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Tag: Monkeys Music Club

  • … just another busy weekend: MOi!n get’s 8, Frosch get’s 60+. Welcome to Hamburg!

    … just another busy weekend: MOi!n get’s 8, Frosch get’s 60+. Welcome to Hamburg!

    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).

    #catchoftheweek: Los Pepes – The Happiness Program (Beluga Records, 2021)

    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.

    And they do not sing in English. 

    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).

    Frogger (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 30.09.2023) (c) gehkacken.de 2023

    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.

    Happiest Mate! (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 30.09.2023) (c) gehkacken.de 2023

    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.

  • … a master class in modern Oi!

    … a master class in modern Oi!

    The lead in towards this master class was just another master class by FCSP, a neat home win vs. Holstein Kiel that finally had the team score at home. And not once, not twice but 5 times.

    FC St. Pauli vs. KSV Holstein Kiel 5:1 (3:0) ( (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    The master class exhibit here was the tactical choice to give up the box and score (4 out of 5) from outside the box with stunning kicks from far out. That home win was a perfect intro into the early show at the Monkeys, fueled with joy i set out on me bike to see not less than one of the best French band of these days (next to Syndrome 81 and Kronstadt)

    Cran are very new and as such i guess their setlist included all the songs they have done so far – it covered their great LP, a new (old) song and their excellent (if not world class) contribution to the Paris on Oi! compilation).

    Cran – Setlist (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 17.09.2023 – from the collection of Monsieur Matthias)

    They started bright and early at 20:00 and where done within i guess 30 minutes. But stunning 30 minutes. 30 minutes of near perfection. Sturdy drumming (that though sometimes was not mellow enough, the only little naughty bad feel i had during the set). A near perfect guitar wandering between Blitz, Test Tube Babies and Wave. A full perfect Cold Wave Bass sound and execution, with good drive. And aggressive but fitting vocals and presentation by Edlira. 

    Cran (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 17.09.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    And how did it sound? Here is how one of the more tempered songs sounded:

    I was lucky to capture Edlira on stage, most of the time she used the void in front of the stage to roam around and dance with those from the audience how also danced along.

    They have something and they are one of the great examples of creating and subsequently filling a niche within a niche genre (which itself is a sub-genre of another genre). Marketing literate people would have fun to unpack that, i rather enjoyed a great set of something that the French currently do extremely well.

    Cran (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 17.09.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    They finished off their set with Famine, a song that is as much great on the musical side as it is on the lyrics: It is a hymn (and sing-a-long) to carry the memory of the Holodomor – the great Ukrainian famine of the 1930s and simply another forgotten genocide.

    Wow, what a stunning set by a young band. For very good reasons they got plenty of applause and support, up to and including my friend Matthias dancing all the way throughout the set.

    And for me it was the much needed live set that did allow me to finally buy the record (remember the rule: Only buy records if the band convinces you live). This was holding true to the promise to their bass player when he graced the Monkeys earlier in the year with Claimed Choice.

    After that great but short set any band would have just a little bit of difficulty unless … yeah, unless they completely change course, direction and sound.

    And voila, Béton Armé did set themselves up on stage, had a little but of sound probing and knocked us back in time. They are self-proclaimed a Montreal Oi! band inspired by French Punk/Oi! bands from the 80’s and that is what they did throw at the audience:

    It was very primitive, very cut back to the bare bone, full of chorus-chants (like on this one from their 2023 EP) and delivered by the singer full on at dance floor level instead of the stage.

    And what comes across initially too primitive turns out as just a crisp delivery of some really lovely sing-a-longs (if only i would speak French). And whilst the band on stage did not move a lot but hammered out the songs with a sort of smile, the singer was on non-stop movement, boxing, kicking and just like a whirlwind. 

    Béton Armé (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 17.09.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    Go and check them out for yourself, best live. They are worth it if you dare bare bone and a real deal. You won’t be disappointed! And if they pop up in a package – even more, because i saw all 4 supporting Crane in front of the stage and later No Class. They are simply into it!

    It took No Class (sometimes also referred as Nö Class) a wee bit more to setup (as they had two guitars) but they did not fiddle too much with sound settings. By 21:45 (remember, it was a 20:00 start) they where ready to ruck (though Australia just lost to Fiji in the 2023 Ruby World Cup in France).

    No Class (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 17.09.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    And where Cran where the French surprise and Béton Armé the Canadian full-frontal it was no surprise that No Class very clearly took the audience down under, into a sleazy & greasy bovver territory with rustic calls into Rose Tattoo and – no surprise – Colored Balls.

    It is all baseline Rock’n’Roll in the end and it is all about energy. And loads of energy came down from the stage, all contingents (Hamburg, Norway and Denmark) where up in front of the stage and everybody enjoyed it.

    No Class (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 17.09.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    The only item of concern was that No Class where thoroughly roughed up in the previous rucks of their “Trouble over Europe” Tour, they admitted that they where a wee bit spent. This was their final date leading into a couple of days off (recovery, anyone?) before they finish of the tour in style in Paris.

