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!

Makabert fynd, Giesa Göbbels at Pussy a Go go, Stockholm jan 2013 (concert review)

Picture will soon be posted


Kängpunk (Boots Punk) is a Swedish genre label to fit in everything Crust, D-beat, Hard Core and Punk Metal, sometimes we call it Råpunk (Raw Punk). And I think it´s the propper way to describe what was going on in the 16th century cellar club of Stockholm´s Old Town friday 25 of Januari 2013.


The Place

Pussy A Go Go is placed in the basement of the Irish Pub The Liffey. The stone walls in the old cellar of the mideval house isn´t really the wet dream of a sound engineer, on the other hand, these bands were more into damage our ears than than to quallify for the sound of the year award. And they did...It is hard, fast and full of joyfull energy.


The Crowd

Plenty, I estimated it to be almost full, not quite but good enough. I knew a few, other wer new to me, some I seen around but never spoken to. Still it is a very friendly punk and metal head atmoshere like it often is in Stockholms punk scene. No rock star behavoir from the bands, no fractionistas building up hostility to each others, this is written after the violence outside the Alpine Village in California the same week. People are here for the bands, beers and fun in general. and you could really talk about all ages. Both old gezers or schould I say original punks to be more polite in their late 40ies/early 50ies down to a bunch of 19 year old pierced studded leather jacket punks. Most of the crowd not into the sometimes rather chaotic moshing in the front.


The Bands

Giesa Göbbles

Giesa Göbbels is a Stockholm band with an Australian singer. It is fast, hard and heartfull. I really have a hard time to say if there are good tunes in that massive treble noise that comes from the stage. But I like it because it is so well done. Some think it more metal than punk, I don´t, this is punk in it primal shape, don´t get fooled by the looks of the instrumentalists in the band (like Lemmys unborn sons and Lemmy is punk anyway), it is kängpunk, nuff said. It is a good days work delivered to us to enjoy and at least I did, I guess the rest of the crowd enjoyed it to.  

Makabert Fynd

Makabert Fynd (transl. Macabre Discovery)

Makabert Fynd is in my eyes something as a semi all star team of hard core or something, or am I just making that up because I want it to be that way? Refused might be more famous but this guys are the real stuff and they are nice too. And you can tell. it is fast, furious and tight. I guess the guys on stage in their 80-90ies HC bands didn´t sounded as tight as this. The Two singers brings something extra to the performance. It becomes like an dialog whitin the band on stage that is refreshing.
The subjects is mostly about the anoying things going on in our time. The lyrics in Swedish makes it even more credible. Not least the song titles are both funny and angry in one.  But that is just details, the mayhem that going on in the music and in the mosh infront of the stage is the thing.
The bands reminds a bit of the excellent bands Knark and Totallitär, and it isn´t out of the blue, because half of the members from Knark are in this 5 piece combo. as well as the singer of the 80ies band Totalitär and Makabert Fynd is the same person.


Worth the Money?

The entrance fee of 100Skr (10 Euros) is well spent money, I feel glad and cleansed when I hit the subway home. Maybee can I cope with the contemporary insanity that they call the world today for another few weeks?

Review - The Hyper Actives - Rock ´n´Roll lives Again!

An X-ellent cover by Mattan Arts.
Mattan Arts

The Hyper Actives are a Stockholm based band in it to restore the former glory of Rock´n´Roll. And to be able to do that they have to transform them self to 1960ies Marvel kind of comic book characters.
This could been a nonsense joke, by a bunch of lads trying to be funny, but!!! There are some sad things about the world of music today, that gives their comic book fantasy mission a legacy IRL.

They ain´t alone in their mission, The Australians in Airbourne are on to the world in a similar operation. And soundwise the Hyper Actives are in the same genre as Airbourne with some elements of early Hellacopters. If I didn´t knew that this was a HA record and heard a song on the radio I would certainly believe that it was either Airbourne or a previously unreleased Hellacopters tune caressing my ears. 

