Friday 26 June 2015

Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 3



Last night's sudden and nasty end of the second day had one advantage: I had a great night's sleep and am totally ready for day 3! Not after we had bacon and eggs of course and a lot of coffee. This is going to be a long day! No, really, it's midsummernight so it's the longest day.

Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 3, June 21 2015

Although I slept a good night I don't make it in time for Johnny Greenwood and the London Contemporary Orchestra, which is too bad because it would have been quite nice.



Marmozets
Instead we end up at the main stage for something completely different. Marmozets are going full force with powerful rock songs and singer Becca Macintyre is screaming her lungs out. It's not really crowded yet and the rain that is falling at one point doesn't help. But it gives us a good spot at the front to see the band put in a lot of effort. Maybe not all songs are really original, but the band adds so much energy it turns into a fun performance.

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Wolf Alice
Wolf Alice's name has been buzzing around lately and their first album My Love Is Cool that came out this week, is getting raving reviews. I listened to it a few times now and it had to sink in, but now I love it. The group sounds more heavy and less electronic on stage, with the clear voice of Ellie Rowsell. Once and a while they will take it a bit more slow which balances out the set very nicely. It's a very convincing show and the band wraps the crowd around their finger with great ease. Bought tickets to their show later this year right away.

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Waxahatchee
Katie Crutchfield recorded her first album in her bedroom. She formed a band to play it live and recently released her third album. Her melancholic music is quite interesting and sounds pretty good. But her band are almost invisible and her performance would have made a bigger impression without them. It's simply not enough to keep your attention, no matter how good the songs are.

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Alvvays
Canadian band Alvvays are all ready for the summer with their positive music. The dreamy indiepop songs are bit rough around the edges giving them a bit of a bite. I do like the sound, with the feel good tunes, but the band with singer Molly Rankin still look a bit shy on stage. Although I really want to like it and music wise I do, the performance is not impressing me.

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Black Mountain
Time for some dark and heavy psychedelic rock and Black Mountain are the right band for that. The start of their show is a bit slow, where the band looks kind of static and singer Amber Webber looks a bit lost. But once they are warmed up and get in the groove, the songs become longer and sound more dangerous. Sometimes it's leaning towards Pink Floyd especially when the songs have a dark repeating groove. Guest saxophone player René Evers adds a nice touch to the dark rock songs and in the end this turns out to be a good show.



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Rats on Rafts
One of the most interesting Dutch bands still is Rats On Rafts, the band Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos loves so much. And that's for a good reason since the band's no nonsense new wave punk music is working again today. The band grow into their set and have mixed in more surf music. I still haven't listened to their new record properly, but I really like this sound. I'd rather see them in a small dark club though and I have to leave halfway since I want to see Future Islands as well.

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Future Islands
It's clear you either love or hate this band, telling from the reactions around me. I love their danceable electronic pop music, although the sound is terrible today. But fortunately Samuel T. Herring's performance makes up for that. Some say it's all just an act, but I think this is actually the way he feels the music. He just has to add the silly dance, the expressions and the grunts. I think he really pulls it out of his soul. It's not their best performance and it's too bad I missed my favourite song 'Sun In The Morning'. Herring pulls another stunt today where he ends the show off stage, runs towards the fence and climbs over to get back stage again.



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Royal Blood
British rock duo Royal Blood are shooting up in the music scene like a comet and are playing every festival there is this year. That's not bad for a band who formed two years ago and released their first album in August last year. Although the songs not always have a lot of variation, the powerful grooves are too damn good. Live on stage they are knocking them out with great force. Big hit 'Figure It Out' is even early in the set and should set this place on fire. Bass player and singer Mike Kerr looks unhappy with the crowd's response which seems to make him even more determined. If you're into this music like me and the people at the front in the big pit, this show is simply irresistible.



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Alt-J
We stick around for the big headliner of today, Alt-J. Their music is definitely not my cup of tea which I find simply boring. But of course they have become a big name so there's a large turn up. Despite an impressive light show, their performance is very static and combined with the music it can't grab me at all. Too bad for me, however it seems most people are definitely enjoying the show.



