Dead Kennedys, M.D.C. @ Paradiso, Amsterdam 05 December 1982
From the bacteria newsletter #2: It took some planning, but I managed to get 3 tickets before this concert was sold out within time. It was (and still is) the only concert of the genuine Dead Kennedy’s in Holland. The first American punk record I bought was “Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables” in mid 1981 because most of the punkstudents in my school were walking around with DK’s tags. Soon after I started getting the other stuff as well. And by the time of this gig, I was a big fan. In the meantime I met another punk through one of my classmates (her older brother) and we decided to team up. My parents were so supportive to drive us all the way to Amsterdam. I remember the weather was real terrible, cold and very rainy. I visited the famous Wyers squat for the first time and bought issues 3 & 6 of Maximum Rock’n’Roll (and which ended up in the trash a year later coz the mother of a friend to who I lend them out, thought it was waste paper…A R G H !). When we entered the place, an huge churchlike youth/cultural center called Paradiso (and still existing), it was already filled to the roof. We found some cool place on the balcony and had an excellent view on the crowd and the stage. Unfortunately no Dutch bands played befor but when M.D.C., also from the States, started, we were kind of shocked by their absolute chaotic noise. It was my first encounter with raw american hardcorepunk. Since the summer of 1981, I mainly bought and heard European punk and hardcore. And the only US bands I knew were Dead Kennedy’s, Social Unrest (the excellent “Rat In A Maze” 12″), Black Flag and the essential “Not So Quiet On The Western Front” double album. The latter was a perfect introduction, but still, to experience it live was somehow a completely different story. Also impressive was when we saw the M.D.C. merchandise. T-shirts for 5 guilders… That was unheard of. We asked if the price missed a 1, but they assured us it was all D.I.Y. and non-profit and the price was just 5 guilders. W O W ! When Dead Kennedy’s started, the place exploded. From start to finish it was non-stop pogo, movement, theatrics, crowd-participation and stagediving with Jello Biafra surfing several times from stage to the end of the hall, and back again. At a certain moment they opened the entry doors coz the heat was just too much, and I believed Jello would surf straight onto the streets of rainy Amsterdam. They played 18 songs in total. 18 fucking great and unforgettable songs. Right after the concert, we we’re so impressed and inspired, we decided to start a band. Thus it was the beginning of no end (yet). A landmark in my life. Thanks M.D.C.! Thanks Dead Kennedy’s!
Reviews:
De Melkboer Strikes Back 2
SETLIST:
01. The Man With The Dogs
02. A Child And His Lawn Mower
03. Kepone Factory
04. Dog Bite
05. When Ya Get Drafted
06. Moral Majority
07. I Am The Owl
08. Life Sentence
09. Police Truck
10. Riot
11. Bleed For Me
12. Holiday In Cambodia
13. Too Drunk To Fuck
14. Let’s Lynch The Landlord
15. Chemical Warfare
16. Nazi Punx Fuck Off!
17. Kill The Poor
18. We’ve Got A Bigger Problem Now…