CARRERA
(Netherlandz) + 12 AULLIDOS (Spain) – Op Drift, Groningen 23/10/99
This was supposed to
be a benefit-concert (for a table-football!) with Boycot, Fleas And Lice and 12
Aullidos but someone, somewhere, something fucked up and they found Carrera as a
substitute. The guys from Costa del Sol are touring by train (interrail) so
we’re picking them up from the trainstation. Yesterday, in Germany, the
guitarplayer lost his bag with passport and interrailticket. Fortunately this is
the last week of the (6-week) tour, so they’re not too stressed about it. FC
Groningen just played a homegame and I begin noticeing more and more hooligans
in the streets so it’s me that starts stressing instead. We arrive safely at
the Op Drift squat and go for the food. Carrera starts playing their
surfpunkrock and continue for more than one hour. More and more people start
showing up. 12 Aullidos has only 5 songs and plays them almost 2 times. Very
intense and hectic emo-hardcore. They actually played all in Freakshow (who also
did some tours through Europe) and the style is obviously similar. Dani, the
drummer, let his fingers bleed badly. I think it’s good for him and the
equipment that they’re at the end of the tour. Actually 12 Aullidos already
split up. Mateo, the guitarplayer, is considering to move from Spain to
Groningen and join Shikari as a 2nd guitarplayer. Yipee!
 |
12 Aullidos
|
12
AULLIDOS (Spain) + BLACKFIRE (Usa) – Entrepotdok, Amsterdam 24/10/99
We were
quite impressed with the Spanish, so we decide to drive to Amsterdam to see them
again. We take Mateo, the guitarist with us coz he lost his interrailticket in Germany. The
Entrepotdok is a complex of 12 old warehouses from which a couple of floors have
been squatted in november 1996. Now there’s spaces for theatre, concerts,
sleeping, living, paintworkrooms… They’re having concerts every week. After
arrival, we see they will play with a Navajo band from “the States”.
Suddenly I notice people from Kochise and the Maloka collective from France. It
appears they have organised the Blackfire tour and are driving for them as well.
After exchanging some stories and ideas, a conference takes place about the Big
Mountain movement and their situation. (This is about the largest forced
relocation of American Indians in the 20th century to make way for Peabody
Western Coal Company to strip mine the ancestral lands of the Dineh (=Navajo).
This is being done with the aid of the corrupt US and tribal governments. The
Dineh who have refused to leave their land and relocate to government supplied
land (the site of a major radioactive spill) are being harassed with illegal
eviction notices and livestock confiscations, deprived of their well water and
firewood, and forced to live in constant fear). I don’t find the time and
concentration to join coz I meet more people I haven’t seen for ages. After
the conference, 12 Aullidos starts to play. Not too many showed up, maybe around
60 but still a good atmosphere. Again a very spastic and powerful set from those
crazies. Really too bad they quit. Next is Blackfire. A band of three combative
Navajo indians from Arizona, bringing their current situation to attention.
It’s difficult to label. Some rock/grunge, then fast hardcore, punkrock,
mainstream.... they don’t move me much musically but lyrically it keeps my
full attention. The elderly father of the bassplayer sings one tune along as
well - very impressive. I never knew much about the Big Mountain movement but
thanks to this band they definitely got me interested (and amazed/shocked).
 |
12 Aullidos |
 |
Blackfire |
MINION
(Germany) + CONVINCED (Sweden) + CATHARSIS (Usa) – Schlachthof Magazinkeller,
Bremen Germany 5/11/99
I only
knew the Catharsis/Gehenna split LP and didn’t like it at all. When I was
given their 2nd LP, I was impressed. Total metalcore in the vein of Integrity
but more technical and with lots of variation. So we take the Bacteria Express
and drive straight to Bremen. When we arrive, we mainly see “supermarket”
but almost no audience. (Note: for you who
are not familiar with our expressions yet, “supermarket” stands for the
overkill of merchandise stands present at most “modern” hardcore
concerts. The ultimate supermarket you can find at the annual Ieper
festival in Belgium). We submit and checkout the stands. I am pleasantly
surprised to see a distro dedicated to (political) books and (maga)zines. I find
issues of Cometbus, World War 3 and great books on antifa-poster art in Germany,
Class War…etc.etc. There goes our money. MINION starts off with their brutal
hardcore. Lotsa chugga chugga with doublebassdrumming. It has that typical
Bremen sound (like Systral, Mörser...). Normally it tends to bore me after a
while but I’m in the mood and get into it alot. I should try to find a record
of them coz I didn’t get a clue about lyrics. CONVINCED is next and I’m
shocked. Can someone tell me what this has to do with punk/hardcore? I’m
getting real confused here. This is mainstream collegerock (almost on the MTV
level) including all the poses and image, but they are profiled as punk. At
least I try to understand and watch it, but after 10 minutes I had enough.
