Gig Review: Level Up Festival 2022

We love ska punk at CPRW. We also love nothing more than going to our favourite venue, the New Cross Inn in South London, for an evening of ska punk. What could be better? An all-dayer obviously. But what could be better than that? A three day festival full of the best ska punk bands in the UK, as well as a couple from further afield. Sounds like the perfect weekend to me. You can improve it some more? Loads of friends will also be there? Well that sounds like the dream to me!

That dream is actually a reality thanks to the wonderful people from Be Sharp Promotions, Fishlock Promotions and El Topo Bookings. July 2022 saw the long-awaited return of Level Up Festival. A festival that contains all those things mentioned in the opening paragraph. This is going to be quite a long review so I’m keeping intros to a minimum. On with the festival!

Friday

After the line-up and day splits were announced it was pretty clear that the promoters were going big on Level Up 2022. After three long years they seemed intent on welcoming the UK ska punk community – the proper ska punk community, the ones who go and see ska punk bands that weren’t formed in America thirty years ago – back to Level Up Festival with a bang. The four bands lined up for the opening night was just nuts. Unfortunately, on the day of the festival that bloody Covid struck again and the four bands became three. Sadly newcomers Till I’m Bones had to pull out due to their drummer getting sick. This was a shame as I, and a lot of other people, were very excited to see them. They were also due to announce the release of their second single Snakes at the festival – that’s now out and you can listen at all the musical places. Being true supporters of the DIY ska punk scene, some of the healthy members of the band still came along and they would get the opportunity to play a part in the night’s fun.

So, the band tasked with opening the entire festival were Filthy Militia. I told their lead singer Frosty I was going to write horrible things about the band as he made us exercise during the set and broke us for the entire weekend. I can’t do that though as, for one thing, that’s not the kind of site CPRW is but more importantly it wouldn’t be true. Filthy Militia played an incredible set. I last saw them back in February at the launch of their brilliant second EP, Coping Mechanism. That was the best I’ve ever seen them but I think they topped that set at Level Up. It was such a fun (and exhausting) way to begin the weekend. The addition of Lead Shot Hazard’s Tom on guitar allowed Frosty more freedom to dance around and be a frontman and just gives the band an even bigger sound and presence. Highlights of the set were Differences (which is one of the best ska punk songs released this year) and Land Of The Dead, where Jak and Charlotte from Till I’m Bones joined the band to sing and play saxophone respectively. During Land Of The Dead, Frosty joined the crowd to lead what was basically a ska punk exercise class where he had us all doing squats. It was knackering for my old man knees but a great way to warm up for the rest of the night.

 

Next up, we had the co-headline sets of Call Me Malcolm and The JB Conspiracy. The two bands had been on a tour around the UK and had been wowing crowds everywhere. Call Me Malcolm were first to take to the stage and were treating us to their three pronged horn section with Mark (saxophone), Lewis (trombone) and Lloyd (trumpet) all at NXI for the show. It had been eight long months since Malcolm played at NXI which, pandemics aside, is almost unheard of. This was a homecoming for the band and anticipation was high. Of course, they smashed their set – as, to be honest, every single band that played the weekend did. I’ve seen Call Me Malcolm play so many stunning sets at NXI over the years that I’m running out of ways to talk about them. The band and the venue combine to make ska punk magic every single bloody time. Playing favourites from their last two albums as well as a couple of deep cuts from their debut, there was something for everyone. Always liking to bring out a special treat for NXI, they delivered big. Before they started summer banger Restore Factory Settings, the horn section took their mics into the crowd where they were joined by The JB Conspiracy horns as well as Charlotte Till I’m Bones and Eve Filthy Militia/Lead Shot Hazard. The sound of those opening brass notes were incredible. They gave me goosebumps – it was such a big moment! I had short people problems and couldn’t really see what was going on in the crowd but it was still such a special moment that will be talked about for years to come. Naturally, the band finished on All My Nameless Friends and got one of the biggest reactions of the night. What a way to welcome Call Me Malcolm back home!

Then it was time for ska punk royalty The JB Conspiracy. Since the band released the epic Beginnings album last year, they’ve been popping up playing shows everywhere. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing them a few times since its release and each and every time they’ve been nothing short of spectacular. I’m not sure there’s a current ska punk band in the UK that can match JBC for pure musicianship. They write such technical sounding songs with multiple and complex layers and whenever I’ve seen them live they don’t seem to miss a single note. It’s so gosh darn impressive. The hour long set was comprised of many songs from Beginnings but the band didn’t forget their early favourites from This Machine and The Storm. A big highlight for me was what I think was a rare outing for Say Goodbye – it feels like a long time since I’ve seen them play that song. The band continued the theme of getting folk from other bands to join them on stage, as Eve once again took to the stage to help out with saxophone on one song and Luke from Call Me Malcolm joined them to play my favourite song from Beginnings – The Long Road To Zurich – on guitar. The JB Conspiracy have this amazing way of connecting with the crowd. Throughout their set the crowd was moving around in absolute pandemonium. The Inn was extremely warm at this point and there were a lot of sweaty ska punk fans around. I’m sure each and every one of them couldn’t have been happier dancing and singing along with the band. That’s exactly how I felt. What a way to finish the first night of Level Up Festival 2022. What a glorious return and the weekend was really only just getting started!

Saturday

The next day we arrived back at New Cross about thirty minutes before the opening act of the day was due on stage. There were a few people milling around outside the venue early which was fantastic to see. One of those people was Paul from Be Sharp Promotions. We had a quick catch up about the night before and spoke about the day ahead of us. He listed off a bunch of things that he thought could go wrong but he couldn't have predicted one thing that might have meant cancelling the entire day…

The first act of the day was Fidget of Fidget And The Twitchers playing an acoustic set. Interestingly they decided to perform the entire set on the floor rather than the stage. This was a great decision as it immediately made the crowd engage more than they perhaps would have if they'd have been on the stage. What also really helped endear Fidget to the crowd was covering Reel Big Fish's classic Beer. This got the New Cross Inn singing early. Fidget also played some stripped back acoustic versions of the Twitchers songs and performed them with such gusto, I can only imagine what they're like full band. Hopefully it won't be too long before I get the chance to see them.

