June 14, 2021

Concert Review: Hit Pump – Powerstation June 11, 2021

They certainly do rock in the USSR and the succinctly-named Hit Pump did just that in an epic two and a half hour set tonight. Covers of 26 songs from 20 bands. I don’t remember the last time I was at such a packed Powerstation show and the audience was seething all night.

The USSR has shrunk back into Russia of course. 99 1/2 percent of the crowd were ex-pats. Ukrainian, Belarussian, Polish, Kazakhs, Albanians. Some that looked Mongolian.

On stage is current line-up of Ilya Chernukha (aka Black?) vocals, Konstantin Sigachev guitar and vocal, Igor Plotnikov guitar, Alex Tsekhovskikh bass and Vladimir Sbitnev drums.

It was Ilya and Konstantin who began as an acoustic duo in 2018. In a short time, they have worked themselves up into a powerhouse group who have been selling out shows around the town. This will be their biggest crowd.

Talking to some of the expectant crowd of what’s to follow. They’re just a covers band. They sound like, ahh, Queen? I don’t know, ask those girls over there. Don’t ask me I’ve had too much to drink. I get the picture. Not.

Alexei Lavrov

To warm up we have Alexei Lavrov. A young guy with just a keyboard and dwarfed on the big stage.

He’s an accomplished pianist who sounds like he would be at home in front of a European orchestra.

Starts with a piece that sounds like Vienna-era Ultravox. Classy early Eighties Dance Pop which morphs into Chamber music.

What follows is a continuous medley of sound. Some Bach, familiar EuroPop, Russian Folk tunes. All linked seamlessly.

Movie music in the style of the Dario Argento’s Hitchcock-style horror classics.

A couple of times the crowd sing along to what sounds traditional Balkan.

The final tune has the haunting sound of Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights.

Very classy and the almost-full venue give a big cheer. Europeans appreciate the refinement of an appetizer before the main course.

Hit Pump

Hit Pump are on, with some fanfare. Sky sounds like Wham! style Eighties irresistible Dance Pop. Nice glassy-toned guitar.

No Way Out and with the use of effects-pedals the guitarists work up the tidy melodic intro into a wall of sound. It’s the first of many singalongs and a Stadium Rocker.

Colonel is instantly recognisable to Western ears. A grunge Crazy Horse sound. The vocalist does not sound weedy or quavering, though. Shades of Hurricanes repeated riffs.

Forester is a straight Rocker of the Billy Idol and Generation X type at their best. By now we notice the big engine they possess, the bass and drums. Pick up and slam home most of the songs tonight, and keep that thunder rolling all night long. Like a Red Army across the vast Russian Steppes.

Now that bass becomes brutal and nasty (in a good way) with Hali Gali. A real Stranglers throb. Sounds like the singer is chanting Mister Police. A Neil Young style guitar solo, simple and effective.

They can do quieter. Possibly the leader says, let’s slow it down just a little. In Russian. Sansara (should it be Samsara?) has a melodic Indie-Pop sounding vocal to commence. And now we get to see what a good singer he is. A strong tenor with power to be heard above the big sound of the band, whilst keeping to musicality at all times. The voice builds into a rousing Power Pop finish. The guitar adds some old-fashioned guitar pyrotechnics with that high piercing sound of Layla.

There’s more pyrotechnics from the stage. Smoke cannons that look like holograms with the backdrop of the massive stage lighting. Strobes and laser effects.

Ilya the singer has been introducing each song in Russian. But this time he welcomes the English-speaking audience for Slippery Roads. This is about unity, positive life, samsara. An acoustic guitar leads off and again the singer is grabbing hold of this one. What starts Folky builds to inspirational Power Pop. Russian Folk Rock?

Breath then has that patented jangling guitar sound. There is some blue-eyed Soul in the voice. Can I call it White Russian? That’s a drink, right?

They are an eclectic Covers band and different styles keep coming.

Rose Street has the Punk melded with Reggae guitar riffs of the early Clash.

More Speed Metal as the set progresses. The relentless energy that this band put out is nothing short of heroic. They keep it tight and disciplined and guitar solos are concise.

Melody lines pop up, A Surf guitar here and there. Some Russian Rap.

Honourable mention to one which I am guessing is Sid’n’Nancy but it could be Off the Cliff. After the Strangler’s style threatening bass intro, they plunge into the void with a monolithic twin guitar attack, complete with squalls of electrical overload energy. Russian Stooges!

The audience keep up with the energy level. I suspect this is a much-anticipated gig for most here tonight.

Russian Rock, or Rock’n’Roll, has a lot of familiarity for Western ears. What makes it distinctive I can’t put my finger on as yet. This is my first exposure. There is much to discover. I include the set list, with the original bands. For further research.

Rev Orange Peel

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Leoni Moreland:

Set List Hit Pump.

Sky        Pilot
No Way Out   Splean
Colonel      Bi-2
Forester    Korol i Shut
Orbit No Sugar Splean
Hali Gali      Leprikonsy
Young Wind   7B
Sansara    Basta
Slippery Roads   Bi-2 feat. Brainstorm
Breath      Nautilus Pompilius
Red on Black   Alisa
Rose Street     Aria
What Do We Need?   Serga
Clouds     Ivanushski International
Spring     Dolphin
Love is Bitch   Mikhey and Jumanji    (and then some- Rev)
It’s Time To Go Home   Bi-2
Rains-Guns    Zveri
Off The Cliff    Korol i Shut
Sid N Nancy    Lumen
Changes        Kino
Riding the Star    Nail Borzov
Wind      Brainstorm