There are some beloved traditions, like celebrating Christmas always on December 24th, giving Dad socks for his birthday, and going to Kreuzberg on Oranienstraße to S.O. 36 to see THE BUSTERS every January.
The traditional winter tour of the ska band from Wiesloch made a stop in Berlin again on 21.01.2012, and as every year, it was off to Kreuzberg to dance away the dreary winter.
About 30 minutes after the doors opened, we entered the club. It was still very empty, but the DJ was already spinning the finest danceable ska, ensuring a good atmosphere.
Gradually, more and more people trickled in.
By around 9:00 PM, the official start time, S.O. 36 was well half full. However, there was a steady stream of people coming into the club, so we waited a little longer until THE BUSTERS would take the stage to play the soundtrack for a great evening.
The mood was very good, partly thanks to the DJ, who, despite some strange transitions between the songs he played, had a good feel for the ska classics, and many were already moving to warm up.
As in previous years, the audience was a colorful mix of ages, with everyone from very young to well into their 50s represented. THE BUSTERS, who have been around for 25 years, have both loyal fans who have been attending the band's concerts for years and the luck of continually gaining new fans, allowing the band to fill clubs with 500 - 1000 people every year on their tour without much advertising. Not many bands have such a loyal fan base. THE BUSTERS are aware of this, as they consistently come up with initiatives where fans can participate, like this year, where they can vote for their favorite song on the band's homepage, and if that song wins, a spot on the guest list will be raffled off among those who voted.
As S.O. 36 could hardly get any fuller, THE BUSTERS took the stage.
Elegantly dressed in suits, they came on stage and launched into their set as if there were no tomorrow. The first five songs were played without a break and almost without announcements, and the cheerful audience immediately started moving. People danced and sang along, and the smiles on their faces grew wider.
THE BUSTERS clearly enjoyed playing and quickly engaged the audience. Clapping, hands in the air, singing along, and having a great evening together was what the band and everyone present wanted.
The setlist included classics like “Summertime,” “No Risk, no Fun,” “Dead or Alive,” and “Skank my Blues away,” as well as some songs that the band rarely plays, some of which belong to their very early repertoire. It was a setlist definitely geared towards good vibes, containing calm songs only to allow for a little breather. The brass section worked hard, with trumpeter Hardy (with a new style and the determination to keep his jacket on for the entire set, which made him look drenched just before the end) standing out. His solos were so intense that one wondered more than once where the man got the air for them and why he didn’t just collapse at some point, having exhausted all the air in his body. Trombonist Rob was also bursting with joy in playing and seemed so upbeat that he was still not fully occupied with making funny faces and playing. Schramme, who played one of the two organs, was the third member of the trio who handled his instrument so coolly that one sometimes couldn’t help but grin. It goes without saying that it quickly became very warm, and every liquid was quickly consumed to keep dancing.
THE BUSTERS played for almost two hours, giving everything, as did the audience. Two hours full of bliss and joy. But of course, there was an encore, during which “Mickey Mouse in Moscow” was traditionally played, and Schramme, stepping away from the organ to the accordion, also made a very good impression. Even though this song can no longer be heard by some because it is really always played, it remains one of those songs that never fails to excite.
At the end of this encore, the completely sweaty, exhausted but visibly happy band said goodbye to the equally sweaty audience.
For those who hadn’t had enough yet, they could continue dancing to DJ sounds. We would have done that too, if the guy hadn’t acted like a carnival mega-disco DJ. DJ Bela was clearly better in recent years. But we wouldn’t have lasted much longer anyway. Another great evening with THE BUSTERS!
The guys bring summer back in winter.