On Stage: Dead Kennedys @ Melkweg

Apparently this is the time to see legendary punk bands, since after The Damned played Melkweg only a few days ago, now Dead Kennedys are playing on the same spot. The band was one of the front-runners of the hardcore punk in the late seventies and I simply have to see this band.

Dead Kennedys at Melkweg Amsterdam, August 11 2019

As a bonus, another icon from the hardcore punk scene, D.O.A., are playing as support act. Unfortunately we don't make it to the venue on time to catch their show. I really hope to see them some day after all. The nice thing about Dead Kennedys is that three of their members have been playing with the band forever. Only singer Ron Greer is the latest addition and has been with the band since 2006 as their fourth singer. Like The Damned this band has been around for more than four decades, which is quite remarkable.

This didn't have any effect on the level of energy shown on stage. Bassist Klaus Flouride and guitarist East Bay Ray may look a bit static next to the active Greer, but are playing in a lively way nevertheless. I love the surf influences in Ray's guitar playing, who adds a lot of melody to the mostly fast and loud songs.

At the back drummer D.H. Peligro is playing the fast grooves and fills with great ease. The sound mix isn't great though tonight and his drums sound isn't heavy enough or could have used more punch, which is not his fault. I'm not in a bad position sound wise, but drums and guitars could have been balanced better, giving the music a more edgy sound. Fortunately it doesn't have a big effect on the performance and it doesn't take long for a pit to form in front of the stage.

Greer is a singer that will fire up the crowd but also likes to pester them for a bit. Dead Kennedys have always been a political band and Greer is sharing many of their political views. At the same time he's clowning around a bit, telling somewhat awkward stories, only to get under the people's skin. You can hear people grumble about this a bit or yelling the band should start playing. I think it is actually quite entertaining although at times it takes the speed out of the show. His vocals are maybe a bit less heavy but he's able to fill Jello Bafla's big shoes, the original singer of Dead Kennedys.

Fortunately the band doesn't have trouble picking it back up again and their music certainly helps there. They haven't released any new music for a long time, although they did rewrite 'MTV Get Off The Air' to 'MP3 Get Off The Web'. Still their songs haven't lost much of their impact and meaning. A song like 'Nazi Punks Fuck Off' hasn't been more relevant for a long time than nowadays. At the end they play their big hits and the pit grows wilder. 'Holiday In Cambodia' obviously is one of the highlights of the night and ends the first encore. The band returns for 'Chemical Warfare' to extend this wild party for one more song. It's good we still have these bands around that are willing to make a statement, backed up by some furious rock music.



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Setlist:
01. Forward to Death
02. Winnebago Warrior
03. Police Truck
04. Buzzbomb
05. Let's Lynch the Landlord
06. Jock-O-Rama
07. Kill the Poor
08. MP3 Get Off The Web
09. Too Drunk To Fuck
10. Moon Over Marin
11. Nazi Punks Fuck Off
12. California Über Alles
Encore:
13. Bleed for Me
14. Viva Las Vegas (Elvis Presley cover)
15. Holiday in Cambodia
Encore 2:
16. Chemical Warfare


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On Stage: The Damned @ Melkweg

It's been forty year since The Damned released their famous record Machine Gun Etiquette. They are now touring around to celebrate this iconic album, by playing it in its entirety. It's about time I go see this legendary punk band for myself.

The Damned at Melkweg Amsterdam, August 7 2019

In those forty years a lot has changed, including the line-up of the veteran rockers. A few years ago, bassist Paul Gray rejoined long time and founding members singer Dave Vanian and guitarist Captian Sensible. Gray had been out of the band for a while, but with his return the line-up consists of musicians that have been involved with the band for a long time.

Machine Gun Etiquette showed the variety of the group, exploring new directions besides their powerful punk. The band experimented with psychedelic rock and pop and clearly the album hasn't lost any of its touch, even after four decades. Hearing the entire album live proves it still stands tall The songs still sound very strong and are full of that Damned energy. You can hear this is no ordinary punk band, but one that has a lot more to offer.

They don't stop there tonight of course, but play a lot more songs, including later work. I have to admit I'm not very keen on their goth rock songs, although they paved the way for many bands in that genre. I really like their punk and rock songs though, those little explosive balls of energy, with Captain Sensible shredding away on his guitar. Because man, you'd almost forget that these guys can play! Vanian's baritone voice is deep and clear and doesn't seem to show any wear after all those years. Best of all, they are having so much fun playing together.

Not only are they having fun among each other, cracking jokes, but they are also having fun with the crowd. Especially Captain Sensible and Vanian are bonding with the people at the front. The whole band is playing in a lively way and it turns this show into a punk and rock 'n' roll feast. These guys are true legends indeed and I'm really glad I got to see them.



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On Stage: RADAR - FFOOSS + JAGD + Ploegendienst @ Melkweg

I've been following the promising band JAGD for a while and I go see there shows regularly when they play in the neighbourhood. It turns out they are part of the monthly event RADAR at the Melkweg, a night with upcoming new bands. So I get to see two more bands as a bonus. Say no more!

RADAR at Melkweg Amsterdam, November 17 2018

FFOOSS

First up are the rock duo FFOOSS who play edgy fuzz rock with a bite. Haven't I seen singer Sophia de Gues before? Yes, it turns out she's also part of electropunk group 45ACIDBABIES, that I have seen somewhere in the past. Here she can show her rock side with cousin drummer Jannes van Kaam. The two play a convincing set of dirty rock songs that are exciting, full of fire and plenty of attitude. I do miss a bit of low in their sound though, which is the risk of playing without bass. But I really like their music and it's a good start of this night.



