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Tag: mOi!n it’s 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).
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Los Pepes (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 29.09.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
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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)
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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?
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Mad Rollers (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 29.09.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
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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)
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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.
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Rotten XIII (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 29.09.2023 (c) gehkacken.de 2023)
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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:
<a href="https://rottenxiii.bandcamp.com/album/aurrera">Aurrera by Rotten XIII</a>
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?
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MOi!n It's Hamburg #8 
(Monkeys Music Club & Indra, Hamburg, 29./30. September 2023)
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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.
2023/10/02
… back on the map: MOi!n It’s Hamburg, Edition 7
After the 5th and 6th Edition being bogged down by Covid it was time again for the Monkeys to throw a proper MOi!n It’s Hamburg for the lot from near and far. And as ever i was eager to be there, as there are often hidden (and overlooked) gems to to be found – like on the last full 2 Day event in 2019 with Kaleko Urdangak.

Kick off on Friday was with Strikt from sunny Stockholm. Young lads and already fully in sync with rule #1: A band should dress for the occasion. All white, dark trousers – tick! Despite the Monkeys being more empty than full they where able to lure folks from the bar towards the stage.
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Strikt (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 30.09.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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I would not count them strictly into Oi! territory, they rather have a nice balance of sing-a-long, slower stuff and more old Swedish Punk annotations. The singer sported a nice KSMB tattoo – can’t be a coincidence. They did not have their brand new record yet but in best DIY did some self burned CD’s with the songs (a highly limited edition you #recordcollectorsarepretentiousarseholes). How did it sound? Check out their ode to their hometown: Stockholm.

Next The Bois, originally from Singapore. They date back to 2001 but if i understood correctly they are now a slightly different band, with members from SG, UK and DE. With them it was more traditional Oi! with a proud and clear SHARP message.
```
The Bois (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 30.09.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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The songs are sometimes musically heavy and loaded (with complexity) but still carry simple messages (like in Till I Die). They sure had the Hamburg lot in front of the stage, singing along and dancing. Not particularly my cup of tea but by all means check out their stuff. Their old stuff is available here as a nice compilation.

The Analogs where on next and for them it was a return to the Monkeys following their support slot in 2018 for Bonecrusher. The have a long history but i take technically they are no longer that band from the 90s.
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The Analogs (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 30.09.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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They play Punk Rock with an emphasis on Rock and have a shitload mu-sick-al complexity in their songs. And seeing them on stage you note that they all seem to be experts with their instruments, specifically the drummer has a very unique style. The only think that was strange was the language – my ears are just not accustomed to hear lyrics in Polish, it all sound very harsh to me. But hey, it’s their mother tongue, so sure ok.

I liked them, to a certain extend also because they are indeed different (and great musicians).

Headliner for Friday was Giuda and i have not seen them live for quite a while, mainly because i had the feeling they where on the way to hit big. Not sure if they did, though i saw a couple of praises in the mainstream mu-sick press.

Sam as been giving them one of the first opportunities in Germany, dating back to 2014 with a stunning show at the Indra. They sure have grown beyond that, i was told they now employ professional management and a team for touring. In front of the stage you could note it by the simple fact that they now have a stage entry sound being played.
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Giuda (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 30.09.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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I was not sure if i still like them but from the first chord the songs, the stomping and the smiles of the singer got me into it, again. Not sure if the feeling was right but i took they concentrated on the older stuff more – sing-a-long galore for the lot. They also employ some orchestrated stage movement (and the bass player got some strong looks for being out of sync and too wild).

8 years after seeing them for the first time i have to admit that they did dig themselves a unique niche, filled it with old tube amps and great 70s glam rock sound (with stomping rock being key) and just do that very professional.

The audience loved it and it was a great finish for the first day, way after midnight (though Giuda did not play overly long).

Day 2 started early (with attending a Brunch thrown by a mate that just passed 60ty), lead on to the decisions to pass the St. Pauli home game (that oddly was timed for 20:30 kick off) and be at the Monkeys rather.

And it was a good choice to be early has the hidden gem was right there as the start of Day 2: Complete Loss hail from Dülmen in North Rhine-Westphalia and they hit my mu-sick-al nerve from the first chord.

Almost on the total opposite of the MOi!n spectrum they play very modern Skinhead Hardcore in an American style. Hard hitting, fast paced. Just right up my alley. On top the singer cultivates a “grabbing my ass” style whilst singing right out of the Milo Auckerman playbook (and thus hitting another nerve).
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Complete Loss (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 01.10.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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I was quickly sold on them and was so engulfed that i did not take note how many more people actually took them in (it felt open in front of the stage though). You got to check out their first vinyl that just has seen the light: It carries for example hit’s like Needle Park. I am now looking forward to see them again, maybe in a more hardcore setting at the Hafenklang?

After that high came … not a low but something that i could not get into that much on this evening. Bull Brigade from Turino play just another sound, a wide mixture of sing-a-long Oi! mixed with modern US styles from H/C. Loads of rhythm and tempo changes, loads of chants.
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Bull Brigade (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 01.10.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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As far as i could make out there was footie in the mix too and the singer had like 3 faces & gesture that he mixed throughout the set, for me and some around that was a wee bit … posing? Boring? Nevermind, they do their thing and they seem to do it good – plenty of applause actually.

And whilst i was still mentally moaning i got hit by a 2 miles long fright train full of Canadian wheat heading for the US of A. Say hello to Reckless Upstarts (not Americans, as they pointed out) from Windsor, Ontario. It is the southernmost city of Canada, just opposite of Detroit. It’s called the City of Roses and what a beautiful mu-sick-al rose these Upstarts are!
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Reckless Upstarts (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 01.10.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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16 strings with great guitar work to the front, all singing, and a heavy hitting drummer in the background. Their main asset is “being tight” and indeed they pushed forward like as a joint force. Their songs are about work, working class and about grinding down fascists. Check out Dying For A Living Wage or all of their output. Good Stuff, delivered perfectly live.

Next on Brutal Bravo from sunny Friburg im Brisgau and i never saw them live prior but based on their output i was keen to. They have some really cool bare to the bone songs out there and with “Brutal Bravo Über Alles” they have a tongue-in-check scene hit with pointed lyrics:
```
We corrupt morals and vitiate the air
And we are the resurrection of your saviour
We speak truth and we demand surrender
You`re ours for now and you will be forever.