It’s time for food, so we escape with some people to a nearby foodbar. When we
return Catharsis is ready to go. It’s funny to see the singer taking care of
his voice, doing exercises and shit. Before they start, he starts talking,
introducing the song, the set and his politics and feelings. Nothing wrong with
that but the longer he talks the more disgusted I get. He presents his views and
demands the crowd for confirmation. If no ones responding, he’s going for
individuals putting the mike in their face and asking silly rhetoric questions.
Demagogy in action. I try to focus on the music instead. I have a nice time
observing the drummer but the whole way of presenting (read: forcing) the
message and feeling spoils a lot of the fun. I decide to leave and end up having
a nice chat with the guy running the distro where I spent all my money earlier
this nite (Tracer Sanction, St.Pauli Strasse 10-12, D-28203 Bremen, Germany
tracersanction@gmx.net) When I go out, I see most of the people that travelled
with me outside as well. Hahaha. Seems I’m not the only one that is disgusted
or dissapointed. After the concert, one of us goes up to the singer to ask about
the way they’re presenting their ideas. But he rather wanted to spare his
voice (telegramstyle mumbling) than go into detail and start a real discussion.
Too bad. Too sad.
NUTCASE
(Germany) + HUMAN ALERT (Netherlandz) – Friesenstrasse, Bremen Germany
13/11/99
Give me
Bremen anytime. Always something’s happening. Most touring bands do this city
and atmosphere is mostly good 
at
concerts. So this time we even go to Germany to see a Dutch band! It had been
quite a while since I last saw Human Alert, and after last week’s concert in
the Schlachthof Magazinkeller, I need a 
good
laugh and some quality punkrock. When we arrive, we’re welcomed by the
bosscook Margriet/PCP and go for the leftovers. It’s good to see Willem
(organizer for these crazy Punkcafé Tegen concerts in Vrieshuis Amerika,
Amsterdam; RIP), slick-guy Svengus and old-timer Jan the soundman. It appears
they’re doing a two day tour in Germany. Their new drummer Chrisis has serious
problems with his (computermouse) arm. After some talk, Nutcase starts and I see
the place is crowded! Lots of people from Groningen are present. After a couple
songs I go out. Boring lalala-core. I meet some friends and hear some good
gossips. When Human Alert begins, the place starts moving. The sound is great
but I see Chrisis suffering. Being a drummer myself, I can identify with
the situation easily so I focus more on the theatrical skills of the singers.
Their German is hilarious and crowd-participation is 110%. They keep on playing.
Probably some 30-40 songs. Chrisis is in crisis but Margriet orders more. They
continue. Brilliant concert. This is certainly a band to see on a small stage.
Crazyness all around. Definitely worth the trip.
INSULT
+ STAND STILL (Spain) + SEEIN’RED + E-150 (Spain) – OJC Niks, Horst 4/12/99
When
E-150 decided to come to Holland for a couple concerts (their condition was to
have 1 concert with Seein’Red), Stand Still wanted to come along as well.
Since their van was not big enough, 3 of them flew in by plane and Stand Still
would do some concerts in France on the way to Holland. When we arrive in Horst
at around 19.30, they were already present as were the other bands. I have mixed
feelings about this place. In early 1998, Catweazle played here their last
concert, without actually knowing it at that moment. Strange. When Insult
starts, there’s about 100 people inside. Sound is quite shitty. The organizers
decided not to use the (small) stage and PA equipment. Too bad coz the drums are
totally fucked. Insult is promoting their new EP. They seem to like satanism a
lot with their pentagrams and evil-fingerpointing. Musically it’s almost
deathmetal. Not too exciting though. Stand Still I already saw in Zaragoza in
may with Brasilian masters (but lazy bastards) Ação Direta. They changed
line-up. Now the E-150 bassplayer plays for them as well. But it is still that
boring emo-metal. Or something like that. It drags on with a couple exciting
parts but without much conviction. Heard it all before. During Seein’Red, the
place is totally crowded. People start to move, to dive and to dance. Great to
see people move on that fastcore. Then, I miss the E-150 set because I have some
trouble with our car and have to wait 1 hour in the freezing cold for the
roadservice. When I come back in, they just finished their set and I hear
exciting stories about it. Jos SR singing and diving along with a 7 seconds
cover, a Lärm cover, good and crazy atmosphere…. Hmmm.
STAND
STILL (Spain) + E-150 (Spain) – Kortsluiting, Utrecht 5/12/99 in the afternoon
When we
arrive around 15.00 it’s already crowded. This place is a very small building
squatted about 2 years ago and is located in Lombok, a colourful neighbourhood
just outside the centre of Utrecht. I see some Amsterdam faces… remarkable!
Also Seein’Red is present plus other out-of-town scenesters. The place is
packed. During Stand Still, one of the E-150 drivers forgets to take the carkeys
out of the car and cannot get in anymore.
