BOB VYLAN

They combine the spirit and energy of several genres that their hometown has produced in very different decades: seventies punk ethos meets grime, massive guitar emphasis meets socially critical plain-language raps, DIY attitude meets spoken-word sensibility. Even if their band name may evoke other associations, Bob Vylan from London have shaken up more and more people in recent years with their unmistakable anti-establishment statements. In the fall, the UK duo will export their explosive sound to Germany when Bob Vylan stops in Cologne (Oct. 29), Wiesbaden (Oct. 30) and Berlin (Nov. 1) as part of their "Viva La Vylan" tour. That direct audience contact is their preferred medium was already clear when Bobby (vocals/guitar) and Bobbie (drums) gave their very first concert in 2017 - namely just 14 days after the band was founded. The two share not only the Bob first name, but also a tough vision: Controlled chaos is their preferred mode, set to music inspiration and system criticism their metier, whereby classic genre categories can at best roughly mark out the battlefield on which they deal out against the establishment. Public Enemy & Anthrax would have their joy: The straightforwardness of punk is perfectly suited as a foundation for the kind of UK rap flows that one would otherwise rather expect over abysmal grime beats. 100 percent DIY and thus in the best hands on their own label Ghost Theatre, their album "Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life," released in 2022, went straight into the Top 20 of the British charts (#18) - and even went into the Top 3 in the indie best lists (record: it was actually the first time that a completely self-recorded, self-produced and self-mixed album via the band's own label was so successful in the UK). Previously, the highlights of the predecessors "Dread" (2019) and "We Live Here" (2021) had already brought them multiple streaming figures in the millions. After the MOBO Award 2022 ("Alternative"), even Iggy Pop (in his 6music show) became aware of them; in addition, Bob Vylan could also already perform at Glastonbury, Reading/Leeds, the Pukkelpop and the US Riot Fest. And while "The Delicate Nature" almost turned out to be an airplay hit in its home country, it not only received a magazine cover from Kerrang! but also the prize for the "Best Album 2022" as part of the Kerrang! Awards. Live they could not only accompany Biffy Clyro and The Offspring, but also make the sold-out Electric Ballroom (London) explode as headliners. As "serious and exuberant (...), solidary and also obnoxious", the two Londoners described their latest tracks, with which they mainly focus on "the price of this life" - "in a society that puts money above everything else". Since cohesion and community always come first for them, the upcoming German shows are the best opportunity to celebrate this community as only Bob Vylan do: Each show begins with a moment of contemplation - and culminates in a giant, room-sized group hug. -