14.0 got Covid, 14.1 got Covid too – luckily 14.2 was only ever infested with the will to have a community meet with good music at a great location. The stuff you most likely do not get on New Year, hence the anual family meeting is on the 30th of December and allows you pass by any New Years Eve parties on the final day of the year.
The Razors this time round invited friends from near (Degenerate Ideol from Bremen) and far (Östro 430 all the way from the early 1980s). And the icing that came with it: Diversity. Both on stage but also mu-sick-ally. Can there be a better setting?
Degenerate Idol kicked off early, at 20:00 sharp. Most of the lot was still en-route to the Knust i guess, so they had to face at least some space down in the audience. But it did not deter them, they took the stage with humor, wit and a sound deeply rooted in the R of Punk Rock.
Degenerate Idol (Knust, Hamburg, 30.12.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
Some of their songs were really funny and their singer is defintly stage aware (and able to control the crowd) but for my liking some of their songs lacked drive and from where i stood the sound lacked guitar force … but hey, as ever, that is down to my own mu-sick-al likings. They had some cheers, some dancing and a good reception. And remember, they are from Bremen. Check them out yerself.
Next the reborn Östro 430. Their original incarnation dates all the way back to Düsseldorf in 1979 and i guess they where the first German all-female Punk band. And in true punk fashion they gave a flying fuck on norms: No guitar and songs with a view from the female mind, heart and i guess cunt. A realy refreshing change of view and views, specifically on sexuality.
Fast forward to 2019 and Östro 430 where re-born in Hamburg, i guess Martina was living here anyway, with locals added on drums and bass. And off it went, actually pretty quickly pretty well (and well received too).
Östro 430 (Knust, Hamburg, 30.12.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
They kicked off Christmas themed and then thanks to Martina being herself (that is largely expressing herself in what we call in Hamburg Kodderschnauze) they delivered some clear messages.
Some of the messages – as back then – where actually too strong to handle by some in the audience, Martina made some pointed remarks towards the use of gender stars etc in language and that seemed to piss off some young punks in front of the stage. To much fun for myself they took it as an offence that need retaliation by leaving the pit. Oh my, sign of times…
Östro 430 (Knust, Hamburg, 30.12.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
Östro 430 where just great, proved that mu-sick works without a guitar (and with double bass, when needed) and that girls (both on and off stage) are to be heard and not only seen. I thoroughly loved it, my guest of the night from Rotterdam was thoroughly surprised by them. Well done girls! All of their stuff is now available, i do hope new stuff is added soonest!
It was then for the Razors to carry diversity forward, they did it by using the big stage of the Knust and Sir Edwar Elgars Pomp And Circumstances March Number One for a grand intro …
Don’t go away now! Sure the lot did not want to go anywhere, here at the Knust they were perfectly happy and more than inclined to enjoy both the community feel and the Razors delivering a complete wash-up of their Œuvre, spanning from 1978 to today.
Razors (Knust, Hamburg, 30.12.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
Whilst they did not have a lot of shows in 2022 they were well rehearsed and took it on like a well oiled old engine, with only a few selected replacement parts. Sven batters foward, Stoffel speeds, Christiane glues it and Klaus delivers it.
Razors (Knust, Hamburg, 30.12.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
And whilst there are fun moments (like this intro with one of the most famous Hamburg Punk nostalgia quotes) there are also loving memories, to those long gone but also to those whom we lost in 2022. For those it was We Love You, followed suit by 1977:
It is exactly this contrast (and that is song origin) and spread that i love the Razors for, being able to glue it all in a still relevant (aka modern) way and deliver it with all the energy they have – giving the audience a change to suck it up and sing it out loud in return. Just purrfect.
Razors (Knust, Hamburg, 30.12.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
I am not sure how much of the Razors repertoire (thsat is i guess around 50 songs) was used as time flew by without a single boring second and without a song that i could not sing-a-long to.
One of Klaus favorites all the way back from the time when Punk entered the scene was sure part of the set, here is their blistering delivery of Heroes.
Now sing-a-long:
I, I will be king And you, you will be queen Though nothing will drive them away We can beat them, just for one day We can be heroes, just for one day And you, you can be mean And I, I'll drink all the time 'Cause we're lovers, and that is a fact Yes we're lovers, and that is that Though nothing will keep us together We could steal time just for one day We can be heroes for ever and ever What d'you say? I, I wish you could swim Like the dolphins, like dolphins can swim Though nothing, nothing will keep us together We can beat them, for ever and ever Oh we can be Heroes, just for one day I, I will be king And you, you will be queen Though nothing will drive them away We can be Heroes, just for one day We can be us, just for one day I, I can remember (I remember) Standing, by the wall (by the wall) And the guns, shot above our heads (over our heads) And we kissed, as though nothing could fall (nothing could fall) And the shame, was on the other side Oh we can beat them, for ever and ever Then we could be Heroes, just for one day We can be Heroes We can be Heroes We can be Heroes Just for one day We can be Heroes We're nothing, and nothing will help us Maybe we're lying, then you better not stay But we could be safer, just for one day Oh-oh-oh-ohh, oh-oh-oh-ohh, just for one day
It is a song about togetherness and together the lot was. And as always there was no boundary on and off stage, as such the family took the stage for the final song and helped Klaus to sing it out loud: You Never Walk Alone.
Razors Family (Knust, Hamburg, 30.12.2022 (c) gehkacken.de 2022)
I had a friend from Rotterdam over and me mate Frosch had a guest from Berlin, both noted that the community and/or family feel they sensed on the night was astonishing and something they do not see or feel back home. I guess they are right, Hamburg has something special going here and it is absoluty a joyful thing.
The joy ended in front of the DJ both over at the Bar, where Christian was doing his best adding sing-a-long and dance-a-long singles from back then and later too much appreaceation by the lot. I was home late, knackered. I kept the promise toward me love to help with early shopping but had to drop dead for another and much longer round of sleep.
Now it is 2023 already and i look forward to a new year with hopefully more shows and this Punk Rock Hamburg community even striving further. Keep the love, keep the memories and look forward.
Can i pencil in Burn Down The Baum 15.0 already? Yes? Great, luv it!