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Instead we end in style ourselves with white wine and great oysters. By the time we finish them, all our friends have gathered there as well and we make sure today and the festival ends on a big high. This was another great edition of this festival with a lot of good performances, great food, wonderful vibes and a lot of fun. Hopefully they can keep this up and I will keep visiting.

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Best Kept Secret Day 1
Best Kept Secret Day 2

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Thursday 25 June 2015

Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 2



After an incredible first day where we saw so many bands and great shows it's time for a hearty breakfast. This means bacon and eggs of course and fresh coffee. We can relax since there's no rush to get to the site where a different kind of coffee awaits.

Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 2, June 20 2015



John Coffey
Things are moving fast for Dutch hardcore punkers John Coffey. There latest album The Great News ia getting plenty of attention and they are playing shows all over the place. And then of course they landed that Pinkpop slot where the famous beer catch went viral. Today they prove they don't need a viral video to impress. Powerful songs combined with an even more powerful performance doesn't miss its effect. Relentless energy with a healthy amount of testosterone and a lot of good times on stage are a delight to watch. Singer David Achter de Molen climbs the stage scaffolding, runs around and is showing his best rock poses while the rest of the band are pounding away the uptempo rock songs. Needless to say there is plenty of crowd surfing going on. Yes, more Coffey please.



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Temples
The album Sun Structures was one of my favourite albums of last year. The psychedelic rock songs sound wonderful and I was really looking forward to seeing this band play. The trio is performing on the main stage at the middle of the afternoon. This is not a great choice since the songs that sound so great on the album don't really come across on the big field that is enjoying the sun. This stage is too big today for the somewhat static musicians as well. Sometimes when the songs are more heavy, the band sounds better, but I'm sure they would have left a better impression on one of the smaller and darker stages together with some psychedelic colourful visuals.



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Cheatahs
At Primavera a few weeks earlier I was somewhat disappointed in Cheatahs. I really like their music but live on stage they didn't add much. They are playing the small Stage 5 which should be quite suitable for them. But again, although their music actually sounds pretty good, I can't get into their performance. The band simply doesn't make an effort to light a fire and seemingly play their set on routine.



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Death Cab For Cutie
This is different for Death Cab For Cutie, a band that is admired by many fellow musicians and other bands. I can see why, since the American rock band is playing an impressive show. Patiently they are building up there songs, never pushing too hard. Singer Ben Gibbard's voice is clear and wonderful and slowly I get sucked into their music. This is how you keep a crowd on their toes, even without a lot of interaction, but simply by playing it with a lot of heart.



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Balthazar
By now Balthazar are at the top of the Belgian rock scene and doing good beyond as well. From the first time I've seen them play this band kept growing and doesn't seem to stop. Today the band shows that the main stage is a piece of cake to them. It's remarkable how all subtleties in the songs don't get lost and how relaxed the band moves around the stage. Some of them sometimes climb the big wooden boxes that are standing around them, while they play a well balanced set. I always have a bit of difficulty with how unmoved they look when they are playing. But their music simply is so good and well performed that it doesn't matter. Of course everyone raises their glass once again to the tradional closer 'Blood Like Wine' and toast with this wonderful band.



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Ride
British nineties band Ride are having a successful reunion so far as they are playing large venues and big stages on festivals everywhere. At Primavera I witnessed a convincing show and tonight it's no different. Stage Two is perfect for their music that combines shoegaze and britpop, a combination of The Stone Roses and My Bloody Valentine. I'm no expert on their songs, but again the band sounds great and many songs are wonderful. It makes you wonder why they didn't get bigger in the nineties. But maybe it is time for them to come up with new music and build on their newly acclaimed fame.



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By then it's time for Hookworms, the band that released an amazing album and played a great show in Barcelona. Before I have even seen anything of the band, one of my friends makes a nasty fall and we end up bringing him to first aid. Fortunately he seems alright but to make sure we leave for the bungalow where I can keep an eye on him. I'm glad the next day he turns out to be fine, although I did miss Hookworms and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Nothing a nice Belgian beer and a cigar can't fix.

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Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 1
Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 3

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Wednesday 24 June 2015

Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 1



Last year we decided to visit the Best Kept Secret festival for the first time. The festival at the edge of the safari park down South in The Netherlands immediately stole our heart with its razor sharp line-up, wonderful food and excellent vibes. And of course the bungalow made us aware that our camping days are over. Time to return for the third edition.

Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 1, June 19 2015

Of course once again we booked one of the bungalows and we're lucky because we get one that is closer to the festival site. So after a smooth ride and check in, we stock our fridge and sit down to relax and open the complimentary Jupiler beers. When we decide to leave for the festival site we find out we were given the wrong key. Fortunately we can sort that out quickly and hurry back where the first band awaits us.



METZ
Canadian noise rockers Metz have already started their set that is loud and tight. Solid rock songs are relentlessly fired upon us with without slowing down. Guitarist and singer Alex Edkins is screaming his lyrics like his life depends on it. Now that is a great start of the festival!

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The Coathangers
The three ladies of The Coathangers are playing catchy alternative and punk rock songs that sound good enough to get a party started. However their stage performance looks quite uninspired where they hardly look into the crowd. That's probably their image for a large part, but it also makes them quite disconnected from the crowd and therefore doesn't grab me. This might work better in a small dark club, but here it fails to be convincing.

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Klangstof
Klangstof are a new band formed by Moss bass player Koen van der Wardt. He asked some of his fellow Moss band members to join him and so we can see Moss drummer Finn Kruyning on keyboard and guitar player Michiel Stam on stage with him. Their electronic music is a bit alienating and sounds interesting although I get the feeling some work needs to be done to be convincing live as well. Their detached performance makes it hard to get really into it.

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FIDLAR
We make our way to stage Two where garage punk band FIDLAR are still playing. They have no trouble turning their show into a lively performance. "Fuck It Dog Life's A Risk" is their motto and is what FIDLAR is an acronym of. Singer Zac Carper put on his finest Aloha shirt and surf shorts to play their uplifting songs for an excited crowd that forms a pit in front of the stage. Their easy going punk songs are welcoming at this point of the day and sets the right mood.



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Strand of Oaks
By the looks of Strand of Oaks singer Timothy Showalter you would expect a loud Southern rock or hard rock band, but instead their folkrock music is very easy to digest. Fortunately it is more rock than folk, in a kind of Bruce Springsteen way. It sounds good but the music is a bit middle of the road. However Showalter turns it into a very enjoyable performance with his outgoing presence, never ending excitement and lots of positive energy, which rubs off on the people watching.



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Daniel Norgren
Swedish singer/songwriter impressed me a few years ago at the Into The Great Wide Open festival with his magical performance. Without rainbows this time, once again his wonderful songs, that carry some of the Swedish cold, grab me. Norgren is totally into his music which turns it into an intimate performance. He can make you feel as if you're the only one watching and listening.

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Eagulls
We decide to skip Circa Waves since it's not t-shirt weather at all and instead go into the dark with Eagulls. Singer George Mitchell doesn't look like a front man of a post-punk band at all, but instead looks like he just came from the office. Don't let that look fool you though, since his voice cuts through everything and the band plays a convincing show with plenty of reverb and songs that remind of The Cure.



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OFF!
Time for some good old fashioned punk with Keith Morris and OFF!. The veteran may look older but still is fired up and critical about the American society and government. His vocals are sharp and once and a while he will address the crowd with his critical opinions. At the same time his fellow band members are rocking away where especially bass player Steven McDonald is a delight to watch.

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The Jesus and Mary Chain
It's been almost thirty years since Psychocandy came out, the influential and ground breaking debut album of The Jesus and Mary Chain. The sound of that album changed the music scene and today they are showing that it hasn't lost any of its impact and the songs sound impressive as ever. The band sound great and in the dark tent the songs and band take off to a high. Psychocandy can still work its magic after all those years.



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The Pop Group
It's a tough choice between The Libertines and The Pop Group, but we decide to go see the latter. This is another legendary band that is one of the front-runners of post-punk with their blend of punk and funk that inspired many artists. Especially their live performances are legendary and I can see why. Singer Mark Stewart is totally into the very groovy music. Funky bass lines and drums mix with heavy rock and are getting everyone excited. It's the perfect spot in the line-up at this time of night where everyone simply wants to go crazy.

