So many gigs and so little time

Hoping that Rock Werchter will be better organised than Rock im Park was, we feel the need to head to smaller venues- to enjoy the actual gig and in order to keep sane. The big crowds make it so hard to enjoy the music, which is why we enjoyed Cane Hill in Trier that much. Why they only supported is beyond us, but so are a lot of things.

Before heading to Belgium we are making our way to the Batschkapp to see Stone Temple Pilots on 26 June. Be there, unless of course you go and see them the night before in Cologne at the Live Music Hall. Their European tour continues, so if you can, you should check them out.

Werchter next for Rockculture and friends and we will actually be leaving Werchter early, mainly because Lamb of God are back in Frankfurt. They play Batschkapp on 01 July. Check out their other dates on lamb-of-god.com though

Some may call them conceited, some may call them genius, we just call them Royal Blood. First time heard about them was through MUSE and supporting Foo Fighters at Fenway Park. They started out as a unique kind of band, their attitude may or may not have helped them along the way. There comes a time in every band’s life though, when you have to be humble. I will observe their attitude and their live set on 23 July in Wiesbaden at the Schlachthof or on 24 July in Hamburg at the Grosse Freiheit 36….

Royal Blood (Photo credit Joeseth Carter)

Royal Blood (Photo credit Joeseth Carter)

A band who have always had fun with what they do are The Damend. We are super excited to see some headline shows from them again. They play

Schlachthof, Bremen on 30.07.2019 and

Stollwerck, Köln on 01.08.2019

That is us done for July. Catch more from us next week. Over and out.

Nx

THE DAMNED

When you say “Punk” you associate the term with lots of different bands, but pathfinders for this movement were and are The Damned.

They released their first album “Damned Damned Damned” and their first single “New Rose” back in 1976 and toured the same circuit as Siouxie and the Banshees, The Stranglers, Iggy and the Stooges and The Liverpool Explosion. Music was raw but it was that movement that made it real, no Simon Cowell in sight.

The Damned also knew how to diversify before musicians had to – Captain Sensible and his chart loving release of “Wot” was epic and my little Goth heart skipped a beat when they released “Eloise” (even mentioning that song, I will hum that melody all day). I also remember reading that Vanian and his wife had coffins for beds and I am dying to find out (pun intended) if Smash Hits made that one up….

Their new album "Evil Spirits" is testament to diversion, but it is fun and brilliant!

If you need proof watch their latest release “Look Left” from their new album here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za7S1q4qU2Q

I am not sure that Dave Vanian and Captain Sensible ever stopped touring in the 40+ years, but the two of them along with their bassist John Priestley, keyboarder Monty Oxymoron and drummer Pinch Pinching are touring Germany in May. You would be a complete idiot to miss these legends.

 

17.05.2018 Frankfurt - Batschkapp

22.05.2018 München - Strom

23.05.2018 Berlin - SO 36

25.05.2018 Hamburg - Fabrik

26.05.2018 Oberhausen - Turbinenhalle (im Rahmen der New Waves Day) 

Quiet start to 2018, but oooooohhh, cannot wait for the SUMMER

Apologies for the slow and quiet start here at ROCKCULTURE. Our photographer has jumped ship, so some of the gigs we were covering like alt-j were a no go. Sorry people. 

The German leg of the Architects tour, supported by the always brilliant While She Sleeps, was fabulous, but we wouldn't expect anything less. Inspiring that the crowds are getting bigger, yet the artists remain humble.

What have we got in store for you in the next few months? In no particular order, check out the tours of some of these favourites at rockculture:

PUP

The Wombats

Future Islands

Neck Deep 

Marmozets

SWMRS

Arcane Roots

Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes

Arctic Monkeys

Franz Ferdinand

and really old skool The Damned

 

 

Photo credits Alice Baxley (SWMRS), Bella Howard (Frank Carter) and David Edwards (Franz Ferdinand), Megan Thompson (Neck Deep). All images provided by FKP Scorpio. Dankeschön.