Corrupted, Asunder, Trees, Aldebaran - 04/11/2008 - Satyricon, Portland
This was the first show for me in this country and I have mixed feelings about it. I guess I'm not used of going to bars for shows (I don't think there are any squats or social/free spaces to host shows) but that's the rule here. So I went to the bar a bit after 8, paid the cover, got a stamp on my hand (oh this sucks) and got in. Guess what, this was an all-ages show.. which means that even if the venue doubles as a bar.. no smoking and no drinking is alowed in the show area! Fuck..
So the venue seems like a good place for a show: it's not big, just enough to get full easily, it has a stage, it's dark and there are a couple of pillars to block the view of the band from some spots. Just about right for a place that hosts punk and metal shows.. but it just doesn't feel like a punk/metal show without the mix of smoke, spit beer and sweat in the atmosphere. Anyway. I didn't know the first three bands that were to play so I didn't know what to expect.
When I entered the venue Aldebaran had already started. They play a ultra-slow doom metal thing that I do like but not that slow! They had some faster parts, fast enough to slowly shake my head on the rythm and it was ok. Trees were the second band and I'm sorry but I just couldn't like it. Again painfully-slow with some screaming vocals, sorry but it didn't work for me. I was considering running to the bar in the other room for a quick beer but their set was very small. Next were Asunder from Oakland. They lit up some candles, turn most of the stage lights off, set the atmosphere just right for their very good set of.. yup, doom metal. I guess they've been around for a while because they sound really good. I need to listen more from them. Last to play was ofcourse Corrupted, coming from Osaka, Japan. The place was full by the time they started and they managed to make everyone in the room to hung and stare in amazement. Their set was based on their latest sound and they didn't play any of the raw stuff of their first releases. They gave and amazing set of slow, depressing, haunted sludge. Very well done! I like the fact that although they've playing for so long and have numerous releases, they keep a low profile, just perfect.
To make a last point: what the hell is that thing that in between the bands, the stage is cleared and different sets of drums and amps are brought on stage! Everyone has to play with their on gear? This caused big brakes between the bands and the show ended at 1.30. I didn't keep track of the time to leave a little earlier and the result was to miss the last bus back home. So I had to walk, in the rain and cold for more than an hour (4.5miles~7km) to get back! that sucked...
Leftover Crack, Vodka Juniors, 63 High, Bad Trip, Ass's 9 Days - 24/08/2008 - Asteroskopeio, Thessaloniki
Leftover Crack playing in Greece, that is big news. Unfortunately the gig was in Thessaloniki (that’s 500km from Athens) so I didn’t know if I was going but some friends were going so I decided to tag along. I’m glad I did, not just because it was a really good show but also because it was a good punk rock weekend. It involved us 10 kids taking the train and making a big mess in it, hanging around in a really kick ass city, going to a terrific show, crashing at some girl’s house that most of us didn’t even know (at 5am), looking for the local punk record shops (and find nothing) the morning after and falling apart on our way back on the train again. But anyway, let’s talk about the show.
The show was taking place inside the campus of the city’s university at an open air space with trees and lots of grass to lay down and rest. We went early so we had time to hang around. The show started around 11pm (tradition has it that all shows in Thessaloniki start after midnight so it took me by surprise that it started so early). First band to play, Ass’s 9 Days: I’m not sure what’s going on with this band, I knew that they shared some members with 63 High (they also shared a split cd) but I thought they were disbanded. It seems that they’re back. They played a small set of good and fun punk rock songs with some ska touches. Good start to get people moving.
Next to play were 63 High, a ska (with horns) band from Thessaloniki. Last time I saw them live was more than a year ago and although I’m not into ska-punk anymore I remember that their shows are really good but I wasn’t prepared for this! The band is up to standards with many well known (diy and major label) ska bands. They have songs with complicated compositions, fun and uplifting, played really well and the band’s performance skills are seriously high. If you are into that music, check them out! Oh and they played a Morning Glory cover.
Next band, Vodka Juniors. They are playing for a many years now and they are one of the most active greek bands. They recently released a double cd with mostly acoustic stuff but their show was based on their older fast punk/thrash style. They are known for their adrenaline driven performances and this one was no exception. The crowd went crazy since the majority of the kids that showed up are into the skateboard and new-school punk lifestyle and VJ are known to have a strong affect on them.
