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Tag: Hafenklang

… not lagging behind at all: Hysterese are most likely an advanced system producing chords!
The Hafenklang has a good routine to fill the empty void after the weekend, they allow for small shows on a Monday with a donation only door price. Sometimes they get pennies (literally) – sometime they get big bucks (to be shared with the band). What they always get is the surprise of the number of people (and the surprise of the various types of people who just can’t fathom that donation means donation of their choice) and the surprise of what the band puts in.

On this hot Hamburg evening it was the return of Hysterese, who are around since 2011 but have not been back to Hamburg since 2016. And i saw them only once in 2014 but was forever glued onto their sound. And given the sunny weather, that fact that the Hafenklang is just a short stroll down the street and given that i faced two weeks off from work it was sure a booked show. And a big surprise that actually plenty of folks made way to see them: It wasn’t packed but it was well attended, so hopefully a good share for the band.
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Hysterese (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 28.05.2018) (c) gehkacken.de)
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Over the years they got their sound perfected and also put a unique visual identity onto the stage: Guitar left & right, Bass center and with the back to the audience. And – as a professional musican in the audience noted – driven by a precision drummer. That topped with large amps provided the perfect setup for a good bulldozing and that is what Hysterese did:

Burst of high energy punk with both feet down into both H/C, Punk and scents of pop. And sure thing the added bonus of dual guitars and dual male/female vocals, that is such a positive addition to sound that i’d wish more bands would dare to try that (no, i won’t stop preaching the added value of the female contingent on stage).

They barraged through a short set (i’d recon 12 songs) with most songs clocking in above 2 minutes and well below 3 minutes, so in the range of the perfect pop song. They did not interact with the audience a lot, they concentrated on the sweaty task of pushing our chord after chord.
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Hysterese (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 28.05.2018) (c) gehkacken.de)
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I am fixed in my brain on certain songs, they trigger a little spark that goes off and tells me “…listen up mate, this is a perfect song!“. Hysterese are one of the few German bands that have set that spark off, it is their – at least to my account – top hit from their first album:

<a href="http://hysterese.bandcamp.com/album/hysterese">Hysterese by Hysterese</a>

And sure thing that little beauty came right down from the stage, full power and with brilliant guitar play. Listen up youth and sing-a-long:
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i can't see 
i can't breathe 
start to eat 
strengthens me 


headlocked when i come round 
that's such an awkward pressure 
forced to some trojan properties 


i can move 
brightens up 
now i'm full 
ate you up

credits : Hysterese, released July 20, 2013 - all rights reserved
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Done, sold, just fucking great. As ever, i wonder how they would grace if they are paired with something bigger on a bigger stage. They got the capability, they got the chords and they got the beauty to assemble it all well.

The internet (damn internet, never forgets) praises their new record just like this:
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These fellas are quite known not only in Europe (but also) worldwide. They released and worked together with labels like Search For Fame, Kidnap, Sabotage or Taken By Surprise. 

Their new third s/t album is a little step out of the long portland-music-shadow into the world of popy tunes. But stop: its still Hysterese, their own twin singing of Helen and Mortitz, shouting their lines like gunfire at each other, their superb guitar-melodies, the stakkato riffing and their precise, machine-like drumming. 

On their new record, you may find between all these Hysterese trademarks some tiny tiny sparkling pop-diamonds, which suits 'em good. If you dig the sadness of The Wipers, the explosivness of old Descendents records and the hits and melodies of your fav Ramones songs, i guess you will dig this little piece of Punk Rock as well.
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And to that extend here is one beauty from said record, recorded at Rama Studio – no overdubs – 100% Live one take! Get it on!

Did i note i am sold on them? And because i nowadays tend to buy records only at shows and ideally from the band i took the “all three LP’s for 35€” offer and threw away the download code – these beauties are to be put under the needle rather!

