Tune In Your Head: Miles Kane - Loaded

It's always good news when Miles Kane announces new music, especially when his last album Don't Forget Who You Are was released five years ago already. June 8th will see the light of Coup De Grace and 'Loaded' is the first single, that he wrote with Lana del Rey. I like that woman's touch. Listen here:

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On Stage: The Last Shadow Puppets @ Paradiso

It's been a while since we heard from The Last Shadow Puppets, the cooperation of blood brothers Alex Turner and Miles Kane. A lot has changed in the eight years since their first album caused quite a stir. Turner's Arctic Monkeys grew out to be one of the biggest rock bands and Miles Kane built up a successful solo career. They were hinting at a new album for quite a while and finally last week it dropped together with a tour.

The Last Shadow Puppets at Paradiso Amsterdam, April 7 2016

It is clear this project is all about having fun and blowing off steam, especially for Turner who feels the pressure of being in one of the most successful bands of the past decade. Maybe the new album Everything You've Come To Expect isn't the one everyone hoped for, but I think it's not as big as a disappointment some of the reviewers like you to believe. After the first album, which took everyone by surprise. we kind of knew what to expect, but still there's plenty to enjoy. Tonight proves this because the new songs are by no means any less than the older ones. For instance 'Aviation' sounds wonderful live with the string section at the side of the stage. That string section makes all the difference any way, making the songs sound very alive and organic.

'Bad Habits' is a great rocking song with a very contagious groove. Kane can show his rock star poses and skills here and is looking very pleased tonight. He's laughing all night long while Turner is showing his best Elvis face. It's a delight seeing those two guys on stage together. Boys will be boys and Kane and Turner look like two rascals (haha) looking for trouble, exchanging smiles and naughty looks. Turner excels in the slower songs with his brilliant lazy singing style, playing the ultimate crooner.

The two boys brought a great sounding band with them besides the string section and knock everyone off their feet tonight with a lively, inspired and sexy show. It's no wonder everyone is begging for more after the regular set which consists of almost the whole new album and most of the first one, so the lads return for a wonderful version of The Beatles' 'I Want You (She's So Heavy)'. Who expected that? A lush version of 'Standing Next To Me' closes the night. Of course The Last Shadow Puppets are a bit tongue in cheek and if you take them too serious it doesn't work. But they always make sure it doesn't get cheesy and of course with these amazing musicians and a world class song writer like Alex Turner they meet every expectation and more.



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Setlist:
01. Calm Like You
02. The Age Of The Understatement
03. She Does the Woods
04. Aviation
05. Separate And Ever Deadly
06. Used to Be My Girl
07. The Element of Surprise
08. The Dream Synopsis
09. My Mistakes Were Made For You
10. Only The Truth
11. Bad Habits
12. Dracula Teeth
13. Everything You've Come to Expect
14. Meeting Place
15. Sweet Dreams, TN
16. In My Room
Encore
17. I Want You (She's So Heavy) (The Beatles cover)
18. Miracle Aligner
19. Standing Next To Me


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Rock Werchter 2014 Day 1: Day Of Legends

This year is the fourtieth edition of the Rock Werchter festival in Belgium. In all those years it grew out from a small festival to a huge one with 80,000 visitors every day and the biggest headliners. This year the line-up looked better than ever, so we really couldn't stay home.

Rock Werchter 2014 Thursday, July 3 2014

After a smooth journey we find a queue at the camping ground, but fortunately it moves fast. Within no time our tents are up and we're sipping a well deserved cold beer in the sun. This way we also make it to the festival ground in time for the first band.



Radkey
The three Radke brothers surprised me a few weeks ago on the Best Kept Secret Festival and are the opening band on the huge main stage. But the three young men don't mind and play another convincing show. They bring their Ramones infused punk rock with a lot of energy and try to shrink the huge gap, the square Metallica ramp and pit causes. It's a shame that all the bands have to fight this pit where no one is allowed in yet. Radkey don't seem to mind and make a well deserved victory round on the ramp at the end of their set.



