| Doors: 7 pm | Show: 8 pm | Tickets: 33.00 EUR plus fees |

In January, British Crossover rockers SKUNK ANANSIE released their sixth album Anarchytecture. But instead of an extensive tour circuit in support of the new album, SKUNK ANANSIE played only a handful of exclusive shows around Europe, two of them in Berlin and Hamburg.

But, the festival season brings us the Brits around frontlady Skin back, who, by the way, is still as breathtakingly beautiful as charismatic, with almost 50 years! Between their weekends festival schedule, SKUNK ANANSIE play once again only two exclusive German club shows, this time in Dortmund and Frankfurt. Good for us, because Dortmund is just around the corner. So, let’s go to the :: FZW Club ::. Everybody should! SKUNK ANANSIE are known to tear down stages, leaving nothing but scorched earth. A SKUNK ANANSIE show is full of raw power and energy, an experience that should be made once in a life time.

:: Pics :: SKUNK ANANSIE ::

The club shows between the festivals got confirmed on short notice. So, no support bands were announced, instead a pure 2 hrs. :: SKUNK ANANSIE :: experience was set. Hell yeah! :)
At 8:30 pm the FZW Club is loosely filled. But the balcony is open, so the organizers expect a full house. A scrutinizing look by the tour manager let the announced start of the show pass. SKUNK ANANSIE actually kicked off a half hour later, but then in front of a really packed and crowded hall. I guess the FZW wasn’t far away of being sold out. Accordingly it became quickly very hot and stuffy. Didn’t feel as if any ventilation was on.

Under thunderous applause, SKUNK ANANSIE stormed onto stage and started their set with Tear The Place Up, with huge LED screens behind. And yes, you can take that title programmatic for the entire show ;)
Singer Skin looked like a futuristic golden rapper girl and whirled over the stage like a maniac. Sound and light were pretty much un-balanced. I got the feeling to experience the warm-up and soundcheck during the first 3 songs as preparation for the rest of the show. Because afterwards everything got significantly better, but then I already had to put away my cam… Too bad.
However, third song with the so fitting title, That Sinking Feeling, Skin used to take her first bath in the crowd surfing above their heads. This woman does not have any fear of touch, reached out to her fans all the time ;) At the end of the set she tried it again, to stand on hands or shoulders, but it didn’t work that well this time and eventually she let herself sink again to crowdsurf back to the stage.

Beauty Is Your Curse, SKUNK ANANSIE dedicated to all the late heroes from the music business, starting with Zappa, Bob Marley and Marilyn Monroe, up to current fatal casualties like David Bowie, Prince and, at the end, Lemmy, with all their portraits flickering over the LED screens. Skin has also a heart for everybody emotionally hurt and those that quarrel with the love thing (Death To The Lovers).
Before My Ugly Boy Skin asked the crowd, if someone can “twerk”, which caused more than raised eyebrows. Hahahaha. Someone answered and Skin responded: „Oh, please no, do not“ ;) She then dedicated that song to guitar player Ace, whatever that was supposed to mean.
The hall is filled with pure and raw energy. SKUNK ANANSIE played their asses off, while Skin didn’t get tired to animate the audience doing the same. Didn’t work that properly. First rows were highly energetic with people jumping, swinging and dancing. But more and more aback people got more restrained and quieter. Every now and then, Skin had problems to hold the pitch or just ran out of breath, the toll it takes being so wild on stage.
During Bullet, a sing-along contest got initiated, where the crowd at the FZW wasn’t the greatest one. Frankfurt was much more full-throated, Skin said, but Dortmund at least made it better than Pinkpop and France ;) Strike!
After hardly 60 minutes the show is over. 3 encore songs were given, 3 classics that once again rocked the venue, but all in all I expected a longer set. SKUNK ANANSIE have enough great material to really play a full 2 hrs. show.

The merch stand in the entrance hall was little visited. Not that much merch either but fair priced. The “new” white tour shirt for 20 Euro, the “old” black (from the gigs in February) one for 15 Euro. Nothing to nag about.
To sum it all up: It was once again a great SKUNK ANANSIE show with minor flaws. SKUNK ANANSIE live is just a great experience. Nothing posed, no fake, it’s all true, pure, real, original and honest. It’s just Rock’n’Roll!

Setlist: Tear The Place Up, I Believed In You, That Sinking Feeling, Because Of You, God Loves Only You, Death To The Lovers, Bullets, Twisted (Everyday Hurts), My Ugly Boy, Weak, Love Someone Else, Without You, Beauty Is Your Curse, I Can Dream, The Skank Heads (Get Off Me), Charlie Big Potato // 100 Ways To Be A Good Girl, Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good), Little Baby Swastikkka

story & pics © Dajana & Dajana Winkel • Photography