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JAGD

Amsterdam band JAGD have just released a new EP 'Maudlin' with four brand new songs, that are a bit more heavy. It shows the band still keeps growing and brings more depth to their song writing. Live this shows as well, where they have now more variety in their sound. The new songs sound more bold and bring out their inspiration from Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes even more. The jumpy guitars of Jos Neering, the pumping bass of Luuk Meijer, the catchy drum grooves by Timo Mes and the floating, fierce vocals of Nanne van der Linden, all combine into irresistible rock songs. Like always the band plays a very tight and lively show with a lot of heart. Every time I see them the band looks even more comfortable on stage. It's time bookers pick up on this band more and let them play bigger stages.



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Ploegendienst

As if JAGD hasn't already fired up everyone in here, Ploegendienst are the ones to finish the job. The punk band fronted by Ray Fuego has an explosive and aggressive approach to punk music and their songs are direct punches in the face, or the crutch. Fuego is firing up the crowd and shouts nasty remarks at the sound engineer as he seems unhappy with the sound. It is clear he's in charge here. Beer flies around, there are people headbanging and moshing at the front of the stage to the wild punk songs. It may be a bit too much for some people in here, but I like the energy of the hardcore punk songs a lot. There's a lot of electricity flowing in the room and it wakes up everyone up to keep this night going strong.



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So we stick around for a while to drink a few more beers and dance to the silly but fun DJ set of De Rooie Jager. I didn't know this monthly event was a thing here at the Melkweg, but if the level of the bands is this high I'll definitely keep an eye out for upcoming editions.

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On Stage: Bughouse @ Willem Twee

Dutch jazz saxophonist Benjamin Herman isn't someone to sit down and relax. He's always playing in different combinations with a variety of artists, including some of the greats but also new talent. To celebrate his 50th birthday this year, Herman is releasing three albums, next to the XXV album by New Cool Collective to celebrate the 25th anniversary of that band. One of those albums is Project S, an ode to the Citroen SM, with mellow music inspired by Fausto Papetti and Serge Gainsbourg. A second one will be a record with young talents and should come out any time now. The third one is a punkjazz album, inspired by his eighties heroes Xero Slingsby, John Lurie and James Chance. This is the music he will be playing tonight.

Benjamin Herman's Bughouse at Willem Twee 's-Hertogenbosch, November 8 2018

For this project Herman gathered young musicians Reinier Baas on guitar and bassist Peter Peskens, who you may now from Jungle By Night and The Mysterons. Legendary punk and hardcore drummer Olav van den Berg is behind the drum kit, which turns out to be a very good choice. Van den Berg adds just the right amount of power and speed to give the music that raw punk edge. It may be a combination that raises an eyebrow here and there, but jazz and punk go quite well together.

Somehow throwing a saxophone into the mix, immediately gives it a an eighties feel, the time Herman draws his inspiration from for this project. It sounds incredible and it looks like the four are having a great time playing their energetic songs. Reinier Baas has no trouble adding some dirty and distorted riffs and screaming solos, while Reinier Baas is playing heavy grooves on his bass. Van den Berg's loud, powerful and lightning fast drum grooves are the solid foundation for these hyperactive songs.

Herman looks just as comfortable in this combination as he does in any jazz group he has played in. He has developed a sax sound of his own, that is recognizable in any kind of music, including in these punk songs. The alt sax is a great fit for punk and Herman's parts and solos are spot on, giving the songs that rushing and raw feel. And of course he plays it with the same enthusiasm that we're used of him. It proves again what a versatile artist he is, with a stunning career.



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Death Letters Are Growing Up

When the Dutch band Death Letters released their debut album in 2009 they were boys. You could hear this in their lyrics but the potential of the duo was clear right away. Now a few years later the lads from Dordrecht want to prove they have grown up with their second album Post-Historic. Like their big example The Black Keys they have to manage this with just the two of them. But the blues of their first record has been replace with more punk. And that means that they will floor the gas pedal regularly.


Death Letters - Post-Historic (Ronald Says 6 out of 10)
And so they fly into it right away from the start while things get rough. There's plenty of bashing and now and then singer/guitarist Duende Ariza Lora cries out. So this has turned into a loud record, for which they travelled to Austin Texas to record it. Opening track 'Your Heart Upside Down', one of the better songs, is the well chosen first single. The tempo is high in general and therefore it sounds a bit rushed sometimes. There's nothing wrong with rushing it a bit in this type of music, but the tracks are spinning out of control now and then. With a bit more patience and control it would have sounded more solid and convincing.

Yet it all sounds quite varying, both all over and within songs. Like in 'I Wish I Could Steal A Sunset', one of the nicest songs on the record, that starts off rough and then halfway all of a sudden changes into a dreamy ballad, after which it will explode again. Or the other way around in 'In Fear Fools Search' that makes it into a good closer. There are some more quiet songs as well with striking psychedelic tunes, but those aren't the strongest point of the duo. But it does give the album enough moments of rest for the listener to catch his breath. You would almost forget that only two people recorded it.

With Post-Historic the Death Letters have delivered a decent enough record. They are showing to have grown and are a big promise for the future. There's still enough to improve, but that's only more promising for all the good things yet to come.

This review has been published on ROAR E-Zine in Dutch over here.

Listen to 'Post-Historic' on Spotify

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