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Daptone Super Soul Revue
A two hour soul party follows with the best the Daptone Records label has to offer. We missed the beginning and the first few acts and enter the show at the moment where Charles Bradley makes his entry. The "Screaming Eagle of Soul" never lets down and brings his soul songs with all his heart. A bunch of flowers is thrown on the stage and the gentle singer is handing them out one by one to people at the front at the end of the show.



He's followed by the afro-beat band Antibalas. Fronted by the charismatic Duke Amayo, dressed and painted in bright colours, the band starts a dancing party and heats up the hot tent even more. The horns section all get a chance to show their stuff and the band know how to play the crowd.



After that it's Sharon Jones' turn, who will close this super soul show. And you can leave that to the small but powerful singer whose strong performance wraps everyone around her finger within no time. Backed up by her great band The Dap-Kings, she puts up a very good show. Although I'm still not sure what to think of her music, she's showing today what a great singer and performer she is.



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Miles Kane
Another great performer is of course Miles Kane. He has proven that many times. On this hot afternoon his show takes off maybe a bit slow, but after a few songs his hard work is paying off. The still fit crowd is coming alive and soon everyone is dancing to the catchy rock tunes. And so by the time Kane is playing his final song 'Don't Forget Who You Are' everyone is joining in for the "nanana" part.



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White Lies
The bright sun light doesn't look like the right environment for the dark songs of White Lies. The band never was really able to impress me on stage before, but today they actually play a good show. Of course the group has many hit songs that are scattered throughout the set. Somewhere in the middle it sounds like they are letting it slip away again as the attention of the crowd is fading. But then they pick it up and win back the willing crowd.



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Robert Plant And The Sensational Space Shifters
Many people have shown up to watch the legendary singer of Led Zeppelin. Robert Plant is in great shape and knows exactly what the crowd wants to hear. He is throwing around some Zeppelin songs, that sometimes get different arrangements with African influences which sound amazing. His voice is still quite good for his age and backed up by his great and tight band, just now and then you almost feel you're listening to that legendary band from the past. When they start off 'Whole Lot Of Love' a big roar rises from the crowd and the place is totally exploding. Plant himself is looking very pleased with this response and for a good reason. Sensational indeed.



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Damon Albarn
Hardly recovered from that, we find our way to the next legend. To me Damon Albarn is one of the best composers and musicians around. And he is showing that today, with songs from his entire career, Blur of course, but also The Good, The Bad & The Queen, Gorillaz and even Rocketjuice & The Moon. Naturally Albarn is playing many songs of his solo album Everyday Robots, which is a down tempo record, but full of tension. The Heavy Seas Of Love, his backing band, are doing a fine job at combining all these styles into a homogeneous entity. The moments where Albarn is sitting behind the piano all by himself are beautiful and when he's playing my favourite Blur song 'Out Of Time' it is even magical.



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Metallica
The big closing headline of today is of course Metallica. Many people have come to the main stage to see the big metal band play songs that have been requested by the fans. It turns into a greatest hits show with some fan favourites, that is not so much different from all their shows we have seen them play in the past. From our position the sound isn't really great, the drums are too loud in the mix, but this could just be the spot we're in. The only surprise in the show is that their are no fireworks. Still the visuals on the massive screens look great as does the impressive light show with tons of lasers. It's quite a spectacle for anyone seeing the band for the first time I'm sure. For anyone else who's not a real fan, it's nothing more than a solid rock show.



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And so this festival was off to a great start. We're still in great shape and that means we are going to drink a few more beers. Where the party at?

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Rock Werchter 2014 Day 2
Rock Werchter 2014 Day 3
Rock Werchter 2014 Day 4

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Best Kept Secret 2014 Day 2: The Party Is On

We wake up to the sound of chirping birds in a real bed. After a refreshing warm shower without waiting in line, the smell of fried eggs and fresh coffee fills the little house. We can even have breakfast outside at a real table with real chairs. This is such luxury at a festival and pure joy. I feel really great and am totally ready for day two.