Is that a bad thing, you might ask? That they sound so similar to the two band mentioned. Definitely not, at least not on this record. In fact, where the Australians tend to be a bit the same all over the three piece Stockholm band never turn dull. The are a lot of both musical knowledge and Rock´n´Roll romantics in it to make it be a really listen friendly record. And when Hellacopters gave up, the The Hyper Actives picked up the banner. A perfect record for the car stereo on the high way to hell. All the songs are good, catchy in a Hyper Active way. The two Strongest tracks are the two opening tracks “The Promised Land” and “Rock´n´Roller Man”, The opening tune “The Promised Land” deserves to be a huge radio hit. But it ain´t and that proves them right in their mission.  Finally, Yes! You made Rock ´n´ Roll live again!  

Review - Iggy and The Stooges at Gröna Lund

At Gröna Lund, Stockholm Aug 10 2012

The Event

Iggy Pop often together with Lou Reed given credit as the Grandfathers of punk, was in town, last night on the amusement park Gröna Lund, a place that have seen many classic rock and punk bands onstage.  I´ve seen Iggy a couple of times. He has been brilliant, less brilliant and one time surrounded by a terrible band being a let down. Tonight he was back at Gröna Lund where he have been a busy visitor. I think I´ve seen him twice there before. And one of them was really a terrible experience.
This time he brought his old band, the Stooges. James Williamson have replaced Ron Asheton on guitars since he passed away in 2009. And it is logical because James replaced Ron in the 1970ies during the heroin years. James was Iggy´s and drummer Scott Ashetons (Ron´s Brother) drug pal so he took over the axe and Ron was to play bass replacing the Dave Alexander that got fired after being too drunk to play (!). Mike Watt and Steve MacKay are now in the band as well.

Iggy and the added value of the Stooges was a good reason to see the spectacle.


The Crowd

Everyone was there. The Swedish rock journalist (Swedish Television) Per Sinding Larsen claimed, on Facebook, there was 15 000 people trying to see Iggy and the Stooges. Note that Bob Marley´s unbreakable 1980 crowd record counting 32 000 visitors is legendary. 15 000 was an incredible and likely number of people it was paced! There were people everywhere. And I recognized half of them, haha. Everyone was there.

The Crowd might been big, but a bit stiff, not as vivid and lively as the Dropkick Murphy´s crowd at the same place a two month earlier.

The Band
Iggy and the Stooges

They couldn´t hardly walk. Iggy and bass player limping like some wounded wildebeest. But when they were there, on stage, they delivered one hell of a rock show.

What strikes me with most old rock, blues and punk legends is the lack of aggression in their playing in later years. Eric Clapton, Mick Jones gone soft by the years. Compare the solo´s played by Clapton when he was God and today you will get what I am after here. The Stooges and the Sex Pistols are exceptions. The Stooges proved last night that they still know how to be bad ass. Behaving like the mad man he is, Iggy is still going strong even if is 65 of age. OK, not as wild as during the crazy years, but still much more than most rockers and punk singers do together. The Bass player Mike Watt behaving like a drunk in a minefield, hilarious! The sax player Steve MacKay playing as mean on saxophone as John Zorn. After starting with three well known numbers, “Raw Power”, “Search and Destroy”, “Gimme Danger” the set slowly turn into a punk jazz festival with unpredictable jazz punk as in the early years, in the end of the sixties. With James Williamson in the band it is a guarantee the songs from his era in the band are played such as “Beyond the Law”, “Johanna”, “Shake Appeal” (with the crowd invited on stage) and “Kill City”, “Johanna” and “Beyond the Law” much faster and harder than on the original records.

Best songs? Well it would be easy to say all of them. But I think I choose Kill City, at least it made me get going.

One non Stooges song was in the repertoire, Iggy Pop´s  classic hit “Passenger”.  As well as Stooges classics as “No Fun”, “Cock in Pocket”, “Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell”, “1970” among more songs. Note that such brilliant songs “1969”, “Down on the Street” and “TV Eye” wasn´t played.


Worth the money?

With the “Grönan kortet”, a season card a 199SKr (20 Euros) I got to see all the concerts and free admission to the amusement park all season. I have already seen Dropkick Murphy´s (didn´t see Jimmy Cliff) and still the Hives left to see.  So that is a totally yes on that on that question, it was like  winning on the lottery, all this for this small amount of money? This was one of the better concerts this summer. Not top three but good enough.

As you might read, I complain about how the Grönan stage is an act killer, Not last night, Iggy knew how to both get a  good sound and put on a great show.

Review - Social Distortion at Cirkus, Stockholm aug 7 2012

This review is about the first of the two night´s Social Distortion and guests performed at Cirkus in Stockholm, Aug 7 2012.



