Logo – www.gehkacken.de

… Off!

Strange one: Off! with a Blitzkrieg like run through Europe – 8 days, 5 countries, 6 shows. Luckily in Hamburg too. Sadly at a place that i just do not dig. The old shed called Logo feels odd on so many fronts that i try to avoid seing bands there.

The show was goddamn early and i could barely get away from home at 1900, be there at 1925 and still missed most of the support band.

The Cable Ties from Australia set their mark as:

Cable Ties are frenetic lead lines tethered to a hypnotic rhythm section. They take the 3 minute punk burner and stretch it past breaking point. Suddenly the garage rock gives way as primitive boogie, kraut and post-punk take things way out to the horizon.

The Logo was already packed in front of the stage and i could only listen to two songs from the back. None of it was frankly a 3 minute punk burner (they would be 2 minutes anyway), it was more of that stereotypical post punk sound from down under that currently is en vogue.

That said, it was at least not offending and had a little twang. What was offending was the rock star setup turned ad-absurdum: They had to setup their drums to the side, as the small stage of the Logo (and the goal post at the middle of the stage) would not allow to set it up in front of Off!s gear.

Once i had made my way to the front, they where already packing up – though with a smile.

Cable Ties (Logo, Hamburg, 02.02.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

I guess you got to check them out yerself, one of my friends liked them and most ignored them. For me it was simply not my mu-sick-al cuppoard.

Off! took the stage around 2100 and it took Keith like 10 minutes to get the setlist untangled from duct tape and then 5 more to place it.

On stage where familiar faces: Keith, his cup of coffee and his dreads. Dimitri with his guitars and extended own sound/mix desk. Absent was Mr. Steven Shane McDonald but he was prominently replaced by Autry Fulbright II (whom i saw on the same stage some time ago with Vanishing Life). A complete new face on drums (and turning out as a real asset) was Justin Brown (as i learned later a seasoned Jazz drummer that graduated from the Dave Brubeck Institute).

They kicked off at 2115, lead by soundscapes created by Dimitri and picked up by Bass and Drums – nice intro. From there it was typical Off! blasts either just above the 01:00 mark of just below the 02:00 mark (“punk burner” anyone?).

Off! (Logo, Hamburg, 02.02.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)

They played like 21 songs, grouped into clusters and more soundscapes from Dimitri (and guitar changes) between these clusters. Besides the fact that Keiths vocals indeed did not come through too perfect it was a stunning showcase of music as an art: The drummer was near perfect (and corrected Dimitris intro on two occasions with broad smiles), the bass run up and down the fret was groovy and what Dimitri gets out of his electrified six strings is just stunning.

The damn Internet (damn, never forgets) has Off! down as “… an american hardcore punk supergroup” and like it or not it has a grain of truth (and is a very modern approach at hardcore).

I liked it (specifically the mix of fast paced blasts and soundscapes), most of me mates liked it and a small circle in front of that anoying goal post had some dancing fun too.

Actually, the last record is indeed a stunning effort worth a listen. It comes in the same near perfect way as the mu-sick-al delivery on stage. At 2148 they where done, no encore. At least Keith was not in a chatty mood, so most of the time was spend on mu-sick.

The only one not happy was William, has he was served the wrong beer.

Jack, William and Joe (Averell was AWOL) being OFF!

And my disklike for the club? The stage is shitty, the bar service lousy and the floor if full of obstruction. Not my place.

… i gotta admit: I am sold on Steve McDonald! And thus Redd Kross and Melvins where “sold out”!

Quite often you go to shows mainly because of another friend is going, sometimes it needs this warm feeling to be convinced to go out. On Monday night i had all of this but non of me mates where there – that friend giving me the push to be at a show was someone who does not know me, but has been with me for quite some time.

Welcome Mr. Steven Shane McDonald of Redd Kross fame (and OFF! and most recent also Melvins fame). I’d go an extra mile to see Redd Kross (one of the most perfect Power Pop bands) and i am also willing to pay some extra bucks. That upfront payment was good, as the Logo was sold out and packed – most of the audience though waiting for the heavy duty from the Melvins.