And next time round? Next time round i expect me mate Thomas to donate more (he was noted down in the big book of generous moods) and i expect even more people to show up – Hysterese are worth it.
2018/05/30
… when SHE just FUCKING SHREDS: A perfect friday night with a scent of female!
My friends know that i have slight preference for the female voice when it comes to punk fucking rock. I also believe that genuinely there are not enough girls in front of the stage and on the stage. Hence this show was a definite must: No only where the Neighborhood Brats back in town, they also had Mobina Galore from sunny Winnipeg in tow (or where pushing them Girls ahead of them).

As a start we had Mood Change from Kiel, a trio where the female element armed the bass and the backup vocals. I guess they put themselves as Post Punk, though that label won’t mean a thing to me. They played with some twaaang but also with muffled and almost all the same main vocals.
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Mood Change (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 27.04.2018) (c) gehkacken.de)
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I somehow had immediate dislike on the vocals and as such as times they where more boring for me, though they had some nicer and instrumental sections that had the right balance of power and guitar play. No clue where they are heading for, in my sick mu-sickal mind they will need to turn to something – else they won’t be my thingy.

Next on them Brats with Jenny back from blonde to short dark hair and a look that someone in the audience identified as “…like an MMA fighter“. And they stormed into their set like this:

Back with a bang i’d say. And worth to note that somehow the sound this time round was so much better – it was hand-in-glove. And gloves is something you can imagine on Jenny, though by trade she is a Yoga-Instructor if i am not mistaken. But you rarely see a front woman that energetic, that visual and that closely playing with the audience. First class, as far as i am concerned.
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Neighborhood Brats(Hafenklang, Hamburg, 27.04.2018) (c) gehkacken.de)
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And whilst not headlining the still put a good amount of songs out, from short blasts of CA H/C on to much more complex songs with breaks, interludes and scents of blistering surf. Guess what – i dig them!

There was just no stopping and i’d hope that their new record is just the beginning of something even slicker, even faster, even funnier – for a start the three songs are sure thing in the right territory.

Wham bam thank you boys! They blasted through an hour worth of songs in reality but it felt like 30 minutes only somehow. I desperately look forward to have them again. And some more.

Next on Mobina Galore from Canada who can claim to have invented the most fitting label for themselves: They are a self-proclaimed vocally aggressive power chord punk duo and boy that sums it up neatly, to the point. Leaving not a single doubt or room for imagination.
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Mobina Galore (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 27.04.2018) (c) gehkacken.de)
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What Dog Party are for the pop-punk corner they sure thing for the even hard and faster territory. All you need is energy, vocals, guitar and drums. You put it on stage next to each other, wire two amps and off you go. Stunning. Just frankly stunning. I do see a long list of bass players now retiring and that with a damn good reason.

Feel how they blast “Pieces of you” down into the Hafenklang (and blow that volume up to 12 my friend):

And whilst they have that energy and vocal aggression they also have an eye for meaningful lyrics, so use this to get along and sing along:
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I always knew that you'd leave first, something that good, won't last forever
Now I won't see you getting older I thought I could have held your hand more

My home is pieces of you, my home is pieces of you

When the sun shines in my eyes I wish that they were yours, that you could see it
Now you won't see me getting older, remember when you said that you'd be there
Where you stood now there is her filling up my heart with every sound she makes
Not a kind of substitution, every way I look, the best distraction

My home is pieces of you, my home is pieces of you

A CITY AWAY TOO FAR FROM YOU, HOP A PLANE, I'M ON MY WAY
MOM MY LIFE HAS GONE TOO FAST, LOSING TIME, I'M ON MY WAY
LEFT TOO LONG TO LATE TO BEG, PLEASE DON'T GO, I'M ON MY WAY
EVERYWHERE I LOOK I SEE THAT I'M PIECES OF YOU

A year gone by so fast I hold a memory so close, I stay with those I love
Now you visit when I sleep where I ask you all the things I never got to
So take me in your arms tonight, never let go, you're always with me