The Event

As Social Distortion´s frontman and singer Mike Ness point out during the concert. That this indoor gig was a most welcome break in the summer festival circuit. It seems like Social Distortion preferred the old wooden building before rain leaking festival tents. As support act they got one Swedish punk legend and one young Swedish band on the rise.
After Rancid´s and Street Dogs fabulous concerts this summer it seems like unfair for the band´s to compete with that. But they had to. That is one of the thing Rock n Roll is about, to convince the crowd that they are the best.

The Location

Cirkus was built in 1890ies to host the circus companies in the Stockholm city. Since then it have been an atmospheric stage for artist like Bob Dylan,  As well as Tv Shows.

With the retro style that Social Distortion often play around with, it seems like the perfect location for Social Distortion to perform. As a crowd you get pretty close to the band anywhere you are placed.

But there is a bit of problem with that arrangement, the seats on the grandstand makes people sit and watch more than to be partying. For an acoustic set it would be great. For a rock n roll band with its roots in punk it isn´t optimal.

The bars however were pretty fast in serving beer thirsty visitors.

The Crowd

Social D have always been a tattoo studio music in Sweden. This night it was too obvious, I can´t imagine one open tattoo studio in the whole country this Tuesday. Everyone must been traveling to Cirkus. All look like they came straight out of LA Ink Tv show or something or the gym. Possibly too cool and macho to join a mosh pit or sing along? I mean there are plenty of easy sung chorus to sing along to in SD´s music.

It is the bad thing tonight, the crowd. The party mood I was in was slowly decaying with the sit as statue mood ruled the seated section. My Godess, what I wish I got a front row ticket. But there wasn´t much of movement there as well. A few tried however. Mike crowned the Sweden the best Rock n Roll country in Europe, “But Rock n Roll isn’t about the head, he said, it´s about moving your hips. Mikes irony seem to pass way over the most of the crowd. I can spell it out for you if you didn´t got it, Start to fucking dance you lot! (my note).  

As an art school buddy I run into in the bar, nowday´s a tattoo artist, point out (no kidding), there are some tough guys in the audience tonight, bikers and people that are into vintage American cars. Possibly all of them with a kevlar west under their Soc D and De Palma T-shirts and jackets (my note). You can call it a new breed of Raggare, not hostile to punks like the older ones, but still with that stiff kind of macho manner. Not really punks but still into it a bit.

The Bands

Alonzo & Fas 3

Alonzo & Fas 3. Micke Alonzo was one of two singers in one of Sweden´s first punk bands, KSMB. One of two bands that even got pretty big in the main stream as well. With his second band Stockholms Negrer he challanged the racists and the white power movment. Micke himself told me once that those day´s where crazy. 2012 saw the birth of his new support band Fas 3, something like a Swedish Punk All Star Team or something. With members from The Hellacopters and International Noise Conspiracy.

Before their set I spoke briefly with Alonzo about how he felt about it. And I learned that you never get the answer you think you will get from him. Micke was worried about his voice, would it last for two nights in a row? Micke is no singer, never was, he yells and screams and almost growls with anger through the classic KSMB and Stockholms Negrer´s songs.

The voice was no problem this first night. Possible did he left some voice for the following night. The band was accompanied with Nicke Hellacopter that was missing when I saw them at Gothenburg´s West Coast Riot. And Nicke Andersson did secure the sound qualliry. It might sound´s a bit rediculous but I think with Nicke in the band it has a better sound. Unfortionately the set was too short and they push three new songs proving that Alonzo isn´t in it for the nostalgia. The new songs like “Dansa som en fjäril”and “Jag vill ha ett meningsfullt liv” are good, but they can´t give me the chill like the older KSMB songs do. There are so many memories associated with KSMB. From the years when I was as well as the punk itself was young. When you have to watch out for hostile Raggare (50ies style rockers) on your way to the punk concerts.

“Tidens tempo”, “Atomreggae” (Aka Harrisburg) and “Klockan 8” was the KSMB songs performed. And I wouldn’t mind some more KSMB and I think the rest of the crowd wouldn´t mind some more of it as well.



