Not Quite a Paperboat

On the weekend, I've been on a heavier vessel. Its cargo? Eastern-European Post-Punk!

The MS Stubnitz is a former East-German refrigerated deep-sea fishing ship that is currently anchored near Elbbrücken in Hamburg. A crew of volunteers has been running the ship as a concert venue and culture.spaceship since 1992 and even taken it on tour across Europe.

I've come to Hamburg to see Minsk-based group Nürnberg on their “Razlad” tour ¹. The weather was freezing cold, with harsh winds blowing over the water. We had to watch our step as not to slip on the icy ground. Once on the ship, a heavy metal door opened to reveal an inside, that actually felt cozy and warm, despite the industrial interior. What better place than this to reflect the sound of danceable synths against the backdrop of post-soviet tristesse?

I really like this venue. Naturally, it's more on the smaller end of concert venues, which gave the concert an intimate and homely feeling. The main space in the former cold storage room in the ship's hold was divided into three sections, with wooden benches along the sides to sit on for a while or drop off your belongings. The upper deck also had plenty of room for merch, a bar, and more places to sit. People also gathered sitting around the opening to the cargo hold to watch from above.

I guess, on warmer days it's fun to relax with a drink on the deck after a concert.

Oh, and did I mention that MS Stubnitz is run as a non-profit? I wholeheartedly recommend giving them a visit should you get the chance. They host plenty of cool events!

Bonus: I returned home with some cat content 🐈

1: Those were a lot of city names in one sentence. I had fun confusing the hell out of people by telling them I was going to Hamburg on the weekend to see Nuremberg.

Thanks to Robert for pictures № 4 and 7!