Deja-vu coz exactly that happened to me yesterday during the E-150 set…. We
see the keys laying under the frontseat… but there is no way to get into the
car without breaking something. After some phone calls, they decide to go for
the road-service. But first E-150. Very intense but I can’t help and miss
Italiano, their original 2nd singer, who quit some months ago. 15
minutes after the concert, the roadservice arrives and tries to open the car. He
tries two tricks but without any luck. After about 35 minutes he manages with a
new trick and during a thunderous applause from the crowd gathered around the
car, he notices he fucked up the interior of the door coz it can’t close
anymore. That’s yet another 10 minutes. We eat and depart for the exclusive
Hoogeveen concert which will take place in a rehearsal room.
 |
E-150 going
cuddly |
POINT
OF FEW + STAND STILL (Spain) + E-150 (Spain) – Het Podium, Hoogeveen 5/12/99
On
the way to Hoogeveen we buy a big bag of Pepernoten (gingerbread
cubes) to
celebrate Sinterklaas. Yes, it is Sinterklaas Avond, a traditional Dutch pagan
bourgeois celebration. It is difficult to explain for outsiders (there’s for
elite-consciousness), we try to some Stand Still and E-150 people but I wonder
if they got it – like Santa Claus being on an early trip. They like the
pepernoten, so we decide to treat them well during their sets. Local heroes
Point Of Few starts off with their fast and furious hardcore assault. I count
about 20-25 visitors and almost everyone knows eachother. This is a
private concert accessable on reservation/invitation only because it was not possible
to organize in the actual concerthall. Now it is in one of the rehearsalrooms downstairs in the same youthcenter but there’s place for at least another 30
so I think the private character was not really necessary. When during Stand
Still the drummer is showing off with his sticks, I try to hit ‘em with some
pepernoten. When I go upstairs, I see some visitors molesting a candy-machine.
It’s a pretty funny sight and after a while they attract a real crowd as well.
E-150 gets the crowd moving, diving, circle-dancing, throwing pepernoten,
heapdiving, piling-up, bathroom-humouring… I manage to shoot some pictures
until someone smashes into my camera. Drama. That lasted no longer than a lousy
5 months. Damn. After the gig, we help friends finding items they lost during
this party. (PS. After this one they played in Bremen before 25 people and in
Frontline, Gent where they got $25 for both bands!! Punkrock!!).
SHIKARI
+ N.B.P. + SPIRIT 84 – Simplon, Groningen 10/12/99
Youthcenter
Simplon is doing an effort promoting ‘smaller” and hardcore bands. So this
time we have three Dutch bands on a Friday night. The concert won’t take place
on the usual stage but on the floor. This makes the room for about a half
smaller which means a better atmosphere when there’s not too many people. At
around 22.30 when Shikari starts, I’m astonished to see the place filled.
Eventually there’s more than 100 people! Most faces I’ve never seen before.
As for Shikari, I’m not objective. This is the first concert and as far as I
can judge, the sound sucks. At least from behind the drumkit. In between songs
it’s mass applause. Weird. Normally I’m used to screams, insults, cursing,
beerthrowing and other offensive appreciations in between songs. I must admit
the average visitor looks like the perfect son-in-law (yes, it’s mostly
males), excuisitely and neatly dressed. Obviously with behaviour to match.
I’ll get used to that. After 20 minutes of sheer posing and emo-forging, we
call it quits. Take it away N.B.P.! Too bad it’s boring crossover (that’s
punkrock, metal, new-oldschool…pfff, whatever mixed) from 
Overijssel.
Musically it’s well played with 2 guitars but it drags on for almost an hour.
Lyrically there’s stuff about backstabbing and being tough. Hmm. Spirit 84
gets the crowd moving. I was told they are the successors of youthcrew band
Mainstrike. Already released a CD on the (in)famous Good Life label in Belgium.
First 6 songs are sloppy uptempo youth of today songs. Afterwards more catchy
midtempo hardcore parts in the vein of Gorilla Biscuits. I love that kind of
stuff. They have great guitarsound as well. Then I notice a goofy sticker
on the side of the guitarist’s amplifier: the word “straightedge” with a
Dutch national flag… What the fuck?!! It’s getting crazier every year.
Khrsna, hardline, christianity, nationalist straightedge. What’s next? I
think I don’t want to know.
LESSER
OF TWO (Usa) + KATASTROPHOBIA (Belgium) – Opdrift, Groningen 11/12/99
I
never heard of both bands before. I’m afraid this will be yet another
insignificant yankee
band touring Europe. When we arrive there’s a handful of people. At 22.30
Lesser Of Two begins in front of a crowd of around 35. I’m starting to get
pissed. Where’s all the people from yesterday?!? If there would be at least
half of what we had yesterday, it would be great. Is it because it’s in a
squat? Or because the bands are not modern or known enough? Or because it is
punk??? I wonder. With their mouth full of unity, support and other
semi-sympatho talk, most of these socalled cleanpunks ignore the real
underground. Hypocrite, narrow-minded, artificial…. Uhhh, sorry I get carried
away. The first part of the Lesser Of Two set exists mainly out of uptempo
Health Hazardish hardcore. It gets exciting when they start playing slower, more
jazzy/freaky bass orientated core. I can’t wait to hear them in Madrid on the
25th when they’ll play with Seein’Red on a 6000W installation coz
here the sound sucks pretty much. Katastrophobia is basic but catchy crustcore
with a fucken fast hiat-handed drummer. Impressive!