Dezerter at the Underworld

PARSLEY'S COMMLOCK
Concert Review : Dezerter, Underworld, Camden 13/04/08
These days I'm very ungenerous with my time. I only really want to see bands I know I'm going to like, like the Len Price 3 or Graham Day (both gracing the Dirty Water Club on May 23rd). Anyway, for one reason or another I sometimes get to stumble onto something worthwhile, and on this occasion it was courtesy of a Polish friend expressing enthusiasm for the Polish band Dezerter, apparently one of the most famous punk bands in the country.

It was an early Sunday start for the gig & I immediately felt a little out of kilter with a fairly hardcore-looking Polish crowd, as I sported a beige linen Nehru jacket. The situation was not improved by me accidentally pushing in front of several strong looking guys in black. I had misunderstood the bouncer's directions for people with tickets. The merchandising desk illustrated the large but 'underground' looking back catalogue of the band, who have been going since the eighties under communism when they made early releases on cassette.

Support act 'Non Profit' were high energy, and obviously very accomplished, but I'm afraid it was too heavy for me to really enjoy it. I took position on the side 'balcony' at the Underworld and spotted the running order. It showed that Non-Profit's half an hour set was going to be followed by an hour and a half of Dezerter. I started hoping that they were going to be a bit different.

I got talking to a Polish guy next to me who told me that Dezerter's fanbase is largely twenty-something men, although they themselves are in their forties. Their concert started with birdsong, then very gentle finger-picking guitar, followed by a rush of what I would describe as high-adrenaline driving punk of 'The Ruts' variety, with a 'Motorhead'-style musical kick to it.

Robert 'Robal' Matera plays guitar, writes music and sings lead vocals as if he has already shouted himself hoarse before the concert began. Krzysiek Grabowski drives the drums and apparently writes the amazing lyrics. Jacek Chrzanowski provides a full backing on the bass and with backing vocals.

Later I would learn that in the first song 'The Last Moment' ('Ostatnia Chwila'), the throbbing audience were singing along to a chorus that when translated went : 'There is come gloomy symbolism in that a thinking man produces his coffins from wood, not from plastic'.

The place went wild and I found myself caught up in the feeling even though I couldn't understand a word of the lyrics. The audience knew, and were singing, every word, and were grinning with pleasure as if they were at the Chas & Dave knees-up I'd been at 2 week's earlier. But the lyrics were the snarling essence of bitterness, and as I later learned very political. For those that understand Polish, they are introspective poetical insights into the decline of society including corrupt politicians, and desperation in the face of a failing world. 'If you want to change the world start with yourself'. Reading lyric translations later I felt that they were summing up the dissatisfaction of the crowd with the world, in highly articulate powerful songs.

I went from hoping I would like them, to not wanting them to stop playing. At a time when a 45-minute set seems long, these guys playing 90 minutes wasn't enough. The Polish language, which sometimes sounds as if it is English spoken backwards, seemed to be adding to the poignancy of the message. The long words and sentences were delivered as clearly pronounced and powerfully emotional sounds. Obviously I couldn't understand them until I got hold of some translations later, but somehow even before I read them it seemed that honourable aspirations and noble thoughts of intelligent former citizens of the Soviet Union were being delivered through the music.

'Concentration camps', 'politicians', 'age of chaos and famine' sang the song 'The Twenty-First Century'. The guy standing next to me pointed to the wild crowd and semi-translated : 'This is Twenty First Century Poland!' He had an excited grin on his face, as we all enjoyed the sharp delivery of this high power message.

There was a fairly regular flow of good-natured stage diving. At one point the crowd spilled onto the stage and the concert came to a halt. 'Peace & love!' appealed guitarist Matera, going back to Polish to ask everyone to respect each other's personal space.

There was an intriguing 'honour' subtext to the urban ritual of such a punk concert. I wondered what personal stories had brought the largely Polish male audience to London. A crowd of only around 200 of them were getting to enjoy a night of impressive Polish rock culture and they made the moment their own.

Eventually, after an encore, it was over with the crowd still wanting more. I bought the 2002 CD re-issue of 1994 album 'Ile Procent Duszy?' ('What per cent of the soul?') with the opening concert number on it, and I was very pleased to find it had several of the other numbers I'd found most memorable. I was then lucky enough to get backstage to get it autographed. They were really happy and nice guys, and I was shamed to discover they only had one other UK gig. I said I would be sure to let everyone know that they had missed a great concert. More info at http://www.dezerter.most.org.pl/

parsley@gardenrecords.com [www.gardenrecords.com]