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Tag: MS Hedi

… showboating with the Razors!
It will be a busy week for the Razors, they have a rather big show ahead at the Markthalle as support for Toxoplasma and Dead Kennedys (sans Jello). As a warm up they took largely Friends and Family in a perfect showboat setting through the Hamburg Harbor.

Best weather after another hot day in Hamburg, with a slight breeze coming from the east, calm waters and still beautiful sunshine … there ain’t not better way to cruise the harbor than that.

With a slight delay the MS Hedi took off for a first round towards the west, aiming to please the lot with a first “classic” set.

Razors – Set List 1st leg (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 23.08.2022)

As always on the MS Hedi it is the non-existent stage, the non-existent distance between band and audience and the need for steady feet (as the mighty river Elbe can be surprisingly bumpy, specifically for a tiny vessel like the MS Hedi) that makes shows so intimate and – with the right weather like on this evening – so joyful, almost like a holiday cruise.
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Razors (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 23.08.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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The Razors kicked off and had some rather sympathetic hick-ups, false starts and missed chords along the way, all of them simply smiled away and laughed off – both by the band the audience.

From the start it was rather sing-a-long, having an after work drink with friends and enjoying classic Razors songs and classic covers.
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Razors (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 23.08.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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After venturing out towards the big container ships moored at the Tollerort the Hedi slowly returned towards the landing bridge for allowing passengers off/on, just to start again.

This time round the Razors treated the lot with a different set and uncommon covers from Damned and Dirt Box Disco.

Razors – Set List 2nd leg (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 23.08.2022)

By now the Razors were in the groove and fueled the fun like a well oiled engine and the lot reflect the fun back to them … one happy family.
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Razors (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 23.08.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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And believe it or not, that engine ain’t an old, battered and rather powerless engine like in Sven’s motorcycle (a 1974 Japanese device) but has the ability to go boost. And boost it got on “No Brains” – they offered it fast and where challenged to complete it below 30 seconds (on the first LP from 1980 it is 0:36, the re-recording on “New Trash” (from 2021) clocks in at 0:34).

Sven took that challenge and indeed battered them home below 30 seconds. Only to be challenged again for an even faster version. And they did! “No Brains” again, even faster, and reaching towards the 0:20 mark. Almost Weinerschnitzel territory!
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Razors (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 23.08.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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And to the sing-a-long ode “Because You’re Young” the MS Hedi took back towards the mooring, alongside the Promenade that was full of tourists. Those tourists looked quite astonished down towards the tiny vessel full of singing people (being backed by blaring noise). Home bound we where – never walking alone!

Perfect evening out with perfect companionship. I do hope the Razors can play an at least half full Markthalle on the weekend and get the same cheering support. I will miss it, both due to not being really fond of the other bands and the simple fact that me and me love take off for some well deserved battery recharging at Jammerbugten.
2022/08/25
… come storm or high tide: Power Pop sets sail (Sixteen) Again!
Now that shows are less constrained once a venue has decided for what is in Germany called 2G (attendees and participants on the band and venue side need to be either be proven recovered from Covid or vaccinated ) also the smaller venues come back: Be it Hafenklang or MS Hedi.

What under normal circumstances would have been a nice boat ride into the sunset turned out in late October as a battle vs. storm Ignatz, who provided both wind, waves and a high tide leading to some flooding in the harbor area.

Some 60something folks set foot on the MS Hedi and where greeted by some groovy Brit Pop singles put on by DJ Helge.

Whilst his choice of music was good i have to admit his handling of precious singles was less: Don’t touch the vinyl is a ground rule that we #recordcollectorsrepretentiousassholes should always maintain!

Everybody on board was quite happy (and chatty) that live-mu-sick now comes back also beyond local bands, everybody starts to buy tickets again, all the way up to March next year.

Eventually DJing stopped and Sixteen Again took the floor (due to lack off a stage on the MS Hedi). As the stormy weather was still difficult it was decided to have the first set moored at dock.

Sixteen Again – Setlist (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 21.10.2021 (c) gehkacken.de)

The first set was solely dedicated to the Œuvre of Esquires Shelly and Diggle, all those juvenile love or teenage angst songs we all can sing-a-long, day or night. And singing-a-long and dancing (as much as possible) did the connoisseurs whilst the band tried to keep their posture … even moored there was enough movement of the floor.
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Sixteen Again (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 21.10.2021 (c) gehkacken.de 2021)
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Sixteen Again plowed through the set with both energy and fun and you could sense that they have managed to to fully get themselves into these songs. What sure also helps is that singing duties are split, giving the songs the different variations that are needed.

