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Tag: Hafenklang

  • … taken by surprise by an inner enemy!

    … taken by surprise by an inner enemy!

    Enemic Interior? No clue. From Catalonia? Mhhh…

    But sometimes it is good to listen to those in the know. And they suggested attendance. Plus the internet (damn internet, never forgets) was having some choice words too:

    Barcelona’s Enemic Interior is a band that treads the finest of lines between raw rage and an introspective sense of melody, a balance which they manage to maintain in spite of their confrontational delivery.

Catalan lyrics, daring audacity, and incomparable songwriting come together to create bittersweet, desperate songs that at once seem both huge and intimate.

... their trademark sombre punk, both emotive and bleak, melodic and dark, at the place where punk, post-punk and Oi! meet.

    Sounds like a reasonable promise for a Wednesday evening. So down to the Hafenklang then.

    Upstairs though was quite empty and it was not really getting full, wild guess would be around 50 people. And two mates, one even made the effort on his birthday, so hugs and kisses again my dear!

    Sharp at 21:13 the lads from Barcelona took the stage, very much unpretentious, and kicked it off like this:

    Bang! And their signature song from their first tape in 2022.

    And what a forceful delivery! A clear indication of what was coming towards the audience. For myself i felt already convinced, as this was right down my alley.

    And it turned out less so much Spain per sē but more France. The shirt of the drummer was my bet no coincidence and i spotted a female guest with a Youth Avoiders shirt – same references i had in my simple mu-sick-al mind.

    Enemic Interior (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 10.04.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024

    And also for the presentation it kicked all my boxes, up to and including the centered bass that takes the main singing duties. Paired with the heavy push-forward drumming and very capable twin guitars, that carefully craft both forceful and flirting sounds (sometimes even the stereotypical Blitz sound), it was a near perfect mix.

    And within that, breaking down a lot of mu-sick-al silo boundaries.

    Enemic Interior (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 10.04.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024

    They paced through all of their songs (the three EP’s carry 16 songs that sum up to only ever 23:53 minutes) and where done with their set within 25 minutes.

    Enemic Interior – Setlist (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 10.04.2024 (c) gehkacken.de)

    In an almost shy fashion they thanked the audience for coming out but the audience, having gotten into dancing mode in the latter part of the set, was not ready to let them go.

    They looked a wee bit astonished towards each other and then shrugged shoulders like in “why not, though we played all of our songs“. So the lot got one more extra, a song from another band of the guitar player if i understood correctly.

    And the clock was 21:42, so they strummed through 17 songs in 29 Minutes. Now that is keeping pace.

    As ever when a band convinces me live i strolled (frank: ran) over to the merch table and checked what was available. And as the whole discography was on the table at a bargain price i took it all in one go. A worthy investment and i was not the only one performing an all in…

    Enemic Interior – full discography scored … ( (c) gehkacken.de 2024)

    How does it sound on the brand new EP? Like this my friend, like this …

    And neat Catalan lyrics too:

    Corbes negres cap avall
Les mans blanques al volant
Prego veure el primer raig

Els seus ulls al meu clatell
No goso mirar el mirall
No hi creia però es fa present

Estela de sang i foc
Sense nom però el sents venir
Estela de sang i foc

Fugint d’ell fins a morir
Als Àngels hi pujo sol
Aquest ha estat el meu camí

Als Àngels hi pujo sol
Al mirall em veig a mi

    Black curves down
White hands on the wheel
I pray to see the first ray

His eyes on the back of my neck
I dare not look in the mirror
I didn't believe in it but it is present

Trail of blood and fire
No name but you feel it coming
Trail of blood and fire

Running away from him until he died
I go up to angels alone
This has been my path

I go up to angels alone
I see myself in the mirror

    You can score these beauties at our trusted local dealer Sounds Of Subterrania!

    Perfect Wednesday evening, this is exactly why #thereaintnuthinbetterthanlivemusic and why you should never stop exploring new stuff (and expose yourself to the unknown).

    It may be an uplifting surprise for your inner enemy (that glues you to the sofa).

  • … memory lane ctd: Brausepöter 2024 vs. 1980.

    … memory lane ctd: Brausepöter 2024 vs. 1980.

