“You’re older than you’ve ever been.
And now you’re even older.
And now you’re older still.”
They Might Be Giants

Last Saturday we had this event called City Of Subculture or Kaff Of Subkultur in Nuremberg. More than twenty initiatives gathered on a public square to show how diverse that part of life in our city is. Here’s a little gallery. If you want to see the picture a bit bigger or grab them go to www.evemassacre.de (in the photo section).

There were so many different things going on. Kommkino, a movie group, had put up a two-people-tent in which you could watch trailers from old classics and trash movies, lying between lots of stuffed animals. Kunstverein, a local punk venue, who cared for the drinks had brought its tablefootball. The vegan anarcho kitchen made Doener. Desi, a cultural center, made a stand with Daiquiri and other yummy cocktails. We, Musikverein, had a huge fanzine and flyer and photo collection, and some memorabilia bands had left at our venue. And we had a quiz in which you had to smell used band towels and match it to correct band. There was breakdancing, there was a theatre group, Radio Z aired two hours live, lots of interviews, lots of different djs and two bands were playing, and you could have your bike repaired and there was a living room with sofas … too many things to remember every detail. I only arrived noonish when the others already had put up our stand (thanks!) and spent a wonderful day there. It was a great community feeling and I loved to see the diversity of all those groups crammed on this one square. There were lots of visitors (I think they expected 300 and in the paper I’ve read today that there had been more than thousand over the course of the whole day.) I really really hope that this might turn into an annual event. It’s great as a unifying event as well as to represent to people who don’t know about all those different locations. Thanks to everybody who put so much work in it!

It seems to be a quite prevalent opinion that the next generation doesn’t care about DIY or non-profit culture anymore. I refuse to believe that. Maybe kids are not being raised to become all creative and to question things and to take a look at how things work. Maybe that seems to be ‘luxury’ for most people. Maybe kids are rather being raised to function and to let themselves be distracted and entertained. Maybe maybe maybe. I think it’s just harder to reach people because the gap between the active scene and the consuming scene seems to be bigger than, say, ten years ago. For example people are less sensitive to advertisment. I’ve always liked that the subculture is in large parts free of ads. I don’t like the idea of punk shows being sponsored by Eastpak rucksacks or a dj night being sponsored by Lee Jeans. I want to give people events that are free of that. Where you can rest your eyes and ears for a bit. Before I start a rant on all the points that make an alternative culture so necessary I’ll rather stop here cause actually I’ve just wanted to write how good that day was.

* _ *

“You seem so sad, Eeyore.”
“Sad? Why should I be sad? It’s my birthday. The happiest day of the year.”
“Your birthday?” said Pooh in great surprise.
“Of course it is. Can’t you see? Look at all the presents I’ve had.”
He waved a foot from side to side.
“Look at the birthday cake. Candles and pink sugar.”
Pooh looked – first to the right and then to the left.
“Presents?” said Pooh. “Birthday cake?” said Pooh. “Where?”
“Can’t you see them?”
“No,” said Pooh.
“Neither can I,” said Eeyore. “Joke,” he explained. “Ha Ha”

Thanks for the birthday wishes!

Although I like to think that I don’t care at all I must say sometimes aging can be creepy. A couple of nights before my birthday I couldn’t sleep very well, and I take that as a sign that it does matter to me. I remembered Wolfgang Hildesheimer’s novel ‘Tynset’. He manages to capture those quiet and weird insomniac hours between midnight and sunrise very good. When you feel like standing outside of the world and outside of time. That novel has a wonderful description of how the protagonist feels the aging of his body in exactly those lonely hours, under his skin, like a rope that pulls you forward and forward to where the path gets more narrow and your possibilities get less and lesser.
I hope that doesn’t sound too negative, I had a nice birthday with cake and champagne and later beer and art.

* _ *

I think about driving to the KYLESA show in Munich (www.kafekult.de) on Thursday. Anyone wanting to come with me? Great desperate hardcore / crust / AmRep sound with two drummers and two singers.

CLINIC‘s “You Can’t Hurt You Anymore” has mighty cowbells and the organ at the end sounds almost as noisy as the “Waters Of Nazareth” one. I love CLINIC’s moaning little reverb songs. They don’t change but at least they stay on the same level of goodness over the years. I like them very much.
SCISSOR SISTERS‘ ‘Ta-Dah’ album is one huge disappointment. While I like the single by now the album is nothing but mediocre burned out middle of the road sound. Very sad.