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Tag: MS Hedi

  • .. . some like it hot: The Dwarves² on the M/S Hedi!

    .. . some like it hot: The Dwarves² on the M/S Hedi!

    When The Dwarves where announced with two consecutive shows for the M/S Hedi people where quite exited and rushed tickets, including plenty of people that took tickets for both shows. As such both trips where quickly sold out.

    Little did folks knew ahead of time how damn hot Hamburg would turn out that Saturday – i guess it was 39° Celsius and a bit.

    I only took tickets for the 2nd set taking sail at 17:30, so me mate Frosch (who took both sets) reports about the first set:

    Entering our beloved show boat MS Hedi at 3pm in the dazzling heat it took the mighty Dwarves a little while before entering the “stage”.

    Looking at the set list it proved what was written in the music press beforehand, same as the new album “Jenkem” the legendary band was going back to the roots and playing more of the hard and heavy songs with less of the surf and bubblegum punk ones in the mix, like in recent years.

    And Blag Dahlia, the greatest womanizer on the planet, gave it to us hot and hard, struggling just a little with the almost 40°C. Well he had just turned 60 a little over a month ago.

    And I’m really looking forward to see his alter ego Ralph Champagne play an acoustic set in 3 weeks in a similar tiny setting at Bikefellas, Punk Rock Raduno #9 in Bergamo, the best little festival in the world!

    The Dwarves – Setlist Set 1 (M/S Hedi, Hamburg, 27.06.2026)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2026

    He moved to the stern of the Hedi even more often than he did during the 2nd set, reaching out to people as even more crammed outside trying to catch a breath of fresh air on this trip.

    The whole band was on fire, punk rock guitar hero Gianluca “Ginger Fanculo” Panero, who’s also playing with the Queers and Screeching Weasel (just saw him and Screeching Weasel play a fantastic show at London’s Electric Ballroom 1.5 month ago), plus Nick Oliveri of Queens Of The Stone Age fame on bass.

    Usually he’s taking over the part of Dwarves founding member HeWhoCannotBeNamed getting butt naked, but I suppose that wasn’t on due to the political correct guidelines of the M/S Hedi… a great 1st show, only the sound was going to get a little better on the 2nd set. And we where in for some set list changes as a very kind Blag the Ripper confirmed during the break between shows.

    When i arrived at the mooring it indeed was a scorching heat and those who stayed on from the first set looked somewhat already exhausted (but very happy).

    First thing on board was continuing to sip water, thankfully the good people of the M/S Hedi also allowed water to be taken on board and gave away free water bottles.

    And whilst the vessle set sail the Drummer of The Dwarves took his time to decorate his snare drum…

    The Dwarves – Snare decoration ( (c) gehkacken.de 2026)

    .. hot as in hell indeed it was!

    Once the Dwarves hit the “stage” anyway all of that heat was forgotten: Those staying over from Set 1 where on fire from the go, those who only joined for Set 2 where convinced right from the first chord.

    The Dwarves (M/S Hedi, Hamburg, 27.06.2026)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2026

    To me the sound was surprisingly well, also – given rather calm waters – the band was in no need to find it’s (steady) feat. All being super professional, they got a solid fat sound out of basically the most minimum equipment.

    I thoroughly enjoyed it, be it the faster & harder ones, be it the more sing-a-long ones. It was near perfect Schweinerock, with a super fun attitude and a decent amount of umpf.

    The Dwarves (M/S Hedi, Hamburg, 27.06.2026)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2026

    On top the ultimate entertainer and schmoozer: Blag Dhalia (aka Captain Blag Dahlia aka Blag Jesus aka lag Stallion aka Blag the Ripper aka Gentleman Blag aka Earl Lee Grace aka Julius SeizureK aka ip Kasper aka Junior High aka Dominator aka Astro Boy aka Ralph Champagne).

    He was telling the lot all about The Dwarves, all about their legend, all about them Dwarves inventing Punk Rock, all about being in need for merch income to stay rich, all about best looking and – without the need for disclosure – all about the primary external copulatory organs of the band.

    But he is an honest man and true to his words the setlist for Set2 was altered.

    The Dwarves – Setlist Set 2 (M/S Hedi, Hamburg, 27.06.2026)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2026

    When they finished the M/S Hedi was still some way away from the mooring, so the lot forced something extra and the request was met.

    So here is Better Be Women as the supreme final for Set 2:

    This one is well aged (26 years old now) and still is a lovely powerful pop punk song with the right amount of Dwarves twist.

    I guess it is time that i also checkout the new record, though i have to admit that i am not sure that the 12 records in my collection with get a 13th companion.

    But live The Dwarves are still perfect entertainment (and have nowadays almost regular “long” sets).

    Whilst part of the die-hards choose to spend more time in the city with a few cold beers i choose the airconditioned care of the mate who gave a ride to the show.

    PS: Big FANX to Frosch for the report of Set 1 and the the video (i was too engulfed to record one)

  • … a perfect Ramonescore cruise: Manarovs with The Haermorrhoids!