Best Kept Secret Festival Day 2, June 21 2014

But it's so relaxed sitting outside sipping our coffee that we take it a bit too slow and by the time we make it to the main stage, The Bots are saying their goodbyes. So we walk back to stage Three for our first band of the day.



Pins
The four ladies from Manchester are like a younger and lighter version of Savages in a good way. They do bring that dark eighties sound, but add just enough punk and colour to it. And they also add plenty of smiles especially guitarist Lois McDonald who looks like she's having a blast on stage. This band could come a long way.

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Moss
Dutch band Moss released another good album earlier this year. They fully understand the concept of "less is more" and showcase that this afternoon. This doesn't mean they only play slow minimal songs, sometimes the band plays one of their more uptempo rock songs. The slower songs are a bit hard to chew for the crowd as the sun is getting brighter and warmer and the beers colder. But they are definitely one of the more interesting acts on the bill.

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Radkey
On stage Three we stumble on a full on rock party. Three young men, made up of the three Radke brothers, are completely killing it here, playing super energetic rock songs and totally look cool doing. Bass player Isaiah seems to have walked out of an eighties video while singer Dee is shaking his dreads. You wouldn't expect such a powerful voice from this little man. But they are growing big on stage and are one of the nicest surprises on this festival.

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School Is Cool
The second album by Belgian band School Is Cool is a lot darker and complex than their catchy debut. The band is clearly growing up and so is singer Johannes Genard who seems to be quite fond of his new hairstyle. The band had a few line up changes but sound pretty tight together. Not all of their new songs are very easy and they like to make it hard on their audience. But Gennard is clearly planning on getting every single one us on his side. It's definitely a band that is still growing and has a lot to offer. Their hard work is paying off and that is showing today.

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Wild Beasts
Another band that doesn't like to make things easy are Wild Beasts. But they also aren´t really appealing to me, mostly because of the falsetto vocals by Tom Flemming. Together with the slow and dramatic compositions it is getting on my nerves. They did bring nice lighting with them and I understand that it can turn magical when you're into their music. The foursome is playing a convincing and focused set but this is just not for me.

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Miles Kane
Another cup of tea and definitely mine is Miles Kane. More and more he is growing into a wanted festival act and for a good reason. He's playing his in-your-face rock music with so much energy and enthusiasm it's too hard to resist. Today is no exception. Kane is working hard as always and is enjoying every minute of his show in the sun. For some people it may not be refined enough or too simple, but they must admit that Miles Kane is able to throw a good party wherever he is showing up. And I think most people on this spot today are agreeing to that.



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Afterpartees
A band that also knows how to throw a party, before, during or after, are Dutch rockers Afterpartees. This young band have moulded their punk and garage rock songs into super catchy party anthems and have just the right front man to perform them. Niek Nellen looks like he was born to perform, with a natural feeling for rock poses and the right amount of cheekiness. The band knows exactly what the people want today and give it to them in large amounts and lots of energy. The security guy is getting more and more desperate by the minute to keep an eye out for illegal crowd surfers. He never stood a chance.



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The War On Drugs
One of the most anticipated acts this weekend is probably The War On Drugs. The band is getting bigger every day and their latest album is bound to end up high in the end of the year lists. Today they prove this is all justified. Their music, a mix of Bob Dylan and Springsteen with a pinch of Dire Straits, may not be really appealing on paper but it definitely is. The warm and dreamy songs are also spot on in the nice evening sun. Many people subdue themselves to this band and let themselves slowly carry away.

