Gig Review: Reputation, Sonic Litter, the Nitwitz

Last wednesday three punk rock / garage punk bands played at the Winston in Amsterdam. There wasn't exactly a big turnout: the audience consisted mainly of the bands, the Amsterdam chapter of the Turbojugend and my friend Raoul and I, proofing once again that Amsterdam isn't exactly rockcity.

The first band to hit the stage was the ironically named Reputation. I never heard of them before, even though they hail from Amsterdam, and I couldn't find any info about them anywhere. They played a decent set of garage punk songs, but nothing earth shattering. The singer had the motor skills and paranoid look of a junkie. The drums weren't too tight, and especially the double bass bits didn't fit the rest of the music. The songs sounded too much a like after a while, and the stage act wasn't too impressive.

Sonic Litter was next. Inspired by 60s garage rock and punk, they played a good set. I didn't really like the lead vocals, but that's more a matter of taste than anything else. The songs were a lot more diverse than those of Reputation, with rock 'n roll, hardrock and surf thrown in their garage punk sound. They also had a better, more dynamic stage act. Good drumming too. Because of the vocals I probably wouldn't listen to their music much at home, but live they are a fun band to watch.

The last band, the band we really came for, were the Nitwitz. On lead guitar ofcourse self described part-time superstar Tony Slug. One of the few punk legends of the Netherlands, who played in bands as the Nitwitz, BGK, Loveslug, the Hydromatics and the Spades. In a minimal 3-piece line-up, the Nitwitz proceded to rock hard. Their brand of old punk rock, with lots of great riffs and solo's never bores me. If you ever have the change, go see them live. If I rock half as hard as they do when I'm in my 40s, I'd still rock harder then most people.