    … a perfect Ramonescore cruise: Manarovs with The Haermorrhoids!

    A near perfect package for a rather calm and almost sunny ride on the mighty river Elbe: All the way from Savannah, Georgia (in the US of A), came the Manarovs and they were aptly paired with their like minded mu-sick-al friends of The Haermorrhoids.

    Ramonescore into the sunset. And thus sold out very quickly.

    The Manarovs already surprised with the setlist: Break only after 7 songs. By the looks some high speed entertainment!

    Manarovs – Setlist (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 08.04.2026)

    They kept the lot waiting a wee bit, jokes were already traded that we are not on the Hedi but on the Line 62, which is the public transport ferry to Finkenwerder.

    But once they took the stage (warning, euphemism when it comes to the MS Hedi) they had steady feet from the start. Two guitars, a bass player with a very strange bass and a drummer that chooses to hold the sticks the wrong way round.

    Manarovs (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 08.04.2026)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2026

    I consciously did not check a performance of them via the internet (damn internet, never forgets!) prior to the show and i only knew few songs that i came across (eg. on Punk Rock Raduno Volume 6) – i wanted to be sedated … errrr surprised.

    The lot got perfect dual vocals singing, great & driving Ramonescore songs and a near perfect sound. Plus: Playing hand-in-glove and making a well rehearsed impression.

    How did it sound? It sounded like this:

    For them it was a first, they have never played on a boat prior (and they have never been to Hamburg i take). They got plenty of positive reception, plenty of cheers and the lot scammed an extra-extra out of them.

    Great set, i’ll be happy to have them again in Hamburg, maybe not in …

    A cruise with a view … on our $$$m Opera House

    … but who knows?

    The Hedi did not return to the landing bridge for the changeover, they had enough beer taken into the storage.

    So with a quick changeover The Haermorrhoids took the stage and simply took the baton … and speeded things up a wee bit.

    They started the year with two support slots for Teenage Bootlerocket, now they run a couple of shows with the Manarovs.

    The Haermorrhoids (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 08.04.2026)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2026

    They kept their set to blocks of 4 songs and played many more songs than the Manarovs – newer ones and old favorites like this one:

    Also their sound was near perfect and even more so than the Manarovs they had the lot moving and partly also singing along. And thus guided the lot into the sunset over the mighty river Elbe.

    I am keen to see them putting together the next album, penning even more hits and getting them recorded. Lets see when that desire gets fulfilled.

    Two great sets, a great ride on the river among friends and a perfect uplift for me (still spending much of my time supporting a love one).

    As ever when a band convinces me live i got to score something, the Manarovs had plenty of merch aboard (as it was the first show of the tour). So i scored both LPs, as i could not finalize a choice.

    You can get both on Moms Basement Records:

    Check it out for yourself:

    Fun moment at the merch: The Manarovs singer/guitar looked at Uli who wanted to check out records and said “I know you from Raduno…” – the Ramonescore world is a small and friendly world indeed.

    Perfect!

  • … more genuine than novelty act: 슬랜트, all the way from  대한민국!

    … more genuine than novelty act: 슬랜트, all the way from  대한민국!

    Sure we all know stuff from Asia, specifically Punk and utmost brutal H/C from Japan. But Korea, that still divided peninsula, ain’t ever came across my mu-sick-al geography.

    Slant (Korean: 슬랜트) are from Seoul and came across my screen in 2021 when Iron Lung released their first LP, aptly called Album 1. Hard, fast and plenty of screams by that tiny girl on vocals.

    And on top this video snippet sure added visuals to it:

    Yep, that sounds and looks interesting. And that was not only for me, also for many others. To no surprise their boat trip show on the tiny MS Hedi was sold out upfront and to an even bigger surprise everybody showed up.

    As such the MS Hedi was packed. Once it set sail into the surprisingly mild evening and calm river the lot packed the space around the setup … and no band to see.

    It took a while until Slant manned the rigs and performed their first set. And i would guess within 12 minutes that was over. From where i stood the sound was sub-optimal and for me it came across as very basic H/C.

    Slant (MS Hedi, Hamburg, 05.11.2025)
    (c) gehkacken.de 2025

    The MS Hedi did not more between sets, simply kept sailing and DJ music floating for the lot. After, let’s guess 30 minutes, Slant took the helm for a 2nd set and that one made much more click with me (maybe because i relocated): Drive, umpf and less basic hardcore but a very modern sound (though they performed only as a 4 piece with one guitar).

    It sounded very much like on their recent demo (for the 2023 Japan tour):

    But also the 2nd set was over just within minutes (let’s say 11), though to much cheer from the audience.

    I had a bit a fear that people would only ever dig them because of the novelty status (a band from Korea over at these shores) but in hindsight i take it that was wrong. Slant proved a genuine and well oiled band.

    Where they really suited for the MS Hedi? My take would be – nope. I would rather want to see them upstairs at the Hafenklang with a 25 minute set.

    It was entertaining but way to … crisp. As in short.

    But luckily i had friends around me, so we could chat at length about age, sicknesses and retirement.