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Franz Ferdinand
If you want a headliner that is guaranteed to throw a party, who do you call? Franz Ferdinand! Maybe not the most original festival act or music, but can we ever get enough of them? Not when it is performed with so much energy and aimed at people having a good time. Charismatic front man Alex Kapranos is looking totally relaxed again, while they fire away one hit after another. Resistance is futile so we keep the beer flowing and the jumping going. "This fire is out of control" you bet ya.



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And so we feel right at home at this festival that is turning into one of our favourites. Everything is in balance, everything is relaxed and musical wise there's something to everyone's taste. And having a few more beers in your jungalow before you climb into a real bed is just icing on the cake. Yes, I like the word "jungalow" a lot.

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Best Kept Secret Day 1
Best Kept Secret Day 3

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Miles Kane Blows Off The Roof

Almost two months ago Miles Kane's performance on the idyllic festival Into The Great Wide Open felt a bit out of place. His rock show and powerful britpop songs were a bit too much for the family friendly crowd. But I'm sure that Paradiso is just the kind of place for the always hard working Kane.

Miles Kane at Paradiso Amsterdam, October 26 2013



He's playing to a sold out venue tonight and doesn't let his fans down. Kane is always giving it all and is getting a lot back tonight. It's a great and willing crowd who are ready to rock their heads off. It's one of those shows where artist and audience only keep intensifying each other. After a few songs the crowd is already sold. Kane is in great shape and totally in his element. Tonight everything is working for him. The response of his fans is firing him up even more. He's putting on his best rock poses and is playing cheering games between the floor and balcony.



His energetic songs do the rest. 'Rearrange' and 'Better Than That' will win over any crowd willing to party. Pits are forming on the floor with Kane watching with a big smile and twinkling eyes. He's smoothly mixing The Rolling Stones anthem 'Sympathy For The Devil' into 'Give Up' with everyone joining in. After playing 'Don't Forget Who You Are' the band is shortly leaving the stage while the crowd keeps chanting the verse. At the same time the fans on the floor show why they won the small game earlier.



Kane returns for the final encore. "Are you ready to blow off the roof?" Kane is asking? That's exactly what happens during the last song 'Come Closer'. Good friend and Arctic Monkeys front man Alex Turner once said that he would love for Miles Kane to join them. Although he would fit in perfectly with that band I'm glad he's choosing to follow his own path.



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Setlist
01. Bombshells
02. You're Gonna Get It
03. Taking Over
04. Rearrange
05. What Condition Am I In?
06. Kingcrawler
07. Quicksand
09. Better Than That
10. Darkness In Our Hearts
11. Take the Night from Me
12. My Fantasy
13. Tonight
14. Give Up (extended with Sympathy for the Devil)
15. Out of Control
16. Inhaler
17. Don't Forget Who You Are
Encore
18. Colour of the Trap
19. Come Closer


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ITGWO 2013 Day 2: Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Today it's less hot and sunny. I'm in doubt whether to go for a swim, but decide not to, since it feels too chilly. We still have time for some breakfast in the small village at the harbour before we make our way into the woods for the first band.

Into The Great Wide Open 2013 Day 2, September 7 2013



Elephant Stone
Front man Rishi Dhir of Canadian band Elephant Stone has Indian roots. You can hear this in their psychedelic music. He's also playing the sitar which he brought along with him. For a while he sticks to playing the bass though. Their music couldn't sound better between the trees. The songs are full of reverb and fuzz and take you away from this planet. It reminds of The Beatles' psychedelic period at the end of their career. Halfway Dhir is finally sitting down on the small riser to play the remarkable Indian instrument, his legs crossed. It's the perfect instrument for this psychedelic music and a very nice twist.

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traumahelikopter
We go to the stage in the dunes, for a series of bands playing here in a row. You don't expect a punk band on this relaxed and idyllic festival, where small kids are experiencing their first live shows. But traumahelikopter don't care and will play any stage. And once again do a great job with their short and energetic punk songs. Kids are watching in awe, while their dads pogo in the mosh pit. One dad is even teaching his son how to join in. Singer Mark Lada is joking this is oldest crowd they ever played. He's trying out the length of his mic cable, jumps off stage and into the dunes. He is going to the top of the slope where small paper windmills are spinning in the wind. Two are pulled from the sand for the way back. Later guitar player Daan van Dalen jumps off stage as well, hands his guitar to a flabbergasted young lad and makes for his usual round of crowd surfing. The threesome prove that even punk music has its place at ITGWO.