Now for the dramatic part of the day. During Fidget's set armed police turned up and taped off the area between NXI and Chick Chicken (the takeaway next to the NX hostel). Nobody had any idea what was happening at the time but I know this wasn't on Paul's list of things that could go wrong during the day…

Whilst everyone stood outside the venue trying to get a peek of what was going on, Baldhead and the Dreads were getting ready to play. The band have become big favourites at the venue over the past few years and we couldn't wait for what nonsense they had in store for us. At the last Level Up Festival in 2019, the band dressed up as Paul Smith. This time they stuck a photo of Paul on the New Cross Inn logo behind the drum kit. During the set, the band made jokes thanking everyone for coming inside to watch them rather than what was happening outside and they wanted to get through the set quickly so they could go and be nosey as well. The band can be very self-deprecating about themselves at times and they really shouldn't be. They write a great combination of fun, smart and silly lyrics that always make me smile. They rolled out all the favourites from both their EPs. They teased playing the "hit" Smoke Weed, Pet Dogs a couple of times during the set before finally playing it as their penultimate song. During the song, drummer Tommy wore a dog mask which drew a laugh from the crowd as well as the band. He'd also organised a sign with the lyrics for the chorus – like anyone in the room needed them! They finished the set with an old favourite, New Cross Inn, where the band all swapped instruments to perform the song. It was pretty chaotic but I wouldn't expect anything less from Baldhead and the Dreads.

 

Next, things got a bit serious when the force known as Redeemon took to the stage. Redeemon are a band that really push the genre of ska to its limits with their own brand of “metaliska” and they are always such a treat to witness live. As they were getting ready to play, I thought to myself how the Saturday of Level Up was a day showcasing many of the different, varied sounds of ska punk. I don’t know if the organisers had planned it that way or that’s how it worked out but either way it was pretty cool. This was my third time seeing Redeemon in a year and each and every time I’m completely floored by them. The level of musicianship that’s on display here is something quite special, the guitars and brass sections shred equally and frontman Pook’s vocal switches from guttural screams to kind of singing is a thing of beauty. The whole set was intense but in the best possible way. Whenever I’ve seen Redeemon play I’ve always been completely mesmerised by what’s going on. They’re one of those unique bands that when they play it’s more than just a live set of music, it’s an experience. Redeemon released their debut earlier this year through Pookout Records and I strongly suggest you give it a spin.

Representing El Topo Booking and Belgium this year were Prize Dink Camp. Fronted by our old friend Folkert who has played every Level Up in a different band, I was keen to witness his latest project live. Prize Dink Camp are a three-piece who, instead of having a bass player, focus very heavily on keys and synths to create their own unique sound. Being from Belgium and being one of the newest bands on the line-up, not many people really knew a whole lot about them before the set began – but everyone was talking about them afterwards. I spoke with Folkert earlier in the weekend and he mentioned being a bit nervous that people wouldn’t watch as it was dinner time and nobody really knew them. This proved to be false as the band drew a sizeable crowd. With the Belgian contingent down the front of the stage, their enthusiasm for the band spread around the room and it wasn’t long before a lot of people were dancing. I believe that the band had only played a handful of shows at this point but you really wouldn’t have known with an accomplished and enthusiastic performance. Playing songs from their debut EP, Memez, Dreamz and Limousinez, as well as from their brand new full length, Unity Sausage, this set was one of the most fun and biggest surprises of the weekend. It also earned the first and only human pyramid of the weekend. And this wasn’t the last of the Belgians that we would see today…

After quickly getting something to eat, we returned to the Inn as Manchester ska legends Harijan were just beginning their set. This was a very rare trip down to London for Harijan, so it was important to take the opportunity to see them. Lead singer Mike has such a distinctive voice that almost works as an extra instrument as well as a vocal. It’s a lot more gravelly than what you might usually find in ska punk and it really sets Harijan apart. I was interested to see how the South London crowd would take to Harijan and I was very pleased to see that it was enthusiastic. The crowd began to skank almost immediately and didn’t stop throughout the entire time the band were on stage. Mike looked so overjoyed by the whole experience and that was also great to see. He danced around the stage with a huge smile on his face as his band performed one of the tightest sets of the weekend. The level of musicianship was first class. If any folk at Level Up weren’t really aware of Harijan before the weekend, I'm sure they’re now big fans. Harijan will be making the journey back down south soon when they play Wotsit Called Fest in Hastings in September.

 

Returning after the last Level Up in 2019 were Brazilian ska punks Abraskadabra. The band were just starting a month long UK and European tour where they would be playing a whole host of gigs and festivals. Since their last appearance in the UK, the band have released an excellent new album named Make Yourself At Home on Bad Time Records (distributed in the UK by Pookout Records) and have certainly gained some new fans in the UK since then. Because of this, it felt like there was a high level of anticipation in the crowd as they began to sound check. And as soon as they started the set it became very apparent that there was so much love in the room for Abraskadabra. From the opening notes we all began to dance and sing. You couldn’t help it. You just got swept away with what the band were doing. This felt like one of those Level Up sets that people will talk about for some time. I can’t really even put on a finger on one particular thing that they did that made it feel so special, they’re just a really good band – fantastic songwriters, musicians and performers. When you combine all of those things you know you’re on to a winner. Something crazy, and a little bit of a spoiler for a festival review that’s to come later, this wasn’t even the best Abraskadabra set I saw this summer yet this was a big, big highlight.

The penultimate band of Level Up Saturday were Andy B And The World. Playing what I believe was just their third or fourth performance as a band and their second at the New Cross Inn, I was super excited to see them again. If you’re unaware, Andy B And The World is the project of former Fandangle bassist Andy Baker. He set out to write and record an album featuring different musicians and singers from all over the world. He achieved this goal and produced one of the best albums of 2021. There was never any plan to perform shows as Andy B And The World but after some encouragement he put together a band for the occasional gig. Much like Abraskadabra before them, there was a big feeling of anticipation before the set. This would have been the first time that a lot of people at the festival got to witness the amazing spectacle that is Andy B. It was nice to see the room start moving as soon as they started playing and it was great to hear songs from The First One played live. It wouldn’t be an Andy B And The World set without some special guests taking to the stage. Andy’s former Fandangle bandmate Tommy made an appearance, as did Aaron from Make It Better Later, but the biggest surprise was when Al from [Spunge] took to the stage to sing Changes, as well as a special version of [Spunge] classic Kicking Pigeons which the crowd went off for. That was one of the top Level Up moments. Andy is also hard at work on two new albums and he took the opportunity to record some crowd vocals. Everyone in the room shouted “yeah” and will be on one of the new tracks. This was the most fun way to warm up for the evening's headliners.