So it was me, a lot of hairy guys, some young girls and i knew only one person in the audience (say hello to Olli). And i recognised about 3 faces. Wow – i sure was breaking out from normal custom, that would be a bonus!

Redd Kross (Logo, Hamburg, 16.10.2017) (c) gehkacken.de)

First on Redd Kross, this time the McDonalds brothers plus the Melvins drummer plus another friend of them helping out on guitar. Initially they sounded way of, specifically the drumming did not fit well. But the more they played the better they became – by the end of this tour they will be there.

Unfortunately they only had a small rooster rehearsed and were confiened to the support slot – so some of the hits i had in my inner ear never made it to the stage and thus back. But one thing for sure: Melodies, harmonies, fuzz and loads of chorus signing. Just perfect!

A band that can create and re-create this beauty can’t be that bad:

Lady in the front row (1994):

Lady in the front row (2012 – and love that shirt of Steve):

And to make it easier … sing-a-long to this:

You look so fine
But are you too old too be the first in line
Die hard dedication
Would you give me a standing ovation

So bad you stand in her place
You better go now
Oooh you better look out
The lady in the front row

Someone took your spot
But nobody's gonna knock you off
Jealous thieves
It's invisible the power you keep

So bad you stand in her place
You better go now
Oooh you better look out
The lady in the front row

I know your face but what's your race
Are you a homosapien from space
A barometer of the mob reaction
Simple love everything we know as action

So bad you stand in her place
You better go now
Oooh you better look out

It's show time
It's show time
It's show time
It's show time
It's show time

(c) 1993 Quicksilver Recording Company Ltd. - written by E. Kurdziel, J. McDonald & S. McDonald

Did i like it? Yes i did! Would i prefer more? Yes i would, best with a well rehearsed group and as a headliner. And one item got stuck in me head whilst watching Jeff MacDonald singing: Should Leonard Graves Phillips ever die it would be Jeff who would be a perfect fit for The Dickies!

Next on the Melvins, which was easy: Steve stayed on Bass (but changed outfit to black) and Dale Crover stayed on Drums (but changed outfit to black and moved the drums forward). And then came Buzz Ozborne and added his visual and his heavy guitar sound.

Melvins (Logo, Hamburg, 16.10.2017) (c) gehkacken.de)

I have never been a real fan of the Melvins, too many friends who liked them took too many drugs and their sound was way often much too strange to my ears. But they have their moments, specifically when they take apart other songs and reassemble them in a Melvins way. A unique way. And where Redd Cross had a 45 minute limit Melvins played for slightly above an hour and ended the set with a long lasting and slow but heavy exit. Stunning but just no my favourite thing.

And the audience? Hairy and thirsty.

There are two more Steve McDonald groupie items worth to mention here:

Steve also provided Bass to the non-bass White Stripes

And his daughter has a neat small LA Punk H/C band that is worth to be checked out:

The Side Eyes by The Side Eyes

Did i mention i am sold on Steve McDonald?

And just in case you are not sold on Redd Kross, people claim it is the most important band in America (or, better, have claimed). Nevermind, a neat write-up of their history and them scamming money from the big lables (in times where there was still money) you can find over here.

… from the big stage into the not so big club: The fate of Togetherfest 2017!

It was first set to happen in the rather spacious Markthalle, a setting by some people called “ambitious”, and that was the reason why i did buy a ticket upfront at a rather high price.

But soon it was moved to that black shed near the University called “Logo”, a sweatbox with 1/4 (or less) of the capacity. And even that place was only like 3/4th full on a rainy Sunday night. And, with 5 bands on a stretched but small stage, the breaks and changes between the set was a to-come annoyance for sure.

First off WOLF x DOWN and the singer ruined it for me with a “Yo Hamburg, was geht” intro. 5 angry young man in black and with a cause, 3 die heart fans in front of the stage singing every song and … a sound that i do not really dig.

WOLF x DOWN (Logo, Hamburg, 19.02.2012 (c) gehkacken.de)

Whilst they where technically gifted and their songs where together i just did not like the beat and the bellowed vocals, that ain’t my shit.

