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  • … when you expect the best and still get surprised: Dead Bob and Terra Flop, show of the year contester!

    … when you expect the best and still get surprised: Dead Bob and Terra Flop, show of the year contester!

    Rarely i had a band hitting Hamburg whilst touring with that amount of positive feedback coming north from others who had seen them before south of the mighty river Elbe.

    Dead Bob, the solo venture gone band from John Wright (of No Means No and Hanson Brothers fame), did fly into Hamburg on such positive vibes … that also i was more than eager to get to see them.

    For Dead Bob it would be the end of a 5 week tour across central Europe, so i had high hopes that they would finish this obvious triumphant run on the highest possible high.

    The evening though started with lowest possible low, as the mighty FCSP choose this sunny Sunday to put a piss poor home game on display. The final whistle still echoed around the Millerntor when i left me mates and took the stroll down to the Hafenklang, using the walk to refocus on #thereaintnuthinbetterthanlivemusic rather than footie.

    Dead Bob had enlisted Terra Flop (out of Bremen) for the final dates, a setting that turned out for me as more than fitting.

    They are a non-nonsense 3-piece with quite a clever sound: On top of a rock solid backline of drum & bass the guitar does very simple chords (though with clever little variations throwing in what sound to me like “misses”) and vocals that sound nölig (a german word that translates somewhat to whining but more like grumpy whining).

    Terra Flop (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 19.10.2025)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2025

    All together it worked very well for me, they themselves attach punk no wave noise noise rock as tags to their sound. And indeed they mix all of above well, here is a prime example:

    As much as i can make out a one chord wonder in the most bare, most simplistic way. I liked them, though not something that i would take home for listening. But live, this evening, it was a perfect uplift following the footie disaster.

    Go and check them out for yourself:

    They are self-sustained, their recent record ain’t with any distribution but only available at shows or via their Bandcamp page.

    The changeover to Deab Bob on stage was fun to watch, as their stuff was already there albeit in a different layout. John resided with his drums 90° angled to the audience on the right side, the rest of the band fronting the stage.

    Dead Bob – Setlist (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 19.10.2025 (c) gehkacken.de 2025)

    The setlist did not ring any bell with me, on purpose i had not checked out anything from them prior to the show.

    From taking the stage throughout the set i was having a little itch in the back of me head that i was looking at a theatrical drama and would listening to an orchestra.

    Just like in this snippet:

    To an extent it was the unusual setup on stage, more so it was the sheer volume, presence and variety of the band that did drive it. And yes, they where fucking loud!

    Dead Bob (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 19.10.2025)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2025

    John has assembled a class troupe to stage his songs live, all fellow Canadians. A hard strumming bass. A small but growling out loud guitar. A smiling frontman with a strong guitar. And his son on keyboard, horn and vocals.

    And whilst they where indeed fucking loud (and that worked very well) they also had somber moments of remembering loved ones: This SNFU cover went out to Ken “Mr. Chi Pig” Chinn, this day would have been his 63rd birthday.

    Me and some mates around me had almost tears in our eyes. A very fitting memory, people may disappear but they don’t get lost if we remember them and say their name!

    Dead Bob (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 19.10.2025)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2025

    At this point the proceedings where already in extra time, more than once they came back and took another go.

    They finished off with the closing song from the album, an almost power pop like song – here is Make Believe World:

    Sing-a-long:

    Your living in a make believe world.
    Don’t you know, you gotta believe me.
    You’re living in a make believe world.
    Can’t you see. You gotta believe me.
    Your living in a make believe world.
    Gonna make, make you believe me.
    You’re living in a make believe world.
    Don’t you know?
    You gotta believe

    And go check it out in the recorded version too:

    The not completely sold out Hafenklang by now was a dancing, smiling and cheering beauty full of appreciation. And once it was over i heard from more than one (including people who saw them earlier on the tour) that this felt like a “Show of the Year” thingy.

    I for sure have this one on my shortlist, it was on all fronts near perfect.

    As ever i lured for vinyl, only the 7″ was left:

    Dead Bob – Some Bodies b/w We Are The Humans
    (Alternative Tentacles Virus 538-7 / Wrong Records, 2025)

    I picked two, as a mate could not make it due to some nasty medical emergency that ain’t over yet. The gift hopefully will cheer him up, he needs it!

    Great show and testament to the simple fact that Oh Canaduh! hosts so many talented musicians, so many great bands.

    I took the long ride home happy as a fuck and dropped to bed late, with no memory to footie: Live music cheered me up!

    PS: And yet again i was lucky to capture the essence of the show in a single picture. Click for downloading the high-res version!

  • Bücher, schnell gelesen: 1.791

    Bücher, schnell gelesen: 1.791

    Michael Connelly – Die Spur Der Toten Mädchen (Kampa, 2025)

    Gelesen: 29.09. – 14.10.2025 (netto 482 Seiten, Krankheitsbedingt mit Unterbrechungen)

    Aus dem amerikanischen Englisch von Sepp Leeb.

