Summer is back in Hamburg and plenty of shows ahead, bands do like to tour in summer. On a warm and pleasant Sunday evening it was Good Riddance who finished their almost 3 week run through central Europe in Hamburg.
Support was to be from Slaughterhouse but short notice they pulled out and thus caused confusion (as to who is going to play with GR).
I was actually keen to see them and, greedy record collector scum that i am, i was keen to score their single-sided 12″ (with eachings).
They got something and they sport a female contingent, always a positive thingy.
I finally got to understand that Loaded would be the support and in my head it triggered “Duff McKagan’s Loaded” but not a German band. But that was far off, Loaded are from Mannheim, have 30 years under their belt, and …
… a mate referenced “Ska” in their context. Not really a good trigger for me. As with many German bands i guess i happily ignored them over 30 years, so i was bit reluctant at first.
In reality they turned out as a lovely 3 piece with their main asset being their always smiling, always laughing and hart hitting drummer Julia. The positive energy she emits, boy – it does make up for the occasional ska interlude.
I guess by and large they have morphed into something that is much more on the punk side, the guitar sounding more rock and the bass (manned by an exiled American) is more on the hardcore side.
Somewhat a surprisingly interesting set, at moments even with right amount of umpf to take the audience along. They got a fair share of applause beyond their fans in row one. And they deserved it, short notice they opted for the slot and endured a “7 hour hell drive” back to Mannheim.
I will now check their output in more detail, I also guess i will not pass the option to see them again should it arise.
Not seeing Good Riddance on the other hand is not an option, in my single minded mu-sick-al head they are one of the few of the US (and specifically Californian) bands of the early 90s that are still relevant (and that still have a say).
Here is what they set up for Hamburg for ending their Europe 2025 tour:
Good Riddance – Setlist (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 29.06.2025 (c) gehkacken.de)
And this is how they kicked off:
From the start i had the sense that we would be lucky and GR would be going ALL IN for the final slot in Europe. Energy, fun and loads of forward pushing power.
They Hafenklang was not completely full but there where enough folks to fill the room and have a decent going in front of the stage, including plenty of sing-a-longs for many of their old hits.
Best thing – next to Chucks banter with the audience – was the guitar sound. Luke not only shredded it like hell (and with relentless energy) but it sounded near perfect. That was a real “wow” throughout the set!
I guess nobody in the sweaty but happy audience noted that time flew and GR should have gotten a speeding ticket.
The finished their set and came back for some extra fun:
Just puuurfect! Ever since they are back at it they come on a regular basis to Hamburg and every time they have been utmost convincing. Lets hope that indeed they have a new record in the making, because that would bring them over yet again.
Great evening at the Hafenklang and i was lucky to capture the essence of a GR show in a single shot (though Sean is hidden).
So this is for you:
Click! for high resolution version download (opens in new window).
There was no vinyl to score but a grateful mate not only did hit me up with a ride but also with the last ever Effigies record (“Burned”, a loving memory for John François Kezdy who tragically died in 2023 before the record could be completed). So was not only home early but also with black gold in tow.
Following the K-Town Warm-Up on Thursday i had two more days of live mu-sick to see, the Booze Cruise Festival had it’s long weekend in Hamburg and good only knows how many bands played at how many locations, most of it on the more softer side of Punk (certainly than K-Town Hardcore Fest material).
As i dislike Festivals it was a no go for me. But selected bands appeared that lured me to it. Once the exact timings where confirmed i charted a plan: Good Riddance on a boat? Tick. Second Youth and Good Riddance at the Hafenklang? Yep. Hysterese, Youth Avoiders and Career Suicide at the Hafenklang? Count me in.
Early on Friday (at least for the working contingent) the MS-Tonne took on the mighty river Elbe, just after a bit of rain (in the western part of town actually heavy rain) passed through. Scenery in the harbor was still nice, there is nothing better than being seaside respectively on the waterside.
