Punk in Fast Forward
Kaffi Hljomalind is still Reykjavík’s most reliable bet when it comes to all-ages shows. Regrettably, the times that the concerts begin are less than predictable. So I had to wait 45 minutes the last time I went there and this time I missed the first band, when I was 25 minutes late.     That’s why I did not get to see Morri this evening. Sorry guys! The band cannot have played longer than 20 minutes. Anyway, brevity should characterise this evening in general, as no band (except Sleeps Like An Angry Bear) broke that mark.    The first band I saw was called The Best Hardcore Band In The World. Unfortunately, the four could not live up to their name at all, although their mixture of fast old-school hardcore and melodic elements would have been a good basis. However, their sloppy playing gave the whole show a very unmotivated appearance. The audience answered by standing around motionless.     After their short gig, Sleeps Like An Angry Bear got on stage. This trio really inspired me. It was not just their traditional emo-sound, that fell somewhere between Texas Is The Reason and Mineral, that suddenly resurrected all of the teenage desperation and rhapsodic joy of those mid-90s bands. The band played flawlessly and seemed more dedicated with every song. For this reason, it is not surprising that they were the most celebrated band this evening. Good job! Just one thing: when you want to ecstatically wreck your instruments at the end of the show, just throwing your drumsticks aside and, uhm…kicking over your drum stool is not very Kurt-Cobainesque. In for a penny, in for a pound!    The last band of the evening was Death Metal Super Squad. Yet, by then there were only about 20 people left of the audience. All the others missed out on a way-too-short but intensive show by this punk rock band. They should have played more than ten minutes though. Because of their set’s brevity, their show seemed somehow incomplete. Still, what would you do if everyone left right before your gig?
WHOMorri, The Best Hardcore Band in the World, Sleeps Like An Angry Bear, Death Metal Super Squad
WHEREHljómalind
WHENFriday, September 19
THE VERDICTMany interesting ideas saw light of day but the show suffered for its brevity.