    As such they only ever got like 30 minutes under their belt and then needed recovery time (which i guess they later traded against party time at the Jolly Roger).

    As far as i am concerned they are a simple but perfect party band, like the other two they would have fitted MOi!n It’s Hamburg just perfect. Because it would have given them so much more bodies in front of the stage.

    Whilst me mates took home shirts, EP’s and even more i focused on convinced me most – Cran. As such the excellent Cran LP ended up at my home.

    Whilst the Millerntor was sold out for the home win, this master class session was far from. It had more attendees than the Claimed Choice gig (and people coming all the way from Norway and Denmark to see the package) but still lacked overall presence from the Hamburg lot.

    Sad.

    Great evening, perfect timing, early home and on Monday still a broad smile. Life can be good, you gotta just enjoy it! And whilst enjoying yourself, you gotta support the band and the club, please. Me and me mates did it and we got something back.

    Your turn. Now.

  • … how to ruin a good show!

    … how to ruin a good show!

    It could have been a great Thursday, the tourist from St. Ingbert yet again in town and visiting the show, the lovely couple self-exiled to Denmark (❤️ 🇩🇰 ❤️) was there and a perfect line up with local heroes Red Bricks, the energetic Antagonizers ATL and the so called “legend” Anti Heroes (who played Hamburg last time 20+ years ago). But it would turn a wee bit sour at the end …

    Red⚒Bricks kicked off with a great (at least according to the Blackpool Pilgrimages tales) Rebellion Set under their belt. They where hampered though by the fact that their Bass Player Keith was not available short notice, hence the Bass from Antagonizers ATL jumped in (and did a good job under the circumstances).

    Red⚒Bricks (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 17.08.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    The unfortunate thing though is that indeed the signature bass was missing, for my ears it provides that extra that makes them slightly different, slightly better. How did it sound? It sounded like this … though throughout the whole night the sound was not perfect, somehow.

    Still, a good set and a fitting start into the evening. For their little niche they bring everything needed and specifically melodies, though they can also do full frontal chants. Check out their new single “They Shall Not Pass” which has just been released .

    Next Antagonizers ATL from sunny Atlanta, Georgia, in the US of A. And from the first chord on their main asset towered the center of the stage: Their singer Bodan is large, present and lends into it as if he is commandeering 100s (if non 1000nds) in front of the stage.

    I take it that he is also self aware, as sometimes he steps aside and gives space to the others too, great stage movements by all actually making it a really entertaining set. On top they have all ingredients in the music, a well balanced mix of pace, melodies, twin guitars and sing-a-long.

    The played for like 45 minutes and had a good grip on the audience, i saw a lot of smiling faces around me and even a couple of folks happily dancing away in front of the stage.

    Antagonizers ATL (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 17.08.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    For me and my ears a near perfect set (give or take on the sound, it wasn’t perfect all night) delivered in class (and completely unpretentious). Rock solid work if you ask me, out of the rooster of American Street Punk (what damn stupid cupboard actually) one of the key assets. I will definitely endeavor to see them again, suggest you check them out too if this is down your mu-sick-al alley.

    Finally Anti Heroes, if my memory serves me well they played Hamburg last somewhere around 2000 or 2001 at a small youth club in Ahrensburg, a suburb just north of Hamburg.

    Here is what they set out to deliver:

    Anti Heroes – Setlist (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 17.08.2023 (c) gehkacken.de)

    And this is what we got:

    From a musical point full on and absolutely my thingy: hard, fast and short. What quickly caught the eye of some folks though was the shirt of Mark Noah – the slogan “Let’s go Brandon!” is taking a side that was not savored well.

    During the show he paired it with the explanation “It means fuck Joe Biden”, after the show when a friend asked about the shirt he responded with a barrage of trash along “… Joe Biden is more bad than Hitler and Stalin together, you in Germany get not told the truth“. My wild bet would be that he also explained the corrupt left press is the reason, i guess the odds are 1:1. My friend turned around and did not want to have anymore of that shit, rightfully.

    One part of the audience decided to let go during the set and retreated to the pub, the larger part stayed for the show. I had no clue what the shirt actually referred to during the set and the “Fuck Joe Biden” comment could have meant anything – so i kept watching.

    Anti Heroes (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 17.08.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

    Luckily he took the shirt off (not sure if told or because it was too wet). On the mu-sick-al side they continued to deliver strong though.

    After the show i got tipped off with respect to the shirt and context and somehow that took away large part of the joy the live music provided. I have no clue how much the rest of the excellent band shares Marks views, from where i stand i will sure not take an effort to see them again. I guess they will also not be booked anymore into my favorite clubs and i am fine with that.

    Still, great evening with some good chats and great music. I could also walk the tourist home with a bit of sightseeing, explaining the beauties of the Große Bergstrasse emptiness at night. He and his son only ever complained about Beer pricing in Hamburg, one of the key disadvantages of the big city.

    But whatever great music, stupidity sometimes ruins it. Well done Mark, now go back and bail out America from the hands of the Un-Americans. Oh my lord …