Ups, ein Thriller laut Umschlag aber in Wirklichkeit ein ziemlich kluges Buch über das Sterben. Und was in so einem Fall eigentlich wirklich zählt. Über das Verneinen und Akzeptieren.
Und über das Loslassen.
Beifang ist eine Kriminalfall: Die Milliardärsfamilie Harman wurde in Davos vergiftet. 4 Tote. Unternehmer, Gattin, zwei Kinder. Und die exklusive Spitzenköchin, die bei den Harmans angestellt war, kommt mit dem Leben davon. Da aber auch sie Kontakt mit dem Gift hatte und das Gift sich als Polonium-210 herausstellt, hat sie nur noch ziemlich genau 5 Tage zu leben.
Lis Castrop ist die Köchin, liegt jetzt in einem Luxushospiz und will unbedingt herausfinden was passiert ist, bevor sie stirbt (eine Tatsache, die sie 4 Tage lang verneint). Betreut von der Krankenschwester Esme erzählt sie sich durch ihr Leben und sucht … nach dem Mörder. Oder der Mörderin.
Die unbedingte Tatsache, das die Heldin des Buches sterben wird, macht das ganze spannend. Wie weit kommt sie? Was aus der Vergangenheit spielt eine Rolle. Was wird in einer Zukunft ohne sie eine Rolle spielen?
Und neben dieser Suche erfährt der Leser dann noch ordentlich was über die Sterneküche, das Leben einer Milliardärsfamililie und ihres Wirkens (im guten wie im schlechten) und über Wahrheit, Zufall und Schuld. Und Liebe.
Und Champagner.
( (c) Suhrkamp, 2026)
Am Anfang tat ich mich schwer, am Ende war es dann doch spannend und … eine sehr würdevolle Geschichte.
Weniger Krimi, mehr Lehrstunde über das Sterben. Und das werden wir alle.
When The Dwarves where announced with two consecutive shows for the M/S Hedi people where quite exited and rushed tickets, including plenty of people that took tickets for both shows. As such both trips where quickly sold out.
Little did folks knew ahead of time how damn hot Hamburg would turn out that Saturday – i guess it was 39° Celsius and a bit.
I only took tickets for the 2nd set taking sail at 17:30, so me mate Frosch (who took both sets) reports about the first set:
Entering our beloved show boat MS Hedi at 3pm in the dazzling heat it took the mighty Dwarves a little while before entering the “stage”.
Looking at the set list it proved what was written in the music press beforehand, same as the new album “Jenkem” the legendary band was going back to the roots and playing more of the hard and heavy songs with less of the surf and bubblegum punk ones in the mix, like in recent years.
And Blag Dahlia, the greatest womanizer on the planet, gave it to us hot and hard, struggling just a little with the almost 40°C. Well he had just turned 60 a little over a month ago.
And I’m really looking forward to see his alter ego Ralph Champagne play an acoustic set in 3 weeks in a similar tiny setting at Bikefellas, Punk Rock Raduno #9 in Bergamo, the best little festival in the world!
The Dwarves – Setlist Set 1 (M/S Hedi, Hamburg, 27.06.2026) (c) gehkacken.de 2026
He moved to the stern of the Hedi even more often than he did during the 2nd set, reaching out to people as even more crammed outside trying to catch a breath of fresh air on this trip.
The whole band was on fire, punk rock guitar hero Gianluca “Ginger Fanculo” Panero, who’s also playing with the Queers and Screeching Weasel (just saw him and Screeching Weasel play a fantastic show at London’s Electric Ballroom 1.5 month ago), plus Nick Oliveri of Queens Of The Stone Age fame on bass.
Usually he’s taking over the part of Dwarves founding member HeWhoCannotBeNamed getting butt naked, but I suppose that wasn’t on due to the political correct guidelines of the M/S Hedi… a great 1st show, only the sound was going to get a little better on the 2nd set. And we where in for some set list changes as a very kind Blag the Ripper confirmed during the break between shows.
When i arrived at the mooring it indeed was a scorching heat and those who stayed on from the first set looked somewhat already exhausted (but very happy).
First thing on board was continuing to sip water, thankfully the good people of the M/S Hedi also allowed water to be taken on board and gave away free water bottles.
And whilst the vessle set sail the Drummer of The Dwarves took his time to decorate his snare drum…
The Dwarves – Snare decoration ( (c) gehkacken.de 2026)
.. hot as in hell indeed it was!
Once the Dwarves hit the “stage” anyway all of that heat was forgotten: Those staying over from Set 1 where on fire from the go, those who only joined for Set 2 where convinced right from the first chord.
The Dwarves (M/S Hedi, Hamburg, 27.06.2026) (c) gehkacken.de 2026
To me the sound was surprisingly well, also – given rather calm waters – the band was in no need to find it’s (steady) feat. All being super professional, they got a solid fat sound out of basically the most minimum equipment.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, be it the faster & harder ones, be it the more sing-a-long ones. It was near perfect Schweinerock, with a super fun attitude and a decent amount of umpf.
The Dwarves (M/S Hedi, Hamburg, 27.06.2026) (c) gehkacken.de 2026
On top the ultimate entertainer and schmoozer: Blag Dhalia (aka Captain Blag Dahlia aka Blag Jesus aka lag Stallion aka Blag the Ripper aka Gentleman Blag aka Earl Lee Grace aka Julius SeizureK aka ip Kasper aka Junior High aka Dominator aka Astro Boy aka Ralph Champagne).
He was telling the lot all about The Dwarves, all about their legend, all about them Dwarves inventing Punk Rock, all about being in need for merch income to stay rich, all about best looking and – without the need for disclosure – all about the primary external copulatory organs of the band.
