Bob Vylan

Bob Vylan

They combine the spirit and energy of several genres that were created in their home city of London in very different decades: Seventies punk ethos meets grime, massive guitar emphasis meets socially critical plain-speaking raps, DIY attitude and spoken-word sensibilities. Even if their band name may evoke other associations, Bob Vylan from London have been shaking up more and more people in recent years with their unmistakable anti-establishment messages. This autumn, the UK duo will export their explosive sound to Germany once again when Bob Vylan come to Germany for four concerts as part of the "Humble As The Sun UK / EU Tour".

It was already clear that direct audience contact was their preferred medium when Bobby (vocals/guitar) and Bobbie (drums) gave their very first concert in 2017 - just 14 days after the band was founded. The two not only share a first name, but also a hard-hitting vision: controlled chaos is their preferred mode, inspiration set to music and criticism of the system their métier, whereby classic genre categories can at best only roughly define the battlefield on which they dish it out against the establishment. Public Enemy & Anthrax would be delighted: the straightforwardness of punk is perfectly suited as a foundation for the kind of UK rap flows that you would otherwise expect to hear over abysmal grime beats.

100 percent DIY and therefore in good hands on their own label Ghost Theatre, Bob Vylan recently released their latest album "Humble As The Sun". Their last album "Bob Vylan Presents The Price Of Life", released in 2022, went straight into the top 20 of the British charts (18th place) - and even went into the top 3 in the indie charts (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). Prior to that, the highlights of their predecessors "Dread" (2019) and "We Live Here" (2021) had already brought them streaming figures in the millions on several occasions.

After the MOBO Award 2022 ("Alternative"), even Iggy Pop (on his 6music show) took notice of them; Bob Vylan have also performed at Glastonbury, Reading/Leeds, Pukkelpop and the US Riot Fest. And while "The Delicate Nature" almost turned out to be an airplay hit in their home country, Kerrang! not only gave them a magazine cover, but also the prize for "Best Album 2022" at the Kerrang! Awards. They not only accompanied Biffy Clyro and The Offspring live, but also headlined the sold-out Electric Ballroom (London).

The two Londoners described their latest tracks as "serious and exuberant (...), solidary and also obnoxious", with which they focus above all on "the price of this life" - "in a society that puts money above everything else". As cohesion and community always come first for them, the upcoming German shows are the best opportunity to celebrate this community in a way that only Bob Vylan can: Each show begins with a moment of reflection - and culminates in a huge, room-filling group hug.