The Dïrt:

...is a trio from Vejle with lots of playing experience in other formations. This was their first gig as The Dïrt, normally they play together in a band called Krackerjack. In spite of this being their first show together, they seemed very lean-back all through the set, and it was obvious they have played together for a long time, they didn’t have to communicate very much between the numbers.

They like and are very inspired by 70s rock-bands like T Rex and Led Zeppelin, which also can be heard in their own numbers.

Set list:
Ready to Raise Hell (own)
Ain’t My War (own)
Like Ted Nugent Would Do (own)
Children Of The revolution (T Rex cover)
Stampede (drum solo, Krackerjack number)
Money To Burn (guitar solo, Krackerjack number)
Highway Man (Krackerjack number)
Do Me (own)
Black Dog (Led Zep cover) 

- the big source of inspiration in the before mentioned also led to, that I missed a little more diversity in the numbers generally, all of them were in E, and with almost the same tempo. I’m sure they’ll think about that for next time.

The gear they played on, was mostly not their own – that’s the disadvantage of being the pre-band, but all though not being familiar with the gear, the sound was okay, and improved through the set.

On a smaller stage like the one in Tante Olga, you can’t do much of a stage show, but apart from the drummer (who sometimes in facial expressions and movements also looked like he was suffering) I missed a little more connection to the audience (although not being that many) – it can also become too lean-back and too much “just for fun” – in my book every show counts, also the smaller ones…

But they played tight and at times very groovy, and they generally did quite a good show

[Rating: 68]

Powderhog:

The main event of tonight was Powderhog, a four-piece outfit (Johnny Houmark: Bass & Vocals; Jesper Borg: Guitars; Peter Larsen: Drums and Jeppe Hagen Petersen: Guitars) from Esbjerg of west-Jutland, a town I normally connect with fishermen and off-shore oil workers, and not so much for music. They have been taken in by a small and quite local label called Trechoma Records, who handles everything around their album. When I talked to front man Johnny earlier in the evening, I understood, that the band book all their live shows themselves. They had send some posters to the place of the gig to distribute around town, but didn’t know how much advertising they had done to attract an audience. The weather, being warm and sunny all day, didn’t add to the optimism of getting a big audience…

When reviewing Powderhogs debut album earlier this year, I wondered: “How will they come across live? Can they create the right feeling and energy in a live situation, and maybe even add some to it, compared to the album?” Bands like Powderhog, playing  the “no bull’… just straight heavy rock’n’roll” kinda thing that they do, just have to be good (and kick ass) live, not to fall through.

After a relatively short change of stage set up, Powderhog fired up their engine at around 11 PM.

After the first two, three songs Johnny had warmed up his voice and the rest of the band had played warm too, and then it really got into gear – just the right southern/garage rock/metal sound and feel was there…great! They had a very good appearance, they seem very “southern” in both looks, mood and sound – Esbjerg must be The Lone Star State of Denmark…!

Set list:

OPIUM
LOSING YOUR HEAD
FUEL TO BURN
ANOTHER TRIP
FOOLS GOLD (KEEP DIGGIN...)
A THOUSAND WAYS OUT OF HERE?
GONE
COMING HOME AGAIN
FOR THE GUILTY
6 FEET BELOW
SWEET BULLET
SHE SELLS MISERY
ACE OF SPADES (Motörhead-cover, obviously…!)

The set list counts most of the tracks from the album (leaving out “Girl (you’ve got to let me go)”) and added two new numbers: “Gone” and “6 Feet Below”, that continues their line of solid dirty rock’n’roll.

Some in the audience was obviously more heavy oriented than Powderhogs normal repertoire, and they got their heavy metal in the end, when they did a good cover of Ace of Spades with their own sound incorporated.

One of the guitarists had some problems with his amplifier stack at one point, but the others just played on, and the full force was soon re-established. Generally the sound was very good, also taken into consideration, that it was the sound man of the place that took care of the mixing. They played loud, but not too loud for my taste – real rock’n’roll gotta have “some pedal” to come across right…

- as it turned out, only about 30 people had found their way to Tante Olga tonight. Too bad, because Powderhog had certainly deserved a bigger audience, but they still gave us who did show up a very good and convincing show – they really gave it what they got, solid kick ass! Go check them out next time they play somewhere near you; I’ll be there next time they play near my home town, that’s for sure!

[Rating: 85]