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Parquet Courts
And why not continue that way with more punk music? Parquet Courts made a great record with spiky vigorous punk and garage rock songs. However in the beginning the boys seem a bit detached from the crowd, despite a small group at the front going mental. It gets better during the performance. Guitarist Austin Brown is singing some songs, but his vocals aren't really strong. The angry looking Andrew Savage (what's in a name) is a more convincing singer. His vocals are more aggressive and give the songs the right amount of bite. It's not a perfect performance, but it does show the band is capable of writing good rock songs.

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Dawes
Time to take it slow now. Dawes are playing rootsy country and blues songs. It actually is quite pleasant, but after a few songs it all sounds alike. The band isn't exactly charismatic either and after a while I'm getting quite bored with it. With this kind of music it could have been so much better on this stage in the dunes.

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Daniel Norgren
Swedish blues musician Daniel Norgren is doing a lot better later on with intense blues music. While picking his guitar, he's working a few pedals for the bass and snare drum. The only other band member, Anders Grahn, is adding contrabass to it. They both look like to be coming from some farmer's state in the US, with their lumberjack shirt and baseball caps. Norgren is mostly singing with his eyes closed, completely feeling his music. They both manage to keep most of the rain out and in the end get rewarded by a big round of applause and a beautiful rainbow.

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The Black Angels
When the dark sets in, the dune stage transforms in an even more atmospheric place. It turns out to be the perfect setting for The Black Angels. Their dark psychedelic songs are not missing impact. Red and purple lights are keeping the band in the shade. Vocals full of reverb are echoing across the dunes, while the band dives into lengthy jams. We're happily drifting along and slowly get lost in the gloomy sounds.

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Miles Kane
You wouldn't expect Miles Kane to be playing this festival. Although the program so far proved that louder rock bands can work well too. But the crowd on the sports field is a hard one. It is willing to party, however aren't typical rock fans. Kane is working hard like always. There just isn't a connection with the people tonight. Instead of trying to adjust to the more relaxed and intimate vibes, he seems to turn it up even more. Normally I like his music and performance a lot and don't mind his typical British arrogance. But tonight it just doesn't work. Hopefully he will be more convincing next month for his club show in Amsterdam

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Tonight we decide to take a look at the beach, where there are some camp fires lit. There's even a DJ playing on an improvised DJ desk. The music is faltering a lot due to some power restrictions I assume. The growing number of people doen't seem to mind. We have beer at one of the camp fires and then decide to call it a day. I'm pretty sure the rainbow we saw earlier struck gold right on the island today.

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Into The Great Wide Open 2013 Day 1
Into The Great Wide Open 2013 Day 3

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Lowlands 2013 Day 2: Nevermind That Shaky Start

After a rainy night we wake up to the sun. My body has digested all the beers in a good way. Time for a pancake breakfast in the sun and the first music of the day!

Lowlands 2013 Day 2, August 17 2013



Nevermind
A cover project of the holy Nirvana album Nevermind by some Dutch bands. This may sound like blasphemy to some hardcore fans. I am a bit sceptical, but still want to see it. It starts off really bad. Dutch Hiphop act The Opposites asked some unknown band, that you wouldn't even let play in your garage, to back them up. They totally screw up 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' and 'Bloom'. I'm sure Mister and Missisippi are great at what they do, but they drain all the energy out of 'Come As You Are'. Fortunately DeWolff, Kensington and especially Elle Bandita show how to do justice to this legendary album. Moss close the set and know how to make the last songs of the album sound like their own. Although I love their music, I don't know if it's an improvement. These cover versions are available as a vinyl LP but I'm gonna leave that one alone and rather play the original.