London’s Popes Of Chillitown were the band chosen to headline the Saturday night. Over the years they have become stalwarts of the New Cross ska punk scene and it’s always a special moment when they take to the stage. Before the set we were outside as it was quite warm and we needed some air. We re-entered the venue and it was packed so we settled for a spot at the back of the room. I actually enjoyed this a bit more as there was a little room to dance and whenever someone opened the door I got a dose of fresh air. As I stood watching the band doing their thing I thought about all the times I’ve seen them over the years and I realised I’ve never ever seen them play a bad set – never even an average set. It’s always the best set I’ve ever seen them play. They are amazing each and every time. The band are so good at just working a room and building a crowd up. They played what’s arguably their most well known song, Wisdom Teeth, third in the setlist which blew my mind. This really got what was already an excitable crowd moving. From then on there was skanking, mosh pits, stage dives and crowdsurfing a plenty. From my view at the back of the room I could see everything that was happening and it was such a cool sight to see. The Popes are seriously at the top of their game right now and I can’t wait to see where they go next. With new material in the works, the band are set for an exciting year. Get out to see them whenever you can.

It was now time for the after party. Returning from 2019 were the El Topo Allstar Band. These guys went down an absolute storm in 2019 and we were all excited to see them back. I won’t write too much about them as I was too busy dancing and singing to really remember too much but what a time it was. They played Rancid’s Timebomb four or five times as well as covers of Eminem, Britney Spears, Smashmouth, an attempt at Africa by Toto, Backstreet Boys, Haddaway and Bloodhound Gang. The set was a mess but in the best possible way. It was full of fun throughout and I can’t wait for them to return in 2023.

 

Sunday

The Sunday of Level Up started in a leisurely fashion for us. It started with me purchasing some football stickers and then going to the New Cross House pub across the road from NXI for a Sunday roast. It seemed like a few people had had the same idea as us as we noticed some more attendees of the festival in the pub. It was an excellent way to start the day and fuelled us for a final day of ska punk fun.

We arrived at NXI with plenty of time to catch up with friends before the day’s opening band Boom Boom Racoon started their set. The Bristol based band are a band I’ve seen a few times since life began again and it’s always a pleasure. Despite being from Bristol, they very much feel like a NXI band due to the friendships they have made with many of the regulars over the years. The set mainly featured songs from their most recent album, Songs From The Before Times…& Some More, which got great receptions. Every time I see the Racoons I seem to say that that was the best time I’ve ever seen them and this is another of those times. They played a blinding set which got the party started early for the day. Finishing with a spirited rendition of their Vengaboys parody, Boom Boom Racoon really blew out any cobwebs the early risers for the day might still have had.

Next to take to the stage were the wonderful Plot 32 from Leeds. Seeing them soundcheck earlier in the day, I noticed that they were short of their bass player Gaz so Cat Swan was filling in instead of playing guitar. I’d last seen Plot 32 play one of my favourite sets of MPF in April and I was excited to see them again. It wasn’t long into their set until I found myself having a skank and I was very pleased to see I wasn’t the only one. Frontman Stash has so much charisma on the stage and looks like he’s having the best time of his life throughout the set. I did worry his trousers were going to fall down a couple of times though, which would have made for a memorable Level Up moment. The set was comprised with what I think was every song they’ve written so far (aside from the ode to Colin Furze) with the highlights for me being Go Hard Or Go Home, Issues and Favourite Things. There had been some chatter before the festival (mostly between me and Baldhead’s drummer Tommy) about whether or not Plot 32 would do their Vengaboys cover as Boom Boom Racoon have their parody. I can confirm they did and everyone loved it. The punks do love the Vengaboys. I was so pleased to see Plot 32 back in London, hopefully it’s not too long before they’re back again.

Lead Shot Hazard were next to take to the stage. This was the debut performance for recent addition Snowy on the trumpet, adding some more to what’s already a pretty formidable brass section. This may well have been the best I’ve seen Lead Shot Hazard. This was a seriously strong set from the NXI veterans. I’ve seen them play some really good sets over the years but there was something I can’t explain about this one that really set it apart from previous times. Everything was on point and it was great. Before their set I had noticed that Frosty had many Lead Shot Hazard T-shirts taped to him. During the set the band sent him into the crowd for everyone to claim a free T-shirt. Why on earth Frosty agreed to do this is beyond me but fair play for always being such a good sport. Unfortunately, Lead Shot ended the streak of Vengaboys songs but they did play their cover of My Friends Over You by New Found Glory which always goes down a treat. They finished the set with the awesome Between Hell And Highwater which I always love to see live.

 

Leicester’s Last Edition are notorious at NXI for breaking the venue last time they played Level Up. Luckily this didn’t happen again and the band could get through their set incident free. Last Edition are always such a fun band to see live and normally I would have a lovely skank to the upbeat ska pop punk sound but, after Plot 32 and Lead Shot Hazard, I think my body had hit a bit of a brick wall and I just didn’t have the energy left. Perhaps the roast dinner wasn’t a smart idea as it left me with a bit of a food coma! Something that always astounds me whenever I get the opportunity to see Last Edition live is saxophone player Sam. I don’t understand how they manage to make a one person brass section sound so big but they always manage it. They often do it whilst also playing keyboard as well, which is a whole extra level of mind blowing. If memory serves me correctly the set was mostly filled with newer songs that the band have written and recorded, songs like Half Drunk At Half Time, Good Luck and Shorts Until September are all welcome additions to the band's set list. Last Edition are throwing their own ska punk weekender in October in Leicester, go here to see all the details. Spoiler, the lineup is stacked.

3dBs Down were one of the bands I was most excited to see over the entire weekend. Their most recent album, Get Your Retaliation In First, is one of my favourites of recent years and I’ve only had one opportunity to see them live since it was released so I was keen to grasp this latest opportunity with both hands. We almost didn’t get this chance as drummer Joe somehow broke their foot the day before but they were determined to play the show anyway. Kudos to Joe for that. 3dBs Down offered something slightly different to the majority of the bands playing at Level Up as they are more of a punk band with ska elements rather than a full on ska punk band. This meant that a few people were slow in really getting into 3dBs but by the end of the set they had the room dancing. It was great to see a band win the crowd over like they did, it really shows just what a good band they are. The thing I really love about 3dBs is their ability to write hooks and sing harmonies. They sound great on record but to pull them off live as good as they do is something quite special. The band have been around a long time now and you can tell just because of just how in sync they are with each other. As well as playing many of my favourite tracks from Get Your Retaliation In First they also debuted their brand, brand, brand new track Unconvinced – it’s a banger, go and check it out. 3dBs don’t play many shows anymore but when they do it’s always a highlight of whatever bill they find themselves on. At the time of writing this, the first wave of MPF 2023 bands have just been announced and, oh boy golly, I’d love to see 3dBs play that festival.

