It has been a while. Not so much seeing Gerd (that has been last year) but seeing two shows on the same evening. I have friends who do place hoping as an urge (to see everything) but that ain’t my thingy. But this Saturday a perfect opportunity arose and i had to take it.
En route to the Knust i could catch an early performance by Poolhead at the FC St. Pauli Fanshop on the Reeperbahn and from there it would be a short hop to the Knust (where proceedings would start around 20:00).
Poolhead played as part of the Fanshop Kultur series (already going for 10+ years, Gerd graced the cobble stones in 2015) and as part of the 100th occasion.
Poolhead (FSK100, Hamburg, 15.11.2025)
(c) gehkacken.de 2025
I fell for Poolhead when they played the Punk Rock Hamburg Summer Fest in 2024 and ever since was eager to see them. Unfortunately previous dates where they played home shores did not match my schedule, hence it took more than a year.
They played with least setup time and managed to sound quite well from the go.
The beauty of the setup in the shop, on the Reeperbahn, is that the audience is a fun mix of fans & friends, store customers and walkers by (who hear the sound and enter the store). By the looks for some live music as such was a big surprise, including some small kids who most likely had not seen anything like that prior.
Poolhead (FSK100, Hamburg, 15.11.2025)
(c) gehkacken.de 2025
I am still sold on them and in absence of Man or Astro-man? they are the best to see live from that little genre largely sans vocals and full of analog spring reverb.
They finished off with what is their self-proclaimed signature song… here we go with Il Bagnino:
Blistering! Perfect! They even got forced to encore after this and gave Miserlou (their only cover) to the enchanted audience.
As they where running late i scooted off across the Heiligengeistfeld to the Knust as i wanted to catch the support there too.
On the way to the Knust i noted that a UK Cover Band wanted to steal the audience away from Gerd, luring people into the Congress Center. Damned you are Suzy, rather you should have come to worship the origins of Glam!
Over at the Knust it somewhat felt like Suzy had been successful, or it was the early start of “Doors 1900” that still is alien to the elderly (though perfect for an early nap).
As support Gerd had enlisted The Changingmen. I had not seen them before but knew they had a support slot for The Undertones recently. Plus the faces felt familiar, 3/4th of them played with Helge (still missing him) in Sixteen Again.
The Changingmen (Knust, Hamburg, 15.11.2025)
(c) gehkacken.de 2025
Their sound ventures on the Rock side, in good moments it is very UK Power Pop. Not particularly my world but all of them are good musicians so it did not sound odd or off.
It sounded like this:
Sound wise they definitely fitted the support slot for Gerd but net only half of the audience made an effort to see them.
Kudos to the Bad Job Boys, they appeared in full force! Still, as said, a valid warm-up for Gerd.
And they had all originals, just like Gerd.
Next and with all the grandeur of accumulated hundreds of years of stage experience Gerd took ownership of the Knust:
Action! Top 15 in July 1975 in the UK. And bittersweet revenge on the mu-sick-industry (and thus 100% in Gerd territory).
It sounded rough (if not bumpy) and as a listener i had the feel that Gerd needed a couple of songs to be fully glued together.
The Changingmen (Knust, Hamburg, 15.11.2025)
(c) gehkacken.de 2025
But once the train started rolling more and more it worked hand-in-glove and to the excitement of the audience (though, as said, the Knust felt a wee bit empty).
By the time they arrived at the end of the setlist they had it all: Energy, wit, togetherness, humor and the audience.
Thus it was time for one of their signature songs:
More than one person after the show noted that Nessi should be lending his great voice more professionaly to a band – it is one of these voices that can glue a listener, just like here. Una bella compangnia!
The Changingmen (Knust, Hamburg, 15.11.2025)
(c) gehkacken.de 2025
And in extra time aka encore they topped it all and had the lot singing and dancing as there would not be any stoppage, up to and including firing on all cylinders for Billstedt (Twilight Zone):
Little fun fact: That is 1:17 of pure beauty and when Lemmy and Da Bruders covered this on 06.08.1996 at The Palace in Los Angeles it clocked in at … exactly 1:17.
Gerd, the unstoppable machine that other bands cover 1:1.
The Changingmen (Knust, Hamburg, 15.11.2025)
(c) gehkacken.de 2025
Once the encore was done Gerd retreated but the lot did not have enough. It wanted more. It demanded more. And Thodde, Gerds drummer, wanted to give more and lured the rest back on stage.
Not rehearsed in 30 years but hey-ho, once we get over the first bump it’ll work, eh? And boy, it did!
30 odd songs, crème de la crème of Gerds oeuvre.
Once they finally had left the stage Hollyholetsgo and Nickelodeon lured the lot onto the dancefloor at the bar. Their expert sing-a-long and dance-a-long DJ selections kept the fun & energy high, fueling the lust for liquid replenishment.
2 locations, 3 bands and surrounded by largely friends. And enjoying the music. To that extent a huge thanks to Gerd for enabling it and already thanks in advance for the upcomming 40 year party at the Elbphilharmonie.
And (blush) for seeing my Gerd pic from the 2024 show blown up in front of the Knust and on their monthly flyer.