Mozes and the Firstborn
The young dogs of Eindhoven garage rock band Mozes and the Firstborn are living the dream of young musicians: playing in a band, making a record and touring all over the place. They will even leave for the USA soon and are now playing Lowlands. I like their record for its energy, although I have to admit most songs aren't that special. Some of them are good though, have really smart hooks and sound catchy. The best thing about this band is that the boys play with such enthusiasm, it reflects in their music. On stage this is no different. It is a delight watching these guys enjoy every second of their performance. If they stick together and keep on playing this much, within a few years this will be a killer band I'm sure.



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Ben Zabo
A musician from Mali playing a blend of afrobeat, african funk and highlife. I'm game! Ben Zabo and friends are dressed in traditional clothes for the occasion. Except for the white guitar player who probably simply doesn't own one of those beautiful outfits. Zabo is a sound technician who worked with many great artists and learned how to do it himself this way. Music wise it isn't anything special, but Zabo is a charming person with a big smile on his face throughout the full show, the true African way. Their music is a perfect fit for this sunny afternoon. Especially the marimba player is stealing the show with some crazy solos. At one point he's even turning his instrument upside down to play it while lying on the floor. Zabo is a chatty person, introducing his songs with stories about Mali politics and how he's looking for a Dutch girl to marry. I'm not sure if he won any of the ladies over, but it sure was a good party

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Miles Kane
Since I'm going to see Miles Kane at least twice later this year, we try to make it into the X-Ray for Dutch punk rockers John Coffey. But again it's too full and so we decide to join Kane for a good rock show after all. You can leave that up to him. Although the Bravo tent is slowly getting less crowded, Kane is not to blame. He's giving it all like always. The sound is pretty awful, maybe because they use this stage mostly for dance music and dj sets. In the end everyone who is still in the tent is literally brought to his knees and is joining Kane in the final song 'Come Closer'.

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Unknown Mortal Orchestra
The second album II of Ruban Nielson's Unknown Mortal Orchestra or UMO, is still high on my year list. He can be a bit whimsical but is always good for some good music and lengthy jams. I still have a hard time getting used to his falsetto vocals, but it does fit the crazy music. Psychedelic guitar riffs and hypnotic jams suck you into his disturbing and confusing world. Sometimes he's playing like a maniac, other times pulling himself back into the dark at the back of the stage. Bass player Jake Portrait and drummer Riley Geare are following him skilfully with swinging grooves, keeping it tight. Again like Mikal Cronin yesterday it requires a bit of effort but it all pays off in the end.



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Editors
Much has been written and said about the shaky process that eventually lead to the new Editors album The Weight Of Your Love. Also about the so-called transfer into a big stadium act. Critics are now criticizing the band for the same reasons they used to praise them for a few years back: the way Tom Smith is feeling the music is now suddenly overdone, the guitar sound is now too bombastic and the band is spicing up their act with unneeded fireworks. I guess it's the price they have to pay for their success. Critics never seem to like bands who make it big and become mainstream. Tonight they are proving to be a great headliner. They stripped all the more quiet songs from their set and are treating us to a one hour big high. Hit after hit are turning on the crowd, until a big climax in last song 'Papillon'. This is what headliners do and Editors knows this. Yes, it's different than the time we saw them play small intimate clubs and yes the new album isn't their best. But songs like 'Munich' and 'Bones' still sound great and will kill any festival crowd.



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That was another great end of a fun day. Nevermind that shaky start, I'm up for some partying! Is that Titty Twister line even longer tonight!?

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Lowlands 2013 Day 1
Lowlands 2013 Day 3

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Rock Werchter 2012 Day 2: Almost Perfect Day

We get our first rain today, but since we're still in our tent it doesn't hurt us a bit. Actually it cools things down so we can sleep a bit longer. After the rain stops we still have plenty of time to make it to the festival site for the first band.

