I had a somewhat shitty work week and it was eventually crowned on Friday by a shitty away performance of my football team. Largely unhappy i strode into Saturday with some doubts if i could stand unknown mu-sick but the love of my life kicked me out and demanded that i go out and enjoy.
And right she was. I was not alone, the show was sold out for quite some time and was to be packed. Good for the bands, better for the Hafenklang.
Support was Bad Assumption from Münster, self proclaimed track suit punks.
Bad Assumption (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 14.03.2026) (c) gehkacken.de 2026
I got to a admit that it has been a while that a band was not able to touch me at all. From presentation, to the music itself and even down to the set list … it just did not make click at all.
Bad Assumption – Setlist (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 14.03.2026)
None of their songs worked for me, for some in the audience though it seemed to work. Check them out for yourself, i fear i will not be trying to see them again.
Next Dead Pioneers out of sunny Denver, Colorado. Sporting a long set list and rumors of a fast set. Would work for me!
Dead Pioneers – Setlist (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 14.03.2026)
They are not your run-of-the-mill hardcore band on Alternative Tentacles, as they came about as a means of supporting an art performance by the lead singer Gregg. He is well known Indigenous artist of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe and wanted some real music to complement a performance piece titled “The Punk Pan-Indian Romantic Comedy”.
He is known for Graphic and Spoken Word art and the latter is nicely mixed into what is by and large Punk (and when fast Hardcore), with plenty of elements of Rock (of the more modern side).
Dead Pioneers (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 14.03.2026) (c) gehkacken.de 2026
It did work for me, specifically as it came down hard and fast. And with some clear cut messages (sans preaching).
And as a devoted fan of the books of Tony Hillerman i understood why Gregg greeted us in his tribe language and why he noted that his ancestors own him. And why he dislikes people noting that he does not look like … an Indianer.
This is how they finished their set with … the song is called Dead Pioneers:
It nicely summed up a great set by a great band (a well oiled engine) with a great messenger (aka story teller).
Once finished they mixed and mingled and where utmost approachable. Genuinely interested in meeting people and getting feedback. Responsive. As such i chatted a bit, continued to be surprised about the audience (very different faces) and had my two post show beers.
It was a blow to the community last year, when the news crept through social media that Martin Witte passed away. He had his song writing & guitar playing fingers in so many bands plus he also had his fingers on the mixing desk for so many bands.
In short, he was a mainstay.
Following a short and intimate farewell at the Pretty Vacant HQ already last year close friends setup a rather big tribute night at The Hafenklang, with 8 bands taking a deep bow.
And to no surprise it was sold out in record time.
The audience was greeted by this lovely picture, wall size.
For me Witte was always up there on stage (or in my record collection). The first time i really took note was when i saw Napalm at the Graffiti on 09.09.1982, supporting The Insane. I already was sold on their “It’s a warning” EP (and i had both the Punkenstein EP and the first Napalm EP with the novelty song “Tolle”).
And the reason another trustworthy source has determined exactly right:
Keine andere deutsche Punkband hatte damals den knackigen Gitarrensound der Cockney Rejects so gut drauf wie Napalm. Kein Wunder, dass auch John Peel die zweite EP »It’s a Warning« in seiner Radioendung spielte, wo ich sie praktischerweise auch gleich auf Kassette mitschnitt. Ein Erwerb der Platte war also nicht nötig, sie in die Finger zu bekommen, wäre auch nicht leicht gewesen. Später wurden beide Napalm-Platten teure Sammlerstücke. Andreas Michalke
They sounded so perfect like an English band (though, Lui’s accent on the vocals gives away that they ain’t).
Over at my other page i have two picture from the show, they look less impressing than i have it in my memory i gotta admit.
Summing all the bands up is too much, from the top of my head i would think of Screamer, Punkenstein, Napalm, Torpedo Moskau, Noise Annoys, Ramones Revival Bands / Ramonez 77 and sure later Razors. And his own venture, Witte XP. I am more than happy to have seen most of these live.
Out of that rooster of long lasting friends and collaborators both this show and the setup came about, trying to max many sides of music and Witte into a single rooster.
Tribut to Witte (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 29.01.2026) (c) gehkacken.de 2026
Östro 430 started and gave a short but deep from the heart acoustic set, including a Witte XP cover. Zusy Jones, self proclaimed maritime cartilage core with a geriatric drive, put up a nice out-of-town surprise as the 2nd band.
But not as big as Yacøpsæ. Their powerviolence/grindcore might have been pain to some ears (that are not accustomed) but boy, did they hit hard. And fast. And precise.
Also they put a nod forward to Witte, they covered a Torpedo Moskau song and got Stephan and Arne to sing:
Mahler/Fondermann and The Beast then gave the audience some relaxation with something that ventured more on the Power Pop side than on fast grind. And, surprise, it was their first ever live show. Check them out, next chance is 28.02.2026 at the Cafe Treibeis in Altona.
C³I grounded it back into clear cut guitar driven Punk and Scholle from Platzangst sang a Torpedo Moskau song with them, a double cool reference to Witte.
Die Augen next with some Guitar/Vocals Punk covers before Antikörper took the stage for their final ever show, hitting a large part of the audience up for dancing along.