[now that I think of it, Vodka Juniors might have played before 63 High but I can't rememeber and it doens't really matter]
After VJ it was time for the main act, Leftover Crack of course, which I guess need no introduction and as soon as they started (already wasted) the place went crazy. All the favorite tunes were squeezed in their hour (or so) long show. They seemed to enjoy it, the people enjoyed it for sure: good tunes, lots of dancing, small (and some times longer) talks in between the songs by their frontman Stza, some slogans against the police from everybody and before we knew it they finished their set. At this point unfortunately lots of people started leaving although there was one more band on the bill to play. I know it was late, 3am maybe, can’t remember but still, stay till the end people!
Anyway, the next band to play was one of the main reasons I decided to drag my ass to Thessaloniki for the show. Bad Trip is a magnificent band from Thessaloniki and their music is closer to what I’m listening lately than any of the bands that played that night. It’s hard to describe their music. Here are some tags that will come close to what they play: Post-rock, post-hardcore, post-metal, Neurosis or Pelican like music, dark, doomy, emotional and much more. Just google “badtr1p”, go to their myspace page and listen to them. So when they started playing most of the people had either already left or were laying down on the grass and only a few people were in front of the band. But as they kept playing more and more were approaching. Stza (Lectover’s Crack singer, totally wasted by that time) went up on the “stage”, took the mic and did some screaming vocals for their instrumental music. I don’t know for how long they played but they did play most of their songs I think, which are pretty long anyway. Their music was the perfect soundtrack for the closing of the night which left 1 or 2 hundred kids, that stayed till the end at 4am, strolling around the university campus.
Some last things. I know that it cost alot of money to fly Leftover Crack from Germany and back and since it was a free show and there was no box for contributions I hope that the money from the drinks were enough to cover it. Unfortunately there was no distro around, just the LoC merch table. No riots broke out (another tradition at gigs taking place at the university of Thessaloniki). And overcrowded trains with closed windows and no a/c are no fun.
Teenheat, Χατ Τρικ [Hat Trick], Oldschool Rednex - 24/05/2008 – Halandri square, Athens
Two shows were taking place in Athens on this warm, early summer Saturday night. One was a grindcore show at the basement of Kallidromiou social center and the other one was an outdour rock n roll show in a public square. I choose to go to the latest since I didn’t want to put myself in the hot basement on this weather and also because I needed some old fashion punk rock fun. When I arrived at the main square of Halandri, Teenheat had already started. A few hundreds of people had arrived but they were mostly talking and hanging out, not paying much attention to the band. Teenheat are well known for their Ramones like rock n roll which in my opinion they play really good but unfortunately the crowd didn’t seem too enthusiastic about it. Teenheat was the only Athenian band on the list and the next two bands to follow are from Thessalonica and I’d never seen them live before. So the following band to play was Χατ Τρικ [Hat Trick] and as they started it was made clear that it was going to be a hell of a night. Get-off-your-ass-and-start-dancing punk n roll and immediately the area in front of the band was set on fire. Kids were dancing and singing along, beers were flying around and kick ass tunes filled the air. The band has lots of energy and it’s passed on to the crowd. After an amazing set it was time for the last band Oldschool Rednex to start since there wasn’t much time left. They play the same kind of catchy punk rock as Hat Trick, with also catchy lyrics in greek (again just like Hat Trick) and very fun songs. The crowd didn’t go as crazy as before but still there was much dancing and crowd surfing. The gig ended just a little after midnight, since it was taking place in a public space and there is a midnight curfew for such events. Here are some last points: The gig took place in front of a branch of the national bank of greece and it was the background, behind the band. Since it was in the main square and around there are many bars and cafes, many people just stood and stare for a while but unfortunately they left quickly, let’s hope that next time they’ll stay more. Unfortunately the small “distro” didn’t carry the Hat Trick’s cd but I’ll have to get it on the first chance. The show was diy, without an entrance fee and to pay for the equipment and the bands’ transport costs, beers were sold by the organizers (as always) but unfortunately, there were still people going and buy their beers from the nearby shops (again as always). Let’s hope that someday soon this will stop. Overall, it was a night of great fun.
Wasted UTD, The Shocking Pills – 29/03/07 – After Dark Bar, Athens
Although I prefer to go to shows that take place in social spaces, open spaces and squats, an old friend of mine played his first gig so I went to see his band. After a couple of hours of waiting for the soundchecks and the for the place to get full, The Shocking Pills started the show. They played a small set, since they are a new band, only 4 songs that they have and 4 covers including Too Drunk to Fuck by the Dead Kennedys. Old school punk with ska influences is what they do and their sound was pretty good although they have a new lineup they did pretty well. Wasted UTD got on stage after a while. Wasted UTD have been playing together for 10 years, so they were more “professional”. They play a mix of Oi and ska, not exactly my style but I still enjoyed their set. Lots of skinheads and mods have arrived to watch them play and everyone seemed to have a good time.