Rock Werchter 2012 Day 2, June 29 2012




School Is Cool
This young Belgian band had a few hits in their home country coming from their debut album Entropology And they mean business today. The band members want to show their home crowd what they're made off. It's an energetic show and especially Andew van Ostade puts on a great act and is a lot of fun to watch. They have a few very good songs like 'Warpaint' and 'The World Is Gonna End Tonight' which are greeted with excitement. Especially when a small machine is blowing foam snow flakes covering the first row. They even manage to form two circle pits in the crowd. Great job by these newcomers who hopefully will treat us to a lot more in the future.


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Miles Kane
More excitement with Miles Kane later on. And the English musician deserves it. His performance is convincing as is his stage appearance. The album he released last year holds enough songs to captivate the crowd and Kane himself is getting more excited by the minute. This results in an inspired and stretched out 'Come Closer' at the end of the set where everyone keeps singing the "ah-ah-ah-ah-ah" part even when Kane already has gone off the stage.



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Gossip
Beth Ditto and her band have to work a lot harder to keep every one's attention. She has broken her ankle and is less active than usual. Her voice is shrill and starts to get on my nerves. They have a few decent songs but it's not enough to lift this performance to a higher level, no matter what Ditto is trying today.

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Jack White
Contrary to Ditto, Jack White has no trouble getting the best out of his band. He chose the all-male band today, Los Buzzardos, and that is working out well. All dressed in black and blue, they are tight and simply sound great. White himself is quite chatty and seems to be enjoying himself. He has this impressive catalogue that he can choose from, playing songs by The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather and of course his solo album. Like that album it's admirable to see how he's able to weld all this variety in songs together. 'Hotel Yorba', 'Steady As She Goes' and 'Sixteen Saltines' all blend together nicely. It's great to hear that The White Stripes songs sound so good when he's backed up with a full band and a good drummer (sorry Meg). He finishes us off with an insane 'Seven Nation Army'.



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dEUS
Still touring clubs and festivals in support of their album Keep You Close, Belgian's pride and glory dEUS are on familiar ground here. In the meanwhile they have released a new album Following Sea out of the blue that got mixed reviews. With so many great songs, this brilliant band cannot go wrong. But I would have expected a bit more fireworks on their home ground. Nevertheless I can never get tired seeing them play songs like 'Hotel Lobby', 'Instant Street' and 'Bad Timing'. Even when watching them from the side, waiting to get up front with Pearl Jam.



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Pearl Jam
At the concert last Tuesday we were quite far in the back and we want to see them up close this time. We thought we knew what to expect but still are pleasantly surprised how well they play their headlining slot. Of course this time they play a greatest hit set list with the usual suspects like 'Corduroy' with 'Interstellar Overdrive' intro again, 'Even Flow' and 'Alive'. That doesn't mean that this is just your avarage show. They blend 'Daughter' with Pink Floyd's 'Another Brick In The Wall' and play PiL's 'Public Image'.



Eddie Vedder again holds a small speech in Flemish and looks even more inspired and fired up this time. He makes jumps from monitor speakers several times and stands at the side of the stage now and then, as if he wants to admire this great rock band. He dedicates a ferocious 'Spin The Black Circle' to Jack White. The set closes with 'Rockin' In The Free World' where he's getting a dazed young boy and his excited dad on stage to play the tambourine. The last song of the night is the traditional closer 'Yellow Ledbetter'. Vedder smokes a cigarette sitting down on a monitor speaker before leaving a stunned Werchter audience behind. No band will be able to top this I'm sure, but I hope they will try.



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After this explosive end of the day we decide to take a rest for a few beers. Unfortunately that also means we're missing Beirut. Hopefully we will be able to catch them some other time soon.

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Rock Werchter 2012 Day 1
Rock Werchter 2012 Day 3
Rock Werchter 2012 Day 4

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