On Stage: Claw Boys Claw @ Paradiso

35 years ago Dutch rock band Claw Boys Claw was founded and have been a welcome guest at stages across the country ever since. They earned that reputation by playing lots of shows and working hard. Now they are taking it a bit more slow and release an album every five years or so. When they do, they get back on the horse and tour around all those stages, something that can't be missed.

Claw Boys Claw at Paradiso Amsterdam, March 28 2018

Because this group still knows how to put on an extremely good rock show. This year saw the release of It's Not Me, The Horse Is Not Me - Part 1, an LP that shows this band is still on top of things and is only getting better. Singer Peter Te Bos and guitar player John Cameron are the two members that have been with this band for all those years. Their chemistry hasn't worn off for a bit and the two keep on writing smart rock songs with that wonderful slow and heavy blues feel and a punk edge.

On stage that chemistry is still there as well, magnified by the other two members bass player Marcus Bruystens and drummer Jeroen Kleijn. Tonight we see a band that is in top shape, playing a two hour rock show that doesn't have any weak spots. Te Bos is dancing around the stage with a big smile on his face, joking with people at the front once and a while, having a wonderful time himself. His vocals are still very strong, not showing any wear and he still takes his usual walk through the crowd. I love the way Cameron plays his guitar, bopping up and down like a real life bobblehead.

A little boy wearing a "super kid" shirt is sitting at the side of the stage looking at the band in awe. With big eyes he's watching the crowd of mostly middle aged men going mental in front of the stage. Once and a while people will dance wildly all the way to the back. In the song 'Super kid' the boy stands up, pointing to his shirt with a big smile. Te Bos of course walks over to the boy and sings with him for a short while.

This is exactly what a night with Claw Boys Claw is all about. People of all ages sharing a moment of amazing rock music and enjoying the hell out of it. The band can't leave before they play two encores. closing the night like they always do with The Stooges' 'I Wanna Be Your Dog'. I guess this band is the Dutch version of The Stooges, fronted by a rock icon that is not slowing down. Let's hope there will be many of these moments still to come.

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Setlist:
01. It's Not Me, The Horse Is Not Me
02. Seaweed
03. Dakota Chill
04. Troglodyte
05. Suck up The Mountain
06. Hammer
07. Throw Me A Bone
08. Red Letter
09. Bite the Dice
10. My Beautiful Carpet
11. Sleepwalking
12. Shakes
13. Polly Maggoo
14. In A While
15. Weatherman
16. Indian Wallpaper
17. Wild Voodoo
Encore 2:
18. Echo Echo
19. Rosie
20. Superkid
21. Locomotive Breath
22. So Mean
23. That's Life
Encore 1:
24. Ellah
25. I Wanna Be Your Dog