It is nice to return to old places of influence. Each time, one is curious about what new things there are or what old things still exist, ultimately indulging in nostalgia with the local visitors. After all, the Ost is a melting pot for early pubescent teenagers, strange and (until then) undiscovered diseases, and odd birds who like to fill their thrown-in little time windows with all sorts of fulfilling things, like alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and loud music.
Yes, it is truly nice to be back and see all that misery again. During the week. The inner euphoria needle rises towards the pleasure horizon.
But putting the downsides aside, the bands sound quite good: Die arbeitslosen Bauarbeiter, Volker Putt, and Purgen. It is probably the culprit “Purgen” that is responsible for the concerts taking place during the workweek, among other things. But well, they were also the main reason I came here in the first place, so this circumstance can be quickly forgiven.
Unbearable moaning, strangely undefinable liquids, constant touches from behind: This is usually what an evening at the Ost looks like when somewhat interesting bands are playing and one is not paying attention to their back. Yet tonight, it seems that only about 3 dozen people managed to attend this “festival.”
Even when the first band – Die arbeitslosen Bauarbeiter – takes the stage and starts playing, the hall does not seem to fill noticeably. Has everyone suddenly found work or what?
But as is fitting for native punk rock, they just rock out regardless of the number of attendees. It quickly becomes clear that the three musicians from Chemnitz (thanks to Karsten Conform and his review of the band’s new CD; I didn’t even know they were from Chemnitz!) feel quite at home in the fast and almost dance-music-inspiring genre. I involuntarily thought of a happier, faster version of “The Wohlstandskinder” to make the comparison somewhat tangible.
The music is quite nice, but it doesn’t really engage me in the long run. Particularly noticeable were all the “Aaahhhh”s and “Wooohhooooo”s in their pieces. Background vocals are all well and good, but the Ost trio overdoes it a bit too much. At some point, it all feels a bit forced and is more annoying than atmospheric. However, the covered song “Auswärtsspiel” by die Toten Hosen was a positive highlight. Perfect for singing along and forgetting all the cheerful nonsense (punk rock is supposed to be in a bad mood, damn it!).
My companion today (older, unwashed, male) starts to tremble nervously after the performance. Fine, delicate strands of drool adorn the almost bloody, cracked lips from cold and dryness, and the pupils grow larger as if he just took a small dose of LSD: The long-awaited band Volker Putt takes the stage, and immediately images of older performances flash through the mind: Hard and deeply evil string instruments that are partially rooted in the metal genre, a clattering drum set, and a voice trained to the point of unrecognizability that more than does justice to the meaning of “growling.” Then there’s a song to celebrate to, one song is more for rocking out, and the other song just blasts forward with sheer speed. In short: A typically good performance by Volker Putt, who even sweetened their presence with a few new songs. Doesn’t sound bad, gentlemen!
A slight whiff of vodka lazily flows through this room. A clear sign that Purgen is now on stage to conduct their soundcheck. With a funny broken English (“Nneet somm boss on monnitorr”), one is already quite entertained before the actual music starts. Fascinating how well these two languages fit together… if one knows how to handle them.
What fits even better, however, is the music of the Russian rockers to the audience's ears! They offered a great symbiosis of hardcore and melody, aggression and harmony, and excellent technique. Guitar, bass, and double-bass drum contributions were paired with two singers who were not singers in the traditional sense but rather vocal monsters. While the front singer managed to provide a few vocal technical inserts, the guitarist screamed and yelled everything else that wasn’t nailed down. A nice symbiosis of a screaming voice and a less-screaming voice. Sounds really good!
There was also no shortage of variety: Sometimes the music rolled over the audience like a tank, and other times there was a very pogo-inspiring rhythm that just crashed into the few people present. Fat!
Excellent. The evening was – despite the workday afterward – a complete success. Although concerts are more suited for weekends or other longer leisure periods, when such a hit is right at your doorstep, it’s hard to say “no” to it. A very nice lineup of bands at a very fair price. So, anyone who diligently returns deposit bottles can also see the bands live under different circumstances. Don’t worry, the effort is worth it!