Bite The Bullet Night @Vecchio Son – report and photos
Metal, Punks and Rock’N’Roll
In this time of the year, it’s cold in Bologna. I hate winter. Furthermore, I just got few sleeping hours behind me. I’m gonna get a couple of beers. The mirage of a hot food plate recharges my batteries, and I’m now ready to go. There’s a gig at Vecchio Son tonight! Ok, time for a beer and then we’re ready to go. The streets turn grey and all look the same. Wait, there’s a parking spot, ok, we’re here! The place welcomes us as just the underground does, a hug that saves us from the cold and from the fog drops that stick on my glasses. Rooms that would be uncomfortable for anyone more tall than the norm. Wet walls tattooed with flyers and writings on them, so faintly illuminated to seem coming out from a John Carpenter’s screenplay.
Just before the gig, there’s a presentation of a book, “The Asphalt On The Skin” – L’asfalto sulla Pelle in original language – written by Gennaro Shamano. It tells stories from the D.I.Y. squat-era of the 90’s. Tales of frustration, drugs, punks and early ravers, by the streets and from the streets. Things are undiluted anyway. It’s just the way it is. He doesn’t care, he gives you everything and stares into your eyes directly. The rawness of the stories sums up perfectly with what is coming. Because Overcharge are going to overwhelm us with their clangor! Chords greasy and wet by sweat and motor oil rip our faces away, fueled with a hammering and obsessing drum session; they lead us in a vortex of post-apocalyptic visions of iron, fire and gasoline smell. Still dazed, just as after a poorly done cocktail, here comes the second round. The Radsters! They’re an absolute Speedrock death squad and tonight they smack us out with the songs of their newest album Faster Than Police. Pentatonic scales led to ridiculous speed, amphetaminic songs, screamed in your face as far as the the lungs hold. Fortunately the building seems solid, because the Radsters really almost tore it down! Now it’s Motron’s turn, with the release party of their latest album Who’ll Stop The Rain. They’re a so-called super group: members in fact come from many other Italian well-known bands like Miseria, Campus Sterminii, Pioggia Nera and other projects. They deliver a monolithic, dark and gloomy crust punk, with a guttural and grim atmosphere.
Merciless as an apex predator, this place hasn’t finished yet. It still has more sonic violence for us. Tons of beers and other stuff makes everything easier. As a closing act, here come Just War, from Prague! They wear clothes that I usually wear in August. They slit our throats with a rabid d-beat assault deeply influenced by NWOBHM and rock’n’roll sound. Something like the latest Anti Cimex start jamming on some Tank or Angel Witch tunes. My head and ears have been fed, I’m done and a little bit drunk, and that’s fine. We got several people’s smell on our clothes and the shoes are sticky. I’m coughing more than I usually do, and I spit out something that looks like a cheese ball. We’re gonna walk our way home. We pass by the new XM24 squat, and my memory goes to all the bands I saw in its previous location. A blurry look and I hope it will still be there when I’ll return to Bologna. While my sleeping bag saves my ass from hypothermia, it’s like turning back time. Like when I was a kid, I try to make a wish. I want to do it all over again.
Live report by Rash
Photos by Zoe – Radio Punk
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