Massgrav in Karlstad 2011

By now, we've played every fair sized town within three or four hours drive, except for one: Karlstad. So we figured we were way overdue to go there. While we seem very unlikely candidates to ever play the Punk Illegal fest (this is just a guess, but the organizers seem to be the kind of people who don't 'get' Massgrav and they always have all these super PC bands playing, so... don't hold your breath), the good people of Wermland Hardcore know a good thing when they hear it and got in touch about playing a support gig for Punk Illegal, together with Grind Crusher, Olaga Hot and E.A.T.E.R. We obliged.

Värmland (spelled Wermland by people who live there and try to make it even more special than it already is)... it's like that weird uncle every family has, the guy who never married and is frowned upon by all mothers. A bit smelly, a bit rough around the edges, but a lot more exciting than the other people you know. Värmland is banjo country and even though Karlstad is a big town, you get the feeling that everyone has a still going and that you may hear a car horn play Dixie at any time. Speaking of cars, the place is crawling with raggare (google it if you're from abroad) and there were old rustbuckets EVERYWHERE, with coon tails and fuzzy dice and the whole shebang. Love it!

So, anyway... we got there, were treated to the classic lukewarm DIY punk welcome, did a short soundcheck and went on a beer and pizza run before returning. The venue was situated between a waste facility and a giant bandy facility (again, google it if you're unfamiliar with this ass-hat sport) in some sort of industrial park. Cosy. Well, at least there weren't any neighbors to upset, so everyone was drinking like camels outside, heading indoors only when bands played. Nice night for it, apart from mosquitos and occasional showers. Very mixed crow. You had dreadlocked crusties, skinheads, rockers and a lot of old people (friends and fans of E.A.T.E.R - first show we've played where 20 percent of the crowd shows up in taxis) but everyone seemed to get along.

We set up our first outdoor merch table in a long while and talked to people and had a few beers. Olaga Hot and Grindcrusher did their thing and did it well and then we did ours. To be honest, the room sucked, the stage sucked, the PA sucked and the lighting sucked. Then again, who gives a shit when the crowd is great! We'd been happy about the room being so nice and cool when we set up our stuff but before long, we were dripping with sweat. Nice set and a few encores, until Norse's amp gave in to heat and exhaustion right during the break in Mera bruk i baljan boys. We called it a day and had a few more beers while E.A.T.E.R. played and that was, as they say, it. This show didn't look like much to begin with, but all in all it was a really good arrangement and we couldn't be happier. Wermland Hardcore - good job!


Wermland Hardcore!


Cosy Karlstad.


Tjacka folle på Statoil, som det ska va på sommarn!


Fenok, checking out the Bandy facilities.


HUGE fucking concrete field, must be heaven for skaters and immature people like that.


Bolticstugan by nite


Fylla och fight



Prodly displaing an irregular tattooed lump that's supposedly Värmland. Check out the Crude SS tattoo though!


Emil


Olaga hot


Outdoor merch table



Fenok, getting ready to rawk.


The old Peavy came out of retirement for this show.


You used to see these ALL the time but no more. Why we didn't steal this is beoynd me.


E.A.T.E.R using the bathroom window as a merch display. Later that night, most of these disappeared. Maybe people interpreted the title "Free music for free people" a bit differently than intended. Or maybe they were punished for their 'property is theft' attitude towards our beer. Yeah, we're looking at you, mr short and bald!


Driving home in the rain


Norse behind the wheel