Back to the Monkeys, back to them beloved French (with a scent of Mēxihco). It was an early show, doors to open right after the ballot for the nationwide election closed. Too early for some, only some 50 people came “on time” whilst just about 300 tickets were sold upfront.
The early start duty went to Claimed Choice, which for me was like seeing the headliner first. At least they would get a bigger turnout than 2023, where a mere 30 people made an effort to see them.
The Monkeys adapted the schedule slightly backwards and Claimed Choice came on when it was more than half filled. And they took the audience by storm i guess.
Partly it was down to the overall good mood present in the audience, i felt excitement all around for the package tonight despite the ballot results indicating … expected shite. And partly for sure it was driven by the uplifting sound of Claimed Choice.
Here is their prime example, wandering way beyong the Oi! genre and with quite some capabilities when it comes to song writing, structure, harmonies … you name it!
Another State Of Mind, un deux trois quatre!
A short but really good set, already driving some dancing in front of the stage. And providing a little nugget as in a new record of them being right around the corner.
I guess having played almost every day on this run with Lion’s Law and Mess across Europe over the last 3 weeks made them both well rehearsed and pretty tight.
Next Mess, who made their debut in Hamburg at the Hafenklang in 2022. Back then i concluded:
Much more basic, much more stripped down and – with a positive spin – amateurish. Or simply: Authentic.
Three years later i got to admit that the A-word to be used now needs to be accomplished. I guess they have played a lot and have perfected their sound on the way.
Much more than at the Hafenklang they came across tight and creating a forceful and pushy wall of sound, topped with multi-vocal chorus singing.
With that they definitely got the lot in front of the stage moving much more than i expected.
Somewhat it is great to see how far they have developed, how much they turned from their initial novelty status to a force to recon state. A definite force!
Saying Claimed Choice had the best songs and Mess had the best force must result in saying that Lion’s Law had the audience. I guess even before they entered the stage.
Here is how they kicked off, that is Crucified from their brand new 2025 album:
From the kick-off they indeed owned the audience, with all elements that go with it: Sing-a-long, fist in the air and dancing, be it male or female. As much as they came as one down from the stage they took the audience as one with them and provided a feel of unity.
Lion's Law (Monkeys, Hamburg, 23.02.2025 (c) gehkacken.de 2025)
I have seen them a couple of times but not for the last 7 years, because in my ears there was a little growing scent of metal coming into their sound. And that i did not dig.
Seeing them now in 2025 i guess that was somewhat a wrong judgement, they simply have a much more professional sound (and thus wider), a much more professional delivery mode.
Not really my thingy today but the way they engage and get the crowd along is top notch entertainment. And frank, even if i do not buy a record of them anymore it ain’t a waste of time to see them.
Lion's Law (Monkeys, Hamburg, 23.02.2025 (c) gehkacken.de 2025)
And where me and me mates took that professional delivery with some distance (and still enjoyed it, do not get me wrong) the vast majority of the audience went apeshit and beyond, with broad smiles and all sweaty.
Lion’s Law had them, big time.
Early show, early end. Bands playing in order of my preference. A pint upfront and a Cuba Libre afterwards. And surrounded by happy people and mates. And bands delivering.
Not a bad end for an election day.
PS: Pity though that i learned after the show that at least one band member i supported on stage happily supports and shares the latest boycott campaign on the Hafenklang due to it’s stance wrt to the conflict in Palestina/Israel. Does not make me happy at all, it rather frustrates the hell out of me.
Another shook me head moment came when a mate, coming back from a pee, reported that his pissing experience was impacted by band members in need of Colombian marching powder (and choosing the Monkeys toilet to consume).
There ain’t no business like a traveling show, eh?
I have to admit that i was doubtful. On more than one front actually. On the one side i got the ticket almost immediately when the show was announced, only to find that about 40odd people where even faster. Smelling like a high attendance for a band without any history other than … that other side. And that being the nagging question in the back of my head “Are they just an internet hype or good for real?`”.
As ever the answer does require to get your ass off the ground, so back home from work and out to the Monkeys for early doors at 19:00. And an outlook of maybe or maybe not a support. As Sam explained later he got nowhere to get one booked, even up to bands rejecting to support them (most likely for rather odd reasonings, but hey – own choices).
Arriving early i found already some mates that attended the Imploders on Tuesday too and i found them already armed with merch. And once i was inside i got to know that all 7″ where already gone. As my strict modus operandi nowadays is to buy records only when a band convinces me live i got a wee bit nervous. And once i was tipped off that LP’s where running low that plan went out of the window, i grabbed my dose of vinyl prior to the show.
And believe me or not, i have never seen a band carrying that large amount of merch into a club and selling it like there was no future. Shirts, Vinyl … go!
A lot to live up to now for CMI and from the buzz around me i could feel that the 200+ audience in the well filled Monkeys was as eager as much as me and me mates where.
