life’s too short for guitar solos.

Since three years the Berlin September promises a highlight I’m looking forward to ever since the beginning of the year: Popkomm. This year, however, was not like the last couple of times when one could not decide which of the many simultaneous concerts of this four-days club-festival to attend. In fact, the overall line up was not very promising, at least for me and my admittingly rather peculiar music taste. So, it was quite certain, for weeks actually, which concerts I would see. – And this time Germany being the “partner country” of the event, I had my difficulty with being too much pleased with the overall programme. So I experienced much crap, some known and favourite bands but yet a few surprises.

my last week’s concerts: Tent, The Checks, Goose, Figurines, Saybia, Alphabeat, Dirty Fuzz, Heideroosjes, The Creetins, Jingo de Lunch

planned, but not attended: Keith Caputo

people spotted in the audience: Peaches, Geir Zahl (Kaizers Orchestra), various Saybia members

First concert I went to was Goose, an electro-rock band from Belgium who are, concerning the sold-out Lido venue, obviously not an insider’s tip anymore. It was my first time in the Lido, which I was positively surprised of - the venue, I’d like to remark, not the evening. From the beginning, I was really really pissed off by some skanky females who obviously mistook the concert with the perfect place to discuss repulsive relationship problems in front of innocent people and if the band “Tent” hadn’t been so bad, I would have been able to concentrate on the music instead. After I realised that I have just spent most of my life in that venue, listening to crappy music that would never stop, like in a dreadful time warp, Tent surprisingly came to an end (ha!) and the place filled. After another 24 hours The Checks came on stage which suddenly led me to feel the desire to take the air outside a bit. They were not too bad, though, but when you expect some truly danceable beats you know to expect from Goose you won’t be liked to be fobbed off by some semi-original Jim-Morrisson copy and tunes you think you have listened to a thousand times before. However, when Goose finally entered the stage, I realised I was not the only one waiting desperately for something to happen. The audience went crazy from the start, the first 4 songs being definitely the most danceable ones Goose ever made - the whole crowd was electrified. That was just awesome and really kind of made up with what the evening was like until then. Much to my sorrow, however, Goose decided to play not more than 35 minutes including… no encores. Fuck. That was like a coitus interruptus.

Next day was strange, if I had gotten earlier out of bed, I would have made it earlier to the Danish Music Night, a promising event at the Popkomm, with a promising line-up. I was in any case glad that I did not miss one of my favourite bands Saybia, who were due at around 23.30 but I was even more glad that I just came right in time to witness the truly fabulous band “The Figurines”. If you are reading this and do not know them: Go get their latest album! It’s ace! The singer has one of the most original voices I ever encountered, the melodies are sad-happy-melancholic-eerie-catchy-tremendous, I was completely carried away.

Doesn’t happen too often these days. They played a lot of their latest songs, and delivered a great performance over all. After that, Saybia played which was, I guess, only satisfying when you’re a fan: they played many songs which were unknown to many, as the new album will be released in October. “Angel” broke my heart. Saybia just know how to tease out every romatic feeling hidden deep within me. A short concert, but a great night, whatsoever. Got hammered afterwards on Wodka-RedBull and Cola-Rum. Embarassing. But otherwise “Alphabeat” wouldn’t have been half as good. Hehe. I’d like to take the opportunity and thank Anders from Copenhagen/Adlershof who got my friend’s and my Figurines album signed at 4 o’clock in the morning at McDonald’s. We would have never dared.

Next day I was chaperonage for a friend who introduced me to the great sounds of Jingo de Lunch, a Berlin rockband who obviously are cultfigures of the Kreuzberg music scene. And although the front’man’ was female, I really fancied this band. The fact that most, if not all, people came to see “Jingo”, how I learned this band is benignly called, the bands playing before them had quite a hard time. And rightly so, perhaps, as Dirty Fuzz was one of the worst bands I’ve ever seen! I know I’m probably not allowed to say that, because the rather scary leadsinger is black, and so are the band’s backing vocalists… but I say it nevertheless. Don’t trust their positive reviews!!

After that, the incredible Heideroosjes from the Netherlands played a truly awesome and vibrant set, and I daresay that normally it would not be too hard for them to make the audience jump and bounce, but this time most people only nodded their heads rhythmically, if at all. The singer closed the gig with the introduction of the last song, not without subtly criticizing the crowd by calling it “a little strange night, I have to admit.” But what the heck. I had my fun.

Temporarily. Because The Creetins, from Kiel, NOT from Berlin, how the rather unappealing lead poser, er… singer emphasized by raising his index finger, gave me a hard time. Thanks to a couple of drinks and a lot of people to look at, time passed quicker than expected and the aforementioned Jingo de Lunch came on stage. Overall a very nice night, I must say!