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Pissed Jeans
Crazy isn't enough to describe Pissed Jeans, mental is getting closer. Singer Matt Korvette may not look like a front man that will go nuts and tear the roof of a place, but wait until you see him get all fired up. The loud punk music is turning him into a mad man who is all over the stage. He's crooning, crawling, jumping, takes off his shirt, makes love to the microphone and at one point is tying his belt around his sweaty body. Punk veteran Iggy Pop would be proud of this out of control band, that are one of the highlights of today.

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And so an incredible first day ends on another high. Today there were so many bands lined up that it was hard to choose, and many of them also delivered big time. Time to grab a beer outside our chalet and get ready for day two.

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Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 2
Best Kept Secret 2015 Day 3

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Tuesday 23 June 2015

On Stage: KISS



There are bands that I just want to see once in my life, simply because they are legendary groups. Last month I saw AC/DC put down a great rock show and now KISS was visiting my town. I'm not a real hardcore fan but can certainly appreciate their music. And I really wanted to see them play one of their legendary shows.

KISS at Ziggo Dome Amsterdam, June 18 2015



We arrive at the venue well in time to find us a good spot and see The Dead Daisies try to warm up the early arrivals. They play standard classic rock that seems to go down well with many people, which means they do a good job as support act. That is no surprise since the band features well known experienced rock musicians. Many loyal fans, some are complete families, are wearing KISS T-shirts and show some painted faces. Then a big cover goes up with the famous KISS logo, hiding the whole stage. When the lights go out, thousands of cell phones go up in the air to record what comes next. I don't think I have ever seen so many people holding up their phone. The cover drops, fireworks go off and KISS kicks off with 'Detroit Rock City' while drummer Eric Singer is sitting high in the air on his drum platform.



What follows is a tightly choreographed and well-rehearsed KISS production that has all the elements the fans want to see. Even though you know everything is orchestrated and scripted, it is so chuck full of entertainment and the band are so well at it that is a lot of fun to watch. Of course it is way over the top, but that isn't a surprise and at the same time it fits this band. You shouldn't take it all too serious, as the band themselves are not doing. Their painted faces and outfits are all part of a spectacular show, with great visuals on the many screens and video wall, lots of fireworks and the many hits they have. The sound starts out bad, but within no time that is fixed and stays decent the whole show.



Bass player Gene Simmons of course is a spectacle himself, with his impressive looks and his famous tongue that he seems to stick out more than ever. Although singer Paul Stanley's voice is starting to wear, together with guitarist Tommy Thayer and Simmons they are all over the stage, getting on their knees and pointing at fans at the front row. Simmons is spitting fire in 'War Machine', spits "blood" and flies up into the air during a bass solo to land on a small platform all the way at the top of the stage where he plays 'God Of Thunder'. Stanley flies over to a platform at the back of the venue to do 'Love Gun' and 'Black Diamond' at the end of the regular set. In the encore during 'Rock And Roll All Nite', the expected last song, they pull out all their tricks for a grand finale. Simmons and Thayer are lifted above the crowd on a moving platform, Singer is rising up again while fireworks explode, confetti is shooting around and Stanley is trashing his guitar.



This was a night I'll remember for a long time. There is so much going on it is hard to describe. Oh an the music? It's great to hear this band play many of their hit songs live on stage with such a spectacular show. They are actually still pretty good at it too.



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Setlist:
01. Detroit Rock City
02. Deuce
03. Psycho Circus
04. Creatures of the Night
05. I Love It Loud
06. War Machine
07. Do You Love Me
08. Hell or Hallelujah
09. Calling Dr. Love
10. Lick It Up
11. God of Thunder
12. Cold Gin
13. Love Gun
14. Black Diamond
Encore
15. Shout It Out Loud
16. I Was Made for Lovin' You
17. Rock and Roll All Nite


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Wednesday 17 June 2015

Sniffing The Grass: A Best Kept Secret 2015 Warmup



Right now I'm right in the epicentre of this year's festival season with a festival every week. It kinda feels like I'm in heaven and every week I'm still buzzing from all the great bands I have seen. Next up is our second visit to Best Kept Secret, the festival we instantly fell in love with last year. So gather your safari gear and let's go on a safari to discover what is playing.