The rise that Codename Colin have had over the years of Level Up Festival has been monumental. I remember them opening one of the days of the festival one year and now they’re last support before two genuine UK ska punk legends – it’s quite the rise for the band from Hemel Hempstead. It’s completely deserved though as the band keep on working hard, playing loads of shows and continuing to get better and better. They’re also fantastic people. Frontman Charlie has become an absolute master of working a crowd, leading the New Cross Inn in a series of big sing-alongs. This might have been one of the most rambunctious Codename Colin sets I’ve ever seen with the amount of people in the pit skanking away with nothing but joy in their hearts. At one point during the set Frosty joined the band on stage to do some singing, which was a nice moment. The camaraderie between all of the bands playing the festival, and the others in the UK ska punk scene, is something so special and it’s always so nice to see everyone supporting everyone else. Codename Colin have become one of my favourite live bands in recent times and it was great to see them play to so many people on what was a big night at the New Cross Inn. Love to see it.

 

So, there were two bands left for Level Up Festival 2022 and when you think about UK ska punk there aren’t many bands bigger than what we had left. Sonic Boom Six and Random Hand will have inspired many of the acts who played over the entire weekend. The two bands were such an integral part in keeping the UK ska punk scene going over the years and getting the chance to see them share a stage once again in 2022 was a very special moment. First up were Sonic Boom Six who were making their Level Up Festival debut. This wasn’t their first time at NXI however, making their first appearance at the venue in 2021 for Till The Fest. That was a superb set from the band and this was no different. SB6 are party starters, plain and simple. They’re also very good at tailoring their set to the crowd they’re playing too. This was a ska punk crowd so the band made sure to play a set that would be full of crowd pleasers. This meant that the set was full of classic Boom songs such as Monkey See Monkey Do, All In, Bigger Than Punk Rock and Meanwhile Back In The Real World, as well as newer ska tunes like No Man No Right and My Philosophy. The pit turns into a full blown riot as the crowd go crazy for the band. Watching them you realise just how many big tunes the band wrote over the years and they all sound as fresh and current as they did back when they were written. Laila and Barney are the perfect combination of front people, working seamlessly together throughout the set. I guess that’s to be expected after being in a band together for so long now. This felt very much like a headline set from the band but there was still the small matter of Random Hand to come.

I’m at a loss with what I have left to say about Random Hand. They are one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen and blow me away each and every time I’ve seen them. I’d previously seen them earlier in the year when they played Seething Is Believing in full at Islington Academy and I was now looking forward to what would be a best of set. I was surprised that I, and the rest of the crowd, had any energy left after three days of ska punk but we did. Random Hand brought every last ounce of energy out of us for one final dance. In the sweatbox that NXI had become, we danced, we sang, we sweated (a lot) and we had the absolute time of our lives. Robin remains one of my favourite frontmen in punk rock. The man oozes charisma during the songs and is extremely funny in between them. The band played a career-spanning set, I’m pretty sure they played everyone's favourite Random Hand songs and they also played a brand new one from an upcoming release they’ve been recording. It’s been seven years since we’ve had new music from Random Hand and, on this evidence ,we should be extremely excited for what is to come from the band. It’s always great to see a band play at the top of their game and that’s what we got with Random Hand. Alongside Robin, the rest of the band, Dan (guitar), Joe (bass) and Sean (drums), were as tight as ever as they bounced around the stage, helping work the crowd into a storm. There were great some sing-alongs during the set, particularly for Not A Number, Play Some Ska, Scum Triumphant, Bones and set closer Anger Management. Random Hand are back in New Cross for Till The Fest Two in October and that promises to be another special moment.

 

That brought an end to another fantastic Level Up Festival. Level Up Festival is such a beloved weekend for the real ska punk fans of the UK and it had been very much missed during the pandemic. It’s a chance for the ska punk family to reconnect, dance and share some amazing moments from our favourite genre that is so often belittled. In recent years, ska has been making moves and is once again growing in popularity. Level Up was where the die hards, the fans who never stepped away because it’s “uncool”, gathered to celebrate this thing that we all love. All the thanks and love has to go to all the bands who have kept the genre alive, as well as Be Sharp, Fishlock and El Topo for all they’ve done for the scene. Level Up 2022 was a fantastic time. It was a festival I hadn’t realised I would miss so much and it filled me with smiles from start to finish. I can’t wait for Level Up 2023 next July. To quote Adam Davis of Omnigone, “Ska now, more than ever.”

This review was written by Colin Clark. Photos by Emma Prew.

Gig Review: Hamburg Booze Cruise 2022 Day 3 26/6/22

It was now time for the third and final day of Hamburg Booze Cruise. It had been an incredible two days of music so far and we were very much looking forward to one final day. First we had to find breakfast though, which was harder than you might have thought. It turns out places open much later in Hamburg than they do in London so we decided to visit a local(ish) park first. It also turned out that the Hamburg half marathon was happening that morning and a lot of roads were closed. This all became quite a mission and we were sweating before we even got to see our first band of the day.

Park visited, half marathon negotiated and breakfast consumed, we headed down to the docks to once again board the MS Tonne. The first band we were seeing today was Wasted Years from Cologne. The five-piece play melodic pop punk music with some great hooks and big choruses. Given that we weren’t quite feeling our best this morning, this was a refreshing way to start the day of music. It was fun, breezy and punchy and certainly dusted off the cobwebs for us. The set did seem to go on for ten minutes more than we were expecting which meant that the following band had to cut theirs short – or so we thought. It turned out that because Shellycoat had to pull out that Wasted Years had been given extra time and the next band, The Sewer Rats would be splitting their set into two halves.

The Sewer Rats were next to play on the MS Tonne and immediately made it feel like a basement gig on a boat. Lead singer Chris prowled around the front of the stage, offering the microphone to folk in the crowd to sing along and getting everyone on the boat involved. As I mentioned earlier, we only got to see the first half of the set (we didn’t know there would be a second half) as we got off the boat when it docked to go and check out some other bands. We did get to see Rejuvenate, I’m Quittng My Job, Pch 101 and what I am told was a Social Distortion cover though and had a lot of fun. Roll on Punk Rock Holiday where we are seeing The Sewer Rats once again.

Back on my dry land we made our way to Molotow Club for The Muttnicks. Arriving at the club with a bit of time to spare, we immediately got drinks before joining the small crowd of people to watch the Hamburg band. Playing 90s inspired punk rock, The Muttnicks played through their set with a lot of passion and energy. I first became aware of the band in 2019, seeing them play on the MS Tonne. I’m really pleased I got to see them again as they played with the same magic that they did three years ago. Since seeing them for the first time, I’d gone away and listened to their music and it was nice be more familiar with their songs this time. I feel like The Muttnicks are one of the most underrated bands in Germany. They write killer songs and are fantastic live.

