I must admit that RAZZIA has always stood in the shadow of well-known 80s (German) punk bands like SLIME, NORMAHL, DRITTE WAHL, THE IDIOTS, VORKRIEGSJUGEND, DAILY TERROR, ABWÄRTS, KFC, TOXOPLASMA, CANAL TERROR / MOLOTOW SODA, ZK, HASS, INFERNO, BOSKOPS, NEUROTIC ARSEHOLES, etc. However, RAZZIA was one of the first German punk bands and appeared on many compilations from the 80s/90s. "Paranoia in der Strassenbahn", "Slam-Brigade Haifischbar", "Schlachtrufe BRD", "Haste Mal 'ne Mark" and especially the "Nazis raus!" sampler, we all oriented ourselves to that back then.
Later, I also bought the "Hardcore Power Music" records, which had already been released in the mid-80s. RAZZIA was everywhere, but also the other great bands, and I must shamefully admit that I have never been to a RAZZIA concert and only own the "Live" and "Labyrinth" albums from the 90s.
But now, 46 years after the band's founding, a premiere, my first RAZZIA concert, and in the city that didn't exist for quite some time, in Bielefeld.
First, however, DISTEL from the Paderborn-Kassel area took the stage in the "packed full" small hall of the Forum. Well, I just say...
Their rudimentary 80s punk rock music didn't go over so well with everyone. From "packed full" it became well-filled (which still meant about 100 spectators), and some moved to the music. However, I was also out in the small hall; DISTEL was just too amateurish for me. Only the second-to-last song and the encore managed to convince me in their 45-minute set.
It was different with RAZZIA. No one among the 200-250 spectators was drawn out of the room during the 75-minute set. Except for bassist Falko Grau, who also plays with TOTEN ÄRZTEN and GIRLS UNDER GLASS, all band members have surpassed 60, and accordingly, there wasn't much jumping around on stage, but that didn't detract from the good atmosphere. Instead, there was much more moshing, singing along, drinking, and everyone had their fun that evening.
Especially during the old hits like "Arsch im Sarge", "Nachts im Ghetto", "Schatten über Geroldshofen", and the encore "Kriegszustand", the atmosphere was extremely exuberant. And that is not always so easy with the frequent apathy of the Bielefelders.
But even the "new" songs from the album "Am Rande von Berlin", released just before the Corona lockdown, with the recently deceased new singer Torsten Becker, were celebrated. 2019/2020 were already tough years of fate for RAZZIA.
I am all the happier to have finally seen the Hamburgers live.