For the 2nd set the Captain of the MS Hedi decided to set sail, the low frequency feel of the engine did climb up our feet. It was to be a cautions route though, no too much into the open waters of the river Elbe, where wind and waves still rules the water.
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Sixteen Again (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 21.10.2021 (c) gehkacken.de 2021)
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The 2nd set was dedicated to other British Power Pop, some of these songs worked surprisingly good, others where impacted by the much more wobbly waters. Unfortunately my own favorite one (Ghosts Of Princess In Towers) was totally slaughtered – both their redemption did not work and the waves did impact the play.

In the end two and a half hours of good entertainment with friends on the road back to normal. Given the Covid numbers still a long road, but i guess we are getting there.

What still frustrates the hell out of me though are people that moan about venues that for themselves (and their staff) decide for 2G, i really do not see how can ask for everything from anybody but yourself puts noting in for somebody.

Whatever, lets crack on: Next stop Hafenklang. Looking forward.
2021/10/24
… yesterday Punk Rock Raduno, today Hamburg!
“All my friends went to Punk Rock Raduno and all i ever got was … Kepi Ghoulie and The Copyrights.” On a boat. In Hamburg. But better than nothing. Actually quite good.

One of the Hamburg Punk Rock Raduno travelers was already back and joined me, the rest took easy flights home and were to be back in Hamburg later. And one of those who stayed on actually put an extra effort in to get me something more than nuthin’ back from Bergamo.

… my PRR Golden Tickets thanks to Nicole, though without luck!

What was at stake was something super cool, something handcrafted (and something i would have me love to accept in front of our door):

Milo Doormat (limited edition #1/1)

Ticket #55 did win this beauty, with #58 on me this was near but unlucky. And damn to learn later that the beauty was won by Marien Jonkers of the beloved Windowsills from Rotterdamn. I think i now must consider to burn all of their records in my collection. Whilst i was without luck, that one Punk Rock Raduno traveler that came home early had a lucky ticket and won … a guitar. Lucky you Uli!

The well filled but not packed MS Hedi was to set sail early, for two round trips through the harbor. First on Kepi with an acoustic followed by The Copyrights with their own set. After a quick changeover dockside for replenishment of booze it would be then a 2nd trip, this time with Kepi Ghoulie + The Copyrights = Groovie Ghoulies.
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Kepi Ghoulie (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 15.07.2019 (c) gehkacken.de)
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Kepi first and the ever charming guy. Armed with his acoustic guitar and his harmonica as a secondary weapon he provided us with some gentle songs from his vast output. I am not a particular fan of “acoustic” as i prefer amplified strings. It may have worked better with some warm weather and sunshine but that Monday evening Hamburg was rather cloudy and cold.

Next The Copyrights, from Carbondale, Illinois in the US of A. From the school of Mass Giorgini as i like to refer this high energy pop-punk to. The internet (damn internet, never forgets) provides a much worse linkage: “Both the sloppy, slacker pop-punk of, say, early Green Day with the slightly more polished sheen of Teenage Bottlerocket or recent Bouncing Souls“.

I think i will never get used to people needing a navigation chart to make out music. It is to experienced live and it either speaks to you or not. It can be digested on vinyl (or other formats) and either speaks to you or not. If a band speaks both live and on record to you they most likely touch your heart, your soul and your brain. And you will enjoy.
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The Copyrights (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 15.07.2019 (c) gehkacken.de)
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And that’s what i did for the Copyrights own set – perfect pop (remember, it comes from popular) songs in best 1:23 tradition with loads of chorus, breaks and … little chance to make out lyrics given the tiny PA for vocals on the boat. But they have everything for getting a great live experience across. And they had a visible female support in the audience, actually not a surprise!

Bonus: Both guitars did not move the necks, hence non-one of the audience (standing in close combat distance) was hurt.

After a quick docking and a few more crates of beer being dragged on board the MS Hedi took off again into the sunset … almost. Kepi & The Copyrights took the floor and they kicked in like this:

It was to be a great mixture of Groovie Ghoulies songs either prepared or requested by the audience. Given the Copyrights energy and speed they where mostly uptempo and indeed they where fun.
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Kepi Ghoulie and The Copyrights (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 15.07.2019 (c) gehkacken.de)
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For both it was the first time (as Kepi did not play bass for Chixdiggit when they graced the MS Hedi two years ago) playing on a small vessel and they had surprisingly steady feet (and stomachs) – nobody got seasick. They where lucky maybe, as there was little traffic in the harbor (ie. less waves from passing ships) and little wind.

An enjoyable evening with great music for me, my ear was also pleased by some sirens singing songs of “come to Punk Rock Raduno“. I think if i ever do a multi-day festival than it sure won’t be Rebellion and it can’t be Punk Rock Bowling. I guess then it must be Punk Rock Raduno. Let’s see what the 2020 schedule offers…
2019/07/17