Came 21:00 and CMI where on stage and took on the lot. The singer was sporting a black German DFB Shirt from Adidas paired with his signature white Adidas trainers. And as surprise the 2nd guitar was manned by the Charlie of Chubby & The Gang and The Chisel fame.
Conservative Military Image (Monkeys, Hamburg, 25.10.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
The kicked in a wee bit slower than expected, i was thinking (dreaming?) of them killing it in high speed gear and facing up to a moshpit of death. Dreams actually, initially they faced a large empty in front of the stage.
Conservative Military Image (Monkeys, Hamburg, 25.10.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
It needed the singer to come down and engage with the lot and indeed the lot responded. To my surprise many where able to sing-a-long (ie. have listened to them over and over) and help with singing.
Whilst the rest of the band was silent and more on the backdrop side the singer was outgoing, outspoken and happy to dive into the pit, full force.
Conservative Military Image (Monkeys, Hamburg, 25.10.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
More than once he praised how happy they where to find places in Europe like the Monkeys where a considerable large contingent of misfits, outcasts and non conformative would cheer them.
Conservative Military Image (Monkeys, Hamburg, 25.10.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
To my surprise there was no pit violence at all, even though some of the attendees where from out of town. Half of the audience was known regulars for this type of shows at the Monkeys and half seemed people i had not see before – i guess indeed CMI had a considerable pull or lure on people also from out of town.
Coming back to being convinced musically i gotta admit that they not fully convinced me, but that was less the music (though i expected them a wee bit more on the H of H/C) then the presentation. They had way to many breaks between the songs, too much chatting and tuning.
Bangers around and below the magic 02:00 mark should come in like 3-round bursts from an A-14, thereafter it is time for drinks, tuning and banter. I guess they stretched their set to about 45 minutes of playing all they had.
But distilled down to the songs – top notch aggressive hardcore with a casual attitude. And that ain’t bad at all. In contrast! They where good. They where real.
I was home early like Tuesday, had my dose of vinyl and was ready for a start at work on Thursday without a hangover. And thus somewhat happy!
PS: And the name of the band`? Just a tongue-in check lift outta an Army manual… effectiveness, pride and self-discipline as a band. What did you think?
PPS: Bonus Pint for them for making Oliver Kahn subject of a casual Adidas violence single…
A busy weekend to finish off September, with opportunities ranging from the MOi!n It’s Hamburg Festival (Edition #8) at the Monkeys, me mates Frosch 60+ birthday bash and FCSP playing away at Berlin (with ~ 12.000 Fans travelling, could have been me too). Hard stuff to choose from and taking all of these options somehow would not work out (though i was proven 2/3 wrong later).
Friday i choose the Monkeys, specifically as it would feature two surprises for me: Los Pepes had been on me bucket list for quite some time and Rotten XIII from Euskadi where something i regretted to have missed at the Indra in April 2022.
Los Pepes kicked off at the Monkeys quite early, i guess some people simply missed them because it was a footie kick-off at 20:45. They hail from a little niche within the niche of evening, some sort of edge overlap in the wide (warning, euphemism incoming) territory of Oi!:
The loudest powerpop band on earth… the Motörhead of powerpop! No hit wonder 60s and 70s garage pop melodies drowning in a wall of punk rock guitar. Good Vibrations records served up with a Testors punch in the face. Songs about love, antipathy and getting up to no good. They’ll stick in your head and leave your ears ringing.
Let’s agree it is Power Pop on steroids, it is indeed the thunder and drive of hard hitting Rock’n’Roll sugar coated with the beauty and twang of Power Pop. And delivered taking a Johnny Ramone memorial stance on stage (at the least by the towering bass and by the 2nd guitar).
Los Pepes (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 29.09.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
They did not waste time on audience interaction, they rather fast forwarded through their set in a near perfect delivery. And within that, they even got some people moving and a fair share of applause.
Where they a 100% fit for the evening? I think yes, as much as Alvilda from France would be on Saturday. They both cover some of the softer edges (lol) and indeed they cover that well. I thoroughly enjoyed them and thus they ended up as the record pick of the night (and if you are a regular reader you know what that means).
With the City Saints from sunny Göteborg next it was back to more traditional territory. Straight forward working class Rock’n’Roll, delivered rather unpretentious. They sing in Swedish and in English, with some neat sing-a-longs in the latter.
And as such them Göteborgare got much more of the audience, they also had an easier bonding as they played more than once already to more-or-less the same locals over here.
City Saints (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 29.09.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
By and large i liked it, though i have to admit that at some times it was a too simple receipt for me ears. But hey, that is the beauty of such occasions – you get a crisp exposure also of things that are not 100% up your alley. The rest of the by now more and more filled Monkeys gave them plenty of cheers, so i better shut up.