Blut + Eisen i needed drop in favor for the long ride home, the planed timeline at that point in time was some 30+ minutes behind schedule already.
It was really cool to see all of the little nods and reference to Witte, he indeed had a lasting impact on many in Hamburg and beyond.
Here is a great Radio feature on Achim’s London Calling show, it carries plenty of Wittes own words:
Big thanks to those who made the evening possible (i believe Ritchy Fondermann and Arne Wagner) and provided the opportunity for a very touching farewell. And as ever, we need to keep the names mentioned, then those who left these shores are not yet gone as long as we do.
I was somewhat lucky to capture the energy in the room on a single picture – click for high-res download:
nb: My lovelist song with Witte? Thats “Window” by Noise Annoys, for both lyrics and guitar work actually.
Here is it as great live action – you need to head over to Youtube for that.
That was somewhat an ill-fated Thursday evening: Initially set as “The Pissed Ones & The Outcasts” it was drawing high desires (because of The Outcasts) but then the guys from sunny Belfast had to pull their short run across Germany due to health issues.
The Spartanics, whom i found the biggest surprise live last year stepped in and upcoming local heroes Senkrechtstarter where added. Only to find The Spartanics to pull out shortest notice due to sickness too. They send their local friends The Cockheads instead.
Net result: A rather empty upstairs in the Hafenklang, i guess not even 45 folks showed up. Damn!
For myself the first band was a must, i missed all other occasions to see Senkrechtstarter all of last year.
This is how they kicked off:
And yes, they had to face indeed a largely empty room, people still arrived whilst they played.
They ticked a couple of boxes with me, fist and foremost: Dressed for the occasion. Stage uniform. Senkrechtstarter workshirts in black.
Any band that meets this entertainment necessity does have huge credits with me when it comes to live shows.
They play uptempo (though not fast paced), they play Punk Rock (though with a scent of Power Pop) and they sing in German.
And the lyrics, boy, they are their biggest asset. Jason (of Platzangst, Rubbermaids, Weltniveau and many more bands fame) writes the songs. Creates the lyrics. And sings.
And it has something indeed, i do hope that they get to play more occasions, bigger crowds. They deserve it.
Here is how they finished the set:
They have a demo out, check it out on Bandcamp:
And, being a smart band, they handed stickers, badges and the demo on a CD to the audience, pay what you want. Or, if you want, take also the moneys that other threw in.
Grant idea!
Next the fill-in for The Spartanics – the Cockheads. I am not sure if they should have been a 3-some (i guess so) and if they lost their bass due to the short notice option to play in Hamburg.
The setup, with the guitar amp’d through both sides of the stage, seemed deliberate. They played rather short songs, with the vocals sounding a bit thin.
How did it sound? Here is a slightly longer one:
Whilst it was not bad i always had that itch that the bass was missing. It would have given the songs more depth, more umpf.
Somewhat i had the feeling that actually they where playing a modern way of providing Gassenhauer (but not the Carl Orff one) to the audience, not sure what made my mu-sick-al receptors connect that way.
The Cockheads (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 22.01.2026) (c) gehkacken.de 2026
They got friendly applause and whilst a mate resorted to smoking outside i found it – in the end – entertaining. And short. As in bonus.
They got quickly followed by The Pissed Ones, hailing upstream from Dresden on the mighty river Elbe, and they took the stage like this:
Bäng – that was a heavy hitting contrast. That one was “Come and get it” from their 2022 LP.
Much more pushing forward, much more Punk Rock on steroids (like, say, New York 1970something and/or Briefs/Stitches territory).
In contrast to the other two bands they sing in English and i guess that is anyway without alternative given the sound.
The Pissed Ones (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 22.01.2026) (c) gehkacken.de 2026
Strumming chords, knacking bass and the utmost hard hitting drums. And all topped with some behind the wall of sound overtones by the other guitar, but indeed these small overtones, solos and whathaveyou thrown in made the whole shebang almost perfect.
Yes, they definitely lean also to the hard rocking side of Punk fucking Rock:
Wild! And utmost entertaining!
The songs tend to be above 3 minutes, the guitar play is front and center and the rhythm should get into peoples feat (though the lack of audience did not really make that happen).
The Pissed Ones (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 22.01.2026) (c) gehkacken.de 2026
The real eye catcher for me was the drummer: Not only did he hit very very hard (and pushed the lot forward), he also made funny faces, exaggerated the stick handling and looked around like a madman.
And for the final song, he claimed the closing credits:
Wow, i was a tad bit surprised.
Great set and for sure a band to explore. And somewhat i was not surprise to find among their records this one:
These recordings where done for a radio feature about Patty Smith and they fit the thing just puuurfect.
From where i sit The Pissed Ones can come back any day, best downstairs and with a full house. They do deserve that indeed.
As ever when i am a happy bunny i take something home, this time i sure could not pass the Senkrechtstarter offer.
Senkrechtstarter Demo CD (DYI)
Great Thursday though only 3 mates around me. Pitty. But i was lucky all the way, public transport gave me a slick ride home into the suburbs with no waiting time in the ice cold night on changeovers.
And indeed the all local (German) bands setting worked well!
… unfortuneatly The Outcasts had to cancel their German shows