Dockside View from the MS Tonne (c) gehkacken.de 2022
Kick off, whilst still moored, was with Tired Radio from Brooklyn, NYC. Self pro-claimed Depression Punk. But whilst Warthog from Brooklyn come at you like a tropical depression that has developed into a hurricane Tired Radion came to me like a wind made by a butterfly.
Tired Radio (MS Tonne, Hamburg, 24.06.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
For my liking the mu-sick was just lame, way too much Rock and frankly when you waste 10 minutes of your 20 minutes set tuning your guitar then … you loose me. Some of me mates said they where shite but i won’t give that rating. To me they where just a void, did not work. Do your own math, if you dare.
I was thus rather looking outward, towards the posh beaches of Hamburgs expensive western end.
Hamburgs Posh West End Beaches (c) gehkacken.de 2022
Luckily the trip was saved by Über You from Zürich, all the energy i missed and all the fun was immediately back on display. Fast paced Punk, a singer with relentless energy and some smart songs. Sight, there is life after death.
Über You (MS Tonne, Hamburg, 24.06.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
Über You shine with multi-vocals throughout every song, nice guitar work and some frantic drumming. And loads of sing-a-long choruses with uuuuoooohhhh and else. What they do they do pretty good and they did not fool around with pointless exercises like … tuning. They rather focused on crowd surfing. Hit them up if you like that idea.
Good Riddance took a wee bit longer to setup but then they where at it quite quickly with a short but crisp set, most of it more on the melodic side. And there was a new guitar player on the rooster, he did not look like Luke Pabich.
Best thing though was to see Chuck Platt back at it, after he had been run over by a car when crossing the street in front of his restaurant (The Crepe Place in Santa Cruz). And being able to come back after being hit with a right ankle break, a left knee injury, a broken collar bone and lacerations to face and hands is quite stunning (and remember hospitals in the US of A are … expensive shit).
They had fun on the non-existing stage and the audience also went some length for singing along, a small slam pit and some extended crowd surfing (always with a slight risk to go over board).
Good Riddance (MS Tonne, Hamburg, 24.06.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
And as all bands who play on a boat in a scenic environment you could spot their eyes going off towards docks, large ships, our expensive opera house and and and. Best was that they played until the MS Tonne was moored again, whilst she made the slow ride into the position she was passing tourists on the landing bridges upper floors (set like beach clubs) who glanced over with open mouths: Loud and wild music and a strange crowd going ape shit. Well done Good Riddance, nice start!
Whilst some left the boat to call it a day, me and two friends took on the Hafenklang to see them again, plus Second Youth from Italy. We even had time whilst strolling over to get a Pizza and some excellent local beer, Überquells World White IPA is also a mainstay in my household.
Checking into a largely empty Hafenklang i decided to let go what was playing and only concentrate on the two bands i wanted to see. First came Second Youth, part UK part Italy. Quite different stage personas.
Second Youth (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 24.06.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
The singer immediately made an impression when he tap danced (or rather tap stomped) in complete sync with the drums, using the wooden floor of the stage to his sound advantage. On the musical side they where quite pleasant to follow, me mate noted “Told you so, Italian Rancid“. I would not go that far out but they have quite a variety and they play good. Between the songs loads of banter though much of it was lost on the rather small audience downstairs.
Odd point though that they off stage personas seemed to be less in sync with reality, one person who had to deal with them simply called them Wabblers (which is an Austrian slang, go figure yourself). As such you won’t get praise and you won’t get a video, you just get a Wabbler.
Before Good Riddance would come on stage there was time to kill, as none of the other bands did lure me. I enjoyed the weather outside, the scenery and some chats.
When it was time for Good Riddance the Hafenklang was packed (and rightly so). They took the stage like this:
Bang! From 0 to 100 in no time and picking up where they left the boat.
Sure thing the set was longer and it was also feeling faster and more on the H/C blasting side then melodic. See this 1:20 beauty:
I just love it, they are one of the Californian bands from the 90ties that i continue to dig, they yet have to put out a bad record.
The audience had their fun, singing, dancing and sweating, loads of sweating. By the end of the set the floor of the Hafenklang was fully wet – some of it beer, loads of it sweat.
