Two top bands bring their Punk'n'Roll to Austria's capital
The sold-out former slaughterhouse, Arena in Vienna, is buzzing with anticipation long before the bands are ready to take to the stage – which confirms what a perfect match it was to put these two high energy acts on the same bill!
Although billed as the support, this does not show when DeeCRACKS take to the stage in front of an enthusiastic home crowd, and without further ado head straight into ‘Stroll the Streets’ from their 2014 album ‘Beyond Medication’ – this is met with a roar of approval. The rhythm section consisting of Yeahman (bass) and Mike Dee Crackus (drums) provides a super tight backing to Matt’s rather rough vocals.
Crowd pleasers like ‘Standing On My Head’ and ‘Not Another Minute’ are mixed with competent covers of the Ramones’ ‘Pet Sematary’ and sped-up version of Eddie & the Hot Rods ‘Do Anything you Wanna Do’, blasted out in machine gun style, without wasting any time on in-between-song banter. When the guys leave the stage, following a way too short set, the crowd shout out for encores in vain..
DeeCRACKS are not an easy act to follow, but Teenage Bottlerocket immediately show – when they plunge into ‘Necronomicon’ followed by ‘Don’t Want To Go’ – that they have no intention at all to give the game away to the hometown heroes! Lining up hit after hit at breakneck tempo they ignite the pit into a chaotic mess of pogoing bodies.
‘Blood Bath at Burger King’, ‘Skate or Die’ and ‘She’s the Shit’ from last year’s excellent ‘Ready to Roll’ album leaves no time for catching breath, as Teenage Bottlerocket’s Miguel Chen’s pumping bass and Darren Chewka’s tireless drumming urges on the guitar slingers Ray Carlisle and Kody Templeman, who split lead vocal duties.
Ending the set with ‘On my Own’ (with a bit of ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ thrown in for good measure) there´s no way the crowd’s gonna let them off that easy. After a short interval, the band is back on stage for another 4 songs, ending procedures with ‘So Far Away’ from 2005’s ‘Total’.
Completely drenched in sweat, we are literally steaming when as we spill out into the freezing Vienna night. The chances of catching a cold are as likely as catching the U-bahn home..
Sometimes, reports about these two bands are a bit derogatory, referring to them as “Ramones clones”. While there’s no denying the influence, what we were served tonight was a veritable masterclass in catchy, no-nonsense pop-punk.
Catch Teenage Bottlerocket at Plan B, Malmö, Sweden tomorrow, or on tour in the US this February and March – dates and tickets HERE
Main Photo Credit / All Photos & Videos: PER-ÅKE WÄRN
Follow Teenage Bottlerocket on Their Socials:
Need more Punk In Your Life?
Album review: 1978 punks The Inflatable Dolls get around to releasing their debut LP!
They say it’s better late than never – and in the case of original punks The Inflatable Dolls from Dungannon, Northern Ireland, this has proven
The Baboon Show & The Meffs at FZW (Dortmund) and Skaters Palace (Münster) Jan 2026
On the last 2 days of January, The Meffs ignited the fire, The Baboon Show set it ablaze – here’s the lowdown on their sold-out
Album review: The Damned – ‘Not Like Anybody Else’
The Damned have always been partial to a cover version. Recorded in a blistering five days of emotion and creative fire at Revolver Studio, Los
LOUD WOMEN support Resonance FM with fundraising live compilation album!
Female and non-binary music champions LOUD WOMEN are releasing a special compilation album via Bandcamp featuring exclusive live session tracks from some of the most
Punk lifers The Casualties share first new music in eight years with ‘People Over Power’
NYC punks The Casualties have broken an eight-year hiatus with their blistering new single ‘People Over Power’, the band’s first release via Hellcat Records. Starting
ill jill release debut EP ‘My Body Is Mine To Decide’
Swedish queercore band ill jill are an innovative new band to the local punk scene, forming back in 2023. Their musical background spans different genres
Did you know that we are 100% DIY? We run our own game. No one dictates to us, and no one drives what we can or cannot put on our pages – and this is how we plan to continue!