Next we headed down to Nochwache for a bit of emo courtesy of Fine And Great. Featuring Manu of Captain Asshole and Tooney from Call It A Comeback, Fine And Great were one of the bands I was most looking forward to on the Sunday of Booze Cruise. Heading to Nochwache I remembered the sound issues from the previous day and worried that they might affect Fine And Great as well. Thankfully the problems that happened on the Saturday seemed to be fixed and this pleased me greatly. In a set that I’m pretty sure contained their entire discography, Fine And Great wowed and astounded the crowd that had gathered at Nochwache. Both Manu and Tooney had a great presence on the stage and complimented each other perfectly. Both of their vocals were on top form, despite this being the third set Manu had performed in two days. I think the band are at their best when the pair are singing together or harmonising – it’s one of those things you really have to see live to really appreciate just how good they are. I was expecting to really enjoy Fine And Great and they still surprised me with just how good they were. Easily in my top five performances of the entire festival.

Following Fine And Great’s set we made the walk back to Molotow Club for skate punk legends Cigar. As we were walking up to the venue, we noticed a van pulling up and realised that it was actually the band just pulling up to the venue. This gave me flashbacks to the day before snd the delay with 100 Kilo Herz. Fortunately, Cigar were able to enter the venue and basically plug in and play and I don’t think there was actually any delay in starting the set. I was really impressed with this attitude and, to me, this really embodied what DIY punk should be. I only stuck around for about five songs, as I wanted to get something to eat before the final three bands of the festival, but had a great time watching the band do what they do best, playing really intricate and fast skate punk that has plenty of melody and super vocals. Cigar have been a band for a very long time now and, after seeing them live for the first time, it’s clear why they have had such longevity.

After getting a pot of falafel, salad and chips we made our way to a new venue for us named Grünspan. It’s a much bigger venue than any of the other venues Booze Cruise use and allowed for all of the festival’s attendees to gather together to end the festival, which I thought was really cool. As we entered the venue I was taken aback by the beauty of the space. Most venues of this size are soulless rooms owned by corporations, Grünspan felt like a special building to be in.

New Yorkers Tired Radio opened the show. The band had been on a European tour with Überyou on the build up to the festival and we were looking forward to finally seeing the band. The four-piece were out on the road supporting their excellent 2020 release Patterns. That album is full of raspy vocals, big soulful tunes that I’ve always thought would be great to see live in a tiny basement. It turns out that they also work seriously well in big rooms as well. I was personally surprised by the energy that the crowd still had after a long, warm weekend of punk rock but that enthusiasm that started the festival remained and was potentially even bigger than before. During the set, the band’s lead singer Anthony Truzzolino spoke about how they had stepped away from punk rock for a while before finding their way back into it and forming Tired Radio – and now they were in Hamburg playing Booze Cruise and that was really cool. The story was so heartwarming and a great advertisement for continuing to do the things you love and going after your dreams. Tired Radio played a fantastic set, warming the crowd up for the chaos that was about to come.

The penultimate band for all of Booze Cruise 2022 was Swiss DIY punk legends Überyou. The previous two times I’d seen the band I was in absolute awe of their live show and I was so excited to finally see them again. The band took to the stage and there was this sense of atmosphere in the crowd until all hell broke loose. I’ve said many times in this blog, on our podcast, or just to people I’ve been talking to in person that Überyou connect with a live crowd in a way that I’ve never seen any other band do. Front person Ian spends a big portion of the opening couple of songs with the crowd, getting everyone hyped up – not that they needed much encouragement. Throughout the entire set there were massive singalongs and a constant stream of fists high in the air. Something I always enjoy with Überyou is how the band has three main singers, I think this gives them such a dynamic. As Ian doesn’t play an instrument in the band, it allows them to work as a hype man between the moments where he’s not needed to sing and it adds so much to the band’s live performance. I use the phrase passion and energy a lot when describing bands but it definitely applies more so to Überyou than any other band I’ve ever seen. There’s also such an urgency to the way they play that I love. Songs such as Survivors, Make It Last and Overdrive obviously go down really well with the crowd, as does their cover of Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing where they are joined on stage with their friends in Tired Radio. I came away with the opinion that Überyou are the best live band in the world firmly cemented in my mind. What a moment this was.

Last and by no means least were emo legends The Get Up Kids. A lot of pals back in the UK were getting excited for their shows supporting Jimmy Eat World later that month. The packed crowd in Grünspan also seemed very excited to see the Kansan band. Now, I have to be honest and admit that I wasn’t especially excited to see the band. Not because I particularly dislike them, I just didn’t grow up with them like a lot of people did. They passed me by. In fact, I only really know one of their songs, Holiday, and that is because our friends Burnt Tapes covered it. All of this however didn’t stop me enjoying everyone else in the crowd really enjoying The Get Up Kids’ set. The band first formed in 1995 so are obviously a very polished live band. Each member of the band were so in sync with each other. Something I did like with the band is how they have two lead singers, something I was not aware of before the set. This really helped keep the set fresher for me, especially as the pair have different vocal styles. Speaking to friends after the set, they all said that they really loved the set and the band played every song that they wanted to hear. If you were a fan of the band, it was a real festival highlight and the best way to finish Booze Cruise Festival 2022.

Booze Cruise Festival 2019 was one of the best festival experiences I’d ever had and I was excited and had high expectations for 2022. The festival did not disappoint in the slightest. The bands delivered in a big way and the whole thing was very well organised but, much like in 2019, the true highlight was the atmosphere around the festival. Everyone was in such good spirits and just wanted to have a great time with friends, old and new, watching amazing punk rock bands. The punk community in Germany, and, I guess, in particular in Hamburg, is a special thing. It’s very welcoming to people from further afield and, despite being in a different country and only knowing about ten people at the festival, I felt just as at home as I do at the New Cross Inn (my regular punk venue) and that’s the best feeling. Most of us get in to the punk community because of the feeling of belonging that it brings and it’s special that this feeling spreads to different scenes all over the world. Booze Cruise remains one of the best festivals in the world and I can’t wait for 2023. If you’re reading this and have thought about attending the festival in the past but are on the fence then I couldn’t encourage you more to take the plunge.

This review was written by Colin Clark. Photos by Emma Prew.

Gig Review: Hamburg Booze Cruise 2022 Day 2 25/6/22

Day one of Hamburg Booze Cruise had been a brilliant day. Day two was now ahead of us and was scheduled to be our busiest day of the weekend and we were excited to get started.

After some delicious pizza at Überquell, we made our way down to the docks to board the MS Tonne. Something quite unique about Booze Cruise is that they takeover a boat and have bands playing as they do a lap of the docks. As we approached the boat, there was already a big crowd gathered and I became a little worried about getting on before capacity was hit. Thankfully it seemed as if everyone got on and were ready to see some great bands.