Good Riddance (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 24.06.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
They had definitely fun on stage, Chuck took extra fun in moving forward and off position to press his bass against stage fronting folks. And whilst at it, smiling away.
At the end they finished, thanked and many left (because other bands at other places where luring them). We stayed and got a surprise return for another song. Great finish for the Friday, i took the train home smiling.
On Saturday i was much more selective, i did let go the longer boat trip (which included Second Youth and Career Suicide) and came late to the Hafenklang for the three bands i wanted to see.
Hysterese first, downstairs, with a small audience. They seem to have a new bass player and their sound has slightly changed (or better, gradually evolved). It is now somehow lighter, with more beat/strum elements.
I guess with that sound they fit better into the rooster than the next two i was going to see. I liked it, as they still make clever songs and get them across well. Same in the audience, a number of folks happily danced throughout the set.
But i a am frank, i was here for faster stuff. And faster i got. This how Youth Avoiders stormed into their set:
Yeeees. I have not seen them live since 2014 but i still follow their releases and i can assure you that their last LP from 2018 is still a banger. Just listen to “World Vison, Wide Opening“, which is a sheer beauty of a song with coolest guitar work.
Total energy down from the stage and towards the audience, i guess some did not know what will hit them. But i hope it did surprise them and they check them out further.
For me they where the immediate reason to rediscover French Punk and Hardcore, that i left largely behind at the end of the 80s. But nowadays bands alongside them like Syndrome 81, Sordid Ship, Stalled Minds and and and are bypassing many others from eg. the US of A.
It was a perfect set that rendered both the on-stage contingent and the off-stage contingent almost done. But there was no time to recover, next was Career Suicide upstairs.
Up we hustled and after some problems with the Bass Amp (that somehow where not really solved but never mind, it is Hardcore) Career Suicide took it on like this:
Welcome back 80s Hardcore, Canadian Hardcore specifically. They hail from Toronto, Ontario, though i believe they are now dispersed even around the globe as a band. Still, as often as possible they take tours across long distance – this time it took them from London to Athen, from Palermo to Catania. Off to Berlin, Leipzig and Hamburg and finally to the K-Town Hardcore Fest.
Career Suicide (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 25.06.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
The well packed room had fun, up to and including circle pit attempts. Was the sound perfect? Naah, never mind. Was there energy? Yes Yes Yes. And those in the know (and it was many) could also sing-a-long on selected songs.
For me basically another Jackpot and taking me back to Thursday where i left that very room with a broad smile after having been bulldozed by Warthog. Actually i followed the same protocol: Less beer and more chats, up to and including being introduced by Fab to his mate Jon.
Three days, 12 bands and only two beers. Happy, despite having attended what is listed as a festival.
Sunday i had to recover and spend time with me love, who graciously approved the evenings out.
The complete rooster – way too much for me and the core reason for Festival dislike.
Now that was a tough choice: The Monkeys had the Rejects for a 40 year anniversary show that would be a killer and the Hafenklang had Good Riddance, which i believe have not graced Hamburg for … say 15 years? So what to do? Both went on Ticket sale early and both reported good traction on sales.
Whilst a large part of me mates jumped to the obvious choice of the Monkeys (and reported a killer show afterwards) me and a small part of friends decided for Good Riddance, as this would mark their comeback: Both in Hamburg but also after their 2007 breakup.
And also the Hafenklang very early reported “sold out”:
Two support slots went to local bands, kick off would be with Hamburgs finest ramonescore outfit The Haermorrhoids, who are busy touring and playing support slots whilst preparing for their next release.
And this is what awaited the die-hard fans in the front row:
The Haermorrhoids – Setlist (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 10.10.2019)
15 songs, 30 Minutes. Perfect “less than 2 minutes” scenario of pure energy. They kicked off slow and then blasted away. As the have now played a lot they are very tight and have perfected their set, which on this evening also included some new songs.
The Haermorrhoids (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 10.08.2019 (c) gehkacken.de)
The sound though was just not perfect, somehow it did not have the right balance to me: some of the vocals too low volume, some of the drumming not coming across right and it had a bit of an overcast of low frequency noise.