Royal Republic

Royal Republic are much younger than Alonzo. And to be honest, I planned to sneak down to the bar during their set, but was kept there by curiosity. And what I saw wasn´t bad, tight and competent. much more raw and heavy than on record. I am no fan of their “Tommy Gun” song. After a few of their songs the was an certain urge for a beer. I better give them a better chance another time.

Social Distortion

I´ve been waiting a long time to see the So-Cal band.
To say that Social Distortion play´s punk isn´t correct, they got their roots in punk, just like The Clash had. Maybe to remind us about that, clash was the music they played while we were waiting for them to come on stage. Today SD are more like a regular Rock n Roll band with both some Country, Blues, Gospel and Folk music as inspiration. Still it is their punk songs that are the best, “Far Behind”, “Reach for the sky”, “Mummy´s little Monster” and “So far away” are classics. Over all, they surprised me a bit with playing a much harder and punkier set than I expected, “Cold Feelings” was one of the highlights. The Crowd seems to like “Story of My life” a lot. I knew there wasn´t going to be any “You can´t take it with you” when there wasn´t any black girls on stage, the great backing singers that he brought on last year European tour. But “Bakersfield” from the same last record “Hard Time and Nursery Rhymes”  was a perfect piss pause song, it´s not one of their best, so I sneaked away for a leak.

It is possible that I´ve seen a bit too many good concerts lately and that may be the cause that I don´t get the chill through their regular set. It is perfect but it doesn´t touch me. In the encores however “Reach For the Sky” semi acoustic gave me a bit of a shiver down my spine. And the closing Johnny Cash cover “Ring of Fire” was brilliant as expected. A bit disappointed that I didn´t got to hear the Hank Williams cover “Alone and Forsaken”.

As a last word I must say that the back drop was one of the coolest I ever seen, so Social Distortion, so right. The lightning was beautifully applied on their set.


Worth the money? 450Skr=45 Euros is OK, I wouldn´t missed it for anything in the world, but if it had been cheaper I would seen them the two dates I Stockholm.  

Review - Street Dogs, Greta Kassler, Spotlicks and Twopointeight

Saturday July 7, two concerts roughly at the same time.
At Broder Tuck was the line up Spotlicks, Greta Kassler and STYGG
At Debaser Medis was the line up Two point eight and Street Dogs (US)

STYGG didn´t get any review because I missed them because of Street Dogs.

The Places

Broder Tuck

The Broder Tuck Restaurant is rather big, the concert room in the basement are small, very small.
The contrast between the gangster look´a´like door men, their general clientel on the ground level and the Anarchists, Metal Heads and Punks in the basement are striking. The sound is mostly terrible, and loud. Very loud.

Debaser Slussen
Debaser Slussen togheter with Debaser Medis, Strand and Rocks the only decent rock clubs in Stockholm City. Debaser Slussen and Medis are mainly built up around concerts. The Stage a Debaser Slussen are however a photographers nightmare because most of the light are pointed towards you, not at the band. But the sound are generally much better than most of the clubs and stages in the City. Debaser in general attracts mostly a rock audience, not necessary a punk crowd. Tonight there are a lot of punk fans in the bulding, along with rock n rollers.


The Crowds

Broder Tuck

If you consider that Street Dogs are giving a free concert two subway stops away and most people are away on vacation it´s amazingly much people at Broder Tuck this particular night. As I written before, Broder Tuck got a horrible little basement as their concert room. And the bands seem pleased that so many showed up.

Debaser

Not only were we blessed this last days with high air humidity, which isn´t too common in Stockholm, the Debaser Slussen club was packed and hot as well. When I arrived more than halfway through Twopointeight´s gig there were like an wall of warm sweaty air to team up with me when I enter. It was packed so I can´t say I have a very good place to see the end of their gig from.

When it comes to the Street Dogs I got a perfect spot just outside the moshpit, and If I been in better shape I would most certainly been in the middle of it. Even the Boston lads in Street Dogs complain about the heat. Where I stood there were a fan blowing so it was OK, but still I got a sweat soaked T-shirt after the gig.