The first band of the day aboard the MS Tonne was Second Youth. If you have read our day one review (if you haven’t, go do so and then come back to this page), you will know that we also had the pleasure of watching them the night before at Hafenklang. On the boat, Second Youth only had a twenty minute set and the band wasted little time as they tore through their set. The good thing about seeing a band multiple times in quick succession is that you quickly become more aware of their songs. This meant I enjoyed the set even more than the evening before and even had myself a little sing-along. In a moment that really tickled me, once again the guitarist went to introduce a song and it turned out that again he skipped the song Morons. This was a great way to start the day.

Following very quickly on from Second Youth were Snareset. I was really impressed with how prompt the changeover times managed to be on the boat, given that it’s not your traditional gig setting and they were on a tight schedule. This was my first time seeing Snareset and, if I’m being completely honest, I hadn’t listened to them a whole lot before either. I should have however, as they were great. Playing a melodic and emotional form of gruff punk rock, the band had me hooked from the very start of their set. The lead singer’s vocal was phenomenal and I really loved watching their drummer as it seemed like he was having the time of his life. At one point, something went wrong with the drums and the band impressively managed to continue on with the song and pick things back up as soon as it got sorted. Sadly the boat sets were only twenty minutes long today and I would’ve loved to see more of Snareset.

After the boat returned to the dock, we raced up to Überquell to see our favourites Captain Asshole play an acoustic set. We arrived back at the venue as Manu and Basti were just getting started with their set. I’d seen Manu play an acoustic set online during the lockdown and I was really excited to see it live. The duo played through some songs from both of Captain Asshole’s albums. Between the songs, they joked about being unpractised with the set but I don’t think anyone would have noticed if they hadn’t said anything. This was a really fun and unique experience for us and it was fun to have a quieter sing-along with the band in preparation for their full band set later in the day.

After Captain Asshole finished we headed back to Molotow Club for an afternoon celebrating fifteen years of Gunner Records. By the time we reached the venue it was already in full swing with Jeff Rowe, Kirsty & Cory Call and The Carolyn already having played earlier. Learning from the heat in the venue from the day before, we made sure to get drinks quickly and we ended up getting two Fritz Colas (the best cola) and a pint of water between each band just to keep us going. We were full of sugar, refreshed and set for an evening of great punk rock. Chartreux were the first band we saw during the Gunner Records party. I first became aware of Chartreux thanks to my friend Chris (vinyl.systems on Instagram). He recommended them to me and I quickly became a fan. There’s a bit of the Hot Water Music’s about them with their two main vocalists, though their bass player also joined in with the gang vocals as well. I was really impressed with their stage presence. They felt like a band you couldn’t take your eyes off for a second and sounded every bit as good as they do on record. Chartruex are one of many bands who played Booze Cruise that more people need to be aware of!

After catching up with some friends in the Molotow backyard and picking myself up a Chartreux LP, it was time to head back inside for Little Teeth. I first saw Little Teeth back at the 2019 edition of Booze Cruise. This wasn’t the plan, they had been kind enough to fill in for another band. I enjoyed them and went on to enjoy their album Redefining Home as well. Since then, Little Teeth has gone through some line-up changes and are now a three-piece. For this gig they had the bass player of Dankeschatz filling in for them. Little Teeth were perhaps one of my biggest surprises of the festival. I really loved their set. Lead singer Cory Call has such a great vocal. If you haven’t ever heard him sing I seriously suggest you go out and do so – it’s just magic. I believe the band only played songs from Redefining Home during the set and as I was so familiar with them, from my review of the album, it really added to my enjoyment of the set. Little Teeth were superb.

Our first band in the Molotow backyard were Zurich’s The High Times. The High Times are Zurich punk heroes Überyou’s sister band. They formed just before the lockdown and this was our first opportunity to see them live. I can remember Überyou filming a live set during lockdown for Booze Cruise and during that set The High Times performed some songs and they were fantastic. They then released a superb debut named Heat. I was pumped to see them. We made sure we got ourselves a good spot down the front of the stage to watch their set. As they began their first song, the thing that struck me was how much less polished they were than on record. I don’t mean that in a bad way either, Dom’s vocals have a bit more of a raw style to them live and I really enjoyed that. The highlights came when Dom and Marc shared vocal duties and created this huge sound. The band have this great chemistry on stage and this pours out into the audience. I think there were a lot of people saying “wow” at the end of their performance.

Back inside Molotow for Arterials was next on the agenda. Arterials were my find of Booze Cruise 2019 – I was blown away by their intense take on 90s melodic punk rock. Lead singer Flo has an incredible stage presence making them a hugely watchable band, as well as excellent songwriters. Since then the Hamburg four-piece have released the excellent The Spaces In Between and I was so excited to see some songs from it live for the first time ever. It was nice to enter Molotow and see that a big crowd had gathered to see the band. They started with a bang and were every bit as amazing as I remembered. Much like in 2019, I was captivated by what I was watching on stage. Even in the Molotow Club heat the band were giving it everything, playing a mixture of songs from Spaces In Between and previous album Constructive Summer. There was little banter between songs as the band continued to tear through their set, this only added to the band’s intensity and it was absolutely great. The set sadly flew by far too quickly for my liking – I would have happily stared open mouthed at the stage for much longer – but unfortunately all things must come to an end. The set ended in quite confusing way (especially for a non-German speaker) as partway through the final song (The Spaces In Between, I think) the guitarist chucked their guitar at their amp and that was that. Despite this abrupt end, Arterials played one of my favourite sets of the entire festival.

We then ventured outside to the backyard to watch a bit of Lagwagon before moving on to our next venue. I can’t admit to being the biggest Lagwagon fan but I do always enjoy them when I see them live. I was also very intrigued to see what it would be like to see Lagwagon in a venue setting such as Molotow’s backyard. It was a packed crowd to see the Californians play their set. We only hung around for three songs (After You My Friends, Falling Apart, Violins) before heading off and letting some of the folk waiting outside the venue in. It was so packed that a one in one out system was happening.

Next we headed to Nochwache to see Hell’s Ditch. The band had been one of my highlights from Bristol Booze Cruise a week earlier and I was keen to see them again. I was especially keen after speaking to bass player Christian earlier in the day and learning of Nick and Jonny’s travel woes. Their flight had been cancelled and the pair had chosen to drive 600 miles to get to the festival instead. That’s some dedication to playing their first show on the mainland! If you read the first part of our Hamburg review you will know about my dislike of the Nochwache long thin stage with the drummer in the corner. It’s weird. It looked even stranger when a band has six members like Hell’s Ditch do. Unfortunately there were some sound issues in the venue that plagued not just Hell’s Ditch but Captain Asshole after them as well. This didn’t prevent Hell’s Ditch playing a stunning set however, having seen them the week before and at MPF in April there weren’t any new surprises in the set for me – except when Nick got on someone in the crowd’s shoulders to sing during the set, that was new. It was a super fun set with bangers such as Vacant Hearts, Hope Is Hope and The Likes Of Us sounding great despite the sound issues. Hell’s Ditch are playing gigs here, there and everywhere and I seriously suggest that you go see them, they are the real deal.