That was “1984” and one of my favorite songs, specifically for the lyrics, an ode to mom:
When I peed into my bed
My mom always cleaned up my mess
Until I was 35 years old
Never cared about nuthin'
She solved all my filthy problems
I lived in a fairy tale
Oh yeah!
As they only had a 30 minutes slot there was no fuzzing around, even technical issues with the hi-hat did not stop them of pushing forward and getting the front row dancing. Whilst the Hafenklang was sold out unfortunately some people did let them go and definitely missed something.
The Haermorrhoids (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 10.08.2019 (c) gehkacken.de)
I would be more than happy if they just get into the speed and rhythm of them brothers Ramone and put a long player our every year. As such the news of them doing new songs and having another record on the horizon makes me fly high like a junkie – hopefully i don’t overdose:
As always “Overdose” finished off their set and for me that was – despite the sound issue – a more than enjoyable set. With perfect sound and light it would have been killer actually.
Where The Haermorrhoids nailed it the next band would not. At least for me. And also for a few more who wandered outside rather for some beer and chats.
It is not very often but sometimes a band either through look or sound, through vocals or something else fends me off, here it was the mu-sick – it just did not make klick for me. Check Kapot out for yourself and if you like them go out and see them!
After some changeover and some waiting the by now definitely packed Hafenklang got what they waited for – here is how GR kicked off:
Bang – that’s a perfect return onto a Hamburg stage. I have no clue into what cupboard people put them, i guess it the melodic element on top of that hardcore sound that makes them outstanding, almost never at the risk of being too slow, too poppy or just too much of a waste.
Good Riddance (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 10.08.2019 (c) gehkacken.de)
With GR you have all elements that a band should bring onto stage: A near perfect drummer that hits hard and smiles away. A joyful bass that not only plays hard’n’fast but also has an eye for fun with the audience (and accepts the risk of being hit in the balls). A fast shredding and taken away guitar that drives the sound. And a singer that does not perform too many fancy items, schemes and maneuvers and just creates a center of attention through himself.
I knew immediately that for me it was the right decision to run AWOL from Cockney and with me many many folks smiled away or where throwing themselves into the pit, through the pit and onto the floor.
Good Riddance (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 10.08.2019 (c) gehkacken.de)
The only bad item was that it was a very male pit with sometimes little attention to smaller and sometimes female members of the audience that also would love to be near the stage. I guess that is the price to pay for having GR at an unusual small location against what they used to draw (also in Hamburg).
There was another bad item and that turned out to be a technical one that i understand was on purpose: Russ voice sounded very odd and after the show i checked with the Hafenklang and they confirmed it was due to him using his own mike, which somehow gave that sound. If he likes it that way, than that is ok but it gives a distinct different vocal sound compared to the records. And not a better one if you ask me!
Speaking of records i was hoping to be able to score the new record in colored vinyl but they had none of that record at all with them. Damn, now i guess i need to team up with others and order from the US, greedy record collecting scum that i am. And me mates are. And we all are!
Good Riddance (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 10.08.2019 (c) gehkacken.de)
GR ruled the Hafenklang definitely and the did wear out some of the audience, who sang most of the songs louder than Russ and who danced away relentlessly. They turned out to still be absolute perfect musicians, with a great sound and with some great songs. I would love to see them back in a slightly bigger environment and still sold out.
They did not play my loveliest song though but you can’t have it all…
… toss it, here it is – listen up youth:
Perfect guitar work and chords, driving and absolute stunning lyrics.
Thanks GR, on all fronts, for coming back!
At the end of a long evening i was like the 3rd but last person outside the Hafenklang after long rounds of chatting away. That normally tells me that i did like the proceedings. Back home and sneaking into bed i was wondering if it would have been the same at the Monkeys – i fear it would have been too!
Damn choices! But great to see that both clubs sold out and scoreing their share on drinks – we need them Clubs! So please all help to repeat this more often: Sold Out instead of Selling Out!
