Derby STHLM, Topper and Psykbryt at ROQ, (Concert review)

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Derby STHLM, Topper and Psykbryt at ROQ Odenplan, Stockholm.
March 16 2013

Weeks before I warned that you shouldn´t miss this, and still you did. A three bands night like this should count in thousands of screaming, rampaging fans. But it didn´t.

The Place

The last night concert at the Pool hall ROQ was an odd break in the usual , Snövit, Broder Tuck and Kafé 44 at the Södermalm punk scene in the Vasastan part of the City. Once in a while ROQ have rock and punk concerts in the pool hall. It isn’t as primitive as it sounds, because they both have a stage, light rig and mixer/DJ booth. And the sound is quite good, but, the pool table landscape in next to the concert area is huge and makes the narrow punk club feeling isn´t really there. On the Other side, how often can you play pool while waiting for the stage mayhem to happen. My former band Lap Dogs challenged Ligisterna in some fine game of Billiards. With a humiliating defeat for Lap Dogs. I blame it on the DJ that played so much fine punk of my favorite bands that I wasn´t too focused on the pool.

 It wasn’t optimal that such a fine band as Ligisterna played pool this night and wasn´t on stage, then the night would have been even greater.

The Crowd

I am upset! If you have some of this citys best band on stage for free and there isn´t a line of waiting people to March outside, then there is something wrong. It was a decent crowd I think, but far from what this bands deserve.  Hey you, stop sitting and feeling sorry for yourself over beer and being misunderstood. Start watching all these good bands that play all over the city right now! Visit Snövit, KGB, Kafé 44 and ROQ for some quality time.

You might know by now that I say the Stockholm crowd is a bit stiff. Yes we are. Some, however did some spontaneous dancing here and there, but this bands deserve a total wreck less mayhem in front. Shame on me, as well. I blame it on the fact I tried to film it, what is your excuse?

The Bands

The bands are in some parts similar, but in most parts not. Together they in their lyrics pretty much cover the whole situation in this country right now, with Ligisterna this picture would be perfect. And they are three main act bands. No support acts here.

Psykbryt

Psykbryt

First out was the youngsters in Psykbryt, which I think scared the shit out of the others. They are young, fast and furious and set the pace for the night. The old men in Topper and Derby STHLM then had to keep up.
Psykbryt was razor sharp! At their finest, witty and sarcastic and full of the arrogance of young bastards in a band as well as some humble doubt in it . They took no prisoners last night, it was a clean cut operation, search and destroy. Their own songs as well the KSMB covers . I think they are an important band, because of the age of the members in the Stockholm punk scene isn´t very young. Psykbryt are young and keep it very basic and simple just what I love with punk. The rhythm section plays well, tha bass lines giving the rather simple music some depth. The drumers talent doesn´t pass unnoticed. Tonight he is all over the drum set (not all over the stage). As I just wrote, I think they are an important band, for other young punks, because they show how easy it is to make good punk, even if it is an illusion because there are plenty of skills, will power and practice to master it like this.  Best song? I am a sucker for “Åk hem till Täby” but I couldn´t find any weak spots.

Topper

Topper

Topper must be shitting bricks backstage while Psykbryt shell shocked the crowd. You could tell there was no way that the 4 man group Topper would be looking old and with an “best before” date stamped into their foreheads. Their music, melodic SLF/The Clash style of punk, isn´t as fast as Psykbryts. But there is no need to it. But they really tried to be, I think. Haha. Where the Psykbryt drummer is fast and furious, Topper is heavy and hard hitting, the whole rhythm section (Bass and Drums) made the whole sound very professional, then add the intensity of the singer and the beautiful lead Steve Jones type of guitar playing you got a world class performance. Once again I was standing in a small club thinking “that this should be on a much bigger stage, in front of much more people”. This particular night they also did a Stiff Little Fingers cover, “Suspect Device” with a guest singer, really brilliant. In the end it was “Suburbs”, “Once a Punk” and “Off She goes” that was the highlights. Really well written songs, performed with a lot of heart, sweat and a good rock n roll feeling.  

In between Topper presented a two man act (I didn´t pay enough attention to hear what they were presented as) Guitar and Drums. Not bad at all, in fact quite cool.

Derby STHLM

Derby STHLM

Here I might be feeling sorry for Derby STHLM if I didn´t knew that they are not any ordinary band. I guess they are in their own little world not disturbed by the fact that the some of this years (to date) best concerts just been on the same stage. Such detail seems like just a thing in the background, even if they just as Topper cheered Psykbryt.
Derby STHLM seemed not to have any intention to let anyone down. The sound was perfect as their timing. They hurried into the next song thru the set, that was played fast so they won´t look old next to Psykbryt. The drums were both fast, hard hitting and effective.  The Bass player is all over the stage in his typical Pete Townsend manner orchestrating the crowds heartbeat. The vocals and chorus giving the band such a depth and professional sound. The only negative about the set is that it is hard to hear the keyboards.

Covers? Yes, Both Ebba Grön, Köttgrottorna and Tredje könets “Godismannen” sung by the original text writer.  When the sound of the vocals were as good as it was, then their own tunes stand out really well. Best song? Hard to say but I pick the covers “Godismannen” and “Vildjdjuret” mostly of nostalgic reasons. But all the songs are good.


Finally, it is a shame that this concert wasn´t attended by thousands. I could easily pay a couple of hundred Swedish Kronor, to see this. Now it was free of charge, Thank you ROQ!