Super Hans
Any show that starts with a rowdy mob of Peep Show mega fans chanting “I just wanna f**k n suck, f**k n suck, f**k n suck, I just wanna f**k n suck all the whole night through!” (A quote from the episode feat Super Hans' stag do if my memory serves me) is bound to be a winner. If a fictional character can rile up the most obscure mismatch of individuals (ask yourself this; what does a collection of Peep Show fans even look like?!) into an absolute wild frenzy before they have even made it centrestage then there must be something pretty special going on. It was clear from the offset that the adoration and avid following of the UK hit series had well and truly swept through Norwich and tonight people of all walks of life were coming together to let loose on a Thursday night.
Donning a faux fur leopard skin blazer and aviators Hans certainly looked the part and maintained the persona throughout the entire performance. I had to keep reminding myself that I wasn’t actually in a parallel universe in which Peep Show was real life; I kept half expecting to see Jez raving in the mosh pit and Mark awkwardly loitering at the back judging everyone for having a nice time! Hans knew how to work the crowd and rather comically pointed, pranced and posed for them, plucking people’s phones to take a selfie on stage and high-fiving as many people as possible. In short, just absolutely lording it, soaking up every ounce of attention and worship from the “shitmunchers” in true Super Hans style! It really was such an amusing and unique dynamic between artist and crowd.
It is difficult to recall all of the tracks that stood out to me, but I can say with confidence that it was one of the most eclectic, high tempo shit storms of a set list I have even raved to! Everything from Prodigy’s Firestarter to The Beatles' Get Back (acid house remix-of course!) mixed with high intensity, chopping and changing every minute from 90’s rave to modern indie and straight back to old skool drum n bass (with the bass cranked up to breaking point at all times!) And guess what? Norwich bloody loved it! There was even a point where Hans cut the track and said “I think it’s all just got a bit much in here, Norwich, I think I need a little rest for a minute!” At which point he started playing some lounge notes on a keyboard and sparked up a “spliff” to settle himself down again.
I couldn’t help but smile as I bounced along to an excellent remix of Jay-Z’s Ni**as in Paris”when I noticed the visuals of an acid rave ecstasy smily face fade into a rainbow flashing white transit van as a nod to one of Hans' better known entrepreneurial ventures “Men with Ven”. It was just all so surreal, ridiculous and genuinely laugh out loud. For example, when the audience was introduced to Olga (DJ) and Jesus, Hans spoke exactly as he would on the show when Jez and Mark question the random girlfriend or mate he has in tow after a heavy night out. “She’s the love of my life, we met four weeks ago in a squat rave in Berlin, speaks f**k all English, bless her!”
I guess my only criticism would be that there weren’t more interludes like this throughout the show. I think I was expecting there to a more of a stand up comedy element to the performance where as it was definitely more heavily focused on the DJ set. In saying that, I also attended the gig sober, drank one can of Red Stripe and had work the next day so I couldn’t fully embrace the extreme set list as Superhans intended it.
A top quality novelty night out, best enjoyed off your face on, I don’t know, crack or something. I hear it’s really moreish…
8/10