    Plenty of me mates took a jog down memory lane on Wednesday at the Monkeys, cheering towards Cheetah Chrome & his Dead Boys. Whilst i definitely uphold the Dead Boys original vinyl output (two great LP’s, a couple of singles) it was the live videos i saw of this 2024 version that did turn me down. Big time actually. So i did let go, though later friends where full of praise of “great 1970s NY rock” … ok, choices – as ever.

    Another choice for a jog down memory lane was Brausepöter at the Hafenklang. And in contrast to them Dead Boys their original recorded output (one 7″ on Zick Zack in 1980) is simply shite.

    Also by the account of the band, as Zick Zack head honcho Alfred Hilsberg dragged them out of the Scala aka “New Scala Wave” in Herford straight into a studio in Hamburg manned with a bearded Jazz Hippie. And the output was poor, forgettable.

    That Brausepöter still have a name in Hamburg (whilst having only ever played two shows here, 1980 and 2014) is down to this show:

    Zick Zack Festival 1980 ( (c) oldpunks.de)

    It was maybe the one show where the Hamburg Pogo Punk contingent and the Neue Musik lovers (soon to be Neue Deutsche Welle and hated) did split apart. Previous Festivals at the Markthalle (forever put to memory by Robert Nitz on Konnekschen) did keep a unity between the two – as late in 1980 the split seemed unavoidable.

    Brausepöter guitar player Martin memorized it like this:

    Q: Alfred Hilsberg also organized the legendary Zick-Zack festivals in Markthalle (Hamburg), where you also performed. When was that?

A: That was in late December 1980. We played together with Radierer, the partner combo of The Wirtschaftswunder, they both come from Limburg. And Abwärts plus Einstürzende Neubauten.

Q: The mood is said to have been explosive, as you can read in Jürgen Teipel's book “Verschwende Deine Jugend”. What was going on with you?

A: So for us it was like this: Abwärts was the only band that was accepted by the audience. But they only came at the end. Although, that's not entirely true: Einstützende Neubauten continued to play afterwards. It was their first appearance outside of Berlin. The whole Markthalle was almost empty by then. There were only 30 people left and I was standing in the middle. It was like a moon landing that you just happened to be there for. I had never seen anything like that: the way they banged around on their instruments, with that archaic industrial sound, unbelievable.

Q: And how was Brausepöter received?

A: As I said: Abwärts were accepted. Otherwise the festival was not well received by the audience. The Hamburg punks were also strongly influenced by the British scene; It was very rough there. I don't remember whether they booted Die Radierer off the stage. I believe yes. In any case, we remained adamant. I told them: “Do what you want, we’ll play through our set here”. And maybe they spit on us, you wouldn't believe that. I was wet! From top to bottom. And then there is also a photo of me getting a full beer can in front of my head. I bled like anything else. “Keiner Kann Uns Ab” in its purest form.

    And indeed the moment where the Hansa Pils can (cheapest piss back then and often used as a messenger) did meet Martin was memorized on a picture:

    Markthalle 27.12.1980: Hansa Pils meets Brausepöter

    Their “signature” song “Keiner Kann Uns Ab” (roughly “No one digs/likes us“) from that night with some pointed pictures is out out there too:

    Memory lane, ctd.

    With all of that in mind i had made the conscious decision to see them rather than the Dead Boys: Whilst the Dead Boys could destroy a good memory, Brausepöter could not. Also because i wasn’t at that night, though the three mates that would accompany me down to the Hafenklang were. And had no recollection of Brausepöter (other than the cool name).

    They are back together (after their breakup 1982) since 2008 and found fame even in the US of A with some old stuff put out there in 2010 to much acclaim:

    A wild slice of punk scabbery with a vibe of what a male Kleenex fresh out of the Beat Club might resemble (Brian Turner, Music Director of WFMU-Radio, New York, commenting on the US "Bundeswehr" & "Keiner kann uns ab" 7" release)

    They played the Astra Stube in 2014 (to no acclaim) and now tour again as Hamburgs Tapete Records decided to release the planned LP that Alfred Hilsberg never released.

    The show was moved from early Jan 24 due to a sickness within the band and on this Friday, down in the big room of the Hafenklang, only ever attracted roughly 50something people. Half of them old and funnily half of them rather of younger age.

    They kicked off without support and i guess some newer songs: Well played and modern guitar music, with German lyrics. And the guitar was to be their main asset, a great sound that was above the average twang (of many of these modern German guitar bands).