Next were the band I was most excited for over the entire weekend/month/year of music, Munich’s Captain Asshole. Gosh, I love this band. I had already christened the day Captain Asshole day as soon as I’d woken up that day and everything was leading up to this next thirty minutes. I positioned myself at the front of the stage, right in front of singers Manu and Max and I was giddy. This is what I expect that people who care about Christmas feel the morning of the big event. Sadly there were some issues getting the sound right, especially with the lead guitar, but that didn’t stop the band playing an excellent set and me having the time of my life. As soon as they began set opener Dave Lizewski, I sang as loudly as I could and my fist was constantly found punching the air above me. This was my first opportunity to see the band since they released their brand new album of the year contender, Successfully Not Giving Up, and all the songs they played from it fit the set list perfectly. Even with the lack of lead guitar, they sounded great. It was during this set that the ska kid in me came out and I sang the guitar solos like I would a horn line in a ska song. This might be too much of being a fanboy nerd but I was having the best time so didn’t really care. Of course, they also played plenty of bangers from What An Awful Life, the album that started my love for the band as well as being a big influence into my exploration into the brilliance of European punk rock. Captain Asshole played a set that lived up to all my build up, even with the guitar problems, and I’m so excited to see them again this year at Punk Rock Holiday in Slovenia and The Fest in Gainesville. I look forward to the next Captain Asshole day!

After Captain Asshole’s set we made the trek to Hafenklang/Goldener Salon for Career Suicide and 100 Kilo Herz. When we arrived, Career Suicide were well under way playing to a super packed room in Goldener Salon so we went and found somewhere to sit and wait for 100 Kilo Herz. Enjoying a delicious Fritz Cola, I noticed that all of the band’s flight cases were still on the floor and it was about fifteen minutes before they were due on. They eventually got the cases cleared and began to soundcheck just before they were due to start playing. Then there seemed to be some difficultly with the monitors and it was getting well into their scheduled set time. By the time they seemed to be ready it was time for us to leave to go to Überquell for The Sewer Rats and The Jukebox Romantics. I was quite disappointed with what happened with 100 Kilo Herz but these things happen so I just hope I’ll get the chance to see them again.

We arrived at Überquell for the final two bands of our day and it was safe to say we were quite exhausted. I can’t think of two better bands to give you that last dose of energy to get you through the night than The Sewer Rats and The Jukebox Romantics. The Sewer Rats were the first to take to the stage. The band had become a firm favourite of mine since the last Booze Cruise and I was pleased for the opportunity to see them once again. Since I last got to see them, they have released the excellent Magic Summer album. If memory serves correctly, they opened the set with the album’s lead single Rejuvenate which was the perfect choice. It’s a song about recapturing your youth and forgetting about your day-to-day struggles. That’s what Booze Cruise and all festivals are really, a chance of escapism that everyone needs from time to time. The Sewer Rats are one of the most fun bands to watch. They write catchy songs with great sing-alongs and are played in such a fun loving spirit that makes it hard not to smile when seeing the band. I enjoyed The Sewer Rats set so much that I made plans to catch them again on the MS Tonne the next day.

Our final band of the day was New York’s Jukebox Romantics. It seems I only ever see the band in Hamburg and I’m fine with that because they are absolutely loved and pull such a good crowd. Starting the set with Buried With Children, which included frontman Mike Terry running through the crowd during the extended intro to get the crowd pumped up (not that they really needed it), from then on it was one big party. The band’s passionate style of punk rock is made to shout along with and that’s exactly what the crowd at Überquell did. It was great to hear older songs such as the aforementioned Buried With Children and Breaking Rad alongside newer songs like Hey Nora. The Jukebox Romantics also love to throw in a cover or two during their set as well, on this occasion it was True Believers by The Boucning Souls and Blink-182’s Go, they smashed both songs. JBR are one of those bands that seem to unite a room which, I guess, is a big reason why they get so much love. They come across as genuine fans of the festival and are so pleased to be able to travel and play Booze Cruise. It seems like Hamburg is just as much a home for them as New York is and it’s a wonderful thing to witness. This was a party and the best way to end the Saturday.

Captain Asshole day was a wonderful day!

This review was written by Colin Clark. Photos by Emma Prew.

Gig Review: Hamburg Booze Cruise 2022 Day 1 24/6/22

In 2019, Emma and I attended Hamburg Booze Cruise and agreed it was one of the best festival experiences of our lives. We got tickets for the 2020 edition as soon as possible and got excited as the line-up was announced. Unfortunately, for reasons we’re all painfully aware of, we had to wait patiently until 2022 before we could go back again. But the time finally arrived and no pandemics, train strikes or awful airports were going to stop us!

Hamburg Booze Cruise takes place in five different venues, as well as on a boat, around the St Pauli area and hosts a selection of top quality international bands as well as a whole host of amazing bands from Germany. For me, I was especially excited to see the European bands as there is a whole host of brilliant bands in mainland Europe and now, because of Brexit, it’s going to be extremely difficult for them to come to the UK to tour which is really disappointing. When the schedule was announced we made our plans and, as with all festivals that have seriously stacked line-ups, we had to make some decisions over clashes but when the plan was finished we knew we were in for a fun-filled weekend.

After getting our festival wristbands from the lovely Cruise Records, our first band of the day was at Molotow Club. Originally we were hoping to see Bikini Beach open the festival for us but unfortunately they had to pull out and were replaced by Abramowicz. The five piece are from Hamburg, which I guess explains how they were able to jump on to the bill at the last minute. I was quite pleased about this as I’d been aware of the band for a while and this was my first opportunity to check them out. If you haven’t heard before Ambramowicz before, they play a soulful style of melodic punk rock, with the band’s lead singer having a deep a husky vocal. I really enjoyed Ambramowicz and they were a great start to the festival for us.