From the shores of the North it was then all the way down to the middle if Italy, Mad Rollers hail from Rome and musically they trace back the same roots that Giuda took in: Proto Punk, though with less Glam.
Their debut album was recorded by the Giuda producer as far as i can make out and thus there is some truth that it sounds like a early Giuda record. But hey, what is wrong to play in a successful niche, a niche that has it’s devotees and a niche where you can excel?
Mad Rollers (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 29.09.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
A review of their record summed it neatly up:
‘Bish, Bash, Bosh’, and it’s like the 70s never ended, in the best way. One listen, and you’ll be convinced you’ve known it all your life. Producer Silvestri has mastered the Chinn/Chapman hit factory sound. My heart goes out to any young bands in Rome; the benchmark , for this style, is immense.
‘Another Night’ adds some cheesy keyboards, but doesn’t stray into the 80s, so if Giuda’s brief flirtation with Duran Duran wasn’t your thing, you’ll be happy here.
My legs got the beat instantly like me many in the audience. It was namely the female contingent up front, who could not stop their dancing shoes from moving. And right so! Strong beat, driving bass and superb twin guitars and a singer that takes the audience along.
Great stuff, great live band.
It was for Rotten XIII from Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea to finish the lot off and boy did they do that.
5 young lads from Larraga and a mate noted immediately after their first song “They must be very angry“. Stance, delivery – all came deep from the heart and all came delivered with all anger & stamina they got.
Rotten XIII (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 29.09.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
Mu-sick-ally they are broad: Fast stompers, slower and longer songs with some folk like edges and even using outlandish instruments like the saxophone. How did it sound? It sounded like this:
It is though only one angle, one corner of their wide abilities. They got me and judging by the cheers they got plenty of the by now well filled Monkeys. By storm i’d say. The singer tried to explain bit’s and pieces and more than once apologized that their English was not that good.
Who cares actually? Even without understanding Euskara there was enough in their songs to a) like it and b) almost feel the urge to sing-a-long. The sing-a-long in the audience was delivered too, i guess they had a couple of mates with them.
Rotten XIII (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 29.09.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
They did not stun me as much as Kaleko Urdangak did in 2019 but they where a worthy headliner to finish off the first day on a high. The little niche that these two days at the Monkeys would showcase has indeed some high’s in France but that is not all there is – also bands from Euskal Herria continue to deliver on a high.
Well done boys, specifically as this was only ever the 4th show outside of their own ground.
Suggest you check out their latest record:
I was home late and luckily not knackered, as i resisted the thirst most of the time.
But i still had options for Saturday. Sure not i was going to travel to Berlin and sure i would start the evening at the Hafenklang (a mates invite is always worth more than my 2-day tickets for the Monkeys) but would i sneak out and head back to see The Drowns?
MOi!n It's Hamburg #8
(Monkeys Music Club & Indra, Hamburg, 29./30. September 2023)
Came Saturday and it was a private function at the Hafenklang. And would surround me with some of the Punk Rock Hamburg family, fellow old punks and generally good people.
The plans to get a last and final stand of Jam Today with some extras though fell through the crack short notice, as their drummer tested positive for Covid. Damn.
Live music thus was limited to the nameless band (that quickly was christened Frogger by the lot) that was originally only ever to play a few songs as a very personal gift of Nico (one of the guitars and one who helped me mate to to conquer fate).
They play guitar pop, at some times like early Cure at other times more like 80’s bands from the UK. Within that they also threw two Jam covers, namely to please the lot (and lot was pleased).
It was a nice surprise over some of the more obvious choices me mate could have made and i recon it was his return for the support provided. And within the short set they also covered the very personal song that Hedwig penned for him for his 40ties birthday:
Yes, they call him Frosch. Less Pogo now, as the knees are utterly ruined but still attending loads of shows, much more than i do. And holding the season ticket next to me a the Millerntor.
Frosch gave a little speech and reminded people that fate can strike anytime, anywhere (something our little community has experience more than once recently) and that you must enjoy the moment.
And that the lot did, with DJ Starry Eyes perfectly providing the soundtrack to a couple of hours of chatting, dancing, drinking and … enjoying the result in Berlin. Top of the league, as much as this party. And as much as the people around me.
For those who don’t know that song, here is the beauty i did for his 40s birthday following the drunken guarantee to Hedwig & me mate “… if you record the song i’ll put it out as a picture disk“. Said & done, back then in 2003.
Demolition Girl & The Strawberry Boys – They Call Him Frog (Holy War Records, 2003, limited to 500 – last copies on sale!)
And here is how the original sounds like:
Happiest Mate, it is a privilege to be on your side and it is a pleasure to have you around, continued.
The options on Saturday? I did not take them but one of the lot was so brave to take a taxi, see The Drowns and be back (with companions) for some more dancing. Well done Mao, well done.
And Sunday? Lazy.
Perfect weekend i’d say. Welcome to Hamburg i’d say.