You`re the lambs, we`re the birds of prey
We make the rules and you are forced to play
If you wanna make us happy, get down on your knees
This reign is unjust and we don`t kill to eat

It is pretty simple. a law of nature
If you don`t obey your master, you`ll be treated as a traitor
There are no more options, no more possibilities
God has no need for diplomacy.

We created evil and we created good
Brutal Bravo Brutal Bravo Über Alles
We bring the drought and we bring the flood
Brutal Bravo Brutal Bravo Über Alles
We turn day into night and night into day.
Brutal Bravo Brutal Bravo Über Alles
We are the mightiest and we rule - okay!
Brutal Bravo Brutal Bravo Über Alles
```
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Brutal Bravo (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 01.10.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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I guess next to me many more where eager to see them, just like with Giuda it was packed, though less dancing but more physical in front of the stage. And whilst, when playing, it was really great hard hitting stuff there was a feel of discomfort with me. And soon i had the impression that somehow they are a dysfunctional band, at least this evening.

Debates about what (and how to play), raised eyebrows across the stage and a singer that either forgot the lyrics or was too intoxicated to call them from memory. And whilst resorting to printed lyrics he threw them around on stage and was soon unable to locate the right sheet.

And when it looked to go sour they somehow choose to play “Brutal Bravo Über Alles” to please the audience. Not once, not twice but three times. From where i stand no surprise that the band just a couple of days prior announced the end of the venture, i guess one more show and that’s it. Mhhhhhh, not what i expected.

With Gimp Fist at least the final headliner was far away from dysfunctional, to me they seem the friendliest people on earth and a well oiled machine. And this is what they set out for the lot:

Gimp Fist – Setlist (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 01.10.2022)

And on most of these songs the audience did sing-a-long almost louder than the band and both in front of the stage and on the stage there where plenty of smiles. My smile was big when they played my current favorite song – the starting one of their Isolation LP is a versatile hit, packed into 1:32 and still offering a cinematic intro. Check out Ambition and sing-a-long: Well i don’t give a fuck!
```
Gimp Fist (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 01.10.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
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Where Giuda as headliner threw a professional headlining show on Friday it was Gimp Fist as the headliner for Saturday to thoroughly break down the barrier between on and off stage and united everyone in the Monkeys. Simply by being unpretentious, honest and open – and with a message. They are the essence of humble and thus i had not even a slightly raised eyebrow for a mate who sported a Gimp Fist T-Shirt (that takes us back to rule #2: Never wear a shirt of the band that plays). Still loving you mate!

And much faster than anticipated it was over, two great days at the Monkey, two new discoveries, one disappointment, a St. Pauli home draw that turned out not to be that bad (though we simply need to score, more) and still a long weekend to recover as Monday would be a public holiday in Germany.

I had no hangover, as i stayed off booze both days and that indeed was a refreshing feeling. And frank, seeing some folks in various stages of drunkenness on Saturday it felt right.

Big Thanks again to Sam & the Monkeys crew for making this possible, much appreciated. Count me in in 2023 too!

MOi!n It’s Hamburg #7 2022
2022/10/05
… when surprises get you left field: mOi!n it’s Hamburg 4!
I won’t be repeating that i dislike festivals in principle, as you will get just another praise of two great nights that actually belonged to a festival. Sam and Ralf from the Monkeys did put together another class event …

… the original line up!