A lot is playing! No time to eat or sleep, there are so many bands I want to see. It is going to be impossible, but one of the nice things about BKS is, that you can easily move between stages so it is possible to see two bands that are playing at the same time.

Friday
We dive in head first right away on the first day and kick off with some heavy hardcore punk with Metz and continue with some more punkrock from The Coathangers or Drenge or maybe both. Next choice of the day is between more garage punk from Fidlar or some quiet Radiohead-like alternative electro from Klangstof. I missed the folkrock from Strand Of Oaks on Primavera but Yak's post punk/shoegaze music sounds inviting as well.

Daniel Norgren really blew me away on the Into The Great Wide Open Festival a few years back with his beautiful songs but the Jungle By Night DJ set sounds like a good afrobeat and tropical party. Circa Waves were here last year as well and played a good set. Now they have released their debut album with that lovely summer hit 'T-Shirt Weather'. Chet Faker's creative soulful music and original covers are worth checking out and then former Black Flag's singer Keith Morris' punk supergroup OFF! is probably gonna bring down the house.

The Jesus and Mary Chain are going to play their famous album Psychocandy which introduced the notorious "vacuum cleaner" sound. Pete Doherty still is unreliable but The Libertines did write some great songs so that can go either way. At the same time The Pop Group apparently are the front runners of the and inspired a whole generation of musicians. We're going to end this day the way we started it with some out of control punk from Pissed Jeans. After that it's finally time to have a bite to eat. Is that a hippo stealing my insect burger?

Three tips for today:
1. Daniel Norgren
2. Metz
3. The Jesus and Mary Chain




Saturday
Rise and shine party animals! Hopefully we had a good night sleep since John Coffey are going to wake us right up with their energetic hardcore punk and the legendary beer catching act. I never was able to see the lovely psychedelic rock of Temples so this is my chance. St. Paul and the Broken Bones will blow you away with their powerful soul music.

The Cheatahs didn't really impress me on Primavera but I'm gonna try them again. Alternative rockers Death Cab For Cutie have a solid reputation that I'm looking forward to checking out and of course Belgian band Balthazar are now one of the best Belgian rock bands around. Britpop veterans Ride surprised me with their reunion show on Primavera but Boxed In's danceable electropop sounds great to loosen up my muscles. Hookworms played a nice set in Barcelona last month with their freaked out psychedelic garage rock and of course I don't want to miss Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. I'm probably kind of hungry and thirsty by this time. Waiter, there's a chimp in my beer!

Three tips for today:
1. John Coffey
2. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
3. Temples




Sunday
It's Sunday and the last day of the festival so we're going to start slow with Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood and the London Contemporary Orchestra. After this light breakfast the punk of Pretty Vicious should get us going, otherwise Marmozets' hardcore rock certainly will. Rats On Rafts are playing later today but are also spinning records which should be interesting. Black Mountain's psychedelic and classic rock sounds very promising. Then the Rats On Rafts boys are playing their dark and powerful rock music but Future Islands' Samuel Herring will also be showing his famous dance moves with their catchy electronic pop songs.

Time for Typhoon to blow away another festival stage with his positive message. Royal Blood will definitely kill the main stage with their heavy and solid rock grooves. That kind of wraps it up for me since I don't care a lot for Sohn and I find Alt-J's music kind of boring. But maybe there will be a surprise and otherwise I finally have time to check out all the great food and have a few beers. Wait, is that a giraffe in my bed!?

Three tips for today:
1. Royal Blood
2. Rats On Rafts
3. Future Islands




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Tuesday 16 June 2015

Pinkpop 2015 Sunday



The biggest nightmare for a festival organiser is when a headlining act falls out. Even worse is when it's your closing headliner and it happens at the latest moment. Exactly this happened to the Pinkpop festival when Foo Fighters had to cancel because Dave Grohl broke his leg. They are not only one of the biggest rock bands at the moment but also the headliner everyone is after this festival summer.

