ohne einen erhobenen Zeigefinger. Passt!
Megan Abbott – Aus Der Balance (Pulp Master, 2023)
Gelesen: 05. – 10.03.2023 (netto 402 Seiten).
Übersetzt aus dem Amerikanischen Englisch von Karen Gerwig und Angelika Müller.
Wow – was für ein spannendes Buch. Wobei die Spannung weniger Crime, weniger Hard-Boiled und weniger Who-Dunit? sondern ganz subtil der Alltag ist.
Ein Alltag voller Normalität, gewürzt mit eine Prise Psychoterror. Und eine heile Welt – Ballett, so leicht, so unschuldig weiß – die sich in Chaos auflöst.
Am Anfang steht die heile Welt: Dara, ihre Schwester Marie und ihr Ehemann Charlie. Und die von der Mutter geerbte Ballettschule. Die Vorbereitung auf das Highlight des Jahres – der Nussknacker.
Mit einem Auge für Details, mit einem Ohr für Gefühle und mit Klug verstecktem Verrat geht Daras heile Welt den Bach runter: Das Ballettstudio eine Ruine, das eigene Haus entpuppt sich als beinahe Verlust und die Liebsten wie bei einer Explosion aus dem Zentrum nach ganz weit außen katapultiert.
Dazu Totschlag. Verrat im Sonderangebot (nimm 4 spar 2) und durchgeknallte Ballettkinder. Und noch durchgeknalltere Ballettkindereltern.
Kein Krimi. Sondern eine Alltagsbeschreibung. Wo der Leser wie der Zuschauer bei einem Hausbrand einfach nicht weggucken kann.
It has been a while that i have been to a Rock Show. And it’s been a while that i have been to the Grünspan (a place that i normally connect with Rock Shows only). Reason was lure by those who saw The Damned rather recently and where actually full of praise.
I saw them the last time early to mid 80s in the Markthalle and i think it was a show that had playback in it (at least that is my vague recollection). Never bothered about them after and Another Great Record From The Damned (1981) is the last Damned record in my collection.
But as always, sometimes it is good to challenge choices and habits, hence i choose to take them on. At the Grünspan.
Kick off was with the locals from The Jaded, who had to setup their gear in front of the Damned gear, in best Rock Show tradition. In contrast to that tradition they had a near perfect sound, maybe nowadays they guys on the mixing desks are more professional (and less influenced by the main band).
Known faces on stage and a very crisp set. Actually they grooved rather fast through their set and where done way ahead of the allowed time, so two encores where added citing some of their references.
The Jaded (Grünspan, Hamburg, 07.03.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
They claim they play Rock ‘n’Roll which i guess technically is true, i think they play a nice mid-tempo with loads of references to the sound of the UK towards the end of the 70 and early 80s, call it Punk Rock, New Wave or else. Their biggest asset sure is the native Englishman on vocals, it gives the whole thing a great glue, the needed banter and fits the sound perfect.
I never saw them before, i think i would not run away from them next time they take the stage.
After a quick turnaround it was time for The Damned, this year with Dave, The Captain, Paul Gray on Bass, Monty on Organ/Synthesizer and Will Taylor on Drums. All but the drummer came as stage personas, whereby the stage personas of Dave and The Captain sure being known icons. Monty sported a nice Skull nightgown (i’d say dressed for the occasion!).
The Damned (Grünspan, Hamburg, 07.03.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
They started of slow and with stuff years outside of the initial Punk Years. That said, the sound was near perfect and all of them are absolutely gifted musicians. And that made the whole thingy more pleasant.
For my ears though it was too much of both that Gothic and Psychedelic style that actually is way off my liking though sometime with great melodies, nice choruses and surprisingly well glued song structures. Albeit, way to the right of the 02:20 mark of a proper pop song. Yes, sometimes lengthy for my ears.
The Damned (Grünspan, Hamburg, 07.03.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
Towards the end they did throw some of the old stuff in, sometimes super fast, sometimes as a nice deconstruction of an old hit. They played for i guess almost 2 hours, something that i did not expect, so cudos for that.
Within that and towards the end another Rock Show moment did happen, Paul had problems with his Bass and was trying to get first attention and sure then resolution of the Guitar Roadie that was stationed next to The Captain.
Paul Gray vs. Guitar Roadie, 3rd Round (Grünspan, Hamburg, 07.03.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
And from there it went sour, downhill and – for us at the front on the stage side where Paul was – rather funny (for an observer). I guess Paul pointed out he wanted the replacement Bass waiting for action on the side, the Roadie seem to have deducted that the problem was the sling on Pauls current Bass and worked on taking the sling off the replacement Bass.
More than once Paul point out that he needed the new Bass rather, but that fell on death ears. At the end it ended in a song break with Paul basically going on strike and Dave and The Captain taking the piss out of him for not being able to master his gear and the sling.
Although Paul had sun glasses on you could see that he was angry, furious and about to kill the Roadie. It took a disastrous amount of time (at least for a professional rock show) to get resolved.
Bets where taken if the Roadie survives the tour, some assumed he would be lifted home immediately. Lets hope he survived.
Did i like the show? Not too much. Did i enjoy the show? Yes i did somehow but more as an outside observer. Will i volunteer to see The Damned again? I guess not. Did i enjoy the company around me? Yes i did, plenty out of the Punk Rock Hamburg community where around.
The only odd item was the aftermath, as i had to fly out to Amsterdamned on the red eye flight at 06:00 in the morning, facing a long work day. But it was not too cumbersome as i choose to stay sober and did not sip on beer nor booze. Lucky me!