… only to suffer from The Kids and Grade 2 having to pull out. Specifically The Kids are a mainstay in Hamburg, as such the loss was rather big. But with Knock Off and Rixe fitting replacements where found and the two days could set sail as per below.

… the final lineup for mOi!n it’s Hamburg, 2019 edition!

Given it was to be four bands on Friday the proceedings started rather early, too early for many that had to either travel or work on day. Snipper 66 from the US of A (and that’s Austin with a little help from Berlin this time round) thus faced a little bit of an empty space in front of the stage.

They not only brand themselves street punk i guess but they also look like it. And they hit hard, actually they have a rhythm section that not only provided that hard drive but also, and that was the best spin, added to the vocals. So with three folks singing (both solo and chorus) they provided some great variation.
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Snipper 66 (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 27.09.2019)
```
Great to see the girl behind the drums: Not only hitting hard but also having fun and being able to emit that from stage. I won’t necessarily buy a record of them but i won’t pass them by, if there is an option to see them life. Great start.

With the 2nd band the visuals slightly changed, it was them unpretentious Lads from London, Fred Perry and Doc Martens and their unpretentious songs about Life (so fucking live it), Love, Footie and Politics. They love to be in Hamburg and Hamburg loves them.
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Knock Off (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 27.09.2019)
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They noted specifically that they love to play Hamburg for the size of the audience and i immediately wondered if they would know what the invite from the mighty Razoes for “Burn Down The Baum” at year end would mean for them. They will face an even bigger stage and an even larger audience. And i damn sure then will win over that lot too!

mOi!n it’s Hamburg would be worthwhile event if it would not cultivate surprises and contrasts. But surprise and contrast came and it came with Gatans Lag from sunny Borås (city of the sheepshaggers eeer sheepshearers) and they not only flooded the stage but also had a large contingent in front of the stage.
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Gatans Lag (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 27.09.2019)
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They kicked off providing their essence: “We are Gatans Lag and we generally dislike people” and took it from there. Where the singer from Bonecrusher likes to sing in the audience, the singer from Gatans Lag likes to throw himself into people in the audience and yell the words right there into their face. My sideline guess was he was drunk anyway, if not he got it during the set as he had about a beer per song.

… it was much more raunchy in Hamburg!

Sound wise they where great, well oiled, had a sax included and took no prisoners at all. They did not care about the audience they just cared about a force full show and that they delivered. For the encore they added another member and freed up the bass (who sported a great Doberman Cult shirt) and gave a final “in your face”.

Wow – that was an early high!

Headlining for the day was for them lads from Macclessfield, Cheshire, and was a return to Hamburg shores after 24 years (not so tricky, as they where on hiatus from 1996 to 2018): The Macc Lads, self-proclaimed “rudest, crudest, lewdest, drunkest band in Christendom“.
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The Macc Lads (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 27.09.2019)
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There where some from the Hamburg lot that just wanted nothing else then them, for me it was not really a burner. Their lad humor may work in England (less so abroad) and their silly songs (with a scent of silly humor) are glued into something that for me is just faster paced rock.

I listened, i watched and i gave in on the first doubt in my head. Rather than sustaining, i went home after day 5 songs and decided to catch a long sleep after the work week. Sorry Lads!

Without a doubt day one turned out better than i thought: Great bass/drums pair for a start with Sniper 66, lovely Knock Off and a massive surprise on what Gatans Lag where pushing upon the audience.

On Saturday it started even earlier (and that is me leaving out the reggae boot ride), that suited me anyway as i could take the short bike ride without being showered by the rain that was coming up. And luckily me and me mate where early, as we got to get the biggest surprise of the weekend as a starter.

I have never heard of Kalenko Urdangak, i have no clue what the name means as their local language does not lend itself to easy understanding and thus we had no clue what to expect.

To make it short: They tore down the place, they killed the audience and they left every single member of the audience (less those from Euskal Herria or Catalunya, i guess they knew what was comming) stunned. Perplex. Searching for words.
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Kaleko Urdangak (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 28.09.2019)
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And who did it? A thin singer with relentless energy, a full bodied guy with a Cockney Rejects shirt with a perfect harsh and driving guitar sound, a towering bass with perfect backup vocals and the coolest sideburns of the weekend on drums, always smiling away.

… thank god for subtitles!

Say hello to my newest favorite live band. And it was not only me, also all of the Hamburg lot i was checking with had the same feeling of just being exposed to a perfect skinhead rock’n’roll set. The best was that the singer was able to bridge the language barrier in the songs by lots of gestures, so that you halfway could make out what it is about. And even with that barrier it was sing-a-long galore to great songs!
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Kalenko Urdangak (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 28.09.2019)
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Nowadays (and with a too large record collection) i live by the rule “only buy a record when the band has convinced you live on stage” and my praise for Kalenko Urdangak thus ends with the confession that i bought their vinyl. Later at home i realized they have more out, i got to hunt that down too!

They also included Pour La Gloire into the set and got some prominent French contingent with them on stage to sing it. Me mate Thomas, as ever dressed for the occasion, proudly sported his Camera Silens shirt at the front of the stage.

After that killer set someone had the poor task to continue, it was the Warrior Kids, one of the best bands of the massive wave of early 80s French Street Punk. By the looks they arrived late in Hamburg and had to do a sound check right there on stage. As such sound was less then perfect and they where forced to play against an already exhausted audience. After a couple of songs Marc asked in frustration “…are you asleep?”
```
Warrior Kids (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 28.09.2019)
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Once into the set and adding some ska and reggae themed stuff they got at least some people moving, that part of the set went well. The rest was just the wrong point in time stuff, unlucky them! I do hope they did not drive from windy Marseille all the way for this rather frustrating set. It was not their fault!