Pinkpop 2015 Sunday at Landgraaf, June 14 2015

There's no way you can replace an act like that in only a day, even though festival director Jan Smeets and his team tried really hard. The solution to bring in Triggerfinger in the line-up and let Pharrell Williams close the festival was the best they could do. Of course you can't blame this on anyone and it is just really sad for the festival organisers, Dave Grohl and his Foo Fighters and all the festival visitors, especially Foo Fighters fans like me who bought a ticket for this day just to see them play. The smartest thing to do is just make the best out of it and try to have a fun day nevertheless. That's exactly what we're planning on and after a smooth trip we find ourselves on the festival site that is already bathing in sun light. Time to rock!



The Deaf
Time to rock indeed and get this party started. The Deaf are just the right band to do that, which I already knew after seeing them a few times before. Singer Spike and co. have no trouble firing up the crowd with their catchy rock 'n roll songs. Especially Spike himself and keyboard player Maurizio Pinna are going absolutely all the way and are all over the stage. The setlist is almost entirely full of uptempo rock songs that get everyone dancing and result in an early high. The band doesn't leave before Spike is crowd surfing while playing guitar and the four members are all soaking in sweat.

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Nick Mulvey
We make our way to the Brand Stage where Nick Mulvey has already started. The modest intimate songs are a different cup of tea, played patiently by his band. It all sounds pretty good and skillful, but this simply isn't my kind of music. It's too slow and cautious for me so we decide to cross over to the other side of the site.

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Typhoon
There Dutch rapper Typhoon has already started another leg of his victory parade across the country that started last year after releasing his highly successful record Lobi Da Basi. He turns every place he's playing into a big tropical party and today is no different. His energetic songs invite everyone to the dance and his wonderful tight band make sure the music keeps swinging and grooving. Typhoon himself can only answer to this with his big smile.



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Triggerfinger
Even though they have to play a show tonight at the other side of the country, Belgian rock heroes Triggerfinger didn't mind to be added to the line-up so last minute. "We are no Foo Fighters, far from it" says singer Ruben Block, "we are Triggerfinger!". And I think most Foo Fighters fans can definitely appreciate the rock show the trio is displaying. Of course I have seen them many times before, but this band never gets old and will always deliver. Today is no exception and even though all the songs are so familiar by now, they still don't miss their effect. The heavy rock is sounding more solid and spot on than ever and the three men give it all.



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Oscar and The Wolf
Also from Belgium is Oscar and the Wolf, Max Colombie's electropop project, whose dark danceable electropop songs are slowly winning over our country. They are showing today that there's a good reason for that, since the smooth sultry songs sound great and are full of hooks. The strong album Entity translates well to the live stage and most people, including many Belgians, are dancing and enjoying the tropical music. Even a cover song like Gala's 'Freed From Desire' sounds sexy in the world of Oscar and the Wolf.

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De Jeugd Van Tegenwoordig
Dutch hiphoppers De Jeugd Van Tegenwoordig have something to celebrate, their 10th anniversary, so a big present including ribbons is standing on stage. When it opens the band steps out and what better treat can they hand out than themselves? We are watching from a distance but it's clear many people enjoy songs like 'Shenkie', 'Sterrenstof' and the hit that started it all 'Watskeburt'. The very catchy songs may sometimes seem a bit cheesy but are always very clever with creative lyrics. More treats follow when they hand out a few Foo Fighters T-shirts before ending their happy birthday party with 'De Formule'.

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Kovacs
Dutch singer Sharon Kovacs surprised the Dutch music world with her dark and powerful voice and a good debut album Shades Of Black. Although she's definitely talented she lacks experience to entertain a festival crowd. Her somewhat static performance isn't always light on the stomach and her band, although routinely playing the songs, doesn't exactly add a lot of sparks either. In the end this stage is a bit too big for her but she still has plenty of time to grow.

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Placebo
Rock band Placebo are no strangers to replacing cancelled acts. They replaced Depeche Mode a few years ago as headliner and today they are replacing Sam Smith. This was good news for me and especially today I'm glad they are playing instead of Smith. The band plays a greatest hit show and you'd almost forget how many great songs they have like 'For What It's Worth' and 'Every You Every Me'. Singer Brian Molko isn't exactly Mr. Sunshine but the band knows how to play stages of this size and a festival crowd. They throw in a cover of Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill' and in the end it's a solid and satisfactory rock show.



