A big show for Wattie and for Generations

The Exploited, The Casualties, Code Red Organisation

The Real Punk Rock Tour, Arena Große Halle, Vienna, Austria 2017-04-24

There exist some bands on this planet, that bring together whole generations. The Exploited is one of them, as their visit at the Arena in Vienna shows.

That is why already during the first band Code Red Organisation, you can see a punk of the very first hour with a grey Mohawk next to some 13 to 14 year-olds with the same style. The youngsters also open up the pit for the show of the thrashers, who obviously have fun with their audience. Especially their fast songs like “I Stand Alone” or “Pray For Me” find favour within the punkers in front of the stage.

Quickly after the openers, The Casualties get on stage. Jorge Herrera is raging, screaming and cursing and lets the hall quake. Singing the Motörhead-Cover “R.A.M.O.N.E.S.”, he tells that the punk legend from NYC is the only one who could bring the whole scene together from Hardcore to Oi! to Straight Edge. Further he names the US government a “fucking joke” and the drunk guy, who doesn’t stop climbing the stage an “hijo de la gran puta”.

Apropos the drunk in the audience, even if it is a punk rock show, it shouldn’t be necessary that band members have to play security on stage. There was the opportunity to get on stage anyway, but the unyielding behaviour of some brings Henry Rollins’ “Art to choke hearts” to one’s mind, telling that he hated the audience. But of course not The Exploited. Vocalist Wattie Buchan unfortunately is in hospital, but following his wish, the band delivers an amazing show with members of The Casualties helping out on some songs. Including highlights like “Disorder” and “Sex & Violence” with the front quarter of the audience on stage, the show gets a big success.