With a quick turnover La Inquisicion from Cap i Casal de Catalunya took the stage … and blasted the audience in all forms: Visually, stage performance wise and by their songs. I saw them last year at Barna’n’Roll where they played in the full sun as the first band. Back then my verdict was: “They got some cheers but did not manage to impress me. I guess that stage and that emptiness was just too big for them.“
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La Inquisicion (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 28.09.2019)
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Boy did this change: Against my memory they have speeded up, tightend up, added a scent of hardcore metal and took it from there (and the by now massive Basque and Catalan contingent in front of the stage by storm). Wow, i felt yet again blasted away.

Thinking about it after the gig i am damn sure that coming from Euskal Herria or Catalunya is something that puts a shitload of energy into you: The need to fight. The urge to fight. The will to stand up. All of that accumulated right here at the Monkeys with both Kaleko Urdangak and La Inqusicion.

Rixe (out of Paris) had to climb that by now larger than life stage next and their attempt to blow it up resulted in beer being spilled into electrics and thus blown fuses forcing power cuts on stage. Not once but twice and that somehow took some of the early energy away.
```
Rixe (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 28.09.2019)
```
Still, their bare bones Oi! sound in it’s simplicity and harshness got the people moving and the longer the set lasted the better they sounded and the more the audience was up for it. I like them and they are of the same type of unpretentiousness as Knock Off. Well done and providing good vibes.

MUSIC IS LIFE. THAT’S WHY OUR HEARTS HAVE BEATS.
#HOMEISWHERETHEMUSICIS #HOMEISWHERETHEBOOZEIS
#HOMEISWHEREMEMATESARE

I by now was almost exhausted and thought about leaving, i could not think of this Upstarts version, with Mensi back from retirement, will do the trick. But given uplifting performances already seen, given the amount of friends met, chatted with and given the booze already taken i stayed on. It was both a worthy decision and one that would have a knock-on …

I think i have all their vinyl up until say 1987 and Sham, Cockney and the Upstarts where key bands for my early life in punk. But then i disbanded them somehow, some efforts where lackluster and some line-ups not fit for purpose. Here and now on the small stage they where greeted with cheers and as the first thing stormed into “2.000.000 Voices” and had the audience sing-a-long from 0 to 100 in one go.
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Angelic Upstarts (Monkeys Music Club, Hamburg, 28.09.2019)
```
I got carried away in sing-a-long too, though my rationale inner self kept trying to remind me that it was a speeded up version of the Upstarts with Mensi (in Celtic outfit) giving an almost spoken word performance on top. It is clear that age and size disallow him to move at the same pace, so the best moments (at least for me) where stuff like “Solidarity”.

At the end i have to confess that they converted me from “doubtful” to “accepted”, though i still won’t add any new vinyl of them to my collection. But as a highlight to finish of mOi!n it’s Hamburg #4 it worked perfectly well.

On that high and with some surprise mates joining the proceedings late (after missing out all other bands on Saturday) i should have resorted home but somehow got stuck in the pub, chatting, praising and drinking. And one more. And a free Helbing from Sam. And another chat.

In a nutshell it was late, later and … hungover on Sunday. Well done. I should have been up and to the Millerntor on Sunday but the bad weather and too much booze mixed with people smoking forced me towards the easy way out: I watched St. Pauli kill Sandhausen from the Sofa.

Big time thanks for Sam & Ralf and the Monkeys crew for pulling this off and big time FANX for all the mu-sick-al surprises (i got to name Gatans Lag and Kaleko Urdangak again here). It was two worthwhile nights that some people would call a festival. I call it two class shows!

nb: If you belong to the doubtful caste too then pen 02nd to 4th of October 2020 into your diary and give it a try at mOi!n it’s Hamburg, 5th edition!
2019/10/01