On Stage: No Age @ Bitterzoet

Halfway their performance at Bitterzoet No Age's drummer and singer Dean Allen Spunt recalls the last time they played The Netherlands. After their regular show earlier that day they were invited to play on a boat, but were so fried they couldn't finish any of their songs. The noise rock duo from LA has quite a live reputation and are back with a new album Snares Like A Haircut.

No Age at Bitterzoet Amsterdam, March 26 2018

There are plenty of duos that are able to work big crowds, but not many where the drummer is singing. Spunt isn't exactly Phil Collins but is doing a good job at both. It is a drawback when the drummer is singing, since it can become quite static, especially when there's only two people on stage. Guitar player Randy Randall is standing in front of a big stack of Marshalls, but is hiding behind his hair the whole night. It doesn't exactly set the place on fire.

The duo have quite nice songs though like 'Glitter' and the explosive 'Fever Dreaming'. When you listen to their EPs and albums they are full of these kind of songs. They mix in some weird effects and electronics and try to this on stage as well. It actually slows down the performance a bit and Spunt's uncomfortable speeches in between don't really speed up things either.

It doesn't mean this is a bad show, since it isn't. The music is good and there are plenty of good songs on the set list. Just somehow you expect their music to be face melting where people lose their mind and hang from the ceiling. It is simply not as rough or explosive as you can hear on their records. Maybe a bigger drum kit could help as Spunt's one looks a bit small. Or maybe they should have used the huge guitar they sound checked at the beginning but never used. I still had fun though, but was expecting a more wild night.



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Setlist:
01. Cruise Control
02. Stuck in the Changer
03. Sleeper Hold
04. Secret Swamp
05. Snares Like a Haircut
06. Separation
07. Fever Dreaming
08. Glitter
09. Drippy
11. Popper
12. Soft Collar Fad
13. C’mon, Stimmung
14. Tidal
15. Send Me
16. Air
17. Teen Boy