But he is an honest man and true to his words the setlist for Set2 was altered.
The Dwarves – Setlist Set 2 (M/S Hedi, Hamburg, 27.06.2026) (c) gehkacken.de 2026
When they finished the M/S Hedi was still some way away from the mooring, so the lot forced something extra and the request was met.
So here is Better Be Women as the supreme final for Set 2:
This one is well aged (26 years old now) and still is a lovely powerful pop punk song with the right amount of Dwarves twist.
I guess it is time that i also checkout the new record, though i have to admit that i am not sure that the 12 records in my collection with get a 13th companion.
But live The Dwarves are still perfect entertainment (and have nowadays almost regular “long” sets).
Whilst part of the die-hards choose to spend more time in the city with a few cold beers i choose the airconditioned care of the mate who gave a ride to the show.
PS: Big FANX to Frosch for the report of Set 1 and the the video (i was too engulfed to record one)
Hamburg lately has been a damn hothouse, temperatures reaching easily 30something. The outlook of a show in the heated city was … let’s say sweaty.
But hot shit was announced, a band from Soweto that not only flushes into everyone’s timeline (by the virtue of these damn algorithms) but last year played with “legends” DEATH at the We’re Loud Fest in Kenya.
The show sold well upfront but when i arrived it was mucho vacio. Some folks are not yet in sync with “Doors 1900 Show 2000” by the looks of it. And when it was 2000 the support band did make any impression to take the stage…
… that got me a tad bid annoyed as i wanted to get home as fast as possible to not have to use public transport with people returning from watching that stupid tournament over yonder.
I did spy the setlist of Worn Down Thread and it had a whopping 18 songs, god damn, that looked like a stretch. But once Abgenutztes Gewinde (a beautiful band name btw) took the stage it was quickly clear that potentially the whole set might only take say … 20 minutes.
Worn Down Thread (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 25.06.2026) (c) gehkacken.de 2026
Worn Down Thread are a simple 3 piece with all members sharing vocal duties and sport a cool self-reflection:
WDT gives blood, sweat, and throat — direct, loud, and without unnecessary extras. Fully DIY, the band runs on a regional-train-optimized setup: minimal gear, maximum energy.
And indeed they sprinted through the set, started at 20:32 with their intro and started their finishing song skateboard fahren at 20:58:
01:20 later they where done, even prior to 21:00. Go and check them out for yourself, they are raw (and sometimes bumpy), rough (and sometimes out of sync) and edgy (but never annoying).
In short: Pure fun! Like the chorus in above: “Du Boomer!”
If i get a chance to see them again i’ll be happy indeed. And in hindsight they where the perfect lead in to what was going to descent upon the by now packed upstairs of the Hafenklang.
Twenty One Children hail from Soweto, a former Township that got incorporated into Joburg and back in 1976, when Punk hit the UK, was home to one of the uprisings of the oppressed black majority of the Republiek van Suid-Afrika.
And the least place from where in 2026 i would expect see a H/C Band coming to Hamburg.
Even prior to the show they where utmost friendly people, saying “Hi” to attendees and shaking hands. Once it was time, they took the stage one by one: First Guitar, jamming through some riffs that sounded almost Hendrix to me. Then the drummer slammed onto the stage and drove the jamming into more structure.
Finally the singer crawled onto the stage and promised the lot to FUCK SHIT UP:
Wow! And, given the guitar got amplified through both bass and guitar amp, i was not even missing a bass player.
From the first chord they had the sweaty lot moving, dancing and almost frenetically applauding the band. I got to admit that rarely i had seen such a fast and almost instant connect between audience and band.
Twenty One Children (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 25.06.2026) (c) gehkacken.de 2026
They simply took the lot by storm, the sheer amount of juvenile fun, positive energy and determination simply reflected back on them. I saw a huge amount of smiling faces, dancing and “Thumbs Up” and the fun coming down from the stage just did not stop.
Besides that, they also had so much going on on stage, eg. the drummer leaving his chair to slam dance on stage, the guitar disappearing into the crowd and the singer stage diving into the lot. And none of that felt rehearsed, planned or orchestrated.
They are simply kids having fun. And yes, sure, that are influenced by American Hardcore. And yes, adopted gestures, styles and whathaveyou from visuals of the bands or records.
And there ain’t nuthin wrong with that, that is how it works when you discover as youngster a style, a scene & a sound that make you go-bang.
Twenty One Children (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 25.06.2026) (c) gehkacken.de 2026
I guess all of that you get on this one, neatly tucked into 1:20something:
By this time all attending already where devoted 21ers, without a doubt. In the end they finished of with the most simple and most honest words: “Let’s stop here and have a beer (together)”.
And, icing on top, they are also creating unique setlists. The guitar player took a decent amount of time to draw this beauty (on the inside of a paper box lid). DIfuckingY.
Twenty One Children – Setlist (Hafenklang, Hamburg, 25.06.2026) (c) gehkacken.de 2026
Go and the see them live. Fullstop. Only after the show i checked out their releases and whilst they are good … they do not transport the no bullshit all energy feeling of the live show.
It is 2026 and young kids falling for this shitty cupboard labeled Punk and turning it into some inspirational, boy, the future must indeed be much brighter than me old goon thought.
I will try to see them again but at this pace they soon outgrow the upstairs of the Hafenklang and sure the downstairs too. Will they hit big? I do hope for them, they are authentic to the max. And live, boy, a real killer. Show of the year material? Sure thing!
Perfect evening, though sweaty to the max. And i got a new country covered, never before saw a Punk Band from iRiphabhuliki yaseNingizimu Afrika.
And plenty of happy friends around me, a win on all fronts.
