Köttgrottorna 30 years - Concert Review

The Event

Köttgrottorna you can call the first Trallpunk band, the inventors of it. I don´t think the band was the first to be connected with that label. Actually I don´t think they really care about what. Happy and Mongo came out of the ruins of the broken up band Incest Brothers, one of Swedens first wave of 70ies punk band that gained recognition, formed in the northern satellite town of Stockholm, Järfälla.  The Band started as Trekant (transl. threesome / triangle) but changed some members to form what saw the world as Köttgrottorna. It all started as a joke according to the band members. And the Joke continued for 30 years. Humor have always been a part of their public image, often a bit twisted, but they are also deadly serious about political issues, always in the oppositions of abuse of power.
I´ll guess most Swedes that been into punk seen them at least once. I´ve seen them now and then from time to times through the years. Now it was time for them to sum up the 30 years as a band.

The Place

Debaser Slussen is one of the only real rock clubs made for the reason of rock concerts in Stockholm. It´s days are numbered because the will tear down and rebuild the whole neighbourhood soon. Until then it is there. From a photographers point of view its horrible, because most of the spotlights are from behind of the band.

The Crowd

If you been around so long as Köttgrottorna been, then there will be a crowd of mixed ages. Everything from teenagers to beer bellied veterans. Mohawks, die hard Köttgrottorna fans, old skins and the ordinary rock fan all in a turmoil.
The feeling of a birthday party is there in the packed club. It´s crowded and sweaty but not unfriendly.

The other bands.

First out is Derby STHLM that gives the night a perfect start, a very professionally performed set with the characteristics of their way of doing it. In my world they would fit perfect as a support act to Stiff Little Fingers. Then Roger Karlsson and band followed, living out his Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan dreams or something (sorry that wasn´t fair but …). It´s not my cup of tea, so I didn´t pay too much attention. I bet he´ll not cry over that, the man is a legend in this circles so he got his fair share of supporters to hail him. Then Johan Johansson with band followed. I´m not too impressed with his later years works. But the man is a genius and his KSMB songs are Swedish history, especially the "602" tune, he plays to close his set with.
Then the crowd is so worked up, I wondered for a brief moment how Köttgrottorna would respond to it, would they, could they?

Köttgrottorna

My worries came to a shame. From the first step Stefan “Mongo” Enger put on the stage floor he owned the place. The funny, ever mocking frontman of the 4 man band just knew it was his night in the limelight. They played all their hits. New songs such as Afrika,, Raj raj, Online, Bolla med Zlatan as well as old crowd pleasers such as Hjälp till Hjälplöshet, The Ornitologs, Pendeltåg, Älska Mig, Sista festen, Zuga and many more. Some with a little help from the two members no longer in the band and invited guests from other bands. The sound is good and the crowd are there to tango (Slamdance and Pogo). Basically most their songs are offsprings from the sons Louie Louie/Wild Thing and their rythm. Which is perfect to jump up and down to. In it they throw a medley based on "No Limit" mixed with songs like "That’s the way, (aha aha) I like it" and A.P.A.´s “Mengele”, hillarious, brilliant and very funny. The new songs were just as good as the older classics but all in the crowd havn´t been taken it to it´s heart yet as they have done with the older tunes.  You could tell. Because tonight every song is a singalong, big time. From the second tune to the end, the chanting from the crowd are as loud as what the singer himself can produce.

Mongo went on through the whole set mocking the band members and guest artist in a very funny manner in his attempt to tell the truth about their career, it could been roosting if it wasn´t all lies just to give Mongo a nice way to present the next tune. I´ll guess, Guld Lars, Happy and Janne are quite used to it, haha. Per from Charta 77 was blamed to be prejudice against Asians and on it went. Quite funny.
It all went crazy for a while  just as it should. A dude hit the roof beams (it´s very low roof height at the club) with his forehead while trying to stage dive, I hope he didn´t died. It´s like the scene from their song “Sista Festen” but for real. People didn´t want the set to end and when it all was over we all knew that the last 30 years wasn´t a completely waste of time.

With guests from in itself classic bands like Coca Carola, Charta 77 and the legendary Johan Johansson (of KSMB, Strindbergs, John Lenin) it showed the position 30 years of struggle in the Swedish punk scene with its ups and downs, the band holds.

What I personally appreciated most was the playing of the pre-Köttgrottorna song “Människor Smakar gott” (Originally published by the band Trekant in 1982, that then was turned into Köttgrottorna in 1983).

When I turn 30 I will have a party like this. Wait I did turn 30, 18 years ago. Darn! Well this blog might do it, yeah right….Im babble crazy talk now…so I quit it here.

Worth the Money?

110Skr,YES, it was a bargain!