    Smooth, hand-in-glove! Das fällt mir zu dieser Story ein, vor allem wie Michael Connelly hier die Bosch Reihe und die Lincoln Lawyer Reihe zusammenführt und ein einem Buch, einem Fall, vereint.

    Das ganze beginnt mit Seitenwechseln: Mickey Haller wird vom LA District Attorney als Staatsanwalt angeheuert um einen alten Fall, denn ein Berufungsgericht hat eine 24 Jahre alte Verurteilung aufgehoben. Der Hauptbeweis (Sperma auf einem Kleid) stellte sich nach einem DNA Test als Entlastungsbeweis heraus.

    Der Staat (aka “das Volk”) braucht nun einen unverbrauchten Ankläger für den neuen Prozess. Und die (somit erstmalige) Verurteilung von Jason Jessup.

    Dazu holt Haller nicht nur seine ex-Frau ins Team sondern auch seinen Halbbruder Harry Bosch als Ermittler des Staatsanwaltes.

    Im Ergebnis muss Haller einen offensichtlich Schuldigen verknackt bekommen, wo er doch sonst offensichtlich Schuldige versucht freizubekommen. Der Vorteil ist natürlich, das er alle Tricks einer guten Verteidigung kennt.

    Im Gegensatz zu einem reinen Bosch Fall ist hier weniger detailierte Ermittlung zu erleben sondern eben mehr von Haller, der als witziger Zyniker, Veteran unzähliger Gerichtsschlachten und knallharter Taktiker glänzt.

    Connelly trifft dabei die Details von Hallers Welt ebenso präzise wie die von Bosch, er schildert einen zermürbenden Prozessablauf, die emotionalen Höhen und Tiefen der beteiligten Anwälte, die Verdrießlichkeit des Richters und die Kleinlichkeit der Geschworenen und etwaiger Störenfriede mit bemerkenswerter Präzision.

    Alles in diesem Buch fühlt sich dabei (oder dadurch?) sehr Real an, so dass der Leser nicht einmal daran zweifelt, dass die Öffentlichkeit den nach 24 Jahren entlasteten Jessup, der zufällig auch ein verurteilter Kindermörder ist, als Volkshelden feiert oder dass es in der Staatsanwaltschaft von Los Angeles jemals so etwas wie einen „unabhängigen Staatsanwalt“ gab.

    Und bei allen zynischen Blicken auf die Justiz, allen zynischen Handlungen der Beteiligten bleibt ein klarer Blick auf die Opfer: Das Opfer selbst und die zerstörte Familie.

    Das bisher stärkste Buch der Lincoln Lawyer Reihe und am Ende wartet eine große Überraschung: Bosch killt nicht einen Bösewicht!

    Soundtrack dazu: Second Wind – Trial and Errors, was sonst?

    PS: Und Michael Connelly so?

  • … injuries, sickness and rain can’t stop the showboat!

    … injuries, sickness and rain can’t stop the showboat!

    I guess by now it is an annual tradition: Showboating with the Bad Job Boys. Two hours of entertainment on the mighty River Elbe (a board of an not so mighty vessel), with one set dedicated to favorites plus new songs and the other one to crowd and band favorites (as in covers with Guest singers).

    Unfortunately the start was more somber, 25% of the ticket holders seemed (or where confirmed) off sick, the soundman had to de-board (being sick) needing a replacement and some of the lot hoppled to the MS Hedi. And yes, we traded doc stories but kept our x-rays out of the discussion.

    And on top the weather was perfect wet Hamburg autumn.

    Sure this did not deter fans (who came as far as from sunny Bergamo, home of the finest DIY festival in this galaxy) nor band, off it went into the dark (and frank, these tours make more fun when the sun is up to say 21:00).

    The Bad Job Boys kicked off with quite some energy, early on gave the lot new songs that, despite being showcased for the first time, sounded perfectly polished.

    Bad Job Boys (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 08.10.2025)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2025

    Knowing that Frank was out some time with his foot i wonder how often they where able to rehearse together. More then ever they came across perfectly in sync, not a slip of chord or break.

    Bad Job Boys – Setlist (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 08.10.2025 (c) gehkacken.de)

    Sad thing though during the 2nd set that none of the audience took the challenge to jump in and sing a cover with them (instead of those planed in but absent due to sickness).

    So that job went solely to Mike, Denis (of Nixda! fame) and Sabine (of Bullshit Boy fame) gave umpf to sing-a-long hits like Waiting Room, Gotta Getaway or Bodies. And for sure one of the biggest sing-a-longs that ever came out of Hamburg: Nein Nein Nein!

    Bad Job Boys (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 08.10.2025)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2025

    The evening started with chatting about sickness and injuries, at the end of the 2nd set it also haunted the Boys. Piotr had issues with (my guess) the tendons in his play arm and could not play the bass anymore. After a short rest he tried again, but the pain was too big.

    That somewhat cut the planed noisy return into the harbor short, it was a more silent return unfortunately. Let’s hope it ain’t serious, speedy recovery!

    Nice one again, though a spacious sold out feels a wee bit off. But it remains a great fixture, provides perfect showboating with friends and provides hope that some of the new songs have actually been penned down to be recorded.

    That would do nicely on the merch table!