The Gigs

Broder Tuck


Spotlicks

First out this lovely, warm summer night was Spotlicks. A three man band, or should I write two men and one woman band, a woman that  was the main singer even if all of them were on vocals. The style of their punk is mostly based in early Swedish 78 punk. The songs are built up around power chord riffing and Swedish lyrics. The sound was really bad and didn’t gave the band the chance they deserved, but got a bit better toward the end, it is a bit pity that the sound was bad in the beginning, the band was better than the sound. And it was mostly a loud treble that reach my ears. The song that stayed in my mind was about you are good as you are (Fatta att du duger) But the songs were good, they played it like I like it. No noncense here, no arty stuff, just riffs pretty fast and vocals and Clash and Ebba Grön style of drumming. I liked it and a better sound would been better, at least to more clearly hear the vocals.


Greta Kassler

Greta Kassler mix D-beat and Trall Punk. They played fast. Live that night they did it convincingly even if the sound wasn´t the best, but loud as the sound waves moved me physically a cm or something. Much better than the sound Spotlick´s had to cope with though. It was fast and tight and the two singers different voices gave the music a different feeling even if the speed was mainly D-beat. And they sang it, not shouted, not chanted or growling it. It´s political and angry. Tonight they convinced. Too bad I couldn´t stay for the last band ST. But then I had to hurry to even get in to see the Street Dogs. I didn´t have time to say goodbye to the people there.

Worth the money, 100Skr (10 Pounds)? Yes, but this came to be in the shadow of what the Street Dogs did.


Debaser Slussen

Twopointeight

There are a certain hype around Twopointeight, mostly because their commercial, radio friendly rock heavy influenced by the Clash and Rancid. And that´s what is bothering me with the band, it´s a bit to mainstream and radio friendly for my taste. Not only me BTW, other just hates themfor other reasons. They are trying too hard to be the Swedish Rancid so they lose any originality. On record the smart productions lack the energy or punk. With Greta Kassler still ringing in my ears, TPE are way too slow. OK, it´s unfair to compare a part of a gig with a full gig but tonight Greta Kassler wins, not because better voices or better tunes, but because Greta is fast and full of energy, Twopointeight was slow and seems to be too cool to get dirty, that and the total lack of energy was a let down on me, others seems to like it. Not even their best song, Red Eyes, worked for me that night. Gubbrock (Old Mans Rock) is a word they are dangerously close to it. But it seems like I am not in phase with the crowd next to the stage.


Street Dogs

It is a bit surreal to be seeing a class act as Street Dogs for free. The former Dropkick Murphys singer Michael McColgan quit the Murphys to fulfill his dream to become a fire fighter just as Dropkick broke in the punk scene. Since then he is a  Street Dog. It stood clear last night what Mc Colgan brought to the Dropkick Murphys debut record Do or Die (which is my favorite DKM record). The speed, the energy and the punk. Street Dogs lacks most of the Gaelic stuff that DKM based their career around, it´s more just punk.
First I have to take a deep breath before I go on and tell you about it, because the memory itself gives me shivers. And point out that sometimes you feel that you are in the right place at the right time. This gig was one of those moments. So seem the band feel about it as well.
I feel sorry for those suckers that ware at the Roskilde that night to see Bruce Springsteen, when it was at Debaser it was happening.

From the beginning the band showed that this was for real. The best sound all night, Loud but not as loud as during Greta Kassler. Fast and hard and mercy less! Most of their known songs, as well as a few covers and DKM songs. The two songs I missed was Power in the Union and Skinhead on MBTA (Will I ever hear my favorite song live?) but that didn´t matter tonight. Tight, heavy and fast (not D-beat fast but fast.) and with all the energy TPE didn´t showed.  
The best was the Dropkick songs near the end with old “Do or Die”  and “Get up”, the DKM songs and covers. Especially the song Do or Die (for a moment my eyes met Mikes as we were chanting out the lyrics as he pointed at me and I answered with a raised fist).

Wow, is the only word that describes it all. The Crowd did go absolutely mental from the first song. The band and the crowd ripped the place apart totally, I saw a bar table go wasted and the Gods only know what else broke, the blood was pouring down people foreheads, smashed bloody in the euphoria this night gave us. Energy, mosh pitting, sing a longs, stage diving, you name it, The good singer himself was crowd surfing as well. This was everything a punk rock concert should be about, it was there! The band seem to enjoy themselves, loving the crowd, the crowd loved the Dogs onstage. Some fans loved the Dogs onstage and was welcomed by a friendly band.
The band assured us that this moment will stay a long time in their hearts. I It will in my as well.