Next we made the fifteen minute trek to Hafenklang and Goldener Salon for the next group of bands. Due to the distance between venues, you do kind of have to make a bit of a commitment to venues for a sustained amount of time so you don’t tire yourself out jumping from venue to venue throughout the weekend. We arrived at Hafenklang not long after Saarbrücken’s Sidewalk Surfers had begun their set. The four piece play what I think is best described as street punk music. I had listened to Sidewalk Surfers a little bit in preparation for the festival and enjoyed it but seeing them live really took my enjoyment to the next level. I think a big part of this was due to the fact they were clearly enjoying themselves on the stage and I love when I see that. The band’s bass player in particular looked so stoked to be playing Booze Cruise. With plenty of songs about friendship, growing up and partying, Sidewalk Surfers were a perfect choice for the festival. I enjoyed the set so much I made sure to grab a record before leaving the venue.

Upstairs in Hafenklang there is a venue named Goldener Salon. I actually only ended up seeing one band there the entire festival and that was Friends With Boats. Friends With Boats are a new band in the German punk scene who have thus far only released one song. This was enough to make me want to see them live however as it’s a superb song. After seeing them live I can confirm that they have a few more superb songs. On the CPRW Podcast, I spoke about how Friends With Boats are a collection of older gentleman who all looked as if they were having the time of their lives on stage. I guess playing in the band acts as a bit of escapism for them. They played a hugely enjoyable set and I look forward to them releasing more music soon.

Back in Hafenklang it was time for Italy’s Second Youth. The band had been on a tour of Germany on the lead up to the festival and had had all kinds of van trouble on their adventures. They were probably quite relieved to have made it to Hamburg to play the festival. I wasn’t overly familiar with the band before the festival, aside from the small amount of research I did, and I was really keen to check them out. Playing music that’s a bit oi!, a bit melodic punk, a bit gruff and a lot of energy, Second Youth capture a sound that I don’t hear a lot of and I loved it. Down the front they seemed to have a bit of a fan club who knew every word, which is always great to see. I recognised Friday Night, On And On and 1992 from my brief listening before the festival and had a great time hearing them live. There was a funny moment where the band’s guitarist introduced Friday night when in fact they were supposed to be playing a song named Morons. This was a brilliant first time seeing Second Youth and I was now looking forward to seeing them again the next day aboard the MS Tonne.

After Second Youth we made the walk back up to Molotow Club for The Carolyn. The trio had travelled all the way from Atlanta, Georgia, to play the festival and I was pleased to see that a very nice sized crowd had gathered to see them. The thing that struck me hard when we went back in to the venue was just how hot it was. We were not expecting this and had no recollection of the venues being so warm back in 2019. It had been a very warm day in Hamburg and it definitely affected the venues. (Why don’t they have air con?) Trying to ignore the stream of sweat that had begun falling down my back, I settled in to watch The Carolyn. Something I really enjoyed and didn’t notice when I had listened to them previously is how the band had two lead singers. This always adds such a cool dimension to bands and does a great job in keeping them sounding fresh. I assume that the setlist was majorly made up of songs from their recent Gunner Records release, Rhythm Of My Own Decay, and they got a great reception. I hope I get the opportunity to see The Carolyn again soon, at a time where I’m not so distracted by being so overly warm and uncomfortable.

Next we made our way into the Molotow Club’s backyard where a stage had been constructed since the last time we were in here. The first band we saw play the stage were Australia’s Press Club who were on a huge European tour. I know a lot of people talk extremely highly of Press Club’s live show and I was very keen to experience it for the first time. What an incredible band Press Club are! Natalie is one of the best front people I’ve seen in some time, doing an incredible job in controlling the crowd. They played to one of the most rambunctious crowds I saw at the whole festival with Natalie at times jumping into the crowd to join in the fun. The energy that the whole band displayed during the set was something else, I guess being from Australia they are better equipped to cope with the heat than we were as we had to take a little break during their set to grab something to eat before going back to enjoy the rest of the set. Songs such as Headwreck and Suburbia were the big stand outs for me but what a set it was. The band are back in the UK in November and I think we’ll do our best to get tickets to one of their shows. Press Club are a band that everyone should be talking about.

After Press Club’s stunning set we ventured back into the Molotow sweat box for Between Bodies. The four piece were only playing their eighth show ever which made their set even more impressive. The Internet tells me they released their debut EP just before the pandemic hit which sadly put a stop to any shows that they had planned to promote it. With no shows to play, the band focussed their energy into writing and recording their upcoming debut full length. But now they can play shows and it seemed that it wasn’t just us who were super excited to catch them. Playing a punchy emo style with elements of early Alkaline Trio and Spanish Love Songs, listening to the songs and getting the opportunity to see them live has me convinced that Between Bodies are on the track to some very big and exciting things. With three lead singers it means that they have so many options with the way that they approach their music and this works so well for their live dynamic. I was well and truly captivated by their set. Following a band as good as Press Club must have surely been quite daunting for a new band but Between Bodies absolutely delivered during their set. There was a tightness which given that they had to borrow Snareset’s drummer as a stand in was all the more impressive. I’m so excited about Between Bodies and I can’t wait to be that guy that says ‘I saw them play their eighth show’ when they’re taking over the music world. Get on board the Between Bodies train now!

Following the Between Bodies set, we hurried to a new venue for us – Nochtwache. After only one wrong turn we eventually found our way to the venue. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed by Nochtwache as a venue. It looked a cool spot from the pictures I saw online before the festival but upon arriving I realised that the stage was quite a long, thin one. This meant that the drummer, rather than being behind the band, was in a long line with them. This took a little getting used to and I think this did affect my enjoyment of Custody. I also messed up with my timings as the band were well into their set by the time we arrived. They started earlier than I thought they did and we sadly ended up missing quite a chunk of their set. I was really impressed by how tight they were however, as well as how good lead singer Sami’s vocals were live. I just struggled with the layout of the stage, it was weird to see a band play in that formation and took some getting used to. I look forward to seeing Custody again at some point.

The final band of our night was Shellycoat performing a No Use For A Name cover set at Überquell. In 2019 we’d seen Shellycoat do a Get Up Kids cover set but didn’t managed to see their own live set. This ended up being the case again as we managed to see the NUFAN cover set but sadly one of the members of the band got sick which meant Shellycoat had to drop out of their own set. I’m not the most hardcore of NUFAN fans but always enjoyed them whenever I listened and I was looking forward to seeing what Shellycoat would do with their songs. I expected an emotional set full of big sing-alongs and that’s exactly what I got. Karen Eumes’ vocals suited the songs so well and really gave the songs this extra emotion that I’m sure most of the room got caught up in. Running through timeless NUFAN classics such as Dumb Reminders, Soul Mate, Justified Black Eye, Not Your Saviour and, of course, International You Day. This was a special Booze Cruise moment and one I’m so pleased I got to experience.

That concluded the first day of Hamburg Booze Cruise 2022 and what a way to start the festival it was! We still had two busy days of music ahead of us and were so pumped for what was to come.

This review was written by Colin Clark. Photos by Emma Prew.