Opposites don’t just attract; they often complement each other. What applies to interpersonal relationships is a formula with practical value even for the sound of MICH. Over the past few years, the arty punk ensemble from Amsterdam have regularly produced glorious insider tips, such as the self-confident catchy tune ‘No’ (2020) and the slick grooving ‘Nuts’ (2022) – both of which are perfect soundtracks for forgetting the madness of the pandemic years as they continue onwards. In the meantime, the group have been instrumental in fuelling the post-punk revival, at least in the Netherlands, and have earned a reputation across the country as an excellent live combo whose tight interplay is captivating from start to finish. At once somehow summery and yet also somewhat melancholic, simultaneously playful and thoughtful, MICH make music for misanthropes in the amusement park, for introverts on the dance floor, for leaving one’s comfort zone. A concert by this band is undoubtedly the best place for this – and so is St Pauli.