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Und once again here we got a Melodic Hardcore-Punkrock Band, the present youth has discovered for themselves. Although these guys could easily be their dad's. But well, so the Rolling Stones could be for my generation. So what?! But as I have mentioned in former live reviews quuite often already, these there is a yound new fan base, which follows quite different trends, then we did in the eighties or even nineties. You don't find any long hair anymore or jackets with all those stickers on it. You don't find these guys standing on their spot and just banging their heads of their necks. And there are no blonde girlies, who admire some vain melodicrockers up their on stage. This here are younsters with a good decent short haircut and maybe only wear a band t-shirt. 

These kids don't practice the classic headbanging, but much more the whole body training in the infamous moshpit - the dangerzone. Yiiipppiieehh, The battle of Waterloos probably was some kind of tea time compared with such a massacre going on at most of this kind of concerts nowadays. 
Anyway Pennywise do exist for almost 20 years now and have borrowed their name from the scary clown in Stephan King's novel 'It'. - If you take every record, including live releases, they have ever released, then this band has put out 13 releases. The youngest one is entitled 'Reasons To Believe':
Pennywise are: Jim Lindberg (Voc), Fletcher Dragge (Guit), Randy Bradbury (Bass) and Byron McMackin (Drums). Orignal bassist Jason Matthew Thirsk died in 1996, whereby it's not sure, whether he shot himself while cleaning a weapon, or he commited suicide. The tendences go rather to the last option. 
And because of that, the last song at a Pennywise gig is always 'Bro Hymn Tribute'. 
My hopes, that I will have to put up with only one supportact is immidiately destroyed, when arriving at the venue. Because before the expected one, there is one more named 'Scheisse Minelli' from Aschaffenburg, Germany. 

My confusion because of the missing german accent in the vocals is easiyl explained, as the frontman ain't german but american. At least his jeans seem to be at least 5 sizes too big and don't really seem to fit at the right place. The kids in here think it's cool, so that's okay then. I personally still miss the identity of this lot, though the apparently have already spent 5 years in the musicbiz. And the aggressive attitude of singer Samuel El is only halfway accepted by the kiddies. To get it straight, most of the audiance tonight rather prefer a few more minutes in front of the main entrance, enjoying the evening sun and having a cool beer. 
So well, the band here wants to put out a full album in the fall. Let's wait and see, what's gonna happen next. At least on this tour they've got the possibiltiy to establish their name somehow.

http://www.myspace.com/scheisseminnelli

The second chapter tonight follows also the patz of Hardcore and Punkrock and is named 'A Wilhelm Scream (short - AWS or Wilhelm called) They come from New Bedford USA and started to grow their roots in 1996. 

This second band is young as well and beat the hell outta themselves and on to the fans with their aggressive Style. Threetimes AWS had been in Europe so far live on tour. Twice supporting Anti Flag and Unseen, and once even as a headliner. Now they are here for the fourth time as supportact again. 'Career Suicide' is the title of the latest release, which was out last year. This year it came out as a vinyl longplayer as well. 
However it's a fact, that this guys are very fit indeed. Jes.... they could easily take part at the Iron Man on Hawaii and would have good chances to be in polposition. This is the so called youthful energy, exploding under the limelight. During their 45 minutes set, none of them is standing on his spot and it feels like a olympic competition. 

Musically they are even faster than the collegues from before and AWS have a lot more routine, what's up to live performance. No we can't complain. Willy and Co. do not leave a bad impression on me and all Pennywise freaks here. Compared to before, now there are all 1.100 souls within these walls  of the Backstage Werk. And slowly the adrenalin is rising towards the show of the headliner Pennywise.
http://www.awilhelmscream.com/

                                                                                                      
Like mentioned before, Pennywise show a main difference to the first two acts, and that's the age difference. 

these guys are at least in the middle of the thirties, when not even older. Although this has no influence on their input and the Clowns from sunny Calfornia start rocking, that for some of us it feels, like the globe is twisting round 3 times as fast. No to mention, that meanwhile the temperature is hottet than hot in  here.
I have to say, that this band, who I'm checking out here for the very first time is brillant, when not even first class. This is punkrock of best quality with tough beats and a straight structure. And it would all be so great and wonderful if there wasn't this....

..... yes if there wouldn't be this - once again - politicizing on stage. - "The next song is dedicated to fuckin Bush etc etc..... Oh how much I hate it...... No don't get me wrong now. I'm not politically fixed the other way round or something like this and I rather go for a neutral option in the american politics. But like I mentioned so often before in my live reviews, I  hate nothing more, then politic propaganda within rockconcerts. Why the hell do so many american bands leave their frustration about their current government here in Europe behind. Maybe because they've been told, that it goes well down over here??? Let's be honest, these few german idiots here in music fancircles, who are also criticizing the US regime, only repeat what they've got told from american artists,but actually they don't have the slightest clue what's all about. And I ask all these american artists, what the hell have we got to do with the internal politics of your country. This ain't our business, is it. Your people over there have voted George W.Bush twice, so put up with it for christ sake. And apart from that, next year this man is history anyway. And there is not much time left... so what?!  I could easily imagine, that you don't shout out that loud on stage in your home country because there could be a few fans in the audiance, who do go for the present government... 
But over here you think you have to influence us with this anti mood and some of us even get infected - for nothing... as we do not have any influence on the US politics.
Let's put it this way, are we going to your country and mourn about our government and our leader Merkel and company??? The average american guy doesn't even know who that is. So please dear american artists - plead and shout out your protest in your country to your people. There where it actually belongs to and leave us alone. First of all, we europeans can't change anything anyway, and 2) we are here to listen to good music for our money and not listen to hate parols about the US president in rockshows.But some of you american artists seem not to understand this. - No don't worry, we here in Germany plead for freedom of speech. But let's do it in the News or other politic happenings and events what's up to this subject. 
Again, we have a lot of shit in our country going on here, which has to be sorted out first, and for us this has priority than any foreign politcs. 
So be happy, that your music goes so well down over here,And therefore we like to pay our money. We don't want any more. Apart from all that, - let's face it, these kids who are here today, who some of them haven't even fully grown up, do not have any political interests and it's development, neither the the german one nor in international politics. 
They only wanna hear good music for 90 Minutes, and buy your records,  that's all......


Shame, that such things always leave some kind of bitter taste on me when judging an artist in his talents and stage presence and image. Because here we almost got the legitime follow up of the legendary Ramones. Yeah well almost... And those get honoured with a cover of 'Blitzkrieg Bop'. No we all can't complain about this show tonight apart from the just mentioned circumstances. It's been a good night out with a brilliant liveband. Well done!

Pennywise say good bye with - of course the „Bro Hymn Tribute“, followed by 2 encore songs. And the surely have won another few fans. So well and let's wait and see, when they are back next time, telling us hopefully not their next political attitude.Becaue maybe then it's  F... McCain (in case he becomes President of course) But let's face it.... I'm pretty sure, a new president, no matter who it will be, - ain't gonna change things so quickly anyway......
http://www.myspace.com/pennywise