It’s a Saturday in summer. Or at least what the calendar claims, as clouds, rain, and wind have been dominating the weather for days. Summer, where are you?
However, on a day like this, there’s no need to despair, as Wild at Heart in Kreuzberg continues its usual operations despite the festival season and vacation time, meaning there are live concerts even in the summer months. And when ANGEL CITY OUTCASTS are in town, you shouldn’t miss them.
Before the band from Los Angeles took the stage, there was some “Kitchencore“ from Liverpool with PETE BENTHAM AND THE DINNER LADIES.
Although it was quite cool that evening, the first band started rather late, which is normal at Wild at Heart when the weather is good, as it allows everyone to make their way to Kreuzberg without rushing once it gets dark.
At 11:00 PM, PETE BENTHAM AND THE DINNER LADIES took the stage. Two men and two women. The women were wearing aprons! An attractive lady in an apron played the bass while the second skillfully handled the drums. Pete himself played guitar and lent his voice to the songs. His colleague played saxophone and sometimes clarinet. It was quite a strange sight to see someone with a saxophone or clarinet in a rock’n’roll club. I believe I saw a clarinet on stage at Wild at Heart for the first time that evening.
The band from Liverpool also brought some fans along, at least judging by the enthusiasm in front of the stage. Of the 50 people in front of the stage, 20 were making quite a bit of noise, and it got a bit fuller towards the end of the set. The others had settled comfortably at the bar.
PETE BENTHAM AND THE DINNER LADIES have a very unique sound. It’s a mix of minimal rock’n’roll, ’77 punk, and a touch of punchy jazz. Other styles can be heard sporadically in their sound. They play very rhythmic songs that captivate with their brilliant simplicity. Additionally, the lyrics are characterized by a lot of dark humor, winking provocation, and irony. Furthermore, there were the announcements and conversations that Pete had with the audience. There was hearty laughter or friendly head-shaking due to the absurdity. It was fun to watch the four from Liverpool. Even though the last five minutes didn’t bring anything new, PETE BENTHAM AND THE DINNER LADIES are still an absolute discovery and something truly new!
At the witching hour, ANGEL CITY OUTCASTS took the stage. It was, of course, tighter in front of the stage now. About 100 people, out of perhaps 200-250, were at the end of the narrow club to listen to the band. The guys from L.A. stepped onto the stage in good spirits and kicked off with a bang. Even though they were still tweaking the sound on stage during the first songs, what came out of the speakers on the sides of the room was extremely loud. The guitar was especially to blame for that. It blared high and loud, drowning out almost everything for those standing at the edges. In the middle, the sound was good, albeit very guitar-heavy, but absolutely acceptable. The band didn’t seem to notice or mind. Their interpretation of fast guitar-heavy (Street-Country) rock’n’roll thrilled despite the not-so-perfect sound. I hadn’t seen the guys in a few years and must say they have technically improved quite a bit. The guitar sound that evening was simply the instrument that was disruptive. However, the singer and second guitarist seemed very comfortable with their instruments. They often played the six-string in a self-promoting manner.
The atmosphere was good, the band was having fun, it was a cool rock’n’roll sound, and yet I think that with an even better sound, they could have thrilled the audience even more. It didn’t help when the band encouraged clapping and dancing. The audience refused. After all, we’re not in a stadium but in a club.
In conclusion, it can be said that there were two cool bands in good spirits in a fitting atmosphere. Heart, what more could you want?