    Brausepöter (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 01.03.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024

    It was paired with dual singing and varied in tempo, drive and – frank – quality. But over time (they played for almost 1h30m including a some extra songs) it all moved over to the pleasant side.

    Here is “Keiner Kann Uns Ab” in the 2024 version:

    Cool stuff, well received (up to and including some fans singing along to almost all songs). Between songs they chatted a bit and where surprised that a couple of folks (me mates plus one more) had been at the Markthalle back then. On top they also inquired if Alfred Hilsberg is still around (which he is, but not at good health according to one in the know).

    Brausepöter (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 01.03.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024

    Frank, i did not expect that i would actually appreciate their set, but it was really neat and at the end had plenty of applause from the small audience. On top they where humble, approachable and thankful for having an audience and having a chat.

    And because the contrast is so nice – here is a picture how they looked all stylish (according to the understanding of style in Riedberg, Ostwestfalen, in 1979).

    Brausepöter 1979

    This is where they come from, their practice place (back then? obviously now) and one of their new songs:

    Memory lane, on all counts.

    I guess they did not fit back then and nowadays sure seem to give a damn fuck about fitting anyway – they do music for the the music itself (and continued in their own understanding of style). Not my favorite style but still good to enjoy live.

    For me and me mates a perfect #thereaintnuthinbetterthanlivemusic and at my perfect place.

  • … charting the unknown: Kilo+++ and Powerplant!

    … charting the unknown: Kilo+++ and Powerplant!

    The beauty of living a short stroll away from your favorite club is that you can make quick decisions like “… i’m up for some live music, let’s stroll down“. And that’s what i did on this Tuesday, lured by the simple fact that one of the bands once graced the Get! Lost! Fest! and both of the bands scheduled would make use of … synthies.

    Early start with doors 1900 and first band 2000 – neat for having a work schedule next day that would take me into the office rather than sleepwalking into home office.

    First band KILO +++ from sunny Groningen, a male/female duo with very simplistic or better minimalistic electronic music with some guitar additions.

    From the start i had a nagging feel of “early 1980s Markthalle” and early “Der Plan“. And indeed in good moments that sounded almost innocent, simple and fresh.

    Kilo+++ (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 13.02.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024

    In the long run though it was too simple for me and i also felt the audience, getting larger by the minute, had more sympathy then enthusiasm.

    A fun little gimmick was that they recorded the show on stage on a tape recorder off the sound board and offered to sell the live tape for 10€. Real time release, cool.

    If this sounds interesting to you then check them out at HANDS OFF or listen to their demo.

    Next Powerplant and they kicked off like this:

    Hui, that is much more Umpf than the support! And they got the audience (i guess around 100 folks upstairs, so well filled) moving almost instantaneously. Reading about them on the internet (damn internet, never forgets) i get their setting:

    Powerplant (UA/UK) occurs somewhere in the shadows of synth and post-punk that produces material both ‘sad & happy’, but always dark in both the music and looks. The kind of dark you get at about 9:30pm on a Summer day.

Once a solitary bedroom project of Ukrainian Theo Zhykharyev, that found its footing on the Internet and grew meat around the bone, becoming a full animated live band of London’s best, when joined by members of UK hardcore scene and experimental sound artists.

    As said, i had no clue about them and expected little. But they threw a lively show, had speed and some nice soundscapes. Plus the audience moving. And as such i simply enjoyed a live show (of something that was per se not my thingy).

    Powerplant (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 13.02.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024

    Nice one and also distinct stage personas: Jackson Irvine double pushing the bass drum forward, Frank Navetta double on strumming chords on the bass, a very agile guitar that also sung and centered … a Beach Boy playing the keyboard.

    Neat entertainment, though i did not buy vinyl. Go check them out for yourself – they have a line in their promo material to that extent too:

    This could be just your kind of thing! And all, all this to walk with our heads high and hearts light. Or at least try. To better days!

    It felt a wee bit strange – none of my regular companions attended the show, so i could spend time augmenting the mostly younger (and sometime on the edge of hipsterism) audience. Boy, i felt definitely old if not the oldest in the room.

    Actually i could only complain about those ignoring the “no smoking” signs (surprisingly some), be surprised about the one girl sipping away a bottle of 45% booze smuggled into the venue (alcoholic by 20, congrats) and simply enjoying live music for the sake encountering something new.

    And i was home early. Cool.