My home is pieces of you, my home is pieces of you

A CITY AWAY TOO FAR FROM YOU, HOP A PLANE, I'M ON MY WAY
MOM MY LIFE HAS GONE TOO FAST, LOSING TIME, I'M ON MY WAY
LEFT TOO LONG TO LATE TO BEG, PLEASE DON'T GO, I'M ON MY WAY
EVERYWHERE I LOOK I SEE THAT I'M PIECES OF YOU

You're in the walls and in the floor x3
My home is pieces of you

(c) Mobina Galore - 2014
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And off stage it looks like this:

After almost 40 years of seeing shows and buying records i did put myself under a more or less strict rule (to limit the hording of vinyl): Only ever buy records if a band is able to convince you down from that stage, live. Jenna and Marcia did so, specifically the guitar play made me melt. Now you please go out and see them too – they are worth it. And, yes, they are all female!

And thus the night ended with a couple of beers, some chats, a freebee record for a mate and some broad smiles. That is how a Friday night show, with a scent of female, should come around.

And yes, SHE FUCKING SHREDS!
2018/04/30
… at times Spinal Tap, at times perfect rage: Gust and Burn in an early short blast!
BURN? That NYHC band that basically had one single in 1990 and that’s it? OK, there was more output later but that was already re-union type of efforts. And their mu-sick anyway never fitted that one NYHC sound that people at least over here had in their mind. But now they are back for good and en route to Oslo did a quick stopover and early show in Hamburg.

Support where Gust from sunny Trollhättan, SE. They place themselves as “metal d beat hardcore hardcorepunk punk“, a nice set of boxes to place them. Very polite young dudes that explode in a 24 Minute set of noise and energy.
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Gust (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 11.03.2018) (c) gehkacken.de)
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Great visuals (including traditional Swedish Björn Brog underwear) , exceptionally hairy chested guitar dude (first Spinal Tap sighting) that had plenty of gear (2nd Spinal Tap sighting) to sound very harsh and an angry staring singer. My type of mu-sick? Nope. But they where tight as a band and they pushed it out with quite some energy. And even if i do not dig the sound that makes it worthwhile.

Burn provided the next Spinal Tap sighting:

Burn – Set List (Hafenklang, hamburg, 11.03.2018)

A set list that provides the name of city they are playing in. Well done. Or was that for the die hard collectors that take set lists home and archive it? Then signatures where missing (and that would be a Spinal Tap Bonus point).
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Burn (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 11.03.2018) (c) gehkacken.de)
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And how did they sound? Complicated is the very first word that comes to my mind and it ain’t meant to sound negative. They do have a very unique sound, with loads of little breaks, speed changes, bridges, flirting guitar and what have you. And they have presence in the middle of the stage – Chaka Malik is a hell of a singer and get the message across big time.

Listen to him talking about the old days:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_CsxBq4wLg

There was also another Spinal Tap sighting with them: They guitar player had an unbelievable amount of effect devices and pedals lined up to create his guitar sound – specifically the flirting parts. He also had his eyes mostly down there and most of the time one of his feet on a pedal. And yes, it was not all Spinal Tap – he could play too, boy could he play!

Some of the songs where just perfect and spot on, others where just too complicated to my immediate liking (and tended to be too long too). But indeed it was worth it come out and see them, actually only 70 odd good folks did so. Star of the day was one guy who apparently already appeared at the club in the afternoon, fully drunk, managing his way in appearing like belonging to either of the bands. And then falling asleep. The good folks at the club woke him up at the end of the soundcheck and asked him to leave and went into tears “did i miss the concert?” – Spinal Tap sighting yet again!

For me a good show, slightly excessive at the door but needed to get both bands and club to make the required margin. So fine by me. I’d love to see Burn again in a slightly different setting eg. support a bigger band on a bigger stage – i think that would fit even better.

How did they sound back then – here is the classeffort from 1990:

And why are they together again – listen up youth:
2018/03/16