Sunday 14 June 2020

On Stage: Tim Knol @ De Nieuwe KHL




Three months without live music is very rare to me. I'd have to go way back to find a period with such a long drought. Fortunately now things are slowly opening up again, although I'm afraid it will still be a long time before theatres and venues are back to normal and we can watch artists on stage the way we used to. Dutch singer Tim Knol is one of those artists that always went his own way and who has always been in control of his own career. He's one of the first artists to start performing again and who is trying to make the best out of it.

Tim Knol at De Nieuwe KHL Amsterdam, June 10 2020



Of course it isn't a concert the way we are used to. It's a small place with an even smaller audience. In total 30 people are seated mostly as pairs at tables and Knol is by himself on the small stage. It creates a nice atmosphere though and it feels like an intimate performance. It is a good setting for Knol who is used to playing solo and knows how to entertain a crowd like this.



He has built a versatile catalogue with his solo albums, but also with his garage rock project The Miseries and more recently the blue grass album with Blue Grass Boogiemen. He was supposed to go on tour with that last band. Knol uses this versatility with great effect and mixes in some cover songs as well. After being in a bad place for a while, he decided it was time for a change and worked hard for this, lost a lot of weight and is now in great shape. It suits him and his voice is more clear and powerful than ever. His guitar skills are getting more impressive every time I see him, which he proves by playing a lightning fast blue grass song.

Many of his own songs are somewhat melancholic or sad and he jokes that he will start playing more uplifting songs later on, which he does. He's great with these little chats in between songs that usually have a funny twist and bring a relaxed vibe. It also closes the distance between the audience and him, which is wonderful nowadays when keeping distance is so important now. It's exactly what makes live music so good. That interaction between an artist and the audience and the way they can connect.



I can't be more happy and thrilled that I'm able to experience live music again, even thought it is a only a tiny step. I certainly hope more steps can follow soon and these artists who need this so bad can start performing again to make a decent living. I'm really glad Tim Knol was the one who played for us at this first concert, since he's exactly one of those artists who need these kind of performances so bad. Go support these artists and venues, especially now they are going through such a hard time. Go see them when they are performing, buy a couple of drinks, buy their music and merchandise. Hopefully most of them will be able to survive this crisis. I certainly will be attending concerts whenever I can. I can't wait for the next one!

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