Next on Walter Schreifels (ex-Youth Of Today in the late 80s), who orchestrated the Tour, with his new Band Vanishing Life, for the first time in Europe. And what a stark contrast that was against WOLF x DOWN! 4 really different and distinct stage personas: A gifted guitarist that was able to pull sounds from his axe (and his massive FX-board) that i have never heard before, a tall dark bass player in a very stylish outfit, a sturdy drummer in the back and … Walter in a non-hardcore outfit singing with loads of echo but getting across clear words.

Vanishing Life (Logo, Hamburg, 19.02.2017) (c) gehkacken.de)

Wow! I was taken away – great sound, grounded in Punk but expanding so wide out. On top of that some few choice words by Walter on life, the scene and music as such. They took me so much left wing – i had not recognised their fantastic LP at all, an error soon to be corrected! And i demand them for eg. Get!Lost!Fest!

Here is a snippet for those who missed their output too – and then go on and buy it for fucks sake!

And that paved way to Trash Talk, from Sacramento, who took the proceedings into a different direction: A mix between short Hardcore bursts lasting not more than a minute and of lengthier dirty rock songs – in almost perfect fashion!

Trash Talk (Logo, Hamburg, 19.02.2017) (c) gehkacken.de)

They also now had the crowd going, either individually or collectively and i also saw a rather slim girl running across the stage and throwing herself into the audience like a torpedo! Another Wow for the mu-sick and again the difference of the stage personas made it so much more worthwhile to watch.

If you need a reference – this is how it feels:

With Trash Talk being active, open and embracing the crowd it took only one change and the dimming of the lights to throw not only a complete different image but also a different style: Of music and of interaction with the crowd. None. Welcome American Nightmare, one of Boston’s finest outfits!

American Nightmare (Logo, Hamburg, 19.02.2017) (c) gehkacken.de)

Now we where in just another territory – rock solid 90’s Hardcore Punk with a deep grounding in Punk and done in perfection. The only items that did annoy me was the complete lack of interaction with the audience, by the backing trio and specifically by the singer – he did not even look into anybodies eyes. But still, great stuff and if i am not mistaken the first time they graced Hamburg!

Here is a little story line on their re-union:

And that took us to the headliner. Ray was busy in the afternoon to give a Yoga class under his assumed name of Raghunath Cappo, which he took on when he left the NYC H/C scene for a life as a celibate monk in India, studying old texts and Yoga methods. And what took the stage was their so called “classic 1988 line-up” with Ray, Porcel, Sam and Walter (who takes Bass duties in Youth Of Today).

Youth Of Today (Logo, Hamburg, 19.02.2017) (c) gehkacken.de)

They got the crowd finally forward and into flying mode but, as one of me mates mentioned prior to the show when he turned down attending, they or rather Ray spend also a fair time explaining some simple truths to the audience. So you got 50% classic NYC H/C and 50% something for your brain – an equation that actually could be worse although he was largely preaching to converts.

Fun moment was when the Italian Youth Of Today super fan Andrea from Turin was handed the mike and he could not manage that big cheque – Ray kindly reminded him that if he wants to sing than he needs to give it all to the audience and not keep it to himself!

Would this have been fun on the big stage of the Markthalle and say 300 people? Nope, far from. Would it have been fun with 1.000 folks – yes it would. So the move down to the Logo was ok though i would have loved if they would have taken the Hafenklang and split themselves up between upstairs and downstairs. That would have worked better.

As a diverse setting and branching out into different territories of Hardcore it did work for me, though i did have my problems with the styles (BEARDS!) of the audience and some dancing styles (trashing wings running into the boarder of the pit), specifically when it is hurting people and comes with a macho attitude.

Thanks for pulling this one together Walter, much appreciated. With two Amercian Nightmare T-shirts (one for me mate Frosch, who was in Portugal, and one for me Love) and the Vanishing Life LP (in coloured vinyl, record collectors are pretentious arseholes!) i took home, being positively infused for the workweek abroad in London (i may choose to see them again there).