When the band as the second song in the encore burst out in Sham 69´s Bostal Breakout sung as Boston Breakout, then I thought both me and the whole place should explode. And so it went on throught the rather generous encore. What a night!. We all need a little Punk Rock n Roll.

It was pointless continuing drinking beer or chatting with old friends after. Because all I could think of was how blessed I´ve been to be there. So I went home rather quickly.

I went home with the worst Tinnitus in a long time, a big smile and a memory of seeing the light.
A light lit by some Street Dogs, Working class punk from Massachusetts.

Worth the money?……It didn´t cost anything, but let´s say this was one of the best concerts I´ve seen.      
Next chance for me to catch them is at West Coast Riot in Gothenburg July 26.

Turbonegro - Sexual Harassment CD Review

Turbonegro, the Norwegan mad men that invented their own genre, death punk, and got fanantic followers all over the world that label themself Turbojugends, have released their first full lenght CD after their singer and front man Hank von Helvete´s departure. Few established bands have survived the departure of their charismatic singer and front man, such as Hans Erik Dyvik Husby (as his real name is spelled), even fewer with such an established character as the fat bellied junkie, von Helvete. But the rest of the band decided to give it a go. 
And the result is the record “Sexual Harassment”.

Last night saw the release party of their new CD, Sexual Harassment at a hotel in Stockholm. With their cover illustration as a huge banner on the hotel exterior, the band shows that nothing will be spared on this release.
In todays Swedish edition of the news paper Metro the new singer, the Britt Tony Sylvester said that he respect Hank too much to do a bad imitation of him.
So the good mister Sylvester have a hard task to convince the world, and the Turbojugends, that he are the new singer of Turbonegro.

The new singer Sylvester know his Turbos, he´s been a Turbojugend and their Brittish press spokes person, so it seems like he is in the game. On the other hand, being an egocentric singer and a fan is a huge difference.

But Turbonegro is far from a singer and a support band. The band has it´s defined way of playing. Not that it is too original in any way. But it is still their sound and that is the joy of it. But I can´t help find traces of the early Hellacopters here (when they were a really good band) and rock n roll grove ala Diamond Dogs. But a bit more dirty, and heavy. The new singer gives the band a rougher sound at the same a more polished way to present themself. Because the insanity of Hank von Helvete no one can copy. The Metro (Sthlm) reviewer didn´t thought of it as a real Turbonegro record, It is possible it is not (Im not a Turbojugend so who am I to tell) but it´s still a good record. Over all the Swedish reviews been pretty positive and the web edition of Gaffa don´t miss Von Helvete one bit. Musically I agree, mythologically I don´t. The hard, rocksy death punk tunes are catchy both in the sound and the tunes itself.

Best song? Hard to say, it´s over all a good record that have a bunch of good tracks, but the “Shake your shit machine” tune have a real Turbonegro title so I might mention it.

Worth the money? Yes!  

Prometheus (a movie review)

Prometheus, was the name of a Greek Mythology Titan that tried to trick the main God Apollon. Apollon was not amused and sentenced him to get his liver hacked out by an eagle everyday until enternity. The liver grew back every day so it started all over. If I remember it right he was resued in som sort of way. Anyway....

Its also the name of a brand new movie from genius director Ridley Scott. His first Sci Fi in a very long time, and even if it´s only his third Sci Fi, he is often considered as one of the worlds best Sci fi directors.
Not only did he changed the way we looked upon the space and Sci Fi with his groundbreaking Alien (1979).
He also formed the way Cyber Punk looked upon the world in stylish "Blade Runner" (1982). William Gibson would two years later be labeled as a Cyber Punk writer with a Bladerunneresque world view.
Four cornerstones was the key to success of the Alien movie. An iconic Monster, scary as hell, an iconic super survivour, the female main character Ripley (played Sigourney Weaver). The feeling of beeing alone in space and its horrors and crooked coorporation behind some of the shit that was happening. Everything of that is in the new movie, Prometheus. Even if the feeling of being alone and stranded is worse in Alien.