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Pharrell Williams
By then it's time for the final performance of the weekend. And where I was expecting to be jumping on some Foo Fighters adrenaline we are now watching Pharrell Williams close the festival from a distance. Of course he has many hits but to me it feels like watching a long video with plenty of commercial breaks. I didn't expect to go wild about this show but it really just doesn't grab me at all. So after a few songs we decide to make for our car and leave the festival early and beat traffic. Oh by the way, Pinkpop is not even close to Amsterdam Mr. Williams, it takes about 2,5 hours by car.



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It's a disappointing ending to a day I was really excited about and to me the festival kind of dies out on a sort of low instead of the euphoric high I was hoping for. With this kind of weather and nice bands it was the perfect festival that in the end just was far from perfect. Still we had a great time and enjoyed the sun, great music and cold beers. It could have been worse of course and next year when the Foo Fighters will be back (which I expect) I will be there again as well.

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Monday 15 June 2015

On Stage: DIIV



Zachary Cole Smith started DIIV as a solo project which resulted in the album Oshin, inspired by German Krautrock and psychedelic bands. He formed a live band which eventually led to the formation of DIIV. The psychedelic songs are a blend of shoegaze and indie rock and the album got positive feedback. Time to go check out the band.

DIIV at Paradiso Tolhuistuin Amsterdam, June 12 2015



There's a large turn up tonight, as this show is part of the Indiestadpas again. This also means there's a lot of chatting, which you can even hear when the band is playing. It's not exactly acoustic intimate music, since the instruments use many effects and Smith's vocals are dredged in reverb. This makes it hard to understand when he's addressing the crowd. The songs sound quite nice though and have a nice light dreamy ring to them, that let you float away. Sometimes it reminds a bit of a light version of Tame Impala.



But DIIV's songs have less variation in sound and tempo, which does emphasize the dreamy and Krautrock side of the music. It is what makes the album work, the atmosphere of the music is consistent. But live it's hard to keep the audience focused, especially the ones who came here with their Indiestad pass, like me, and consider it a nice start of a night out. Loud cheers sound when it's finally time for popular 'Doused' at the end of the regular set. The band also plays a few new songs that are on their upcoming album scheduled for release later this year. It sounds as if the new songs are a continuation of their sound and don't give away a shift in direction. Still the music is nice enough and I'd keep an eye out for the new album and go check them out.



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Setlist:
01. Out Of Mind
02. Bendy
03. How Long Have You Known?
04. Under The Sun
05. Yr Not Far
06. Dopamine
07. Loose Ends
08. Oshin (Subsume)
09. Incarnate Devil
10. Grant's Song
11. Doused Pt. II
12. Sometime
13. Waste Of Breath
14. Doused
Encore:
15. Wait


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Friday 12 June 2015

On Stage: Mikal Cronin



On his third record MCIII Mikal Cronin shows once again that he's capable of writing wonderful songs. The album is full of well written composition with lush arrangements. On Primavera Sound a few weeks back it was clear that these songs sound even better live and that he's no longer the shy boy on stage. Now he was playing a stand alone show in Amsterdam and of course I had to be there.

Mikal Cronin at Bitterzoet Amsterdam, June 10 2015



The band hardly fits on the small stage of this nice venue but it suits this band to be so close to each other. The better the chemistry on stage the better the songs sound and tonight they sound amazing. The first to songs on the setlist are also the first two songs on his new album that of course is the focus of tonight's show. He has thrown in a bunch of songs of the previous record and only a few of his first album.



Again I'm amazed by how much Cronin has grown since MCII especially on stage. He's looking very confident and not shy at all any more. This only makes the songs sound better and more solid. The switches between pop song structures with harmonies and lively garage rock songs are very smooth and create a lot of variation. Together with the compact songs, the performance packs lots of momentum and tempo. A two song encore ends the show that has flew by in no time and I wouldn't mind if he kept on playing for a while longer. I can't wait to see and hear more of him, but maybe Ty Segall needs him now again.

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Setlist:
01. Turn Around
02. Made My Mind Up
03. Apathy
04. Am I Wrong
05. Say
06. Feel Like
07. Weight
08. Get Along
09. iii) Control
10. Shout It Out
11. See It My Way
12. Green & Blue
13. ii) Gold
Encore
14. vi) Circle
15. Change


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