Ωχρά Σπειροχαίτη [Ohra Speiroheti], Μαύρακόρντα [Mavrakornta], Incognita Sperans – 23/03/07 – Thisio Square, Athens
This gig was organized in solidarity to and for the financial aid of the arrested for the clashes that took place at student’s march in March 8th on Athens. Unfortunately I arrived late at the place so I completely missed Incognita Sperans and half of the Mavrakornta’s set. It’s hard to describe the music style that they play. It’s a mix of rock, punk, traditional greek music and more with social and political lyrics. The sound of Ohra Speiroheti is very similar and both bands gave nice sets. I am not going to focus on the music side of the event because I think that the cause was more important. It was co-organized by a big number of collectives in order to get as much people as possible. It took place in an open space, in the centre of the city in a place and time that there were many passers by which were informed about the event’s cause and flyers were handed out and there were boxes for the financial contribution of the arrested ones. The attendance was pretty good, a lot of people showed up. During the gig there were many references from the bands about issues like the arrests, police brutality and the army and the crowd shouted slogans against the state, the army and in solidarity to the many people that are kept in prisons, hostages from the state. The event finished at midnight that there was a lot of people stayed and hang out for many more hours.Χάσμα [Hasma], Βαλπουργία Νύχτα [Walpurgis Night, Valpourgia Nihta], Kill the Cat, no name band – 17/03/07 – Villa Amalias, Athens
This gig was part of the celebrations for the 17th birthday of the Athenian squat. I arrived pretty early so I had enough time to hang out before the gig started and to look through the squat’s distro and bookshop. A lot of people have gathered due to the occasion but it took a lot of time for the gig to start. After a couple hours of waiting, Valpourgia Nihta got on stage. It was the first time I saw them live after the addition of violin and I must say that their sound was excellent and they gave a very good show. Next band on stage was the unnamed one. I was waiting for a long time to see them live since I’ve heard very good things about them it was verified. They play a mix of From Ashes Rise, Kylesa and the like hardcore and they really blew me away. I can’t wait for a release. Next to play were Hasma, the highlight of the evening for many, since it is considered as the most popular DIY band in Greece at the moment. Their show was amazing as always. They majority of the people was dancing and singing and almost everybody knew the lyrics word by word. The atmosphere was very beautiful and the band was active and cheerful. During the set of Hasma, the gig space was packed, since I everybody who was hanging outside came in. The last band to play were Kill the Cat, the only ska band of the bill to play. Most of the people who came in for Hasma went outside again so they had to start their set with only a smaller number of people. But after a few songs people started to getting back in and soon the place was full again. Kill the Cat were very cheerful and delightful. They played the songs from their new ep played games with the audience and everybody had a great time and a lot of dancing. After the show, various members from the bands and also people from the crowd got on stage and jammed live. They played covers of favorite greek punk songs and although they fucked up in most of them it was much fun for everybody. I left around 3.15 because I was exhausted but as I later found out, they continued to play until 4 in the morning. It was a great night, not only due to the bands that played but also because of the great atmosphere and people’s participation.
Hjerte Stop, Social Despair – 15/02/07 – Underground at Kalidromiou Street 94, Athens
Although I don’t really like Hjerte Stop and had never listened to Social Despair before, I headed to the underground social center that this gig was taking place. The gig was supposed to start at 9 which of course didn’t because the venue was empty so I had a lot of time to hang. After an hour or so people have started to gather but the place was not packed and the atmosphere was very pleasant. At around 10.15 the “locals” Social Despair hit the “stage”. The played a good set of short and fast songs of the thrash/crossover style that they do. Apart from their songs they did some covers of classics like SOD, Dead Kennedys, GBH and Motorhead if I remember correctly. Afterwards Hjerte Stop got on “stage” and even before they warm up the people, they started making sex jokes about the greeks and anal sex and were prompting people to have anal sex in order to get free t-shirts from them. Well I’m sorry but I was not very amused by this kind of jokes and when I go to a punk/diy gig, I expect the band to have something more to say than doing dirty jokes. Unfortunately for yet another time the fact that even if you’re a hardcore punk, living on welfare and staying in a squat does not mean you are politically or socially active was confirmed. I’m not here to judge those who act like this but in my world and in my opinion, punk is not (just) getting wasted to have a good time. Anyhow, as I said I didn’t really like the band from what I’ve heard from their studio work but their set was ok and although I was a bit pissed, I wasn’t bored. Fast punk rock with touches of hardcore is what they do.