If the dirt and punk feeling was high in the Bladerunner and Alien, there are very little of it in Prometheus. But there are less noble acts by the humans to compensate it.
The iconic Ripley´s cargo ship captain is now a scientist with a noble task, to find who the hell was that made us humans? Played by Swedish actress Noomi Rapace*, and the simularities are obvious, so obvious that Scott can use my expectation to trick me a few times. Rapace plays the character well, so well that she fill the gap the Weaver left not being in the film. All the actors do their bit, as well as the script writers, FX teams and the director himself. It´s a excellent piece of art and film hand craft. But it is no new Alien, it can´t be. The way Alien was groundbreaking back in 1979 and was something extra. But second best to Alien is very good. And even better, Scott point out a new direction for sequals so we don´t have to live with those horrible Alien vs Predators or even worse film trash that flooded the market. There are a few corny homage to HP Lovecraft that isn´t a bit silly, at its best a bit nerdy, but that is not to be upset by.

*Noomi Rapace played the punk hacker in the Millenium films, Men who hate women, The Girl who played with fire and The Girl who kicked the hornets´ nest.

Review - Ligisterna, the Dräpers and Sucks 2BU at Broder Tuck 24/3 -12

A review by Punk Eriksson and one of his brothers, the Metal Head Lars.

at Broder Tuck at Sodermalm, Stockholm Sweden.
Punk Erikssons mood = Good.

Ligisterna On Stage

Broder Tuck is a English style of Pub and restaurant in the still not so fansy and Hipsterfied Soder in the Stockholm inner city. Most notably for its Outlaw bikers killings, execution style that once in a while take part there. Last night there wasnt any sign of a shoot out. Infact it was pretty sparse with guests on the street level. In the basement where they squeezed in a stage there are Punk, Metal and Garage Rock clubs taking turn doing gigs. Last nights club host was Club Dislocated.

The Crowd?   **
Not to many but not to few as well. The Moshpit factor wasnt to high. No wreckless pogoing and moshing as can been seen at some punk venues. My youngest Brother point out that if a band get the audience to move as much as an eyelash they should be proud. Stockholm have during my 25 years here always been a stiff place. So no shadow over the bands efforts.

The sound? *
It sucks, the brick or stone in the basements walls and cieling makes the sound just loud and gained with no really punch in it.



First band up was the relative new band It Sucks 2BU.  

http://www.myspace.com/suckstobu
A peculiar mix of skate, street, oi and whatever and thats possible that is the problem. The many directions the band seems to move in dont apeal to me. what I like with them is the rock feeling in theirpunk, they just dont go for the speed record, they have actually some good songs. They sounds like competent band with some fine tunes. And over all they seem to be a new and comming band.



The Dräpers  

http://www.draeperz.se/

The Dräpers is from the city of Västerås. A hard labour city an one hour train ride from Stockholm. Västerås is a smaller city with big city problems. And that will be heard in the Dräpers music. Its faster and harder then the first band. And very tight. Both on record and live they dont slow down in their Aska Kask kind of punk. My brother point out that he could wish for a bit more attitude from both those first band. -Dont be such nice lads on stage, is his point. And if not so, at least be a bit funny. All that would the last band come up with.

         Pure joy makes people take part in the show

Ligisterna (means The Thugs)  

http://www.myspace.com/ligisterna

When I first came across Ligistern I was struck. It was like I was 17 again listen to Ebba Grön. Swedish lyrics with a lot of political rage. With songs like "Mata asen med bly" (Feed the scumbags with led), Vilket jävla skitliv (What a fucking shit life) and comments about the current situation for worked out unemployed workers in the tune SAAB, puts them in the same genre as Ebba Grön and Incest Brothers back in the days, but with a modern touch. This band is by no way nostalgic, they are where there are right now, singing about getting to drunk and messed up. And its not posed that I can say for sure, because they are far from sober onstage which show in their speak between the songs.
With drunken ramble about "Piss Minor Chords" and the bass guitar neck up their asses makes me, them and the rest of the audience laugh. They are funny, they are whitty and they are angry. My brother point out that it sucks that they play in a place like this. They deseve at least a 1500 people crowd he told me. Im pleased that I dont have to be packed in with so much people to see something good like this. In my opinon Ligisterna played their best gig so far, of what I seen. A punk festival in Falköping and as support act to Hudson Falcons in Gothenburg will follow for Ligisterna.


As ususal after punk gig people mix and get along in a brotherly and sisterly manner. Bands and Audience get along in an easy manner. People from all over Sweden and Germany. A fun night worth its 100 SKr (10 Euros) in entrance fee.